459-Episode 261 Suspicious Person Information in Snow




The sun has risen and the area is becoming brighter, though covered with clouds.
Last year, it was dark and snowy in the morning, but this year, the sun is shining through the clouds.

This year, the morning sun was shining through the clouds. The same heavy snowfall season is so different.
This year's heavy snowfall is bright and shining, and the atmosphere is a little more joyful than last year's gloomy and heavy image.

'When do you plan to come to church?
'I think I'll wait until everyone is here.

Donations to the church will not be made from today until the heavy snowfall period.
That's what we've discussed beforehand.
For this reason, we brought the food that we had already prepared to the church yesterday. A lot of it.
I'm sure that the matron ladies are cooking a hot meal for the kids right now.

Still, Ginette is the kind of person who likes to show up at church whenever possible.

Donations have been suspended as of today, but there is no rule that says you can't go to church without donations.
She's just going with the kids to see Bertina.
I'm sure they'll bring some freshly made snacks with them.

'If someone comes while we're away, they'll have to wait in the snow, and we'll have to turn off the wood stove.
'So, do we leave Umaro behind?'
'That's .......'

He glanced towards the sunlit pavilion and stepped into the snow, squeezing himself closer to me.

'We are planning to take Magda-san to the church as well.

The kids at the church are very fond of Magda.
Jeannette wanted to take him with her if she was going to go, and Magda also wanted to visit the church, even if it meant walking in the snow.

So she wanted to wait a little longer.

He doesn't want to leave Umaro alone now.
He's so soft on others.

'So, after Delia and the others come, right?
'Yes. I think Masha will probably be staying at home.

Masha in the tank is difficult to move in this snow.
So I'm sure that Delia will also stay behind.
In the first place, Masha doesn't seem to like children very much.

'Well, let's go inside and make a snack.
'Snack, sir?
'Oh, yeah. The kind they give out to kids. Doughnuts or popcorn or something that we can't make in the church would make them happy, so we'd better get them ready early.

When you make doughnuts, you need about thirty minutes of bench time.
It takes a certain amount of time.
It's also very cold, so I want to get inside. Come on, Jeannette. Come on, Jeanette. Let's go inside and cook in the warm kitchen. Come on, let's go. Come on. Seriously.

'giggle......'

Ginette smiled happily in the frigid snow, as if her cold-sensing organs had been dropped into bed.
My face is so tight that the muscles in my cheeks are starting to freeze, but I'm smiling naturally.

'What is it?
'You really love children, don't you, Yashiro-san?
'Huh?

Since you said you'd bring snacks ......, did I not say that?
Even if I didn't say it, you'd take it anyway, right?
I can easily imagine that from what you've said and done so far.

So it's not my idea.

'I'm sure the kids will be happy.
'No, it's not that I want to do it. ......'
'It's more profitable, isn't it?

It's not profitable.
What kind of profit will come from indulging a kid? The only thing that's going to increase is your expenses.

And don't make it sound like you're me by saying that.You're missing the point.

'I'm just tracing what you might say.
'Is that so?I think Yashiro-san would have done that even if I hadn't suggested it.
'There's no way .......'

Who the hell would want to ............ for those cocky little bastards?

'Okay, let's make some shaved ice!
'giggle. I'm sure the ingredients will be free.'

There's snow all around us.
But he's got a look on his face that says he doesn't mean it at all.

...... Huh.
I'm sure you've been planning to do this all along, but you're going to make it sound like I'm the one who suggested it.
This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. It's a punishment, so don't say anything.
If you don't say anything, I'll rub your left tit as a reward. Yeah, let's do that.

'Anyway, let's go inside. It's too cold.'

My spine zoned from being labeled a good guy.


I'm going to fall asleep with a fever.

I pushed Ginette, who was still grinning, off the street and back to the front yard of the Sunken Pavilion.
He's been smiling and laughing all morning.
It's the season of heavy snowfall, when even the grass and trees wither, and he has no sense of crisis.

'I think I'm going to like the heavy snow season.

That's what Ginette muttered in front of the door of the sunlit pavilion.
Then she glances back, throws a glance at me, and smiles again.

I stopped dead in my tracks and was unable to speak.
We stared at each other in silence for about two seconds.
Jeannette smiled even deeper, turned forward, and put her hand on the doorknob.

