kscans

Chapter 267 - Side Story 6: A Strange Party

The day after my first transfer… or is it a teleportation? to another world.

"So, how was it? The other world."

"Were there two moons, or knights riding griffins?"

I was being bombarded with questions during lunch break at school.

"How was it, you ask… Now that I think about it calmly, it wasn’t that different from a port town in a foreign country… Also, there was only one moon, and I didn’t see any griffins."

"Aw, how boring."

"But I did go to a place called the Adventurer’s Tavern."

"You should have led with that."

Shizuku-san glared at me with her sharp eyes, while Aika-san’s own eyes sparkled.

"Amazing! Was there a beautiful receptionist, and were the tables filled with ruffians? Did they tell the new guy who walked in to ‘go home and suck on your mommy’s teat’?"

"Calm down. What about the weapons? What were the weapons like in the other world?"

"You calm down too. The weapons… a lot of people were carrying them, but they were all just normal swords. They weren’t even imbued with mana."

"What a…"

"And there was no beautiful receptionist or classic one-liners, but there were plenty of people who didn’t look like law-abiding citizens drinking in the middle of the day."

"I knew it! That’s exactly what an adventurer’s guild should be like!"

Shizuku-san’s excitement visibly deflated, while Aika-san waved her hands around in delight.

Come to think of it, she was quite the chuunibyou… and you can’t separate chuuni from otherworld fantasies.

If Aika-san suddenly starts chanting a mysterious incantation, I’ll just have to watch over her with a warm gaze.

"More importantly, Kyo-chan. There’s something important."

"Yeah?"

Erina-san grabbed my shoulders firmly.

With an unusually serious expression, she continued.

"Were there… any ninjas?"

"I didn’t see any. I don’t know if they exist."

Yep. That’s what I figured.

"So it’s Schrödinger’s Ninja, Kyo-chan!"

"Yeah. Probably."

"Then if we’re the first to make a name for ourselves, we’ll be the first officially recognized ninjas!"

"That’s not happening, and I won’t let it happen."

"No… Are you trying to say that ninjas should always lurk in the shadows, Kyo-chan!? Those days are over!"

"That’s not what I meant."

"We’re in an age of global ninjas! We’ll use sustainable ninjutsu to operate a ninja village while being ninjas!!"

"I’m sorry, I don’t understand the other world’s language yet."

"Formal speech!? And that was Japanese! Because… I’m a ninja, you know."

"Don’t say it with a smug look. You’re a self-proclaimed ninja."

"I’m official! I’m sure the Dungeon Agency recognizes me! Ninjas exist!"

"Don’t say it like you’re in My Neighbor Totoro."

"So that means… there are dhampir vampire hunters, too!"

"Ugh, she had to jump in at this exact moment."

"Vampire and human… two races that can never coexist, and yet, two fell in love… But the world would not allow it! To save the fruit of their love, the vampire father fought and the mother perished… And so the dhampir rises as a hunter, seeking the truth of their own birth!"

"Settle down."

"Shizuku-san, please."

"I’m also interested in silver weapons."

"Et tu, Brute?"

"Ninja!"

"Is that your mating call?"

"The dhampir met their half-brother! And a werewolf, an enemy to both vampires and humans!"

"I already burned a werewolf, you know."

"But silver weapons lack durability… Hah, mithril silver! In another world…"

"I may have some orichalcum-grade reason, if you need it?"

"Hey, idiot, don’t you get on their side. You’re supposed to be the straight man."

"Did you just call me an idiot!?"

How rude. To think my own steel-clad rationality would be denied.

Besides, I’m pretty sure mithril just has a silvery sheen; it’s not the same as actual silver…

Still, it would be romantic to be able to mine unknown ores in another world. I’d love to see real orichalcum. I wonder if it’s copper-colored, just like in the legends…

"U-Um… c-class is about to start."

"Ah, sorry."

"Be seated! Stand! Be seated!"

"We’re not doing squats."

