THE DEVIL GOES ON A DATE IN SHINJUKU WITH THIS GIRL FROM WORK 4 page

Emilia?s response was subdued. She felt no pride at the adulation; there was no sense of holding a great mandate for the people. To her, the day held no special meaning, apart that she now held the power to challenge the demon overlord at his own game.

Within Emilia?s heart dwelt two things: the eternal, unflagging image of her father, and a dark desire for revenge against the demons. Her companions stood silently, all too aware of this, ready to become her sword and her shield as they united together for a common cause.

With seemingly unstoppable momentum, they defeated three of the Great Demon Generals. After pitched, bloody combat, they had stormed the Devil?s Castle, the edifice that would serve as the site of the final battle. The dark joy Emilia felt as her sword sliced through one of the Devil King?s horns nearly shook her to the roots, so sublime it was. And the dull blue rage she felt as the Devil King escaped through the Gate, robbing her of the final blow, was cataclysmic.

From the moment she began training, she had dreamed of the single moment when the Demon King would be dead by her hand.

Aboveground, the scene was chaotic, as if someone had dropped a hornet?s nest right in the middle of downtown.

Yasukuni Street was shut off to traffic, the site of the collapse ringed from far away by several dozen rescue vehicles. A starry field of red and blue lights disrupted the nightscape, and a herd of media vehicles were lodged just outside of the ring.

By the time rescuers made it to the underground corridor, Maou had already extracted all the victims from the rubble. None had any obvious injuries. The teams had arrived nervously expecting a grisly scene; now they were beyond surprise and into a sense of near-panicked disbelief.

The Devil King reverted back to Sadao Maou before the rescue was completed. The effort had understandably exhausted him; he was lying facedown on the ground with the other victims. But, given the circumstances of the scene, no one paid him special suspicion.

Maou, of course, was not about to report his single-handed rescue to the authorities. Once the victims came to, almost all of them rose back to their feet. It was to the point where Emi, with that superficial cut to her forehead, was the most severely injured of them all.

Chiho, put to sleep by Emi, immediately opened her eyes after a light slap on the cheek. Realizing she was back aboveground, she looked at Maou sitting next to her. She moved forward, about to say something, but then closed her mouth.

?Well, at least we?re okay.?

?Y-yeah??

Chiho looked confused as Maou patted her head, but smiled weakly nonetheless. Paramedics and police officers ran to and fro around them as they corralled the ?victims? inside a secure zone.

Seeing Emi Yusa being treated for her injuries inside a nearby ambulance, Chiho tried to recall their conversation before she lost consciousness. For some reason, it was all a foggy blur.

?Excuse me, are you both victims??

A uniformed police officer sidled up to them, some kind of ledger in his hand.

?You?re both pretty lucky you weren?t seriously hurt. I apologize for intruding, but we need to confirm the identities of all the victims, so would you be able to write down your contact information here? We can use the information to provide compensation and any personal effects we recover later on.?

Several names and addresses were already jotted down on the ledger he handed them.

Maou obediently added his own contact to the list, then gave the book to Chiho, who followed suit.

?Hmm? Say, you aren?t Lieutenant Sasaki?s daughter, are you?? Chiho?s written address had apparently rung a bell in the officer?s mind.

?Um, if you mean Sen?ichi Sasaki from the Harajuku department, then yes.?

The police officer nodded at Chiho?s startled response. ?Ah, I thought so. Lieutenant Sasaki?s somewhere out here on the scene right now, too. We?re having parents or guardians pick up the minors here, so I?ll go get him on the radio. Better if the lieutenant knew you were safe first, before he learned you were caught up in this.?

?Oh! Sure!?

As Chiho nodded her approval, the officer took out his radio and started speaking, no doubt calling for her father. Watching him, Chiho began to fidget restlessly.

?Um, Maou???

Maou, realizing what Chiho was about to say, gave her a smile, in part to calm her nerves.

?Your dad, right? Yeah, I can imagine. Even if nothing bad happened, I bet he wouldn?t be a fan of you getting involved in this because you were on a date with some guy, huh??

??I?m sorry.? Chiho sounded it, from every vein in her body.

?No, no, it?s all right! We?re both okay; that?s the important thing. I?ll see you at work, okay? Next time I?ll teach you how to maintain the ice cream machine. See you!?

