kscans

Chapter 63 - The Dinner Party

In a word, the dinner party was satisfying.

It began with hors d'oeuvres, followed by soup, a fish course, a meat course, the main dish, salad, dessert, and wine. It had the flavor of a full-course French meal. However, it was the same in the Kingdom, but those in high positions eat luxurious meals, while those below eat simple ones.

In my experience living on modern Earth, as long as you had money and were dressed properly, even commoners could eat high-class cuisine. But in this world, such a concept did not exist. The medieval atmosphere was thick. The strong were great. It was a simple and clear logic. But since I could eat delicious food, I didn't mind the small details.

After the dinner party, we were drinking coffee in the reception room. After a little chat, Altorine stood up.

"...Well then, I will bring the treasure that is stored in my home. ...Please wait here."

She said and left the room. A little while later, she returned holding a box in both hands. It was an iron box with a lock. Altorine took a key from her pocket and opened the box. Another box came out from inside. Or rather, there was a lens on the front. I thought this might be it, when Altorine said.

"This is the treasure from the other world. It is said that whatever is captured by this lens can be imprinted on a piece of paper called a photograph. In fact, the last time this was used was ten years ago, and it still remains. This is that photograph."

She took a single photograph out of the iron box. It showed a family of three. A young Altorine was with her father and mother. The color was a bit brownish.

I was convinced. This was a camera. And a very old one at that. Altorine said.

"What do you think, Shinsuke? Does this still exist in your world?"

To this question, I replied.

"...It exists, but there is no place that still uses it. The only place this is kept is in a museum."

To this answer, Altorine asked.

"What is a museum?"

To this question, I replied.

"A museum is a place that preserves history. It's a place to learn what people in the past made, and why they made it. In short, the items displayed in a museum are all things that are no longer used. ...The cameras we have now are like this."

I said and took out a digital camera from my pocket. Altorine asked, "What's that?" so I said.

"This is the camera we use now. The camera you have, Altorine-san, cannot be used without magnesium, but this one doesn't need it, nor does it imprint on paper. All the pictures taken are stored inside this camera."

When I finished my explanation, Altorine had a look of disbelief in her eyes. It was natural. Anyone would be skeptical if they were suddenly given an unbelievable explanation. Thinking that, I said.

"I think you'll understand better if you actually use it rather than just hearing about it. Well then, Altorine-san, please strike a pose."

I said and turned on the camera. Altorine, for now, made a guts pose. Why that pose? I didn't dare to ask. The photo was taken in an instant, and I showed the image to Altorine.

"...How is this possible? Is this the technology of the other world? It evolved this much in 130 years?"

She murmured with a very surprised face. To that, I said.

"...The other world is a world of humans, without monsters. The only ones who threaten life are other humans. But without that, I think it's possible to develop one's own technology."

I stated such an opinion. It was a bit forceful, or rather, a wild guess. I'm not good at complicated stories, so I tried to answer in a way that fit the atmosphere. Hearing that, Altorine said.

"There are no monsters. ...It's a wonderful world. To not have one's life threatened."

Altorine said with a smile. But to her, I said.

"...No, it's not wonderful. It's a world more hideous than this one."

I said with a serious face. Seeing my face, Altorine's expression became a little tense. I continued speaking.

"...My world is certainly safe to live in without monsters. But it is not a world without killing. People get injured or killed in squabbles between humans, or people who have been deceived by others and lost their property or family, or those who are mentally cornered commit suicide. ...It is a world filled with the ugliness of humanity."

I answered in a slightly angry tone. It's not that I was angry.

It's just that talking about it brought back various memories. Being treated unfairly at my company, becoming disillusioned with society and quitting. And a junior high school classmate who was forced to resign just for complaining a little, then getting tangled up with thugs and having his money stolen. I came to this world because I hated that kind of world.

However, just because I hate it doesn't mean I don't care what happens to Earth.

There are definitely people in the world who live honestly, have families, and protect what they have now. As long as it's not about deceiving people, I would be satisfied with any means. I don't want to bring unnecessary trouble to such a world. That's why I didn't tell the black market auction or that president about the other world.

At first, they wouldn't believe me, but with my skills and magic, and even bringing a live goblin, it would be easy for them to believe. I used to think about there being heretic hunters from Earth, but one day, it occurred to me. If the other side has a large number of people, then I should just increase my side's numbers. And if I teach all the related parties how to cross over to the other world, I can mass-produce humans with powerful abilities. After that, they could start a war with the priests, and after winning, they could do whatever they want, like world domination. I had such a thought once. But I didn't do it.

Because it's ridiculous.

To cause trouble for others with one's own selfish thoughts and actions is the way of a black company. This was something I had decided from the beginning. And I won't do anything about the priests. In other words, I won't do anything to advertise myself. I became somewhat famous at the secret auction, but it's in Japan, and it's a secret place, so I forcibly convinced myself that it wouldn't be discovered. It was a belated confirmation.

After I finished my story, Altorine said.

"...I see, so because there is no threat, there are many conflicts between humans. And the way they do it is by deceiving and trapping others. ...Just hearing about it makes me angry."

Altorine said with an angry face. I felt it was quite scary. At that time, Altorine said.

"...However, I have a question. If you were born in such a world, didn't you think of changing it when you came to this world and gained power?"

To this question, I replied.

"...This is a thought I came up with on my own, but would you mind listening to it?"

Altorine nodded at my words. I began to talk about the idea I had been remembering from the beginning. After I had finished talking, Altorine said.

"...I take back my previous words. It's true that changing the whole with an individual's idea can only be called a dictatorship. I said something very rude."

As Altorine bowed her head, I said.

"You don't have to go that far. I'm satisfied if you understand."

I said with a smile. At my company on Earth, no matter how much I voiced my opinion, no one would listen, and in the end, they presented the content I proposed as if they had come up with it themselves, and the people around them turned a blind eye to the fraud. I will never forget this despair. Compared to that, I felt grateful to Altorine for listening to all my thoughts. As I was thinking that, Tina said.

"That's a nice smile. Did something good happen?"

She asked with a scary smile. I immediately shook my head from side to side.

Altorine watched this exchange between the two.

At first, she had been wary of Shinsuke as a suspicious and dangerous person. In the monster subjugation, he was not only strong, but he also understood incomprehensible words. Her suspicions about him grew considerably. For that reason, she decided to take him to the station.

However, before that, she challenged him to a fight to learn more about his abilities, but for some reason, she ended up fighting his partner. As they fought, she realized his partner was also highly skilled. As expected of someone who partners with him.

Thinking that, she used her skill, but the result was defeat.

She was surprised when she was bombarded with questions and told the truth. About the other world, about her ancestors, about him. There was so much that her brain couldn't process it all. After a while, when her thoughts had settled, she held a dinner party to apologize for her rudeness. And the treasure of her family was a thing of the past in the other world. There were far superior items available. The truth was shocking to Altorine. A desire to see the other world welled up in her, but then he spoke of the darkness of the other world.

The ugly, filthy deeds of humans. Hearing that, she lost the will to go. But when she asked if he didn't want to change such a world, he said that it would cause chaos and lead to an irreversible situation. When she heard that, she understood the magnitude of his thinking. To care about others whom he has never seen or known. How many people in this world think that way? They are so preoccupied with themselves that even the guards and knights who work to help people only think about raising their achievements, and in the end, they only think about themselves.

Watching him and her getting along so well, Altorine's chest ached for some reason.

When the dinner party ended and their time at the mansion came to a close, the night had grown late. Altorine had apparently prepared rooms for us in advance, so we gratefully accepted her offer and decided to stay the night.