Chapter 544: [Beautiful Girl Detective Akashiterika!]The Food Stall Park Barnacle Playground Hostage Incident 2

* * *

A few hours later.

After going to the police station, giving their statements, and completing the necessary procedures, Akashiterika and Emi returned to 'Food Stall Park', and are now... sitting side by side on the canal embankment, dangling their legs, watching the shimmering water.

"You know, Emi-san... although I said that... I didn't really intend to die there."

Akashiterika, rubbing her bright red, swollen cheek, and smiling wryly, spoke to Emi, her speech slightly slurred.

"The essence of Superbad Style Martial Arts... lies in its precise [Body Strengthening]! A knife wielded by a third-rate, washed-up adventurer... It might have pierced me a little, but I was confident that I could take the hit, defend myself, and create an opening."

"............"

Despite Akashiterika trying to make conversation, Emi remained sullen, not responding.

She's been like this ever since she slapped Akashiterika's cheek.

Silent, expressionless... and yet, directing her displeasure at Akashiterika.

But despite that, she accompanied Akashiterika to the police station without running away, and is still sitting next to her, not leaving her side.

"............Even so..."

Here.

Emi finally spoke.

Turning her head to look at Akashiterika, she took off her sunglasses.

"You were thinking, 'It's okay if I die'. Weren't you?"

She asked that.

"I always think that."

Without missing a beat, without hesitation.

Akashiterika replied.

"My mission is to protect people from injustice. Even if I lose my life for that... that would just be my fate... That's all."

And then she smiled.

Emi's jet-black eyes, and Akashiterika's sparkling blue-green eyes, met.

Although their colors are different.

Although their natures are completely different.

What's burning in the depths of their eyes is the same.

That is—conviction.

Or perhaps, madness.

"I value my own life more than anything."

"Yes. There are many people like that."

Blue-green nodded.

"If I had to choose between my own life, and the lives of everyone in this world... I would definitely choose my own life."

"That's..."

Blue-green smiled wryly.

"That's why, I don't know... I find you really annoying."

Black glared.

"But... I think you're amazing."

Blue-green looked puzzled.

"Because I could never be like you... that's why I think you're amazing."

Saying that, Emi looked down at the water again, and fell silent.

Strangely, the sullen aura around her had disappeared.

Her discomfort and admiration for Akashiterika... perhaps because she was finally able to put those conflicting emotions into words.

"Thank you."

Akashiterika, also looking down at the water, thanked Emi.

It's gratitude for praising her way of life... and gratitude for finally opening up to her.

Come to think of it, Emi had always kept a certain distance from Akashiterika, always wary of her.

And yet, she just took a step towards her... so it's gratitude for that.

"Hey, Emi-san."

And Akashiterika—

Realizing that now is the time—

"Won't you... become my friend?"

She suggested that, smiling.

"...Huh?"

"I... I think Emi-san needs a friend."

Akashiterika, moving closer to Emi, who was frozen in confusion by the sudden offer, continued.

'I value my own life'.

That's probably true for most people.

But to declare that after weighing your own life against the entire world is a bit extreme.

The reason she can say that is probably because Emi hasn't been able to build any deep relationships in her life.

That life itself, is an injustice forced upon Emi.

That's what Akashiterika thought.

And if she's suffering from injustice, then it's Akashiterika's mission to resolve it.

"What are you... saying... such selfish things..."

"And I also need a friend. I really... want to be your friend."

Akashiterika continued, to Emi, who was acting suspiciously, looking here and there.

Akashiterika is a privileged girl.

She comes from a good family, surrounded by people of good character, has no financial worries, is intelligent, beautiful, healthy, and on top of that, she's a skilled fighter.

She's been given that superhuman 'vessel'.

But she didn't have any friends.

She didn't have any friends who could treat her as an equal.

She was lonely.

But Emi's otherworldly, or perhaps inhuman, sensibilities... Akashiterika, having been by her side, albeit for a short time, felt it keenly.

If it's Emi...

If it's Akashiterika and Emi...

They can definitely become friends.

Akashiterika was convinced of that.

"You..."

Emi scratched her head, looking troubled.

Earlier, she had angrily rejected Akashiterika's similar words, but she didn't do that this time.

Through solving the case together, Emi had already come to acknowledge Akashiterika to a certain extent.

