Author: SS Samurai	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: rm31439	English Source: Re:Library

“That creep showed up yesterday outside of my home.”
“…I see, so it happened to you too, Shuu.”

Yesterday, we had met the man wearing a black hood whom Kanata hat told us about. And apparently, it wasn’t just Mika and me, as Shuu and Rir also ran into him in the early evening.

Right now, I was at school, giving my best friend this information.

“What did he say to you?” Shuu asked.
“Well, more or less that he knows us. And that we’ll most likely meet him again.”
“I see. It was the same for me as Kanata’s experience; the guy talked as if he knew me from when I was a kid. He also guessed from Rir’s appearance and characteristics that she’s a beastfolk.”
“…So, on top of knowing all of us except Rir, he saw through her being from Anazumu and not human, even without her animal ears and tail present.”

Grml, I can’t remember anyone who’d fit those criteria. If even Kanata, who can even remember things from when he was in the womb, doesn’t recognize this man, then there’s no way for us to.

“Oh, there are Rir and Mika…”

“Woof, that’s right.”

It looked like they were talking about yesterday’s events.

“And then, and then Ayumu stood in front of the strange man, as if to protect me. He looked so dashing!”
“Woof, Shuu did the same! He also told me to flee if anything were to happen…”

It sounded like they had a back and forth, comparing how Shuu and I acted at the time.

“Well, that’s only natural.”
“Yes, completely natural.”

Trying to protect the ones dear to you was obvious. Well, it wasn’t like the man had shown any indications of attacking us.

“…Incidentally, I just had a thought about the man in the black hood.”
“Woof?”
“Maybe it’s Lord Jizou… wouldn’t that be possible?”
“Woof!”

Why did that thought never cross my mind?

“What Mika and Rir just said…”
“I heard. Sounds possible,” Shuu agreed. “That god… if you can call him that… he sent you and Mika to Anazumu. If he’s been watchin’ over us since we were kids, it’d make sense that he knows up.”
“You’re right, that’s it! I’ll contact Kanata!”

Homeroom hadn’t started yet, so it probably was no issue if I contacted him. I used the communications app to send him information about Mika’s theory and Shuu’s encounter. The reply came almost instantly.

⟦I also had that thought.⟧
⟦You did?⟧

True enough, it would have been stranger if the genius hadn’t thought of that before. It was another loss for me as his older brother. In any case, he had never brought it up during our discussions…

⟦Indeed. But that can’t be true.⟧
⟦It can’t?⟧

So, it’s wrong? Mika’s theory seems pretty sound… I wonder what’s wrong about it.

⟦Meowhy do you think that?⟧
⟦Meowhy, you ask… Look, didn’t that man seem impressed that we’ve become so big?⟧
⟦Oh, meow that you say it.⟧
⟦…Could we drop that weird cat speak?⟧
⟦Sorry.⟧

I was just joking a little, but it was enough to flip his lid. Hmph. In any case, I wanted to know his reasoning.

⟦This year alone, we paid several visits to the Jizou statue, didn’t we? Even before he sent you and Mika-nee to Anazumu. If he could see us here and over there… why would he word it in that strange way.⟧
⟦Hrm, if you look at it this way.⟧

The fact my brother had noticed that was a testament to his smarts.

⟦And that means…?⟧
⟦Well, that’s as far as I got.⟧
⟦Gotcha… Sorry for suddenly texting you.⟧
⟦Meow, it’s fine.⟧

We might look like girls, but we still have these back-and-forths typical for brothers. Though maybe that’s just us. Anyway, since that theory seems to be a bust, we’ll have to start over from scratch.

“What did Kanata say?”
“He said that even though we’ve been at the statue only recently, the man talked as if he saw us for the first time in forever, so it’s probably not Lord Jizou.”
“Hah, makes sense. And here I though Mika’s idea made sense.”
“It’s rare for her, with her almost psychic precognition, to be wrong. Anyway, they seem to be getting really into that topic, so maybe we should tell them.”
“R-Right.”

Shuu and I gave Mika and Rir the explanation that didn’t really explain all that much. The two of them went from excitement to dejection.

“…Well, on second thought, it makes sense that Kanata already had the same idea.”
“Woof. So, what’s really going on?”
“…Who knows?”

We had no idea. We couldn’t even begin to guess. Since the only one who somewhat fit those criteria was Lord Jizou…

“Sit down, homeroom is starting. Today, classes will also only go for four hours.”

It was time and the teacher had entered the classroom. We went to our usual places and were left with nothing but to wrack our brains. Well, Kanata would probably figure something out.

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