No Bad People Love Guns

Hoshino smiled faintly and hung up.

The people at Penguin Logistics were really quite amusing.

Hoshino waited silently. Before she could make sense of things, the phone rang again. Looking down, she saw that it was Exusiai calling back.

"Exusiai, what are you dawdling for?"

"Penguin Logistics has never received an order like this before. We need to discuss the price. Texas said she won't let me go if it's too cheap."

"Aren't you overthinking this a little?"

"..."

"My shrine is pretty spacious. You can come over and hang out. I'll treat you to rice balls, and if you get tired, you can just sleep over. It's fine."

"So... you were inviting me over to play?"

"What else would it be?"

Silence fell over the other end again, as though she were considering how believable that was.

After a while, Exusiai returned to the phone.

"Okay, I'll be there right away. Have the delivery fee ready."

"Sure."

Hoshino had already started counting out Lungmen Dollars. As a newly established religious figure, she was not rich enough to rival a nation, but she was far wealthier than Exusiai had imagined.

Her target, of course, was not Exusiai herself.

Though she had indeed craved her badly back then, Hoshino now only craved her gun—craved the Sky Ranger she could unlock.

Make rice balls, make rice balls.

After offering two consecutive lap pillows, Hoshino's thighs were a little sore. She stood, rubbed them, tried hopping a few times, then happily got to work in the kitchen.

Time passed.

Exusiai arrived faster than she had expected.

Purple seaweed wrapped around snowy white rice, with pickled sour plums tucked inside. They looked wonderful, but each rice ball was as large as a human head. No matter how brave someone was, seeing food that enormous would leave them bewildered for a moment.

Hoshino heard a car.

She walked out of the kitchen and saw Exusiai at the foot of the mountain, waving goodbye to the vehicle. Texas had probably driven her here.

At that moment—

Hoshino suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.

After the guilt came an equally inexplicable absurdity. She was not trying to do anything to Exusiai, so why did she suddenly feel guilty?

Exusiai slowly made her way up from the foot of the mountain, while Hoshino returned to the Tenshukaku and waited quietly.

The first thing that entered her sight was a bright halo.

Then came Exusiai's slender, tall figure. She wore a hoodie, her short hair fluttering in the air. Light wings spread behind her, and in her hands was a gun-shaped staff resembling a Vector submachine gun.

A girl like this... really was... impossible to refuse.

"I'm here. I still don't believe you invited me over just to hang out. What kind of job is this, really?"

"What if I just wanted to show off how rich I am?"

That was Hoshino's answer. She dragged Exusiai up the mountain, through the Tenshukaku, and into the quiet rear mountains.

A hot spring built from blue stone slabs steamed gently. Brass pipes formed a complete circuit, heating the water through internal circulation with smokeless charcoal.

This was a shrine now.

But not long ago, it had been a merchant's private retreat.

A suitable amount of luxury was necessary.

Exusiai stared in a daze. She looked back, then turned around to gaze at the pale pink winter cherry blossoms wreathed in mist. It was a scene straight out of paradise.

"How did I not realize you were actually a rich lady?"

She shook her head.

"Never mind. Just remember to give Penguin Logistics plenty of business, or I'll get jealous."

"Don't worry."

Exusiai sensed that something was wrong. The shrine maiden's eyes carried the predatory gleam of a beast, making the hairs on her back stand on end. It was as if she were hiding something important.

Pretty strange.

She entered the changing room and put on the women's yukata provided by the shrine.

So far, there had been no problem.

The air beside the hot spring was humid, after all. Exusiai loved her gun, so she crossed the path scattered with fallen petals barefoot and returned to Hoshino.

"Please store it carefully somewhere dry."

"Okay."

At the moment the weapon changed hands, Exusiai realized that the sensation of being hunted had suddenly vanished.

She noticed keenly that it had not disappeared.

The target had merely shifted.

It had transferred from Exusiai's body to the gun she treasured.

A brilliant smile suddenly spread across her face. The shadow that had hung over her heart ever since receiving the call vanished at once. She reached out and patted Hoshino on the shoulder.

"So that's what this is. You should've said so sooner."

Exusiai said it plainly.

There were no bad people who loved guns.

It was a somewhat arbitrary statement, but she had not seen any malice in Hoshino. Besides, Hoshino was a wealthy potential customer, so Exusiai was naturally happy to talk with her.

She lifted her leg, her tender white toes lightly touching the water and sending faint ripples across the surface.

The temperature was perfect.

She lay in the hot spring, watching petals drift down from the treetops into the water. Steam rose, shrouding everything before her.

"It feels like..."

"As comfortable as instant noodles that have softened up in hot water."

It was a rather strange comparison. Texas, who was always snacking, had probably rubbed off on her. For the moment, Exusiai could not think of any better words.

Hoshino brought over head-sized rice balls and hot spring eggs.

"Huh? You're not joining me?"

Thinking she had figured everything out, Exusiai suddenly went on the offensive. Hoshino froze, touched her cheek, and looked utterly puzzled.

Had her mystic scammer aura weakened?

This was a serious problem.

"I'm not used to bathing with other people. When there are people around, conversation is inevitable, but I prefer to quietly appreciate the beauty here by myself."

"What a proud beauty you are."

Hiss—

Exusiai had been so shy just now. Why had she suddenly become so bold?

"I can tell already—you're a gun enthusiast too. Once we're done soaking, I'll definitely teach you all about firearms." Her eyes gleamed with the light of someone who had found a fellow enthusiast. Thoroughly baffled, Hoshino nodded, taking it as agreement.

Exusiai did not know how to make hot spring eggs and held the skimmer helplessly. Hoshino had no choice but to teach her hand in hand.

It had to be said that, despite holding a gun all year round, Exusiai's hands were quite soft and smooth.

While Exusiai ate hot spring eggs and enormous rice balls, Hoshino rushed back to the Tenshukaku and picked up the gun Exusiai had entrusted to her.

She sat upright, cradling the Vector submachine gun in her arms, and closed her eyes.

The progress bar moved bit by bit.

When Exusiai felt that if she soaked any longer, her skin would start wrinkling, she hurriedly climbed out, changed clothes, and walked toward the Tenshukaku while rubbing her damp hair. There, she witnessed this scene directly—Hoshino held her gun like a pervert, eyes half-closed, looking utterly blissful.

"You really do love guns!"

The moment guns were mentioned, Exusiai seemed to have endless things to say.

She sat down and excitedly began talking about the past.

Technical matters were absolutely forbidden territory, and Exusiai had no intention of discussing them. She mainly told historical stories, such as how she had once been saved by a gun.

Hoshino smiled, sighed inwardly, and thought it wonderfully absurd.

Every now and then, she cursed in her heart, wondering when this nonsensical lecture would finally end.

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