Chapter 68

"New place, huh? I wonder if there are clothes and stuff."

"Quite a lot, actually."

"Really? Senpai, are you serious?"

After finishing dinner, Yuki and Kaede came to my room as usual.

"Yeah, it's a decent-sized store. There were quite a few tenants. Actually, Yuki, haven't you been there before?"

The evacuees had already been informed about the relocation. Yuki seemed a bit excited to know that the destination was a department store. Normally, one would feel anxious, but since this was a decision made by the trusted Oda and others, she didn't show any signs of worry. Perhaps she was just putting on a brave face so as not to make Kaede, who was right in front of her, feel anxious.

As for Kaede, she was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, her hand on the ground, and staring at me intently.

"...What's wrong?"

"Ah... No, I was just wondering what it would be like."

"From what I saw, it seems safe. Most importantly, as Oda and the others said, there are a lot of supplies. We could hole up there for a while without any problems."

"Is that so? That's good to hear."

"Yeah."

Not having to go outside means that Oda and the others won't have to take as much risk as before. While going out to gather food is the job of the police, Kaede's concern for them was evident. However, she still looked a bit worried, and her expression showed a hint of unease.

"I don't think there will be any problems with the move, so don't worry too much."

"That's right. Oda and the others will take care of it."

"You're right, Yuki."

"...Okay."

While responding to Yuki and me, Kaede still had a look in her eyes that suggested she was thinking about something. But I figured that once we got there and settled in, those worries would disappear.

"Don't worry. I'll help too."

"Hmm... Don't worry, but Kaede is also worried about you, Senpai. Please don't take unnecessary risks."

Yuki sighed and said this, and Kaede looked a bit conflicted, but she smiled a little and nodded.

+++++

A day later, the day of the move to the department store finally arrived. It took that long because we had to sort out what to bring over.

Most of what we needed to bring were weapons that weren't available on the other side, especially items like axes and pistols, as well as powerful firearms stored in the evidence locker. There were also riot gear and riot shields from the mobile police force, and various machines like drones, which were in large quantities. We decided it would be impractical to bring everything, so selecting what to bring took a lot of time.

Moving the evacuees and transporting the supplies would take a long time. The operation began early in the morning as the sun started to rise.

Following the usual procedure for going out, all the male police officers and I headed outside. First, we had to reconfirm the safety of the department store.

This was the most time-consuming part. We divided into groups and explored the store again. The basement was dark, so we explored it last with everyone together. We had already checked all the floors with Oda and the others over the past few days.

The other police officers, who were seeing the place for the first time, were quite tense. They moved quietly and quickly, not missing a single sound, and thoroughly checked every corner.

By the time we finished the safety check, the clock had already passed noon.

Next, it was time to move the evacuees. We had already brought some weapons with us when we came, but there were still many items left to transport.

"It might not be finished today."

"Yeah."

Leaving a few male police officers at the department store, we returned to the police station in two cars. On the way, Oda, who was driving, spoke, and I nodded.

"We'll have to stop the work once it gets dark."

"Well, once the evacuees are moved, the rest should be manageable."

I wasn't particularly worried about the evacuees causing a panic or any other issues. We planned to transport them in a few large groups using the patrol cars, so it shouldn't take too long.

What would take more time was the transportation of the supplies stored at the police station. We could leave some behind, but food is always better to have, and we didn't want to waste it.

"We'll manage. I'll help until the end."

"Ryugaki, thank you. I appreciate it."

Oda smiled and said this in response to my words.