CH 273

Episode 273: Too carefree of a target

After spending a lot of time playing in Destinyland, we went to a casino in Las Vegas, won big, and got banned.

"Hnnn!!"

"Oh, you woke up."

After waking up feeling refreshed and stretching as usual, Rei calls out to me.

As expected of the only adult among us to be awake even though I wake up quite early. The other members are still soundly asleep.

"You shouldn't stare at a girl's sleeping face, you know?"

"I'm sorry."

When Rei berates me, I deeply bow my head.

It must be very embarrassing to see their sloppy faces before waking up.

"Fufufuu. Be careful."

Rei covers her mouth and laughs at my reaction. It is a very picturesque scene where Rei is illuminated by the light shining through the window.

"Even so, it's early in the morning. Do you always wake up at this time?"

"You say it's early, but I think you're the same. I'm not usually awake this early. However, I woke up feeling uneasy for some reason. It was a little noisy last night."

I was a little fascinated by Rei, but I regain my composure so as not to be noticed and ask.

It's true that I heard explosions in the distance before I went to bed last night, but Luck said it wasn't something to worry about, so I fell asleep without worrying about it.

Rei is a person with excellent stealth and detection abilities, so she may be worried about the sounds outside and feel something intuitively around her.

Maybe there was some sort of conflict between organizations behind the scenes yesterday. It seems quiet now, so I think it's calmed down, but I need to be careful when walking in the city.

When I mutter about being in the city, I suddenly remember something.

"Speaking of which, I didn't buy any souvenirs in Las Vegas, so is it okay if we leave after that?"

It's shopping. I want to buy Las Vegas souvenirs before leaving.

I consult with Rei.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. The travel time is like nothing, and we can get back that much time later."

"I see. Understood. Thank you."

To Rei, who didn't make a particularly bad face and forgave my selfishness, I give a big smile and thank her again.

"I, it's fine. I'm just following your lead. It's not something to be thanked for."

Rei shyly turns away. I didn't have anything in particular to do, so I spent some time talking to Rei while watching TV.

"Fuwaa. Good morning, Onii-chan."

"Nn."

"Good morning. Fuhito-kun."

Nanami, Shia, and Amane start waking up around 7:30.

It's about time for breakfast, so while the three of them are getting ready, I spend my time on the veranda looking at the scenery outside.

It's a good hotel, so the view is nice.

"Nn?"

For a moment, I feel bloodlust and glare back at the point of its gaze. But, in the next moment, it is gone.

"What exactly was that?"

"Onii-chan, we're ready."

"Oh, coming."

I tilt my head to think about it, but Nanami comes to call me, so I stop thinking and decide to go eat breakfast. When we finish eating, the shops start to open, and it is just the right time to shop.

"I completely forgot to buy souvenirs yesterday, so I'm thinking of going back to the dungeon after buying them, is that okay?"

"No objections!!"

"Nn."

"Of course you can."

I ask the three people from whom I hadn't gotten confirmation, and since they agree, we pack up our luggage and check out of the hotel.

We carry only rucksack-type Magic Bags on our backs and go from shop to shop that sell products related to Las Vegas.

"Nn?"

"Onii-chan, is something wrong?"

"No, I think it was just my imagination."

For a moment, I think I feel a hostile gaze from somewhere, but it seems that it is just my imagination, so I shake my head at Nanami who questions my strange behavior and concentrate on shopping again.

"Nn?"

"Nn?"

"No, it's nothing."

After visiting several shops, I feel like I'm being watched again. This time Shia stares at me curiously, but I shake my head and tell her not to worry about it.

"Nn?"

And every time I leave a store again and again, I can feel a hostile gaze.

"What's wrong?"

"No, I feel like someone's been staring at us since a while ago. But the gaze disappears quickly."

This time, Amane asks me because she seems to be interested in my appearance, so I honestly tell her about the gaze I've been feeling since a while ago.

"Yesterday we were quite popular, maybe that's why."

"Is that right."

A lot of people were watching yesterday, and I thought Amane's words had a point, so I decide not to worry about it.

However, even though I can't do anything, I always stare back at the origin of the hostile gaze.

"Muu!!"

"This is!?"

However, just when we are about to finish shopping, I feel many stares from behind with obvious hostility. Rei seems to have noticed, too, and I and Rei immediately look back, but there is no one there holding any animosity towards us.

"Weren't there people who were being hostile to us just now?"

"Yeah, I certainly felt that way."

When I ask for confirmation from Rei, who has noticed the same thing as me, Rei nods her head in agreement.

"Then, where exactly did they go?"

"I have no idea. There is no sign of them, and I can't seem to locate them."

I check questioningly, but Rei doesn't seem to understand it at all.

"I see. In any case, let's move to an unpopulated place while being cautious."

""Roger.""

The meaning is too unclear, so we decide to move while being cautious. However, in the end, we are able to reach an unpopulated place without having anything to worry about.

"Then, let's go back to the dungeon."

""Yeah!!""

In the end, we move from Las Vegas to the dungeon fairly close to the Grand Canyon by Shadow Transfer without knowing the identity of the gazes.