A lovely night with no moon—today I’m going out to hang with my friend☆
My first time in the big city, I’m getting sooo nervous~ >_<
“Ei, this way. If we get separated, it’s Ten’i, okay?”
“Y-yes.”
I’m nervous… so nervous.
Going for a walk with a higher being is scary…
We were in Tokyo, the city that never sleeps.
After being isolated in the middle of nowhere for fifteen years, I’d finally managed to return to the city’s clamor. I thought I’d be at least a little moved, but I wasn’t moved at all.
Well, of course I wouldn’t be, with someone more dangerous than a starving brown bear standing right next to me.
“This is Tokyo…”
It felt a bit different from the Tokyo I knew. Some place names and parts of the city layout had changed.
More than anything, why are there three things that look like Tokyo Tower?
What’s the point of building so many towers?
“This place has a great selection of manga. The fact it’s open late at night is a big plus, too. Come on, let’s go in.”
The one Sora pointed at was a large bookstore.
It really was on a scale you’d never see out in the countryside.
“We’re going in here?”
“Yes. It’s fine. I’ve been here many times, so there’s nothing to be scared of.”
Sora clenched her fist and snorted like you could practically hear it. Just looking at her, she seemed like a child trying to act grown-up.
“I have money, so don’t worry. I learned all sorts of things over these five years. If you want to accelerate the entertainment economy, you have to spend money, you know?”
“I-is that so…”
So the reason she didn’t show herself for five years was just because she was normally sunk deep in a content swamp…?
For her, five years probably feels like “popping out for an errand and doing a bit of standing reading,” at most.
“I think this will be enough. If it isn’t, I’ll bring more.”
Sora said that with a smile and showed me a leather wallet.
No matter how you looked at it, it was an expensive wallet.
Let’s not ask how she got it.
“W-wow, I’m so happy (deadpan).”
“Then let’s go in!”
Following after Sora, I stepped into the bookstore.
Could I really enjoy myself…?
■
Th-there’s tons of stuff that looks interesting!
This is fun!!!!!
“I’m glad you’re having fun.”
Sora said that with a smile as she looked at me.
In her hand was the newest volume of a manga that looked like it was really popular right now.
Even a higher being keeps up to the latest volume, huh.
“Ei, have you decided which books you’re getting?”
“Hmm, which one should I pick~”
In this world, the manga and novels from the world I used to be in don’t exist.
So everything felt fresh.
Getting to read even the titles of manga that sold over ten million copies for the first time is a kind of happiness you don’t get often.
And thanks to staying off SNS, I could enjoy it all from a completely blank slate.
All the manga lined up in front of me were probably major, mainstream picks to people in this world.
I’m really looking forward to it. If I just avert my eyes from the fact that I’m going to die later, this is genuinely a great time.
“Do you have any recommendations, Sora?”
“This one, and this one… and also this. Oh, and this one too.”
“You’ve got a lot of recommendations.”
Like an innocent child, Sora ran around and pointed here and there.
Even though a small child was running all over the place, none of the customers even acted like they cared.
That only made Sora’s presence stand out even more.
Also, I feel like I’m getting a lot of looks.
Do I just reek of country bumpkin? Or is this whole sacrificial white outfit set weird?
I’d really like them to let it slide as “some young guy with an eccentric fashion sense.”
“I like this one too. But it’s pretty polarizing, so if it doesn’t click with you in the first volume, you should stop. I have my own copy, so I’ll lend it to you.”
“That pitch is way too familiar.”
It’s like I came here with a normal otaku little girl.
And like that, I picked out a whole bunch of manga I was interested in and headed for the register.
The clerk looked suspicious at how unbalanced the pure-white shrine maiden outfit and the expensive-looking leather wallet were, but she didn’t ask anything.
As expected of Japan. The “don’t get involved” attitude being the same even across different worldlines really saved me.
“Alright, let’s go. Let’s find somewhere calm and read them slowly!”
“You look like you’re having more fun than me.”
“Yes! I’ve been looking forward to today! I’m happy that I can share this excitement in my chest with you!”
Sora said that with a grin.
And that was when it happened.
“――Hey, kid, got a minute?”
“Huh?”
When I turned around, there was a police officer.
Huh, even in this world, the uniforms are pretty similar.
No, that’s not the point. This is bad!
“You look pretty young. Do you have anything that can prove your identity? Around here, students aren’t allowed to be out after 10 p.m.”
With a friendly smile, the officer said that while looking at the shopping bag I was holding.
Then he looked at me and furrowed his brow.
“How about you have a little chat with your uncle here?”
Th-this is bad…
“It’s okay, don’t be so wary. Uncle here has a daughter about your age――”
The officer stepped closer.
This is really bad.
And what’s really bad is the higher being next to me.
“What is this human? They’re in the way, so should we make them empty?”
I could hear cicadas somewhere in the distance. The wind was unnaturally calm, and I had the sensation of being looked down on by something.
Little by little, sounds grew distant, and in a world that was about to become silent, I blurted out without thinking.
“Wait, wait, wait!”
“Huh? What’s wrong, miss?”
“Ah, no, I’m not a miss. I’m a guy.”
“Huh?”
In the moment the officer’s thinking stopped, I took the chance to whisper into Sora’s ear.
“No killing! Human lives are more important!”
“Huh? I’m just going to empty their heart, you know?”
“That’s not okay either! Hearts don’t just become empty! Anyway, no! Use that, Summer Rice-Paddy Path!”
“If that’s what you want, Ei, then I understand.”
Sora said that like she couldn’t be helped, and touched me.
In an instant, my figure vanished from the world.
Spreading out before me was the familiar countryside scenery.
“Alright then. Shall we go to a place where we can read manga slowly? Or do we read here?”
“I don’t want to, it’s hot. Let’s go somewhere absolutely no one will come, far from the city center, where we can hide.”
“You’re particular. But I want you to read in a good environment too, so I’ll help! This way. There’s a place that fits what you want.”
I followed Sora down the midsummer path.
The officer is probably shocked right about now.
I’m sorry, and thank you for your hard work.
■
After a few minutes of walking with Sora…
We got out of the midsummer rice-paddy path and stood in front of a certain building.
“…What is this place?”
“A place absolutely no one will come, far from the city center, where we can hide!”
“I see…”
No matter how you look at it, it’s an abandoned movie theater.
And not abandoned in the last few years, either.
It was so rundown it was a wonder it hadn’t been demolished.
On the rusted sign, you could just barely make out the word “cinema” in the streetlight’s glow.
Vines covered the walls, and dense trees and brush surrounded the place.
It had the vibe of a B-grade horror where a killer clown is about to host a slaughter show.
At the very least, it’s not somewhere you go to read manga.
“Well then, let’s go.”
“Wait, for real? What about lighting and stuff?”
“I bought a lantern! Reading manga down here is surprisingly atmospheric!”
“Sure, I guess.”
This higher being is more hooked on otaku content than I thought.
“Jeez, what are you hesitating for? It’s fine. That thing is way beneath me.”
“Huh, does it feel like something’s in there?”
“I’ll carry one bag for you.”
“Hey, there’s something in there, right? Hey, answer me――”
With Sora’s small hands gripping me, I was dragged, shhhh, into the movie theater.
Looks like I’m going to have to read manga in a place that has something in it, on top of having a higher being with me.