Editing The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village:Bonus4 (section)

===Part 14===

There was one thing Hishigami Ama needed to win.

No matter how much she prepared and even if she tormented me with the Nue object in my body, she had to let Hishigami Enbi see that. She had to use that sight to send Enbi’s emotions out of control and bring her to a full awakening.

In the end, even killing me was meaningless if Enbi didn’t see it.

“Uchimaku Hayabusa, was it? What are you going to do about a weapon?”

“As a police detective, you’ve had gun training, right? And you don’t have an allergy for anything other than that puny revolver, right? Here, I’ve got a ton of options, so choose whatever you like.”

“Shitsu, Yuu. Let’s have a proper talk after this is over. And if I’m going to borrow something, this is the most I can do.”

“Onii-chan, do you really think a stun gun is enough to defeat Ama-chan?”

“No, but this is the best option.”

“?”

Ama had two possible courses of action.

She could capture me and bring me to Enbi.

Or she could capture Enbi and bring her to me.

These days, it was possible to show someone a live video over the internet or a smartphone, but Ama wouldn’t do that.

She only had one opportunity to use the rare resource known as Uchimaku Hayabusa. If there happened to be a communication error at the exact moment she crushed my flesh and squeezed out my juices, it was all over. A single mistake would put her goal forever out of reach. Not to mention that Hishigami Yume’s side had a cyber war expert like Arawa and the Hishigami Men could use their ownership of the information infrastructure corporation to cut off the signal.

“Sorry, but does anyone have a needle and thread?”

“Do you have…a gaping wound…somewhere? I can…sew you…up.”

“There are this many girls here and not one of you has a sewing set!? There’s a severe lack of femininity around here!”

“The fact that you would say that so bluntly makes me question how popular you could be.”

“Shut up, cosplay nun. Can I stop by a convenience store or drugstore? I need to gather some supplies.”

“If you’re going shopping, you can take a few of my cards. As a sign of our newfound acquaintance.”

“Rou, why do you have a ton of cards from the same company? Those aren’t like those ‘leaf coins’, are they? At any rate, you’re all going to have to do some cleaning up after this is over.”

“If you’re going to the store, then buy me a soda. Convenience stores are so full of people during the day, so I don’t like getting anywhere near them. But anyway, what are you planning to do?”

“You’re sending an adult on errands for you, Arata? Looks like you need some extra social studies lessons. Anyway, I need a needle and thread. If possible, decorative gold or silver thread. Even if it isn’t real, it just has to be a metallic kind of thread.”

“Ehh?”

“No complaining. And I’ll buy you a soda while I’m at it. …Either way, I’d also like a sports drink for some insurance.”

“…Nn…”

“Onii-chan, Arawa-chan is saying you should drink vegetable juice instead. She has some here in a water bottle.”

“I’m grateful, but I don’t want the sports drink to drink it. …And why do Yuu and Shitsu look so afraid of that water bottle? Is it really bitter or something?”

“N-no, the flavor is addictively fruity, but that’s not the problem.”

“Arawa makes genetically modified plants in her home garden. …And computer-loving Arawa got into this bio stuff due to the crazy idea that she wanted to have a ‘child’ by making a DNA computer out of the stem cells in her own hair. The garden is just a side project where she mixes together multiple fruits and vegetables for fun, but the problem is how eating the vegetables feels like eating her offspring or eating a clump of her hair.”

Hishigami Ama would put on her show in person.

She would make full use of her one and only chance.

And right now, I was protected by multiple Hishigami Women.

Until Hishigami Enbi had fully awoken, she was just a middle school girl.

Uchimaku Hayabusa or Hishigami Enbi?

It was plain as day which one Ama would capture. Unless things took a truly unexpected turn, she would definitely go for Enbi.

So…



“…”

The final battle took place halfway between afternoon and evening.

The students were beginning their delightful afterschool time.

We were at the scramble crossing in front of ZR Ochanimizu Station.

There was always a police box in front of train stations, but Hishigami Ama wouldn’t care.

