Chương 67: Chapter 18 The Gate's Hidden Mechanism(Part 1)

I left the Gate and headed straight to the Metropolitan Police Department. It might be a little late to wonder about this now, but do the Special Hazardous Beast Countermeasure Personnel receive overtime pay? If not, that would be a black company. Well, until the Akihabara Gate settles down, I'll quietly devote myself to this work. Smoking a cigarette, puffing away on my kiseru pipe, I eventually arrived at the Metropolitan Police Department. Mochida-san, sorry.

I'm probably making things a little smokier than usual.

"First, please take a shower. I'll go talk with Chiyoda while you're doing that. And don't wander around after you finish, okay?" After saying that, Mochida lowered the zipper on my back and quickly left the shower room. I did want to take a shower. Hyodo had soaked me with water, and while I don't sweat anymore and my underwear doesn't get dirty, dust still sticks to me. The problem was that I had no spare underwear or bath towel. Putting the same things back on again wasn't something I wanted to do...

Well, Mochida would come back to get me anyway. I decided to take a longer shower and wait. The warmth of the water pouring over my head felt pleasant. There were no amenities available, so I washed my hair and body with my hands. My soft, squishy body was still operating normally today. I was surprised when my arm disappeared, but it literally rewound itself and returned to normal almost immediately.

It still hurt, and the sensation of metallic threads crawling through my arm was unsettling, but it was still better than having it gone. Stolen novel; please report. While organizing everything that happened inside the Gate, I stood there absentmindedly under the shower for a while... But Mochida still hadn't returned.

"Did you hear First came back?"

"Really? I haven't seen her for a few days."

"Mochida-san brought the car around earlier, so she should be here!"

"That's nice... I want to meet her and hug her." Of course, this was the women's shower room. Nobody was going to break into my individual stall, but other people would still come in... Perfect.

"Excuse me~ Could I borrow some shampoo? I didn't bring any."

"Sure... but who are you?"

"Um... I'm First. Could you throw it over the top?" Being called that was fine, but introducing myself like this felt embarrassing. It felt like I was giving myself my own nickname. The top of the shower stall was open, so I just wanted them to throw it over quickly.

"Here you go!"

"Thank you, I apprecia—" The door opened. Someone hugged me from one side. Someone else started washing my hair from the other. And then my body was carefully washed with body soap. Then they left. The female police officers who had charged in like a typhoon left completely satisfied. Wasn't this trespassing and sexual harassment? Rina, I'm sorry... I expected entering the women's bath, but I never expected to be surrounded, hugged, and washed like this. Maybe this was what an esthetic treatment felt like.

It actually felt good. I underestimated the initiative of female police officers. That was my mistake.

"Are you finished?" Mochida returned.

"Why are you sitting there hugging your knees? Hurry up and put your clothes on." I was a little irritated, but what was done was done. There was no damage, and my body was clean now.

"Mochida-san, this isn't a hotel. I don't have a towel, clothes, or underwear."

"What? You didn't put them in your ring?"

"If I had, I would already be changed and smoking a cigarette by now. Sorry, but could you handle it?" Mochida left again. She returned shortly after with a towel and a bag. I didn't think the Metropolitan Police Department would have spare clothes prepared, so she must have kept them in the car. After drying myself, I looked inside the bag. Black underwear, tights, and a dress resembling a cassock. There was also something like a cape, so I assumed I was supposed to wear that as well.

Wasn't this a little hot for early summer? Personally, a T-shirt and shorts would have been fine.

"Am I wearing this correctly?"

"Yes, you are. I'll tie your hair up."

"Thank you. It's in the way, so that's helpful."

"But this outfit... Mochida-san, did you buy it?"

"No. The underwear is mine, but the clothes were prepared by volunteers from the Metropolitan Police Department. At this rate, they might even create a costume department someday. Not that I know anything about it." She tied my hair near the back of my head with a large black ribbon. With my hair no longer touching my neck, air flowed through and it was surprisingly cool. I wondered whether this was better than the gothic lolita outfit. At least there were fewer frills. Still...

What exactly were these volunteers thinking?

"Now, please hold my hand."

"Wouldn't it be fine if I just walked behind you?" When I said that, Mochida covered her face with her hand and shook her head. I didn't think she was annoyed with me. I wasn't so helpless that I would get lost inside the Metropolitan Police Department. Though, thinking back, I had only ever moved between the conference room, private rooms, and the cafeteria. Still, I wasn't directionally challenged.

"Did something happen in the shower room?"

"I just borrowed shampoo. I was hugged and had my entire body washed, though."

"That's exactly it." Mochida pointed at me sharply. Don't point at people. It's rude. While thinking that, I looked back on the past.... I became the mother of ducklings. People asked me for autographs. I was nearly stopped because my appearance made me look like a runaway child. And now, the name First had spread overseas. I gave up.

"Understood. I'll hold your hand."

"Yes. Leave it to Producer Mochida." Apparently, she had quit being a police officer somewhere along the way and become my producer. Though in this situation, being led around by an ordinary person was technically kidnapping, wasn't it? Holding my hand, Mochida led me out of the shower room.