Arifureta After III Tortus Travel Journal ①
–
At the time the "returnee" uproar was calming down, in a certain day where there would be consecutive holiday in a few more days.
In the living room of his home, Hajime was encountering an extremely troubling situation.
「If you want to pass through here, then step over your mother's dead body.」
「……」
His mother Sumire was standing on his way while repeatedly jumping sideways for some reason.
Her gaze was sharp, and her movement was agile. She was muttering 「kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi」 with small voice……it seemed that it wasn't sideways leaping, but she was imitating India's national sport.
It was completely mysterious that for some reason his mother challenged him with India sport even though he was only trying to go to the kitchen to take some drink.
And then, speaking of mystery,
「Hajime. Tou-san will cry if you aren't showing any reaction soon you know?」
Surely it also applied to the father――Shuu, standing behind him in Joj○ pose that looked relatively painful. (TN: Jojo pose)
In other words, currently Hajime who was trying to take drink from the kitchen was being surrounded by his mother who was doing kabaddi and his father who standing in Joj○ pose for some reason.
Hajime let out a long sigh and,
「I don't want to say something like this to my parents but……I'll dare to say it. ――Seriously annoying.」
「Myy, how can you say that to your father! Just because he is a bit like that, it's cruel! Apologize!」
「Oii, how can you say that to your mother! Just because she is a bit like that, that's cruel! Apologize!」
Sumire and Shuu looked at each other. It seemed they both thought that Hajime's words were directed to the other one. It never crossed their mind that those words could be for themselves.
「Wait a second dear. Just what is annoying from me. He referred to the father who is standing in Joj○ pose at the living room you know? In this world there is no human more annoying than you right now.」
「Ha? I don't get what do you mean though? Is there something more annoying than a mother who is doing kabaddi inside the house? Stop running from reality, Sumire.」
A beat. 「Aa?」「Oo?」 They both pressed on each other. Nagumo family's married couple were galring at each other while sandwiching their son in between.
Hajime was massaging his forehead to endure the headache from the outbreak of incomprehensible matrimonial quarrel.
「Anyway leave aside the matrimonial quarrel for now, can you say just what in the world you two were planning to do?」
Sumire and Shuu who were glaring at each other returned to their original position with a jump *hyupa-*, then with a good coordination that would make one wonder just what with the dangerous atmosphere before this, they spoke their desire.
「「We want to go to another world travel!!」」
Sumire and Shuu's eyes were sparkling. It seemed they wanted to go to Tortus. There would be consecutive holiday soon, so they must be wanting to go to a family trip. And they were requesting for the destination to be another world.
「……Tortus huh. My bad, but is it no good to postpone it for a bit later? It's not that we cannot go, but it will make my plan to get disordered greatly.」
There was a method to go to Tortus. The method was simple. If there was the compass and Crystal Key, they could go anywhere.
Although, it wasn't like there was no problem at all. It was the fuel. Even calling the amount of energy needed to travel between worlds as enormous was still underselling it, an absurd amount of magic power would be necessary. They couldn't travel that easily.
For now, there was a stock of magic power that was just barely enough. There was enough, but there was schedule to use it until Hajime could establish a method to travel easily and freely to another world. He hesitated to use it merely just to go playing.
Hajime was looking reluctant, however, Sumire and Shuu showed a complacent smile as though wanting to say 「That reaction is just as expected」.
And then, they signaled by whistling in front of the dubious Hajime. By the way, Sumire couldn't whistle, so she was saying 「Pyuuu」.
Right after the whistling echoed inside Nagumo house, multiple silhouettes appeared in the living room. It was a teleport that didn't even use gate――"Divine Existence".
Naturally, the ones that appeared were Yue, and then Myuu, Remia, Shia, and Tio who seemed to be teleported by Yue. Yue and co then began moving with a smooth movement that was like trained troupe.