Just then - probably because the snow on the roof had melted a little due to the wood stove - a lump of snow fell from the roof and landed on Ginette's head.

'Honyaah!

Apparently she had been careless and hadn't put on the hood of her cloak, causing the cold snow to sneak down her neck and into her clothes.
He slapped his back, which caused the snow inside his clothes to touch his back, and he screamed more. He screamed even more.
...... What do you want, man?

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.
He hurriedly took off his cloak and pulled the hem of his clothes to let the snow inside fall to the floor.
Wow, there was a pretty big one in there, wasn't there?

'Ginette'.
'...... hai'.
'Heavy snowfall season, like?'
'Huh, ......!

Right after I said I was going to like the snow season, this is what I got.
If it had been me, I would have interpreted it as a rejection from her, given up on building a friendship with her, and declared war on her instead.
But Jeannette, with tears in her eyes, defended the heavy snowfall period that had brought the unreasonable attack.

'Ugh ...... but I still like it'.

Oh, I'm sure she's the type of girl who would be fooled by a bad man.
She'll believe that the man is really a kind person.
They believe that they are the only one who can understand them. ......

'Jeannette. Don't be fooled by bad men, okay?
'Heh?......, yes. I'll be careful.'

Then she tilts her head.
Yeah, be careful out there.

...... I'd really appreciate it if you'd be a little more careful about what you say. d*mn.

'...... Manager. Are you okay?'
'Oh, yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry for the disturbance.'

Magda walks over to Jeannette.
Her ears are erect and her back is straight.
He does not seem to be shivering or afraid of the snow.

...... seems to be okay this year.

I've been looking at Magda for a while now, and her quiet eyes have turned to me.


'...... Magda hated the cold, the dark, and the lonely.

This is the first time that I've ever seen such a thing.

'......Every year, I dreaded the coming of this day. ...... Last year, too, I was afraid.'

Magda is left alone.
The snow takes the sound out of the world and covers the landscape.
For the lonely, it can even be an object of fear.

'...... but I'm fine now.'

Magda smiled, her head tilted slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

'......When I wake up in the morning, there is someone to greet me with good morning, so I am not afraid to sleep at night. With Yashiro, the manager, and everyone else, Magda is no longer afraid.

Magda, who had always had a half-lidded, expressionless face with little expression, smiled now.
When she blinked, her usual expressionless face returned.

Ginette and Umaro must have witnessed the change in expression.
Their eyes were round with surprise.

'...... Magda has leveled up.'

He remained expressionless and made a show of making bumps.
Her young, thin arms looked very dependable.

'...... is different from the Magda of last year. This year's Magda is--'

The Magda of this year is proud and confident.

'Maegdur.
'No, I don't need good pronunciation or anything!

We're not looking for that kind of change, are we?
I mean, it's hard to say, 'Maegdur'!
Just stay with 'Magda'!

'Hah!The reborn Maegdur is a real angel!
'Don't get on board!What if it sticks?

You're a pain in the ass, Maegdur!

'Mr. Magda.



Ginette kneels on the floor and spreads her arms, leaving Umaro to fuss.

'Let's do lots of fun things this year, too.
'...... Yeah.'

Magda kicks the floor and jumps into Jeannette's chest.
As the memories of fun increase, Magda's fear and avoidance of the snowy season will disappear.

The heavy snow season is fun.

Once you have such memories, all you can think of is fun.
Well, I guess I'd better get some winter clothes.

As I was gazing at the two of them frolicking in the warm air of the wood stove, I heard footsteps rushing towards me, mixed with the sound of a raging cold wind.

The door was thrown open with great force, and Delia, covered in snow, came rolling in with Masha in her arms.

'Yashiro, my God!I'm being chased by a strange man!

At the words of the urgent expression on her face, the air that had been relaxed became tense.


'Delia, what's wrong?

Delia rushed in and sat Masha down on a chair, then breathlessly began to tell her what had just happened.

'I was walking from my house, pushing Masha's water tank. We were walking from my house, pushing Masha's tank, and when we got to the church, he appeared.

Delia said she was pushing her tank through the snow, pushing the snow ahead of her. ...... How much power does it have? It was a heavy cart with a water tank, and it was pushing through a huge pile of snow.
At first, they were walking leisurely while talking, but when they looked back, they saw a figure.
It was a huge figure, a size bigger than Delia.

