She tumbled out through the back door of the building.
There were sparse, slender trees planted along the one-way street, and vehicles belonging to event staff were parked haphazardly. Clearly, someone had tried to move them forcefully; several vehicles were askew, some even colliding. Bags, shoes, and other items were scattered around, painting a picture of chaos.
This area was right next to the special stage where the samurai talk show had taken place.
“Big brother, what do we do next!?”
“Let’s head to the event venue.”
The Inukami got snagged and was momentarily stuck inside the building, but with its persistence, it would be free soon enough. Standing around wasn’t an option.
They dashed into the empty venue. Spotting a sturdy-looking building entrance with a sign reading “Event Staff Waiting Room,” they hurried inside — only to find someone already there.
“Ah…”
The surprised voice came from a woman in a dark indigo uniform, denoting a samurai. With striking white hair and a finely-featured face, her light purple eyes looked back at them in surprise.
It was Satsuki Gotomaki, his childhood friend who had appeared in the samurai talk show.
Though they hadn’t seen each other in years, she seemed to recognize Shinnosuke and the others right away. Her previously stern expression softened into a warm smile.
“Shinnosuke, and Himari-chan too!?”
“Satsuki-sis!?”
Himari cried out in surprise.
“I’m so glad! Since you’re a samurai, I’m relieved. You see, the Inukami set its sights on us and chased us up to a moment ago.”
“Oh, I’m glad you’re safe. Leave it to me. But, just a moment; I’m in the middle of directing operations.”
“Um, directing operations?”
Satsuki smiled at her little sister figure’s curious expression.
“I’m the head of Special Division 4.”
“A section head! That’s impressive, right?”
Himari looked up, her admiration prompting her to check with Shinnosuke for confirmation. When he nodded, she was even more impressed.
“I was just chosen for the position due to family connections. That’s why I have to work hard to prove myself,” Satsuki said bashfully. Shinnosuke unfolded a chair for Himari to sit and rest on as he listened.
“Has it been about four years?”
He laughed lightly, feeling at ease talking to her, as Satsuki hadn’t changed at all. Although she looked more mature now, her somewhat serious but kind-hearted nature was still the same.
“Yeah, I went to study in Kyoto, so it’s been about that long. But I’ve occasionally seen Himari-chan. Still, we haven’t met in about a year, and I hadn’t mentioned that I became a samurai.”
Fortunately, there was no sign of the Inukami’s pursuit. As they kept an eye on the area, they chatted to ease their nerves.
“A section head in Special Operations—that’s elite.”
“Starting with a section head position should give you a clue. I was even put in charge of PR today.”
Satsuki’s tone was self-deprecating as she fiddled with her white hair.
She seemed somewhat dissatisfied with her position, but Shinnosuke—without malice or sarcasm—thought she was well-suited for PR. In terms of “the right person for the right job,” her appearance alone made her a great fit for public relations, and promoting public safety awareness was an important task.
Thinking this, Shinnosuke chose not to say anything to avoid hurting her feelings.
“By the way, why did you become a samurai, Satsuki?”
“Huh? Shinnosuke, don’t you know? The Gotomaki family has produced samurai, not quite for generations, but it’s still expected of us. So, it was only natural that I would take it on.”
“I see. So, were you made to do it even if you didn’t want to?”
If that were the case, he’d feel sorry for her. Although, for Shinnosuke, who hadn’t managed to become a samurai himself, there was a twinge of envy.
“Oh, don’t get the wrong idea.”
Satsuki shook her head slightly to deny it.
“Of course, I chose this because I want to help people in need.”
“I see. So, how many people have you been able to help?”
“Everyone—meaning my subordinates—has been working hard.”
Satsuki held up her smartphone, and Shinnosuke caught a glimpse of a map on it, displaying multiple indicators rapidly updating. However, being rather analog-minded, Shinnosuke couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
“Got it. Well, no matter.”
“Shinnosuke, you’re still not great with gadgets, are you?”
“Not exactly.”
He denied it, but beside him, Himari shook her head in disagreement.
“Being together like this feels like old times.”
Satsuki used to visit Shinnosuke’s house often as their mothers were friends. They’d all play together, with young Himari toddling along behind them. They had fond memories together.
“It even reminds me of when we’d hide after getting into trouble.”
As Shinnosuke recalled the old days, Satsuki also remembered, laughing with a mix of nostalgia and slight embarrassment.
“What? I don’t remember that!”
“Well, it’s not exactly an interesting story. If you don’t remember, it’s fine.”
“That’s mean! Tell me properly!”
Himari pouted.
“It’s a memory with my big brother! I don’t want to have something I can’t remember.”
“Hmm, what should I do?”
“Tell me, pleeease!”
Just as Shinnosuke was lightly teasing her, a scream came from outside.
It meant someone was being attacked by a phantom beast.
“!”
Satsuki stood up, sword in hand, but Shinnosuke stopped her. After all, when a close friend steps into danger, it’s only natural to worry.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Don’t overdo it.”
“Thank you for worrying, but I’ll be fine; this is my duty.”
Her light purple eyes reflected a strong resolve.
“Shinnosuke, Himari-chan, stay here. I have to go.”
Satsuki activated her samurai spirit and dashed out of the waiting room. Unable to resist their worry, Shinnosuke and Himari followed after her.
Outside, people were fleeing in panic, pursued by white humanoid figures.
These were small humanoid phantom beasts called Kotama.
“Here I come!”
Satsuki’s sword glowed faintly as it sliced through the side of a Kotama. Although Kotama were the weakest of the phantom beasts, they moved in packs, making them troublesome. As one of them fell, the remaining Kotama shifted their focus onto Satsuki.
“Everyone, run! I’ll handle this!”
The people attacked had already fled without needing further encouragement from Satsuki.
The next Kotama lunged at her, and she dodged swiftly, retaliating with a counterattack. A fierce battle unfolded as Satsuki steadily cut down one Kotama after another, leaping lightly to evade one that lunged at her from the side.
“Good, at this rate, I can handle this—”
“Dodge! To your side!”
“Huh!?”
Satsuki couldn’t react to Shinnosuke’s shout in time, and an Inukami struck her from the side, sending her flying. She crashed back-first into a concrete wall and collapsed to the ground.
“……”
Shinnosuke and Himari exchanged a silent, determined nod.