「A-no-ther-world! Want-to-go! A-no-ther-world! Want-to-go!」
When Sumire was starting to take the lead, at the front Myuu, Yue, Remia, and then Sumire were lining up vertically in that order and began doing Choo Choo ○rain. (TN: Choo Choo Train, google it)
Myuu was laughing while doing her best to move her small body in big circle. Yue was depicting a circle with slightly delayed movement. She was expressionless, but she looked like she was having fun somewhat. Remia too was chuckling「Ufufu ♡」 while following their movement splendidly.
Hajime thought. 'These guys, they absolutely practiced this'. At the same time, the face of his mother who was pleading for another world travel with triumphant look made him irritated somehow.
「That's right!」
「To another woorld!」
「Let's go! Desuu!」
When he looked back, Tio, Shuu, and Shia were lining up horizontally while making chuuni pose. Their pose was Joj○ pose that came from accumulating research on top of research.
At the front was his mother's gang perfectly reproducing a revolving dance that was leaving impression in the heart somehow even though its formal name still wasn't clear despite the dance's fame, while at the back was his father's gang who was doing perfect chuuni pose that was also impossible to forget.
「I waaant to see my son's cool side juust for a biit~♪」
「It was my dream to get my son to take me going to a trip you knooow~. I wish my son will fulfill his filial piety~」
The mother and father were whining with their all.
Hajime's forehead massage was getting more intense.
When he was holding his head at his wits' end toward the eccentricity that was under the name of parents' pestering, Yue who was expressionlessly twirling opened her mouth.
「……Hajime. It's important to do what should be done, but family service is also important.」
「Yue……」
A telepathy suddenly arrived from Yue.
『……Besides, Okaa-samamother-in-law and Otou-samafather-in-law want to know the track that Hajime walked. This isn't simply curiosity. But because this is about their treasured son.』
『……』
『……I understand. Hajime doesn't really want, Okaa-sama and Otou-sama to know about what Hajime did. Isn't that right?』
『……You're right. I think it's something they don't need to know.』
『……Okaa-sama and Otou-sama also understand that Hajime is thinking like that. But, exactly because of that, they want to know. In order to convey, that they can embrace Hajime with their feeling like now even after knowing.』
Hajime looked up.
Tortus was an important place where he met Yue and others. There was no way he was avoiding it.
But, at the same time, that world was also hell for Hajime. What he did to escape and return home, should be called as gruesome in earth.
He didn't have the slightest but of regret, and if it was necessary he would do the same thing even now.
Although, he had already told his parents about what he had done, and even Hajime would hesitate to make his father and mother to expressly follow his track and made them felt it for real.
For example, even if he was convinced that how his parents were looking at him wouldn't change from it, as a son, he felt a hesitation that couldn't be explained with logic.
The travel to another world had been done several times, but he had never brought Shuu and Sumire together at those occasions was the manifestation of such thinking.
Seeing Hajime was indecisive, Yue spoke encouragingly at him while still doing twirling dance.
『……I also want to know. With what kind of feeling, what kind of hardship you overcame, in order for Hajime to return back to Okaa-sama and Otou-sama. The two of them have the right to know. Hajime, answer them?』
「……If Yue speak that much, then I cannot escape anymore huh.」
That's right, escape. It was unlike Hajime to do that.
Hajime smiled self-depreciatingly and his shoulders that were tensed unconsciously relaxed.
「Haa. I got it. Kaa-san, Tou-san, I'll invite you two to Tortus at the coming holidays, so stop doing Choo Choo Trai○ and Joj○ pose inside the house already.」
Immediately, 「Wa~i!」 Sumire and Shuu raised both their hands joyfully. They jumped for joy while high fiving each other.
Their frolicking caused Hajime to spontaneously want to tsukkomiretort 「Are you two children!」. That was how happy they were to be able to know about what Hajime went through in another world.
「We did it dear! With this we can see a lot of animal ears as much as we want!」
「Oi oi, Sumire. Don't forget about elf in the flesh! We've got to see the pointed ears twitching even at the risk of our life!」
「That's obvious! Especially the girl! Gufufuh, I really cannot wait to see erlf in the flesh it's painful……」(TN: In Japan, elf is read as erufu, with the 'r' sounds like 'l'. Here Sumire switched the 'u' in the middle with 'o', into erofu. When Japanese people read it, it will still sound like elf, but the ero there refer to erotic.)
