Looking at the beautifully prepared breakfast on the table, Satoru Gojo grinned.
"So."
"Do you know who those people are?"
Rentaro Satomi ignored the joke and looked at him seriously.
"Those people?"
"What happened, Rentaro?"
Enju Aihara looked up from her breakfast, cheeks puffed with food.
"I noticed a group of people watching this building while I was outside."
He paused before correcting himself.
"More accurately, they're watching you two."
"No need to worry."
Gojo picked up his chopsticks.
"They're probably from the Self-Defense Forces."
"Betty and I got bored last night, so we went out for a walk. A satellite spotted us, and they tracked us down because they wanted to talk."
"We've got another meeting scheduled today."
"Might even get to meet Seitenshi."
"Thanks for the meal."
He casually brought his hands together before digging into breakfast.
"The Self-Defense Forces?! Seitenshi?!"
Rentaro knew every individual word.
Put together, though, they sounded unbelievable.
Yesterday they'd all had dinner together.
Then everyone had gone to sleep.
By the next morning, Gojo had somehow established contact with both the Self-Defense Forces and the ruler of Tokyo.
They were supposed to be Unregistered Citizens.
Shouldn't people in that position avoid attracting official attention at all costs?
Rentaro couldn't make sense of the logic behind it.
Enju, on the other hand, wasn't thinking that deeply.
She tilted her head curiously.
"Where did you go last night?"
"How did a satellite even see you?"
"We were curious about the Gastrea."
"So we flew outside Tokyo to take a look."
Clack.
Enju's chopsticks slipped from her fingers and landed on the table.
Her eyes widened.
"You mean..."
"You crossed the Monoliths and went outside?"
"Yep."
Gojo shrugged.
"Otherwise, where else would we find Gastrea?"
"It's not like they're wandering around inside the city."
Silence filled the room.
Rentaro stared at the two of them as though they were monsters.
After a long moment, he finally managed to speak.
"So you're telling me..."
"You wandered around outside the Monoliths..."
"And came back completely unharmed?"
"Of course."
Gojo smiled.
"Don't we look perfectly fine?"
He glanced toward Betty.
"You recorded it last night, didn't you?"
"Show Rentaro."
Betty pulled out her phone and opened the video.
"Recording with a phone is such a hassle."
She sounded dissatisfied.
"That drone yesterday seemed much more convenient."
"If you want one, just ask them later."
Gojo took another bite of breakfast.
"The military models are probably better than the civilian versions."
"They'll make taking videos and photos much easier."
The two of them continued discussing drones as though it were the most ordinary topic imaginable.
Meanwhile, Rentaro and Enju had completely forgotten about breakfast.
They leaned close together, their eyes glued to the phone's screen.
Compared to the technology of this world, Betty's phone wasn't particularly impressive.
The camera quality wasn't outstanding.
None of that mattered.
The footage was perfectly clear.
The moment the Monolith appeared on screen, both of them froze.
The video showed Gojo and Betty landing on top of the enormous barrier as casually as tourists stopping at a scenic overlook.
That alone proved everything they'd just said was true.
After a brief pause atop the Monolith, the two flew toward the wasteland occupied by the Gastrea.
Just as Rentaro expected, the outside world was crawling with them.
Before long, flying Gastrea spotted the intruders.
After Gojo and Betty landed, countless more emerged from every direction across the ground.
An endless tide.
The creatures stretched to the horizon.
Yet the pair remained completely relaxed.
A series of deafening explosions echoed from the phone's speakers.
One after another, Gastrea were blown apart as Gojo casually tested the limits of their regeneration.
The scene shifted again.
Betty stood in front of a mountain of barely living Gastrea, smiling at the camera with a cheerful peace sign as though she were taking a souvenir photo during a vacation.
Rentaro and Enju wore nearly identical expressions.
Both sat there with mouths hanging open, unable to say a word.
Ordinary people only knew that the Gastrea were terrifying.
The two of them had fought those monsters on the front lines countless times.
As Civil Security officers, they understood their true horror far better than anyone else.
That was precisely why this footage shook them so deeply.
Gojo wasn't battling the Gastrea.
He was playing with them.
Among the creatures were not only Stage One and Stage Two Gastrea, but countless Stage Three specimens as well.
Rentaro and Enju could usually handle the first two stages without too much difficulty.
Stage Three enemies were another matter entirely.
Yet the video showed dozens of them.
Perhaps even more.
No matter how many surrounded him, they were utterly powerless.
Gojo dealt with them effortlessly.
Betty didn't even have to lift a finger.
She simply strolled around the battlefield as though she were taking a leisurely walk through a park.
Only now did they truly understand what overwhelming strength looked like.
The difference between themselves and Gojo was so vast it felt impossible to measure.
After the video ended, Rentaro let out a long sigh.
"What is it?"
Gojo looked up from his breakfast.
"I suddenly realized..."
Rentaro shook his head with a helpless smile.
"I shouldn't have been worried about you getting into trouble."
"If anything..."
"The Self-Defense Forces are the ones who should be worried."
"Oh, come on."
Gojo looked offended.
"You make me sound like some dangerous criminal."
"I'm actually quite law-abiding."
Rentaro couldn't help laughing.
Those words coming from Gojo sounded absurd.
With power like his...
If he ever decided to ignore the law, who could possibly stop him?
