Chapter 314: Next to the Naked Man

When I shoved that brazen naked man, he flipped over like a caterpillar and lost consciousness.

"W-what the hell is this guy? Lowest of the low..."

"Aha, hahaha. I'll admit, that one really surprised me."

Well, you can't blame me.

What kind of greeting is "Fuck me" right off the bat? Is that even a thing?

I can't quite put it into words... it just brought back something incredibly traumatic.

Even just seeing such crude graffiti would've been enough to give an idea of the kind of people we're dealing with here.

"This might be something others should be careful about."

"Sure, I can handle a few ordinary people, no problem."

"Still, complacency is dangerous."

Even if Maei-san hasn't spent her life honing her body to satisfy some villain's desires.

"But this person... seemed to be carrying some kind of burden."

"Just because of that doesn't mean you're justified in bothering others."

"Then... what should we do? Should we just tie him up?"

"There might be risks involved. Let's do that."

Maesu-san demonstrated a technique using the clothes (presumably discarded by the naked man) to restrain his hands and feet, offering some immediate relief.

...Yet this man, perhaps due to particularly good positioning, had an utterly peaceful, almost annoyingly serene expression on his face.

"Then, I'll—bring the rest of the group along."

That was when it happened.

Suddenly appearing between us was—

"Oh. It's the fairy. You're tired, aren't you?"

A girl the size of a palm, fluttering four translucent wings.

She's the one we befriended after battling the "Spirit User."

"Yō"

"It's unusual to hear you speak first. What's wrong?"

『No, I just need to say something quickly, okay?』

『Huh?』

『Sorry, but for now, I can't follow your orders.』

『Wait, seriously? Why?』

『This place is guarded by something much stronger than me—what you'd call a "familiar."』

『Oh?』

『I think the one who's been granted protection like that—someone on the level of a god. In this territory, we’re powerless. Completely helpless.』

"Divine protection, you say?... Exactly what does that mean, concretely?"

"Put simply... they've got insanely good luck. Their fate is always on their side. It's like a super-powered version of the 'Luck' skill."

Huh.

The 'Luck' skill is one of the abilities of the 'Gambler,' isn't it?

"Anyway, there's some incredibly powerful being around, and you won't be able to help for a while."

"Exactly. So for now, you'll have to manage on your own."

"Yup, see ya."

"Alright, bye-bye."

"Bye-bye, take care."

I replied casually, and she quietly waved her hand before vanishing completely, her presence fading once more.

Watching me, Mayoi gave a slightly puzzled look.

"What was that just now?"

"Oh, nothing much—just chatting with a little fairy. No need to worry about it."

"A fairy... Wait, huh? 'Nameless' girl, are you okay? Your head alright?"

From her tone, it seemed she hadn’t been able to sense the fairy at all.

That must be the difference between someone who has《Spirit Presence I》and someone who doesn’t.

"Please don’t worry. Though these are stressful times, I’m in perfect health, both mentally and physically."

"Then that’s good."

"I’ll go get the other two then."

"Uh-huh... Good luck."

…In these days, it’s probably not a good idea to be seen chatting with a fairy in public.

People might think I’m strange.

▼

Afterward, I walk back and forth to Tokyo Big Mall, carrying Ran-chan, who happily chats about sweet buns, and Nanami-san, who grumbles constantly.

"...I'm never doing that flying thing again."

She seemed to be deliberately saying such things, as if trying to avoid any hint of a connection with Mayi-san.

As soon as Nanami arrived at the rooftop of the mall, she looked down at the man who was utterly fainted and praised.

"Wait, oh my, oh my! Hehehe. What's this guy? His thing's all hard, isn't it!"

"He must be having a happy dream."

"Hahaha! This is a masterpiece! Let's film it!"

"...A demon. That's definitely something we should stop."

"No way! We've got to capture the whole thing—every single truth, no exceptions!"

Without listening to us trying to stop her, Nanami-san zooms the camera right in on the very thing we've kept avoiding all along.

Poor guy. Unaware that he'll later be scrutinized by the high-ranking officials of the Central Bureau.

"...Anyway, what should we do now?"

"For now, let's look for anyone else."

"Maybe it's just him."

"Then it'd be easier, but... probably not."

According to the fairy, there seems to be a "player" around here.

By the way, just to be safe, I checked this naked man with [Skill Evaluation], and he's just an ordinary person.

"Alright, everyone, keep smiling and maintain that friendly vibe."

"I know, I know. So, what should we do with this guy?"

"For now, let's leave him alone. From the way he's acting, he's probably a bit of an oddball."

As I say this dismissively, Mayoi also lets out a wry smile and nods.

"But this kid—though he's got a pretty well-proportioned face, why'd he turn out like this, I wonder?"

"I don't know. Even if he were good-looking, someone with the moral caliber of a sexually aroused ape isn't worth calling a person."

"Hey, 'Nameless'—you've really come to hate this guy, haven't you?...Could it be... hehe. Are you jealous because I was chosen?"

"Aha, ahaha. No way, no way."

And so, we entered the massive shopping mall, which spans an area of 170,000 square meters.