His hand waving in the air, Maou walked away from Chiho as she bowed toward him. He turned around after a distance, just in time to see another uniformed officer in front of him, hurriedly jostling his way through the crowd. The man leaped toward Chiho.

?Whoa.?

The officer surprised him into reacting out loud. He knew that face.

Who could have guessed that the officer who discovered Alciel and the wounded Devil King as they wandered down a Yoyogi back road, fresh from escaping Ente Isla and falling into Japan, the man who drove them to the Harajuku police department for voluntary questioning, was Chiho?s father?

??Patrolman Sasaki,? huh? That?s no coincidence. If that guy was responding at all to our magical force back then??

?Devil King!?

?Gah!?

Maou, lost in thought and recollection, found himself pulled back to reality by Emi?s shout. She stood right behind his back.

?So you?re back to Sadao Maou now, hmm??

Even with the bandage placed on her forehead, Emi?s sharp eyes were still focused squarely upon Maou. The horns were gone, the demonic legs that ripped through his denim pants now just a pair of pale, hairy legs visible through the rags.

?What do I look like, some kind of wild boar??

?I?m not here to joke around with you, Maou.?

?I don?t know. It was a total coincidence that I reverted just now. I don?t know what caused it, and that little bit of exertion was all it took to turn back to this form, too.?

Maou found himself replying honestly. Not only was his joke a total failure, but Emi was still staring at him with those deadly serious eyes.

?It?s not gonna help you if you hide anything from me.?

His good-faith effort was meagerly rewarded.

?Man, you?re sounding less and less like a Hero every day. You can keep on stalking me if you want, but I don?t think I?ll be transforming again anytime soon. Though I might want to try taking action based on today?s events, you know.?

??What do you mean??

?Oh, you know, go out to eat in more underground food courts, wait around for another collapse.?

?Don?t be stupid with me.?

?Ah, lay off. I?m gonna go home and sleep. I?m tired.?

?Wait!?

?Quit it, would you! Nothing else is gonna happen today, okay? Whether it was a coincidence or not, I had my magic power back, but your attack was a total failure.?

Maou unenthusiastically waved Emi off, trying to bring an end to the conversation. But Emi was unwilling to let that final jab go unanswered.

?My attack? What do you mean??

?You were listening in on me and Chi, right? Like, starting halfway through?? Maou shrugged, exasperated. ?No way is what she?s going through normal. All this happened when you and I were here. Someone hatched it on us. I don?t know if it was a sonar pulse or magical interference or whatever, but what I do know is, our cover?s been blown.?

Emi?s eyes burst open.

?So our enemy??

?He?s right nearby, yeah. We just never noticed before. And I bet he didn?t attempt a second stab because I was about to return to my full Devil body.?

?B-but?but what was that? We?re in Japan. You can?t refill your strength; I can?t refill mine. How could they unleash this kind of force??

Maou flashed a wry smile.

?Oh, I have my ideas.?

?What? Oh, come on!?

Maou?s expression remained firm, almost cold, against the agitated Emi.

?Not that I?ve got any duty to tell you. It?s not like you could do anything about it.?

Emi contemplated firing back for an instant, but resisted the urge. In his own way, Maou was right.

?But I?ll give you a hint, anyway. Don?t want you getting all panicked whenever things go down.?

??A hint??

?Sure. First off, whether it?s indirect or not, our opponent?s throwing around his powers like crazy, whenever he wants to. Think about who could do that in Ente Isla right now, huh? Someone who?s apparently confident that he can kill the both of us??

Emi had deduced that much by herself. But who? She drew a total blank. Watching Emi lost in thought, a cynical smile grew on Maou?s face.

?Got it yet? I?m going home. I need to think about how to counter him. Plus, I?m tired.?

?W-wait! Wait a minute. I still need??

?You still need to talk? Great. But how ?bout we take a rain check for today? You got company.?

Maou pointed over Emi?s shoulder. There, they found a figure stretching her body past the police tape behind the ambulances, excitedly waving toward them.

?Rika??

?Oh, is that your coworker or something? She keeps calling your name, did you notice that??

Rika Suzuki, still in her work outfit, began waving even more fervently when she noticed Emi?s look of recognition.

?So you do have some friends.?

