Chapter 148: 148

Amateurish Friend

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

After that, Tsugumi and Toono were assigned to escort the Ministry of Divine Worship.

–The Ministry of Divine Worship was a ministry based on an institution that existed in the past that was in charge of rituals and administration and was now a special organization that handled Shinto rituals centered on Amaterasu and shamanistic arts such as binding and protection. They were the so-called experts of the Japanese occult.

Basically, with the exception of Toono, people from the Ministry of Divine Worship rarely came out into the open like this, but it seemed this time the Ministry of Divine Worship made a move.

Well, since Toono, who was a treasured child of the Ministry of Divine Worship, was on the front line, perhaps this was only natural.

The technique that Toono used when Chidori was kidnapped was also a basic technique taught there.

Tsugumi also got a little explanation about its principles in his spare time while escorting – but it was too difficult to understand any of it.

…No, this didn’t mean that Tsugumi was stupid. Apparently, the people in the Ministry of Divine Worship were all geniuses in some ways.

–The only thing that bothered him a bit was Toono’s relationship with the people sent from the Ministry of Divine Worship.

Toono herself was behaving as usual, but the people from the Ministry of Divine Worship seemed indifferent… Or rather, it looked like they were trying to stay out of Toono’s life. Even if they belonged to the same organization, they acted too much like strangers to each other.

Perhaps Toono’s activities as a Magical Girl might have caused some friction with the Ministry of Divine Worship, but it was hard to tell from this little exchange.

In any case, Tsugumi and Toono confirmed that a barrier had been installed in the hotel–a system to detect the approach and attacks of malicious humans–and left the space far from harmonious.

…He wouldn’t go so far as to say that all people who deal with sorcery were dark, but the atmosphere was certainly gloomy.

After that, the dinner was carried just like it was for lunch, and Tsugumi and Toono headed to the designated room.

It was unfortunate that he couldn’t see Chidori or Suzushiro because the timing was not right, but since they had taken so many precautions in advance, he didn’t have to worry that much.

While thinking about such things, Tsugumi arrived at the front of the room. A massive, expensive-looking door welcomed them.

Tsugumi unlocked the door with the card key given to him and entered the room with a pained expression and looked around the room.

Then, after checking out the interior of the room, Tsugumi put his hands on his face and let out a big sigh.

“… Why is the bathroom completely exposed? Is it necessary to make it like that?”

He said this plainly and lowered his head down.

The suite was a large room and bedroom in one, with two double beds, so he could guess that it was originally meant to be a four-person room.

The problem was the bathroom on the opposite side of the bed. The bathroom had a glass wall that was common in expensive rooms.

…It would have been a good source of laughter if he had come to stay with his male friends, but it was not funny at all when he thought that Toono was next to him. In fact, it could be said that it increased the level of hell.

“Wow, the night view is beautiful. The bed is spacious, and I’m sure I’ll sleep well.”

Toono, on the other hand, was happily walking around the room, paying no attention to Tsugumi.

…Maybe it was time to get mad at her.

Tsugumi pressed his eyebrow to hide his irritation and began to speak in a voice that sounded emotionless.

“Hah… I’m going to leave this room in a little while and go home to get some sleep, so please spend some time here, Toono-san. Of course, I will be back by morning.”

Leaving Toono alone in this room was probably not a good idea from an escort standpoint, but he didn’t think Toono wouldn’t be able to handle an attack from a foreign assassin–an ordinary person.

And no matter how much Hagakure Sakura was perceived as a woman by those around her, in the end, she was Tsugumi inside. Ethically speaking, Tsugumi should not stay in this room.

When Tsugumi said so, Toono made a strange face and opened her mouth.

“Why? Why don’t we stay in this room together?”

“…Toono-san, you know my real gender, right? Don’t be reckless. What if something happens?”

Then Toono spoke up with a slightly sour face.

“Because it’s my first time sleeping with someone. It’s okay to have a little dream, you know.”

“Saying this is the first time is such an exaggeration… If you live a normal life, you’ll have a lot of things like school trips and things like that.”

Toono lowered her eyes and shook her head.

“I was enrolled in school, but I never attended. They said that it was a bad thing to be involved in the mundane world. Fufu, If I hadn’t been discovered by Yatagarasu-sama, I would probably still be locked up in a dark room.”

“…Um, is it really that difficult to become a miko? Do other people do such harsh things?”

Confused by the sudden confession, Tsugumi responded.

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“No, it’s just me. –I’m the only one, the only special one, that’s why I was isolated. I’m sorry, I know you don’t understand what I’m talking about.”