「That's it!」
Hajime turned his gaze to Yue.
「What did you say about following my track?」
「……O, of course they also want to know about that, should be……」
Yue's gaze was fiercely swimming around. Seeing how the two were frolicking merrily while chanting 「Erlf! Erlf in the flesh!」, no matter how anyone looked, no parental feeling of wanting to know the son's experience could be seen at all. Rather, their own interest and desire were bared to see.
There, someone pulled *kui kui* at Hajime's hand……
「Papa. Whaaat is erlf?」
Myuu's pure question. Her eyes were shining with curiosity. No way he could teach her the meaning of the words of the two dirty adults. Those pure eyes made Hajime felt like that.
Hajime was directing a nihilistic gaze toward Sumire and Shuu while,
「Myuu. There are things in this world that shouldn't be known.」
「??」
He answered like that.
–
–
–
At the morning of the holiday.
A lot of people were inside Nagumo home's living room.
「Kaori? My angel? Won't you get back into good mood soon? Look, somehow Otou-san is also coming like this. Okay?」
「……」
On the living room's sofa, there was the figure of Kaori who although she was sitting demurely with upright gesture of both her legs sticking close to each other and her hands put on the knees, her expression wasn't even trying to hide her sullenness.
Toward such Kaori――the one who was desperately cheering up his beloved daughter was Shirasaki Tomoichi.
「Kaori, Oji-sanuncle is seriously depressed, so how about leaving it at that?」
The one who was smiling wryly beside Kaori while intermediating was Shizuku.
「Tomoichi-kun too is getting hardships from his daughter huh.」
「……Otou-san? What does that mean? Rather I believe the one getting hardship here is me who found out about my family's hidden occupation and outrageous behavioral principle though?」
「……I stirred up the hornet's nest.」
The one who sent sympathetic words to Tomoichi and got rewarded with reproachful gaze from Shizuku was Yaegashi Koichi who averted his eyes. Beside Koichi, the one who similarly averted her eyes was the grandfather Yaegashi Shuuzou.
「Fufu, Tomoichi-san and Kaori-chan are really close.」
「……It's always embarrassing every time, Kirino-san.」
There were two ladies leisurely watching the father-daughter quarrel while drinking tea at the living room's table. One was Yaegashi Kirino, the other one was Shirasaki Kaoruko. They were respectively the mother of Shizuku and Kaori.
Hearing the talk of Nagumo family going to Tortus for a trip at this consecutive holiday, Kaori and Shizuku pleaded 'In that case we too!'. The result, the families of both household were gathering like this in the living room of Nagumo house.
Unfortunately, the family outside these two families wasn't able to take consecutive holidays. One other family would be the exception and passed off in this time.
In order to bring along that last fellow traveler to this Tortus travel, currently Hajime wasn't in Nagumo house. The people here were waiting for his return.
Actually, Kaoruko was a great fan of Sumire's shoujo mangagirl comic, and Kirino who didn't know about the manga itself but knew about the live-action film knew about Sumire's true identity as the author. Their tension was rising, they were also getting excited talking with Remia and Myuu who joined in the conversation about the mother-daughter's story of the fishman tribe.
Shuu was making fun of Tomoichi, Tomoichi who snapped assaulted Shuu……
Yue was making fun of Kaori, Kaori who snapped assaulted Yue……
Shia coaxed Shuuzou and Koichi that she wished to be shown the technique of Yaegashi-style (hidden), then the two displayed outrageous ninjut――ancient martial arts technique in the garden……
On that garden's tree, a regrettable dragon who blundered early in the morning was being hung down wrapped in bamboo mat……
The neighbor saw the garden of such Nagumo house while passing through hurried footsteps……
The gossip among the neighbors that Nagumo house was a haunted environment of the residential area was accelerating……
They killed time like that for a while.
Suddenly, the space in the living room began to distort like jelly. It was the proof of space teleportation using "gate".