When the crowd grew large enough, it would hide her from those watchful eyes. And if it came to it, that woman boasted she could kill a tiger with a single hair, so she could take care of a few police officers without batting an eye.

I was waiting for the scramble crossing’s light to change.

I had a headset in my ear.

“This is Yuu. I’m in place on top of the used guitar shop. But my 1941 will pierce straight through the target. If you decide to have me take the shot, think about the damage to your surroundings.”

“Wait there until I give you further orders.”

“This is Taga. I’m handing out flyers to mostly college students near the crossing. If she flees this way, I’ll guide the crowd into her. Rou-san is using the power of money to call in some foreign soccer players along a different route. If she removes her hat and sunglasses, it’ll cause a panic and seal off the road.”

“You all don’t hold back, do you? Anyway, stay put for now.”

“…Nmh…”

“Who was that!? Arata? Raku? Either way, hold tight until I give you further orders!”

Every last one of them was difficult. In shogi terms, it was like getting rid of all the other pieces and using nothing but knights and lances.

Although I was thankful for their presence since I was just a single pawn.

And there were two important kings.

The first was Hishigami Enbi. She was waiting for the light while chatting with her friend Hachikawa Tomoe-chan who had glasses and a braid. That was our king who we could not have taken.

As for the second…

“This is Shitsu. I have spotted Hishigami Ama. She is on the opposite corner of the scramble from you.”

“…”

Was she a king we had to remove from the board?

No.

This was shogi, not chess. When we took a piece, we made it our own.

''So wait there. I’ll bring you to our side, Ama. I’ll bring an end to your life as a rusted blade.

“We still have not located Hishigami Kuji. Be on your guard. She could make a surprise attack at any moment.”

“Understood. Wait there until I give you further orders.”

“Ahh. I’ve always looked down on everything from above, but being ordered around so forcefully is making the core of my body throb…”

The lights for the cars changed from green to yellow and then to red.

It was about to begin.

The crowd would flood the crossing and we would all pass by each other just once.

“Onii-chan.”

A voice reached my headset.

I saw a small figure standing next to me. Yume looked up at me with a mischievous look in her eyes and spoke to me directly.

“Let’s get started.”

“Right.”

I breathed in and out while counting down in my heart.

''One.

''Two.

''Three.

The LED pedestrian signals all switched from red to green.

In that instant, my eyes met Ama’s for just an instant.

Ama was smiling.

I didn’t know what look I had on my face.

The sea of people finally began to move. Hishigami Ama vanished and I was likely hidden from her too.

In the crowd, I could feel Yume grab my hand, but I didn’t bother looking back at her.

Enbi had yet to notice anything was wrong as she walked with her classmate. Her characteristic twintails were swaying through the crowd.

I had to stop this before Ama reached Enbi and Tomoe-chan.

That was all I had on my mind as I carefully observed my surroundings, but then I saw a white head unexpectedly close to Enbi.

''Hishigami Ama!?

“This is…Raku. Watch out…Uchimaku!”

“Yeah, I saw Ama. She’s right next to Enbi!!”

“No! That isn’t Yume…holding your hand. It’s Kuji!! Watch out!!”

…''Eh?

My throat went dry in an instant.

When had she made the switch? And what had happened to the real Yume!?

I frantically tried to pull my hand free, but it was too late.

Vise-like pressure reached my wrist bones. But it wasn’t her hand. The hakama sleeve or something else had wrapped around my wrist. She also kicked at the back of my knees to trip me. I sank below the crowd’s sea of heads. But just before I did, I saw the white head moving. ''Dammit. I’m always a step behind! At this rate, Enbi will be taken away!!

I shouted into my headset.

“Yuu, can you see Ama from above!? Arawa, what about the cameras!? Just tell everyone where she is! It can be Shitsu, Taga, Raku, or anyone else who can-…!!”

Before I finished speaking, the headset was pulled from my ear.

''Dammit, I won’t let this end here.

''I don’t care how dirty it is. I have to protect Enbi and stop Ama!!

“H-hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

A moment later, a hysterical scream erupted from hakama-wearing Kuji.

