Chapter 545: A Morning in the Old Imperial City, Several Months Later

* * *

"Hmm..."

My eyes snapped open.

But even though I opened my eyes, my vision is still blocked by darkness.

It's only natural, since I'm wrapped in my usual cocoon.

"Fuwa..."

Yawning, I moved my [Black Tentacles], undoing the cocoon.

And there I saw the room, faintly illuminated by the morning sun shining through the curtains.

I'm still lying in bed, near the window.

<...Good morning, Emi.>

Good morning, Extra-sama.

I exchanged greetings with her in my mind, and silently jumped from the ceiling to the floor.

And then, covering my entire body with my [Black Tentacles], I created clothes, and then... casually approached Akashiterika.

"Suu suu..."

Quiet snores.

She's not even tossing and turning.

Hmm, somehow... she looks like a princess, sleeping so elegantly.

<Well, she does seem to come from a good family... Perhaps she's close to that position? Although there are no longer any nobles in this country... maybe she's the daughter of a distinguished family, who used to be nobles...>

Is that so... I haven't asked, since she doesn't talk about it, perhaps because she doesn't want to show off.

While having that conversation with Extra-sama... I extended a [Black Tentacle] from my shoulder.

Towards Akashiterika's chest.

And then I would... thrust it into her chest with all my might.

...If I were to do that.

<If it's Akashiterika, she might barely react and grab the [Black Tentacle] to stop it.>

Then, without missing a beat, I would take advantage of the opening and decapitate her with [Mantis].

<If that's the case... there's a high probability that she won't awaken due to divine intervention, and we'll be able to kill her.>

Understood.

Relieved by the results of my daily simulation, I moved away from Akashiterika.

And then, I sat down on a chair by the dining table, which isn't used much since we often eat out, and spaced out.

<It's quite bright outside, but Akashiterika is sleeping well today.>

Hmm?

Ah... that's right.

The case yesterday... we solved it at night.

She must be tired.

Let's let her sleep.

* * *

Several months have passed since I became friends with Akashiterika.

Summer passed by in a flash, and autumn is almost here... My twelfth birthday is also approaching.

Akashiterika is my friend, so she provides me with food and shelter.

The food in the Old Imperial Capital, Ruinomiyako, is delicious.

The care put into every single dish still surprises and impresses me, at every meal.

So.

Since I felt bad about just being given food, I've been pretending to be Akashiterika's bodyguard, hiding my black hair and black eyes, and following her around.

After all, whenever Akashiterika walks around town, she always encounters a case.

I was feeling down, thinking that I was the one attracting danger, but according to her, for some reason, she herself is also prone to getting involved in trouble.

<Akashiterika is probably a reincarnated person sent by the Detective God... so it's safe to assume that her fate is being manipulated by the god.>

The Detective God is manipulating fate, causing incidents!?

<No... I'm sure that god has his own pride... The correct answer is probably that he's manipulating fate so that Akashiterika encounters incidents that were already going to happen.>

Haa...

Akashiterika... Although she's a reincarnated person... although she's strong... compared to, say, Torch and Mitran, she doesn't seem that strong, does she?

<Well, she's a detective... She's expected to defeat her enemies with wisdom, rather than violence.>

And yet, she has a tendency to be reckless, so it's really dangerous.

Akashiterika always puts her own safety second.

She always prioritizes solving cases.

It makes me anxious, so I really wish she would stop.

Anyway.

The food is delicious.

And Akashiterika is reckless.

Those two points... are what's keeping me in the Old Imperial City, Ruinomiyako.

<...You've become quite attached to her, haven't you? That's rare.>

Extra-sama, sounding a little sulky, said that to me, as I stared blankly at the floral pattern on the wallpaper.

<She's almost certainly a reincarnated person. Your former classmate... Don't you hate her?>

...I hate her.

I hate all my former classmates.

Or rather, I hate most of the people I knew in my past life.

Except for... Hikari-chan.

<Then...>

But.

I can't help it anymore.

Because Akashiterika... is Akashiterika.

...The conversation stopped.

Feeling the stagnant, lukewarm air on my skin, I relaxed, and leaned back against the chair.

I slid down, sitting sloppily, deeply, in the chair.

<But remember, you shouldn't get too involved with reincarnated people... especially 'protagonists'.>

............

<If the gods notice you, you'll be incorporated into the story, losing your freedom... That's still better than—>

............

<—Emi, you were abandoned by them. They took your soul from another world without your permission, and abandoned you because they didn't like you... Although there's no law against that, it's morally wrong.>

............

<But it won't be a problem. Because souls abandoned into the void almost always disappear. The evidence of the gods' immoral acts will be cleanly erased... normally.>

But... I'm alive.

<Yes. You're alive. Therefore—>

...The gods who tried to erase me might appear?

