I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 14

by Namekojirushi

  Prologue

  In a distant future far after Rekka Namidare’s time, during the age of the War of All, there existed an agency working to put an end to the fighting. It very well may have been the only organization of its kind—the only one willing to take a stand against the War of All.

  And right now, that agency’s headquarters was currently in the middle of being infiltrated by someone... or something.

  “Ah, damn...”

  A woman from the agency let out a tense sigh as she stared down at the smoking facility still under attack. She was a scientist, but not just any scientist—she was the woman R referred to as “Doctor.” She was also an executive leader of the agency, but her scientific standing put her in an especially important position even among the other executives. It should come as no surprise, then, that she was the one put in charge of the agency’s greatest project: ensuring Rekka Namidare settled down with a heroine in order to prevent the War of All from ever happening in the first place. And while the infiltrators’ objectives were still unclear, it was more than plausible to think the doctor was really their target.

  It’d be no laughing matter if I got captured.

  There were plenty of groups, not to mention countries and worlds, that didn’t approve of the agency. Power, politics, money, money, and more money... The War of All, true to name, affected everyone and everything. There were literally hundreds of millions of opinions and interests at play, and not everyone was interested in peace.

  In the most extreme example, there were certain parties making bank off of the war. It was like an extended payday for them, and they weren’t anxious to see it end any time soon. In fact, they would go to great lengths to make sure that never happened. The doctor would have loved nothing more than to line said parties up and ——— them all... But, well, personal feelings had to be set aside for the time being.

  Instead, the agency focused on the objective politics of the situation. It was thanks to that effort that they’d never been attacked directly before... At least, not until now.

  “Hahh...”

  The doctor let out another sigh. She couldn’t afford to dawdle, but at the same time, she knew that panicking would only make things worse. She took a moment to focus and calm herself. She drew a deep breath and let the oxygen flow to her brain. Before anything else, she had to think.

  “Who are we up against?”

  For the most part, the agency was a neutral organization. Though there were the aforementioned parties who were none too pleased with the agency, they didn’t dare oppose it directly. That meant that, whoever they were, these infiltrators were different in that they’d chosen to come forward with their hostility. It was hard to think some newly-formed cause would be powerful enough to come straight for the agency’s headquarters like this. It was a possibility, certainly, but there were far more likely scenarios.

  “...”

  The defense system the doctor had developed for HQ was eliminating the infiltrators one after another right before her eyes. While the agency sought universal peace, it was by no means a peaceful organization. They were prepared to fight for their goals—and more than happy to defend themselves. The system the doctor’s world-class brain had invented was capable of withstanding everything from cutting-edge technological attacks to otherworldly magical ones.

  Yet as far as the doctor could tell, the intruders were doing a good job of holding their own against it. She didn’t want to praise them, but they’d clearly planned this operation carefully. It seemed safe to assume at this point that they were more than just a bunch of trigger-happy terrorists. The possibility they were some new threat the agency had been oblivious to was becoming less and less likely by the minute. However...

  That means that someone—and someone fairly strong—has to be behind this attack.

  Their power said one thing, but so did their size. In a world where there were as many ongoing battles as there were stars in the sky, even the most powerful forces were always lacking in numbers. War had broken out everywhere, after all. So what was the meaning of an attack like this? Who would go out of their way to make new enemies now?

  “Who would benefit from this attack?”

  There was nothing to be gained from making an enemy of the agency... But then again, with so many parties and interests potentially at play, there had to be a bigger picture. Some part of this attack must benefit someone, whether it was in service to a military agenda, revenge, religious beliefs, or commercial profit. Maybe it was even personal. But, that being the case, the doctor had to change the way she was thinking about this.

  “Okay, what’s currently going on with the agency?”

  And so the doctor began deducing the enemy’s goal by working backward through the situation. The attack had started at dawn, and was presently still ongoing. Several facilities within the headquarters had been damaged or destroyed, though the vital areas of the most important facilities remained intact. Still, the agency couldn’t make a move until the attack was over.

  “So... were they aiming to suspend the agency’s function?”

  If the enemy was prepared to run this attack like a siege, the agency could be out of commission for some time. In other words, the enemy’s goal was—

  “Doc... tor...”

  Suddenly, a semi-transparent screen appeared before the doctor’s eyes. It was the doing of a long-distance communication device she used. But this screen was special—it connected her to the past. Moreover, the call was coming in on the lone emergency line—one she’d set up so that R could contact her safely and directly in the event of an emergency.

  “R?! What’s wrong?!”

  The doctor immediately called out to her. R was practically a daughter to the doctor, and she was worried. If R was contacting her this way, after all, then it wasn’t good news. A crisis here, a crisis there... Naturally, the doctor wasn’t optimistic enough to believe the two incidents were unrelated.

  But all the doctor’s thoughts were interrupted when R’s broken voice spoke to her through the device again.