?That?s none of your business! Stop bothering me!?

Emi spat out the words as she turned her back to him.

?Hey, I?m just being jealous. Here, go say hello to her.?

?But?you think they?re going to strike again once things settle down??

This question came from the heart, the personification of her anxieties. This collapse wasn?t like the flurry of magical blasts from earlier; it had endangered a large number of innocent bystanders. If a third attack was forthcoming, it might get Rika involved next time. But Maou just laughed haughtily, voice full of confidence.

?Doubt it. He declared that both you and I were his targets. If he attacks one of us, that?s gonna set off alarms for the other guy, right? Trust me. I know how an evil villain thinks. I?m the best one out there.?

It wasn?t necessarily something to be proud of, but Maou still puffed up his chest as he spoke.

?Well? C?mon. Don?t keep her waiting.?

He gave Emi a push. It was a less than pleasant experience.

She took a step forward, then whipped her head around.

?Just for today, got it??

?Yeah, yeah. ?Don?t try anything funny,? right? Sure thing.?

He doubted that she believed such an airy reply, and likewise Emi twisted up her face a bit before quickly jogging away. Her coworker behind the tape embraced her, tears running down her face. Her uniform was typical secretary gear, her sandals plain and unadorned. She must have thrown on whatever was handy when she heard the news.

Maou chuckled wistfully to himself. ?If she?s trying to demotivate me, she?s damn well succeeding.?

He turned on his heels, preparing to walk away from the scene.

?Your Demonic Hiiiiighness??

?Agh! Ashiya!?

He nearly collided with Ashiya, not noticing him lurking behind like some vengeful ghost.

?I-I?m so sorry, my liege!?

?What?s that from all of a sudden? For that matter, where were you??

Ashiya sniffled pathetically in front of him, wailing as he pointed out an ambulance in the distance.

?I allowed Emilia to approach us? I failed to notice our advancing foe? And you even saved my life, my liege! How could I ever? ever repaaaaaay you?!?

Maou wearily pushed the dusty, blubbering Ashiya to the side.

?Look, will you shut up? Stop sobbing like that in public. You look terrible. C?mon, let?s go home. You aren?t hurt, are you??

?N-n-no? No, nooo! Th-thank you for?for caring?!?

They were stopped three times by other officers to check their identities as they left; two of the officers gave them information about reparations and nearby hospitals. They then fled, nearly getting caught by the media covering the scene, but nonetheless cheaping out on train fare and walking the entire way from Shinjuku to Sasazuka. It was two hours later by the time they arrived home.

?Oh my goodness, what a surprise! You, like, always go down to that food court, right, Emi? I thought maybe you got caught up in all that, and? You know, I was just beside myself!?

Rika, after confirming Emi was fine, broke down in tears, as if the tragedy happened to her instead.

?I couldn?t get you on the phone, you didn?t respond to any of my texts? So I was like ?oh, no?, so I ran over here, but no way would they let me in? I?m telling you, I was in a panic!?

?Sorry to make you worry.?

?No! No, it?s not your fault, Emi! I mean, if anything, it was just bad luck! Or maybe good luck, I guess, since you?re okay now! Were you hurt really bad??

Rika had finally gained enough of her wits to notice the bandage.

?I cut my forehead a little bit. Enough to draw blood. But it?s nothing big. I didn?t need stitches or anything.?

In Emi?s mind it really was a tiny scrape, but to the standards of the average Japanese person, it was worryingly serious.

?So can you go home now??

?Well, I gave the police my contact info, and the paramedics told me about hospitals and compensation and stuff. They said they?d take me to the hospital once things settle down, but this is really the only injury I have, so??

?Ooh, well, you better not run off home yet, then! Better at least get a medical note from the hospital. Do you have your phone and some money??

Emi, amazed by Rika?s utter zeal to help, thought it over.

?I have my phone, but everything else is in my bag, under the rubble. Ahh! My insurance card, my passport?my seal??

She could feel her blood pressure drop. She just had to be carrying all her valuables in one place today.

?Okay, take this. Lemme know once you?re out of the hospital. I?ll meet you over there.?

Seeing her friend in need, Rika quickly took three 10,000-yen bills out of her wallet, pushing them into Emi?s hand.

?R-Rika??

