Chapter 544

Intermission First The Overly Abyssal Abyss Lord

With the destruction of the wall the two rooms changed into a large hall. At such underground space,

「NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!?」

Such scream went off. The scream was simply ghastly. The screamer’s expression too was exactly like “The Scream” by Munch. No, perhaps it was more like the painting of Umezu Kazu*-sensei even.

In any case, the one who screamed their throat raw like that was the bus guide-san aka Amai Anju.

No matter how anyone looked at her she was in a state of insanity. She didn’t look sane at all.

The reason for that was of course.

――Muh, Amai-kun. Why are you here……?

The fault of the girl of indeterminate shape whose lower body was still in the state of a slime with iridescent color, with her arm that was like a tentacle colored in iridescent color too as expected wrapping around Kousuke’s neck like a lover.

「HIGIIIIIIIH!?」

「Too noisy. ――Aiko」

「Ah, yes. ――”Soul Repose”」

Amai-san fell silent instantly. As expected from soul magic. Soul magic could resolve everything――

「This is why-, this is why I said I don’t want to come and yet……you still dragged me forcefully here, as expected from you demon-, demon king! Demon god!!」

Amai-san pressed her hands on her face and crouched down. Then she started sobbing. But in no time at all she took out an eye mask from somewhere and covered her eyes, plugged her ears with earplug, pasted a band-aid on her mouth to block it, then she hugged her knees and plopped down.

She looked like a kidnapped victim. Though self-inflicted.

Shizuku and Liliana patted her head and soothed her down Good girl good girl from both sides, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.

I don’t see anything. I don’t hear anything. I even blocked my mouth so I won’t suddenly scream and draw their attention……

Yes, I’m a shellfish. The strongest shellfish who won’t even lose against a Smasher Punch from peacock mantis shrimp……

She closed her heart so tightly as though to proclaim that.

「No way-, how can her mind still so unstable even after Soul Repose-」

Aiko was shocked. ――But, ignoring that.

Now then, if asked why Amai-san was going crazy in Detroit’s underground, it went without saying.

After that, Kousuke contacted Hajime. As expected, the situation wasn’t at the level where he could be considerate with Hajime’s trip anymore. After making such judgment, he called him.

Kousuke himself feeling troubled was just a small part of doing that. It was because he had confirmed there was an existence that couldn’t be detected even by the compass. Bluntly speaking it was an alarming situation. It was clear that such situation had to be reported with the highest priority.

Of course, Hajime immediately suspended his vacation and immediately teleported from the sky dragon world, or more accurately from the spa resort inside the luxurious liner Avenst.

And then,

「Oi oi oi, Abyss-san yoo. I’m still underestimating you too much yeah……」

「I completely agree with Atsushi……Aby, I respect you as a man from the bottom of my heart.」

「Your strike zone is too wide……just how deep your heart is? Ah, as deep as abyss huh! As expected from you……」

「Ryuu-kun, you must be trying to say something smart but……you’ve been on your guard this whole time, and your fist is shaking you know? Well, I too can’t stop feeling chills and nausea even now though……」

Of course, everyone other than Roze and other denizens of sky dragon world couldn’t just stay behind in such situation and also came along.

Because it couldn’t be helped. The thing that Rana screamed into the phone! She said that Kousuke had gotten a new wife candidate! Furthermore, it was an inhuman being of indeterminate shape that induced nausea!

Of course they would absolutely want to come see!

Or that was what they thought, but a bit of regret was now forming in the expressions of Atsushi and co. Of course, it was because of the terrifying sensation of their sanity getting gradually scrapped down just from looking at the iridescent colored girl tormenting them.

Soul Repose!

Ai-chan’s medicine of the heart was always protecting everyone!

Yue, Shia, and Tio were looking deeply interested, while Kaori, Shizuku, Liliana, and then Yuuka, Nana, and Taeko’s expressions were slightly spasming.

Myuu alone looked like her curiosity won over despite shaking from the chills. Even now she radiated the sign of wanting to trot over to get nearer, so Remia hugged her tightly to prevent her from doing that.

Even while that was going on,

――Is it slightly more bearable to see me if I do this?

