This Device Makes It Rain Pork Bone Broth – Part 06
Sera and I were brought to a rundown building that looked haunted enough to have a ghost or two lurking around.
We entered, and Mael led us to a particularly large room. It was spacious enough to run a small convenience store. But instead of construction workers or security guards, there were men and women in black cloaks with red eyes. Around thirteen of them, by a quick count.
Surrounded by Vampire Ninjas, I felt a bit tense. The air even felt a little colder.
Sera went around greeting everyone, and I trailed behind like an awkward sidekick. All those stares felt sharp, probably because these Vampire Ninjas were from the reformist faction, Sera’s enemies. If Mael weren’t with us, I would’ve bolted already.
“Secret bases are awesome!” Mael exclaimed. It sounded exactly like what Haruna would say.
“What’s that huge thing over there?” I pointed toward the corner of the room, where a massive water tank sat. It was obviously out of place as decor.
“That device can control the weather,” Sera said quietly. She glared at the tank like it was her mortal enemy.
A weather-controlling device? Could such a thing really exist?
“This is our trump card. Pretty sweet, huh?” Mael puffed out her chest.
Just then, a burly man stomped over. “Mael! Why the hell would you bring Seraphim here?! She’s with the conservatives!”
Saw that one coming. Why bring your enemy to your secret base?
Mael’s face turned pale in an instant. “Aaaaah! I totally forgot we were enemies!”
So Maelstrom, a Vampire Ninja, was an absolute idiot. Now that I thought about it, she had acted weirdly familiar with Sera even when she showed up.
“Well done, though.”
A deep, rumbling voice came from the giant man sitting beside the weather-control device, one eye closed. His body was all muscle, like someone straight out of an American action movie. If I had to stereotype him, he looked like the kind of guy who’d say his favorite food was protein powder.
“Seraphim, I have a favor to ask,” the man said, lacing his fingers together in front of his mouth.
Sera didn’t say anything or change her expression. She gave off the vibe of I’ll listen, but that’s it. And that seemed to be enough.
A slender woman with wavy hair smiled sweetly and said, “Seraphim, you already know about the surge in yokai activity, right?”
“Yes,” Sera replied flatly. It was kind of cold, considering they were offering explanations.
“And you also know that those yokai are weak to tonkotsu ramen?”
Since Sera didn’t seem all that interested, I raised my hand like an excited kid on a school field trip. “Yeah. We learned that just now. So, what about that machine?”
“This device makes it rain pork bone broth.”
“I see.”
Wait, that sounded like a nightmare. Raining greasy pork bone broth nonstop? Just thinking about it made my stomach churn.
“Do you seriously believe tonkotsu broth is their weakness?” Sera asked.
“If it gives us a shot at wiping out the yokai in one go, I say it’s worth trying,” the one-eyed giant replied.
Sera narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Are you also aware of the risks involved with using that device?”
Before anyone else could respond, I jumped in. “Risks? Is something bad gonna happen if you use it?”
“This device forcibly alters natural weather patterns,” Sera said. “Of course there will be harmful side effects. It could lead to long droughts in some regions, or nonstop localized downpours in others.”
If that was true, this wasn’t just an inconvenience. It could mess up whole ecosystems.
“There’s a chance nothing bad will happen. And even if something does, it might only be temporary,” the one-eyed man countered. “We’re only planning to make it rain for a single day.”
Sera let out a sigh and shook her head. “Idiotic.”
She clearly wanted to end the conversation with that one word. Arguing here wouldn’t solve anything. Even I knew that. But still, could we really just go along with this?
“There’s gotta be another way!” I raised my voice.
The wavy-haired woman glanced over at me with the look of a mother tired of a child’s whining.
“But you see, we’re already past the point where we can handle this on our own.”
So as long as it worked right now, what followed didn’t matter? That logic sounded like pure horseshit to me.
“But still…” I started, then stopped.
Yeah. I was guilty of that too. I’d always been the type to focus on what was right in front of me and be satisfied with that.
I wasn’t in a position to talk down to these people. They were just doing whatever they could to fend off the crisis that was on their doorstep.
Even so, I couldn’t just ignore this matter. I wondered, what if I destroyed that device? I stepped forward. Sera picked up on my thoughts and moved to stop me.
She brought her lovely lips close to my ear and whispered, “Everyone here is at least as strong as I am, if not stronger.”
I clenched my jaw and muttered back, “Fine.”
“I understand your intention. I look forward to the results.” Sera said, shutting her eyes. Her tone made it clear she didn’t mean a word. “If you’ll excuse us.” She turned to leave.
“Wait, Seraphim.” The one-eyed man stopped her.
Without turning around, she replied, “What is it?”
“We’ve received intel. Someone’s planning to destroy this device.”
There was a subtle hint of suspicion toward Sera in his words. But she didn’t so much as flinch.
“And what of it?”
“Who’s the saboteur?”
“I don’t know.”
“I see. I’m glad it’s not you.”
“That’s it?” I asked. I expected him to press harder, but the man let it drop.
“Yeah. Seraphim is honest to a fault.”
A few people chuckled. Frowning, Sera tried to say something.
“But that’s what I like about her,” Mael said with a smile.
Yeah. I agreed. Sera closed her mouth without saying anything.
“Lastly, Seraphim. Why don’t you come to our side?”
“No, thank you. Goodbye.”
I thought she looked really cool, not hesitating for a second.
And just like that, we parted ways with the group of Vampire Ninjas. Sera seemed more annoyed than usual and walked briskly on the way back. I did my best to match her pace.
“If it ever rained tonkotsu broth, the whole town would be a greasy mess,” I said with a laugh.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“You sure?”
“My superior is already working on an alternative. I don’t know the details yet, but I’m certain of it.”
She gave an angelic smile. The way she held her head high, proud as if it were her own plan, reminded me of Haruna.
“As for that device, I’m sure it’s already being handled. You don’t need to do anything reckless.”
She must be referring to the supposed saboteur. Just like Sera, the Vampire Ninjas on her side did not want that machine manipulating the weather.
“By the way, Ayumu. You’re far too frivolous.”
“Hm?”
Before I could ask what she meant, her voice turned sharp with a hint of anger.
“For Vampire Ninjas, kissing someone of the opposite sex is something done only during a wedding. That never changes, no matter the time or place. In that moment, the marriage was sealed. Do you love Maelstrom?”
“Uh, not really.”
“Then you should’ve done everything in your power to avoid it.”
I didn’t even try to make an excuse like, “It was an accident, not my fault.”
Because just then, Sera looked exactly like Eu. Lonely.
Don’t make that face.
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right,” I said.
“Good. As long as you understand. Well, I doubt Mael really believes the marriage went through just because of that. But Vampire Ninjas put the code above their own emotions.”
“So, if I kissed you right now, would that mean we’re married?” I said half-jokingly.
“Yes. I would vow to love you,” Sera answered instantly. “Now whether you can do it is a whole different matter.”
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