Chapter 102: Crash Race

Apparently, the Insectum had been acting strange lately.

It had been happening since around the job with His Excellency, but from what I heard, their invasions had become oddly serious.

In fact, battles large enough to be called wars were apparently taking place along what could be called the border.

War gives birth to tragedy and heroes.

And so, a new hero had apparently been born.

He did not carry a sword.

He did not carry a gun.

All he did was make food and deliver it.

No matter the battlefield, no matter how fierce, he simply made food and delivered it, the same as always, without changing.

It was a simple thing anyone could do. But when a young child risked his life to do it on the battlefield, it became a touching story, a heroic tale, and then, like this, an advertisement.

Well, what I was trying to say was…

There was an article about His Excellency in the electronic newspaper.

“…”

Feeling somewhat complicated about it, I operated my terminal and closed the newspaper.

“A little kid like that is fighting for the world. You should work too, Hound.”

Specifically, go work in this fierce battlefield. Potato Man said that while setting down carbonated water for me as I picked at a buttered potato at the counter.

“I fight for my family, not the world, so…”

Not for that amount, I replied.

The pay would still rise, so do not go yet. That was the notice Search Hound had sent around to each hound, bypassing Potato Man as the manager.

If even one hound moved, that would create precedent and become the standard rate. So we would wait until it rose as far as it could. That was the conclusion we hounds of Doggy House had reached. It felt like it might violate some antitrust law, but well, I would pretend not to know.

“You said yesterday, ‘I’m off tomorrow,’ and then you showed up anyway. I thought maybe you’d discovered the beauty of labor.”

“Too bad.”

At those words, I shrugged.

Unfortunately for you, as they say.

“Sheepherd Dog?”

“Something like that.”

I took a sip of carbonated water. Together with Potato Man, I looked toward one corner of the shop and saw a group of people. It was probably what they called clipper art. A technique where the already shaved parts were trimmed even shorter to create patterns through the contrast in hair density. A middle-aged man with the silhouette of a Welsh corgi, the same breed as Rudo, carved into the side of his head was saying something to several young people gathered around him.

“At this timing, that means…”

“He’s having a kid, apparently. Probably wanted to avoid even the slightest chance of getting sent to the front.”

“Ah.”

So that was it, I nodded.

Whether for family or for the world, as long as you belonged to Doggy House and fought, that time could always come.

We were kept dogs. If Doggy House, our owner, put a leash around our necks and pulled, our workplace could be decided for us. A crisis for humanity was a good example.

Sheepherd Dog must have judged that this skirmish with the Insectum could develop that far.

“Was it really all right to let him quit at this time?”

“Sheepherd Dog’s got a pretty solid batch of pups.”

“…Incidentally, one of the candidates is a newlywed.”

“Don’t you know, Hound? The power of love saves the world.”

“Well, well.”

Wonderful and invincible, or invincibly wonderful. Something like that.

I shook my empty glass and demanded a refill. Potato Man shrugged, frowned, took the glass, and began preparing another. Meanwhile, Sheepherd Dog dismissed them, and the pups were released into the wild.

“Touji.”

One of them, a familiar face, came over to me.

“It’s time for work.”

“Come on, you’re hiring me, a hound, for a pup’s exam, aren’t you? Act the part a little, pup.”

“Yeah, fair enough.”

Shinzo smiled wryly and tried again.

“It’s time to win.”

I answered that with a fearless grin.

And then, the ending to that hard-boiled little moment we had tried to pull off was terrible.

“Ah, I’m sure you already know this, but hounds aren’t allowed to interfere in a pup’s exam.”

That line from Potato Man, who had come back with my refill, should tell you everything.

Alice had been gathering information beside us. When she saw Shinzo and me freeze with our serious faces still on, she spat out her milk with a “bfoh!”

Karys, who had come along with Shinzo, lowered her head while her shoulders shook.

Rudo, sensing the fun atmosphere, broke into a stupid, happy grin.

Please infer the rest from all of that.

“…No.”

Once I managed to reboot, I forced my brain to work and turned back to Potato Man.

“Why not?”

“Because if it’s a test of his ability, borrowing a big force from outside defeats the point.”

“Being able to prepare a big outside force is part of his ability, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. But this test isn’t about that.”

“…”

I fell silent at Potato Man’s words.

Put that way, he might have a point. Taken to the extreme, if that were allowed, I could turn any random kid from the campsite into a hound. If I took the main role under the name of support, it would be an easy win.

“…Shinzo.”

“…What?”

“Please don’t crouch down.”

I understand you’re embarrassed, but please don’t leave me standing here alone. Let’s suffer these lukewarm gazes together. And while we’re at it, let’s figure out how to salvage that dramatic exchange.

With that feeling, I shook Shinzo, who had curled up on the spot. Rudo decided we were playing and came over, then shoved his nose between Shinzo’s arms where he was hiding his face and started snuffling.

“Excuse me, Potato Man-san. This is the test for today.”

While we were playing around, Karys recovered from her laughing fit and showed Potato Man her terminal. Deep wrinkles appeared between Potato Man’s brows when he saw it.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“…What the hell is that old man thinking?”

“The prize money is good, so I believe many civilians will be participating as well. If Touji-san happens to be there too…”

“Right. No problem there. Damn it! Hey, Sheepherd Dog! About this exam!”

Potato Man shouted as he closed in on Sheepherd Dog.

Sheepherd Dog was a funky middle-aged man in sunglasses. He let Potato Man’s anger go in one ear and out the other while cheerfully drinking ale and laughing in a very American “Hahahahaha!”

What was going on?

I asked Karys with my eyes. She handed me the terminal. The words 21st Crash Race danced on the screen. Apparently, it was a race sponsored by Arawn Company, Tatara Heavy Industries, and the Craftsmen’s Guild. A live broadcast was impossible, but television coverage would be there. The prize money was excellent. And for this,

“Placement determines the exam result?”

“That is correct.”

“…”

I silently looked down at Shinzo.

I could participate too, then. I could support him properly. What was there to be so embarrassed about?

“…Do you understand how I feel after making that face and saying, ‘It’s time to win’?”

“That, well… I do feel sorry about that.”

I should not have made him say it again.