ch101-ch120 · 116-ch116

Chapter 116: The Alibi

"I'm so glad you decided to help us, Mia-san. Now then—please go ahead and move the equipment. After that, it's just a matter of when you're ready, Haruki-san..."

Right now, my 'Left Gate' is sitting parked on Floor 3.

I need to shift it over to Floor 30.

"Um, I'll need two days. Kasumi-san, you're coming with me, right? I'm taking off school starting tomorrow, so let's split it across the two days."

If it were just me, one day would be plenty, but Kasumi-san is never going to let me go alone.

Looks like settling things with 'Red Shadow' will have to wait a while longer.

When that time comes, I'd love to film a video of it... no. Can't.

(Hmph. 'Spring Shadow' is a shinobi who lives in shadow. He must never draw the eye.)

"I couldn't possibly leave you to do this alone, Haruki-san... But are you really going to be all right with school?"

"Exams are over, and there are clubs that still have the overall tournament coming up, so classes are pretty laid-back right now. What about you two? Will you be okay?"

"I've been completely taken off counter duty, so taking days off is no trouble at all. We'll use Thursday and Friday for the move, and as for the Floor 30 challenge... let's say we set out on Friday, shall we? To build the alibi, Mia-san and I will be staying over here. For the return, we'll come back right at the wire—just before 5 PM on Sunday—and ask Shiraishi-san to handle the Triple-Rank promotion."

Huh? Wait. Isn't this what they call a dungeon date?

With two whole days, we can take it slow—and it's my chance to show off!

"Alibi? What's that? And starting the day after tomorrow? That's awfully soon. And we come back Sunday for the Triple... What am I supposed to do?"

"Mia-san, please come to the Chiba branch on Friday afternoon and wait for us at our base warehouse. I'll have the paperwork ready—the transfer, the shop location, and the rest—so please wait there while you go over it with Shiraishi-san. That day, I'll stay the night at the warehouse with you. We set out Saturday morning."

"Don't really get it, but roger that. I'll go along. We'll need three days of food, yeah? I'll get it ready."

A sleepover at the warehouse!

Sounds fun!

"Yes! I wanna sleep over too!"

"Denied. This alibi is for your sake, Haruki-san. Please go home. Come Saturday morning, okay?"

Uuu. Shot down in half a second...

"The alibi's for Haruki, huh. I see—so he'll look like he was off on his own from us, the ones who left Friday. Which means one of us is Haruki after all... Carried to Triple by power-leveling. Yeah, no wonder he's hopeless outside."

And there she goes, saying something awful about me again.

"So I just keep Mia-chan company on Friday, then? And I'll bring food for Friday night and Saturday morning. We'll eat together."

Shiraishi-san, having finished her ice cream, joins the conversation.

Dinner together, huh. Sounds nice.

"Can I join too? Should I come by early on Saturday?"

"Nope. Girls have all sorts of getting-ready to do, so take your time coming Saturday, okay?"

Gaaah.

Shot down in half a second, again.

Why is it I can never take part in the fun stuff...