Chapter 19: Title: The TS Girl Goes Out

I lay on my bed, completely drained. Lately, it feels like I’ve been having more and more days like this.

Well, I barely sleep to begin with, so maybe that’s why. This is Akegami Yuri in full sleepy mode.

Ahh, this won’t do. I need a change of pace. It’s a day off, after all.

I fix up my messy bed hair just enough and head outside. I’m definitely lacking in Nagisa-kun energy, but barging in on him would be… yeah, not great.

Maybe I’ll go to the shopping mall again. The last time I came here was when things got awkward with Kisa. Memories of a failed date.

Come to think of it, Kisa and Reina seem to be getting along pretty well lately. Everyone’s getting closer without me even realizing it—what’s up with that?

I guess I need to put in some effort too.

What do you think I’m doing today?

Ta-da—going to a flower shop!

…Yeah, yeah, I know it doesn’t suit me. But sometimes you just get in that kind of mood.

I mean, I’m supposed to be playing the role of a fragile-looking pretty girl, after all. You might forget that with how I usually act.

For now, I buy a bouquet. Not like I’m giving it to someone out of love or anything. Let’s see if it fits in my bag… yeah, it does.

After that, maybe I’ll grab something to eat and head home.

…

While idly gazing outside, I spot a kid. A boy.

He looks around nervously—probably lost. Normally, I wouldn’t bother, but for some reason, I decide to talk to him. Just a whim. I’m basically like a cat, after all.

Someone once said I was like a stray cat. Who are you calling a stray?! Hiss!

…Anyway, jokes aside, I should be nice to little kids once in a while.

I walk up to the boy standing outside the shopping mall. He looks startled, so I crouch down to meet his eye level and give him a gentle smile.

"Hey there, kid. Are you lost?"

"…"

Huh? He’s not saying anything. Was I scary?

"U-um…"

"Who are you, lady?"

Oh, he spoke.

His tone is blunt, and he’s glaring at me like he’s on guard.

"I’m just a passerby."

"That sounds suspicious."

Wow, this brat’s got a mouth on him. My expression almost twitches, but I manage to hold it in.

"You shouldn’t say things like that to someone you just met."

"Everyone says people who talk to you out of nowhere are dangerous."

"That’s true. Which is exactly why it’s dangerous for you to be alone here, so I came to tell you that."

"Hmm. Annoying."

"You little—!"

His eyes waver slightly, uneasy. Being alone and approached by a stranger must have made him nervous. There’s fear in his gaze. Rude little guy.

So, without thinking, I ruffle his hair roughly. That’s enough for a cheeky brat like him.

Strangely, the way he looks at me softens a little. Easy.

"…I got separated from my mom."

"I see. Then let’s find her. Where did you get separated?"

"Um, over there… ah—"

"Hm?"

—A chill runs down my spine.

Grrrk—grrrrk— a grinding, scraping sound echoes.

"L-lady…"

"A Shin-ka, seriously? Couldn’t you pick a better time?"

Behind me, a giant mantis-shaped Shin-ka suddenly appears. It slashes at the light wall I put up, trying to carve through it with its blade-like forelegs.

I activated it instinctively without calling out the skill name, so its durability is a bit lacking.

Among my Saint Arts, "Wall" activates automatically in the game, so I guess I rely on that a bit.

These things are usually bigger than us, which just makes them extra disgusting. Sorry for only being about 140 cm tall.

Shin-ka usually appear in groups, swarming specific areas.

But sometimes, like now, one shows up alone.

Good thing I happened to come here on a whim.

"Kid, don’t move, okay?"

Still, this is a pain. Protecting him while fighting is a hassle.

"Saint Arts—"Lance"."

I block the blade that pierces through my light wall with a spear of light. Damn, it’s strong. If this turns into a contest of raw strength, I might be at a disadvantage.

I grit my teeth and push back, barely managing to deflect the blade.

"Saint Arts—"Arrow"."

Since I can’t move from here, I switch to ranged attacks. Several arrows of light form around me, and I fire them all at once. They strike the Shin-ka, whose posture is already broken, but only parts of its body crumble—not enough to finish it.

More troublesome than I expected. Now what?

If I get an opening, I might be able to take it down in one go without putting the kid in danger…

The Shin-ka moves toward us again. Its two blades point straight at me. They look sharp enough—one hit and I’d be sliced in half.

"—Slash Loaded."

Thunk. One of the mantis’s blades drops to the ground.

…You’ve got to be kidding me, running into her at a time like this. That brown side-ponytail.

"Akegami, why are you taking so long?"

"Shut up, Honoka."

Honoka appears out of nowhere, sword in hand, having sliced off one of the mantis’s forelegs. The creature staggers, its balance thrown off by the sudden loss.

"Saint Arts—"Javelin"."

I hurl the spear in my hand with all my strength. The light intensifies as it flies, striking the Shin-ka in the face. Its body begins to crumble.

"Kid, you okay?"

"…Yeah. Oh, there’s my mom."

"Alright, go on."

Looks like he found his mother. He waves at me, then runs off with a shy "Thank you!" Huh. Kinda cute for a brat.

And that wraps things up nicely.

"So, what are you doing here, Akegami?"

"Nothing much. Just came shopping and got attacked, I guess."

"Right. Just don’t go luring little kids, okay?"

"As if I would."

Honestly, shouldn’t this kind of random encounter happen to Nagisa-kun instead of me? And of all people, Honoka… what a pain.

I glance at her. She’s dressed casually.

Her messy hair and worn-out clothes from before are gone—well, not gone, just back to normal.

Maybe what I said to her earlier affected her more than I thought. Not like she needed to bounce back so quickly.

She keeps staring at me. What?

"Now that I think about it, if you’d always acted like that, you would’ve been popular."

"Drop it."

Ugh, that reminds me of all the guys who confessed to me. So annoying. Like I’d ever like them.

Besides, Honoka—Shishiba was the popular one. She was always getting called out for something or another.

Oh right, I had something to do. …I really don’t want to, and going alone feels like a drag, so I guess I’ll take her with me.

"Hey, Honoka. Can you come with me for a bit?"

"Huh?"

Yeah, she’s still annoying.

"Just come."

"…Fine."

I grab her and pull her along. She sighs deeply but goes along with it. Good enough.

"…Didn’t you say you weren’t coming here?"

"So what if I did?"

In front of us stands a memorial monument.

It’s dedicated to those who died during the Third Shin-ka Disaster—the victims of the massive outbreak.

I place the bouquet I bought there.

It’s basically like visiting a grave.

The monument is engraved with the names of the deceased. I find the name Akegami Yua among them—and look away.

At the very least, I should come once before I die.

The Third Shin-ka Disaster—when a massive number of Shin-ka appeared in a concentrated area. If our middle school hadn’t been right at the center of it… maybe the future would’ve been different.

"…Ugh. I hate this place. It brings back memories. So what are you even trying to do?"

Her voice lacks its usual sharpness, probably because of the somber atmosphere.

"Secret."

"Idiot."

She snorts and walks away.

The distance between me and Shishiba… maybe this is just right.