I apologized to our homeroom teacher, who had timidly entered the room, and slapped the back of the self-proclaimed ninja’s head as she continued her antics.

This teacher really still feels out of place in our class. She’s like a baby rabbit thrown into a cage of wild beasts.

I wish she wouldn’t tremble so much. Her surprisingly magnificent bust vibrates along with her.

It’s a well-established academic fact that the bust of a young, beautiful female teacher in a suit has three times the destructive power of a bust of the same size. It’s extremely dangerous.

Cheating is wrong, and as someone with five girlfriends, I must remain faithful. To do so, I must avert my gaze to Erina-san’s and Shizuku-san’s chests, even in the middle of class.

This is all to maintain my fidelity… wait, can a guy with five girlfriends even be called faithful?

Ignoring the retort from my own sense of reason, I focused on the lesson.

With my [Spirit Eye], it’s a simple matter to copy the blackboard while sneaking glances at my girlfriends’ chests…!

For some reason, Aika-san kicked me in the shin after that. I don’t get it.

＊　　　　＊　　　　＊

"Alright, it’s time for our fun little field trip! Let’s go, boys!"

"Yeah!"

"I wouldn’t call this a field trip. Also, Professor, please calm down."

"Right."

After school, we teleported with Erina-san, got our things in order, boarded the ship, and went through the gate.

Once again, I crossed over to the other world with Kageyama-san. For some reason… now that it’s the second time, I’m starting to find even this boat trip a little tedious.

I considered just picking up the professor and flying over, but that seemed like it would cause all sorts of problems with aviation laws and what not, so I gave up on the idea.

Well, once we pass through the Minotaur’s labyrinth and reach the other world, the rest is instantaneous with the professor’s teleportation.

We arrived in an empty room in the embassy, left, and headed for Marui-san’s office.

I knocked, a reply came immediately, and we entered the room.

"Welcome. It’s been a day, Professor."

"Indeed. I can only stay for a few hours today as well, but I intend to give this investigation my all."

As I watched the ever-energetic professor, my gaze drifted to the window.

It was almost dusk on the other side, but here, the sun was still high in the sky.

"Does the time difference bother you?"

"Ah, no, well, yes…"

I gave a small nod as Marui-san addressed me.

"There’s about an eight-hour time difference between this world… or rather, this country, and Japan. When it’s 4 PM over there, it’s about 8 AM here at the embassy."

"Huh… I see."

"Incidentally, my dear son-in-law, the time difference between Italy and Japan is also about eight hours. Is this a coincidence, or is it fate? It’s quite intriguing, isn’t it, son-in-law!!"

"I suppose so."

"Perhaps that planet and Earth are the same thing in parallel worlds! Howeeever! The ley lines of Atlantis and Japan are similar. Considering that fact, there are all sorts of theories to explore! But just thinking isn’t enough! We have to investigate for ourselves!"

"I suppose so."

"Kyouta-kun. Later, let’s have my sister cosplay as a teacher and then do naughty things to her."

"I suppose so."

"How did the collateral damage from this conversation hit me!?"

So they found out I was glancing at the teacher’s chest…

It was probably Erina-san… yeah, definitely Erina-san.

That self-proclaimed ninja really does have the specs of one. Hmph… I wonder if she’ll forgive me if I grovel on the ground??

What if she calls me a cheater and dumps me? As I was on the verge of tears, the professor tugged on my hand.

"It’s wonderful that you get along so well with my granddaughters, but right now, it’s time for research, my dear son-in-law! Let’s go to this Adventurer’s Tavern at once and acquire a justification for our fieldwork! As adventurers, we can wander all over outside the city without arousing suspicion!"

"Justification, huh."

"Oh my. A justification is very important for this kind of research in a foreign country. Without one, you get arrested."

"Ah, right."

She was smiling, but she didn’t seem to be joking, so I nodded back with a straight face.

