Chapter 84: The three of them have their own little world

The third day in the other world.

On the first day of the detective agency's opening, Hayana Kotori, Osamu Dazai, and Chuuya Nakahara spent a chaotic morning.

Since Kagura ate all the Wagyu hotpot by herself, the three of them went out to find food at noon and chose a soba restaurant with less traffic.

The noodles came up, and I scooped a spoonful of soup to drink. Hayana Kotori praised: "It's delicious~"

Nakahara Chuuya sighed: "Although this place is a mess, the food is still delicious."

Dazai Osamu's implication is ambiguous: "Food can heal the heart."

"That's right."

Suddenly, a clear and pleasant male voice came from the side.

The three of them looked towards the source of the sound and saw a handsome man wearing a conical hat sitting next to Hayana Takanashi with a bowl of soba in front of him. Next to the man sat a large creature called Psyduck (?).

Seeing that he had attracted the attention of the three people, Katsura Kotaro introduced himself: "I am Katsura Kotaro, and the person sitting next to me is Elizabeth."

Also wearing a hat, the creature called Elizabeth held up a sign that read "Hello."

"It's not the first time we've met," Dazai Osamu looked at Katsura Kotaro and reminded him with his excellent memory, "We met two days ago when you were being chased by the police."

Nakahara Chuuya's gaze also focused on Katsura Kotaro.

"Yes." Katsura Kotaro nodded and said to the three people apologetically, "I originally thought that I would get you into trouble. I have been looking for you for two days and finally I see that you are safe and sound here."

Seeing this world's Katsura Kotaro in disguise, looking cautious and evasive, Hayana Kotori was curious: "What do you do for a living?"

Could this guy be a gangster?

I don't think so. After all, he looked so righteous in school and was extremely stubborn in many aspects. It's impossible for him to be a gangster no matter how hard he thought about it.

Hearing this question, Katsura Kotaro held onto his bamboo hat with one hand, looked around, and found that no one was paying attention to them. Then he answered righteously, "I am a patriot who fights against foreigners."

Hayana Kotori: "Expel the foreigners?"

Is that what she meant?

"Simply put, it's an anti-government organization." Dazai Osamu's voice was clear and sweet. When Hayana Kotori looked over, he explained quietly, "The night I was looking at the information, I quickly and briefly browsed some other information, and among them was the information on expelling foreigners."

"So he can be considered a wanted criminal." Nakahara Chuuya was not that surprised. After all, he himself was on the wanted list and was a wanted man who walked around the streets of Yokohama all day long.

"That's right." Katsura Kotaro suddenly said, "Would you like to become one of us?"

"Many times we lack the corresponding strategies, and we are always pursued when facing the Shinsengumi. I heard from Shinpachi that one of you is extremely intelligent. With your support, overthrowing the shogunate is just around the corner."

The sudden olive branch silenced the three of them.

Kotori Hayana looked at the bowl of noodles in front of the ochre-haired young man and said, "Chuuya, I want to eat the soft-boiled egg in your bowl. I'll give you some meat slices in exchange."

"Yeah." Nakahara Chuuya used a spoon to scoop the soft-boiled egg and gave it to Hayana Kotori, and accepted the piece of meat she handed over with a blushing face.

Seeing through something, Katsura Kotaro clenched his right fist and knocked on the palm of his left hand: "If you get married, the group will officiate the wedding, and there will also be wedding leave and honeymoon allowance."

Nakahara Chuuya was interested: "Looks like the treatment is pretty good."

Osamu Dazai: "..."

The look in the black-haired young man's eyes darkened for a moment. Noticing a familiar figure passing by outside the store, he called out, "Mr. Police! I'm reporting there are anti-foreigner patriots here!"

Hijikata Toshiro, who was passing by, immediately stopped in his tracks. The cigarette in his mouth dropped a piece of ash as he turned his head. His sharp eyes like an eagle instantly locked onto the man in the bamboo hat next to the black-haired woman.

Pulling out his sword, Hijikata Toshiro broke into the shop and said, "Katsura! Don't even think about escaping this time!!!"

The customers in the store were swarming out in panic. Okita Sougo, who was standing outside the door, saw everyone running out and pointed his cannon at the store, his face cold and cold: "Go to hell, Tu... no, it's Katsura."

Yamazaki stepped aside and complained, "You wanted to talk about the deputy minister, right? He was definitely the deputy minister... Wait a minute! There are still three guests who haven't come out yet!"

In the middle of complaining, Yamazaki saw three people in the store, and his expression could be described as terrified.

"Don't worry," Okita Sougo said slowly, "They can escape."

The woman had such fast hands that even he couldn't dodge them, and the two men beside her were no ordinary men either. This was a good opportunity to test them.

The fired shell exploded in mid-air just before hitting the store door. Even more astonishing was the fact that the explosion seemed to be confined to a certain area, as if by a barrier. There was no aftershock, and even the flames after the explosion disappeared quickly, as if the oxygen had been exhausted.

The soba shop was not damaged at all.

Watching this scene with wide eyes, Okita Sougo let out a "wow" sound.