The iridescent colored girl slightly separated from Kousuke and turned into a normal girl only in appearance. Her slimy lower body properly took the form of legs and her tentacle also returned to normal. Her iridescent colored radiance was also abating into a transparent looking skin.

But there, *flop*.

「Ah, wai-, I told you don’t!」

For some reason she originally was wearing loose suits. Her trouser that was just barely hanging in there because of the sticky liquid fell down completely the moment her lower body returned to human form.

The slender and pure white legs of the girl came to view. Her white dress shirt was also too big for her so she avoided the disaster of exposing her lower body fully but, it made it a bit bad instead. No, it was really bad!

Should it be described like seeing a girlfriend wearing her boyfriend’s shirt? The girl’s skin looked pretty like porcelain even just from a glance, so her current appearance made her lascivious instead……

There was also a slight amount of sticky liquid still remaining and it was dripping down over her inner thigh, making the picture looked exceedingly not good.

And so, Kousuke hurriedly got in front of her to cut off the sight of Hajime and co.

――Fufu, are you harboring desire toward the like of me?

「I’m not though!? I’m just making an exceedingly common sense decision that a girl must never show that kind of appearance in the open though!?」

――At the very least you’re treating me as a girl huh. That’s extremely pleasing

「Can you please shut up for a bittt!?」

Kousuke objected loudly while his face reddened slightly. He also looked over his shoulder to send a gaze that said 「It’s not like that at all okay!」 toward Rana and others in defense.

That was an extremely normal reaction of a man defending himself in front of his lover when another girl was showing affection toward him.

The expression of the slimy girl was also increasingly broadening in delight.

Hajime and co looked at each other. Certainly their instinctual feeling of revulsion was fading after the girl returned to human form, even so that was after they had seen that form.

If she was simply nonhuman then they wouldn’t think anything of it. If she was just a slime girl then it would be extremely interesting instead in otaku-like meaning.

But, there was something strange about the girl. No matter what they couldn’t wipe away the sense of discomfort that she felt conclusively wrong somewhat as a living thing. That feeling ruffled up their human mentality no matter what.

And yet, Kousuke was interacting normally with her. No, looking carefully he also had goosebumps, and his face was also slightly convulsing so he must be feeling the same like them too but……

Even so, was it not as bad as what Hajime and co were feeling?

「As I thought Endou-chi is from that side……」

「He showed his true color……」

「Miyazakii! Sugaharaa! I can hear you two-!!」

Perhaps the girl was happy seeing such casual exchange between friends in front of her who had showed her true form. There was no word but, a happy feeling was transmitted from her transmission method that was similar to telepathy. Her thin lips were also forming a gentle smiling curve.

Hajime and others also lowered their wariness by a step seeing the girl’s reaction. Though a part of it was also because disregarding their instinctual feeling of revulsion toward her, as expected they didn’t feel any hostility or malice from the girl at all.

The girl cheerfully moved to pull up her trouser. However, her shirt was also too big for her so that was to say her sleeves were also too long. And so, she couldn’t grab too well and had to put a bit of effort.

――Troublesome

The iridescent radiance appeared once more!

Nobody knew what she was planning to do but, Amai-san’s SAN parameter apparently had been whittled down until red zone just from the girl’s presence despite already putting herself in the state of not seeing and not hearing. She once again shrieked (?) 「NOOOOOOOOO!!? Someoneee! Someoneee bring me Ko*wai’s coffee milk! Add extra sugar to it if possibleee!!」 loudly. (TN: Koiwai Farm, a Japanese farm that produces various dairy goods like milk, butter, and cheese)

And so, Kousuke moved. Swiftly! There was no other choice!

「Pardon me a bit!」

He crouched in front of the girl, grabbed the trouser for her, and pulled it up!

However, the girl’s waist was thin. The trouser would go *plop* once again if he let go. He didn’t understand why her belt’s fastener was put into a hole that didn’t match her waist size but, in any case it was necessary to undo the belt once and put it back into the correct size!

(For some reason it reminds me when Manami was little)

He had experiences multiple times dressing his little sister as a big brother. Kousuke suddenly recalled those experiences and his lips formed a smile.