As expected, a round hole that a person could pass through was spreading.
「That bastard, he is obviously having lingering attachment. As I thought, perhaps I should do a scene of Inugami house once to him properly?」 (TN: Inugami house, something like murder story or something in Japan I think)
「That's why I'm saying, why is Hajime-kun is so fixated with Inugami house?」
「Taichi-kun also get a lot of hardships isn't he. More importantly, it's really like Anywhe○ Door. How amazing~」
The one who entered was Hajime and Aiko, and then Aiko's mother Akiko.
It would be Akiko alone who joined them from Hatayama family. The other family members couldn't leave alone their farm even temporarily and this time they would pass up the opportunity. They would participate at another chance when the travel between worlds became easier.
Hajime who crossed through space while talking about something saw the two fathers and the two wives scuffling before his eyes, and then he saw the Yaegashi family displaying things like KatonFire Style or KawarimiSubstitute Technique in the garden, then he saw the four madams chatting and giggling while feeding Myuu, and said a short sentence.
「Eh? What's with this chaos?」
Even though he only left them for thirty minutes, for some reason he was shown great commotion inside the house. His expression cramped.
And then, he saw the Hatayama mother and daughter whose eyes opened wide,
「Aiko's home is really peacefully nice huh. I really like Hatayama family you see~」
「Hee!? I, is that so? Ehehe~」
「My, Hajime-kun you flatterer, saying happy thing like that. Come again to play in the future. Our house's fruits are the best thanks to Aiko you know?」
「Yes. I will come at that time without fail.」
Hajime and Hatayama mother and daughter conversed peacefully.
Under their feet there was still a great ruckus. 「Speaking of the cause, it's the son of you bastard!」「Ha-ha-ha! Tomo-kun, your heart is really narrow huh~. This is why recently Kaori-chan is calling me "Otou-san" adoringly――」「Don't say anymoreeeeee! I'm a bit aware of it after alllll-. Also, Don't call me Tomo-kunnn-」 The father of Shirasaki family and the father of Nagumo family were grappling like that.
Incidentally, beside them was「Muiiiiiiiih, Yue you idioooot」「Nniiiiih, Kaori you stupiiidd」 there was exchange of cat punch and cat kick.
Furthermore, 「Pa, papaaa! Save meee!」 Myuu who was jostled and treated affectionately like a cat by the madam group was reaching out her hand to him while gasping for breath, at the garden Shia VS Shuuzou & Koichi was almost starting, Shizuku was desperately stopping them.
In the end, it would be one hour later when everyone calmed down and they could depart.
–
–
–
Everyone was bringing only baggage in the amount that wouldn't become hindrance and moved to underground the Nagumo house.
The parents from each family were going「A really deep underground room is……」 in surprise. Tomoichi whose occupation was an architect was muttering something like「The Building Standards Law is……」.
Before long they could see the end of the stair, but ahead it became a wall and the path ended.
While everyone's attention gathered at Hajime wondering what to do, Hajime put his hand on a corner of the wall. Instantly, brilliant crimson light ran through the whole wall, and the wall split into two. 「Oo~」 Admiring voices were raised.
「The wall is using a magic called soul magic. If it's not someone that Hajime-kun give permission to, they absolutely won't be able to enter inside. After all the magic literally investigate the compatibility of the soul. Of course, I can enter inside!」
Kaori showed a triumphant look especially toward her father. 「I'm trusted by Hajime-kun you know!」 Such implicit claim caused Tomoichi to display a "sullen face" that was exactly like his daughter before this.
But, the next moment he made a grand tsukkomi with his eyes snapping wide open.
「WAIT A SECOOOOOOOOND! This is obviously strange isn't it!? What's with this size!」
Yes, the underground space Hajime was proud of had the size a bit like a theater building. No matter how one looked at it, it was the size that reached until the other houses in the neighborhood and even underground the main street.
As an architect who often got troubled how to create as much as "size" as possible with limited space, surely this underground space that felt like saying 「It exist for the sake of crushing Building Standards Law!」「The land of other people is mine. The land of the country is also mine」 couldn't be tolerated no matter what.
