A High School Sophomore Girl Linked with a Black-Crowned Night Heron and Moved the World by 1mm [Episode 14] Real Brainstorming Meeting

Once the hellish trial ended and King Enma exited, the modern, vast room became an inorganic space.

I was declared innocent on the condition that I clear the mission imposed by King Enma. But I can't imagine how to do it.

I need to ask Sugawara no Michizane for more information, and I want to get Goicchi's cooperation to find out what kind of plan they had made.

Kimie seemed to be turning things over in her own mind. She whispered to me while giving me a look, 'What do you intend to do now?'

'Can we consult here? If we disperse now and have to gather again later, it will be a waste of time.'

I asked the demon in black standing guard.

'That is not allowed. This place can only be used according to the set schedule.'

Hey, hey, King Enma seemed to be able to act as he pleased, but when it comes to the demons, they are bound by rules. That part is somewhat similar to the human world.

Goodbye, Mr. Demon.

'Where are we being taken now?'

Since there was no way to move, I checked with the demon, and he said we could choose to be guided on foot to the exit of hell or be teleported to our respective locations.

Teleportation is obviously better, but in any case, it seems we cannot stay in this room to have a meeting.

'I have a good idea. Why don't we utilize the room created inside Goichi's brain?'

Michizane, who had been listening to our exchange, proposed this.

He suggested that since there is no longer a need to keep it secret, we should share the pink area that was originally created for secret brain communication with Goicchi.

I couldn't decide on my own, so I checked with Goicchi.

'I don't mind. I'm used to brain links with the outside, and it would actually feel more refreshing to open up the pink area.'

Goicchi doesn't seem to mind. Having communicated with me and Michizane many times before, he doesn't seem to have any particular resistance to it.

Of course, just as our consciousnesses are currently in hell, what gathers in Goicchi's brain is not our physical bodies, but our consciousnesses.

'When you struggle with yourself and put your brain into full gear, you personify different character settings like angels, devils, leaders, or idols—that's called a "brainstorming meeting." This is a "real brainstorming meeting" where the participants discuss things with each other.'

When Kimie thought of a nickname that would get everyone excited, it seemed everyone liked it too.

"Then, could you transfer everyone to the pink part of Goichi's brain?"

I requested this of the demon in the black suit.

"Very well."

"See you later, Mr. Demon. Thank you for all your help."

"Yes, I wish you luck."

Perhaps we were able to have that exchange because the barriers between us had disappeared while he guided us through hell.

The demon's figure shrank in an instant, and before I knew it, I was in a room surrounded by pink.

Lord Michizane's Strategy

Before starting the real brain meeting, there was something I really wanted to ask.

"Um, Lord Sugawara no Michizane. I have something I'm personally curious about..."

After all, he is the "God of Learning." When I spoke to him cautiously so as not to offend him, an unexpected response came back.

"Natsuki, are we not comrades who will work together from here on out? You may call me Lord Michizane. I have Goichi call me that as well."

As expected of someone who served as a close aide to the Emperor in the Heian period. He understands how important it is to improve teamwork to achieve great things. He is likely trying to facilitate communication by using a way of addressing each other that doesn't require reserve.

"Then, please call me 'Natsuki' instead of 'Natsuki-and-so-on'."

"Please call me 'Kimie'."

Following me, Kimie also introduced herself.

"I'm not 'Goichi' either... well, never mind, it sounds hard to say."

Goichi was strangely considerate, which caused laughter.

With the atmosphere lightened, I took the plunge and asked.

“So, Lord Michizane, about what we were just talking about. Who is more important, King Enma or you?”

Kimie looked as if she wanted to say, “Natsuki is saying something outrageous again,” but she seemed interested nonetheless, her eyes taking on the look of a scholar.

