Chapter 9 - Because your boobs were soft?

"Yeah, right. Who'd trust you just because you said you wouldn't disobey?"

"Aha, but I have just the thing for that! This is a parallel universe, you can trust it to have that kind of stuff!"

So spoke Hanakawa as he retrieved something out of thin air.

"What did you just do?"

Yogiri was on guard.

Mere moments ago Hanakawa was empty-handed, but all of a sudden he was holding something. Based on his lack of killing intent it wasn't anything dangerous, but it did remind Yogiri of his limited knowledge of the 'System.' There was still need for caution.

"I, uh, took an item out of my item box?"

"Can anybody do that?"

"Well actually it's a rare tier skill that you don't see it often! Although because of it I ended up having to carry the whole hero party's items… Ah, that's it! Making me your companion would come with a bunch of advantages! You can carry along whatever you want thanks to my item box, with my healing magic you'll never have to worry about an injury, and since it's my second time here I'm more than familiar with this world; isn't that magnificent! I'll definitely be of use to you! So don't kill me please――!"

Hanakawa begged while rubbing his head against the ground. Quietly, he mumbled.

"Err, what might you be thinking, Dannoura-san? If you could help me convince Takatou-dono here, well, I would be most obliged…"

Ever so slightly he glanced up to Tomochika.

She was clearly troubled by the complicated situation, still remembering the way Hanakawa first approached them, but before long she had made up her mind and voiced her decision.

"It's thanks to Takatou-kun's rescue that I'm still alive. Given the fact that I owe him my life I don't think I have the right to complain about his method of protecting me nor about his way of dealing with you."

"Hoaahhh! Tomochika-tan, since when were you this cool! Although I believe that emotionally crying out a good girl line like 'can't we just avoid killing as a whole!?' would have been more appropriate heroine behavior!"

"So, what's that thing you pulled out?"

Yogiri looked at the circle-shaped object that Hanakawa still held in his hand. Made of metal and crude in appearance it seemed to be a collar.

"This would be a collar of slavery! After putting it on it becomes impossible to go against the will of the first person you see, an ultra rare magic item! Look, first you do like this and then――!"

Hanakawa fiddled with the collar until it suddenly split into two pieces. He then put them around his own neck, made them snap back together and looked at Tomochika.

"My Mistress――! Please, give me your order! I'll even lick your shoes! In fact, don't mind if I do――!"

Hanakawa, still kneeling on the ground, waddled up to Tomochika.

"Ew! Stop!"

And he stopped on the spot, yet Yogiri wasn't entirely convinced.

"Hm, I see. But the part about becoming unable to go against the master's will is questionable, maybe he's just acting."

"It's kind of gross… Actually it's super gross. Is there a way to stop being master?"

"I don't want to say it, I don't wanna! But I can't go against it―― While the slave status can't be stopped no matter what, the master status can be transferred to someone else."

"Oh, okay. Passing it on to Takatou-kun."

Tomochika's declaration didn't have a hint of attachment.

"Eeeeh! Why! W h y! Life as Tomochika-tan's slave didn't seem too bad in its own way!"

"Not sure what to do with this either. Anyway, fine, let's forget about killing you."

Yogiri felt like the whole situation was starting to get silly.

"Truthfully!?"

"Although we won't be taking you along either. Oh yeah, there's a forest over there, right?"

"The Forest of Beasts, indeed. A region governed by a bestial king and uninhabited by humans, I am told. It's unrelated to demon lord extermination so I never went there, but from what I've heard it's swarming with monsters. Fortunately that forest's beasts keep a distance to human civilization, as long as one doesn't step foot in it there is nothing to worry about."

"Go there and await further orders."

"Did you listen to what I just said!? I'm telling you, it's dangerou… Wait! I don't want to stand up! My feet are moving on their own!"

"Oh right."

It looked like Yogiri recalled something.

"Yes!? Could this be the part where you playfully go 'just kidding'!?"

Hanakawa turned around with just his head, hope in his eyes.

"I forgot about silencing you: Don't tell anyone a single word about us."

"That's all it was!? It's still not too late, you know? I would work myself to the bone serving you!"

"Oh, and――"

"Y e s!?"

"If you've got any valuables with you leave them here."

"Are you seriously mugging me!?"

Using his item box Hanakawa scattered his items on the grass.

"Alright, bye. Hurry on up."

"Wait just a second! Would you mind not extracting all the information and money you can from people just to then send them to certain death because you don't feel like dealing with them!? Seriously, could you not!?"

He screamed all he could but his legs wouldn't stop.

And so Hanakawa entered the Forest of Beasts against his own will.

Yogiri got on his feet and started piling up all the items that were scattered on the ground. Gold, silver and all kinds of gems. He wasn't familiar with their value in this world, but he had confidence they'd bring in a decent sum.

"Now if we only had something to put it all into."

"Ah, I think there were some people with pretty big bags in our class. I'll go get them."

With those words Tomochika went and got two backpacks from the bus. Granted, it was a kind of emergency situation, but nonetheless her lack of hesitation in stealing people's property surprised Yogiri.

There was also the fact that people had died, which she didn't seem particularly worried about either.

Although rather than being courageous it may have been that the situation still didn't feel real to her.

Dropping the backpacks on the ground, Tomochika spoke.

"Alright, let's divide it up and carry everything along. We should keep the expensive looking gems and stuff well hidden, just in case. Some of it might even serve use."

They finished packing their bags and Yogiri sat down on the grass. He felt a little drowsy, possibly because he repeatedly used his power.

"And here's something to eat. Could only find snacks and candy though."

"Oh right, we still haven't eaten dinner."

Tomochika brought some cookies and light snacks like chips.

The original plan was that they would have dinner after arriving at the hotel, so naturally they were hungry.

The two classmates began their plain meal.

"I guess this takes care of all the immediate problems."

"Was it really fine to deal with Hanakawa-kun like that?"

In response to Yogiri's breath of relief Tomochika asked him with a conflicted expression.

"Taking him along would be a little… you know. We have no way of knowing whether he really turned into a slave, who knows when he might backstab us."

"Doubtful as ever, huh. He didn't look like he was acting to me."

"Even if he wasn't, what if that collar's effects are only temporary?"

"So how about me then? How do you know I won't backstab you?"

"That'd be fine. Protecting you was my own decision, I wouldn't have the right to complain."

Those were Yogiri's genuine feelings.

"Say, I know this is weird to bring up, but we barely talked before today, right? So how come you're, well, going this far to protect me?"

"Hm? That's a good question."

Being asked that, Yogiri fell into thought. It felt only natural that he had to protect Tomochika, but now that he was asked about it he started wondering why that was.

"Nonono, there's got to be something, right? You know, something along the lines of 'your beauty made me want to protect you with all I have'?"

Tomochika spoke jokingly, but her tone still sounded a little shocked.

"Ahh!"

"Did you remember?"

"Because your boobs were soft?"

"There is not a single decent man in this world, damn it!"

Tomochika's shout echoed through the plains.