Chapter 4 – It’s Tough Being an Angel ~Virgin’s Fury Road~

Now then, and so one mission comes to an end.

The movie ticket costs.

You’re probably curious where that money comes from, right?

Hey, you’re curious, aren’t you?

『We properly provide necessary expenses.』

Yeah, that’s right. Except it’s through God Power.

After all, I’m a middle schooler—I can’t get a normal part-time job. Even the rare exceptions like newspaper delivery, my parents wouldn’t allow.

In other words, I have almost no opportunities to get money.

So the God Power works by having my parents buy a winning lottery ticket and giving me some allowance, or a relative auntie visits and gives me spending money, or I find a wallet and turn it in to the police and the owner appears and gives me a reward.

What a roundabout God Power.

But whatever, it’s fine.

At least I don’t have to worry about expenses.

That peace of mind is priceless.

Relieved, I turned on the TV.

Comedy shows after finishing work are the best.

But unfortunately, more time had passed than I thought.

Now it was time for the evening news program.

“I wonder how the stock market is doing today?”

『It’s today’s news that’s on.』

Fufufu, how’s the Nasdaq doing?

『That’s why they’re only covering incidents. Please stop… forcing yourself.』

Middle school boys want to look a little cool sometimes.

Please stop with the retorts.

『…』

Don’t go silent. Even though I can’t see you, I know you’re giving me a judgmental stare.

Listen here, I’m definitely going to get the power to grope your chest!

When that happens, it’ll be too late to apologize!

I was howling like a sore loser while becoming absorbed in the TV screen.

It’s definitely not because I was embarrassed and deflecting.

…It’s not, okay?

Today’s news flowed from the TV.

“Three months have passed since Terashima Mika-san went missing. Chiba Prefectural Police today once again called for cooperation in the investigation.”

How unsettling.

Terashima Mika, a 6th-grade girl, went missing three months ago.

Despite the police’s diligent investigation, her whereabouts remain unknown.

But what makes this case so gruesome isn’t simply that an elementary schooler went missing.

Initially, this wasn’t a kidnapping case.

That’s right, this case began with murder.

Three months ago, in the evening.

There were complaints to city hall, the fire department, and police about a strange smell coming from the neighborhood.

When the fire department, suspecting a gas leak, rushed to the scene, they found a horrific state unlike anything they’d seen before… apparently.

Pools of blood, bloodstains, and the dismembered bodies of Terashima Mika’s parents were discovered.

They haven’t reported very specific descriptions on TV.

But considering it’s been repeatedly reported for three months, it’s assumed to have been so abnormal it couldn’t be broadcast on public airwaves.

And Terashima Mika’s body still hasn’t been found… that’s why it’s a missing person case.

Ugh, scary.

『How disturbing…』

Yeah.

Let’s change to comedy or anime since this is putting me in a bad mood.

I reach for the TV remote.

That’s when it happened.

“Next news. Ten years since Misao-chan (age 3 at the time), daughter of former actress Hojo Rikako-san, was kidnapped. We asked Hojo-san to share her thoughts about her missing daughter in front of the camera.”

Hojo…?

『Hojo… yes…』

“Right?”

I’d spoken out loud without realizing it.

The screen displayed the photo of that infant from the Saitama Police website.

No way…

Too shocked to move, the TV ignored my frozen state and showed the infant’s mother, the former actress.

I was speechless.

Even though she was a woman in her early 40s, from my perspective as a middle schooler, she was a beauty whose black hair and kimono suited her perfectly.

That face, that melancholic expression—it closely resembled the transfer student.

As if Ebina had simply grown into an adult.

『Why… didn’t anyone notice…?』

Angel-chan said.

Well, of course.

I know her name is “Hojo.”

Otherwise, I wouldn’t have noticed.

According to the information on the current program, Hojo Rikako apparently had numerous hit works but no immortal masterpieces as an actress.

Now she’s in charge of marketing and strategy at a production company.

So there’s no way people would know.

Even seeing that beautiful girl, people would only think, “Oh what a pretty child. Come to think of it, there was an actress with a similar face long ago. I wonder what she’s doing now?” That’s the extent of their awareness.

The world doesn’t have that much interest in other people.

In the past, there was even a case where a fugitive from a robbery-murder went unnoticed in hiding for years.

Without a lead, you wouldn’t think that an infant kidnapped 10 years ago had become such a beautiful girl.

…If it really is her.

This isn’t confirmed yet.

I hope it doesn’t get confirmed.

Because my knees are trembling at an unprecedented speed.

『Wh-wh-wh-what do we do!? Sh-sh-sh-should we call the police…?』

N-n-n-n-n-n-no, it’s not decided yet.

I’m totally panicking.

『B-b-b-b-but, a kidnapping case with no memory or…』

From her voice, I could tell the Angel was also shaking.

C-c-c-calm down.

For now, dial 110… wait, hold on.

The other party has infiltrated all the way to the school.

The documents proving her identity must be perfectly in order.

No one would believe me if I just called out of the blue.

Besides, what would I even say?

“Mr. Police Officer, sir. A kid who looks just like Hojo Rikako transferred to our school. She’s suspicious, so please arrest her. Double peace sign.”

…Yeah, no.

I’d be the one getting arrested for prank calling…

Suddenly cooled down, I scratched my butt.

“Why don’t we just ask God? God Power could handle it with a little somethin’-somethin’.”

Can’t get involved. ‘Cause I’m a virgin, after all. -Kotaro.

Come on now. God-chan, it’s your turn.

Use that power you used to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and handle this real quick.

『God! The idiot is saying stupid things!』

Hey, don’t immediately tattle on me.

It was a joke.

You lack kindness.

You lack kindness toward me!

You lack compassion for virgins!

『…Yes, God.』

Gracefully ignoring my voice, the Angel conversed with God.

Please stop with the neglect play.

Seriously. It makes me want to die.

『Eh… God… even for Hikaru-chan with her abnormally high Luck stat, that’s impossible… huh, do it anyway?』

What?

Can you not say things that make me anxious?

Hey, seriously.

『Um… Hikaru-chan.』

What is it?

Miss Angel.

I don’t want to hear it unless it’s good news.

『A new order from God… investigate, he says…』

Aaaaaaaaaaaah!

I-can’t-heeeear-you!

『You won’t die… probably…』

The omniscient and omnipotent one can’t even say it definitively!

Wait! No more, please stop!

What an unreasonable demand!

I don’t want to die a virgin, don’t want to die, don’t want to die!

Besides, which is it!?

Is that girl Ebina? Or is she Hojo? Hey!

『God says he wants you to investigate that.』

Hissssssssss!

『…Huh, if you complete the request, he’ll grant you a blessing so you can get a girlfriend? Is that okay? Using such a cheat. The girl who becomes the idiot’s girlfriend will be so pitiful… Eh, if you refuse, you’ll be a virgin forever.』

Did you just… say what I think you said…

Hey wait, I just heard a keyword I can’t ignore!