We’re in a foreign country, and apparently there’s religious friction. If we got arrested on suspicion of being spies, it would be a huge mess.

"Now, onward! To a journey of investigation!"

"Now is the time to use the conch shell I borrowed from Erina-kun! Buooooooh!"

"You even say it out loud the same way…"

I let the professor pull me along, and we ended up not at the exit, but in another room.

"Where are we…?"

"This is Katarina-san’s room. Now then."

Professor Arisugawa cleared her throat, then knocked and called out to the other side of the door.

She was speaking the otherworld language, so I had no idea what she was saying, but her voice sounded cheerful. She was like a schoolboy from a Showa-era anime, inviting his friend out to play.

I didn’t hear a reply, but the door slowly opened from the inside.

The dog-eared girl with long, slightly wavy blue hair that covered one eye, Katarina-san, greeted us.

She was dressed casually in what must have been provided by the embassy—a long-sleeved white T-shirt and black sweatpants. She looked at me and the professor, and then…

Flop.

She lay down on the floor, exposing her belly.

…Again?

I was getting a sense of déjà vu, but unlike last time, she wasn’t trembling. Her expression was one of someone who had accepted their fate.

"■■■■■■■■? ■■■■■■."

"■■■, ■■■■■■■……"

The professor spoke to her in fluent otherworld language, and she replied.

They continued talking, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

"Aira-san, can I get a translation?"

"Grandma asked what was wrong, and she replied that she has prepared herself for her role as a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice?"

"A meal more delicious than anything she’s ever eaten. Clothes made of unknown materials. A bath filled with plenty of hot water. A fluffy bed. She apparently concluded that all these things were provided so she could be eaten by Grandma and Kyo-chan."

"How did she get to that conclusion…?"

"Sacrifice… to be eaten… does that mean… in a naughty way…!?"

"It doesn’t, so please stay out of this."

"I feel like you’re being a bit harsh with me!?"

Mia-san’s transformation into a love-crazed girl is unstoppable. It feels like it’s accelerating.

Well, putting dysfunctional college girl number two aside, it seems the professor managed to clear up the misunderstanding. Katarina-san stood up, and while she still looked frightened, she was looking straight at us.

I gave a slight bow, but I have almost no experience talking to people my age of the opposite sex, other than my girlfriends. Unsure what to do, I awkwardly took a step back.

In my place, Kageyama-san stepped forward and spoke to Katarina-san with a smile.

"■■■■, ■■, ■■……■■■■!"

It was quite halting, and she was reading from a memo, but it was definitely the otherworld language.

…Wait. Am I the only one who can’t speak it?

After comparing the hand offered for a handshake and Kageyama-san, Katarina-san calmly and properly shook it.

Apparently, they have the custom of handshakes here too.

"■■■■, ■■■■■■■■■■■■?"

"…"

The moment Katarina-san said something, Kageyama-san’s cheek twitched.

"Aira-san."

"Ah… she seems to have asked Kageyama if she is ‘the attendant of these monsters.’"

"O-Oh."

Should I be sad about being called a monster? Or should I feel sorry for Kageyama-san, who’s just here for work and got called an attendant?

I wasn’t sure, so I just gave a vague smile to gloss over it.

"■■■■, ■■■■."

"■■■■!? ■■■■■■■■!?"

"…………"

The professor said something, Katarina-san looked surprised, and a vein popped on Kageyama-san’s smiling temple.

Uh, what’s going on?

"Grandma introduced Kageyama as a sort of guard, and Katarina said something like, ‘But she looks so weak’…"

"That’s just plain rude."

"Well, for someone who can gauge another’s strength, it’s not surprising they’d be shocked."

"Hey, that’s rude of you too…"

"It’s the truth."

"Big Sis… is that why you don’t have any friends?"

"How rude!?"

While all this was going on, their conversation seemed to wrap up, and the professor turned back to me with a wide smile.

"Well then, my son-in-law! Shall we go?"

"Ah, yes. To the Adventurer’s Tavern, right?"