There,

「……K-Kou-sama……?」

「What in the world is this situation……eh, Kousuke-sama?」

「E-Endou Kousukee! You bastard! This damn pervert! You once again showed your true color huh!?」

The situation on the surface above must have been put under control and they most likely had sensed Hajime and co teleporting in. Hinata and others went down to underground right about that time.

And then, they bore witness.

The figure of Kousuke kneeling in front of a girl, putting his face close to her lower body, while his hands were busy fiddling with the belt of the girl’s trouser.

Seen from the side, indeed.

Certainly this was a perverted act!!

Hidzuki alone showed no concern. Rather she looked slightly surprised by the presence of Hajime and co 「Oh, the party of demon god-dono art all present. It hath been a short time no see♪」 and prioritized giving a greeting, but Hinata and others were frozen with expression of shock that said I can’t believe this!

Mini Kousuke yelled Don’t believe it! inside his heart. That doubt is undoubtedly a misunderstanding! He continued yelling.

If they thought carefully, they would understand that an unexpected situation had occurred based on the presence of Hajime and co here, and there was also no way Kousuke would do anything perverted in front of them, or rather they Hinata and others knew that Kousuke wasn’t that kind of person so they quickly calmed down.

「M-my apologies, Endou Kousuke. I misunderstood. I know that you’re someone who prefer to strip yourself rather than others……」

「Who the hell want that kind of apologies-」

Zhu apologized (?) with a regretful look. Even while aware that his eyebrows were twitching uncontrollably, Kousuke firmly tightened the belt *Kyuu!* and even properly buttoned the almost opened shirt from the chest button until the neck button!

Now it’s good! Kousuke thought while standing up. The girl flapped around her moe sleeves while looking somewhat satisfied. Such appearance somehow softened the atmosphere.

In addition,

「Hina-cha~n, looks like there’s a lot of trouble over here nano. Are you alright?」

「Myuu-chan!」

Hinata who was in Onmyouji mode brightened up instantly when Myuu called out at her.

Both wore cherubic smile befitting their age and ran to each other. The two little girls grabbed each other’s hands and happily hopped *pyon pyon* around. Such sight softened the place’s atmosphere even more.

Perhaps also influence by everyone’s expression smiling warmly, Agent J and Rana seemed to judge that it was fine to settle down and opened their mouth.

「Aa~, umm, yeah. it has been several months isn’t it, Mister Nagumo.」

「Boss! My deepest apologies for bothering you in the middle of your vacation!!!」

Agent J’s expression was half bewildered and half wry, while Rana gave a greeting with a respectful bow.

「Agent J, and K too, long time no see. Rana, you don’t need to apologize. There’s also problem at our side. This is good timing in a sense.」

「When you say problem……do you mean her?」

Rana looked at the shellfish type bus guide who shouldn’t be in along with Hajime’s group vacation. She smiled wryly seeing that whether it was Kousuke or Hajime, both were really loved by troubles that they couldn’t even have a peaceful vacation.

「Yeah. But, first I’ll listen to your explanation of the situation over here. About Endou’s slime girlfriend, and the man dressed like a monk fainting over there……and also, about this strange underground room.」

「Aa, understood. Although, we don’t know much about that girl, and it feels like the explanation will also be quite long……」

「Then, let’s go out of here first. As expected this room feel cramped with this many people, and this place……is filthy. I don’t want to keep the children inside here for too long.」

「Muu! Papa, don’t treat Myuu like kid! Myuu is fine nano!」

「Nagumo-sama. I also am fine over here.」

Myuu and Hinata sullenly puffed out their cheeks. Although, there were flesh, blood, bone, and muddy and slimy water scattered all over inside the room. The bad smell was also horrible. Even adult would want to avoid standing inside here for long.

And most of all, Hajime’s gaze turned toward the mysterious slimy girl for a moment.

He didn’t think that she was an enemy. But, she was too foreign to be considered as no problem at all. If something happened, being inside this underground space with this many people would be a bit disadvantageous. After all it would limit their capability to move and attack with high firepower.

Though he didn’t plan to poke the bush and cause snake to jump out, so he didn’t mention the guardedness inside his heart at all.

「Don’t you care what will happen to Amai-san?」

In exchange, he avoided the topic by using the pitiful Amai-san as pretext.

