The convenience store wasn’t especially well stocked. The magazine rack was empty, and many of the other shelves had gaps as well.
“Welcomeee.”
The clerk greeted us. At first glance, he looked human—just unnaturally pale.
“…What’s that?”
“…A zombie.”
A real zombie… That was a first. And having one behind the register wasn’t exactly reassuring.
“Anyway, let’s get food.”
Ayaka grabbed a basket and headed toward the boxed-lunch section, so I followed. There were boxed lunches and rice balls, but not the mass-produced convenience-store food we remembered. They looked more like homemade meals.
“So this is what things are like now.”
“Of course it isn’t like what you remember. The human side might be better stocked, but there aren’t many of us demons, so we don’t have enough people to keep factories and the like running.”
That makes sense.
And there’s no bread.
Because there’s no wheat.
“Not having imports is pretty rough.”
“Well, about that. From what I see on social media, there are towns where logistics are working properly, but at least not here.”
Well, whatever.
Rice is fine, rice.
“These look pretty tasty.”
I picked up a ginger pork bento and put it in the basket.
“Right?”
Ayaka added a fried chicken bento too.
We kept browsing and picked up some tea and a few other things.
“Well, take your time looking. I’ll be outside smoking.”
Elvis said that and headed toward the register, so we kept looking at the products. Then the store door opened and an orc came in.
“Welcomeee.”
The zombie clerk droned his greeting as the orc headed straight toward us. His massive frame sent us hurriedly stepping aside.
“Excuse me.”
The orc lightly bowed his head, took some water, and headed to the register.
“Orcs can talk too…”
“Yeah. And he didn’t look at us suspiciously at all.”
“Well, judging by the zombie clerk, I suppose that’s how it is. We also saw demons with forms close to humans on the way here.”
We did.
“We should tell the others about this.”
Of course, the other four Dropouts.
“Yeah. My phone should have charged enough by now, so let’s try contacting them.”
We headed to the register and placed our basket on the counter.
“Welcomeee. Um, that’ll be 1,500 mana.”
The zombie said that and held out his hand, so I shook it. Unlike Ayaka’s, his hand was cold.
“Thank youuu.”
The zombie let go, and it seemed like the payment was done, so we took our bentos and tea and went outside.
“Oh, you bought something?”
Elvis came over from the smoking area where he’d been having a cigarette.
“Yeah. We weren’t suspected at all.”
“Right? You guys, your appearance aside, your mana is so abnormal that no one would think you’re human. Well, eat in the car.”
We climbed back into the car. Then Ayaka took out her smartphone.
“Ah, I’m getting signal. It seems to still work.”
Had her parents kept paying for the contract all this time?
What about mine?
“Let me borrow the mobile battery too.”
“Sure.”
Ayaka handed me the mobile battery, so I took out my smartphone and started charging.
“Do you know their contact info?”
“I know Mayumi’s and Hina’s. I don’t know Omura-kun’s or Matsunaga-kun’s.”
I know theirs.
On the other hand, I don’t know Takamiya-san’s or Kitaura-san’s.
There had never exactly been an occasion for me to exchange contact information with girls.
“Try calling.”
“Okay.”
Ayaka operated her smartphone, and I heard a ringing tone. It seemed to be on speaker mode.
“It’s connecting! Mayumi’s smartphone is working too!”
Ah, if we can hear the ringing tone, that means…
“—Ayaka!?”
The ringing stopped, and a voice I recognized came through.
“Mayumi!? Are you okay!?”
“I’m okay, for now. What about you?”
“I think we’re okay too. I’m with Yuu-kun.”
“Ah, right. You went to Takanashi-kun’s shop. I’m with Hina here.”
Takanashi is me.
“Yeah. Is Hina okay too?”
“She’s fine~”
Ah, it’s Kitaura-san.
“Is Takanashi-kun okay? Is the Taka-Taka Alliance alright?”
Takanashi and Takamiya—hence the Taka-Taka Alliance. Our seats were front and back too. Actually, during that one month of second year, the only girl I ever talked to was Takamiya-san.
“I’m fine too. Hey, what about Minato and Riku?”
“Sorry, I don’t know. Actually, where are you guys? We don’t really get it, but we’re in Kokura, Fukuoka. There’s a horse race going on at the racetrack with a horse that has horns growing out of it, and the crowd is going wild.”
“I lost~ I would’ve won 50,000 mana if it hit. Somehow number 5 charged in.”
Huh? A racetrack?
And Kokura?
And why is Kitaura-san gambling?
“We’re in Beppu.”
“Beppu? Same Kyushu, but different prefecture. I thought we’d be close since we were in the same town…”
“Well… if you consider all of Japan, I guess you could say we’re close?”
“Maybe. It’s something that god did, so it’s probably pretty sloppy, right?”
That does sound like it. But if that’s the case, Minato and Riku might be in Kyushu too.
“Hey, how are things over there? Over here, there are only demons or whatever—talking monsters.”
“Ah, same here.”
Kokura too, huh.
“Huh? Is Fukuoka demon territory?”
I asked Elvis.
“Fukuoka is heavily contested. The western side around Hakata belongs to the humans, while the east—Kitakyushu, Moji, Kokura, and even Shimonoseki—is demon territory.”
I only understood about half of that. I should’ve studied geography more.
“Hmm? Is someone there?”
“Um, there’s a goblin named Elvis… we’re in a car right now.”
“A goblin… what’s going on over there? You transferred yesterday evening, or night, right?”
“Well, let me explain…”
Ayaka explained everything that had happened from yesterday until now. She carefully told them about spending the night in the mountain settlement, meeting Elvis and hearing what he had to say, and coming to Beppu’s city proper.
“Huh… a goblin, huh. There are kind goblins too, then. I just thought of goblins as cheap experience points.”
“But it’s pretty much the same as what Linda-neesan was saying. Looks like she wasn’t lying after all.”
Hmm?
“Kitaura-san, who’s Linda-neesan?”
“Same as you—we got help from a demon over here too. Not a goblin, though. A sexy succubus.”
Now that was the kind of helper I would’ve liked… No, forget it!
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. The kind you boys would love. She’s practically spilling out of her clothes.”
What, exactly, was supposed to be spilling out?
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