Please to Kitsune-sama!

Chapter 138 : Kitsune-sama Speaks of Tomorrow

Since the press had already been informed, tomorrow’s meeting would proceed as planned… however, the hotel itself had been damaged in the earlier incident and could no longer be used. As such, through the mayor’s arrangement, Inari and Yasuno were put up at a nearby hotel. It was a sudden development, and with the assailant still at large, the two of them had to share a single room.

While Yasuno was on the phone making an emergency call to the Awakener Association, Inari gazed out the window.

“Yes, it was quite a powerful spell. That’s right, Isurugi Takuma… What? A swordsman? That can’t be right. No matter how you look at him, he’s a magic dealer. Are you sure this isn’t just someone with the same name?”

Apparently, the information check was not going smoothly. But it was only natural. There was no way they could know that the very essence of Isurugi had been replaced, his abilities changed entirely. Even if the current “Isurugi” presented his awakener card as identification somewhere, the card’s data would not have been updated unless a re-measurement had been done. And if he possessed some method of concealment, even that might not help. In short, the Awakener Association had no way of confirming the true identity of “Isurugi Takuma,” the perpetrator of this attack.

Even so, steps could be taken. The Association’s Shizuoka Branch had been contacted, and they were moving to locate and detain the registered “Isurugi Takuma” as a prime suspect. Protection for Inari had also been arranged in anticipation of further targeting… but so far, no new information had surfaced.

“In any case, this whole situation is the publicity department’s failure! What happened to the preliminary checks? Hah!? Do you think anyone would look at a man who matches the dossier perfectly and think, ‘Oh, he looks suspicious’!?”

It seemed the blame game had begun, but Inari could only think, “What a troublesome lot…” 

For now, there was no real progress. Even without hearing Yasuno’s full conversation, Inari could tell as much. What mattered more was that man, Isurugi.

“I do not understand… Why did he choose such a troublesome method to strike at me? That was, most likely, a curse designed to render me powerless. But if so, what then? If the intent was to kill me, there were other means. Which suggests instead they meant to carry me off somewhere…? Hm…”

The possibilities were there, but no certainty. Acting on a wrong assumption would only lead to disaster. That was unacceptable. Inari pondered, but the material at hand was insufficient. Eventually, she sighed, giving up for now.

“Good grief… Oh? What’s wrong, Miss Kogami?”

“Nothing. I was merely wondering what that fellow’s true goal was.”

“Hm… Well, I agree that you were his target, but the reason is unclear. If it were money, the method was wrong. And I can’t imagine he had ties overseas either.”

“Overseas? Why bring that into it?”

“There are… various things. Balance of power between nations, that sort of thing. Ah—hm? Actually, maybe it isn’t so far-fetched after all.”

Overseas. Of course, Japan was not the only nation in the world. There were dungeons everywhere, and awakener in every country. Judging by Yasuno’s words, relations between them were not always friendly.

“In any case! What matters now is that the Association refuses to be underestimated. They’re rushing to bring in top-class awakener from outside the prefecture!”

“Top-class… you say?”

“The Black Witch! She’s ranked fifth among the Top Five Rankers, but she’s incredibly strong!”

“Ohh. I do recall hearing that name on the television once before.”

The five Top Rankers—said to be the strongest awakened in Japan.

1. “Hero” Aozora Youta

2. “Professor” Mano Tsukiko

3. “Fortress” Doma Takeru

4. “Submarine” Suzuno Shion

5. “Black Witch” Sendou Sarina

Each was not only powerful, but also notoriously difficult to handle. Among them, the fact that the fifth-ranked Sarina was considered “the most approachable” said enough about the rest.

At any rate, Sarina had already been contacted and agreed to come. She was currently in Nagano and would head over by car once preparations were complete. If all went well, she might arrive by tomorrow afternoon.

“She’s actually quite earnest, so among the Top Five Rankers she’s the most popular with the Association staff!”

“…Does that mean the other four are not earnest?”

“Well, not exactly, but… let’s just say they’re very eccentric. Especially the second ranker—if we summoned her here, half the Itou city might be destroyed…”

“My, my… Quite the troublesome lot indeed.”

Still, if Sarina was coming, there would be no problem with combat strength. Yasuno believed even Inari alone would suffice, but the Association was determined to resolve this incident themselves. If their own arranged meeting had turned out to be a villain’s trap, and the victim herself had to clean it up, the optics would be disastrous.

With the Black Witch, the Association could trust the matter would be handled decisively.

“Well, whatever the case, you can rest easy now! Their plan was crushed. Leave the rest to us.”

“Mm, I shall expect good results.”

Tomorrow’s meeting with the mayor. Once that was over, Inari’s task would be complete. The rest—capturing the culprit—would be left to the Association’s manpower, including the Top Ranker. It seemed like a flawless vision of the future, one that could not possibly go wrong.