Several days had passed since Inari’s trip to Ikebukuro.
On the weekend, Hikaru ca over to hang out at Inari’s room.
Although Hikaru was the mascot for Lion Communications—Fox Phone’s rival company—neither she nor Inari paid it any mind. Rivalries were corporate matters. For the mascots themselves, it hardly mattered. In fact, it wouldn’t do for them to be seen constantly at each other’s throats.
The ideal awakener corporations were those that could say: “We may be business rivals, but as awakeners, we stand together against monsters!”
Even if they kicked each other’s shins under the table, they smiled and put their arms around each other above it. Sothing like that.
So the fact that Inari and Hikaru were close was a good thing. Fox Phone didn’t object to Inari’s friendships, and Lion Communications—which had deliberately crafted Hikaru’s “cute character” image—even offered to send a company car whenever Hikaru visited Inari’s ho.
Of course, business was never just play. Lion Communications no doubt hoped to strengthen ties with Inari through Hikaru. But leaving that aside, Inari’s ho had beco sothing of a healing retreat for Hikaru.
That day, listening to Inari recount her eting with Shion and her trip to Ikebukuro, Hikaru let out a long “haa…” of amazent.
On the table, a large plate of rice balls sat waiting—homade by Inari, though a few had been shaped by Hikaru.
Those had turned out round, while Inari’s were neat little triangles. A bit salty, delicious, and very much revealing the difference in skill. Hikaru noticed, but chose not to dwell on it.
“So that’s what Saitama No. 4 was like, huh.”
“Mhm. It truly felt like a dungeon that might exist in reality.”
“Still, the fact you went all the way to Ikebukuro to read up on it—that’s pretty funny.”
“One can never have too much knowledge.”
“Fair point.”
Hikaru would never dare say Inari lacked knowledge.
But… so of what Inari knew felt ‘ancient.’
Updating that knowledge was important. Luckily, Inari did learn what she needed for daily life, and she was diligent enough to go to libraries. In that sense, there was nothing for Hikaru to criticize. Especially since she never went to libraries.
“It’s strange. Soone like her ought to be famous already, yet I’d never heard a single rumor before… But hey, it’s not like I can pry into soone else’s past.”
A paragon of character. Strong. Talented. Ard with equipnt that looked unfathomably powerful.
And yet—she wasn’t a “Disciple.”
Hikaru had never told Inari, but she herself had forged what was called an Apostle’s Pact with a being who nad itself The King of All Beasts, Sovereign of Myriad Beasts.
Its true nature was unknown, but Hikaru assud it was so kind of god.
Through that pact, she had grown imasurably, gaining a job befitting her growth: Lion King.
A powerful body, enhanced further by its skills. In martial combat, she was now among the very best. Hikaru took pride in that.
The problem was—what exactly The King of All Beasts was thinking. The only directive it had ever given was: “Live as you please.”
Perhaps there was more to that statent. But aside from once saying it wanted to see Inari through Hikaru’s eyes, it had never again ntioned her.
“Could Inari also be a Disciple? …No. If that were the case, my Lord would’ve said sothing, right?”
Well, maybe not.
But Hikaru was sure Inari wasn’t a threat. Her Lord was very sensitive to things that might harm her, and often sent warnings.
Not long ago, it had even ssaged: “Soone suspicious is tailing you.”
Because of monts like that, Hikaru had grown to trust this god greatly.
Though when she had once begged it not to watch her all the ti, it had—apparently—looked quite sad.
Now, as she sat across from Inari, a new ssage ca. Hikaru’s eyebrow twitched.
“Mhm? Sothing the matter?”
“…Nah.”
Only Hikaru could see it.
[The King of All Beasts warns you not to ddle with suspicious rumors!]
Hikaru couldn’t decipher its aning.
Suspicious rumors? From their earlier conversation, that could only an Saitama Dungeon No. 4—or urban legends themselves.
But why? She had no idea.
And yet… she couldn’t dismiss her Lord’s warning as nonsense. So she said only one thing aloud.
“Anyway, let’s drop the ghost stories. They say if you poke at that stuff, it cos closer.”
“Hm… my true desire is to deal with any survivors of the monster disasters that may still roam outside, but…”
“Ahh… I see.”
And Hikaru understood.
There was sothing.
Sothing dangerous enough for her Lord to send a warning.
But afraid of how Inari might react if she revealed that “a god told so,” Hikaru said nothing more.
Only nodded.
“…Yeah.”
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