“I tried it out, but… Goto-senpai, was that really okay?”
Back at her desk in the Labyrinth Agency’s Public Safety Division, Torako spoke to Goto, who offered her a canned coffee with a look of apology.
The friction between Re:Trys and Kageichi, coinciding with the mailing of the “Gyokuryu Society” member list.
An order had come down to Torako, bypassing her direct superior Goto, to investigate the connection using her Skill.
Goto couldn’t possibly be happy about it, and he also felt distrust towards the Intelligence Department… but refusing the request outright would cause friction.
I’m just a civil servant after all, he sighed, and Torako chuckled as if sensing his distress.
“It’s fine, it’s just work. But… Senpai, is there a reason to suspect Kageichi-san? He’s the one being troubled by Retryz, and on the surface, he’s just an ordinary B-Rank Hunter. Besides, there’s no way a regular person would have a list of anti-social organization members.”
“I thought so too, so I asked Rat about it… but even he had a complicated expression.”
Rat was a man with a rat-like face belonging to the Intelligence Department.
His real name was unknown.
He was a suspicious character, and his compatibility with Goto was frankly bad, but his skills were undeniable.
When asked, Rat gave a vague answer, saying it wasn’t that the information was completely unreliable…
“What does that mean?”
Goto looked around.
The Public Safety Bureau’s office was usually noisier, but it was deserted, probably due to preparations for the operation.
He pretended to open his laptop and said, “Hmm.”
“Torako. This is just me thinking out loud, but… you remember the “Snowfield Ice Mountain” incident, right?”
Regarding the abnormal vibration incident with a magnitude of 8.3 that occurred the other day, the Labyrinth Agency had yet to obtain any information.
Who defeated the Boss underground?
Who opened the massive hole that cut through the Dungeon? The only witness, Kujou, was hospitalized, but it seemed difficult to get any information from him.
“Kujou’s last argument was with him, Kageichi. And the upper echelons of the Labyrinth Agency are deeply concerned about the “Snowfield Ice Mountain” incident.”
“…Ah, I see. So, the higher-ups are desperate to find out who’s responsible for the “Snowfield Ice Mountain” incident, and the Intelligence Department is under pressure to find out at all costs?”
“The Intelligence Department can’t just do nothing, even as a formality. So, they set their sights on Kageichi, who had the last trouble with Kujou, and are trying to find fault with him.”
“That’s a sloppy job… and in such an indirect way, using the Gyokuryu Society as a pretext.”
“If Kageichi doesn’t know anything, he wouldn’t even be able to mention the words “Snowfield Ice Mountain.” So, they have to ask indirectly.”
“…Doesn’t that mean the Intelligence Department isn’t really motivated?”
“Yeah. Otherwise, they wouldn’t resort to such a crude method as directly ordering Torako.”
Torako’s unique Skill, “Voice of Denial,” was a useful Skill, but it wasn’t a magic tool.
Originally, the debuff effect was low, and the more complicated the order, the weaker the effect. Confessions weren’t likely to happen unless someone was off guard.
The upper management made unreasonable demands, the middle management couldn’t refuse, and reluctantly ordered their subordinates to do some plausible work—resulting in wasted effort that benefited no one.
It was a complete waste of time.
…Or so Goto thought.
“However, Rat seems to have a different opinion. He doesn’t see Kageichi Futsuu as completely innocent.”
“Is that so? Kageichi-san seems like an ordinary person to me, as far as I can tell…”
“Rat’s intuition is that he’s too ordinary.”
All skilled Hunters, without exception, had a kink… their soul, their “origin.”
You could call it their unique combat style.
In Goto’s case, it was an unwavering, steel-like integrity.
In Torako’s case, he had never heard it directly from her, but it was a dark desire to dominate and monopolize others.
“But he doesn’t seem to have any of that. If anything, it’s unusual that he uses multiple weapons.”
Not many Hunters changed weapons depending on the Monsters that appeared.
Even if they did, it was at most three types, including sub-weapons, and changing equipment every time to match the appearing small fry was not a common method from a cost-performance perspective.
Because of this, even Kageichi’s preferred weapon was still unknown—
Conversely, it was not impossible that he was hiding his “origin” by handling such tools.
“I believe that’s why the investigation order was issued to Torako, with all these different motives intertwined. Honestly, I’m sorry.”
“I see… So, Goto-san is against investigating Kageichi-san, right? That’s why you went out of your way to interfere.”
It was Goto who informed Kageichi in advance that Torako would activate her Skill.
Goto understood that this was a de facto violation of his duties, but…
“I’ll take responsibility. If the Intelligence Department asks, you can say that I interfered… In the first place, Kageichi-shi is a collaborator who participates in the Labyrinth Agency’s Quests. It’s extremely rude to unilaterally suspect him.”
“That’s just a formality, right?”
“It’s a formality, but it’s also my true feelings.”
Goto didn’t like injustice.
…But that wasn’t the only reason.
“This is just my intuition, but… I think it’s better not to show hostility to that man at this point.”
He couldn’t explain the reason himself, but his intuition as a Hunter told him so.
Some might say that was foolish. But intuition was an answer derived from one’s many experiences, even though it couldn’t be put into words—you could call it an instinctual warning.
People who couldn’t listen to it would make fatal missteps when it mattered most.
“Rat has never had a face-to-face conversation with Kageichi. Therefore, I think he’s underestimating the risk.”
“That much…?”
“I don’t know. It’s possible I’m mistaken, but I’ll apologize if that’s the case.”
If it was just a misunderstanding, that was fine. It would just end as a funny story.
But if Kageichi was really involved in the “Snowfield Ice Mountain” incident, Torako’s Skill wouldn’t be of any use, and Torako’s life could be in danger.
In that case, it was safer to tell Kageichi from the beginning.
To ask him to “play along.”
…To repay him, he had to deal with the Retryz matter as soon as possible.
“Sorry, Torako. I’ve put you in a troublesome position.”
“It’s fine. It’s just work.”
“But Torako is my junior. I don’t like it when someone bypasses their superior and gives arbitrary instructions to their junior.”
He intended to say the same to Rat.
In the first place, it was the Intelligence Department’s job to gather information, and it was reasonable to say that they shouldn’t be lazy and use his team members—as Goto burned with righteous anger.
Torako tugged at Goto’s sleeve.
Huh? When he looked, she scratched her cheek a little shyly and muttered.
“…Senpai. Are you angry because I’m your junior? Or are you angry because I’m a cute girl?”
“? It’s because you’re my junior, of course.”
“DESUYONE—”
Yeah, I knew it, Torako opened her canned coffee with a disgruntled look.
But Goto, looking at her sulking face, wondered—would he have been this angry if the other person wasn’t Torako?
He suddenly had such an unlike him thought.
…It must be my imagination, he shook his head and ordered her again.
“From now on, tell them to always go through me, even if there’s an order from the Intelligence Department.”
“Understood. I won’t listen to anyone but Senpai, and I’ll do anything Senpai says… Anything.”
“Stop saying it like that.”
It could be heard in another way, he scolded, and Torako stuck out her tongue like a mischievous child.
That gesture was strangely cute.
Seriously—he was amazed that his talented junior wasn’t aware enough, and decided to get back to work.