Chapter 132
Dangerous humans like rice balls
Amidst the chaos and clashes of violence, Dong Shuhuang, with her calves exposed, sat on a high stool, looking at the group of people before her.
Ah... Atsushi seems to be surrounded by a group of bad guys, and now...
She glanced at the boy clinging tightly to Dazai Osamu, then looked at the guy who had cleverly removed the scarf from his neck.
Is he playing himself? That's truly a natural performance, how interesting.
When will the intuitive Atsushi Nakajima realize that the Dazai-san he trusts is not actually "Dazai-san"?
"So what exactly is going on?" Chuuya Nakahara scratched his head in frustration and straightened his top hat.
"Well... that's about it." Dazai Osamu shrugged. "Everyone is gradually coming back to life, and we'll see more familiar faces."
Although they weren't people he knew.
Furthermore, it's unknown when Dazai Osamu, who belongs to the main timeline, will appear.
Then what about that imposter...? Dazai Osamu shook his head with a smile. Who's the imposter is still uncertain~
"Ah...tsk." Chuuya Nakahara hated being kept in the dark, but he didn't press the matter further. He simply turned his head away, out of sight, out of mind.
But it just so happens to be paired with a simple and pitiful little tiger.
Atsushi Nakajima: "Um..."
"Tsk." Chuuya Nakahara changed direction.
"..."
Atsushi Nakajima was on the verge of tears.
What exactly is going on?
He couldn't understand it either.
Despite wearing Alice's shell, Mori Ougai leisurely imitated Fuyuki's leg swinging, behaving like an adorable little loli.
Fuyuki rubbed his temples, trying to force a smile by twitching the muscles around his mouth, but the chaotic situation before him left him feeling exhausted.
...Sure enough, no one can laugh when faced with increasingly troublesome work!
"Well, what can we do now? It seems like there's nothing we can do. Please think of a solution quickly, Mr. Dazai."
She tried to calm things down.
"Even the clever Dazai-san couldn't think of a solution."
However, Dazai Osamu rejected the question she posed.
He touched his sand-colored coat, and raised his hand behind his ear, itching to touch the blonde loli sitting quietly to the side.
"No, you can't." Dongshu had a headache.
The sword swished against Dazai Osamu's palm, stopping his movement.
Dazai Osamu pursed his lips and reluctantly withdrew his hand: "I just wanted to shake hands with Alice in a friendly manner. Fuyuki is so mean."
Mori Ōgai: "..."
"Oh dear, I really don't want to shake hands with Dazai-kun." The adorable little girl puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away, expressing her strong refusal.
He had no desire to test whether his current state would be destroyed by Dazai Osamu's "No Longer Human".
Fuyuki was too ashamed to look at.
She doesn't want to face either the spoiled Dazai Osamu or the spoiled Mori Ōga, okay?
After removing those two, there's Chuuya Nakahara, who's "out of sight, out of mind," and Atsushi Nakajima, who's completely lost.
It's hopeless.
...So everyone should just go back, wash up, and go to sleep.
The moment the thought crossed her mind, a shadow suddenly fell upon her.
Fuyuki stiffly raised his head, only to see a bespectacled detective wearing a familiar little cape descending from the sky.
"Waaaaaahh ...
"Little Winter Tree—" The voice was broken by the layers of air waves, but it still faintly reached Winter Tree's ears.
Dongshu stood up in alarm and backed away.
The spiritual energy on his body quickly spread out, spreading out an area on the open ground below where the famous detective fell, forming a buffer contact surface.
"Quick!" Faced with the sudden situation, Dongshu was flustered and could only carry out rescue operations. However, he lost his footing and stumbled.
Goko quickly helped her up and placed her aside, saying, "Master, be careful..."
"Okay, I understand, thank you, Tui-chan." Fuyuki breathed a sigh of relief and skillfully touched the head of the small dagger.
As everyone below scattered, Edogawa Ranpo landed safely on the buffer formed by spiritual energy.
He held his hat, feeling the force of the object beneath him on his body, bouncing up again and again until finally coming to a slow stop.
"Wow, Fuyuki is really amazing!" The famous detective, who landed safely from above, praised his friend without reservation.
Still reeling from the shock, Fuyuki forced a stiff smile: "Edogawa-kun... that way of making your entrance out of nowhere really has the air of a great detective..."
Although she didn't really know what this had to do with the demeanor of a famous detective, she desperately needed to say a few words to calm her wildly beating heart.