It was a line that sounded like what a criminal would say when taking hostage. But in reality,

「I’m shellfish, I’m shellfish……come at me mantis shrimp punch……ah, stop, as expected don’t come-. Where’s the concentrated café au lait I ordereddd」

It was a fact that she was whispering something like that with brittle looking mind, so there was no denying that it would be better for them to move to other place that was better than here.

Seeing that even Myuu and Hinata went, Yeah, looks like we better get out……and nodded obediently.

「I also want to share the situation first with the platoons above. Agreed.」

「Is Kiyotake still above? For Ohii-sama and others to be here, can I consider it as means that the situation above is under control?」

「Yes, Oji-sama. There is no problem. The captured people are still being restrained in the public park across the road because the instruction to evacuate from the building still has not been rescinded. The polices of Detroit are also still blockading the surrounding area.」

It must be Z who moved the police in concert with MCB’s encirclement strategy. Most likely he made up justification like the place was being used as a base of terrorist group or something.

「J, how about rescinding the evacuation order? Z must’ve already taken the necessary precaution but, this location is at the heart of the city. The commotion will get bigger the longer the blockade continues. The polices will also run out of patience. And most of all restraining the ghouls outdoor is……with their number we don’t have enough transport vehicle. We should restrain them outside of public eye until the transport arrives.」

「You’re right. I want to share information after those’re taken care of but……」

J’s eyes glanced toward Hajime. Certainly it was just as K said. For now they needed to sort out and deal with the situation at the scene.

Kousuke’s side too seemed to be in the same place with that. Vanessa also seemed to recall something and opened her mouth.

「Doctor Emily and others must also be worried. Let’s contact Endou family’s home first too. Ah, no, perhaps Kousuke-san already explained the situation to them through the clone?」

「……I-I have. Of course I already have. Yep.」

「Kou-kun. Why are you flustered……aa, it’s like that. You were at a loss of how to explain about this girl and Emily-chan suspected something because of that wasn’t it? She smelled the sign of woman trouble.」

「Are you esper-」

Hajime shrugged at that conversation Kousuke and co were having, then he nodded 「I don’t mind」 to J. And then, he exchanged gaze with Yue.

「……Nn, leave it to me. I won’t let anyone trespass. I’ll lock the whole space.」

Yue accurately grasped his intention with just that and quickly deployed a barrier that covered the whole underground space. It was to secure the crime scene.

「Umm, Hajime-san.」

「Hm? What, Lily?」

「How about contacting Roze-san and others too, that we’ll be quite busy for a while over here? You know, we teleported right away here without even any proper explanation, and Roze-san might feel despondent thinking, I’m just left alone, even though I’m a queen……♪」

「Why’re you sounding a bit pleased……Shia, contact G10 and notify her.」

「Yes yes, roger that-」

However, Liliana had a point so Shia started contacting Avenst, or to be more accurate G10’s terminal that was inside Avenst.

「Tio, my bad but Amai-san……」

「Umu. That wouldst be better than leaving it to Goshujin-sama. I shall carry her like lulling a baby.」

Tio gee~ntly lifted up Amai-san with princess carry. Amai-san jerked in respond.

Even though she understood that there was no need to run because Hajime and co were here, she was apparently still scared by scary thing. Or rather, perhaps her fear was growing even more intense because unlike usual, she couldn’t run away and had to stay at the scene.

She showed no sign of going mad thanks to Tio’s enveloping gentleness, but her body curled exactly like a baby. Anju, going back home……such whisper could also be heard faintly. It looked like she was regressing in age.

「I’ll leave for a bit to look for sweet drinks i there’s still a bit of time until the talk start.」

「Kaori, there’s a café where we can have takeout nearby.」

Kaori and Shizuku who couldn’t bear to watch Amai-san in that state seemed to decide to go buy the recovery medicine for her.

Each of them decided what they would do, then last Kousuke’s clone lifted up Richard on his shoulder.

Like that,

「Come to think of it, can I just confirm one thing? I’m really curious……」

Kousuke suddenly asked. 「Hm?」 Hajime responded, but Kousuke’s gaze went through Hajime toward behind him.