?Hey, you never know when you?re gonna need it at a time like this! Plus, you don?t want the media catching you, so call me, all right??

With that, she pushed Emi back behind the tape, making shooing motions with her hands. Emi humored her, looking back once there was enough distance between them. She found a man, presumably media, confronting her, hoping to get a story from someone who spoke with a victim.

Rika was too far away to be audible, but she chased the man away, looking plainly annoyed, before disappearing into the crowd.

Once she was gone, Emi returned to the ambulance that bandaged her and meekly traveled with several other victims to the nearest hospital.

After a thorough examination, her injury was officially classified as ?light.? Nonetheless, the doctor went ahead and exaggerated a bit on his official report, smiling at Emi as he did.

?If I were a young woman like you, if something scratched me on the forehead, I?d hope to get some compensation from it.?

Emi let out a bitter laugh.

It was already past nine p.m. by the time everything was settled and she left the examination room.

?Hello, Rika??

Being in a hospital, she used a green public phone, an endangered species in the urban landscape, to call Rika. Her friend answered on the first ring.

?Emi? Hello! How?d it go??

?Well, the doctor examined me all over, but they said it was nothing big. He disinfected my scratch and gave me some medication just in case, but he said I didn?t have to take it unless it hurt.?

?Oh! Okay, I?m so glad it?s nothing serious! Where?s your hospital??

?Shinjuku. The university hospital.?

?Got it. I?ll be right over, so hang tight, okay??

?Oh, that?s all right. I don?t need to bother you.?

?Oh? Is your family there or something??

A sensible enough question to ask in the midst of this catastrophe, but for Emi, it required a lie to settle.

?No, uh, my parents aren?t in Japan, so??

?Oh, really? Like, overseas?!?

The surprise was evident in Rika?s voice. Judging by the background noise, she was already preparing to go.

?Yeaaah, that sort of thing.?

?Well, all the more reason I better keep an eye on you! I?ll go take a taxi there right now. It?ll be about ten minutes, all right? See you then!?

?Whoa, Rika, wait a?!?

Emi stared at the green handset, stunned at how briskly Rika had hung up on her.

There was nothing to be done. She sat in the waiting room for a few minutes before the receptionist called her name.

The way it was explained to her, the fees for her examination and its certificate would be compensated for once she paid the fees in her name, and then sent an invoice, plus any other necessary documentation, to the appropriate location.

As she paid the receptionist, Emi recalled that her new purse was underneath the rubble alongside her commuter bag. That, and she remembered Rika?s monetary support: ?You never know when you?re gonna need it at a time like this!?

She could bring her insurance card in before the end of the month to take care of everything, but even then, the assorted fees she racked up this evening were on the pricey side.

Just as she accepted her receipt and the prescription for her medication, she noticed a taxi stopped outside the lobby and Rika walking inside. She immediately ran over to Emi once she saw her.

?Are you okay, Emi?!?

?Uh, yeah. Thanks a lot. You?re being a big help.?

Emi brought the receipt and prescription up to Rika?s eyes.

?See? Told you.?

Rika smiled.

?I?m just happy it was nothing serious. Here, how about you stay at my place tonight? I?ve got the taxi waiting.?

?S-sure, but is it really okay??

?Oh, of course! No need to worry about anything, okay? C?mon!?

?All right!?

Unable to protest Rika?s vigorous invitation, Emi was taken outside and thrown into the taxi. The next thing she knew, she was standing in front of Rika?s condo in the neighborhood of Takadanobaba.

Rika?s condo was around the same size as Emi?s, but the smell of fresh building materials, wallpaper, and paint belied its very recent construction.

?So, anyway, if you aren?t hurt anywhere else, you should go take a shower and get changed first. I can lend you my sweats for today; you?ll be more comfortable in those.?

Rika handed her a sweatshirt and pants, both neatly folded, along with a hanging wardrobe bag.

?And put your old clothes in here. Better not throw them away, even if they?re ripped or whatever.?

?Why not??

Emi meekly removed her clothes as ordered. The gray suit she had worn for work wasn?t particularly damaged, but her blouse was stained with blood from her forehead.

?Because you might get whatever company manages that food court to pay for it, is why! No harm keeping the evidence safe until it?s all over.?

?Oh. Makes sense.?