"...No. I have black hair and black eyes. I'm a cursed child."

Even so, Emi still couldn't bring herself to become friends with Akashiterika.

"Do you know? 'If you're with a cursed child, you'll become unhappy'... That's true. For some reason, incidents always happen around me. It's very dangerous."

Emi has had enough experiences to say that.

What happened in her birthplace?

What happened at her master's house?

What happened at Baron Salar's mansion?

What happened in the Zamago Forest?

What happened in the royal capital of Ashgo?

That's one of the reasons why she doesn't settle down in one place.

It's also one of the reasons why she tries not to build deep relationships.

"That's not a problem at all!"

But Akashiterika, crossing her arms, puffing out her chest, declared that with a smile!

"Because I'm a Beautiful Girl Detective... and solving cases is my raison d'être!"

"Huh!?"

Emi opened her mouth, blinking repeatedly.

"A hundred incidents will happen if I'm with you? A thousand? ...So what? I'll solve them all!"

"You..."

"Not 'you'. Please call me Akashiterika!"

Akashiterika, smiling confidently, extended her right hand to Emi.

And then she opened her clenched fist.

She's asking for a handshake!

"..."

Emi, her mouth agape, looked back and forth between Akashiterika's face and her outstretched hand.

And then she scratched her head, pulled her knitted cap down lower, adjusted her sunglasses, and froze for a while, her hands covering her mouth and nose.

"Fuu..."

She let out a small sigh, slumped her shoulders, dropped her hands, and looked down.

"So..."

She muttered something under her breath.

"Huh?"

Akashiterika, not hearing her clearly, let out that sound, and then...

Emi quickly raised her head!

Looking at Akashiterika!

"If you... want to be my friend... pay the friendship fee...!!"

She shouted!

"I don't need money! Pay me with food! If you always give me delicious food... I'll... be your friend...!"

She said that all in one breath!

"...!?"

This time, it was Akashiterika's turn to be dumbfounded.

But only for a moment.

She immediately closed her mouth.

"Yes! Understood!"

And with a big smile, she agreed to the offer!

"No, why 'understood'...!? Isn't that strange, a 'friendship fee'... !?"

"There's no problem! I'm rich!"

Emi was flustered by the unexpected response.

Not minding her reaction, Akashiterika stood up, moved closer to Emi... and grabbed Emi's hand, which she still hadn't extended for a handshake, and squeezed it!

"Now we're friends! Right, Emi!?"

"............"

Emi, a brilliant smile directed at her, opened and closed her mouth for a while, but...

She finally relaxed, sighed, and—

"That's right, Akashiterika..."

She finally accepted Akashiterika.

* * *

There was a person, watching the two of them, sitting on the canal embankment, from the shadow of a distant street tree.

The people passing by aren't paying any attention to him at all.

A truly masterful [Presence Concealment].

"............"

The person exhaled softly, and took out a small, palm-sized... sphere from his pocket.

It's a deep purple... something like a jewel.

"............"

The person continued to observe Emi and Akashiterika for a while, rolling the sphere in his palm.

However, they aren't showing any 'openings' that he's looking for.

"............"

Finally, it seems that the person... has given up on achieving his goal for now.

He stepped out of the shadow of the street tree, and was swept away into the flow of people.

Soon, he was no longer visible.

Emi's weakness... is cheerful, kind, and assertive people.

[What happened in her birthplace?]

Her village was destroyed by the Demon King's army.

Arc 2.

[What happened at her master's house?]

Her master was killed by a cult.

Arc 3.

[What happened at Baron Salar's mansion?]

A stampede occurred.

Arc 5.

[What happened in the Zamago Forest?]

A crazy woman caused a monster attack.

A giant bear went on a rampage.

A kind old man died.

Arc 12.

[What happened in the royal capital of Ashgo?]

It was attacked by the Demon King's army.

A cult went on a rampage.

Invaders from another world went on a rampage.

An evil spirit activated an ancient weapon and went on a rampage.

(Grandma's death doesn't count, as it was simply from old age.)

Arc 17.

...Besides that, Emi has also been involved in various incidents, such as being entangled with a black dragon from mythology, getting caught in a time loop, being attacked by barnacles, and causing the Sky Kingdom to fall.

[That's what Akashiterika thought.]

The Beautiful Girl Detective's deduction.

But it's not necessarily entirely correct.