Yamazaki Tai was stunned and almost dumbfounded: "Are you kidding me? Is this a superpower?"

Inside the store, ignoring Hijikata Toshiro who was chasing Katsura Kotaro, Hayana Kotori said softly, "That's right, since I came here, the familiar people I've seen are all my high school classmates or teachers. Why is that?"

"It may be a fusion of parallel worlds." Dazai Osamu explained.

Nakahara Chuuya felt confused: "Explain it clearly, Dazai."

Feeling the gazes of Nakahara Chuuya and Kotori Hayato focused on him, Dazai Osamu thought for a moment and gave them a brief explanation: "Let's say this is these people's main world, and the world we've arrived in is a parallel world to our main world. If the parallel worlds of these people's main worlds collided with our world with a very small probability and melted, it would very likely produce a very interesting phenomenon."

Leaning on the table, it was the first time that Kotori Hayato had heard of a world theory: "What phenomenon?"

"The important characters from the parallel world of the main world are in our world to prevent interference with the main line of our world. All of them will be ordinary people."

Kotori Hayato understood, but was puzzled: "If we follow your reasoning, then why can we still use our special abilities after we get here?"

"Could it be related to us traveling through time?" Nakahara Chuuya speculated, "Dazai previously said that two worlds collided and merged, but our situation is different. The three of us traveled through time."

"That's probably it." Dazai Osamu spread his hands. "Things between worlds are very complicated and difficult to control. The same thing will produce different results. Any speculation is based on probability."

"Um—excuse me for interrupting." Okita Sougo came over and stood next to Hayana Takanashi and asked politely, "Which of you sent out that barrier-like thing just now?"

With a pair of chopsticks, she pinched Okita Sougo's fingers that were supporting the table. Amidst his heartfelt cries of "Ah, ah, ah, ah," Hayana Kotori was very dissatisfied with him: "What are you doing! Suddenly a cannonball flew towards us. If I hadn't reacted quickly, we wouldn't be able to eat soba noodles!"

"Are you actually concerned about soba noodles instead of your own personal safety?! How confident are you that you won't be killed by a bomb?" Yamazaki Tai was shocked.

That's a cannonball! Those Shinsengumi members would have to stay in bed for days if they got hit by a hot weapon!!!

Letting go of the chopsticks that were holding Okita Sougo's fingers, Hayana Takanashi changed a pair of chopsticks and continued to eat soba. She had only eaten one pancake this morning and her stomach was really feeling nauseous.

Damn it, Kagura! She definitely won't lose next time we eat together!

"We were the ones who just reported the anti-foreigner patriots," Dazai Osamu said, looking away from the clear soup. He met Okita Sougo's crimson eyes and asked politely, "Since we've done such a great service, could you please let us have our meal in peace?"

Blinking, Okita Sougo suddenly realized, "I suddenly realized that no matter your words, actions, or the aura you exude, you all seem to be out of place here. Why is that?"

The noodles that Takanashi Hayana had just picked up paused, and she looked at Okita Sougo in disbelief: "Huh?"

Does this guy know what he's talking about?

No matter how sharp one's mind is, even if one is one of the important characters in this world, he can't be this sharp, right?!

"It's just a sudden intuition," Okita Sougo said. Then he asked with interest, "By the way, can you demonstrate that skill again?"

"Show it again, do you think this is a circus performance?" Hayana Takanashi rejected him indifferently.

Seeing this, Okita Sougo guessed, "The brains among you should be Bandage Freak-san. The only lady just showed her ability, so what about Mr. Hat?"

Nakahara Chuuya raised his eyes and met Okita Sougo's: "If you want to recruit the three of us into the team, you are doing useless work."

"Not everyone can join the Shinsengumi," Okita Sougo said, holding up his swollen finger from being pinched by chopsticks. "At the very least, you have to pass the selection and testing."

"You just reported the leader of the anti-foreigner movement. I can confirm that you have no connection with them and even hate them."

Hayana Kotori and Chuuya Nakahara pointed at Dazai Osamu in unison, saying in unison, "He's the one who's unhappy with the leader of the anti-foreigner movement."

Dazai Osamu's expression remained unchanged: "Well, it is indeed very unpleasant."

"So, do you want to join?" Okita Sougo stared at the three of them with crimson eyes, his words particularly sincere. "Food and lodging are provided, there's a stipend for night shifts, and if you get injured, not only will your medical expenses be fully reimbursed, but there's also an additional allowance. The salary is also quite good."

"In addition, being a family member of a police officer also provides certain conveniences in terms of medical care."

Hayana Kotori: "I've already told you it's useless. We don't plan on making any achievements here."

"Why?" Okita Sougo asked curiously.

"We want to be ordinary." Hayana Kotori said seriously, "We just want to live an ordinary life here and not worry about anything."

Just treat it as a vacation.

There were only three of us.

At that moment, Okita Sougo seemed to vaguely realize that—

The three people in front of him were out of place.

They cannot integrate into this city, but they have their own little world.

They don't want to fit in, and outsiders can't fit in with them.

The strongest outer shield was now revealed before him.