Chapter 50

"First eye... "

"My name is Iwaetunai. Please call me Iwa for short."

"Hmm. Then, Iwa, where are we?"

Currently, Kuro, Shiro, and Rin were led to the front of an office building in the city.

The reason for this was that Kuro had requested to meet their leader.

"This building is owned by our leader, Wako. So, the Wako you wish to meet is here. I just contacted her, and she also wants to meet you."

"Owned...?"

Kuro was more surprised by the fact that the building in front of him was owned by Wako than by the fact that Wako wanted to meet them.

"Tch, why does Wako want to meet these guys?"

"Koro, you're jealous."

"Jealousy is unbecoming."

"I'm not jealous!"

While listening to the conversation of the youkai who had attacked them, Kuro and the others rode the elevator to the top floor. Incidentally, since there were many ordinary people entering and exiting the office building, Kuro and Shiro pretended to be stuffed animals carried by Rin as they headed to the top floor. Koro also became the size of an ordinary crow, pretending to be a stuffed animal while being carried by Sei. Iwa, who had transformed to look like a large, bald man in a suit, entered the elevator without any problems.

"Why do we have to pretend to be stuffed animals every time...?"

"Koro, be quiet."

"..."

While listening to the conversation between Sei and Koro, the elevator arrived at the top floor.

"Wako is here. Please come in."

The office room at the end of the elevator. When they entered, there was a woman with long, light blue hair.

"So, it's you, Iwako Shimpu."

As soon as Kuro saw her, he opened his mouth in nostalgia. In response to his words, Wako also spoke.

"Hehe. It's been a long time, cat."

"Hmm. It's been a long time, fox."

Kuro and the woman called each other by these names and laughed quietly.

"Hey, Wako, do you know this black cat?"

"An old friend. It's been hundreds of years since we last met..."

"After we started gathering followers in Sapporo and Asahikawa, we stopped moving around."

In response to Koro's words, the woman called Wako and the black cat Kuro answered.

"By the way, I heard this building is yours. When did that happen? I thought you were still living by the river in Kamigokutan..."

"I couldn't live in such an inconvenient place forever. While creating a comfortable living environment, I somehow became the owner of this building."

Wako mentioned that not only the office building where Kuro and the others were, but also the surrounding buildings and land were her property. When a youkai who has lived for a long time puts in serious effort, it's not difficult to control a vast flow of money.

"Well, I'd like to reminisce, but we don't have time. I'll explain later, but we need to move immediately. Follow me."

"Move?"

"There's a bit of a troublesome situation."

Without giving them a chance to object, Wako stuffed Kuro and the others into a black, shiny VIP car.

◇

After visiting Asahiyama Zoo, we arrived at the next destination, a young man's house deep in the mountains. The "young man's house" is a large accommodation facility in the forest, large enough to accommodate about 200 students from the senior high school and about 120 students from the junior high school.

"Everyone, change into your tracksuits. We'll be conducting a survival recreation in the forest for the rest of today and all of tomorrow. Refer to the exhibits you saw at the Ainu museum and make various things. No slacking off."

At Mr. Ohtani's command, the main event of the accommodation recreation began. While it's called a survival event, it involves making tools needed for daily life using materials from the forest surrounding the young man's house. The completed tools will be evaluated by the teachers, and those who place in the top ranks will receive prizes. Even if you don't make tools, starting a fire or gathering food will also earn points.

"Last year's winning team made pottery by firing clay."

Sagara told us this. Each team is given a saw, a shovel, and a hatchet, so starting a fire is quite impressive. Making pottery on top of that suggests that the team members were experienced in outdoor activities. I'm envious.

"Well, what should we do first..."

"Hey! You're the team leader, Yuki Yuki!"

Just as I was thinking about the strategy as the team leader, I was called by multiple teams nearby. I'm the team leader of this team, by the way.

"Challenge us to a competition in this recreation! If we win, Yuki Yuki, you must never be familiar with Mizuho-sama again!"

"Right, right! And stay away from Runa!"

"Don't go near Auru!"

What's going on here? Not only were we suddenly challenged to a competition, but conditions were being added one after another without our consent. Upon closer inspection, the senior high school team members who challenged us were members of the Mizuho Fan Club. The junior high school team members were fans of Runa and Auru. Coincidentally, all five teams that challenged us were fans of one of the three.