This space that was as though it existed for the sake of making him, a first class architect wanted to say 'Are you showing off this outrageous thing to me, huuuuh!?' caused Tomoichi to send a glare at Hajime. Hajime smiled wryly while saying.
「I didn't do anything that will make it troublesome to deal with if it's exposed. I'm enlarging the underground space using a magic called space magic. You know about the Treasure Warehouse that Kaori has right? The principle is the same.」
「I, is that so……. Anything is really possible with magic huh……」
Tomoichi felt like the common sense of architect was overturned right from the root and he looked up.
He barely ignored the overwhelming gaze of my angel beside him that was looking for agreement 「Hajime-kun is amazing isn't he? Right, right? Otou-san also think so right?」. He was also doing his best to ignore the exasperated gaze of his wife who was looking at him acting like this.
「Hmmm. This is nice. When Tomoichi-kun yelled just now his voice doesn't really echo. The wall and floor also look strong against impact, it feels like we will be able to have good training here without being a bother to the neighbors. And above all else, it's making the heart dance just from it being underground.」
「Right. Hajime-kun. About this underground space, can you make it under Yaegashi house too if we request it?」
「Otou-san!? Ojii-chanGrandfather!? You two are still planning to make our house into even more outrageous residence!?」
The current house head and assistant instructor of Yaegashi-style who was stepping repeatedly on the floor and striking the wall roughly were leaking out their admiration and envy and desire all over. Together they also ignored the grieving voice 「Stooopp it!」 of the daugther who wanted them to stop.
「……If Shizuku is okay with it, I won't be reluctant to be of help.」 (TN: A reminder, Hajime is using polite language all this time when he is talking with his wives' family here. He is using casual language when talking with his own parents though)
When Hajime was worrying whether it was all right to increase his lover's hardship for more than this while looking at Shizuku, Shizuku shook her head left and right in a display of 「Firm rejection!」.
「Hajime-san, I wonder if you will also receive request for individual underground space? I want to have consultation about a space where only limited people can enter using soul magic though……」
「Okaa-san!?」
Shizuku had no ally. Kiriko's gaze with her index finger touching her cheek and her head tilted that strangely looked appropriate for her was locking straight at Hajime.
Even while Hajime's cheeks were cramping, for now he put away the problem for the future by saying 「If there is a chance I will be open for consultation」.
Except the father of a certain bug rabbit, Hajime was doing his utmost to be considerate to the speech and conduct of his wive~s' family, so he hesitated to reject them down bluntly.
「Hmmmm, no matter how many times I hear it, the discomfort from seeing Goshujin-sama using polite language art still amazing.」
「Isn't it~. A lot has happened since coming to earth, I have also seen Hajime-san like this several times though.」
Tio and Shia were looking at Hajime with a really complicated expression. For the two of them, the demon king Hajime who was crushing absurdity with even more absurdity was exactly what Hajime was to them, so they only felt chill that made their body shiver for some reason when seeing his action and speech that were considerate to other people.
Although, this was the manifestation of Hajime's feeling that was trying to treasure the entirety of his wive~s' family, so they didn't intend to stop him.
They advanced deeper into the underground space that was also Hajime's "underground workshop". Here and there, things like transmutation material, or modern technology goods were placed, the golemsGrim Reapers that were in the process of creation were especially eye-catching.
Even Yue and others, and Sumire and Shuu who were used to seeing them to a certain degree had their gaze wandering around restlessly in curiosity. While that was going on, Hajime pulled several books from a bookshelves that were safekeeping various materials.
Instantly, *gogogo-* a heavy sound resounded and the bookshelves split to left and right. The wall behind it had a metallic two-leaf door that was also made solidly.
Seeing that, it seemed Shuu had a question suddenly welling up inside and he asked while tilting his head.
「Come to think of it Hajime. Why are you using that kind of door? If you have that crystal key something, you can connect the space from anywhere right?」
It was a question that was only natural, which caused everyone's gaze to gather on Hajime.