「Just what’s going on with Sonobe? I’ve never seen her dressed like――」

「Don’t say anything! I just became stupid from the vacation high!!」

「O-ou……」

Yuuka-chan who until now didn’t say a single thing while desperately hiding her presence.

Why?

「Geez! Kou-kun, have some delicacy!」

「Let’s be more sensitive, Kousuke-san. Surely she was working hard even during the vacation. It’s adorable isn’t it?」

「Kousuke-sama, this is what they called a maiden’s feeling.」

「Sonobe-sama! Umm……I think that is a bit too lewd-」

「I said don’t say anything-」

Hajime and co who were wearing swimsuit when in the spa resort naturally had changed into normal outfits. Of course those outfits also weren’t outfits for vacation that they would wear for their continued stay in Avenst’s resort area after leaving the spa, but normal outfits that wouldn’t look strange to be worn in a city of earth.

But there was just one person, who just like the person herself said had become stupid when it came to “normal” sensitivity due to her repeated wearing of “special outfits”. Yes, it was Yuuka-chan.

Taeko-sensei had secretly prepared inside the changing room, the vacation outfit for after getting out from the spa――a short denim pants that covered extremely small area with shape that looked like a boomerang, and a T-shirt with length that caused her lower boobs to be almost visible. Yuuka simply put them on like it was the natural thing to do.

The way she hid her groin region with her hand while her plump thighs rubbed against each other from embarrassment looked truly lewd. The exposure rate was almost the same like wearing swimsuit. It was an exposure rate that far surpassed Shia who took TPO (the appropriate time, place, occasion) into consideration.

「Why didn’t Nagumo and others too say anything!?」

「Because that looks good on you.」

「Fuguuh」

Hajime naturally fired a counter that sunk Yuuka down.

Certainly she looked good wearing the outfit, and with the season as it was depending on the place it was an outfit that might be something you could find downtown. And so, even Yue and others only exchanged glance with each other for a moment when they saw it at first. Well, it’s okay I guess……they all thought and decided to ignore it.

Of course they didn’t say that it was also because they felt it would be troublesome to wait for her to change once more.

Agent K was fidgeting, perhaps he became conscious of her appearance when he noticed once more. But setting that aside.

「Aa~, Nagumo. The building above is a cleaning company. It’s a deserted big building so I think there’ll be some large rooms that can be used. There shouldn’t be any civilian inside……there should be a place for changing clothes too.」

「I see. You can show us around. Though I don’t think we really need any place to change.」

「We need one! Stupid!」

Hajime and co followed the lead of Kousuke’s group in this. And so for the time being, the group left behind the underground that was filled with gruesome and foreign presence.

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A while after that.

In a big room of the building’s first floor that wasn’t filled with any item.

The reinforcement request that arrived in the middle of the trip to the fairy world, then the very bizarre incident that occurred in an old village, and then the plan that was caused, or perhaps was about to be caused by a group of actual magicians……

Hajime listened to the general explanation of the situation from Kousuke while sensing the presence of MCB’s troops patrolling the roadway outside the window. Then he said,

「……I see.」

He looked up to the sky. The creases between his forehead were deep. His gaze was sharp. Yue and others seemed to look more bewildered.

It couldn’t be helped. The possibility of existences from a fictive mythos might still be swallowable, but thinking that Hajime’s compass might not react against such existences was beyond their imagination. Is there perhaps some kind of mistake? Thinking like that was only natural.

「So the one who attacked that time……was that person……」

「Amai-oneesan, are you alright?」

Amai had completely recovered, perhaps thanks to the sweet café au lait that Kaori personally poured into her. She looked toward Richard whose mind had been restrained once more with soul magic and now was laid on the floor.

Myuu was cuddling close to her and pulled her sleeve with worry. Amai smiled faintly to her and nodded.

Aiko who was also cuddling close to her thought, Incomprehensible……

Why was café au lait stuffed full with sugar cubes more effective than the calming effect of age of god magic? Why didn’t she get diabetes even after repeated intake of such unhealthy drink?

It’s truly incomprehensibleee……

But setting aside Aiko’s mental conflict.