The concept of individual compensation provided by large firms, public or private, was unimaginable in Ente Isla. Even now, Emi still lacked a full grasp of the idea.

The prevailing system back in her homeland was still largely feudal. If a citizen summoned for some public construction project was hurt by an accident or a disaster, the common expectation was that he?d be given a pittance of a consolation payment and tossed by the side of the road.

?I?m impressed, though, Rika. You sure know a lot about this kind of thing.?

?Well, you know, I?ve been through a thing or two in my life. Oh, the bathroom?s that way. I?ve got some brand-new underwear you can take home, too. I?m pretty sure we got the same bra size.?

?Smaller than Chiho?s, probably.?

?Huh??

??Oh, uh, never mind.?

She sighed, not quite managing to stop the complaint before it crossed her lips. Checking the size of what she was given, it was indeed the same as Emi?s.

?Really, though, thank you so much for everything. I?ll be in the bathroom.?

Lukewarm shower water bounced off her body, instantly sweeping away the assorted events of the day and filling her with a comfortable sense of satisfaction.

?I put a towel on top of the washer in the changing room, okay? Oh, and here?s a washcloth if you need it. The body soap?s on the far left-hand side.?

A washcloth was offered through a crack in the bathroom door, Rika?s index finger pointing out the soap container.

?Did you eat dinner, by the way??

?Ooh, to be honest, I?m about ready to die of starvation more than anything else.?

Rika broke into a broad, comforting smile at Emi?s honest reply.

?Well, I?ll whip up something quick for you, so enjoy the shower, okay? You?re good for anything, right??

Rika left the changing room, allowing Emi a few moments to fully enjoy the shower in silence.

??Weird.?

It was oddly difficult to calm down. She was overly aware of her heartbeat, yes, but there was something about even that which comforted her.

Whenever she was struck down by foes in her quest against the Devil King, there was always someone nearby to help her. Many of them happily offered her food and board as well.

But she had never had a feeling quite like this one before.

It made her wish she could stay this way forever, as intensely pleasant and comfortable as the temperature of the water that coursed down her skin.

It was as if a soft light kindled itself within her mind, like she was being gently wrapped in an angel?s wings.

?Well, here?s to your good health. Cheers!?

The two glasses of cold mineral water clinked together.

Rika apologized for having nothing but leftovers to offer, but the simmered meat and potatoes she warmed up were a feast for Emi?s empty stomach. She eagerly worked on the dish with her chopsticks.

?If you?ve got that kind of appetite, I guess there really is nothing to worry about, huh??

Rika smiled, relieved from the inside out.

?But, still, be careful, all right? Sometimes injuries like that can relapse and get you in trouble later on.?

?I?ll keep that in mind. Thanks for everything, Rika. Really. I promise I?ll pay you back later.?

?Well, it?s the least I could do! I mean, you lost your purse and your bank book! That?d be a disaster for anyone.?

After some more chitchat, Rika casually turned on the TV.

It was nothing but news reports about the corridor collapse Emi was involved in. Rika flipped through the channels at light speed, until she stopped at a music program.

For Emi?s sake, no doubt. Emi looked toward the TV stand, noticing a photograph propped on top of it. Her attention did not go unnoticed.

?Oh, that?s my family.?

The photo was shot in front of a factorylike building, with Rika, a couple that were presumably her parents, and another girl, essentially a younger version of Rika.

?Is that your sister down there? You sure look alike.?

?You know, that?s what everyone says! If you ask me, though, I?ve never seen the resemblance.?

Rika smiled. Just then:

?Oh, mind if I get that??

The phone was ringing inside Rika?s bag. Once Emi nodded, Rika picked up.

?Hello??Pfft. Wella course it?s me. Who else?re ya expectin?, calling up this number??

Emi looked toward Rika, surprised. This tone of voice she had never heard before.

?Oh, y?all got that? Cool. Nah, it ain?t nothin? that expensive. I drink it all the time. Plus which, ?ell, Gramps?ll drink anythin? if it says ?shochu liquor? on the label, am I right??

Rika had mentioned that she was born in the Kansai region of Japan. But the accent seemed a bit off intonation-wise from what Emi knew about the Kansai dialect.

