Episode 51: Giving Hawaii a Fiendish Makeover! Meanwhile, Momoko-chan is…
Upon arriving in America, Kazuma contacted Stephen and Teleported with Momoko to the White House.
Kazuma, who had Teleported into the President’s office, briefly explained the matter of Hawaii’s reconstruction to Stephen and the President.
“First off, regarding Hawaii’s reconstruction, let Japan get involved too!”
“Hmm… Should I discuss the specific details with that cute young lady of yours?”
“That’s right! I’ll be doing the reconstruction work on-site, so I want you to hash out the details with Momoko-chan!”
“I see, understood. Also, Mr. Satsuki. I’ve prepared the personnel you mentioned. You should take them with you.”
“Thanks!”
Kazuma was told by Stephen where the construction contractors were gathered, and just before he was about to head off, he turned to the President and issued a warning.
“Let me make this clear: if you try anything with Momoko-chan, the entire United States will become a scorched wasteland, you hear?”
The President, shrinking under the immense pressure emanating from Kazuma, swallowed hard before speaking.
“…I swear I will not lay a hand on her.”
Having secured his promise, Kazuma smiled brightly, released the pressure he had been directing at the President, and turned to Momoko.
“Alright then, Momoko-chan! I’m leaving the rest to you. I’m heading off!”
“Yes, yes. Please try not to cause trouble for the people at the site.”
“Okay~!”
Kazuma, who seemed to be regressing intellectually by the minute, replied to Momoko with vigor and then departed for the construction contractors’ location. Of course, he had transformed into the Crimson Knight.
Left behind in the Oval Office were Momoko, the President, and Stephen.
Once Kazuma was gone, the three of them looked at each other in a tense atmosphere.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Shinonome Momoko, affiliated with the National Defense Force’s special operations unit.”
“I am aware. Japan’s Satori. I never imagined you would be the one to come. It seems I won’t be able to get away with any lies.”
“Feel free to tell as many American jokes as you like.”
“Hahahaha. Well, this will be a rather formal discussion, but shall we deliberate on Hawaii’s reconstruction?”
“Please go easy on me.”
“If you were to brandish the Crimson Knight’s power, we would submit unconditionally.”
“If he did such a thing, he would bring down his hammer not on America, but on Japan. That’s the kind of man he is.”
“I see. You seem to know him quite well. In that case, let us both strive to do our best.”
“Yes. I will endeavor to achieve a result that benefits both parties.”
The time had finally come for Momoko to truly demonstrate her abilities.
It was Momoko’s chance to shine, using her Mind Reading Gift to steer negotiations in her favor.
How would the President and Stephen contend with Momoko, known as a Satori? One thing was certain: it would be a long process.
◇◇◇◇
Kazuma took the construction contractors Stephen had arranged and Teleported them to Hawaii.
Then, he returned to Japan and contacted Shouzo.
“Hello, Shouzo-san. Are the preparations complete?”
Yes. All employees are assembled. We can move out anytime.
“Understood. I’ll head there right away.”
True to his word, Kazuma Teleported to Kurashige Industries and then Teleported all the Kurashige Industries employees, who were lined up and waiting, to Hawaii.
In Hawaii, American construction contractors, telecommunication operators, and employees of Japan’s Kurashige Industries gathered in one place.
Kazuma was moved by the magnificent sight of over five hundred people, but he immediately gave the order to start work.
“Alright! We’re starting Hawaii’s reconstruction now! First up is the airport! By the way, I’ll be commanding the site!!!”
First came the design, but since Kazuma could do anything with magic, he quickly created a diorama of the completed blueprint.
Kazuma was a complete amateur, but he had a tiny bit of experience with civil engineering.
He had a past of repairing forts and constructing defensive walls in the other world, so he wasn’t a complete novice.
Despite being the site commander, Kazuma swiftly completed the foundation work with magic, astonishing the American construction contractors.
“Wa~oh! This is incredible! How much strength does this thing have?”
An American contractor asked Kazuma about the strength of the completed foundation while tapping and examining it.
“Hmph! Behold! This is Japanese quality!”
Saying so, Kazuma repeatedly attacked the foundation with magic.
The foundation Kazuma had built received multiple magical attacks but remained completely unscathed, sending the American contractors into a frenzy.
“Japan is amaaaazing! As expected from the country of freaks! Their civil engineering tech is like a hundred years ahead of ours!”
It was mainly just Kazuma who was a freak, and the Kurashige Industries employees informed the American contractors that not all of Japan possessed such technology.
“He alone is special; we are quite ordinary, so please don’t think we’re the same.”
“I-Is that so? So, basically, he’s the crazy one, OK?”
“OK!”
The American contractors and Kurashige Industries employees proceeded with the work, referencing the diorama Kazuma had made.
Naturally, things didn’t proceed exactly according to Kazuma’s diorama. The otaku-spirited employees of Kurashige Industries proposed giving the airport a fiendish makeover to prepare for Ibinom attacks, and Kazuma, as the one fully responsible, gave his permission.
“Sounds fun, so let’s go all out! We’re building our secret base!”
It wasn’t a secret base but an airport, but that was a trivial detail.
What mattered to Kazuma and the others was whether it was fun or not.
The Kurashige Industries employees truly showed their mettle, making the American contractors recoil at first, but they too gradually became influenced, and Hawaii’s airport evolved into something outrageous.
