I take a brand-new cloak out of the basket and present a cheap sword to the Ezo people. Iruka glances at them silently, then takes a moment to extend his hand.
However, I withdraw my hand. As a result, Iruka's hand flails out and he looks at me accusingly with a wrinkled brow.
"...Hey, are you kidding me? Is this some kind of prank?" he asks.
"Don't get mad, I'll give it to you. But kust answer me honestly. Did you kill the hidden group men in capital?" I ask.
"You expect me to answer that honestly in this situation?" he scoffs.
"It would help if you did," I reply.
There's a moment of silence as Iruka stares at me, then he clicks his tongue in annoyance.
"That was my first mission. Thanks to that, I didn't get any important jobs. ...And for your information, I didn't know about the attack on the city street. That's a false accusation. What the hell is going on?"
Iruka declares in a tone of considerable reluctance and displeasure.
"...I see."
I let out a sigh of relief, glad that I didn't have to let a murderer go free. Aside from what he'd done to me, I couldn't help but feel guilty about my own actions. I didn't think he was lying. In that sense, I trusted him to make a friendship with main character, and with my sister. I hand over the coat and sword.
"You can escape wherever you want. The commotion should start soon, so use that as cover to get away," I say.
But then, I sensed a dense youkai energy from a nearby locationIt was a thick calamity youkai that seemed to engulf and crush everything around it, exuding a bold and greasy atmosphere. ...Even the detection ability of the Head of Research Group wouldn't work with this jamming.
"...What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to the village."
"I see."
Iruka replied simply, changed into his cloak, put his sword on his hip, and stood beside me.
"?"
"You don't know where the secret passage is, do you? Besides...having more bait should be better, right?"
Perhaps Iruka saw through my intention and demanded to accompany me.
"And do you really want to do it? This time, you might get beheaded...or charged with attempted escape. You'll suffer even more."
In an era where human life was considered light, death sentence alone was not considered a severe punishment. The guillotine was considered merciful in the category of execution, and beheading was considered a humane method of punishment.
"I don't know how you Fuso people think, but we have some obligations too, okay? I can't forget the courtesy of three meals and a nap."
At my threat, however, Iruka utters a derisive remark. I couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Don't change your mind and run away, okay?"
"I don't want to hear that from a servant."
I was not offended by his words, but for some reason I did not feel bad about it. The same was probably true for the other party.
"There's a commotion. Let's go now," I said.
A roar sounded in the distance. I had a good idea of what was causing it. There was no way the exorcists would ignore it with such a thick youkai atmosphere. And, of course, the forces would be deployed one by one... all three exorcists belonging to the Eastern Strike Force should be out there.
(Considering the dialogue of the damn demon and the original scenario, I hope he won't try to kill them this time...)
That sloppy demon, I can't ignore the fact that I might accidentally kill her with excessive force. Unfortunately, I can't afford to choose the means either. I can't afford to choose....
"I have prepared horses. Hurry and get on...!?"
I hurriedly left the cabin and headed towards the horse that was parked nearby... but then I noticed a figure and instinctively stopped in my tracks. I had not expected to meet that person at this moment.
"Tomobe-san, right? Good evening, meeting you here so late at night."
The girl called out to me, standing right next to my black horse. Her distinctive blonde hair glistened in the moonlight. Her gaze was filled with suspicion and unease, piercing through me.
(Are you serious? Give me a break.)
I sigh inwardly. Her presence was utterly powerless in this situation, but also extremely troublesome.
"Tomobe-san, can you explain what's going on with that person next to you? ...Could you please tell me?" Tachibana Kayo looked at me bravely and asked again...
* * *
In the distance, the roar of something could still be heard, and in the main street of the city, people were in chaos and uproar. It was natural, since a dangerous presence, whose presence alone could be felt, was approaching the city.
However, for me at that moment, such commotion seemed like events from a different world. The slender girl in front of me was much more troublesome than the demon, who was (or should be) almost certain to kill no one.
"...!!"
"Wait! Stop!"
I stopped the Ezo who was about to draw his sword beside me. Then I look at Kayo again. Kayo is slightly upset by Iruka's action, but still looks at me sharply.
"That person is a criminal, right? I believe he was detained. So why is he beside you, Tomobe-san?"
"That's...." I hesitated to answer Kayo's question. I had no excuses to give. Allowing a criminal to escape without the permission of the court was a serious crime. And I doubted that any flimsy excuse would work on this girl.
"Did you deceive me from the beginning? Is that what you're trying to say?"
Kayo's fearful words confused me for a moment, but I immediately understood what she meant.