「And, what came out from inside that iridescent colored slime was……」

「Umu. Me.」

Hajime’s group and Kousuke’s group were sitting on lined up chairs with both group facing the other, but between the side there wasn’t just Richard, but also the iridescent colored girl.

The positioning was like a court of law where there was the plaintiff and the defendant, with Yuuka and others sitting around them like the public seats, with the two sitting at the witness stand.

The addressed girl didn’t look particularly daunted from being surrounded. Far from that, she stopped communicating with that method of sending her voice into other’s brain and spoke with her voice normally.

Kousuke and others looked slightly surprised that her voice sounded exactly the same like when it resounded inside their heads. So she can speak normally……they thought.

「I’m indebted to you from that time. Without your help, Amai-kun too would be in danger.」

「? Indebted? You also know Amai-san? Strange. I don’t think it’s possible to forget someone like you if we ever met before though……」

Hajime looked dubious. He looked around at Yue and others. Of course, they only responded with a shake of their heads. Amai herself too was blinking her eyes with a surprised look.

「Aa, forgive me. It’s only natural that everyone cannot recognize me in this form. Pardon me.」

Like before the way she talked sounded archaic, or like the manner of talking of man perhaps. There was also almost no intonation in her voice, and coupled with her hair style that hid her eyes too, it was hard to understand her emotion.

Such girl shined in iridescent color once more. Her skin bubbled *blub blub* and transformed to slime body. The feeling of foreignness that was lessening when she was in her girl form assaulted everyone once more.

Everyone went 「Uu」 and pressed their hand on their mouth. Shia, Kaori, Shizuku, also Ryuutarou and others reflexively got up and became on guard. Even Yue and Tio looked like they couldn’t hide their wariness.

Those like Remia and Yuuka even made their chairs clattered from backing away slightly.

Aiko and Yue immediately casted “Soul Repose” in the double to keep everyone’s mental stability.

Only Hajime was watching with the sharp eyes of an observer that could even be described as cold-hearted.

Meanwhile, the girl’s shape was changing drastically. Her height extended, and her body style that was slender was also growing bigger. Her loose suits was matching with her new body shape……

Not only that, for some reason there was also a hat forming above her head……

「「Eh, wai-, eeh!!?」」

Right after the iridescent colored light settled down, two shaken up voices burst out due to the figure that appeared there.

One of the speakers was Kousuke, while the other one was Amai. Just, the nuance of the two’s agitations was different.

「A, a maan!? What’s more, an uncle!?」

「Yamada-san!? Eh, but, eh, no way!」

The girl was only wearing a shirt on her upper body so it looked like a normal shirt but, it seemed even her outfit was made from the iridescent colored slimy liquid.

He was wearing a coat that had peculiar design and line, while also wearing a cap that had similar design. That cap was worn low over his eyes, yes, what appeared there was a man in the middle of his forty, with a familiar way of wearing cap so low it made anyone who saw him couldn’t help themselves from making tsukkomi 「You absolutely can’t see your front like that, right!!?」.

「Eh, this person, if I remember right he’s the bus driver-san from the school trip that time right!?」

「Y-yes. That’s right. The driver-san who was really suspect whether he could see his front or not……」

「Kaori-oneechan! Shizuku-oneechan! He’s also the one who entrusted the suspicious book to Amai-oneesan during the Christmas nano!」

It was just as Kaori, Shizuku and Myuu said. The girl with covered eye had transformed to Amai’s coworker, the “bus driver-san” who recently was established as an “Explorer”.

By the way, his name was Yamada Taro. Anyone who met someone who introduced themselves with that name would think that it sounded like a name with the highest ration of being listed inside document entry. Hajime and others also thought so.

Though it was a name that made sense to them now that they knew of his true identity. After all it must be a fake name no matter how they thought about it. Though they also couldn’t help but think that it was a bit too simple.

As expected nobody couldn’t make such tsukkomi here. Because even Hajime and others were slightly shaken up.

「To think……an inhuman being with atmosphere this foreign was that close to us and we didn’t notice……」

Yes, that was exactly the point that astonished Hajime and others.

「Right now I intentionally don’t hide my presence, in order to show my existence openly. However, despite how it looks like I’ve been living for long in human society……」

The cap was worn low over the eyes, or rather it was already shifted forward until the very limit so they could only see about a fourth of the man’s face, but they somehow got the feeling that he was smiling wryly.