Edogawa Ranpo grabbed her hand, his narrowed eyes curving into a smile: "Well, it's really lucky to see Fuyuki as soon as I appear."
He glanced around at the situation, then patted Dongshu's head: "The situation is really complicated right now, but it's okay, it will be resolved soon. Don't keep frowning, Dongshu."
I saw right through it at a glance.
In other words, the information provided in such a fragmented world is still sufficient for the renowned detective before him to analyze the entire current situation.
So powerful.
As Fuyuki felt her heartbeat gradually slow down, she finally had the energy to hear the other person's voice clearly.
"ah……"
"It's fine."
She raised her hand and placed it on Edogawa Ranpo's hand: "Actually, I'm not that worried, it's just that I'm in a mess and I just can't calm down."
The reappearance of important figures admired by the world is a sign that the world is getting better.
However... when they discovered Nakajima Atsushi, they saw the formation of that group of enemies, the reason for which remains unknown.
"Hmm, are you troubled again? It's a small problem." He instantly saw through the worry hidden in her furrowed brows.
Edogawa Ranpo smoothed it out: "It's just a little bit of residual instability. I don't know when it appeared... World Remnant?"
He explained with a smile, "Well, everyone's a bit of a fool, it's normal that you don't understand."
"In short, it's like a fluid, something that appears suddenly and can be easily wiped away; it's something that can be easily solved."
I can't understand it at all...
Fuyuki stared at him blankly.
"Ah, that's good." He could only numbly reply.
Basically, it means that nothing is wrong, there's nothing to worry about, nothing to solve, and everything will be fine as long as you let nature take its course... something like that.
Seeing that his friend clearly wasn't listening, Edogawa Ranpo looked around at the dilapidated and crumbling environment, a truly distressing sight.
Of the detectives, only Atsushi Nakajima was present; Akiko Yosano, Doppo Kunikida, Kyoka Izumi, and Yukichi Fukuzawa were not there.
After estimating the approximate arrival time of the other party, Detective Cat's face immediately fell. Life without the president is really tough.
"Mr. Ranpo, are you alright?" Atsushi Nakajima, who had been led back a long way, finally ran over and stopped in front of the Armed Detective Agency's core, carefully examining the other man's condition.
There were no wounds, and his expression showed no signs of pain.
Safety.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
"Dun is very safe."
Edogawa Ranpo circled around in front of him.
……etc.
Fuyuki finally realized that something was wrong.
The Edogawa Ranpo she knew, should he know Nakajima Atsushi...?
It seems like we don't know each other?
Fuyuki blinked in confusion, looking at the two people in front of her whose movements revealed familiarity.
So, is the world consciousness simply restoring the timeline she experienced? Or... is this the future?
Hello!
Skip directly... Little Wild Dog, are you going to be a skip-player too?
Fuyuki's expression instantly turned wooden.
But before she becomes a "skip-it" person, at least give her a heads-up first, otherwise her current confusion is just ridiculous.
"...Now that Mr. Ranpo is here, everyone?" Atsushi Nakajima scratched his head. Although his mind was still a bit hazy and he couldn't recall anything specific, the presence of Edogawa Ranpo brought him a great sense of calm.
Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo—these two people are more than enough to completely fill the gaps in his thinking that he couldn't extend.
"What an idiot. You could tell everyone would come back just by looking at the situation." Edogawa Ranpo put his hands in his pockets and pouted, then reached out and touched the spiritual energy structure that had just served as a buffer.
"Is Mr. Ranpo curious about this?" Suddenly, a smiling Dazai Osamu approached.
Edogawa Ranpo glanced at him indifferently: "Aren't you curious?"
Strange and completely different from supernatural abilities, this was the first time something that could be physically touched.
...Although it was obvious at a glance, it still turned out to be true.
I rubbed my fingers together vigorously, and the soft, elastic thing caved inwards. Then, the moment I pulled my fingers back, it returned to its original position.
It's just like jelly.
Uh... is it okay to eat?
Fuyuki looked at Edogawa Ranpo, blinking his eyes, and strangely understood what he meant.
She shook her head frantically: "No, no, no, this thing can't be eaten. I've never seen anyone eat it before."
As she spoke, she waved her hand, dissipating all the spiritual energy.
Watching the colossal creature disappear before his eyes, Edogawa Ranpo glanced back at the spot with lingering satisfaction.