「Certainly that's true. But this door is also an artifact more or less, it's taking part in economizing the use of magic power. It erased the need to use magic power for designating or fixing the coordinate in place. Though it only has the effect of reducing the cost by twenty percent.」
「I see. If I remember right, the exit is fixed at the palace in the other world. Hahah, Tou-san completely thought that the reason you made this is only because this is cooler.」
Hajime slowly averted his gaze. Actually eighty percent of his reason was that. Also, he secretly gave the name "World Door" to it.
Even though there was already the door that was locked using soul magic to enter the workshop, by the point he set up bookshelves to hide this it was beyond obvious that this was merely his hobby working in full.
The gaze of Yue and co, the wive~s who guessed his reason was lukewarm. Myuu's praise of 「Papa! This bookshelves is cool nano!」 echoed inside his heart in bad meaning. Sumire's wide grin that seemed to say 「I understand you know?」 was unbearable.
「A, anyway, I'll open the door so back away a bit.」
Hajime took out Crystal Key from his Treasure Warehouse, then put it inside the keyhole of the World Door that wasn't particularly necessary. Then, crimson light that was particularly meaningless surged through the whole surface of the World Door, then a pattern that seemed really meaningful emerged out also without any particular meaning.
When even more magic power that was taken out from magic crystals in stock was poured in, before long the World Door started to emit light that was overflowing with mystique and impact. Of course, the light was meaningless.
There, Yue and others also joined in pouring magic power in order to lighten Hajime's burden, each of their magic power light brilliantly illuminated the underground workshop.
Sumire and Shuu were watching in fascination toward that sublime sight without even making commotion with wide eyes. The other parents were even more so.
Before long, the magic power of Hajime and co that was real cheat was completely taken by Crystal Key and World Door. Finally space connection to the side of Tortus was formed.
Hajime rotated the Crystal Key. *Click*, heavy sound of a lock getting opened rang and the door opened. At the same time, *RINGOOOON!* a bell ringing sound reverberated. This was the sound that notified the "gate opening" at the palace's side.
Hajime's crimson, Yue's golden, Shia's bluish white, Tio's pure black, Kaori's silver, Shizuku's lapis lazuli, Aiko's cherry blossom, lights of seven colors overflowed. In front of the opened gate, Hajime who was illuminated by the backlighting looked back across his shoulder while smiling.
And then,
「Then, let's start the another world travel.」
Saying that he stepped inside the light at the lead.
Sumire and Shuu looked at each other's face and their face burst into a bright smile. They raised 「Yafuuuuuh」 a cheer while leaping into the light following their son. After them, Yue and others followed while smiling.
「Now, Otou-san! Okaa-san! Let's go!」
「O, ooh, yo-yo, you're right! But, is this thing really all right……」
「As expected, it gives a bit of hesitation.」
Tomoichi got cold feet and Kaoruko felt nervous. Kaori grasped the hand of her parents who were like that and jumped into the gate while pulling the two.
「He, hey, Aiko. I know that it's fine, but the other side, that's, it cannot be seen from here?」
「……It should be visible though……haa. This is because of Hajime-kun's excessive dramatic act. Geez……sometimes he is just like a child.」
Aiko was making expression of 'really can't be helped' while taking the hand of Akiko who was getting a second thought as expected. Then she led her into the light.
Seeing such Shirasaki family and Hatayama family, Shizuku fired up herself 「As expected, normally anyone will get second thought like that in this time. I have to get a hold of myself here!」.
「To think that I'll be able to have mysterious experience like this in this age. Kukuh, I'm feeling high spirited that is unbecoming for an old man.」
「That's only reasonable, Oyajifather/old man. This is the world of sword and magic you know? It's natural to be thrilled if you are a man. The first one from Yaegashi family who enter will be me!」
「Muh, damn Koichi! Getting head start is unforgivable!」
「Geez, man will be like boys no matter how much time passed isn't it? But, fufu, my heart beat also cannot calm down so I cannot say anything about other people myself. Please wait, dear! Otou-samafather-in-law!」
Everyone of Yaegashi family leaped into the light eagerly. Leaving behind their daughter.