I had used my free hand to grab the bow at her waist that held the hakama in place.

Kuji’s sleeve was wrapped around my arm, so shifting the upper part of her clothing out of place would give me more room to move and allow me to slip out. At any rate, I would win if I managed to strip her. And a hakama made it difficult to remove just the upper part, so I would have to remove the entire thing.

''Sorry, Kuji!! But in this packed crowd, it will be harder for anyone to notice!!

At any rate, I had no time.

Ama was right next to Enbi. I practically plowed through the crowd as I moved.

''Ahh, ahh. This really does disqualify me as a civil servant. But I have to reach her! I have to make it! I need to reach that final stage even if only for an instant!!

''I want to save you.

''Not just Enbi, but you too!!

Enbi and Tomoe-chan’s surprised faces were right in front of me.

I was covered in sweat and Hishigami Ama remained entirely composed without a single drop of sweat on her.

This monster could kill a tiger with a hair and break a bulletproof police car door with a tie.

I could never defeat her in a direct confrontation.

That was why I didn’t even think about doing that. I only thought about keeping my back to the used guitar shop.

“Do it.”

And I spoke.

I gave a command.

“Do it! Yuu, if you fire at Ama through me, it won’t reach any of the pedestrians!!”

A moment later, Hishigami Ama seemed to explode.

No, what she did was rush toward me with dreadful speed and lift me up by my collar with a single hand. She had iron balls attached to her arms and legs, so what was up with her body?

This wasn’t just a performance.

She was changing our positions so Yuu could not take the shot I had ordered.

But should she really have done that?

Their coordination was surprisingly bad. Was it due to them being all about active parting? Had Kuji forgotten to report that she had taken my headset? In other words, no matter how much I shouted, it wouldn’t reach Yuu.

And I had not been thinking about defeating Hishigami Ama in the first place.

She had messed with my inner ear and she was a Hishigami Woman. Even at my best and even with a handgun, there was no way I could beat her.

And more importantly…

“You aren’t an opponent to defeat. That’s why I won’t defeat you.”

“Wha-…?”

“I’ll prove to you that there is a place for you in society. I’ll show you there’s a man right here who’s willing to bow down to the sunny world alongside you! So grit your teeth for now! No matter how painful it is, this is so you can redo it all!!”

“Wait a second!! Oh, no!!”

She seemed to finally catch on, but it was too late.

A police officer’s job wasn’t to act cool and rebuke the criminal.

Nor was it to use the righteousness of the law to finish off the cornered and the weak with a smug look on your face.

''I’ll show you how I live my life, Hishigami Ama.

''I really do understand you. I’m here because I figured out what you’re thinking, what you want, what you rejected, and what you will do. I’ve reached the point those know-it-all Hishigami Men never did.

''So there’s nothing to be afraid of.

''I’m not an incomprehensible monster. Just like you aren’t an incomprehensible monster.

I had metal wires and decorative threads sewn all over my suit. No matter how much of a monster she was, I could move faster than she could let go.

And what exactly was I going to do?

The answer was simple: use the stun gun.

A loud zapping sound rang out.

A high voltage current passed from the device in my pocket, through the wires wrapped around the electrodes, and all throughout my suit. I had small plastic bags full of sports drinks stuffed in my suit here and there. They all burned through, scattered their contents, and even soaked Ama’s fingertips as she carelessly held the fabric.

I had never been thinking about a clean victory.

The most I could have hoped for was a single counterattack.

After being electrified, Hishigami Ama and I both collapsed to the ground. The increased conduction from the sports drink may have helped because my mind went blank. But that was fine. Shitsu, Taga, and Rou were all on the ground too.

So I could rest easy and pass this off to them.

I let go of my consciousness.

''Even if this didn’t knock you out as cleanly as me, the others can settle this while you can’t move.

''Hishigami Ama.

''I’ll show you the same thing one day. I’ll show you a path where you can rest easy as you rely on someone else. I promise you I will. So stop straying from that path with the look of a child who has even forgotten how to cry.