"Summon... a meteor?"
Takumi swallowed hard in fear, his neck instinctively shrinking back.
They might not have witnessed a meteor strike with their own eyes, but the records in the books they had read were clear. It was said that a meteor's destructive power was terrifying—capable of erasing a massive Station with ease. Regardless of whether they believed she could actually do it, this was a blatant, naked threat.
Seeing that Misono Mika didn't look like she was joking at all, Mumei and Ikoma felt the pressure double instantly.
'Can she really... even do that?'
Mumei realized she had once again underestimated Misono Mika.
"Mumei, don't miss the point here. The focus isn't on whether I can summon a meteor, but on whether you can fulfill your duty to protect me."
Mika extended a fair index finger, first pointing at Mumei and Ikoma, then gesturing toward the carriage at large. "Whether it is for yourselves or for certain people on the Koutetsujo—if you don't want to see me go on a killing spree, then please, put your lives on the line for my sake!"
Having said that, she flashed an incredibly kind smile, the kind that usually made one feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.
However, the group felt as if they had been dropped into an ice cellar; they fell into a collective silence. They couldn't gauge if Mika was joking or if she truly intended to follow through. But they knew that if they themselves were harmed by villains, they wouldn't let it slide either.
This realization indirectly proved that Mika might truly be serious. That was the source of their terror. The only major difference between them and Mika was that they might not involve innocent people.
"Are you two also willing to risk everything for me?"
Seeing the others remained silent, Mika turned nonchalantly toward the two who had previously knelt in submission. Though they were mere "fence-sitters," if used correctly, they could probably annoy Kurusu Konochi for a very long time.
"I am willing!"
"We will serve Lady Mika until death!"
The duo didn't hesitate to swear their loyalty. They were terrified of death to begin with; even if they were given several more lives' worth of courage, they wouldn't dare refuse any of Mika's demands.
Mumei, looking as though she had finally figured something out, punched her palm in revelation. "As long as we prevent those things from happening and don't give you a reason to go on a rampage, the problem is solved! Don't worry, I'll protect you well—just like you protected me earlier!"
Barring any accidents, no one on the Koutetsujo was a match for Misono Mika. The real danger lay in someone tampering with her food or attempting a lethal strike while she rested.
Mumei figured she only needed to provide protection against those two points to prevent Mika from carrying out an indiscriminate massacre. It wasn't difficult; in fact, it seemed rather simple.
"Hey, is there anyone on the Koutetsujo you trust? Preferably someone with decent cooking skills!" Mumei asked, looking at Ikoma.
"Eh...? Me? Let me think..."
Ikoma blanked for a moment before the realization hit him. His gaze swept over the few people left in the carriage, finally landing on a girl with orange hair tied in a ponytail.
The girl's name was Kajika. She was a workplace partner of Ikoma and Takumi, known for her gentle personality and domestic skills. Kajika was also looking after several children who had lost their families—the youngest hadn't even been weaned yet. It was hard to imagine the pressure she was under.
"Oh~ she looks decent enough. You have good taste."
Mumei scrutinized Kajika from head to toe, her first impression being quite favorable.
Facing Mika's gaze, Kajika's face tensed up. Flattered and overwhelmed, she pointed at herself. "Me? Ikoma, Mumei, are you serious?! Making me responsible for Lady Mika's meals... surely there's someone more suitable..."
"We've lived together for so many years; we know each other inside and out. I really can't trust anyone else..." Ikoma shook his head helplessly.
Able to take care of people, able to cook, kind-hearted, female...
Among the people he knew, Kajika was the only one who fit all the criteria.
"Kajika, I'm begging you!"
Ikoma looked at her earnestly, desperately hoping she would agree. This concerned the survival of everyone. Rather than letting someone with an unknown temperament take charge, he preferred to choose someone he trusted. He couldn't bring himself to hand over the choice they had fought so hard to obtain.
"Kajika, I also think you're the best fit. Besides, you're already in charge of distributing food, so you interact with more people than we do. In your opinion, is there anyone else more suitable?" Takumi added, scratching the back of his head honestly.
"This..."
Kajika was stumped. Those older men and women seemed nice enough, but that was just a surface impression; she didn't truly know their characters. Asking her to provide a "more suitable" person was putting her in a difficult spot. This wasn't a game—if things went wrong, Mika might actually send them to the afterlife!
"Have you decided?"
Mika watched Kajika, who had been nominated by the group and looked as though she was "forced to bite the bullet." Mika walked over to her and spoke softly.
"Yes! My cooking might not be to Lady Mika's taste... I hope you won't mind when the time comes."
Kajika nodded seriously. Looking at the ethereal Misono Mika standing before her, her heart rate instinctively quickened. She had never observed Mika from this close; previously, she had only watched from a distance, not daring to approach.
The girl before her was truly beautiful—even Kajika, as a fellow woman, felt a flutter in her heart. There was no jealousy, however; the gap was so vast that jealousy couldn't even take root. Kajika gripped the hem of her clothes, too nervous to look Mika in the eye.
'Is the pressure I'm giving too much?'
That was exactly the effect Mika wanted. If she didn't pressure Mumei and the others, they might end up relying on her for everything, which simply wouldn't do.
This girl named Kajika was interesting. She clearly didn't want to take on this heavy responsibility at first, but she gritted her teeth and accepted it in the end. This involved the lives of everyone on the Koutetsujo; without a certain level of psychological fortitude, an ordinary person wouldn't dare agree.
Once this news spread and she faced the questioning gazes of the crowd, Mika wondered how long Kajika would last under that pressure. When a young girl in the prime of her life faced the malice of human nature, would she be able to maintain her original heart?
Mika was full of anticipation for Kajika's future.
'Unknowingly, I've gained another observation subject. It seems the Goddess of Luck is on my side, knowing exactly what I want to see.'
Just then, the Koutetsujo began to decelerate, finally coming to a steady stop at the exit. They intended to lower the drawbridge and escape Kenbane Station.
However, as expected, an "accident" occurred.
★ ★ ★