There is no reason for me to help Iruka here. Then, it was not strange for Kayo to guess that the incident at the capital was a self-made act. I quickly denied her accusations, trying to avoid any further misunderstandings.
"N-no, Miss Kayo, that's not true!! I never did anything like that...!! I would never deceive you like that!!"
"Then why are you doing this!?"
"That's..."
I again stutter. But even if I lied here, she was too smart and would figure it out right away.
"What are you going to do? We don't have time!"
"You keep your mouth shut. I'll figure something out."
I stop Iruka, who wants to hurry on, to prevent him from rushing and looked at Kayo. Even though she bravely tried to hide her anxiety, it was clear that she was uneasy with no guards around. Seeing her like that made me pity her.
"...For the rescue of Hotoya village, I questioned this half-youkai and found out about it."
Kayo frowned at my explanation. It was obvious. It was too much of a lie.
"Do you really believe this criminal's words?"
"Yes."
"Even in this situation?"
"...Yes."
Believing the criminal's words or heading towards the raging demon in this situation were both foolish choices.
"Tomobe-san, do you think I'm stupid?"
"No, of course not..."
"Don't lie to me!!"
Kayo shouted. Even though it was the voice of a young child without the power of a small youkai, it shook me.
"You underestimated me, right?! How dare you try to deceive me with such… such a stupid lie...!!"
The girl gets angry. She is furious. She glared at me.
"Assuming, assuming that everything you said is true...!? Are you really going to leave in this situation?! With me here?! With me in danger?! Even though I've been looking after you so much?! Is that how you treat me?!"
Kayo yells, her face turning red as she vents her emotions.
"Don't play around with me!! Am I just a useless girl to you now?! Was the young lady from that village so much better?! It's so audacious of you to keep changing your target for flattery like that, even though you're just a commoner!!"
"Miss Kayo..."
I was not angry at the blatant abuse. Her abuse seemed too desperate. It was like a fledgling bird that couldn't leave the nest trying to intimidate a bird of prey... it was just too pitiful.
"Please calm down. It's impossible for me to try to flatter Hotoya's young lady... especially since she has such strong ties with the main family and owes so much to Miss Kayo."
I explain, trying to reason with her and assure her that I wasn't using her. But that was a very difficult excuse under the circumstances.
"You're still underestimating me, aren't you?! You are trying to deceive me by involving the Onitsuki family!! ...I know many things too, you know?! Tomobe-san, you used to be a miscellaneous labor in the Onitsuki family, didn't you?!"
"What?!"
Kayo noticed my dismay and continued to attack me.
"Listen to me! Thanks to someone, you fall into the servant position in the Onitsuki family, right?... and Hotoya's young lady is a kind person who even shelters half-youkai bandits, right? I can't believe you were planning to rely on that rumor?" Kayo cornered me.
However, once I regained my composure, I realized that it wasn't strange for Kayo to investigate me, and it wasn't difficult either. I even agreed with her. If anything, I was more worried about what Iruka, who was standing beside me, might do.
And, Kayo, perhaps sensing my quick temper, twisted her face in displeasure. Did she want to see me panic and flustered? Well, if it meant she would overlook this situation, I would even lick her shoes...
"Tch," Kayo's tongue clicked as if she had sensed my thoughts, her face twisted in irritation and a hint of posturing... but in the next moment, Kayo smiles as if she remembers. With a wicked smile that seemed to reveal her true intentions, she pointed it out.
"Ah, or is it that maid?"
"...!?"
I involuntarily held my breath under my face at the words that hit the truth in a way. And Kayo didn't miss that slight change. She sneered with a twisted mouth, spilling out a dim smirk.
"Oh, I see. That's exactly it...I happened to see you talking with her from a distance just before you left the village. You were talking about something in the countryside, weren't you?"
Kayo giggles, "Kukuku," sneering at me with a mocking sneer.
"Did you fall in love with her by any chance? Is that why you are so desperate for the lies of that criminal? It's a funny story, isn't it?"
"Miss Kayo, please stop joking..."
"Shut up!"
Kayo interrupted my words with a piercing voice.
"Shut up! Shut up! You're so annoying! I can't understand it! Why would you abandon me in this situation and go to help someone you barely know?! It's ridiculous! It's ridiculous to believe the criminal's words and go to help him!"
Kayo's voice was getting louder and she started to cry, stomp her feet. Before I knew it, her green eyes were moist and her face was flushed with excitement. It was painful to watch her in such a state.
"Why would you do that?! Don't listen to that guy's words! Protect me instead! Don't you see that I'm in danger too?! I've done so much for you! I trust you! ...It's ridiculous!"
