Seeing everyone’s surprised expressions, Tsukiyomi Ruri remained completely at ease.
She calmly said, “Everyone has their own way of living. As long as no one is harmed, however they choose to live is fine. We don’t need to be too surprised. Sometimes, surprise and strange looks can also be a form of harm.”
Mizuhashi Yuzuki said in surprise, “Ruri, you can actually spout big principles like that?”
Tsukiyomi Ruri glanced at Mizuhashi Yuzuki. What did she mean, she could actually spout big principles? Did she look like someone who couldn’t?
“Thank you for speaking up for my cousin,” Inoue Keiko said gratefully.
“No need to thank me.” Tsukiyomi Ruri waved her hand.
Inoue Keiko felt she still needed to thank Tsukiyomi Ruri. After all, she hadn’t really understood her cousin before and even thought his behavior was wrong. But after hearing Ruri’s words, she felt a little more at ease.
Just then, Izumi Shirayuki opened her large, bright eyes and sighed. “Being different and bearing strange looks really does feel unpleasant. In a way, our Re…”
“Cough, cough, cough! We Urban Legend Club members investigating all sorts of urban legends do sometimes come across as strange to others.” Mizuhashi Yuzuki quickly cut off Izumi Shirayuki, secretly poking her at the same time.
Izumi Shirayuki suddenly caught on. She had almost revealed to Tsukiyomi Ruri that she was a Reincarnator. Luckily, the words didn’t fully slip out. If an ordinary person learned about Reincarnator matters, the one who leaked it would be finished.
Still shaken, Izumi Shirayuki shot a grateful look at Mizuhashi Yuzuki.
Tsukiyomi Ruri also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Izumi Shirayuki had blurted out that Reincarnator business just now and then discovered she hadn’t been erased, denying she was a Reincarnator would have been impossible, and who knew how much trouble would follow.
After that, the four girls didn’t linger in the crowded shopping center any longer and left.
Izumi Shirayuki secretly signaled to Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko that the timing was about right. The enemy might already be watching them in secret, so it was time to set the trap.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko subtly indicated they understood.
Only Izumi Shirayuki was supposed to “get separated” from the group; the others naturally had to stay in crowded places. To that end, Izumi Shirayuki came up with a perfectly reasonable method: she bought a little rubber ball not much bigger than her palm and toyed with it as she walked.
Then, as they passed an alley, the ball “slipped from her fingers” and rolled inside.
“Ah, my ball rolled in! You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up after I fetch it,” Izumi Shirayuki said, turning and heading into the deserted alley.
A fair-skinned, beautiful girl walking alone into a dark, empty alley—what more could one wait for?
‘Hurry up and come after me!’
Izumi Shirayuki chanted inwardly.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko flanked Tsukiyomi Ruri and continued forward.
‘What are they up to? This feels a bit strange.’
Tsukiyomi Ruri naturally noticed the oddity and began mulling it over in her mind.
Izumi Shirayuki didn’t come back right away. It was quite a while before she caught up.
When she returned, she first gave a subtle shake of her head to indicate that the target hadn’t taken the bait, then made an excuse. “There were a few stray cats in there. Even though they were strays, they looked so cute. I couldn’t help playing with them for a bit.”
“Oh, that’s what happened! I was so worried when you didn’t come back for so long,” Mizuhashi Yuzuki replied with a smile.
“So Senpai likes cats? I like them too,” Inoue Keiko chimed in.
At this, Tsukiyomi Ruri kept a blank expression. She could see that the people around her were all acting, and their acting wasn’t half bad.
After wandering the streets some more, they came to another alley, and once again, Izumi Shirayuki’s ball “slipped from her fingers” and rolled inside.
“My ball fell again. This ball is so disobedient. You guys go on ahead; I’ll catch up after I get it,” Izumi Shirayuki said, waving and entering the alley.
“Senpai sure is careless. Forget her, let’s go,” Mizuhashi Yuzuki said, tugging Tsukiyomi Ruri’s hand.
Inoue Keiko echoed the sentiment.
Tsukiyomi Ruri was speechless. She could guess that Izumi Shirayuki and the others were up to something, but why did everything they did look so weird? Honestly, she was starting to get curious—what exactly were they doing?
Before long, Izumi Shirayuki returned again, secretively shaking her head to show the target still hadn’t appeared and coming up with yet another excuse for being late.
Sensing the covert exchanges between the three, Tsukiyomi Ruri grew increasingly curious.
When they found themselves outside a café, Tsukiyomi Ruri suggested, “I’m getting tired from all this walking. Let’s go in for some coffee.”
“Sure, sure.”
The other three had no objections.
They went inside, sat down, and each ordered a cup of coffee.
Before the coffee arrived, Tsukiyomi Ruri stood up. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Me too. Let’s go together,” Mizuhashi Yuzuki also rose.
Restrooms were often places where one could easily end up alone, so before leaving the mental hospital, Izumi Shirayuki and the others had agreed that if Tsukiyomi Ruri needed the restroom, either Izumi Shirayuki or Mizuhashi Yuzuki must accompany her for protection.
Tsukiyomi Ruri glanced at Mizuhashi Yuzuki. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t mind having someone alongside her in the restroom. In any case, if she wanted to pull any small tricks, Mizuhashi Yuzuki wouldn’t be able to notice a thing.
After entering the café restroom, Tsukiyomi Ruri went into a stall, then manifested The Faceless. After a moment’s thought, she also materialized the Sin Scythe and handed it to The Faceless.
When she felt enough time had passed, Tsukiyomi Ruri pressed the flush button and stepped out of the stall.
Outside, Mizuhashi Yuzuki was already waiting. Smiling, she linked arms with Tsukiyomi Ruri, and together they returned to the café.
By now, the coffee had been served, its rich aroma filling the air.
As Tsukiyomi Ruri took her seat, Izumi Shirayuki suddenly said, “Oh dear, I think I dropped my keys back in that alley. I have to go back and look for them. You don’t need to come help; I’ll be back soon.”
“Be careful, Senpai.”
“Senpai, we’ll wait for you in the shop.”
Before Tsukiyomi Ruri could even speak, Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko were already seeing Izumi Shirayuki off.