Inside the spacious underground workshop, Shizuku was left alone. Even though she was fired up because it was a travel to unknown world for her family……her eyes were turning hollow.
But, seeing the light was gradually getting weaker, she suddenly returned to her senses and,
「Wa, waiiiit! Don't leave me behiiind!」
She raised her voice in panic while leaping into the gate.
–
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The World Door that was set up inside Nagumo house's underground workshop.
That door that was connected to another world with lights of seven colors overflowing was passed through by people who were fearful, people who were used to it, and also people who were high spirited.
Like that, while *ringooon* sound that was like church's bell was ringing out, they whose eyes were narrowed because of the dazzling light finally managed to secure back their sight. There, what leaped into their sight was――
「……This is another world.」
「Haha……what grandeur. No more words are coming to me.」
It was a grandeur nature.
The World Door at Tortus side was on the summit of a tower that was connected to the place with sky corridor. Naturally, the sight was a 360 degree of great panorama.
The God Mountain was destroyed, so although they couldn't pay respect to the sight of the highest peak that once displayed majestic appearance, the view around became better instead.
The mountain range that was continuing on and on to the north without end was truly the very sigh of another world that was usually seen from fantasy movie and the like. The great plain that was spreading to the south, the palace that was right nearby, and then the scenery of the capital that was filled with the sounds of reconstruction.
It was a magnificent sight that was the same like in earth. But, without any reason, from the air that the skin felt, the people who was currently watching in fascination at the scenery of Tortus from the summit of the tower felt it.
That this wasn't earth. That this was another world of sword and magic.
Sumire's dazed muttering was agreed by Shuu who was similarly having his eyes wide open.
Their voice finally caused the parents of each family to return to their senses.
The round tower was about a hundred meter above ground. Just in case there was fence set up, but normally anyone would refrain from approaching the edge.
But, Tomoichi and Kaoruko, also Shuuzou and Koichi, Kirino too, and then even Akiko followed behind Sumire and Shuu who were striving to be the first to reach the handrail and they ran their gaze until the sight below.
「……Nn, nnh. Ee~, below, you can see the capital of Hairihi Kingdom that is in the middle of reconstruction.」
Suddenly Yue pointed one hand slowly toward the capital while saying such thing theatrically.
「Yue? What are you doing?」
Hajime asked as the representative of everyone.
「……I am tour guide Yue. Entertaining the group is my mission!」
「Eh? Why tour guide?」
「……Bus guide-san at the school trip was amazing in various things, she looked like she was having fun so I wanted to give it a try.」
「I, I see. Or rather, was that guide really that amazing?」
She was amazing. Her mental strength was.
Yue said that and then coughed.
「……And then, the mountain of rubbles that is visible over there, is God Mountain that once boasted a height at the same level with Everest in earth. It was destroyed from the meteors that Hajime rained down by a lot.」
「「「「「「……」」」」」」
For now, there were three convulsing expressions, and three expressions that were unknown what kind of thought they contained. And then,
「As expected from my son! You got flashy there huh, oi! So you destroyed another world's Everest!」
「Please tell me! How did it turn out like that!」
Even though their son was carrying out large scale destruction that changed the geography, for some reason the Nagumo married couple Sumire and Shuu were making ruckus with rocketing tension.
Kaori answered in the place of Hajime who was making really conflicted expression.
「See, we knew that the enemy would come out from the God Mountain, so in that case it's fine isn't it if the they are blown away along with the God Mountain right after the battle started! That was the idea wasn't it? It was really amazing.」
「I guess. Countless meteors were raining down from the sky, and they impacted on God Mountain one after another……a shockwave that was like great earthquake was spreading……I thought, perhaps the end of the world is something like this.」
Shizuku talked with a faraway look. Tomoichi asked with convulsing expression still on his face.
