Snap! She slapped her own cheek to psyche herself up. Akashi and the others instinctively brace themselves.
But Ashella, with a resolute point, declared,
“I! Have pledged my love to that Banshoku green over there… Midori Kusama!”
She declared it. She did it.
(Oh nooo, what about my position!)
“W-what!?” “Huh?” “Whaaaat!?”
Even the operators behind are tense, and not just Akashi and Karasu san, who seem to have the expression of “Oh, the widow next door!” on their faces.
///
scene transition
///
(Hey hey hey. I’m dead.)
Glancing at Taratatt, she wears an extremely delightful expression. Come on, now.
“Midori told me to come here, too! I have no intention of opposing humanity anymore!”
With that, Ailsherad crosses her arms under her ample bosom, still blushing, indicating that she has nothing more to say.
“Love…” “Eh, dating… is that what you mean?” “Marriage?” “Midori, seriously?” “What? If that’s the case, isn’t it… okay?” “You, though.” “So she’s beautiful, but…”
The Banshokuger operators, relieved of tension, start whispering to each other.
“By the way, I was also passionately courted too. Well, you know, I’ve been alive for a long time? Sometimes, it’s nice to have this kind of company.”
The tone of his whispering suddenly changed when Taratatt said that.
“Lolicon…” “And he’s two-timing?” “Seriously, Midori?” “should we call the police?” “Too much anything…” “Cute.”
Don’t kill my credibility and my position at work! and the Banshokuger operators begin to gossip in hushed tones.
“Is that true, Taratatt-sama? Eh?”
A bewildered Ailsherad joins in the commotion.
However, the atmosphere in the room is shifting, with the two statements from Ailsherad and Taratatt diminishing the tension. Although Akashi and others still haven’t completely relaxed, but they have already lowered their posture.
…But.
“Brainwashing!”
Unable to endure the current atmosphere any longer, Aoi raises her voice. She looks at us with eyes full of vigilance.
” It’s the power of the Great Leader! Mr. Midori must be brainwashed by those guys!”
“No, he hasn’t.”
“No, I’m not. If I were under someone’s influence, I would know.”
“Shut up, Evil Leader! Mr. Midori, everyone who’s brainwashed says the same thing!”
You little niece. You haven’t met anyone brainwashed, have you?
“─Can you prove it, Mr. Midori?”
Karasu’s question is about proving the devil’s proof. The sense of knowing when someone’s ability is applied is strictly my personal one.
Since Taratatt’s ability is actually the enhancement of [other’s thoughts], not brainwashing, even if I explain standing on their side, it lacks persuasiveness.
“In other words, if you understand that I’m not brainwashed and being manipulated by these two, is that enough?”
“Well, it’s──. Kusama remains a serious lolicon, though.”
“Nadeshiko, are you still angry? “”
With an expression that seems to say she’s not angry at all, she returned a very nice smile. Uh, did I get disliked…?
I sighed once, thought for a while, and then raised my glasses as if saying, “How about this?”
“If these two take hostile actions against humanity, I will cooperate with everyone to defeat them.”
“!”
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With my statement, Ashella’s expression stiffened, but,
“On top of that, I believe in these two, not brainwashed. Please, listen to what they have to say.”
I looked around, wondering if this would work.
(Is there something I can do to avoid being ordered to do this in advance… Is there anything I can do?)
While I try to come up with a temporary solution and new thoughts,
“Hmm, that’s a satisfactory response.” On the other hand, it was Taratatt who laughed like that. “Hey, you guys over there. Isn’t your job to analyze information?”
She addresses the operators. Amidst the murmurs, Dr. Palette steps forward cautiously and responds.
“That’s correct.”
“If that’s the case, I once ruled that area. I’ve also conducted undercover investigations into the state of the people. I’m aware of who’s come──oh, what’s the current slang… Oh, right, a spy.”
Dr. Palette checks the data on his tablet with a start. After several tens of seconds, he looks up.
“Indeed. Under the rule of Cleared, the residents who were believed to be brainwashed, even upon contact, showed no signs of listening to our persuasion or even hinting at any resentment towards Cleared… and.”
There were murmurs of awe and sighs, like a mixture of admiration and lamentation.
“I guess we’ve reached a temporary agreement for now.”
The voice came at that moment. Everyone looked up at the command seat in the operation room.
“Commander Irodori!”
The person who appeared from the direct door to the command seat was a man who embodied “elegance.”
Irodori Senmei, in his forties or fifties. The Japanese commander of Banshokuger. He played a significant role in the practical application of the new energy [Colored] and is also an expert against Cleared.
“Commander! Took you long enough!”
Akashi complained, but the commander remained composed.
“Yeah. I thought it would cause a commotion when I got the message, but I figured Midori-kun would settle it sooner or later. I was enjoying the game until the right timing.”
He waved his smartphone casually. What the hell is this guy doing?
“You’ve finally arrived, Commander.”
With a complete change in tone from before, Taratatt looked up at Commander Irodori with a smug smile. Their eyes met, both smiling.
“I’m sorry for the delay, Great Leader Taratatt. But now, I’m the winner. Is that acceptable?”
“You insolent──”
“Haha. You’re still a junior, huh? Fine, Ashella. Step aside.”
With a smile that didn’t match his appearance, Taratatt continued the one-on-one conversation.
“I understand the situation now. This is my favor. Accept it.”
“That big mother conceded quite a bit. This is Mr. Midori’s achievement. It’s not easy to underestimate the bonds between men and women.”
Mixing a light remark with an attitude, a voice of dissatisfaction erupted from Aoi and others.
“Eh!? So are we accepting these guys?”
“Seriously, Commander!”
“Haha. You guys should be getting to the point where you understand there’s no hostility from them, right?”
At Commander Irodori’s words, the two young men faltered.
“Hmm. Like a plea bargain?”
“We’ll have to sort things out later.”
With a sigh mixed in, the adults also stepped back.
(Seems settled…)
“Then, we’ll temporarily take custody of former Cleared Supreme Leader Taratatt and High Executive Ailsherad. Of course, this is top secret. Each of you must adhere strictly.
Furthermore, their treatment will be equivalent to that of first-class prisoners of war. We’ll install devices to suppress their abilities, but we’ll conduct research while guaranteeing their human rights, as long as they don’t resist. Understand?”
A few hours later, I brought Taratatt and the others’ change of clothes and necessities to the lodging room within the headquarters.
“Sorry. It might be cramped for a while.”
“Don’t worry about it. I thought I’d be crucified at the research lab.”
“If you inconvenience Taratatt, I’ll protest immediately. Remember that.”
“Yeah yeah,” I say, making sure nothing is forgotten.
By the way, when I brought their personal belongings here, Ao gave me a look like “you dirty old man.” It was a little depressing.
As for Ashella, she sets up Taratatt’s bedding and stretches her back.
“I have to inform my boss at work that I’m taking a break… Midori, could you do it?”
With a muttered request, I can’t help but burst out laughing.
“Hehe.”
“What? What’s so funny?”
“N-nothing… heh, hahaha.”
“Hey!”
A former high-ranking officer of an evil organization is asking me to convey a message to her part time workplace to avoid causing trouble. How can I not laugh?
“Oh, right. Tell the kids in the complex too. That we won’t be able to play for a while.”
Taratatt adds.
They’re relying on me for that. They trust me.
Nodding, I think, and then say it out loud.
“I can trust you guys, after all.”
Taratatt shrugs. Ashella… turns away and sniffs.
“Of course. Y-you, love me, after all.”
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