  “There’s... no time... for details... Please... save... Rekka...”

  Chapter 1: Daily Life 1

  Beep, beep, beep! Beep, beep, beep!

  I woke to the sound of my alarm before reaching over and slapping it silent.

  “Nguh...”

  It was too early for all that noise...

  Now that fall was over, it was gradually getting colder out and rapidly getting harder to get up in the morning. Just ten more minutes would make all the difference. Yeah, just ten more minutes...

  Telling myself that, I rolled back over.

  ▽

  Needless to say, I was late for school that day.

  My history teacher paused mid-lecture to scold me personally before I slunk to my desk and silently pulled out my books. The teacher went right back to the lesson, but since I’d missed the first half of it, I had no idea where we were or what we were doing. I tried to remember what we’d covered last class and find my place in my textbook, but I hadn’t taken any proper notes... In the end, I gave up trying to figure it out. Stifling a yawn, I leaned back in my chair and just pretended to listen.

  “...”

  Glancing left and right, there wasn’t even anything particularly interesting to look at—just the window and the door. I had to fight back another yawn. The classroom was so boring. But just the classroom, mind you. I couldn’t say school was boring on the whole thanks to the troublesome bloodline I’d inherited from my father.

  ▽

  Come lunchtime, just as I was about to w
alk to the cafeteria, someone called out to me from behind.

  “Namidare.”

  “Yes?”

  I turned around to see the vice president of the student council.

  “Can I help you?” I asked, wondering if this was just the usual business.

  “The president wants to see you.”

  “Understood.”

  I nodded obediently and followed her back to the student council office. As I walked through the door, I couldn’t help thinking about how much time I spent here for someone who wasn’t on the student council.

  “Hey, Prez. You called?”

  “Indeed. I’ve been waiting for you, Rekka Namidare.”

  The to-the-point response I got came from the girl sitting at the desk farthest into the room as she beckoned me closer. It was, of course, none other than the One-Eyed Student Council President that ruled over Mitsuhashi High, Momone Kibi. She was most recognizable by the patch she wore over her right eye, but for the record, she wasn’t blind in it or anything. She just used the eyepatch to seal her spirit sight in her everyday life. Actually... putting it that way made it sound pretty abnormal, but abnormal was pretty normal for President Momone. I could only begin to imagine what she’d summoned me for.

  “Yeah, so, uh... What’s up?” I asked.

  “Nothing too serious this time,” she answered, tossing the papers she was holding onto the desk. “The guys in the soccer club are saying they saw something strange in the sports shed.”

  “Something strange, you say?”

  I raised an eyebrow at her vague phrasing. Chances were she had something very specific in mind when she said that.

  “C’mere,” she said, beckoning me even closer.

  I approached as ordered, and she threw her arm around my shoulder like usual, butting her forehead against mine as she leaned in close. Then she whispered in my ear so that the vice president wouldn’t hear...

  “It seems like a stray yokai has taken up residence there. Just go talk to it.”

  As soon as she said the word “yokai,” I had one thought: I knew it. That was what she’d really meant when she said “something strange.” You see, President Momone’s family ran a shrine that had made their living dealing with yokai for generations. I had to ask for her help with similar issues sometimes, and in turn, she would occasionally call me over to handle supernatural incidences around school on her busy behalf.

  “I get that you want me to talk to it, but what if it’s violent and won’t listen like the last one?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve called Hito too, so go over there with him.”

  “Hito? There’d be a lot of trouble if someone, say, you know...”

  Hito was, well, a yokai that was basically just a giant floating head. If anyone so much as caught a glimpse of him—even in broad daylight—they’d probably scream bloody murder.

  “Deal with it. Pon’s out on his part-time job distributing tissues.”

  For the record, Pon was a tanuki that was more or less the leader of the local yokai. Since he could transform into a human, he acted as a go-between.

  “Ah, that’s fair. It’s not like we could ask him to come help out with this while he’s at work.”

  That go-betweening included working a part-time job to make enough money to feed everyone. It just wouldn’t feel right to take him away from that.

  “Ah, ahumph... Ehem!”

  Our conversation about it, however, was interrupted when the vice president cleared her throat in an overly exaggerated fashion.

  “How long are you intending on standing so close, President?”

  “Hm? Oh, you’re right.”

  Once the vice president pointed it out, President Momone stepped back.

  “Good grief... You’re too close to Namidare, President.”

  “Hahaha, don’t be jealous.”

  “What?! I am not jealous!”

  The vice president blushed bright red at President Momone’s teasing. Although... the vice president probably had a point about President Momone’s lack of awareness about personal space. She was manlier than most high school boys, but she was beautiful to look at and it honestly made my heart skip a beat when she leaned in close like that. It’d be nice if she learned how to rein that in some. But, oblivious to my misery, President Momone was only laughing.

  “It’s just me and the problem child. It’s not like you need to keep an eye on us, Vice President.”