<As I've told you before, I'm doing my best to conceal the nature of your soul. But that concealment isn't absolute.>

If they find out, it might be bad, right?

<...Lately... haven't you been feeling... eyes on you?>

......I have.

I don't know who it is, but there's someone who is closely watching me and Akashiterika.

I noticed it recently.

I thought he was Akashiterika's enemy, but...

<It's also possible that he's an assassin, sent by some god who's targeting you.>

............

<Well, most gods are careless, from a human perspective. It's rare for them to remember you, after abandoning you. And this might sound threatening, but even if there's a god who remembers you, I don't know if they'll target you.>

............

<But let's at least be careful.>

............

My head is spinning.

There might be a god... trying to kill me?

What should I do?

Before I could feel fear, or hesitate—

Killing intent seeped into my thoughts.

Don't screw with me.

You took my soul without my permission.

You abandoned me.

And now you're trying to kill me?

Is that even allowed?

No.

That's wrong.

I won't allow that.

I'll kill them.

I'll kill my enemies.

I'll kill them all.

It's a massacre.

I'll live.

I will live.

Even if it means sacrificing everything.

Even if it means trampling on others.

I will...!

"Emi?"

I heard a voice from beside me.

Startled, I turned around, and there stood Akashiterika, in her pajamas.

"Are you... feeling unwell?"

She asked, her eyebrows lowered in concern.

"...I'm fine. I'm okay. Good morning, Akashiterika."

"Yes, good morning!"

She smiled at my reply, and gently placed a cup on the table in front of me.

The brightly colored tea inside is steaming.

It seems that she woke up while I was consumed by killing intent, and even made tea...

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

I took a sip—zuzu.

A sweet, refreshing fragrance filled my nose.

"It's a nice, calming fragrance, isn't it? It's from Yoiyattsu... ehehe, it's a top-quality brand."

Akashiterika, smiling, sat down across from me, and took a sip of her tea.

"This is the best after a bad dream! ...Speaking of Yoiyattsu, it's famous as the last country the Expanding Emperor fought, but it has recently been revealed that the war was actually started by Yoiyattsu's territorial ambitions. Because the story of that kingdom, starring the hero Herotti, and the tragic princess Kawayuikko, is so famous, they haven't been spoken of badly, but recent research..."

And then she started talking about the history of the neighboring regions.

I listened to her, absentmindedly looking towards the window.

The curtains have been opened at some point, and the morning sun is shining in.

It's a clear day today.

The blue sky, visible through the window, is beautiful.

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

I took another sip of tea—zuzu.

Delicious.

A nice fragrance.

My body is warming up.

Feels good...

Guuu.

But then.

My stomach growled softly.

"Oh my, heehee, are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

Akashiterika, chuckling, stood up, and walked towards the dressing room, her slippers making a pattering sound.

"Then let's go eat! Wait a moment! I'll get changed!"

It doesn't take her long to change.

Because she only has clothes with almost the same design in her closet.

Hearing the sound of the dressing room door closing—Click—I also stood up, to get ready to go out.

I looked around the quiet room again.

It's a peaceful space... filled with a bright, warm air.

I involuntarily stopped.

"Okay, I'm done changing! ...What's wrong?"

Akashiterika, coming out of the dressing room in her usual clothes, tilted her head, seeing me standing still, not ready to go out, just looking around the room.

"No, well, somehow..."

I scratched my head.

"I thought... I wanted to stay here... a little longer."

I said that, selfishly.

"Oh, is that so? Sure! I don't have any investigation requests today!"

Akashiterika, smiling, took out some baked goods from the cupboard, placed them on the dining table, and started boiling water again.

I sat down on a chair, and spaced out again.

...Just a little longer.

Just... a little longer.

It's okay, right?

Right, Extra-sama?

<Honestly...>

Extra-sama's quiet, wry chuckle echoed in my mind.

[Yoiyattsu's territorial ambitions]

An aspect of history that wasn't mentioned in Arc 23.

(Greetings below)

I intended to write just a 'short story' before the main story, but it ended up being longer than I expected.

It's easier to understand if I divide it into three parts: The first part, where Emi and Akashiterika 'meet', the second part (up to this chapter), where they 'become friends', and the third part, starting from the .

Anyway, a new part begins from the .

As a side note, 'several months' have passed between the and this chapter.

Emi and Akashiterika must have been involved in, and solved, various cases during that time.

Enough to write a spin-off.

...But I have no intention of writing one right now!

In that sense, it could be said that Emi has already been incorporated into Akashiterika's story.

And because she's hiding her black hair and black eyes, there won't be any problems like with the Adventure God, in the gods' broadcasts.

But that won't last forever.

The situation should change by the end of the third part.

If you have the time, please continue to enjoy 'The Reincarnated Extra'.