In the days that followed, Inori Yuzuriha found herself with a modest little holiday — no combat assignments, no pressing reason to remain at Funeral Parlor's base. The organization had entered a period of intensive restocking; they needed to resolve the weapons shortage in a hurry.
Just as the original story had played out, Inori had pointed Gai Tsutsugami in the right direction, telling him he could approach the Tennouzu Group. He had arranged to attend a party hosted by the Tennouzu patriarch aboard an ocean liner — bringing only one particular escort, Shu Ouma — and the whole affair had concluded without a single hiccup.
There had, of course, been the matter of a certain hot-blooded GHQ colonel named Dan Eagleman, who would otherwise have ordered the ship sunk. Inori had taken care of that by placing a call under Diavolo's identity, feeding them a fabricated intelligence tip that quietly redirected their focus onto Dan himself. With his command authority temporarily suspended, he'd had no power to act unilaterally. Crisis averted.
"Matsuri, want to come on a group trip?"
During the break between classes, Inori walked over to Matsuri, pulled out a chair and sat down beside her, propping her chin on one hand with an air of idle curiosity.
"A — a group trip?"
"But Inori, I'm pretty sure you're not in any club."
Matsuri tapped her chin and thought it over.
"Doesn't matter. It's more or less that kind of thing — just a few of us, a straightforward holiday."
Inori waved her hand vaguely and flashed a bright, conspiratorial smile.
"Is Kanon coming too?"
"Huh? I — "
The girl who'd just been called by name looked up in a flustered daze. As class representative, Kanon Kusama had once been quite eager to help a classmate like Inori settle into school life — but after what had happened on the train, she'd kept her distance. The last thing she'd expected was an invitation.
"Come along, won't you — Matsuri, and Kanon too. Oh, right."
"Yahiro~, Souta~"
Inori rose from her seat and waved toward the cluster of boys at the back of the classroom, all sunshine and energy.
"Group trip — want to come?"
"Huh? …Are you talking to me?"
Souta Tamadate jerked his head up, thoroughly bewildered, looking left and right like a lost puppy before the realization sank in — Inori was calling his name. She was actually inviting him to go on a trip with these girls?!
"I'll pass."
Yahiro Samukawa's expression was the same as always — as if Inori owed him a small fortune. Toward the idol everyone adored, he maintained his usual air of contempt.
He had apparently decided that Shu Ouma's arrest was Inori's doing. He'd seen it with his own eyes, and a girl at Inori's level wouldn't approach someone like Shu without a reason. There was something going on. Samukawa was different from the others — sharp, analytical. He understood that reporting her to the GHQ would accomplish nothing. This woman had to be hiding an identity far more dangerous than she let on.
He should have counted himself lucky that Inori had no idea what was running through his head. If she had, he might not have seen the next morning.
"Don't be like that, Yahiro! You should be moving on from the whole Shu situation by now. You've been sulking for ages — you'll ruin your health."
"…Don't lump me in with you."
Samukawa shot Souta a cold glare, something dark flickering in his eyes. His contempt for this so-called friend of his was growing by the day. The guy spent every waking moment scheming about how to get closer to Inori, and couldn't be bothered to care that a good friend had been thrown in prison. Disappointing didn't begin to cover it.
"What's your problem?! Fine, if you're not coming, you're not coming."
Souta wasn't a heartless person, just the type who found it easy to warm up to anyone — and for someone like him, what was an ordinary friend compared to a girl? He was Inori's fan. No fan in existence could turn down an invitation from their idol.
Inori kept her smile in place, but deep in those crimson eyes, something cold glinted.
This Souta Tamadate was genuinely revolting. She remembered his role in the original story — he was the direct cause of Matsuri's death, and even after Shu punished him for it, he'd nursed a grudge and eventually betrayed him. He'd had the nerve to think an apology absolved him of everything, that he could walk away without consequence. Lucky for him it had been Shu. If it had been her, she'd have scattered his ashes to the wind.
Shu's darker days had been full of mistakes, but on this one point Inori agreed with him completely — letting this piece of trash fend for himself was the right call.
"Inori, when do we leave? Where are we going?"
Deceiving Shu and Gai both gave her a certain private satisfaction. But this person? She couldn't muster even a flicker of interest. If she didn't need his Void to retrieve the Source Stone, she wouldn't have wanted anything to do with him.
"This weekend. We're going to Ōshima — the sea there is absolutely beautiful~"
This weekend. Depending on how he behaved, he might walk away with his life intact. But if he dared to entertain any designs on her or stepped even slightly out of line, Inori would be more than happy to send him off to the next world.
"Yahiro, are you really not coming?"
Honestly, she'd have liked to deal with both of them at once. Souta had use as a Void source. But Samukawa was another matter — far too dangerous to leave watching her from a distance. The problem was, he didn't have any real ambition. In the original story, even his betrayal of Shu had been for the sake of his little brother. He just wanted to live alongside the people he loved. Which meant demonstrating sufficient power would win his submission.
Under Diavolo's identity, of course.
First she needed to understand why he disliked her. After that, she'd decide — eliminate him, or use him.
"…I won't be going."
"Hey, Inori, ignore him — he's always been weird like this!"
Souta had only just realized he might be getting exactly the kind of setup a harem protagonist dreams of — a seaside group trip with three of the most beautiful girls in the class. A fantasy scenario. And maybe — just maybe — a chance to photograph Inori in a swimsuit. Once that thought took hold, the last thing he wanted was Samukawa coming along to spoil it.
"Is that so? Then I suppose you'd be the only boy, Souta~"
Inori tilted her head and pressed a finger to her cheek, smiling with exaggerated surprise.
She'd put deliberate weight on only boy as she said it, then watched Samukawa's reaction from the corner of her eye. Right on cue, he tensed.
…Shu acted strange after she started getting close to him for no reason, too. Is she planning to do something to Souta next?
"Wait!"
The word slipped out before he could stop himself.
"I… I'll go."
He bit his lip and stepped forward.
"Huh?"
Souta blinked, a silent wail of disappointment dying somewhere in his chest.
"Then it's settled~"
At school, Inori was every bit the picture of wholesome innocence. She carefully counted off on her fingers — five people total — then clapped her hands together with a delighted laugh.
"I'll cover all the expenses for this trip~ Don't worry about a thing, everyone — just have fun~"
"No, Inori!"
Matsuri, whose mood had darkened at the mention of Shu, suddenly lifted her head.
"We can't use your money."
"That's right, Inori. We should all split the cost." Kanon adjusted her glasses and nodded in agreement.
"It's fine. I earn money from my work as a singer, so please don't worry."
"Inori is so kind… she really is my angel!"
Souta had only just been fretting about whether his allowance would cover it and whether he'd have to squeeze more out of his parents — and now that problem had vanished too. He was already drowning in daydreams of the perfect weekend ahead, utterly blind to the enormous warning sign hovering over his own head.
> Author's Note: About Shu — let's not dwell on this any further. I was simply analyzing him rationally; I have no intention of whitewashing him, giving him forced extra screentime, or letting the female lead develop any feelings for him. Please rest assured. Focus on the plot, everyone — the Crown arc is about to hit its climax!