  “It’s a matter of public decency.”

  “Isn’t it an abuse of your authority to try and reprimand us when there’s nothing unwholesome going on here? Don’t you think so too, problem child?”

  “Honestly, I have to say I agree with the vice president...”

  “See? Even Rekka Namidare agrees with the president’s opinion.”

  President Momone smoothly ignored that I’d said vice president and only heard what was convenient for her.

  “That said, I’m a blossoming young lady myself. I have my own interests in love, and no one has any right to say what I feel for whom.”

  “Wha?!”

  “Huh?!”

  President Momone’s sudden declaration made the vice president and I both shout at once. But while our jaws were on the floor, she broke into a wicked grin.

  “Hm? What’s wrong? I didn’t say a word about Rekka Namidare, now did I?”

  “It’s nothing,” I replied as bluntly as I could, but her grin only broadened.

  “Well, that’s how it is. I’m leaving the sports shed to you.”

  “Hahh... You sure don’t hold back when it comes to favors,” I said a little unhappily, making President Momone smile wryly.

  “Don’t be like that. I heard you were late again today.”

  “Ugh, word sure spreads fast around here...”

  “I’ll tell them you were helping out the student council as usual, so go earn your keep.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” My shoulders slumped as I nodded and left the student council office. “Jeez. The president sure keeps a close eye on me...”

  Honestly, my bloodline was such a pain. The so-called gift that I’d inherited from my father was constantly getting me caught up in the crazy stories that surrounded heroines in danger. That was how I’d gotten involved with the local yokai in the first place, not to mention everything else that had come of it. But all said and done, President Momone was definitely the one that pushed me around the most. Granted, helping her out counted as helping the student council, which was probably about the only good thing going on my student record right now.

  “I had a lot of unexplained absences during the first semester, after all...”

  In other words, I was now paying for that. Ever since my parents moved overseas for work, I haven’t had anyone to wake me up in the mornings, so the tardiness was something of an inevitability... But the unexplained absences were just me skipping school, I have to admit. Wait... Huh? Why did I have those unexplained absences again? And so many of them...

  I said I was skipping school, but it’s not like I’m a delinquent or anything, you know? Really, I’m just your average high schooler. I’m no honor student, but I’m not a troublemaker, either. Actually, I guess I can’t say I’m average when my grades are markedly below average... But did I even have the guts to just straight-up skip school? I definitely remember taking those days off, though... Was I just too tired to come to school one day? And then... I just let it happen over and over? Was I just so in the doldrums that nothing really memorable happened?

  “Have I stopped being attentive without Mom and Dad around...?”

  Something about it all didn’t make sense, but I just had to resolve myself to be more diligent in the future. Tapping my own head in reprimand, I headed outside where Hito was waiting for me.

  ▽

  Negotiations with the yokai living in the sports shed went well. Hito should be taking him to Pon’s place right about now. And so, eventually, the school day came to an ultimately uneventful end. />
  I quickly left my boring classroom and headed for the light literature club room, which was located on the second floor of the old school building. I climbed the creaky wooden stairs and made my way down the hall.

  “Toki... Huh?”

  When I opened the door, the room was empty.

  “I’m pretty sure we were supposed to meet today...”

  I checked my phone, but didn’t have any messages about a sudden cancellation.

  “If she’s not here, then...”

  From the club room, I made my way back into the main building. My destination was the nurse’s office. Walking against the grain of the flood of students in a hurry to leave school, I eventually made it there.

  “Excuse me...”

  “Hm? Oh, it’s you.”

  The school nurse sure had a sharp tongue...

  “You’re after Tokiwa, right? She’s sleeping over there.”

  “Got it.”

  So she was here after all. Tokiwa—Midori Tokiwa, the president of the light literature club—spent most of her school day in the nurse’s office. She even did her schoolwork here, and her condition sometimes impacted our club activities too.

  “Tokiwa, it’s time for club,” I said, opening the curtain around her bed.

  And to my surprise...

  “T-T-Tokiwa?!”

  “Mm... Rekka?” Tokiwa sleepily called my name as she rubbed her eyes.

  But that wasn’t the surprising part. In her sleep, her shirt had ridden up, leaving her extremely exposed. Her b-bra was showing!

  “Tokiwa! Fix your clothes!”

  “...Mmwah?”

  Tokiwa apparently wasn’t quite awake all the way, and moved slowly as she made herself decent. She may be my upperclasswoman too, but her lack of awareness was of a different flavor than President Momone’s.

  “Ahem, anyway... Um, it’s time for club activities, so I came to get you,” I cleared my throat and informed her.

  Tokiwa remained in a daze for a moment.

  “...Carry me?” she ultimately replied, lifting her arms as if to ask for a piggyback ride.

  She was probably too sleepy to walk on her own, but...

  “Come on... Please use your own two legs.”