He probably had the strength to rewrite the rules themselves.
"So amazing..."
Enju finally recovered from her shock and stared blankly at the dark phone screen.
She slowly turned toward Gojo.
"Is Betty as strong as you are?"
Gojo glanced at Betty, who was calmly eating breakfast without the slightest interest in joining the conversation.
"Betty?"
He smiled.
"If we're being honest..."
"She's my teacher."
"What do you think?"
The last shred of hope vanished from Enju's face.
She froze completely.
Usually she was energetic and fearless, whether facing Gastrea or other Cursed Children.
At least those opponents had limits.
With enough effort, she could imagine reaching their level someday.
Gojo and Betty were different.
She honestly believed that even if she completely transformed into a Gastrea instead of merely using some of their abilities...
The two of them would still flatten her without breaking a sweat.
Exactly like the monsters in the video.
"Relax."
Gojo chuckled.
"Betty's very generous."
"She isn't going to hold a tiny argument against you forever."
"W, who said I was worried about her?! I..."
Enju tried to sound stubborn.
Then Betty glanced at her.
That single indifferent look made her jump like a startled cat.
"I..."
"I'm full!"
She bolted from the room as fast as her legs could carry her, choosing the ostrich approach to dealing with reality.
Watching her disappear, Rentaro smiled.
He was already used to Enju's dramatic personality.
"What are you planning to do about the Self-Defense Forces?"
"Nothing in particular."
Gojo answered casually.
"The Guard Captain I met yesterday said he wanted to learn the power I'd demonstrated."
"I don't mind teaching him."
"But if you want something..."
"You have to pay an appropriate price."
That answer immediately caught Rentaro's attention.
"They want your power?"
He frowned.
"They're planning to study you?"
Gojo blinked.
Only then did he remember telling Rentaro a made-up story about coming from a laboratory.
"No need for anything that complicated."
"I can simply teach them."
"...Teach them?"
"Not through modifications."
He shrugged.
"I'll teach them how to use the power directly."
"You know."
"Like learning magic in a light novel."
Rentaro fell silent.
Watching his expression gradually become blank again, Gojo knew the man was busy rebuilding his understanding of reality.
Honestly...
If he hadn't already possessed Cursed Energy before arriving in the Re:Zero world, he probably would've reacted exactly the same way.
Thinking back on it...
Natsuki Subaru really had been the ideal isekai protagonist.
The guy had adapted to another world almost immediately.
"Anyway."
Gojo stood up.
"Thanks for breakfast."
He and Betty had already finished eating.
Rentaro and Enju still had school.
As unemployed drifters, they shouldn't waste any more of their time.
"Oh, right."
Gojo stopped at the doorway.
"If the Self-Defense Forces, or anyone else, gives you trouble because of us..."
"Come tell me."
"I'd feel pretty bad if my friends got dragged into my problems."
"Don't worry."
Rentaro smiled sincerely.
"After watching that video, if I still tried to handle everything myself..."
"That would just be stubbornness."
"Good."
Gojo waved.
"See you later."
The apartment door closed behind them.
Only then did Enju cautiously poke her head out of her room.
"They're gone?"
"They're gone."
She immediately dashed back to the dining table and resumed eating the breakfast she'd abandoned.
"What were you running away for?"
Rentaro laughed.
"They look about the same age as me."
She pouted.
"How was I supposed to know she was that strong?"
"What if she's still mad about yesterday and decides to beat me up?"
"If she did..."
"You wouldn't be able to protect me either."
"You'd probably get beaten up with me."
"What are you talking about?"
Rentaro couldn't help smiling.
"Didn't she already say yesterday that she wasn't going to argue with a child?"
"You can't trust children when they say things like that."
"...You're a child too."
...
Back in their own apartment, Gojo looked outside at the bright morning sun and immediately pulled the curtains shut.
"What are you doing?"
Betty looked back from the television.
"We've eaten."
He stretched and flopped face-first onto the bed, wiggling around until he found the perfect position.
"So now it's time for more sleep."
"I was planning to sleep until noon."
"Instead I got dragged out of bed for breakfast."
"Aren't we supposed to meet that... what was her name?"
"Seitenshi?"
Betty asked.
"It's not like she'd summon us this early."
Gojo yawned.
"She's the ruler of Tokyo."
"For all we know, she's still asleep."
The words had barely left his mouth when footsteps stopped outside the apartment.
Knock. Knock knock.
"Betty."
Gojo mumbled into the pillow.
"It's probably Rentaro again."
"I'm sleepy."
"You answer it."
"You really are hopelessly lazy."
Shaking her head, Betty walked to the front door.
This time, however, the familiar voice wasn't waiting outside.
"Good morning, Miss Betty."
Several uniformed guards stood outside.
"We're members of the Guard Corps."
"We've come to escort you and Mr. Gojo to the Holy Residence."
"The Holy Residence?"
Betty frowned.
The name meant nothing to her.
"It's where Lady Seitenshi lives and conducts government affairs."
"I see."
Betty turned toward the bedroom.
"So?"
"Do you want to go now?"
Gojo lazily rolled over to face the doorway.
"Doesn't your Seitenshi sleep in?"
"It's barely morning."
One of the guards answered respectfully,
"Lady Seitenshi has many official duties."
"She rises early every day to handle government affairs."
"It is under her leadership that the Tokyo Area has remained so stable and prosperous."