'Bigger than Delia, Omero?
'That's what I thought, too, and I said, "If it's Omero, come here in three seconds," but he never showed up.
'Then it's not Omero.

'Then it's not Omero.' He would have come no matter what if Delia had told him to come, no matter if the road was covered in snow or if he had broken both his legs.
However, the figure didn't show any reaction and just stood still behind Delia and the others.

'I was looking at it for a long time, and it would suddenly come closer, and then it would go away in an instant, it was really creepy.

The current snowfall is less than one meter.
There is no one who can move so quickly on such a snowy road.
Unless you're flying.

'Could it be Nikka or Karl?
'It didn't look like it was flying~'

Masha describes the situation.

'It was just standing upright, going back and forth.

What the hell was that?That's disgusting!

'Oh, but he might have danced once in a while.
'He was dancing?
'Yeah. Like this, moving my body around.'

Masha's body ripples like a seaweed in the sea.
I can't think of anyone who would behave that strangely on a snowy road. I know quite a few weirdos, but none of them would scare others for no reason.

Who the hell are you?

'So, I thought something was wrong, so I decided to leave the tank and evacuate Masha for now.

If she had been alone, Delia would have gone to find out the identity of the mysterious figure.
But today, Masha was with her, stuck in the snow.
So she took refuge in the sunny pavilion to ensure Masha's safety.

It was a wise decision.

'It may not be of any use to you, but I'll go with you.
'Really, Yashiro?Thanks for the help. I was actually a little creeped out and scared.

Delia, who is definitely stronger than me, shows a relieved expression.
It doesn't matter how strong she is, she seems to be relieved to have me by her side. She must have been worried about being alone. She's a girl.

'...... Magda's coming too.
'Are you okay?'
'...... Yashiro is a worrier.'

Because last year he collapsed before we got to the church. ...... Well, I trust Magda.

'I'll go with you then!
'Oh, you're all leaving?

Marcia waited for Umaro to stand up.
It's true, I don't feel safe leaving Ginette and Marsha alone.
The pervert could be right around the corner.
If it's Masha he's after, he might be hiding somewhere, waiting for Delia to leave.

Worst of all, with all this snow, there was no shortage of places to hide.

'I think it might be safer if Magda stays behind.
'...... Are you worried about Umaro alone?'
'If the attacker is a beautiful woman, Umaro will be too nervous to do anything.
'That's not true!I'll do what I have to do when I have to do it!

However, Umaro is not good at rough stuff, so he is a little nervous.
He couldn't let Masha or Jeannette get hurt.

'We can wait for Estella and the others to come ......'.
'Then you'll get run off by some weirdos.'

Yeah.
The longer we wait, the more likely it is that the mysterious figure will disappear.
Then you'll be left with the vague fear that someone unidentified might be lurking somewhere.


That's not good for your mental health.
I don't want to spend my time in a snow-covered dining room, scared of a mysterious person who might be outside, unless it's B-grade suspense.

If that person is hiding in front of the sunlit pavilion,......, Loretta, won't they run into each other?

Ginette's muttering sent a chill down my spine.

If it was Delia or Masha, they might be waiting for her in front of the Sunlit Pavilion.
If Loretta encountered him, she would not know what he would do to her,.......

'Sorry, Magda. You stay here and protect the sunlit pavilion.'
'...... Okay.'
'Delia, let's go!
'Ah!'

I suppressed my impatience and headed for the door, which opened.
It was Loretta and Hammaro who rolled in, covered in snow.

'Good morning, sir!
'Brothers in distress!
'...... Loretta!
'Hammaro-san!
'Hey, what's wrong?What's wrong with your face?
'Hammaro?'

Magda and Jeannette rushed over and brushed off the snow from the two of them.
Judging by the expressions on Loretta and Hammaro's faces, it seems that they haven't seen the mysterious figure.

'Have you seen anything strange?
'Eh, Gozaru-san?I haven't seen him yet today.'
'Oh, yes. It's not that guy, it's a weird guy. ......'

So, in Loretta's mind, the first choice for a weirdo is Bekko.
Good for you, Bekko. You've got a gold medal.