"Yes, of course. And let’s accept a job right away. Hehe, the thought of involving myself in this world’s economy makes my heart race!"

I returned a wry smile to the professor, who was giddy as a schoolgirl.

I understand the feeling, but when she’s this excited, it has the opposite effect of making me calm down.

It’s like that thing where ‘seeing someone else in a bigger panic than you makes you calm down.’

"First, we need to decide what kind of request to take. Katarina-san’s opinion as an experienced adventurer will be important here."

"You’re right… Yes. I wonder what kind of request it will be."

Kageyama-san, her voice tinged with what sounded like anger, replied to the professor.

Katarina-san, showing no fear of her whatsoever, was instead watching my expression.

She was probably worried because I’m the only one who hasn’t spoken to her yet. Worried that I might suddenly turn hostile.

"Um, Professor. Could you tell Katarina-san that I look forward to working with her?"

"Yes. Of course."

The professor relayed my message, and I offered my hand for a handshake as well.

With tears welling in her visible eye, Katarina-san took my hand, looking as though she were terrified. She was clearly scared out of her wits, but it was also clear she thought defying me would be even scarier.

That kind of hurts…

Holding her hand, I realized her fingers were surprisingly hard. Are these calluses? This was the hand of someone who wields a weapon regularly.

Despite her small-dog-like demeanor, it seems she is every bit an adventurer.

"But man. Her attitude is like a small dog, but her boobs are like a large dog’s! Not as big as Mia’s, but still. Not that I’m losing or anything!!"

Don’t start a competition.

It’s true that Katarina-san is quite well-endowed. Less than Erina-san, but more than Aira-san. It’s easy to tell in her T-shirt.

"Anyway, Grandma. I have a great idea for the first request we should take."

"I have a feeling it won’t be anything good, but I’ll hear you out."

"Hmph… So little faith."

It’s not disappointing, it’s just expected.

"Fine, whatever. The first request an adventurer takes is, of course…!"

Even through telepathy, I could tell Aira-san was pointing a finger at me with a smug look on her face.

"Goblin slaying!"

"Hey, idiot, stop it."

I must have put a little too much force into my voice, because Katarina-san’s shoulders jumped with a start. At the same time, her chest bounced.

Nooo… not scaaary. I am harml-ess…

"Goblin slaying!? No! I’m the one who’s going to savor Kyouta-kun’s first time!"

"Just to be clear, your first what?"

"My front is different now, so of course, my a—"

"Okay, please be quiet."

"Kuh…"

"The problem is that a mere goblin is no longer capable of stealing Kyo-chan’s chastity, I suppose…"

"Aira-san."

"Yes."

"Clench your teeth later, okay?"

"Is that a death threat!?"

I’m letting you off with a knuckle sandwich, so you should be grateful. Seriously.

"Goblin slaying… That might not be a bad idea."

"Professor!?"

"No, I was thinking we should start with a simple job, but we aren’t familiar with the culture here. Gathering medicinal herbs or making some kind of delivery would be difficult."

"…Are you, by any chance, surprisingly knowledgeable about games?"

"I heard about it from Aira."

"I see."

The professor nodded, placing a finger on her slender chin.

"Therefore, a request that can be quickly resolved with force might be appropriate. Well, for the most part, we’ll prioritize Katarina-san’s judgment."

I cast a sympathetic glance at Katarina-san, who had been naturally assigned the role of guide.

It seems the professor has no intention of letting this dog-eared girl go.

The girl herself, however, looked like she was about to cry from me looking at her. Heh… I feel like crying too.

Being genuinely feared by a girl… is tough on the psyche.

"Now that that’s settled, let’s go! Onward, to adventure!"

"O-Okay."

"…Yes."

"■■■—…!"

The hyper-energetic professor pumped her fist in the air and started walking, with me, Kageyama-san, and Katarina-san following behind.

And so began the ‘day-trip adventure’ of a truly strange party.