EP.6 Motaras Commotion -1
EP.6 Motaras Commotion -1
"Waaaaah!!"
"Don't give up! Fight to the end!"
"I am happy! I am happy...!"
The arena rang with cheers and fight songs from the crowd.
Everyone was enjoying themselves, watching the students' fierce competition.
At an age when they still had much to learn, seeing them fight so hard as representatives of their schools must have been quite admirable to the spectators.
It wasn't wrong.
Considering the age of the students currently fighting, they were putting on a match far too outstanding for their age bracket.
Serving as role models for students and inspiring hope in adults.
That with them around, the nation's future would be bright.
That was why they were receiving cheers and applause, why people were so passionately enjoying themselves.
Of course.
Everyone except me.
"Fuck..."
***
Before attending Motaras, the annual event for all schools, I briefly visited the government agency.
The Director had summoned me.
He had contacted me saying a mission had come up that morning, so I rushed right over.
A chance to avoid Motaras had finally appeared.
The agency would use their government influence on the school, and I could just quietly carry out the mission I received.
If I could use the mission as an excuse to miss Motaras, it was basically a bargain.
"What a steal!"
I even found myself humming as I arrived at the Director's office and demanded that Director Edwiner give me the mission quickly.
I didn't know what kind of mission it would be, but I'd already resolved to finish it fast and relax again.
"What's the mission this time? Infiltration? Escort? Or something easy like transport?"
"Unfortunately, none of the above."
"Then what?"
"Motaras."
Huh? Wait, what the fuck?
"You must know the event. Attend it."
I came to use a mission to get out of Motaras...!
And the mission was to attend Motaras...!
Did he absolutely have to make me attend just to feel satisfied?! That bastard Director!
"Could you at least explain why you're giving me such a mission?"
"Ahh, when we cleared out that terrorist hideout last time. We obtained one piece of crucial intel."
"Which is?"
"A notice of attack. We barely managed to restore shredded documents to confirm it."
"An attack... You mean terrorists are going to attack during Motaras?"
The Director nodded, confirming it.
"But why give that mission to me? I'm not even a combat operative, am I?"
"True, you're not a combat operative. But can't you at least handle the mission of evacuating civilians?"
Even without fighting, evacuate people so that even one more person gets out safely. That was what he meant.
"If you're that worried about civilians, why not just reveal the reason and cancel Motaras?"
"There are two reasons it's not that simple. First, it's an annual event; canceling it would incur an astronomical loss."
It was true that the gambling ring fed by Motaras was bigger than any other competition.
The gambling ring generated enormous profits, so the organisers would try to squeeze money from the government.
"Second, just like last time, high-ranking officials within the agency are tied to this event. Even if we try to stop it, those high-ranking officials will push to proceed with the event one way or another."
The agency's high-ranking officials, popping up whenever I tried to forget them.
These disgusting bastards, who acted like it didn't matter what happened to the citizens as long as they got their profits, were truly beyond hope.
Honestly, weren't these pricks our real enemies, rather than the terrorists?
"Can't you do something about it? It's a real problem getting pushed around like this every time..."
The thought that everything I did just served their interests was so revolting I could barely stomach it.
"Bear with it a little longer. We've roughly gathered the materials on their corruption, so once this affair ends, we should be able to oust them from the agency."
"For certain?"
"It won't be certain. The people will be the judges. If the people defend and shield them, there won't be much we can do."
"Then if this terrorist attack actually happens, public sentiment toward them will plummet, won't it?"
"That is true, but considering the citizens' safety, it would be far better if the attack never happened at all."
The thought that this greedy Director was the agency's sole conscience made my head spin.
"Fine. Then one last thing I want to ask: why me, of all people? Couldn't you just deploy combat operatives more capable than me?"
"We've already deployed several other operatives besides you, but it isn't enough. And at this point, we can't commit many operatives to this operation."
"Why not?"
"Because the shredded documents might actually have been a double trap."
"Ah, that's true."
They would trust only the documents and commit all operatives to Motaras—only for the real attack location to turn out to be elsewhere.
If that kind of situation occurred, the government side would be in catastrophic trouble.
The terrorists would gain a massive advantage, and conversely, the Director might be denounced by the citizens for failing to stop the terrorists and be removed from his post.
If even him, the sole conscience, ended up leaving the agency, the nation's future would...
"Haah... I kind of just want to kill all those high-ranking bastards and be done with it."
"I share the sentiment."
The sheer number of things I had to consider exhausted me.
Terrorists, traitors within the agency, rotten high-ranking officials, and even Divine Beasts targeting me.
Enemies were scattered everywhere.
"Anyway, you're saying we have to keep a certain number of operatives on standby, so we're short on manpower, right?"
"Correct."
"Got it. If that's the case, it can't be helped."
I wanted to avoid Motaras at any cost, yet it seemed I was destined to go.
Fuck...
Since I had to go anyway, I decided to handle both the mission and my promise to Mother.
"I'm truly sorry. Assigning a mission like this to you, who should by all rights be under protection..."
"What for? You aren't telling me to fight, right? You're telling me to evacuate civilians if things go south."
"Even so, the fact that you'll be in danger during the process doesn't change."
"I might not be good at a lot of things, but if there's one thing I'm good at, it's running away. So don't worry."
"Thank you for putting it that way, at least."
"If you're thankful, can you give me a generous vacation, say about 30 days?"
"That I cannot accept."
"How stingy."
I had agreed to take the mission, and there was nothing left to say, so it was about time to leave.
The opening ceremony for Motaras would start soon.
It would be dangerous if I didn't hurry and check my attendance.
"Haah... Anyway, no matter how I think about it, this whole situation really pisses me off."