......, but that's not it.

'You didn't do anything weird on the way here, did you?'
'Um, ...... nothing in particular, ......, no, nothing.'

Thinking it over, remembering it well, Loretta replies.
I see.
It's okay if nothing happened.

'Then the one I saw has already run away somewhere?
'That's good, but ......'

Ginette says with an anxious look on her face.
'If he escaped, that's kind of creepy,......, but wait.

'Loretta. Did you see any tracks in the snow?
'Oh, yes, there were. There was a huge, swollen trail leading towards the church.
'That's where you ran from.'
'Other than that, what else?
'Nothing much, really.

The tremendous snowfall makes footprints that stand out just by passing through.
It's not so much footprints as gullies because they are waist-deep.
Unless you're flying, it's impossible to move around without leaving a noticeable trail.

...... means...

'It ran towards the river. ......'
'I wonder if it was Omero after all?'

There's no reason for Omero to do that.
He's not the kind of idiot who scares Delia to make her feel better.
It's someone else.

'Imelda's in danger.
'Huh!That's right. If she ran that way, then it's Imelda's house!

Ginette turns blue and starts to get nervous.

'Um, what the hell happened?
'...... Actually, it was Delia.'

Magda begins to explain the situation to Loretta, who doesn't understand what's going on.
Meanwhile, Delia and I have a quick meeting.

First, we'll go to the church to make sure no one is suspicious and that everyone is safe.
Then we'll head to Imelda's house.
We want to look for the unbelievers, but our first priority is to confirm their safety.

When Ginette heard that we were going to the church, she felt a sense of relief.
However, anxiety soon reappears on her face.

If the mysterious person had passed by the sunny pavilion and was heading towards the main street, would Nephrite and Paula be okay?

Ah, I see. ......
Estella has Natalia with her, and Norma is probably fine on her own, but Nephrite and Paula are in danger.
I'd feel a little safer if they'd at least come with me. ...... d*mn it, I'm stuck!

'Hammaro!I'll go get Natalia!
'You're the super-express, running pigeon!
'Wait, wait, Loretta!You're too reckless!

Hammaro is the youngest of the group.
It's too dangerous, even for a beastman.



'Don't worry, Yashiro!As long as we catch the culprit quickly, it won't be a problem!

No, it's not okay at all!
It would be nice if we could, but it probably won't be that easy.
If the enemy is cunning, they might take advantage of our weakness and attack us.
We must act with the worst-case scenario in mind. In order to prevent the worst from happening.

'd*mn ......, what's the safest way to ......'.
'......Yashiro is a bit of a worrier.'

Idiot, Magda.
It's not worrying, it's being cautious.
It's just that you're too reckless in your 'we'll figure it out! You're too reckless.

Anyway, we're going to the west!

Natalia and Norma are on the east side.
We can't say that there's no danger, but the danger is higher with the unprotected church and Imelda.

'If you hear Paula or Nephrite, please go help them immediately.

I'm sorry to have to rely on Magda, but it's the only way I can think of.
I'd prefer it if nothing happened to you. It's better to have an insurance policy.

'Can you do that for me, Magda?
'...... in a minute.'

Magda moved to the door, her ears twitching.
Then a blank, half-lidded look comes over his face. With a thumbs-up.

'...... One of my concerns has been resolved.'

Just as he said that, two girls came to the sunlit pavilion immediately after.
Paula and Nephrite were out of breath.
With these strange words.


'Hey, Yashiro. Mr. Mormat was dancing in the field with someone.


'Mo-Matt was dancing?
'Yes, with his hands in the air, swaying his body like this.

It seems that Mo-Matt was dancing a dance similar to the dance shown in the OP of the national cartoon at 6:30 on Sunday, when the family and the cat come out of the fruit.
Did he get excited because of the snow?What are you doing, that crocodile?

'Who's the other one?
'Oh, that's the thing, I couldn't see his face. It was just a blur of shadows.'
'But I'm sure he's related to Mr. Moormat. He was in the field.'
'Were they both dancing?'
'No. Mr. Mormat was dancing, and the other one was at .......'
'He was just shaking his body like this.'

Paula threw a glance at Nephrite, and he swayed his body from side to side with caution.
It was a relatively quiet dance, as if she was just following the rhythm.