What a terrible situation. The committee members also had bitter expressions.

*Pfft*

Uru was trying hard not to laugh.

"If you're going to set so many conditions, we should also be allowed to set conditions if we win. For example, 'Do whatever we say!'"

That was Taki. Ignoring us, who were frozen by the sudden challenge, he proceeded with the conversation on his own.

"Doing whatever we say... Isn't that a bit too much?"

"That's unfair! If we can't approach the senior high school's madonna and the junior high school's two idols, our school life is over! Or do you think it's not a big deal to not be able to approach Mizuho and the others? Is that the level of love you have to challenge us?"

"Damn it! Fine, let's have the competition with those conditions!"

"We're fine with that! If your team wins, we'll do whatever you say!"

"Although it's painful to compete against Mizuho-sama's team, we'll give it our all!"

What's going on here? Taki summarized the conversation on his own, and the team members who challenged us headed into the forest, seemingly satisfied.

"T-Taki, you!"

"It's okay, we can win."

"We can win, but they're five teams! If they cooperate, it's 5 to 1!"

"Probably okay."

Taki's mysterious confidence left me speechless.

*It's okay. If it comes to it, leave it to me. If I can make a doll with my ability, I can build a mountain cabin in 3 hours.*

Nia offered through the spirit thread. A mountain cabin is too extreme, but maybe I can ask Nia to make pottery. If we really start losing, I'll ask for help.

"Yuki-kun, don't worry about it. I'll talk to them later. I want to remain friends even if we lose."

"I feel the same way. I don't mind if you keep coming close."

"I feel the same! I don't mind at all!"

Three of them encouraged me. I'm grateful.

"Thanks, everyone. But I don't want to lose, so let's do our best to win. First, what should we do? Securing a location is important, but..."

While I was unsure about the team's actions, Taki started giving appropriate instructions.

"Hey, there's a birch tree! Let's peel the bark. Oh, the branches around here are nicely dried."

Taki started gathering bark, fibers, and branches.

"There's not much grass around here... Bingo! Clay soil."

Taki found clay soil.

"Let's start with a fire. Make a place with stones, cut some dry branches, and shred the bark and fibers..."

With a hatchet, Taki skillfully processed the branches and started a fire in about 10 minutes.

"Wh-What!?"

"Taki, you have such talent!"

Not only me and Ishida, but all the team members were surprised. Other teams were also trying to start fires, but none had succeeded yet. The shortest record for starting a fire in the accommodation recreation was one hour after the start. In other words, Taki's record was the fastest ever.

"Taki is amazing! I thought he was just a wannabe playboy!"

"He's really amazing! I only thought of him as someone who ate deer meat at the zoo!"

"That's right. After hearing his thoughtless and selfish comments earlier, I thought he was a thoughtless and stupid person, but I've changed my mind."

"Wannabe playboy, deer meat, and stupid person!? Is that how I was seen!?"

Taki was shocked by the honest opinions of Sagara, Auru, and Runa. I also thought he was a stupid, deer-eating wannabe playboy, but I've changed my mind. He has amazing talent.

"But you're really amazing. What do you usually do?"

"Yeah, do you know about Boy Scouts?"

In response to the committee member's question, Taki started talking. His grandfather was a high-ranking member of the Boy Scouts, a group that engages in volunteer and outdoor activities, and was very passionate about education.

"As part of the activities, I was often taken to the mountains when I was young... without a tent or food, just with a hatchet. Basically, my grandfather was in charge of getting food, and I was in charge of setting up the base camp, so I'm good at starting fires..."

Taki spoke about his memories with his grandfather, looking a bit pale, as if recalling a trauma. The Boy Scouts are an amazing group.

"By the way, my grandfather was just a bit extreme. The Boy Scouts aren't that strict, so don't get the wrong idea. Anyway, if it's survival, leave it to me!"

After that, Taki made baskets with vines, gathered edible mushrooms and wild vegetables in the basket, and even made stone axes and stone knives. I learned the process and helped Taki with his work. The team members, following Taki's instructions, kneaded clay and made plates and pots.

At that moment, our team's victory was almost certain.

"Hey?"

I haven't seen the committee member for a while. Maybe she went to the bathroom?

The author is Fuji Prize.