The reason everyone opposed Mumei and Ikoma staying aboard the Koutetsujo was simple: human nature is selfish.
No one was willing to gamble with their own lives, and Kurusu Konochi's previous actions were exactly what they wanted to see. They were the beneficiaries. The only ones suffering losses were Mumei and Ikoma. After all, the lives of Kabane aren't considered lives; abandoning them wouldn't even result in moral condemnation.
But with Misono Mika's intervention, things changed.
Most people prefer a compromise. When Misono Mika threatened to tear the roof off, they suddenly felt that opening a window wasn't such a big deal. Ayame Yomogawa stepped in as a mediator at the perfect moment.
This time, no one blamed Ayame for being weak. Instead, they were grateful she had the courage to stand up at a critical juncture and stop a fight that could have broken out at any second. After witnessing Mika's extraordinary power, they weren't sure what their chances of winning would be if a true conflict started.
However, Mika's reputation was destined to take a sharp downturn because of this. She might transform from a goddess descended from heaven to save the world into a self-indulgent witch from hell whom everyone avoided!
Yet, Mika herself didn't care at all. She knew what she needed from the start and understood that she would eventually leave this world to see a vaster one. So-called reputation, honor, and the favor of the masses—these were not important to her.
They were not what she pursued.
"Lady Ayame, we want to move to another carriage."
After deliberating for a while, one person stepped out from the crowd and approached Ayame Yomogawa. He glanced fearfully at Mika nearby and voiced their collective demand.
"This... but the space in the other carriages is limited. Everyone will be squeezed together. Can you endure such an environment?"
"It's better than staying here with Kabane..."
"You all..."
Ayame looked at Mika's back with hesitation. She understood why they made the request, but she worried that agreeing to it would make things awkward for Mika.
Mika poked the forehead of an excited Mumei, who was trying to lean in, and looked back at Ayame, giving her a slight nod.
'Everyone wants to move? There's actually such a good deal?'
The space here was much larger than where Ayame lived.
"Alright then," Ayame said, feeling a sense of relief. She called for Kurusu Konochi and instructed, "Konochi, you are responsible for arranging their relocation."
"Yes."
Kurusu responded and signaled for those who wanted to move to follow him. A large group of people promptly left the carriage. Before long, fewer than ten people remained. Aside from a few friends Ikoma knew, there were also several bold individuals who chose to stay specifically because of Misono Mika.
"It's suddenly much more spacious. Lady Ayame, could you help me find some clean sheets? I plan to rest here for a while," Mika said, walking around and surveying the area with satisfaction. "I won't make things difficult for you; I can exchange these for the fish I caught."
As she spoke, she lightly waved her hand toward a corner. Ripples suddenly appeared in mid-air.
In the next second, freshwater fish—ranging from three to over ten pounds—began to drop like dumplings. Soon, they piled into a small hill, jumping and thrashing about.
This was a "bug" Mika exploited using her "Backpack Module." She would pack hundreds of meters of river water into her backpack, repeat the process dozens of times, keep the fish she wanted, and dump the useless water back into the riverbed. Since time stood still within the backpack's space, there was no need to worry about the food spoiling.
Mumei, Ikoma, and the others stared blankly at the "miracle" occurring before them.
"I—I will arrange it for you immediately!"
Ayame agreed excitedly. She first ordered someone to fetch her own bedding and then dispatched others to collect the flopping fish. Due to the sudden nature of the escape, the Koutetsujo hadn't had time to prepare enough food. The next station was far away, and with current reserves, it was impossible to keep everyone from starving. Ayame couldn't afford to be prideful; as the leader of the Koutetsujo, she had to consider everyone.
"Oh, right. I've been hungry for almost a day. Can you prepare something for me to eat?" Mika asked, rubbing her stomach with a pained expression. She felt utter despair regarding her own cooking skills.
Ayame blinked, apparently not expecting Mika to get hungry. Seeing her pitiable expression, a smile naturally touched Ayame's lips. "Of course. Please wait a moment."
She gestured for a nearby samurai to assist. Ayame never truly believed Mika was a bad person. That tense confrontation earlier had been for the sake of saving Mumei and Ikoma.
"Now then, back to business."
Mika turned to Mumei and Ikoma. "I offended quite a few people to save you two. You don't think I did it purely out of the kindness of my heart, do you?"
"What can I do for you, Lady Mika?" Ikoma said with a solemn face. "If I am still of use to you, please give me your orders."
His life had been saved by Mika against all odds, giving him the chance to avenge his sister. For that, he was willing to give her everything.
Mumei looked at him with surprise, not expecting his resolve to be even higher than hers. She replied, not wanting to be outdone, "I don't know your goal yet, but I'm not some ungrateful brat. Make your demands—as long as I can do it."
"I won't make things difficult for you."
Mika was satisfied with their attitudes. She tossed her weapon, Quis ut Deus, into her backpack and let out a faint sigh. "As you can see, aside from being a bit special, I also need to eat and rest normally. I can't do everything myself, so I need helpers to handle the trivialities of daily life."
"For example, I need someone to monitor the food brought to me. If someone poisons my food and I can't find the culprit quickly, I'll have no choice but to summon a meteor and send everyone on the Koutetsujo to the afterlife."
"Don't worry, the pain is only for an instant. I won't go out of my way to torture you or prevent you from passing on just for the sake of revenge."
The people in the carriage grew increasingly silent; cold sweat soaked their clothes.
"L-Lady Mika... I just remembered I have things to attend to. Please, excuse me..."
Ayame felt her soul nearly leave her body as she listened. Feeling restless and terrified, she hurriedly made an excuse to leave.
She had to personally ensure that the food prepared for Misono Mika was absolutely flawless!
★ ★ ★