'How did you know it was Mr. Mormat when you couldn't see his face?Did you have a conversation with him?'
'Nope. I greeted him, but he ignored me and danced, so we didn't talk. I don't think I heard her voice because of the snow.
'Then how did you know it was Mr. Mormat?
'Because Mr. Mormat is the only person who can be frightened in the field, isn't he?
'Besides, it wouldn't be surprising if Mr. Moormat was dancing. Right, Paula?
'Yes. I'm sure she'd do something like that.

Mormat, you're getting a lot of looks from the girls on the street. You should think a little more about what you do every day.

'Would you do such a thing, Mr. Mo-Matt?'

Ginette was the only one who didn't seem convinced, giving me a difficult look.

'Oh, my God, I'm done.

With these words, Estella enters the sunlit pavilion.
When she sees us gathered in front of the door, her eyes widen.

'What's wrong with you, gathering here like this?
'More importantly, Estella-san, did something go wrong?
'Oh, that's the thing, Imelda is... ......'
'Hey Estella. Mr. Mormat, are you still dancing?'
'Huh!
'Um, Estella-san, what about Imelda-san?
'Anyway, Yashiro, let's go and get the pervert.'
'What's a pervert?Can you tell me more, Delia?
'No!You guys shut up for once!

Each one of you is asking questions and talking as you please, and it's getting out of hand.

'...... So, to sum up, you're saying that Mo-Mat is a dancing pervert and you're mad ......?
'Yeah, no, Magda. There's no need to forcefully summarize that part of the story.

Just as Momat was about to be accused of being an unjustified pervert, Natalia and Imelda, who was being carried by Natalia's side, entered the room.



'Person in distress protected'
'It's cold. ......'
'You're in distress again, aren't you?

Imelda shivering.
It's not a whiteout this year.

'That's because you're running away from us.
'I'm not running away from you!
'You ran away, and when I called out to you, you said, 'Pew!
'I've already told you many times that you've got the wrong person, you really are a persistent person!
'What do you mean?

There seems to be a disagreement between Estella and Imelda.
And it seems to be extremely complicated.

'Actually, when Estella-sama and I were walking along the street, a figure appeared ahead of us. When Estella-sama called out to the figure, it ran away at a great speed, so I followed it.
'Oh, you're with us!We also saw a figure when we entered the street, so we chased after it to see who it was, right, Paula?
'Yes, yes. We were going past the sunlit pavilion, but we were curious, so we followed the figure.

As a result, they found a dancing figure in Momat's field.
And judging from the overall situation, he concluded, 'Oh, so it's Mr. Momat.

'Hey, Estella. Isn't that figure Mr. Mo-Matt?
'It wasn't Mo-Matt. I could only see a silhouette of him, but he had breasts.'

Estella's arm arcs up to her chest as she explains.
She's got some big tits. There's no way she's a mormat.

'I became suspicious and went in the direction the shadow had fled, and found Imelda lying in front of the Woodcutter's Guild.
'But I didn't go into the field,' she said.
'You just couldn't tell from the snow, that's all.
'No, Miss Estella. No, Estella. I'm pretty sure you're wrong.
'How can you be so sure of that?
'I was tired of walking within twelve steps of leaving the premises!
'Then why didn't you just go home and stay in the museum?

It seems that as soon as she went outside, she became unable to walk and almost got lost when she was huddled there.
The snowfall was so heavy that ...... the young lady could not even walk.
......? No, no, no. Imelda has been training as a lumberjack, so she should be stronger than me.
What she lacks is guts and patience.

'Then who was that in the field?
'So it was Mr. Mo-Mat.'
'You know, Paula ......, if Mo-Mat had become such a 'boi', I would have to impose a heavy tax on the farming guild, wouldn't I?
'No, you won't have to, will you Estella......?

I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not the only one.
Even though it's a silhouette, you can't go wrong with Boing-chan and Mormat.

What's going on in Mormat's field?

'Anyway, let's go check it out.

Fortunately, we've gathered a reassuring group.
We'll be fine even if Delia and I are out.

'Hey, what's up, gathering at the entrance?

Then Norma arrives.
He's got an umbrella and a big bag on his back.

'Hey, Norma. Have you seen anything strange outside?'

