novelraw Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
The face peeking out from the window belonged to a neat-looking little girl. Well, actually she only appeared that way; look closely and you could tell she was well over twenty.
The moment she closed her mouth, Kiss-san jumped out from the driver's seat.
"I thought Professor Komaki was riding along with the rest of you..."
At those words, Kotoha-san reacted first.
"Eh...? You mean we left that teacher behind somewhere?"
Kiss-san, who had been the driver, frantically tried to explain.
"N-no. I searched every corner of the convenience store and she wasn't there, so I wondered if she had gotten into your car when we passed a while ago..."
"No, that's not right. No one else got in or out..."
Karma-san shook her head.
Where had the author disappeared to? Just as Kiss-san was saying "I'll go back and look once more" and about to climb back into the car—
Hold on a moment.
"Wait!"
I stopped her. I more or less knew where she was. I still remembered what had happened at the convenience store. Not that I had seen her there.
It was that all five of us had gone inside the store.
Hearing that, Kiss-san paused and listened to me.
"You know where she is?"
"No, but... probably... Karma-san? When we went to the convenience store, did you lock the car?"
After a low growl, Karma-san said, "Come to think of it, I figured someone had stayed behind, so I left it as-is." Which meant there had been time for someone to get in.
If that much was clear, then it was certain.
I walked to the car we'd ridden in and opened the trunk. Inside lay a brown-haired woman fast asleep. Her fluffy hair reminded me of an upgraded version of Detective Chikage's, curled at both ends. I'd seen photos online of Professor Komaki sporting that very style.
It had to be her.
The women cried out in surprise. The baby-faced woman who'd stepped out of the other car asked me,
"Eh, how did you know?"
"Ah, just a hunch. Since I hadn't seen Professor Komaki at the convenience store, I figured maybe she'd been brought here by some other means while everyone had looked away..."
"Oho-ho."
Only minutes earlier I'd never have dreamed someone could be in the trunk.
While I stood there half-laughing in amazement, Kiss-san pressed a hand to her forehead with a "Good grief," then tugged Professor Komaki's cheek.
"Please wake up!"
"Fwa... Morning already?"
"It's way past noon! Why are you sleeping here?"
"Well, lately you keep hurrying me with 'deadline, deadline'! I haven't been sleeping well!"
"That's because you never meet your deadlines."
"...Ah, w-well, you see..."
Professor Komaki really was as free-spirited as rumored. Even Detective Chikage beside me muttered, "Seeing this puts me at ease." She must be used to it by now.
While she was at it, Kiss-san informed Professor Komaki that she had to write her manuscript.
"Also... during these four nights and five days... please write properly, all right?"
"Whaa... but I couldn't bring it with me. The rule is one thing you want to bring... so I could only bring manuscript paper..."
"Then I'll give you all the red pens I brought under the rule."
"Eh, that's allowed? And here I thought I could finally spread my wings...!"
She bustled about, clutching three red pens. Even this carefree professor couldn't beat an editor's authority. Shoulders drooping, she lamented the loss of her rest.
Just then, crunching on what looked like orange juice from a plastic bottle, a tall brown-haired woman stepped from the car with heavy footfalls. She seemed to be in a terrible mood.
"Who cares about that! Aren't we going inside the villa already? Today's schedule is introductions and dinner, right? Ugh, what a pain—!"
I wanted to tell her the real pain was her personality. She snatched the key from Charlotte-san and marched into the villa on her own.
My face must have soured, because the baby-faced woman beside me spoke up.
"Sorry. Lana's super cranky because her boyfriend dumped her... I got the brunt of it in the car and ended up in tears... what a hassle, right... sniffle..."
Her high-pitched voice rang painfully in my ears.
I swallowed the retort that her manner of speaking was also a hassle and asked her instead,
"Um—"
"I'm Ikumi the idol! Pronounced I-ku-mi!"
"Y-yes!"
She was awfully forward, trying to grab my hand. Embarrassed, I pulled away. "Aw, you're shy!" she shouted, broadcasting my every reaction and making me even more uncomfortable.
I excused myself and told everyone I was going inside the villa.
Before that, however, Kiss-san entered ahead of us, standing in the spacious entry hall. From her suit pocket she produced a large bag.
"Everyone, I'll collect your smartphones here. Please turn them off and place them in this bag."
Everyone complied readily. Since we were out of range anyway, I handed mine over too. Only Detective Chikage hesitated, so I teased her.
"Detective Chikage, looks like your identity just vanished."
"Why are you saying it to my smartphone and not to me?"
"Ah, Smartphone-senpai."
"Keep mocking me and I'll get angry."
"S-sorry."
Thanks to that silly exchange, Detective Chikage managed to hand over her smartphone while holding back lonely feelings.
She looked around restlessly, about to call out to the women ahead, but Charlotte-san—who welcomed questions—was the one who held her back.
"Ah... everyone's going in without hesitation, but do they know where to go?"
"Ah, right. Sorry. Apart from you two guests, the rest of us came here once before to scope the place. That's when we brought the food and such. We also prepared in the rooms whatever you two said you wanted... and got the keys..."
So that's why the luggage hadn't been in the car; it was already inside the villa. And Karma-san had driven so confidently because she knew the way.
As the organizer, knowing the location was only natural.
While I was nodding in understanding, Karma-san appeared as well.
"Well then, Charlotte-chan. Let's show these kids to their rooms. Follow closely so you don't get lost!"