It feels like I can do some incredible things, but I just hope there's no need to use this ability.
"Hey, it's night now, everyone go to sleep." Edogawa Ranpo urged everyone, shooing them away like a kitten.
"If I don't go to sleep soon, I'll have to stay up all night."
Just as they were about to go to sleep, the group, unable to fall asleep due to a series of unexpected events, looked at each other in bewilderment, and then simultaneously looked around at the ruins.
...I don't think I'll be able to get any sleep for a while.
After a moment of silence, Fuyuki's eyes began to search for the complete building.
However, the next second, goosebumps suddenly appeared all over my body.
Mori Ougai leaned closer affectionately and reached out to grab Fuyuki's hand: "Fuyuki, can we sleep together later? It feels so dangerous, I don't feel safe at all by myself."
The pitiful, adorable little girl's face, coupled with her coquettish and pleading tone, is indeed enough to soften one's heart very quickly.
But now, looking at this face, Fuyuki's eyes automatically replaced the image of a man with a receding hairline.
It's unbearable to look at, absolutely unbearable to look at!
Before Fuyuki could retreat and hide, the familiar blade was already blocking their path once again.
Wu Hu Tui's golden, timid eyes were now icy cold, with a hint of darkness flashing within them.
"Please stay away from my master."
The voice was devoid of any emotion.
Just like in the leader's office back then, there was a short knife that stopped Morio from getting closer.
Mori Ougai's sweet smile remained unchanged. He straightened up, put his hands behind his back, tilted his head, and said, "Oh, this is such a familiar scene."
The child known as Yagen was also on guard.
Even the same sharpness.
"So don't come near me casually, especially when you're in this body."
The girl's voice was gentle yet helpless.
Fuyuki was unaware of the undercurrents between the man and the sword.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead, then started walking away with the others who had already found new temporary accommodations.
"Tui-chan, hurry up and catch up!"
Taking a few quick steps, Fuyuki and Edogawa Ranpo walked side by side.
Behind him, Mikazuki Munechika stepped forward, suppressing the sudden surge of ferocity from the short sword.
The most beautiful blade in calmness gently shook its head.
Wu Hu Tui put down his knife, his eyes lowered, biting his lower lip, as if he was enduring something.
"What happened?" Atsushi Nakajima, who hadn't seen what had just happened, noticed something and asked in confusion.
"I only said a few extra words." Dongshu shook her head, yawned, rubbed her eyes, and said in a sleepy voice, "I hope nothing else happens. I'm so sleepy, I'm really, really tired."
Atsushi Nakajima blinked in confusion, looking around at the people around him, but none of them seemed to be able to give him an answer.
Why do I suddenly feel isolated? He was standing with everyone else, after all.
The little tiger is confused.jpg
"Dun-kun, watch where you're going."
Dazai Osamu suddenly patted Nakajima Atsushi on the shoulder, and the boy instantly jumped up to avoid a pebble that almost tripped him.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Dazai."
Seeing the embarrassed boy, Fuyuki breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, I didn't ask any more questions, otherwise my brain would have started spinning again.
She didn't reveal that Alice's body was inhabited by Mori Ōgai.
It's too weird, and it's fine if only she feels it's strange; there's no need for everyone else to feel the same way.
It's much easier and more natural to be with a genuinely cute and adorable girl than with a man who's dressed like a little girl.
As Dongshu pondered this selfless act, his eyes grew increasingly resolute.
However, among those present, at most only two people probably didn't know about this.
Crossing the ruins, Chuuya Nakahara took the lead and pushed open the door. A light dust hit them, but at first glance it was clean and there was no danger. Then the group entered the relatively intact building.
As he stepped across the threshold, he felt a ripple and turned his head as if sensing something.
With just one glance, her pupils contracted sharply, and she abruptly looked away.
His dark eyes were filled with confusion.
Why would a white... rice ball suddenly appear amidst ruins?
He had a sickly, innocent face, but his aura was anything but that of a good person.
*
The short night passed peacefully in the still-intact building.
Fuyuki woke up to a carefully prepared meal from Hasebe.
Even in such harsh conditions, a qualified master knife will not let its owner go hungry.
A sudden gust of wind and snow blocked the sun's rays, making the sky somewhat gloomy and the air still chilly.
It's like something really big is about to happen, like... a blizzard blocking the roads?
Dongshu sat by the window, lost in thought, staring at the vast expanse of white before him, only five words slowly emerging from his mind.