“No, that…”

When Tsugumi was at a loss for words, Toono smiled and said.

“Well, since I turned 20, their restraints have weakened in various ways. It is also thanks to Yatagarasu-sama’s suggestion.–But I am free in my own way now, so don’t worry so much. It makes me sad to see you, my friend, looking at me like that.”

Saying that, Toono smiled as if mocking herself.

–At this moment, Tsugumi could see a kind of string that bounded Toono, who until now had seemed freer than anyone else’s.

He had no idea that Toono had such a past. Listening to the dark circumstances of Amaterasu’s miko, he couldn’t hide his agitation.

–She didn’t go to school, and as she said before at the department store, she was restricted by other miko and treated as a special existence.

Such disregard for human rights was something that Tsugumi had no understanding of, but if this was true, how sharp of a blade did Tsugumi’s earlier statement – “If only I lived a normal life” – become for Toono? Thinking about it, he felt crushed with guilt.

“I, well, I didn’t know anything…”

When Tsugumi bowed his head with regret, Toono opened her mouth and said lightly.

“It’s okay. This kind of talk is not allowed outside the Ministry of Divine Worship. I am not sure why I told you. Maybe I wanted you to know. –Because you are with me.”

Saying this, Toono smiled beautifully and said, “This conversation is over. I can’t tell you anything more.” The fact that she said “I can’t talk about it” rather than “I won’t talk about it” suggested that there might be some restrictions on continuing this topic. Tsugumi thought so, and nodded reluctantly, despite his unconvinced feelings.

–He’d always found Toono to be secretive, and he was getting more and more used to her withholding information. This must be her style.

Tsugumi put his hand over his mouth in thought and quietly closed his eyes.

–If everything Toono said was true, then her story about not having any friends until now might not be a lie at all.

In other words, Toono had a habit of acting like a predator, but she didn’t have much experience with friends, or even with people of equal status.

He didn’t know why Toono dared to choose Tsugumi as her first friend, but something about Tsugumi must have tugged at her heartstrings. Otherwise, she would never have called such a suspicious person a friend.

Besides, she had lived as a miko since she was young–if she was confined in a sacred place, then he could somewhat understand why she didn’t know the distance between men and women.

…That didn’t mean it was okay to spend the night with a man, but he could understand Toono’s feelings.

–It was a natural human reaction to be overjoyed with your first friend. Even if that human was Toono.

Tsugumi let out a loud sigh, then turned to Toono and opened her mouth.

“…I can stay in the room until Toono-san goes to bed. But I can’t go any further than that.”

Tsugumi laughed helplessly.

It didn’t mean he sympathized with Toono. It was rude for Tsugumi, who didn’t understand anything about the situation, to think that way, and more importantly, as long as Toono didn’t tell him the details, he couldn’t get involved.

–But it wouldn’t hurt to make a friend’s little dream come true. Tsugumi fooled himself like that. He always had a soft spot for women. This result was only natural.

When Tsugumi answered, Toono smiled.

“Really!? I’m so happy!!”

“What, wait, close contact is troublesome…”

Tsugumi gently turned his face away while escaping from Toono, who embraced him with her words.

In the end, Toono was a friend. He couldn’t afford to have any strange feelings toward Toono. Toono’s awareness and emotion toward her friend were probably on par with that of a little girl. He had to be very careful.

Toono, who had lost the embrace, puffed out her cheeks in frustration and grabbed Tsugumi’s hand with both of hers, and said in a sing-songy voice.

“You’re so mean to me, Hagakure-san. –Ah, but since we’re friends now, it’s not polite to call you Hagakure-san. Then, can I call you Tsugumi? Of course, I’ll call you Sakura when we’re outside. And please call me Sumire, not Toono. And please remove the honorifics–“

“Ha, it’s too fast, it’s too fast to close the distance…!!”

–Th-this person is more energetic than I imagined.

Tsugumi slightly regretted his choice as he turned away from Toono, who kept pressing him. He never thought she would look like a child, even though she looked like perfect beauty.

–But I guess you’re much more human now.

For some reason, Tsugumi thought so. She was much more emotional and adorable than she was when he first met her at the conference, when she acted so leisurely. Well, maybe it was rude to think of an older woman like that.

After this, Tsugumi left while Toono took a bath, and returned to his room with his hands full of snacks.

It should be noted that before Toono got into the bath, Toono said, “You’re in a girl’s body now,” and there was a brief argument, which was a secret.

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