Delia asks Norma.
Norma nods calmly and affirms, 'Yeah, I saw that earlier.

'See, that's the guy, isn't it?

Poof, thrown onto the floor of the sunlit pavilion was Becco, covered in snow.

'I met him there by chance. He was walking slowly in this cold weather, so I carried him by my side.
'I envy you, Becko!How many bounces did you get on the back of your head?
'No, that's the thing, Mr. Yashiro, you were held in a perfect position, that you couldn't touch me.
'd*mn it, both of you. Please repent.'
'...... in the snow.'
'Alright, Becco. Let's go outside.'
'We'll wait, that we will, Mr. Norma!That 'in the snow' was Mr. Magda's idea of a joke, that it was!

I take a quick look around, making sure everyone is safe and sound.
At least no one was harmed. ...... Thank goodness.

'Well, let's select some members and go check the area.
'I'm going!I'm going to catch the pervert!
'...... Magda's coming too.
'Then I'll go with you.'
'Well, then, ...... I think I'll stay behind. I have to protect Ginette and the sunny pavilion.


"What about me?
'Loretta, stay. If you come, Hammaro might come too.'
'All right.
'I'm going. I want to find Mr. Mormat.'
'No, Paula. We're not going. Look at the others. They're slowing us down.
'Becko and the fox carpenter will stay behind. It's unsettling to be left behind in this weather. Even if they're unreliable, they're better off just being here.

So it was decided that Delia, Magda, Natalia, and Norma would go on patrol.
...... I'm the only one who's worried about my strength!

Well, I'm going.

'Yashiro-san. I'll be right back.
'Oh, and make sure you have something hot to drink.
'Yes, sir.

An anxious Jeannette.
'Don't worry. I don't know where you are, but you can't do anything in front of these Forty-second District Combatant All-Stars.

'I'm off then.

I told the detainees, and we went out.
It wasn't snowing, but the forty-second ward was shrouded in a haze.
Our vision was completely blank.
In the midst of this, the morning sun shining through the clouds created beautiful streaks of glittering light.

The fine grains of ice dancing in the air reflect the light, creating a faint rainbow.
It was wonderfully beautiful, but the "cold" got in the way of my excitement.

Thanks to the many visitors, the snow that had accumulated in front of the sunny pavilion had decreased in volume.
The path has become a road after the passage of people.

We took the road that had already been made and went out to the street in front of the Sunlit Pavilion.
To confirm what Paula and the others had said, we headed towards Momat's field.
After a short walk towards the church, we see Momat's field.
I look around, but there is no one there.
Or, if there is, I can't see anything in this haze.
Let's get a little closer.

I step out toward the field, but the snow is so thick that it's hard to move forward.
In addition, there are no footprints at all.

'Are there any suspicious footprints?

If there was someone else, they would have left footprints on the snow.
We should look for them first and then follow the footprints to find the culprit.

As he was explaining this to Norma and Natalia, he heard Delia's voice from a short distance away.

'There he is!That's him, Yashiro!

They all turn to look at Delia.
Delia is pointing in the direction of the church. It was on the street.

There, through the haze, a figure emerges clearly.
A stocky body.
Ears of a beast.
His hands flapped about as if he were trying to say something, "Pow! and dynamite breasts that seemed to be firm.

Yes, that's...

'Delia. That's your shadow.
'What?

The one that appeared standing upright on the street behind Delia was unmistakably Delia's shadow.

'But, but, Yashiro!Aren't shadows supposed to form at your feet?'
'Yes, they do. There's nothing in the middle of a street like that that would cast a shadow.

Surely there is no wall or screen in the middle of the street that would reflect a shadow.
But the shadows are floating there.
The shadows are reflected in...

'It's this haze.

You could call it a haze or a fog, but in a haze so dense that it fills your field of vision with white, you can see shadows.
There is also a technology called 'mist screen' that generates water vapor and projects images on it.

That's what happened this morning in this climate.

'That's the Brocken phenomenon, isn't it?

I signaled Magda to call all the remaining people in the sunlit pavilion.
We won't be able to see this phenomenon when the sun rises, so let's show it to them while we can.

And so, for a little while until everyone was here, I watched and enjoyed this rare phenomenon.
In the back of my mind--


You scared the hell out of me.


-while swearing.