?So I?m a-comin? back in August, okay??Huh? Accident? Oh, yeah, that was right close to my job, but I?m okay, so? You tell that to everyone else too, all right? Yeah. Byeeeee.?

The short conversation ended. Rika was about to toss the phone on the table, but thought better of it and pulled up the charger cord plugged into the wall, inserting it into the phone jack.

?That was Ma. She was all worked up about the stuff on TV, but I didn?t feel like goin? all at it talkin? about you all night.?

?I don?t think I?ve heard your original accent before, Rika.?

?Oh, no? I didn?t realize. I always fall into that whenever I?m talking to folks back home. We all live in Kobe.?

Come to think of it, Rika did sound a bit different from usual ever since they?d met at the collapse site. Revealing more of herself, maybe. The thought made Emi smile.

?Wow. It sounds kind of fresh and new to me. I?ve never really left Tokyo at all, but I?d love to go out west sometime.?

The work paid well by the hour, but she was hardly a wealthy woman, and she had never enjoyed anything close to resembling a ?vacation? in her life. If it weren?t for the Devil King?though she had entertained the thought of traveling around Japan for a while if she ever did slay him. But that was far in the future, if ever.

Emi focused back on her dinner. By the time the music program was over, she had polished off everything Rika put out for her.

?Wow. Nice job. Guess you?re just fine now, huh??

?Thanks to you. Should I go rinse off the dishes??

Emi quickly stacked up the dishes and bowls, dividing them into ?oil? and ?non-oil? stacks as she placed them in the water.

?Thanks! Just leave them there, okay? I?ll wash them later.?

?Sure thing. Oh, uh, you mind if I watch the news??

?Mmm? Not really, but are you sure??

It was obvious what they?d be covering, no matter how long they waited. Rika?s face darkened for a moment, but Emi nodded back at her.

?I want to check the weather and stuff. Besides, I?m sure they?ll have other things on, too.?

?Well, okay. I think Press Terminal oughtta be on right now.?

Rika picked up the remote and navigated the channels. Emi returned from the dining table and sat where she was before, facing the TV screen. The top news was the collapse in Shinjuku, of course, but they dwelled upon it for a surprisingly small amount of time before moving on to the recent rash of street robberies across Tokyo.

?Man, that sucks. My luck?s been so bad lately, I?m probably gonna run into that next.?

The observation from Emi made Rika look at her from the side. Then: ?Dahh! Aw, Emi, you?re the best!?

?Huh? Wh-what do you mean, Rika??

Suddenly, Rika gave Emi a hug from behind.

?Whoa! What?s gotten into you??

?Aw, you?re just so nice, Emi. You?re so soothing.?

?Huh??

For a moment or two, Rika swayed back and forth, rocking Emi like a cradle. Emi let it pass, not quite understanding her behavior. Soon, Rika finally spoke, still holding her.

?You know, ever since I went off to Tokyo, I?ve always tried to speak in standard Japanese. It was just so annoying otherwise.?

?Annoying??

Emi turned toward her quizzically. Thousands of people flocked to Tokyo from elsewhere in Japan all the time. Several people at the call center still sported obvious accents as they worked.

?Well, like, if you use standard Japanese, then you don?t have to worry about people asking where you came from, right??

Come to think of it?Emi knew Rika was from the Kansai area, but her friend never told her anything else about home.

It was, truthfully, something Emi never actively explored with her, lest she be tasked with completely fabricating her own childhood in response.

?If you?re from Hyogo prefecture, then all people in Tokyo ever want to talk to you about is The Earthquake.?

?Oh??

Emi suddenly realized her motivation. She turned around within Rika?s arms.

?And that?s, like, all, too. Never anything else. So I stopped talking about my home, since it was just getting annoying.?

Rika?s eyes turned toward the family photograph.

?I was still just a kid during the 1995 Earthquake, but I?ll still never forget that day. It was really scary. There were a lot of small workshops and stuff near our house, and we had a lot of damage in our neighborhood.?

Emi was certainly aware of the history-making earthquake centered on Kobe and its environs. It was an era-defining event, a couple of decades ago.

?It was practically a miracle everyone in my family was okay. A lot of my friends? There were a ton of kids who lost family members. I was in grade school, but when class started up again, two of my classmates were gone. I tried to kid myself into thinking they moved away.?

Date: 2016-06-12; view: 184