“Natsuki, King Enma is the king of the underworld, originating from Indian Buddhism. He was introduced to Japan in the Nara period as Ksitigarbha. I was demoted to Dazaifu in the Heian period. After I died, I was enshrined at Dazaifu Tenmangu and eventually became known as the ‘God of Learning.’ The answer would be that there is no comparison to King Enma.”

“I guess so. Because King Enma looked stronger.”

Since Goicchi, who can't read the room, blurted out his honest opinion, it went quiet for a moment and the topic ended.

“Now, shall we get to the main point?”

Kimie started.

“First, Lord Michizane, could you tell us more about the development of Mt. Kora?”

“Very well. Just as I can communicate mentally with Goichi, I can communicate with humans, animals, and even plants if our wavelengths match. I strive to keep the world peaceful while gathering various information in that way. Please consider this matter as one piece of that information.”

According to Lord Michizane, a for-profit organization called the Domakiya Group is secretly planning to build a recreational facility on Mt. Kora. They are already moving to acquire private land, so we must stop them before it is too late.

The government has designated the area around Mt. Kora as a region with an excellent ecosystem, but it is not impossible to clear the screening criteria for development permits. If development is permitted and the forest is logged, it will be a threat to wild birds and wild animals.

Upon hearing Lord Michizane's explanation, Goicchi uncharacteristically revealed his anger.

“No way! That place is near the water and there are many trees where night herons build nests. My heron friends, the grey herons, and even crows live there. If the trees are cut down, what is everyone supposed to do!”

Goicchi hesitated for a moment after blurting that out, but finally said the words.

“That's why I can't trust humans. In the end, humans are the enemy!”

I felt a sense of helplessness, but I tried to soothe Goicchi.

“Goicchi, not all humans are bad. There are many people who want to protect birds and animals.”

“But there was a man who kidnapped Natsuki's sister, wasn't there? You never know what they might do or when. I still can't trust them.”

“Hey, listen, Goicchi. I understand how you feel, but we are going to borrow the power of those humans to stop the development of Mt. Kora.”

“It's useless! You're dealing with people who are trying to develop it in secret. How are people who don't even know about it going to help us?”

"I see..."

Unable to find words to reassure Goicchi, I signaled to Kimie, seeking her help.

"Lord Michizane, you said you would have Goicchi's cooperation. What kind of plan are you thinking of?"

Kimie asked not Goicchi, but Lord Michizane.

"Hmm... I was thinking of a strategy to create a 'Black-Crowned Night Heron Great Deity' and make it popular, thereby creating a wave of opposition to the development."

"A night heron?" "A Great Deity?" "Me?"

Kimie, Goicchi, and I all let out surprised voices in unison.

"I suppose it is too outlandish, isn't it?"

Seeing our blatant reactions, Lord Michizane seemed to lose his confidence.

A few seconds of silence passed as we each ran simulations in our heads.

"But that might actually be good."

I saw the potential and took it positively.

"There are things like 'Animal Great Deities' in capsule toys, after all."

Like popular toys, a 'Great Deity' might attract attention.

"I heard there is actually a 'Cat Great Deity' enshrined in Kumamoto Prefecture."

Kimie seemed to feel it had potential as well.

"So, how are we going to make it? The Black-Crowned Night Heron Great Deity."

When I posed the question, Lord Michizane answered with a smug look.

"Leave it to me. A large shrine might be difficult, but for something like a small roadside shrine, I can manage it with my divine power."

Hearing his reliable words, I apologized in my heart for my rudeness in thinking, 'He's called the God of Learning, but he doesn't seem very god-like.'"

To be continued in [Episode 15]

All episodes of "When a High School Sophomore Linked with a Black-crowned Night Heron, the World Moved by 1mm" are collected in this magazine.

#BlackcrownedNightHeron #Goicchi #Novel #SugawaranoMichizane #MtKora

Image credit: "Unarimoi @ Humans are beings that play. / Word Artist / Edutainer, 'Isn't play important? ~Thinking about the nature of education in the AI era~ Part 5 (Scheduled for 10+ parts in total)'"