In any case, the complete isolation of that foreign atmosphere, and not only that, even his camouflage ability that made him looked completely like human even when being put under complete examination, and even how he made others didn’t feel like investigating him in the first place were apparently things that he could do to an extreme level.

「N-no way……Kou-kun’s seventh wife is……an uncle!?」

Rana was also shaken up. Her eyes darted around. How should I come to grips with this as the first wife!? She desperately tried to sort out that question inside her heart.

「To think it’ll become the development of bus driver-san X Kousuke-san? No, is it Kousuke-san X bus driver? Kuh, what an intricate question-. And if the face behind that cap driver is a handsome face then……aah, Manami-san! How should I react here!」

Be quiet for now……gazes that said that pierced Rana and Vanessa from Ryuutarou and others. This isn’t the time for that kind of thing, their gazes also said.

However, it seemed to be a matter that required emergency meeting for the female faction who idolized Kousuke.

「Eh? The seventh wife? K-Kou-sama!? What is the meaning of this!?」

「Was you proposed by that male!? Kousuke-sama!」

Hinata and Claudia got up from their chairs so quickly their chairs clattered.

The seventh wife statement was only uttered during the call with Hajime. And then, Hinata and others went to the underground after Hajime’s group teleported in. In other word, this was their first time hearing about the matter of seventh wife candidate.

They completely thought that the slime staying so close to Kousuke was simply the usual thing of two fellow inhuman beings――cough, inhuman being took a liking to Kousuke. Just like the onis of the fairy world.

「J-just how big your strike zone is……I, can’t……you’re scary!! I can only consider you as an unfathomable man-」

「Stop, Zhu-san! Don’t consider me as something like that! It’s not like that! After all I’m also totally and utterly confused right now!」

「It doth not really matter. Whether it’s a male or a slime, to hath the broadmindedness to accept everything art just to be expected from mine beloved♪ But, I shall not allow him to be considered as above me alright?」

「Can you be quiet for a bit Hidzukii!?」

Kousuke camp was in the middle of complete chaos.

Thank god Emily wasn’t here. Surely if she was here she would press questions on him with eyes that had lost all light……

No, rather than Emily it was Manami. Just how much chaos would be spread around if that foolish little sister was here? Perhaps Aziz-kun’s holy water would get evaporated entirely.

「It’s a misunderstanding. This form in the end was used simply because it was convenient to approach Amai-kun. It’s a disguise so to speak. The previous form is my true form.」

「Eh! Approach me!?」

「Umu. You’re a woman who might became my master.」

「Wait what are you saying I don’t get it-」

Certainly, Yue and others also thought. They looked at the driver with a slightly put off looks just like how Amai-san was feeling creeped out right now.

But the driver Yamada showed no sign of concern at all toward their gazes and turned his face toward Kousuke. And then, he confessed with a tone that sounded somewhat passionate.

「What am I……if I can be frank then I am “The One Who Follow”――the iridescent colored slime body but, I am the human half of that thing.」

Far away in the past, the existence who came from the outer space created it as “servant race”. That was “The One Who Follow”. It was a mythological creature that was named as “Sh*ggoth’ in the fiction mythos.

That “One Who Follow” had the trait of being able to inherit the knowledge and intelligence of being they took in.

However, it wasn’t 100%. The knowledge they got was fragmented, and the intelligence too was only several tenth of the whole. Furthermore, the greater the volume of the slime became from absorbing things, the thinner its original became in inverse proportion.

But conversely speaking, if a part of the slime was cut off and it didn’t mean existing as an “individual” that limited its volume then it would be a different story.

「Far away in the past, there was a unique specimen of “One Who Follow” called as lord. The lord was an existence that took human form and possessed wisdom greater than human. The lord blended into human society and before they knew it it also possessed household. You know how the rest went right? It went, “And, that was how I was born”.」

For some reason driver Yamada said that while glancing at Hajime proudly. Apparently it was some kind of meme. Of course, Hajime got it but he didn’t even give him a fixed stare. His gaze was absurdly cold.

