304 – The reincarnators

After we finished eating, we all went over to the Demon King’s place. The Demon King is probably still sleeping, but this is in order to collect oni-kun who is guarding her. When we go meet the reincarnators, oni-kun’s communication skills will be indispensible. There’ll be a significant difference in the chances of a successful mission depending on whether oni-kun is there or not.

So here we are at oni-kun’s place. I’ll have oni-kun switch with Mera. I hadn’t explained anything beforehand, but I guess this much is to be expected from oni-kun, as he figured out what I wanted to say with just a gesture from me. Thus, I was able to smoothly take out oni-kun, and in exchange I’ll leave guarding the Demon King to Mera. At the time, Mera made a face that somewhat suggested “I still gotta work huh” but, yeah, I’ll pretend I never saw it. Regardless of whatever you think deep down, I like how you perfectly complete any jobs given to you due to your strong sense of responsibility. It’s terribly convenient.

Now then, the preparations are complete, so let’s march off to where the reincarnators are huh……. Do I really have to march off…? I feel reluctant with having to meet the reincarnators who know Wakaba Hiiro. Just that alone is enough to make me feel reluctant, yet on top of that I’ll have no alternative but to open my mouth and talk in order to explain things then huh. What’s with this punishment game? Ahh, I don’t wanna go. I don’t wanna go I but gotta go. Do I really have to?

Now that I think about it really closely, I don’t really have an obligation to explain the situation to the reincarnators now do I? How about I simply keep quiet and let them stumble around hopelessly without understanding the situation? Can I, or can’t I? I can!

「Shiro-san, are you perhaps thinking about something bad?」

Gnn! You bastard, are you an esper huh!? Ughhh. Sigh. It can’t be helped. I received a retort from oni-kun already anyway, so I should resolve myself and press on huh.

And so here we are at the treehouse where the reincarnators are held. I feel a bit guilty for shoving this large group of reincarnators into a single place which feels a bit cramped, but this way makes it easier to manage them after all. Inside they should have been separated by gender after all, so there shouldn’t have been any problems. There’s guards properly posted as well. What if it’s consensual? Not my problem.

Perhaps it’s because of my mood, but the door feels heavy on opening. Ahh, it’s because once I open this door the reincarnators will be there. I’m depressed, though not enough to kill me.

On opening the door, there was Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun tied up with rope.

Slam. Hm? Hmm? Hmmm!?

I unconsciously closed the door, but what was that? An illusion? Is there someone here who is skilled enough to make even me see illusions then!? In order to check whether or not I had misjudged things or something, I opened the door slooowly once again. Sure enough, there was Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun bound together with rope.

……Yup. Well, yup. Erm, yup.

Well, the fact that they’ve been bound against their will is fair enough. Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun are pawns of the Divine Word Religion. Kusama-kun is a culpable in the attack on the elf village, so he’s part of our gang in other words, while Ogiwara-kun allowed himself be caught by the elves and was a spy that leaked out internal information. From the point of view of the other reincarnators they’re like traitors, and so it’s not like I can’t understand why they would be captured for interrogation.

So that much is fine, but why have the two of them been bound together such like they’re almost embracing each other? Wouldn’t you normally bind them back-to-back in such a situation? Isn’t the orientation reversed? Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun are both really trying hard to face away from each other, but their faces are still touching. If the angle was a bit different they’d be close enough to kiss you know.

Also, why are the girls gazing at these guys with enraptured expressions? It’s the sort of mood where if someone had a camera they’d be taking photos or something. The only normal ones are sensei, the former class-rep Kudou-san, and finally Ku**ani-san. Ah, no. While sensei is saying “doing this sort of thing is wrong!” and covering her face, she’s glancing at them between the gaps in her fingers. Kudou-san is saying incomprehensible stuff like “It’s not working. It’s acceptable in 2D but it fails in 3D!”, while lamenting. In conclusion, Ku**ani-san is the only normal one!

Erm, what, is, this?

「Wakaba-san! Help!」

While I was taken aback by this mysterious scene, I met Kusama-kun’s eyes, and at that moment he plead for help. He really must be at his wit’s end, as he’s practically crying. Wait, don’t drag me into this!?

At Kusama-kun’s shout, almost everyone in the place focused their eyes on me. Stop! Don’t look at me when there’s such a strange scene going on!? Look away!

「No way.」

「Wakaba-san?」

「Eh, but…」

「Is it really her?」

The reincarnators whisper such things to each other while looking this way. Amongst them, one of them takes a step forwards as their representative. It’s the former class-rep Kudou-san.

「I wonder if it’s okay to say long time no see? You are Wakaba-san, right?」

I’m not her actually, but if I say that here then the conversation would get rather complicated so I keep quiet and nod. When I nod to confirm, sensei becomes noticeably agitated.

「By the way, the person behind, is Sasajima-kun right?」

「Yeah, that’s right. Long time no see, class-rep.」

「Indeed.」

In response to oni-kun’s calm greeting, Kudou-san’s stiff shoulders sag, as if she was dumbfounded. However, I guess she quickly gathered herself again, and turned to the last person.

「By a process of elimination, you are Negishi-san then?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

When vampire girl affirms, the reincarnators behind Kudou-san become noisy. From what I can gather from their conversation, well, they’re basically talking about how they’re shocked at the change in vampire girl. Kudou-san claps her hands at the noisy reincarnators to quieten them.

「Well then? What it your purpose in coming here?」

Openly cautious, Kudou-san asked us that. Well, I can understand that caution. The reincarnators who were being held captive in the elf village are at least aware that the Imperial Army attacked. However, they know nothing about what happened afterwards, as they were isolated inside my other dimension, and then before they realised it they were being held captive like this after all. Of course they would worry about what will happen to them and also what the heck had happened. In a situation where they didn’t know anything, suddenly three new reincarnators appear, so considering the timing of course you’d be cautious. Or otherwise, you’d be bewildered I guess. Kudou-san, also Tagawa-kun and Ku**ani-san, and also Shinohara-san are all cautions. The others seem to be really bewildered.

「Please relax. We have no intention of causing harm.」

Oni-kun spoke before I could.

「Sensei might not be able to believe us, but we are not your enemies. Please believe that much at least.」

In response to oni-kun’s earnest appeal, the place becomes quiet. Some of the reincarnators are making glances at sensei. However, sensei doesn’t notice that at all, and keeps opening and closing her mouth in confusion. I think she’s trying to say something but can’t get the words out.

「Today, we came in order to talk. There is something that we must talk to you about.」

Oni-kun surveys the room while making that announcement. There was nobody who denied him. As I had guessed, bringing oni-kun was the right thing to do.

「Umm, excuse me. Before that, could you please untie us?」

「Idiot! Read the mood!」

In response to Kusama-kun’s pitiful request, Ogiwara-kun remonstrates him.

「……Rather than stand around, let’s sit down and talk.」

Perhaps Kusama-kun’s request broke the tension in the room, as Kudou-san made that proposal while relaxing her shoulders. Unfortunately for Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun, they were neglected and were simply left as they were.

Kudou-san: Although it was done as part of my fujoshi religion, since only 2D interested me, 3D is outside my area of expertise. However, since there’s obviously no 2D materials in this elf village, the other girls who followed my fujoshi religion focused on 3D, so what’s with this incomprehensible situation where I’m being left out despite being the founder. Just how did this happen?