It seemed like I needed to start taking a hardline approach from now on.
Right now, our enemies kept multiplying.
These bastards kept popping up, being a nuisance and annoying the hell out of me.
Even someone as used to taking hits as I was had a limit and couldn't help but get angry eventually.
And they were casually crossing that limit.
"Yata."
"Yeah! I'll get things ready."
I hadn't even said anything yet...
She must have already seen what I was going to say through her foresight, right?
Then I didn't think there was anything separate to worry about.
"Miho."
"Yes? What is it, dear husband?"
"I have one favor to ask."
"Just say the word, anything!"
The little shits threatening my peaceful daily life.
Today, no matter what, I was going to wreck at least one of them.
Of course.
Not me—my Divine Beasts would.
***
"This is boring..."
"Kyui?"
There I was, stuck inside the arena waiting for terrorists who might or might not even show up.
Half out of my mind, I was watching the matches with Tia.
"I thought it was pretty decent up until last year..."
Now it was boring as hell.
Then again, a few days ago I'd personally watched three government operatives training and their combat footage,
so it was only natural, inevitable even, that kids' fights like these felt pathetic.
"In reality, a single bullet to the head and you're dead."
Everyone had some fancy skill or special strategy.
Until they got shot.
Likewise, those students fighting so flashily up on stage would be straight into a coffin the moment they faced a gun.
"As I thought, real combat is what matters, not flashy appearances."
"I think so too, dear husband."
"Uwah?!"
The black-haired woman who had abruptly appeared in the seat next to me.
I hadn't noticed when she arrived, and she startled me a little.
"Kyui!"
But Tia seemed to have known already, lifting one little hand to greet her cutely.
Welcome, Yata.
"Ah, Yata? You finished all the things I asked you to do?"
"More or less. I just need to prep one last thing."
"You aren't even done yet, and you're already back?"
"Because the time is almost here, so I returned for a bit."
"Time for what? Are the terrorists attacking right now?"
"No, not that... Well, you'll find out soon enough."
"Huh?"
Just as I was tilting my head, not understanding what her words implied,
the cheering suddenly grew louder.
"Waaaaah!!"
It seemed a victor had been decided.
"We would appreciate it if you all would give a huge round of applause to both students for showing us a spectacular match!"
As soon as the duel ended, the emcee stepped onto the stage.
But he looked different from the emcee I had seen earlier...
"Alright~ everyone! Before we begin the next match, I have one amusing fact I'd like to share with all of you!"
The MC who had just appeared suddenly launched into a different kind of routine, firing off words like a machine gun.
"Watching Motaras, every single person gets passionate and excited. And people share that rampant excitement with their lovers or that special someone they're flirting with, reveling in it! The result is that, astonishingly, during Motaras, new couples are formed left and right, they say!"
There hadn't been this kind of segment during last year's Motaras, had there?
"So the Motaras organizers have prepared a brand-new event time to heighten this atmosphere even further! Its name is Kiss Time!!"
The words 'KISS TIME' and an effect full of hearts flashed large across the arena's display board.
They really prepared all sorts of things.
"Would these two people caught on camera please give us a stea~my kiss, and heat up the atmosphere inside the arena even more!"
The audience cheered and enjoyed themselves, saying it was an unexpected segment but looked like fun.
What could possibly be so fun about it...
Unfortunately, I didn't think I could understand them.
"Alright! Then let's get started!"
The cameraman in charge of the broadcast started spinning like a roulette wheel across the stands, seemingly designating random targets.
"Today's long-awaited Kiss Time protagonists are...!"
The cameraman, who had been spinning furiously, suddenly stopped midway.
"Huh?"
For some reason, his camera seemed to be pointing this way?
"These two!"
"Waaaaah!!"
From the row in front of me to the people beside me, everyone turned to look at me in unison and cheered.
What the hell? Wondering, I looked at the display, and there, my face and Yata's were on screen.
"Th-This is insane!"
Only then did a strange sense that something was wrong begin to creep in.
On a hunch, I examined the MC closely, and on his collar was something my eyes recognized.
...A Crow Badge.
"W-Wait!"
Don't panic.
Calmly look around and grasp the situation.
Thinking that, I checked the cameraman, and pinned to his clothes, too, was a Crow Badge, the symbol of the Yata Church.
"Dammit!!"
This was Yata's trap!
When I turned my head toward Yata, she was grinning.
"You're finally looking this way?"
Yata wore a mischievous, lewd smile.
I could only conclude that I'd been had.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
As I stalled, the audience even began clapping, urging the kiss on.
The atmosphere swept me along until I felt compelled to join in...
"I'm getting the hell out of here!!"
A single red light, visible far in the distance.
I could tell for sure.
That red light was the glow of Miho's eyes,
and that light was hurtling rapidly this way...
'I-I had to run!'
This was no longer Kiss Time.
It was Death Time.
"Sorry, Yata!"
But...
"Huh? What the...!! I can't move?!"
My body wouldn't move.
Something seemed to bind my body in place.
"Good job, Tia."
"Kyui!"
What...?!
Yata handed a cup of sweet-and-sour chicken to the baby dragon sitting on my lap.
And Tia happily accepted the cup of chicken and started digging in with gusto.
"You bribed her!!"
"Life is all about money and practical action, right? Dear husband♡"
From this event to the MC, the cameraman, and even Tia.
Every last bit of it had been a staged act planned by Yata.
"N-No!"
"Yes♡"
Yata's lips drawing closer to mine, and...
...the red light.
'Ah, this was so fucked!'
Before the terrorists could even attack, Motaras was plunged into a crisis of forced closure.