Editing The Unexplored Summon Blood Sign:Volume1 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 10===

The next morning arrived.

“……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”

“Why aren’t you sleeping? And after I let you have the bed, too.”

Shiroyama Kyousuke had tried to get what sleep he could by placing the kitchen table’s chairs next to each other. He asked his question while cracking his back, but Meinokawa Higan did not answer him.

She was filling her cupped hands with tap water and washing her face that still looked discouraged. On a cruiser, fresh water was fairly valuable. Basically, mineral water was pumped into a tank. Although there were reports saying Toy Dream 35’s tap water taken from a Repliglass bacteria pool was of higher quality than commercial water bottles.

“Next up is our ‘Trend Catcher!!’ section where we discuss cutting-edge technology and the latest products. Today, we will be discussing the Logical Cables everyone has been talking about lately. Have any of you ever had trouble with your electric cords getting all tangled up at home? But prepare to be amazed! These Logical Cables will untangle themselves even if they’re as tangled as an afro!!”

“But Tomcat-chan, aren’t these made from Repliglass!? That was originally a military product, so surely it has to be expensive. …Huh? It’s this cheap???”

(Honestly, that stuff is showing up everywhere these days.)

Kyousuke listened to the cat costume and the female announcer (he could not remember her nickname) on the TV as he poured cereal and milk into two large bowls and prepared a salad from the ingredients in the fridge.

“We have at most two more days. After eating this, let’s pursue that rumor about the ‘part-time girl’ that’s probably your sister.”

“R-right. We need to find her as soon as we can.”

Higan clenched her small fists.

“And you need rice and miso soup for a proper breakfast.”

“Yeah, well cereal and damp bread is all I’ve got.”

“B-but I didn’t expect a legendary summoner to, um, buy Tomcat-chan cereal.”

“This is Toy Dream 35. Everything from toilet paper to molester-repellent spray is branded with some kind of character or another. It’s harder to find something without an illustration on it.”

To add some more flavor, Kyousuke put a single scoop of plain yogurt in his bowl.

“I-I see…”

“Why are you so on edge? None of this is genetically modified if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Our shrine performs doll funerals, so I don’t really like seeing all these mass-produced character goods that just get thrown out. Nothing’s scarier than a smile buried in mud…”

While Higan preferred Japanese food, her empty stomach won out and she stuck a silver spoon into her large bowl of cereal.

Before taking the first bite, she muttered something under her breath.

“Oh, White Queen. Thank you for the happiness of having food at the table for another day.”

“You’re praying again?”

“I-I’m a shrine maiden, so of course I am. Didn’t I tell you the White Queen is our shrine’s unofficial second god?”

“I understand wanting to rely on her when she’s known as the strongest, but you should be focusing on the entire summoning ceremony system more than a single temporary Material.”

“B-but…”

Higan took a bite of the cereal and then reached for the bottle of honey on the table.

“The name on this boat’s side is the White Queen.”

“And you have no idea how much I regret that. If I’d known how hard it is to change a boat’s name once it’s been registered, I never would have given it that name.”

Higan was puzzled by the way he seemed to spit out the words, but he changed the subject before she could find an answer.

“Oh, right. We need to do something about ‘that’ once you finish eating.”

“?”

“I’m talking about that.”

Kyousuke used his spoon to point toward the floor where the seawater-soaked shrine maiden outfit was soaking in a tub of water.



Toy Dream 35 was a giant amusement park filled with hopes and dreams, but it of course had the stores needed for daily life in addition to the souvenir shops and official fashion shops.

But Meinokawa Higan spoke up as soon as they entered the laundromat they found on the way to the nearest station.

“Oh, um, we can’t use this.”

“…Why not?”

She was looking at the synthetic detergent, not the washing machine.

“My sister said our outfits are dyed using the rubia plant, so u-using something like this will, um, wash the color out.”

“Then what kind of detergent can we use?”

“I think everything ''like this'' is off limits.”

Kyousuke held his head in his hands.

It was looking like they could not use the laundromat.

“So let me get this straight. To wash this thing, we have to use expensive dry cleaning? In this city that prices everything at hotel levels?”

“I…guess so.”

“And with the special hand-washing option needed for a kimono or dress!?”

“It would be, um, m-meaningless otherwise.”

“That costs too much. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………I guess we’ll have to give up on that.”

“?”

Meinokawa Higan blankly tilted her head and he gave what might as well have been a death sentence to a girl who was still wearing a miniskirt maid outfit.

“On buying you some panties.”



Ten minutes later, Shiroyama Kyousuke held the receipt from the dry cleaners they had dropped the shrine maiden outfit off at as soon as it had opened.

He had also been hit over and over by Meinokawa Higan whose entire face was beet red.

“Wh-why!? Um, how could this have happened!?”

“One: I got some Incense Grenades and information at Lu-san’s place. That’s an Illegal business, so it isn’t cheap. Two: this is an amusement park city, so pretty much everything is expensive. Three: hand-washing traditional Japanese clothing requires an expert, so it’s super expensive!! Just to be clear, my savings are pretty much down to zero now. Zero! Once my fridge is empty, I’m going to have to catch some dinner with a fishing rod!”

“B-but I thought you were Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit!!”

“I’ve been using up all of my savings without doing any work for about half a year now. Got a problem with that? Besides, before taking issue with my financial situation, how about you take a look in your own wallet!?”

“Uuh… B-but we had our shrine taken away because of our debt…”

“Um… Just out of curiosity, how did you and your sister even get to Toy Dream 35? Surely you have some spare clothes at the hotel or apartment you were staying at.”

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………We don’t have anything like that.”

“Don’t tell me you were living in a home of newspaper and cardboard… That’s just sad.”

“S-say a word more and, um, I might not be able to control myself.”

Nevertheless, they could not spend money they did not have and she could not wear panties she did not have.

She nearly accepted her fate, but then something occurred to her.

“Huh? There is a way!! Y-you can sell that cruiser!”

“Hell no!! Surely you don’t think I’m crazy enough to sell my home to buy some panties!”

And thus Meinokawa Higan was forced to continue her strategy of utter defenselessness.

“Once this is over, you should probably go running to Government or Illegal and accept a few small jobs. At this rate, you’ll be digging through the trash for food.”

“U-uuh… D-do you have to, um, verbally attack me like that?”

“Yes, I do! We’re supposed to be a pair, but I feel like one side isn’t exactly supporting the other much!”