A large line of mysterious beings had formed in front of the oversized curry pot.

Among them were some mysterious beings who did not participate in this operation but were in charge of maintaining equipments and staying at base. The curry rationing that began in a corner of the field hospital soon turned into a service party.

「Swordminas-san, can we also eat the curry, ui!?」

「Yeah, make sure you eat well. There’s also a refill.」

「Delicious, ui, delicious, uii!」

「But it sure is busy…… Where exactly did Rintaro go……?」

At that time, Rintaro was riding the elevator alone, leaving the serving of curry to Minato. The destination was the chairman’s office, Tagaraak’s private room, on the top floor of Tagaden Tower.

Rintaro felt an indescribable sense of unease when he saw that Tagaraak was the only one who didn’t show up. It’s not like he was completely sure, but if he had to say, it’s more like an intuition as a former hero.

（I feel uneasy somehow…… She wouldn’t explode again, would she……?）

Rintaro’s mind flashed back to the horrific scene when Tagaraak blew up in front of him. The world’s fastest elevator, which rises several hundred meters including underground in just a few minutes, felt somewhat slow that day.

The moment the electronic bulletin board showed the top floor and the heavy door opened…

「Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!」

A maiden’s scream that sounded like tearing silk echoed in the elevator hall on the top floor of Tagaden Tower.

「General Tagaraak!? Damn, I have a bad feeling! !」

Rintaro, forgetting about his own injuries, rushed to the scene of this unusual situation.

He kicked the carpet with silent footsteps and ran, slamming his body against the marble wall. It is amazing that the building had already been repaired without leaving any traces, even though there was an explosion just a few days ago.

「Aaaaaaaaaareeeeeeeeee!!!」

「General Tagaraak, are you alright!!!」

Relying on his momentum, Rintaro burst open the door of the chairman’s office, which had been left ajar.

What caught his eyes was――

「Stoooooppp!!」

「Guhyohyohyo…… Isn’t that nice? That shy face suits you well. Now let’s see how this one looks.…… Mufu- Mufufuofofofo……」

「So unreasonable!!!」

With the night view of Tokyo in the background, an unfamiliar dark-skinned girl with her clothes on the floor and tears in her eyes. And while groping her body was Tagaraak, a young blonde girl who was laughing like an old man.

「Dehehehe…… My modeling is perfect, as expected, jano.…… I think I could make a living this way too, wai.…… Hohyo?」

「What are you doing, General Tagaraak? You’ve finally crossed the line!」

Holding both sides of Tagaraak in a tight grip, Rintaro pulled the sexual harasser general off the red-faced brown girl.

「Nuaaaaa! What are you doing, ja, Rintaro! We were just about to get to the good part！！」

「To think you would attack a helpless girl, I have misjudged you!」

「You can’t say that about others! Besides, I was just checking the machinery doll I made,! I wasn’t at fault!」

「Machinery doll……?」

Rintaro turned his quizzical eyes to the brown girl. The girl looked tired and was in the process of adjusting the messiness of her clothes.

「……Thanks…… Ya saved me……」

She was probably about the same age as Tagaraak’s “age”. She had short, boyish black hair, strong eyes, and healthy legs that peeked out from under her pleated skirt. Upon closer inspection, Rintaro recognized the girl, or rather the girl’s shape.

It was one of the bodies recommended by Tagarak when she was about ot remodel Rintaro.

「Aaah…… Prechua was it? I feel like I have seen it before.」

「Umu, this is my proud work that is the counterpart to my Kurara-chan body, and its name is “Energetic Sporty Beautiful Girl Merara-chan”, noja」

「It is so confusing……」

Rintaro was relieved that he had not become a witness to a woman’s assault. At the same time, a question suddenly occurred to him.

「Wait a minute, General Tagaraak. Who the hell is “inside” Merara-chan?」

The brown girl in front of them is indeed a machinery doll created by Tagaraak. But now Merara-chan was standing up on her own feet and turning her bitter face toward them.

「Ooooootto, That’s no good, zo? It’s a secret even for Rintaro, noja.」

「so it’s Hinosmera.」

「Ya’ got it, onii-chan.」

「Nooooooooooooooon! Yooooouuu!!!」

The young blonde girl screamed and grabbed onto the brown girl’s chest. Merara-chan brushes her slender hand away and turns to face Rintaro once again.

Rintaro, bracing himself, spoke to Merara-chan, aka Hinosmera.

「What, you still haven’t been punished enough yet…?」

「Just movin’ this body already took all my effort. Even if ya’ brace yerself like that, I can’t do anythin’ big right now.」

Saying this, Hinosmera unbuttoned her shirt, exposing her bosom.

「I thought I had already scattered beautifully, but I got abducted by a submarine and ended up like this.」

A black crystal was embedded in the center of her brown chest, connected to her body by countless cords. Inside the crystal, glowing white flame was burning.

Seeing this, Rintaro finally remembered that he had given the “Hamerun Hand,” the Hero Headquarters’ secret weapon for sealing mysterious beings, to Tagaraak.

Rintaro’s hands firmly gripped the silky blonde hair that was trying to sneak away.

「I thought you disappeared from the second half of the operation, but what were you doing?!」

「It’s not my fault!　It’s my curiosity’s fault!」

「It’s your fault even more! Moreover, What are we supposed to do? How are we going to explain to everyone in Ark Dominion at this point?」

「……Regardin’ that, there’s nothing to worry about.」

Hinosmera’s clear voice stops Rintaro from shaking Tagaraak’s head. Then, she dragged out a backpack that was disproportionately large compared to Merara’s small body.

「Through a friend of Leader Dragius, I’ve been asked to take care of a mysterious being organization in the Kansai region, y’see. ‘tis called the Kyoto Four Heavenly Kings Family.」

Rintaro was taken aback and silently shook his head.

Dragius III is, after all, an old man who can’t eat. Rintaro’s mind flashed to the old man’s face as he stuffed his mouth with curry with an innocent look on his face.

When in the world did they make such arrangements? But the Kyoto Four Heavenly Kings Family, so that was the reason why they were so against the proposed name “Four Heavenly Kings” when they were deciding on a new name for the four executives.

「……Does that mean you will be expelled from Ark Dominion?」

After all, how could they keep a person who had caused such a major incident and injuries within the organization? To Rintaro who seemed reluctant to ask, Hinosmera smiled and answered.

「Please don’t get it wrong, ‘twas my decision. I knew it would be a mess, so I was gonna leave before anyone noticed but…」

「Hey, are you going to leave without saying a word to Samecchi…?」

At Rintaro’s words, Hinosmera looked a little sad and lowered her eyes. Then she looked into Rintaro’s eyes as if silence was the answer.

「As expected, ya’have a steady good eyes. Yer’ good at lying, aren’t ya? Ya’ have the eyes of a born liar.」

「Is that a compliment?　Or are you trying to pick a fight?」

「Who knows? I think ‘tis as onii-chan felt?」

Hinosmera lightly brushed aside Rintaro and now addressed Tagaraak, who was sitting in a large, soft chair.

「No more body checks?」

「There’s no way there’s anything wrong with Merara-chan’s body that I maintained.」

「Ara thanks, I will be takin’ this body with me.」

「Haa, hurry up and go, you loser! I am tired of seeing your face！」

「Ooh scary. Now, I think ‘tis about time I go.」

Hinosmera flicked her tongue out with a bewitching smile fitting of a brown-skinned energetic sporty girl. Then, turning on her heel, she opened the door of the chairman’s office, carrying a heavy-looking package on her back.

「See ya, onii-chan. Take care of Samecchi.」

Rintaro tried to say something to her back, but Hinosmera left the chairman’s room before he could even form those words. It was as if this was a punishment for himself and the Ark Dominion.

The heavy door closed noiselessly, and the chairman’s office fell silent. Tagaraak, arms crossed and eyebrows lifted, spoke to Rintaro, unable to bear the silence.

「Dahahahaha! Finally, I can get rid of Merara-chan’s body, wai!」

「General Tagaraak, you had this intention in mind from the beginning when you retrieved Hinosmera.」

「Wh- Wh- Wh- What are you talking about, Rintaro? I just wanted an affordable guinea pig!」

A little blonde girl jumped up and down on the chairman’s chair. At first glance, she looks like a stubborn child who had a fight with her friend.

However, this young girl is a veteran executive of the Ark Dominion, who was once ranked alongside Hinosmera.

A double signboard of Ark Dominion called “Flaming Sword, Iron Shield”. Rintaro has no way of knowing what kind of bonds and stories existed there.

Rintaro only knew one thing about the relationship between Hinosmera and Tagaraak. That they were former friends who parted ways after the Mt. Fuji explosion 10 years ago.

「The manufacturing date of Merara-chan’s body was 10 years ago.」

「Hoh…… Funu…… You saw it wrong, ja! I don’t know, I don’t know!」

「You, Leader Dragius, and Hinosmera. You mysterious beings, are really not honest.」

Tagaraak remains seated in her chair, looking down at the city from the highest point in Tokyo, feeling embarrassed. Amidst the glittering nightscape, only the burnt-out Ginza town was pitch black, as if there was a hole.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed young girl did not even turn her head toward Rintaro, but muttered a protest.

「You are the last person I want to hear that from.」

Her face, with a pout and red cheeks, was clearly reflected in the window glass.

「Well thank you, I’m honored to receive your compliment.」

Rintaro intentionally grinned so that his face would be reflected in the windowpane.

---

<152: A Small But Strong Vessel
154: Even If You Do A Handstand, You Can’t Shake Out Anything From An Empty Pocket>