Driver Yamada coughed and got back into the story.

「In other words what I’m trying to say is, I who inherit the trait of “One Who Follow” has the tendency to instinctually seek a master. Bluntly speaking, I want to serve.」

His tone sounded strangely powerful only at the end. Even with the cap on the way it was clear that he was sending a heated gaze to,

「Can you not say that while looking this way?」

Kousuke trembled. He even thought that it was lucky the bus driver was covering his eyes deeply with his cap.

Of course, Amai-san also trembled.

Even though she had been that careful in avoiding chance meeting with mythological creature, she never expected that there would be one right at her side that whole time……furthermore, she also almost got recognized as the thing’s master……

T-that was close. Certainly a handsome uncle is my preference but, don’t think that you’re forgiven just because of that.

No, wait? Could it be, that was why it was disguised as an uncle? ……Where? Where in the world it learned that I have handsome uncle fetishhh-!!

Amai-san glared at the driver Yamada half in embarrassment and half in terror.

Also, seeing an uncle wished for 「I want to serve」 toward Kousuke, Ryuutarou and the other boys looked at Kousuke and commented 「What a guy」「This bastard truly live in the damn abyss-」「Aby-san, you’re seriously incredible -ssu!!」 with shudders running through their bodies.

Yuuka and other girls were slightly turning red with their hearts beating fast. Gazes that weren’t fully hiding their interest were moving back and forth between the driver Yamada and Kousuke……

Hajime didn’t even react to such exchange and continued looking at the driver Yamada with the gaze of a cold-hearted observer, but as expected it seemed his bewilderment won over. He exhaled and then massaged his forehead as though he was holding back a headache.

「Wait a second, there’s too much new information. I want to sort it out. I’ll ask the question, so give me the answer.」

「Umu, certainly that way will be more effective. Very well.」

「Boss! I’m sorry, I have one thing to say before that! ――If that form is a disguise then please return back to before! Onee-san like the cute mob-chan look better!」

「Cute? Fufu, thank you. Then, I’ll change back.」

*Gunyari, bokoboko, nuchaa~~~-*. Vivid raw sound that felt like it was eroding into the eardrum and visual that violently stirred nausea inside assaulted everyone once more, even so driver Yamada returned to the mob-chan appearance in front of Hajime and others watching.

No,

「When I’m in this form, let’s see……Sathla. I shall call myself as Sathla Dor.」

The formerly bus driver Yamada introduced herself as Sathla Dor with a bow.

In respond to that, a lot of people with made a tsukkomi with their voice in harmony. And at the forefront of them was the fashion coordinator Taeko-sensei who had fixation with clothing.

Because, her outfit was changing to a different one than the loose suits. Yes,

「「「「「Why a jersey!?」」」」」

To a dark green jersey that was slightly too large for her.

「I have lived for a long time but, this is the only thing that I can declare with surety. Jersey, is the height of culture that mankind created.」

An overwhelmingly smug face could be found there. The, was apparently a slime jersey enthusiast girl with forelock hiding her eyes.

「And incidentally it seems you’re also have interest in our subculture huh……」

「Umu. It’s an extremely wonderful culture. It’s the greatest medicine one can ask for a heart that is fatigued from bloodthirsty conflict through a long life. That is what I thought.」

Sathla nodded deeply emotionally.

Her foreign atmosphere was also being completely suppressed, so even knowing that she was an iridescent colored inhuman being, Hajime and others somehow felt far closer to her than before.

.

.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

※Material introduction

– The woman who might become your master

From Char of [Mobile Suit Gundam – Char’s Counterattack]

– And, that was how I was born

Apparently the meme originally came from [Shashin de Hitokoto Bokeru] that was uploaded in a comedy website called [bokete].

– The height of culture that mankind created

From Kaworu of [Neon Genesis Evangelion].

– Sathla Dor

From the name of the protoplasmic god Ubbo-Sathla that appeared in the author Lin Carter’s novel [The Descent into the Abyss], and the name of magician Haon-Dor. If asked why from those works, naturally because of “Abyss”. Also my imagination ballooned when I changed the reading of降下(kouka/descent) as 降嫁 (kouka/marriage of an imperial princess to a subject).

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep