Date A Live Encore - Volume 9 - Chapter 5

Miku Scandal

 “—The next song is about to begin! Make sure to sing along, everyone! Okay?” 

 She called out to the audience, her gaze fixed on them as rays of light moved all behind her. 

 As if responding to her call, the roar of the crowd escalated and countless lights moved in unison. These lights were the countless glow sticks provided by the concert venue. Each bit of light represented each fan’s excitement filling their hearts and minds, putting Miku on cloud nine. Miku’s voice sang with unbridled passion surging through her entire body. 

 That’s right. Izayoi Miku was currently holding a grand commemorative concert in the Tengu Amphitheater. 

 The amphitheater had a maximum seating capacity of 20,000 people. The voice of an angel flowed from the microphone and echoed about the theater. She was rewarded with enthusiastic cheers, bursting from every person seated in the theater. It was so strong that it felt as though the whole building was shaking. 

 Everyone here heard Miku’s singing, craved Miku’s singing, and adored Miku’s singing deeply. With that on her mind, Miku couldn’t contain her inner joy. 

 “—!” 

 Amidst the excitement, Miku sang her favorite songs and struck a cute pose from her place at the center of the stage. 

 In an instant, the entire amphitheater burst into excited cheering and applause that reverberated around the entire area. 

 Such a reaction was hardly a surprise for anyone. 

 The seemingly endless applause reflected off of the dome-shaped roof, resonating like a thunderclap as it struck Miku’s body. 

 —It was a paralyzing kind of pleasure. Being able to see the beauty of it all that could only be seen on the stage, Miku unconsciously wiped the sweat from her forehead. 

 “Now—then next song is the last one—” 

 Just as the moment Miku made the announcement, there was a combination of cheers and slight disappointment as the end drew near. Miku simply smiled as she took a deep breath and began singing anew. 

 “—A long time ago, when I found myself drowning in my past, someone came forward to save me. If it weren’t for that person, I probably wouldn’t be standing here singing for all of you—this song is dedicated to that person.” 

 As she was speaking, Miku’s gaze drifted away from the audience—and to a certain section: the special guest seats. 

 Shido and the other Spirits had all been invited and were all seated there, side by side. Just from where they were seated, if they looked down at the stage, it would be really difficult to make out Miku’s expression—but if Shido had to guess, he suspected that Miku was smiling happily based on what she’d said. 

 Miku’s smile was so wide and bright, it felt as though she’d shot through Shido’s heart with her fingers in the shape of a gun as she continued singing. 

“Please enjoy—My Treasure.” 

 As the music began to play, she began singing her final song for the evening. 

 Given that there were roughly 20,000 people gathered together in one place, it was only logical that there would be people with all kinds of different values and ideals. 

 Among the guests who’d attended the concert, not all of them would be sincerely congratulating Miku for her performance nor did they aspire toward any lofty ideals. 

 That is to say, not everyone who came to the concert actually enjoyed it. 

 “Hmph—” 

 At the concert venue, Bungetsu Harumi, an entertainment reporter, smiled unscrupulously while her shoulder-length hair billowed in the breeze. 

 “Ara ara, did you hear what she said just now?” 

 The junior reporter next to her, Motohabara Chika’s eyes widened inexplicably. 

 “Eh? Ah, of course I was listening! I finally got a chance to attend one of Miku-san’s concerts! Ah, no—even though it was on the side, I’m really lucky that I got to attend at all!” 

 “What are you so happy about?” 

 Harumi flicked Chika’s head while she waved a glow stick around happily. Chika yelped in pain as she held her head and glared at Harumi with an upset look on her face. 

 “Geez, what was that for senpai?” 

 “‘What was that for Senpai.’ Have you forgotten why we came here in the first place?” 

 Harumi asked as her apricot colored eyes narrowed as she kept her gaze on Izayoi Miku on stage. 

 “—If I recall correctly, we were looking for information about Izayoi Miku’s boyfriend.” 

 That’s right. That was the reason why Harumi and Chika were attending this concert in the first place. 

 Though there was no denying that Izayoi Miku was the centerpiece of the entertainment industry, Harumi suspected that Miku had a boyfriend. 

 “…Really? But according to the rumor mills, Miku-san prefers the company of girls the most…” 

 “That’s hardly a surprise. That’s called the yuri sales tactic. When people say that they hate men and prefer girls. Do you think that men would be stupid enough to be tricked by that? This is just a common idol tactic. She absolutely has to be dating a guy.” 

 “O-Originally that may have been the case. But Miku-san occasionally tried to take off the other idols’ clothes whenever she performed with other cute girls on TV…” 

 “What kind of entertainment reporters would we be if we fell for such an act? We need to have a clear understanding of the situation—If we can pick up a scandal on this idol, there’s no doubt our ratings would skyrocket!” 

 “Speaking of skyrocketing, if you can’t pull this off, it seems that you might end up getting demoted during the next evaluation, right…?” 

 “A reporter who is too upright won’t last very long.” 

 Harumi tapped Chika’s head with a finger before spreading out her arms and continuing. 

 “Remember what she said just now before she started singing? She said: ‘The person who came forward to save me’, right? That has to mean that she has a significant other. She may have even been calling out to him at the venue.” 

 “Huh, how did you figure that out?” 

 “Can’t you tell that Izayoi Miku sometimes has the expression of a girl in love. Ah, look right now. That smile there is definitely for a boyfriend. Among the 20,000 fans here, she must have been excited to make eye contact with him. Definitely.” 

 “Eh… But isn’t all of this just senpai’s guesswork? Not everyone would think about affairs all day, every day like senpai does…” 

 “You should be excited about this.” 

 Harumi struck Chika’s head as she waved her fists but Chika, having spent so much time with Harumi, knew that she needed to get away quickly. She genuinely thought that her senpai was naive as Harumi grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and dragged her away. 

 “Agh!” 

 “In any case, we have to keep a close watch on Izayoi Miku and look for any juicy stories about her.” 

 Harumi forcefully pressed on Chika’s temples while a confident smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. 

◇◇◇

 “Ahhh…” 

 It was the day after the concert, in the student cafeteria at Rindouji All-Girls School, Miku stretched lazily. 

 Idol work was hard and tiring. It was for that reason that as far as fatigue was concerned, even the self-confident Miku would feel a bit tired after her performance the night before. Coupled with the fact that it was a nice day and that she’d had a delicious meal, even Miku couldn’t help but feel a little sleepy afterward. 

 Nonetheless, the girls seated across from her looked at her with surprise. 

 “Are you tired, Onee-sama?” 

 “It’s probably because she performed yesterday. It’s better not to push yourself too hard and get some rest.” 

 As they said that, the other students at Rindouji All-Girls’ Private School couldn’t help but look at her with a hint of worry. 

 Miku felt tears come to her eyes as she forced a smile. 

 Idols couldn’t afford to trouble their fans. As the name suggested, idols weren’t just the personification of singing and dancing. 

 “I’m fine. It’s just a little warm today, so I feel a bit sleepy—and even though I did just perform a concert, I won’t ask for a day off from school. I don’t want to lose the time that I can spend with everyone here.” 

 “Onee-sama…” 

 “Ah, you’re so generous…” 

 It was clear by their expressions, in response to Miku’s explanation, that the girls were moved. Many of them choked up with tears while others whipped out notepads to scribble down what Miku just said. 

 “…But please don’t force yourself, Onee-sama…” 

 “Yeah, what would we do if something bad happened to you…” 

 “Ahh…! Thank you very much! But it’s really all okay! After hearing everyone saying that, my energy has returned 100-fold, all at once!” 

 Miku smiled and adopted a lovely pose. Several girls even fell unconscious just from this energetic display, while some others immediately kneeled to the ground and held their hands as though in reverence to God. 

 Miku could only smile bitterly as she said, “Aren’t you exaggerating it just a bit?” As she watched everyone’s reactions, Miku suddenly gasped. 

 “By the way—when the school day ends for the day, I have some other plans to attend to.” 

 “…? By the way…?” 

 “Where are you going…?” 

 Those vague words caused the girls to tilt their heads in confusion. Miku grinned mischievously as she put her finger to her lips. 

 “It’s a very lively place. How can I describe it—I would call it a ‘secret garden.’” 

 When she finished speaking, Miku closed her eyes and made a mischievous movement that made several girls slump forward onto the table. 

◇◇◇

 “Senpai! I found Miku-san!” 

 “…!” 

 Hearing Chika call out to her so suddenly caught Harumi by surprise. She adjusted her seat so quickly that the canned coffee in the cup holder shook gently. 

 However, that didn’t matter for now. Harumi quickly wiped off the brown droplets that splashed on her shirt as she sat up from her seat and picked up the binoculars, using them to look in the direction that Chika indicated. 

 The place where Harumi and Chika were in front of the main entrance for Rindouji All Girls’ Private School where Miku went to school. Well, to be more precise, they were sitting in a car close to the main gates so as not to raise suspicions with the school security. They stayed in the car because they weren’t allowed to enter the school without permission, so they were instead staking out the school from the car. 

 “So she’s finally shown up. About time, I’ve been waiting so long for this…” 

 “…I’ve been the one who’s been keep watch, Senpai’s been sleeping this whole time—” 

 Chika grumbled as she spoke but Harumi didn’t spare the girl a single thought as she stared at the school through the binoculars. 

 She spotted Miku, accompanied by several other girls, emerging from the luxurious looking gates of Rindouji All-Girls’ Private School. 

 Then, Miku waved goodbye to the other girls elegantly as she made her way to a black luxury car waiting for her in front of the main gate. 

 “She’s getting into the car, we need to follow her from behind. Don’t worry too much about the distance, we can’t afford to lose her.” 

 “Clearly since you don’t have a driver’s license yourself, you have to be so forceful in asking other people…” 

 “Did you say something?” 

 “N-Nothing. Just fasten your seat belt.” 

 Chika gripped the steering wheel with a frustrated expression on her face. In order to not miss the best chance to get a photo, Harumi held the camera in her hand. But because the car had started picking up speed, Harumi also had to hold onto the seat tightly with her seat belt. 

 Naturally, the car that Miku was riding in was driving at the legal speed limit while driving through Tengu City. There didn’t seem to be anything unusual with regards to the route or anything else, and it didn’t seem that they noticed Harumi following them. 

 She’d since lost track of how long they’d been following her, Harumi, still holding the camera with her finger poised on the shutter, began to mumble. 

 “Interesting…” 

 “Is there something wrong?” 

 “It looks like this car is driving toward the Izayoi home or to an office space. It didn’t seem that they were going to a recording studio either. Maybe… Maybe we’ve hit the jackpot this time!” 

 Harumi’s mouth curved into a fearless smile. 

 Almost immediately afterwards, as if to echo Harumi’s sentiments, Izayoi Miku stepped out of the vehicle parked in front of a nondescript house. 

 That’s right. The car was parked in an unassuming residential area. Apartment complexes and houses were arranged uniformly next to each other along either side of the road. 

 “Okay, you can drop me off here. I’ll make sure to call you when I’m ready to head back.” 

 Miku waved as she watched the car drive away. Was it heading to a parking lot? Or was Miku not planning on going home today? Whatever the case, it seemed that wherever Miku was going would be close by. Harumi immediately pressed the shutter. 

 “Hmm, what is such a famous idol doing in a place like this?” 

 She could already see the headlines about Miku’s private life. Harumi’s heart began to race at the thought. 

 “—Ah!” 

 Miku’s eyes seemed to light up as she smiled joyfully and quickened her pace. 

 “…!” 

 The expression on Miku’s face was clearly a girl who was in love. Harumi pointed the camera lens as she shouted ‘Here I come!’ in her heart. 

 “Natsumi-san!” 

 “—Huh?” 

 Looking in the direction that Miku was running, there was a petite girl. She wore a slightly annoyed expression and had messy looking hair. It seemed that she was a female friend of Miku’s. 

 “…What? A girl?” 

 Photos that featured Miku in close contact with female classmates or other girls would not make for a juicy story. Harumi sighed with discouragement as she put the camera down. Her gaze shifted in the hopes of finding a man close by… 

 The next moment— 

 “Eh…?!” 

 Chika, who was seated next to her, was so surprised that she couldn’t even speak properly. Harumi’s eyes grew wide and scared at Chika’s reaction. 

 “C-Chika, don’t scare me like that.” 

 “Ah, I’m sorry… I thought I saw something. Anyway, senpai, were you able to get a picture? The moment Izayoi Miku hugged that girl, it was as if she sucked the other girl’s spirit away!” 

 “Huh…? What do you mean—” 

 Harumi said, her eyes widened in surprise as she took a second look at the scene. 

 Her reaction was understandable. Just like Chika said, the girl that Miku had hugged had slumped to the ground and appeared listless like a dead insect. 

 It wasn’t just that either. In stark contrast to the girl’s increasingly miserable state, Miku’s skin seemed to be glowing. It really looked like she’d drained the other girl of her life energy. 

 “T-This…” 

 Just as Harumi frowned in confusion, Miku gracefully lifted the listless girl in her arms and walked straight into the nearby house. 

 The house was an unassuming two-story building. The name ‘Itsuka’ was written on the door plate on the front door. 

 “…! Is this house her destination? Aha… So that’s what’s going on.” 

 “What do you mean, senpai?” 

 “That girl has to be the younger sister of Izayoi Miku’s boyfriend! It all makes sense now!” 

 “So that’s what’s going on… but what happened to your interest in her depleting that girl’s energy?” 

 “Never mind that!” 

 Harumi said firmly as she opened the car door. 

 “Anyway, we won’t be able to see anything from here so we need to hurry!” 

 “Ah, r-right!” 

 Harumi and an anxious Chika got out of the car together so that they could get a closer look at the house Miku just entered. 

 Of course, thanks to the fence blocking their path, they wouldn’t be able to get a look inside. 

 Harumi smacked her lips as she put her hands on the fence. 

 “Ah! Wait, senpai! What are you doing? This is illegal trespassing!” 

 “This matter could make or break our futures! Who cares about things like that? It’ll be fine as long as we don’t get caught…” 

 The Rindouji All Girls’ Private School had a strict security system in place as it was a well known private school. There’s no way some random house had such measures. Besides, it’s not like they were trying to steal anything. If someone spotted them, they would just have to make a break for it. 

 “Well… I don’t really care what happens…” 

 Just from looking at Harumi’s expression, Chika knew that it would be useless to try to argue with her. Instead, she reluctantly followed while Harumi nodded in satisfaction, turning back to the fence and vaulting over, landing in the inner courtyard of the Itsuka household. 

 They made sure to hide near the walls while they peaked through the windows into the large living room. 

 It was here that they spotted several girls, including Miku. 

 “Whoa… what’s with all of those girls… Are they all performers too?” 

 Chika said with surprise as she, alongside Harumi, were peeking into the living room. It was just like she said: all of the girls in the living room were no less beautiful than Miku. 

 Despite their beauty, neither of them recognized any of them. If even Harumi, who was an experienced entertainment reporter didn’t recognize them, then perhaps they were trainees or newcomers who’d just been scouted. 

 “But all of these people are girls. Isn’t this just a normal gathering at someone’s home?” 

 “No, that couldn’t possibly—” 

 She took that thought into consideration as she frowned thoughtfully. 

 “…We might have just stumbled on a juicier story than what we expected…” 

 “What do you mean, senpai?” 

 “T-That’s… A harem…” 

 “H-Harem…?” 

 Harumi nodded in confirmation as her face was drenched in sweat. Chika could only repeat what she’d said nervously. 

 “Yeah, like maybe he’s the president of a big firm, or the CEO of a company, or maybe a politician. All of them are rich and would be surrounded by countless famous women.” 

 “I guess that’s true. But if that’s the case, why would they live in an ordinary-looking house…?” 

 “Maybe it’s to make it look less obvious. No one would think to look for anyone famous in a place like this. If I’m not mistaken, I believe that the apartment complex next door is a girls’ dormitory. It looks like they’ve all been bought off one after another.” 

 “So that’s what’s going on… Ah, look! Senpai! Someone entered the bedroom!” 

 Chika pointed with a surprised expression as she pointed. 

 “I got it…!” 

 Harumi pressed the shutter without hesitation. 

 Entering the bedroom was a young man with neutral features and kind brown eyes. As far as they could tell, he wasn’t some rich person looking to be surrounded by beautiful girls. 

 However, Harumi wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip past her. She looked into his eyes from the camera and from the depths of those gentle eyes, she could see the roaring lustful beast within. 

 “…He must be the lord of the harem. He’s younger looking than I would have expected. Maybe he’s the vice president of some company or the son of a politician. To think people would start spending time with women at such a young age, what has life come to…” 

 Harumi smiled unscrupulously as she continued clicking away at the shutter. She even made sure to capture all of the girls in Miku’s group in her pictures, her smile unconsciously becoming even more ugly looking. 

 “Hee hee hee!… We’re done here. This is explosively juicy news. Once we investigate their origins thoroughly, this will be perfect…” 

 However, Harumi felt her voice catch in her throat. 

 The reason why was obvious. Without her noticing, she felt something cold pressed against her neck. 

 “—Do not move.” 

 A voice spoke quietly from somewhere behind them. 

 Suddenly, Harumi felt her body freeze in panic. After a moment passed, Harumi realized that it was a knife being pressed against her neck. 

 Trembling, Harumi found herself breaking out into a cold sweat as she raised her hands in surrender. 

 She was finally able to get a better look at her attacker. A beautiful young woman with shoulder-length silvery-white hair. But her emotionless expression looked like that of a doll, giving the impression that she was more machine than human. 

 “I-I’m not here to cause trouble…” 

 Even though she was clearly suspicious, her only option was to say that as she quivered in fear before the girl. 

 But it seemed that the other woman showed no interest in Harumi or Chika. Instead, she grabbed the camera in Harumi’s hand and, with only one hand, rifled through the photos taken. 

 “—So that’s what you were doing.” 

 Immediately afterward, after having taken a look at all the photos that Harumi took one by one, she then glared coldly at Harumi as she spoke. 

 “I know that Shido is very charming, but illegally breaking in and taking pictures without permission is not allowed.” 

 “Y-Yes…” 

 “Because I love Shido, I won’t call the police. However, I will be confiscating all of these pictures. Do you have anything else to say?” 

 “N-No…” 

 Although she didn’t understand what the girl was saying, Harumi had no choice but to respond as she had. 

 The girl removed the SD card from the camera and returned the camera to Harumi. She then removed the knife from Harumi’s neck. 

 Due to the extreme tension from that situation, Harumi nearly forgot to breathe. Her whole body swayed as she slumped to the ground while panting while her shoulders trembled in abject terror. 

 “S-Senpai, are you alright?” 

 “U-Uh… how do I explain…” 

 When Harumi pointed to her neck and explained what happened to Chika, the girl stared at them with a scathing look on her face as she spoke quietly. 

 “—I will leave you alone for now, but don’t even think about trying to do this again.” 

 “O-Okay…” 

 Harumi, whose face was now sticky from sweat, nodded as she made to quickly leave the courtyard as quickly as possible. However— 

 “One more thing.” 

 Almost immediately after speaking, the girl stepped forward and pulled out the pen in Harumi’s breast pocket. 

 “Hey—!” 

 Harumi couldn’t help but cry out. The reason why: that pen wasn’t just a pen: there was a miniature camera hidden in the cap. 

 “I see. So there’s a camera hidden here in case of an emergency.” 

 “H-How did you figure that out…” 

 “I noticed that something was off about this pen’s design. It would be difficult to actually use as a pen. The best method would be to use up the pen first and then hide the camera using the entire body. That way you could actually hide the lens in the tip. However, I will be confiscating this as well.” 

 “Ah… Fine!” 

 Harumi could only grit her teeth in frustration as she and Chika quickly fled from the scene. 

◇◇◇

 “—It’s just like the saying goes, ‘People can’t live on just bread alone!’ While meeting material needs would generally make people happy, even if their stomachs are full, if their hearts are left unsatisfied, it’s impossible to survive! So where is my so-called spiritual gratification? I think you’ve already figured it out!—That’s right! It’s the fragrance of Natsumi-san’s hair!” 

 “…First of all, none of what you said made any sense to me.” 

 Kotori opened her eyes and sighed helplessly. 

 In order to hold the increasingly listless Natsumi, Miku spoke with reverence while holding her hands as if she were praying. Although at that moment she looked like a devoutly religious person, the truth was that she was actually something of a devil. 

 All in all, Kotori could only shrug while Miku continued with an enthusiastic smile. 

 “Speaking of which, Kotori-san. Have you heard this saying before? If you eat meat all the time, you will start to want to eat fish. It’s just human nature.” 

 At that moment, Miku lunged out to try to hug Kotori once she’d finished speaking. However, Kotori grabbed Miku’s hands in order to stop Miku from hugging her. 

 “Hey! What do you think you’re doing, Miku?!” 

 “Eh… What’s wrong? My skin has gotten so dry recently due to a lack of Kotorin!” 

 “Don’t try to turn me into nutrients so casually! Isn’t this contradicting what you just said?!” 

 As Kotori and Miku continued to clash with each other, a new arrival appeared in the doorway: It was Origami. 

 “Ah! Origami onee-chan!” 

 “—! Now’s my chance!” 

 Kotori managed to push Miku’s hand away from her and made her escape while Miku’s hands changed course to Origami. Thanks to the resultant inertia, Miku soon found herself face first on the ground. 

 “Ah! Kotori-san is so mean!” 

 “Really… Ara? Origami, what are you holding there?” 

 Kotori glanced in Origami’s direction and tilted her head in confusion. For some reason, Origami was holding a pen and SD card in her hand. 

 “—I discovered something quite nice.” 

 “…? Is that so…” 

 Although Kotori was still confused, nonetheless it seemed that something good happened to Origami. She didn’t know if it was just her imagination or if Origami actually had a satisfied expression on her face. Kotori could only nod simply in response. 

 “…Well, I guess that’s fine. So is everyone here? Like I told you all before, today is the day for our regular medical check-up. Unfortunately, the <Fraxinus> is still under maintenance, so we’ll have to go to the underground facility today.” 

 “Ah—!” After Kotori finished speaking, all the Spirits present replied in affirmation. Incidentally, Natsumi, who was still lying on the sofa, raised a hand, though she made no sound. 

◇◇◇

 “W-Who was that…” 

 “…She has to be someone hired to keep an eye on Izayoi Miku for the lord of the harem. Although she may have looked like a cute girl, we can’t afford to mess with her…” 

 Harumi, who’d just barely managed to escape with her life, spoke as her voice trembled and touched her neck, remembering the cold blade previously pressed against it. 

 She’d somehow managed to appear behind them without them so much as noticing her presence. She was calm and accurate with her observations. There was no doubt that she would cut off Harumi’s head if the need arose—No matter what, that cold, calculating aura was more than enough to separate her from other people. Even Harumi, who’d had plenty of experience finding juicy stories on people who were heavily guarded in the past, such as when she’d interviewed a suspected drug abuser, she couldn’t help but be so scared that she’d almost wet herself. 

 “Perhaps that girl turned out that way as a result of a plane crash when they were a child, and was recovered by South American special forces where she was raised to be a soldier. Because she was dead according to the household registry, it would be ideal to work with a lesser known organization.” 

 “Huh? What organization?!” 

 “I was thinking about possibilities…” 

 Harumi grunted. 

 All of that said, it was possible that Izayoi Miku was close to some very dangerous forces. She was worried that the family of the lord of the harem were prominent figures in society. If that wasn’t the case, there was no way that they’d be able to afford to hire a killing machine who could end them both without batting an eye. 

 “…Ah, about that, Senpai, I wanted to ask something…” 

 Chika asked a little timidly. 

 “Go ahead and ask.” 

 Harumi replied shortly. 

 “Well, what are we going to do now…” 

 “What?” And, if you found this outside of discord, there’ll be another scandal… 

 Harumi frowned as she looked at Chika. 

 “—Well, since we were caught around the home, if we want to get a hold of a juicy story from a distance, wouldn’t it make more sense to spy on them from the roof of one of their neighbor’s houses?” 

 “I knew it! That’s not what I’m talking about!” 

 Faced with Harumi’s unthinking answer, Chika protested while raising her voice. 

 “Didn’t you just hear her warning?! Didn’t you just hear her advice?! Why are you being so stubborn about this! We should just go back to the office!” 

 “What the hell are you talking about? As a reporter, did your blood not boil? There’s no doubt that we’re on the verge of a big scoop!—And you want to give up and run away with your tail between your legs and go back to cutting up cardboard boxes until you retire?!” 

 “I’d rather do that than die! I’ll be more than happy to keep cutting cardboard boxes! Eventually I can even become the head of our department! By the age of 28, I will be able to claim the ace of the sales department and marry him and have a happy family together!” 

 “…Y-You’re surprisingly determined about this…” 

 Harumi spoke with her eyes narrowing as they climbed up the steps of the emergency passage and made their way toward the roof of the building. Chika followed her as she responded. 

 “—Alright, there’s good visibility up here. This should be a good spot. All we have to do now is wait for the curtain to fall.” 

 However, Harumi, who’d been keeping tabs on their surroundings, suddenly felt her jaw snap closed. 

 —It was because there was someone already there. 

 The person already present was roughly 30 year old, stood on the edge of the rooftop and stared through binoculars. Her hair was wrapped around her neck and her face bore an indifferent expression. She wore a beanie on her head, covering her eyebrows and sportswear for easy mobility. 

 “…Huh?” 

 Harumi’s eyebrows twitched suddenly. 

 The reason why was because, just like Harumi, it looked like she was also spying on the same household. 

 Just then, as though she could feel Harumi’s gaze on her, the woman put her binoculars down and glanced over at her. 

 “Who’re you?” 

 The woman asked, her eyebrows twitched in surprise. Just from her voice, they had a feeling that she thought they were going to be nothing more than a thorn in her side. 

 “…Oh…” 

 Judging from her behavior, Harumi, who’d guessed her true identity from her sharp gaze and dangerous aura, nodded confidently. 

 “—A colleague, I take it.” 

 In response to what Harumi said, the woman’s eyes narrowed. 

 In truth, she was an intelligence officer for DEM’s first executive department, Judy Bradburry, who was staring intently at the two women who’d appeared on the roof. 

 That’s right. The two of them appeared while she was in the middle of tracking the Spirits and stated that she was a colleague so it was impossible not to be suspicious. 

 She stared at their faces without saying a word in response. One woman was tall while the other was shorter. 

 She certainly recognized them as the duo who’d just attempted to invade the Itsuka household and were ultimately repelled by one of the Spirits. 

 Still, she said she was a colleague—perhaps they were wizards? However, Judy quickly dismissed that thought. No one informed her that any wizards would be in the area. Still, if they were wizards from the second executive department, it wouldn’t be impossible. 

 The second executive department was under the direct jurisdiction of Isaac Westcott and often operated independently of any influence of any of the other departments—he acted much like a wayward tyrant. Because of the proud and undisputed First Executive Ellen Mira Mathers, it was impossible to ignore the merits of the First Executive Department, of which Isaac could claim for himself. Therefore it was easy for them to not alert Judy beforehand. The lack of a warning, however, made Judy frown in disgust. 

 It seemed that they noticed the change in Judy’s expression and so they explained: 

 “Ah, I’m sorry for not explaining sooner: I’m Bungetsu Harumi of <Wednesday>.” 

 “Ah, I’m Motohabara Chika of <Wednesday>.” 

 Perceiving the change in Judy’s eyes, the two women explained. 

 “…I’m Judy Bradburry…” 

 Judy slowly let her caution fall away and replied in turn to the other women. 

 Those names didn’t sound familiar to the Intelligence officer, but she couldn’t be certain without confirming it herself. It was always possible that they’d changed their names and identities but leaving that aside, they should have changed their appearance with the same kind of Realizer that Judy wielded. 

 Additionally, she’d never heard of this <Wednesday> department. Was this a newly formed unit?—Or perhaps, was it a secret code for something? 

 “…What the hell are you talking about? Anyway, I won’t let you or anyone else get in the way of my work.” 

 “H-Hey, there’s no need to look so terrifying. We’re not here to get in your way. But you’re not the only one looking for a big scoop. You’d better not get in our way either, got it?” 

 The taller woman who said her name was Harumi responded with a slightly provocative remark while Judy snorted and replied. 

 “Hey, you two were the ones who tried to break into the subject’s home without any preparation beforehand. You ended up getting kicked out before you could get anywhere, so you’re not really in a position to talk.” 

 “Ah, you saw that…” 

 Chika blushed while Harumi slapped a hand over the younger woman’s mouth and spoke loudly. 

 “This is what our lives are all about. Sometimes you won’t be able to get useful information without putting one foot into the grave.” 

 “Oh, so can you acquire the so-called useful information without alerting the other party?” 

 “Then get your act together. For us, intelligence is life. Thinking wishfully like that while coming back empty handed is a bit presumptuous, don’t you think?” 

 Hearing what Harumi said, Judy frowned. She still hadn’t figured out why they were there in the first place. 

 First off, she’d already cast a Territory around the roof as soon as she arrived, but even more surprising was that there was no response when they appeared. Although it was not fully enforced, they should have been trapped in her field the moment they stepped onto the roof. It would have been no different to being held at knifepoint. Normally, she should have been able to detect their presence as their own Territory pressed against hers. 

 —Or perhaps they didn’t carry Realizers? Such an idea crossed Judy’s mind. 

 If that was the case, then it would explain why they’d casually come into contact with the Spirits. If she exposed her own Realizer, she might give herself away as a DEM wizard. It could be that they were spies that intentionally and deliberately didn’t bring their Realizers to disguise as ordinary civilians in order to get into contact with the Spirits. But what did they plan on accomplishing by doing that? What kind of conversation did they have with the Spirits when they met…? 

 Several doubts arose in Judy’s mind. This was natural intuition that came with being an intelligence officer. They had to be holding something. Judy shook her head as she looked up, and spoke provocatively. 

 “—You’re just bragging. I guess that’s to be expected of one of the First Executive’s subordinates. Are you looking to become the Director’s lover like that other executive?” 

 As she spoke, she quickly activated her Territory set up on the roof. Because she suspected that they would fight if angered. 

 The wizards from the second executive department were the especially fanatic followers of Westcott and Ellen in DEM. For such an arrogant insult, maybe they would give themselves away with their anger. 

 “Huh…” 

 “Executive… what executive?” 

 To her surprise, their reactions were very different from what she was expecting. The expressions on their faces were closer to confusion than anger as they mumbled to each other. 

 At that moment, Harumi was even more confused. 

 Such a reaction was understandable, of course. Such an unexpected encounter with colleagues at the scene of an ambush (she’d mentioned a name she’d never heard of, maybe she was with foreign media?) Unexpectedly, it seemed that this reporter beat Harumi to the scoop. She could see the scandal unfolding at the seams. 

 Moreover, it was more surprising that the Executive (Hideo Gondo, 52 years old) was the lover of the Director (Kazunari Uemoto, 60 years old). There was no question that both men were very dishonest. 

 “Huh, wait, the Executive and Director…? Is that right? Although I’m not going to judge other peoples’ tastes, don’t they already have their own families?” 

 “Yeah… but I’ve heard that they’re in a burnout period. It looks like they’re planning to get divorced…” 

 “In a world of growing loneliness, this must be the curse of maturity…” 

 “So in order to fill the emptiness left in their hearts, the two of them decided to enter a forbidden relationship with each other…” 

 Chika and Harumi chatted rapidly with each other, occasionally letting out an “Oh!” at an epiphany. 

 Judy could only stare at the pair, dumbfounded. 

 “…Are you two seriously not angry?” 

 “No, we’re not angry. It’s more unexpected than anything else…” 

 “I didn’t think the environment was so bad… It’s more embarrassing that such a thing hasn’t been reported yet.” 

 “Y-Yeah… If this sort of news came out about the director, it would make some of the recent gossip like urination problems and wearing wigs seem pretty insignificant, compared to that, something like this…” 

 “—What?!” 

 She was more surprised by Harumi’s lack of a response that Judy couldn’t help but scream. 

 “W-Wait a minute! Really?! That happened to the director?!” 

 “Eh? What’s with all this fuss? It should be widespread news. It’s impossible to deny that urinary problems are common with old age, but often those kinds of things are rather kept private. If it got out then you’d get scolded and everyone else would make fun of you.” 

 “…You two, is it really okay to discuss this? Won’t it end up getting you in trouble with the director?” 

 Judy spoke with some worry. Obviously, she’d heard enough bad rumors. 

 Just as she said that, however— 

 “—!” 

 Instantly, Judy broke out into a sweat as she narrowed her gaze and wrinkled her eyebrows. She immediately turned her gaze in the direction of the Itsuka household. 

 Her expression immediately transformed from puzzled and confused to calm as she resumed watching the Itsuka household. The rapid switch made the reporters think that she was a professional undercover reporter straight out of a spy movie. 

 “…They left?” 

 After muttering to herself, Judy grabbed the backpack at her feet and ran past Chika and Harumi, darting down the emergency staircase. 

 “Whoa! Where are you going in such a hurry?” 

 “…Hmm, although I don’t know for certain, it could be that Izayoi Miku has left again. How dare she try to take the lead. We need to hurry too!” 

 “O-Okay!” 

 Chika and Harumi chased Judy down the stairs at an incredible speed. 

 “…Hmm…” 

 Judy managed to conceal herself in the alley while keeping her gaze locked on a specific residential building at the end of it. 

 It seemed that the Spirits previously in the Itsuka home had just entered the building. Although it didn’t have any noticeable features, she suspected that it belonged to <Ratatoskr>. 

 She wanted to investigate what kind of facility it was, but it would be dangerous if she went deeper on her own. It would be best to just make a note of the location of this place and review it later. Just as she was about to pull out a portable terminal in order to make a note of the location of this facility, something interrupted her. 

 “S-Senpai, do you really think it’s a good idea to try entering this building?” 

 “Eh… It looks a little strange. Is it a secret casino or is it a membership-exclusive dating club…? Anyway, we should take a picture of this place.” 

 Hearing this, Judy’s hand paused in midair. Chika and Harumi seemed to have followed her and intended to enter the building. 

 “Hold it.” 

 Judy grabbed them by the back of their shirts and dragged them to the alley where she’d been hiding. 

 “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” 

 “…That’s my line! Do you have a death wish or something?” 

 Judy asked with narrowed eyes. Harumi replied while wearing a fearless smile. 

 “As the saying goes. You can’t catch a tiger without going into a tiger’s den. Do you really think you can succeed in life without taking risks?” 

 “Well, I don’t want to die if I can avoid it…” 

 Chika answered bitterly. 

 “You’re killing the atmosphere so just shut up!” 

 Harumi brought her fist down on Chika’s head. 

 “Judy, was it? If you’re not interested then you might as well just stay there and not move. Just watch me and let me show you my talents.” 

 “You…” 

 Judy gritted her teeth. She knew that she was being provoked. 

 Regardless, attempting to break into enemy facilities was an undoubtedly dangerous endeavor. However, if she gave up here, there was no doubt that the second executive department would claim all credit for the mission. 

 After contemplating the decision for a few seconds, Judy licked her lips. 

 “…I guess it can’t be helped. I guess we’ll have to go together…” 

 “Fuuu, looks like you decided quickly. Although we’re rivals here, that sort of determination is admirable.” 

 Harumi whistled emotionally. Judy sighed softly as she operated her Realizer. 

 “I used my Territory to temporarily block the security around the entrance. You two don’t have Realizers, right? Whatever you do, stay as close to me as you can.” 

 “S-Senpai, what is she talking about all of a sudden?” 

 “…Don’t worry about that. Just focus on the job.” 

 Chika and Harumi mumbled to each other. “Let’s go.” Judy said quickly as she made her way toward the residential looking building. The two reporters followed her in short order. 

 To no one’s surprise, there was a surveillance camera installed at the building’s entrance. While temporarily blocking it using her Territory, Judy tried to open the gate’s electronic lock. 

 However, as soon as she started to tamper with the electronic lock using her own Realizer, she quickly realized that the lock itself was being operated by a Realizer. If she accidentally tripped it, she might set off the alarm. But there was no time to figure out the identification code. There was— 

 “Wow, it’s really locked. How do we open it?” 

 “We just need to put in the correct access code. Incidentally, my lucky number today happens to be thirteen.” 

 “Oh, why don’t you try that?” 

 Working by that logic, Harumi and Chika began to fiddle with the access screen at their own discretion. Judy promptly hit them on their heads. 

 “Hey!” 

 “That hurt! What did you do that for!” 

 “That’s my line! I was already planning a way so that we could figure it out—!” 

 At that moment, Judy’s eyes widened. 

 The access screen that Chika and Harumi had been fiddling with rang and the automatic door opened. 

 “Wow! It really was a lucky number!” 

 The two spoke briskly as they made their way into the building. Judy could only stare at their retreating figures and swallow nervously. 

 —They managed to figure out the identification code? They didn’t even use a Realizer and they managed to figure it out so quickly too? 

 Although she had no idea how they managed it, it seemed that they were really wizards from the second executive department. Judy raised her guard and clenched her fists as hard as she could before chasing after them. 

 As they entered the building, the first things that caught their attention were the elevators and the doors. Judy narrowed her eyes and scanned her surroundings with her Territory. She’d confirmed that there were only empty rooms on the other side of the doors and there were no other noteworthy facilities on the second floor. 

 “…So, could it be that the main facility is actually underground?” 

 After mumbling to herself, Judy quickly disabled the security cameras and got onto the elevator where she manipulated the panel to take her to the basement. As she listened to the dull hum of the elevator, Judy finally reached the basement with Chika and Harumi in tow. 

 As they stepped out of the elevator, their gazes were met with a long corridor. The white walls were highlighted by faint light and the corridor extended in three directions: right, forward, and left. 

 Judy used her Territory again and was able to get a closer look at what was ahead. Fortunately, it seemed that there were no staff or guards around. 

 From either side of Judy, Harumi and Chika both moved forward. 

 “Hmm… This place is different from what I was expecting… It’s more like something out of a sci-fi movie than a casino, isn’t it…?” 

 “Honestly… It’s like a secret base that you’d see in an anime. To think that such a place actually existed underground in Tengu City…” 

 As they spoke, they quickly took pictures of their surroundings with their cameras in hand. Judy’s eyes widened in anxiety, taken aback by their recklessness. 

 “You shouldn’t be so reckless, you two. Don’t forget that we’re in an enemy facility. What if you’re discovered by a wizard, or by one of the Spirits?” 

 Judy spoke forcefully while Harumi and Chika simply tilted their heads in confusion, “…Eh?” 

 “Spirit? Wizard?” 

 “What are those? Are they secret codes or something?” 

 “…Huh?” 

 In response to the duo’s reaction, Judy’s eyes widened even larger. 

 “…Just in case, I just want to confirm.” 

 After a few seconds of silence and reflection. 

 Judy looked at Harumi and Chika’s faces in turn and then spoke again. 

 “You realize that we’re in one of <Ratatoskr>’s facilities, right?” 

 “<Ratatoskr>?” 

 Although Harumi was a little confused by the unfamiliar word, after a moment’s reflection, she clapped her hands in realization. 

 “Ah, so is this the name of the facility? The <Ratatoskr> group. I’ve heard that they’ve made their money through unscrupulous means. This would definitely be a huge scoop that would grab customers’ attention!” 

 Just as Harumi was frantically scribbling something on her notepad, Judy felt her face twitch as well. 

 “…That’s not what I’m talking about. So, following that, are you two not wizards from the second executive department of DEM?” 

 “Oh, what exactly is a wizard? Ah, could it be a foreign name for a journalist? Because they can fly through the air like magic and uncover the secrets of the arrogant? In that way, reporters might simply be a modern day wizard—Right?” 

 “Ahhhhh, that’s so cool—!” 

 “…Journalists…” 

 Judy’s expression grew more intense. She lowered her head and scratched her hair underneath the beanie. 

 “So that’s what this is… I’ve been wondering about this for a long time, but for it to turn out like this…” 

 For some reason, Judy suddenly started mumbling nonsense to herself. Noticing the change in the situation, Harumi stared at her uneasily as she felt her body break out into a sweat. 

 “A-Are you okay? I-If you’re not feeling well, you should head back first…” 

 Almost immediately, Harumi’s words died in her throat. 

 It would be more accurate to say that her mouth had been forced shut. Like it was being kept shut by an invisible hand. At the same time, she felt her entire body freeze. Try as she might, she couldn’t so much as move much less run. 

 “Eh… this, what is this… Ghost press?!” 

 “I can’t move, Senpai…!” 

 In response to the worried shouts from Harumi and Chika, Judy slowly raised her head. 

 “…Now I understand. Now that things have reached this point, it’s because the second executive department is usually arrogant and unreasonable. It has nothing to do with my carelessness. Executive Mathers is the one at fault here. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

 Along with the sorrows from Harumi and Chika, Judy slowly raised her head. 

 She shifted her now dead-looking gaze as though mumbling a curse to herself. To be honest, although they didn’t understand what she was saying, Harumi didn’t have the courage to deny it. Her eyes were brimming with tears as her head leaned forward. 

 “Yes! Yes! Yes! Right, Chika!” 

 “Y-Y-Yes! That’s right! Mathers-san is really terrible!” 

 “Hmm…That’s true. But because you already know about all of this, I can’t just let you walk away. Please allow me to take care of your memories of this day. Unfortunately, because neither of you have Realizers, the operation may be a bit rough. But don’t worry. It won’t kill you. In the worst case scenario, you won’t remember your own names…” 

 While uttering such ominous words, Judy slowly reached out to grab Harumi’s head. Although Harumi tried desperately to get away, her body just wouldn’t cooperate and she was trapped as Judy moved ever closer. 

 “Ahhhhhh!” 

 “S-Senpai—!” 

 However, in the moment before Judy’s hand could touch Harumi— 

 “<Gabriel>—<Rondo>!” 

 At that moment, there was a sound that seemed to come from thin air. Smooth music that sounded like it came from an instrument echoed throughout the corridor— 

 All of a sudden, Judy’s body soon found itself pressed against the wall from an invisible shockwave. 

 “Huh…?” 

 Judy let out a quiet breath. In an instant, the invisible power that bound Harumi and Chika had also disappeared and the two of them were freed. 

 “Agh…” 

 “Senpai! Are you alright, Senpai!” 

 “E-Eh, I’m the same as always… but now it’s…” 

 After looking up, Harumi discovered that the source of the sound that saved them was from— 

 “I-Izayoi… Miku…?” 

 That’s right. It was the idol that Harumi and Chika had been pursuing this whole time: Izayoi Miku. 

 It wasn’t just that either. Now, Miku was dressed in a beautiful dress that looked as if it was made of light, as she played mystical piano keys. Needless to say, it was beyond any conventional stage dress. It was like she was using magic. 

 “Ah—Could it be that you know me? It’s really dangerous to be in a place like this. If you hear a strange voice from someone like that, you should be running away instead of staying here.” 

 Miku spoke sweetly. From somewhere behind her, several other girls appeared. 

 “Miku!” 

 “Ah, Kotori-san!” 

 There was a younger girl leading the pack, Kotori, looking back and forth between Harumi and Judy who’d been knocked unconscious. Kotori could only look on suspiciously. 

 “What the hell happened here?” 

 “That person was using a Realizer, most likely one of DEM’s wizards. As for these two, I’ve never seen them before.” 

 Miku tilted her head in uncertainty as she put a finger to her chin. This inadvertently cute movement was further proof that she was truly an idol at heart. 

 “Was it really a wizard from DEM? Although we’d expected for a long time that someone from there might try to come along, we didn’t expect them to get this far in. Well, let’s get her into custody first. We’ll have to interrogate her to see what she knows.” 

 Kotori sighed as she glanced at Harumi and Chika. 

 “—Now, who are you two? What’s your relationship with that wizard? What reason did you have for coming into this facility? I wouldn’t recommend trying to remain silent or lying. If you do, we have ways of getting the information we want out of you.” 

 Even though she looked like a junior high school student, there was no denying that she still had an mature yet oppressive air about her that made Harumi and Chika tremble in fear. 

 “N-No, we’re…” 

 As Harumi desperately tried to think of a way out of this predicament, Chika spoke with tears in her eyes. 

 “Yes, we’re so sorry. You see, we’re magazine reporters! We were looking to find some juicy news about Izayoi Miku! We promise that we won’t say anything so please don’t kill us… Ah!” 

 “Hey! Chika!” 

 Harumi frantically covered Chika’s mouth but it was too late. Their intentions had already been revealed to the other party. 

 Because Chika had been open about the reason they were there, Kotori could only stare at them blankly before turning to Miku with a narrowed look on her face. 

 “…What do you think?” 

 “Hmm… As far as I can tell, they don’t seem to be lying. As for what they were looking for, juicy news about me… But being stared at by professional women for so long, it’s inexplicably exciting.” 

 Miku blushed as she twisted her body. Looking at her, Kotori could only sigh, “She’s the same as always…” 

 “Speaking of which, magazine reporters huh? I guess it makes sense, Miku’s an idol after all…” 

 “Hey, what’s that supposed mean—” 

 Hearing what Kotori said, Miku pouted as she puffed out her cheeks. However, Kotori didn’t pay her a second thought as she continued. 

 “However, since you were still lurking around here. I’m sorry to tell you that as long as you know about <Ratatoskr>, we can’t let you just walk out freely. We’ll have to erase your memories.” 

 “Wait! How come the ending is the same?!” 

 “S-Senpai—!” 

 Harumi and Chika hugged each other mournfully. Then, Kotori shook her head while speaking in a gentle and reassuring tone: 

 “Don’t worry. We’re not going to tamper with your other memories. Come on, the memory processing unit is down this way—” 

 Before Kotori could finish, Miku suddenly tapped her shoulder. For some reason her eyes were bright. 

 “Kotori-san. Kotori-san. If you could, could you leave this to me?” 

 “You see if I use <Gabriel>’s songs, it will cause less burden on their minds than if we used a Realizer. Moreover, I’m also very interested about what secrets these reporters found out about me…” 

 “What—” 

 Kotori considered the request for a moment and then gave Harumi a pitiful look. 

 “…Okay, fine. We should quickly check to make sure that it’ll work and be strong enough beforehand.” 

 “Okay! Let’s do it!” 

 Miku seemed to be excited from the bottom of her heart as she walked with a characteristic rhythm behind Harumi and Chika. 

 Almost immediately afterward, she grabbed the two of them from behind and dragged them away. 

 “Come on! Let’s go, Reporter-sans! You’ll have to forget about all of this too! You may as well chat with me for a while before we get to that! In fact, I already have some nice tea ready!” 

 “Eh? Ah, wait a minute… S-She’s so big…” 

 “Wait a minute. Hey?! Why is everyone looking at us with such sympathetic looks? Why are you guys folding your arms? H-Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!” 

 Harumi’s cries could be heard as she was escorted out of the facility. 

◇◇◇

 “…Wha…” 

 The next morning, Harumi walked slowly through the corridor leading to the editorial department of <Wednesday Weekly> while clutching her head in pain. 

 Oddly, her body felt a little fatigued. She suspected she might have drank too much yesterday… Although she didn’t remember actually drinking any alcohol yesterday, she couldn’t think of another explanation. 

 In short, it seemed that she couldn’t remember anything that happened yesterday. When she woke up this morning, she had to confirm the day on the calendar several times before she was convinced. 

 “Really… the last time I drank so much that I couldn’t remember anything… It had to have been a few years ago…” 

 As she walked, she mumbled herself between moans. She’d made it to the editorial department where she found Chika. 

 Much like Harumi, it seemed that Chika wore a similar expression and dragged her feet to come to work. It looked like she’d also drank too much the previous evening. 

 “Ah… Good morning, Senpai…” 

 “Good morning… Chika. Eh, what happened to you?” 

 After responding with a sleepy greeting, Harumi’s eyes narrowed. 

 The reason was obvious. On Chika’s neck, there were faint traces of swelling, a so-called hickey. 

 “…I don’t know if this would work but I figured it would be better to cover it up…” 

 “Eh? Wow, when…” 

 As she spoke, Chika quickly concealed as if she’d just discovered it—then looked back at Harumi. 

 “Eh, don’t you have similar marks, Senpai?” 

 “Eh…?” 

 Hearing this, Harumi pulled out a mirror from her makeup case and spotted several hickeys on her neck. 

 “Wow, really… what did I do yesterday…?” 

 “…Eh? You don’t remember? Wasn’t it Senpai who left this on me?” 

 “No—although now that I think about it…” 

 As the atmosphere between Harumi and Chika became more delicate, they suddenly noticed their editors from within the department calling out to them. 

 “Fumizuki, Habara, come here.” 

 “Ah… Yes—” 

 After replying slowly, Harumi and Chika made their way towards their editor. Perhaps they noticed their fatigued state as he frowned in concern. 

 “…Are you two okay? Are you sick?” 

 “Ah, no… we’re not…” 

 Harumi smiled wryly while the editor-in-chief sighed quietly and then brought the topic back on track. 

 “Anyway, were you able to finish the assignment that we gave you?” 

 “…Assignment?” 

 “Izayoi Miku. You were supposed to uncover a scandal about her. What did you discover?” 

 A moment passed— 

 Harumi and Chika’s fingers suddenly trembled slightly. 

 “Then… what happened?” 

 “N-No, it’s nothing… it’s just that… when I heard that name, I felt cold…” 

 “We’re so sorry editor-in-chief! But could you give a separate assignment instead…?” 

 The two trembled in fear as they wailed. The editor-in-chief, faced with the sudden pressure from the mystery, could only reply with, “Okay…” 

 After that, the rumor mill would go on to declare that there was a secret and terrifying organization hidden behind Izayoi Miku. It was dangerous to even try to gather any information about her—But that’s a story for another time.