However, there's not much point in blocking this road; it wouldn't make any difference anyway.
It's a piece of cake roadblock that Chuuya Nakahara could easily handle all by himself.
"Master, would you like something else to eat?" Hasebe stood beside him, his back straight, and leaned down gracefully to ask the master.
It's just like a dutiful butler, always waiting for his master's orders.
However, Fuyuki is neither a duke nor a princess.
She handed the cup in her hand to the other person and said gently, "Have another cup of tea."
I didn't fall asleep until almost dawn, and even though I slept until noon, I still felt sleepy.
She had a bad feeling about the rice ball-shaped thing she saw when she entered the building yesterday.
No, given the state of the world, how could these guys possibly cause trouble? In such a dilapidated city, even if they wanted to cause trouble, the world's consciousness would surely find a moment amidst its busy schedule and slap the troublemakers into the ground.
Dongshu was completely baffled.
...Could it be due to the other person's aura? Just like in anime or comics, evil villains always seem to have a dark, otherworldly filter about them.
No, no, no, this is the real world now.
In the real world, where does this question of a dark, supernatural filter come from?
In other words, that guy is just plain gloomy, isn't he? A guy who looks like a rice ball, yet he has a gloomy temperament, how strange.
"Owner."
The freshly brewed tea was quickly returned to my hands, and the warm water flowed down my throat into my stomach, making me feel warm and cozy all over.
She pulled the thick clothes that had been found for her closer to her body. The sudden change from summer temperature to winter temperature wasn't something her body could adapt to so quickly.
"We did not find the person you described."
The tightly closed wooden door was pushed open, and Mikazuki Munechika, Tsurumaru Kuninaga, and Goko Taisan walked in with their swords.
After saying that, Tsurumaru Kuninaga scratched his head, a bitter look on his face: "A person like a rice ball... if we really find one, that would be a huge shock."
"cough."
Dong Shu coughed twice. He knew his description was strange, but the impression he'd formed from just one glance at that person was summed up in three words—
Rice ball, sick and weak, in danger.
The first two are probably general impressions, while the third is an instinctive reaction.
Small animals instinctively detect danger and make judgments about potential threats.
I can't give a specific reason, but my subconscious tells me that it's dangerous and I should stay away from that person.
Dongshu put down her cup: "If we can't find it, we can't find it. It's not a big deal anyway."
Finding someone for whom she didn't know what might happen meant little to her.
Feeling bored inside, I went out for a walk.
The building still houses Fuyuki, tsukumogami, Atsushi Nakajima, and Ranpo Edogawa.
It is unknown what the other two did.
Dongshu stood up and went outside, the icy air instantly hitting her face.
The interior is still too conservative.
There was a faint warmth from the heating, but there was nothing outside.
Some were even eerily quiet.
The building was somewhat like a hotel, and for safety reasons, the group stayed close together, with the same corridor right outside their rooms.
Fuyuki's room was at the very back, and as soon as she turned her gaze, she saw Atsushi Nakajima sitting by the door.
The boy sat there silently, without making a sound, like a wooden stake.
Fuyuki: "?"
Why sit here when you can enjoy the view from the threshold of the house?
"Dun, what's wrong?" she asked curiously as she approached.
Nakajima Atsushi looked up absently and said, "I feel like something's not quite right..."
Something's running through my head... I think I saw something weird...
He leaned against the doorframe, cold sweat beading on his back. "But I don't know what it is, and I don't know how to describe it."
He spoke incoherently, then suddenly raised his arms and covered his head.
He exerted force with both arms, as if trying to flatten that fragile head, but his face remained dazed without any sign of pain.
"Don't use force."
Noticing his unusual behavior, Fuyuki spoke up urgently to stop him.
At the same time, they quickly approached and tried to pry his hands apart, but when that failed, they signaled to Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Yukichi Hasebe behind them to hold him down.
She crouched down, trying to see the other person's expression clearly, and asked in a low voice, "Calm down, can you still hear me?"
"Hmm..."
If there is no response, it means that the absorption of information from the outside world has been lost.
Atsushi Nakajima struggled, his arms almost turning into the shape of a tiger, with light white fur already beginning to appear on his arms.
But two tsukumogami were enough to hold him firmly in place.
The hazy yellow eyes became cloudy, deepening inch by inch, and finally, under the gaze of Fuyuki, settled on an eerie purple.
[Author's Note]
[Dog head carrying a rose]
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