Otherworld Company Chapter 224.1: I Thought It Wasn’t My Job, That’s When My Job…

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　If the enemy’s purpose was to be a decoy, something must be happening elsewhere.

　What could it be?

“Tsk, did I fall into a trap?” (Jiro)

　It may be an exaggeration to say that what we are doing here is futile, and it is certainly a waste of time.

　And it means that our moves are calculated by the opponent.

　Only they are going according to schedule, and we are being forced to take the long way around.

　Realizing this, I started running in order to make room to leave this place as quickly as possible.

　I don’t mind a little physical exhaustion.

　Right now, I just want to improve my work efficiency.

　The way I use my breath, the amount of force I use with my body, the speed I run, and the areas that can be improved at the expense of physical strength are all raised to a higher gear.

“Surveillance team, I want to confirm. Are you currently monitoring only the area around the shrine?” (Jiro)

“Reporting, the current surveillance is a radius of 500 meters centered on the shrine. Other shrines are also acting in a similar manner. What about it?” (Voice)

　I can no longer think about such things as working in tandem.

　The body has become a working mechanism to efficiently subdue the cultists.

　But my thoughts are doing something else.

“I want to confirm. Are there any groups moving suspiciously in the vicinity, except for the shrine?” (Jiro)

“Report, there are no signs of riots or magic rituals within a radius of 500 meters.” (Voice)

　I thought for a moment that my hunch was off when the surveillance team answered, but I knew it would be dangerous to deny this feeling, so I gathered more information.

“You said that the situation at other shrines was the same, but a riot broke out after the bombs were disposed of, is that correct?” (Jiro)

“That’s right. We are currently working with the police to quell the incident, but what is going on?” (Voice)

“Just let me double check, but is the shrine the only land that is related to this incident that can be used for a ritual?” (Jiro)

“I don’t understand the intent of the question. What are you asking?” (Voice)

　The more I hear about the current situation, the more I feel like my bad feeling is turning into certainty.

　It is common for people to assume something and act on it.

　I am 80%, or even 90% certain that I will act accordingly.

　If you do it ten times, nine times out of ten you can succeed.

　If this happens, people will place a certain amount of trust in the actions and assumptions they make.

　The larger the organization, the more pronounced this tendency becomes.

　Past experience is a great source of knowledge.

　But sometimes it turns into a big fog that blocks your sight.　

“…I’m just speculating, but there is a possibility that this disturbance is just a diversion. There is a basis for it. Requesting communication line to field command.” (Jiro)

　I sensed a tendency toward this in the field command.

　There’s something I’m missing.

　That’s what I thought from the previous question and answer.

　That’s why, although it almost sounds like speculation, I purposely use language that makes it seem like there is evidence, and I request that the matter be communicated directly to the top management rather than to the liaison personnel.

　This is not the time to look for a fuse and be confused about how to put it out.

　But I also understand that what I am saying is impossible.

　I am only a helper, an outsider.

　I am not a member of this organization.

　Naturally, I have no platform to speak.

　The reason I am responding in this way is because I am recognized as necessary.

　If I interfere further, there is even a possibility that I will be rejected.

　But that doesn’t mean I can ignore the danger.

“…” (Voice)

　There was silence on the other end of the line.

　The atmosphere doesn’t give me a very good feeling.

　I expected it, but my position is only guaranteed by borrowing Ms. Kirie’s shadow.

　I am expected to some extent as a combat asset, but I am not required to do more than that.

“…It’s really hard to be dispatched.” (Jiro)

　To be honest, working away is tough.

　But I wouldn’t have been here in the first place if I was going to throw it away.

　That’s why I’m doing everything I can to get the conversation across.

“I’m not sure if I’ll still work diligently. It’s not in my nature to slack off after working this hard.” (Jiro)

　Anyone can do nothing and just wait for a response.

　But if I want to get my thoughts across, that’s not the way to do it.

　There are plenty of things I can do at the same time, if possible, so that I don’t waste every second.

　There are plenty of things I can do while you are waiting for a response.

　Since joining my current company, I have improved my efficiency in parallel work.

　There have been plenty of opportunities to do work outside of the vanguard during combat.

　It is a matter of course that what I am doing and what I am thinking are two different things.

　But that does not mean that mistakes are made.

　Even now, my body is taking care of the two cultists who attacked me in a fluid manner.

　If they are attacking me at the same time, all I have to do is shift your timing.

　If I take a step backward to the left, this will force the attacker on the left to act first, and the attacker on the right will have to slow down his attack at least one tempo because the attacker on the left will be in his way.

　For me, that one tempo is enough.

　Creating a barrier to prevent the attackers from hitting each other.

　Let’s start by neutralizing that barrier.

“…Please explain your basis for that.” (Voice)

　Just as I was about to do that, we finally received a call from the other side.

　They made no attempt to hide their reluctance.

　Apparently, they had a talk with their boss and couldn’t let my words slide.

　However, my personal feeling is that they want to ignore what I’m saying, and I don’t think anyone would want to act on a newbie’s word.

　If they say it can’t be helped because this is the outside world, that’s as far as it goes.

“Got it.” (Jiro)

　Even if the other side reacts like that, you must not show any reaction.

　If I did, it would be the end of the conversation.

“First of all, I feel uncomfortable about the change of strategy after the failure of the attack in relation to the good preparation of the attack. There is no merit in switching to a riot just because the bombing attack failed. It would be more efficient to do it in a different way, or, for that matter, to engage in sporadic guerrilla actions if they have such a strong force. They could break into civilian homes and take hostages.” (Jiro)

　So, I do my duty of giving the explanation as asked of me.

　I explain the hypotheses I had constructed in my head while fighting, in order.

　The first is that there is no ostensible merit to the other party’s actions.

“There is no reason to insist on such an overt act of terrorism in the first place. It would be more efficient to place a bomb in the facility than to take such an overt action. But the other side keeps taking conspicuous actions. It is the same with not stopping the TV broadcasts. Even after they failed, they dared to resort to rioting.” (Jiro)

　I then convey the nuance that the cultists’ actions are only a means to an end, not directly connected to the objective, which is an act of terrorism.

“From that it is clear that the enemy’s goal is the collection of negative emotions, but that is only a process.” (Jiro)

“Process? What do you mean? The enemy’s objective this time is to contaminate the seal by causing deaths here, and it’s not easy to prepare a bomb here in Japan. It is also possible that they are simply short of materials.” (Voice)