“We definitely need catapults that launch from under the sea, right?!”
“And an underwater base, of course!”
“Where will we house the robots?”
“Since it was also used for military purposes, let’s install defense systems too!”
“Isn’t it thrilling to have battleships emerge, breaking the ocean surface?”
“I’d love to try some warship drifting~!”
“Let’s create a dedicated area for robots in the training grounds!”
“Let’s install a super-large-scale railgun too!”
“Let’s build an original power plant so it can operate independently even if the power is cut!”
“Wouldn’t it be cool to have robots and fighter jets launching from a volcano’s crater!?”
“In case of emergency, let’s set it up so the entire base self-destructs, simultaneously causing a volcanic eruption, and scorching the entire surrounding area!!!”
Everyone started fiendishly modifying Hawaii as they pleased.
Considering it was a tourist destination, they probably should have exercised some restraint, but since it had already been蹂躏 by Ibinom once, they decided to abandon self-control, reasoning that its defenses should be made robust.
The entertainment district, too, appeared as such on the surface, but underground lay an evacuation shelter and Ibinom interception devices, dubbed a “defense system,” designed so that in an emergency, the surface buildings and the underground defense system could switch places.
Of course, consideration was given to sound an emergency announcement when the switch occurred, to inform residents in advance.
However, since Kazuma had covered Hawaii with Magic Circles, the defense system would likely never see the light of day.
“Alright! Let’s keep this up, full throttle!”
Hawaii’s reconstruction progressed at a terrifying speed, and with the infrastructure in place, it was already habitable.
Kazuma had only planned to use Hawaii for a training camp, but it was now developed enough to be advertised as a magnificent tourist destination.
If the President heard that Hawaii’s reconstruction was complete, he might collapse from shock at how incredibly fast it was.
Moreover, it was supposed to be only Waikiki Beach, which was planned for the training camp.
Yet, despite that, they had reconstructed most of Hawaii.
He probably wouldn’t know how to react to this news.
◇◇◇◇
Before Kazuma and his team finished reconstructing Hawaii, Momoko had successfully concluded her negotiations with the President and was taking a breather.
“As expected, discussions are disadvantageous when one’s mind is being read, eh~”
“How can you say that… Weren’t you deliberately negotiating in a way that wouldn’t matter even if I read your mind?”
“No, no, I was giving it my all, you know? That said, I might have overworked my brain a little. I was thinking of ordering something sweet; would you care for some as well?”
“Thank you for your consideration. In that case, may I take you up on your offer?”
“Mm. Leave it to me.”
Saying so, the President stood up and used the antique telephone on his desk in the Oval Office to order his subordinates to bring sweets and tea.
It didn’t take long before a woman carrying tea and sweets appeared in the Oval Office, placing them before the President, Stephen, and Momoko.
“Well then, shall we engage in a little small talk?”
“Small talk, sir? Unfortunately, I am not a particularly interesting person, so please don’t expect too much.”
“Hahahaha. Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll hear some absolutely fascinating stories.”
Momoko started sipping her tea while looking at the President’s supremely confident face.
“Let me ask you bluntly! You’re fond of the Crimson Knight, aren’t you?”
Momoko nearly spat out the tea she was drinking at the President’s outrageous question.
“W-w-what! That’s not true at all. He and I are just business partners; I don’t have any special feelings for him—”
“Oh? Is that so? However, he might not think the same way, you know?”
“That’s not true. I can read minds, you know? I’ve already confirmed that he doesn’t feel anything particular for me.”
“Hmm… Was my reading off? But still, the way he acted before the negotiations, it really seemed like he had feelings for you, no matter how I looked at it.”
“Th-that was just an act to gain an advantage in the negotiations… I think.”
“Aren’t you reading his mind? I, for one, thought he was at least serious back then, though?”
“Mgh…”
When Kazuma was threatening the President, Momoko was, of course, reading his mind.
The President had been considering taking Momoko hostage to use as a trump card against the Crimson Knight, so she had been extremely wary, but thanks to Kazuma, the situation had been defused.
And Kazuma had been true to his words, with no hidden agenda; he had genuinely threatened the President out of sincere concern for Momoko.
There was no denying the unwilling flutter in her heart, and since the President’s deduction was spot on, Momoko was momentarily lost for words.
“That look on your face says I’m right, doesn’t it?”
Faced with the President’s triumphant expression, Momoko spoke her true feelings as if she had resigned herself.
“…As Kakka knows, my Gift tends to be shunned by people. And that, naturally, includes men.”
“I see. Indeed, if one were to date you, it seems hiding things would be impossible.”
“However, he alone… It’s extremely, extremely! Unpleasant, unwilling, and infuriating, but! Even when I read his mind, he smiles at me calmly as if nothing happened. And that… also makes me happy.”
“See, Stephen! We got to hear quite an interesting story, didn’t we! How delightfully bittersweet!”
“President… You’re in the presence of a lady.”
“Oh dear, that was rather tactless of me.”
Perhaps because she was speaking to a third party, Momoko, who had blurted out her true feelings, flushed beet-red and looked down.
“If possible, please keep this confidential… If you happen to disclose it, then be prepared. I’ll use my Gift to expose both of your secrets in public for all to see!”
“”Y-Yeah.””
With a face as red as a beet and her eyes welling with tears, Momoko thus threatened two individuals of far higher standing than herself.