「Ha, Hajime-kun. You, are you really able to make meteor rain down? I, I don't think it's possible but, you cannot do the same at earth too right?」
「……」
Hajime-san slowly averted his gaze. As expected, no matter what he couldn't say that he was able to drop meteor even on earth. Furthermore it didn't just stop there, he had sent up a lot of satellite weapons to the orbit, where he would be able to go *buppa* with sunlight convergence laser anytime. It was even harder to say that.
Although, it could be guessed from his behavior. Tomoichi's expression was grandly convulsing even more. One of the cause of his expression was also because Kaori was making a triumphant look for some reason. He wondered since when my angel had become a child who would be proud of mass destruction……
There, as though reading the mood, Shuu tapped on Tomoichi's shoulder. When Tomoichi who was busily rethinking the cultivation of his beloved daughter's aesthetic sensibility turned a conflicted gaze at him, Shuu made a nice smile that seemed to say 「It's all right, leave it to me」 while nodding with a thumb up and,
「Listen well, Hajime! Absolutely don't use it at earth! You understand right!? It's a promise with Tou-san!」
He rebuked with an unusual strong tone like that. Hajime's eyes turned round seeing that, even so he smiled wryly and answered 「I got it. There is no way I will use something like this there」.
But,
「Are you serious? It's absolute you know? You really, really mustn't use it I'm telling you! A~bbsolutely y'know! Really――」
「Are you pretending!? Are you planning to make Hajime-kun use it!? I've been thinking of this since some time ago though! Hajime-kun's unprecedented conduct was inherited from you right!? Nagumo-Shuu!」
Tomoichi howled. The person in question himself was making a happy face like 「Tomo-kun's reaction is really nice huuuh」. It went without saying that pulsing vein snapped into place on Tomoichi's forehead.
It looked like the grappling of Tomoichi VS Shuu would start again. Beside them Kaoruko smiled wryly saying 「I'm sorry for my husband everytime」, while Sumire lowered her head saying 「My husband himself, it looks like he is really pleased with Tomoichi-san……I'm sorry that he is an idiot」.
There, tour guide Yue-san went *buppa* with bombshell announcement that would send the place falling into even deeper chaos.
「……By the way, there was the headquarter of the sacred teaching church that was the largest religion in this Tortus, but they were the puppet of the evil god with the pope for starters, so all the people there were bombed to death. By Aiko.」
「Hauh!?」
Aiko's chest was pierced by spear of words and she crumbled. Akiko was saying 「I heard the story but, when looking at the actual spot of the scene like this……I don't have any words……」 with her expression somewhat pale and her body slightly trembling.
「Oh my. Geez Aiko-sensei, even though you are cute like a small animal……you are unexpectedly radical aren't you?」
「Hmmm. A teacher who won't shirk from bombing many to death for the sake of the students……you are truly a model teacher.」
「I'm glad that you are the one in charge of Shizuku.」
「I'm sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry――police officer-san, I'm the culprit. Sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry」
Kirino hid her mouth elegantly with her hand while chuckling 「hohoho」, and Shuuzou with Koichi gave her words of praise……for Aiko it became additional blow instead.
She was fiercely doubly stimulated with trauma and guilt that she even prostrating on the ground with hollow eyes while beginning to apologize profusely.
The parents who were in the verge of fighting because of what the child did, the apologizing to each other, pale expression, praise from playful sense of values……
Shia who was watching that smiled wryly, while Tio spoke with a troubled face.
「I have anticipated this but, as I thought, the travel in Tortus has become chaos.」
「The number of people shouldst be reduced a bit mayhaps.」
On the other hand,
「Papaa~. We still aren't going down nano~」
「My my, geez Myuu……to not only acting completely unperturbed, but instead even feel bored in this situation」
Myuu was already urging to embark on the lift. As though to say that the chaos situation before her eyes 'ain't my business at all'. Remia's expression was turning conflicted seeing her daughter's nerve that was getting bolder day by day.
Seeing everything including Myuu just now, Hajime looked up to the sunny sky and,
「This is bad. I want to go home already.」
He muttered such thing earnestly.
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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
For those who hoped for Abyss Lord arc, I'm sorry (sweat)
I'm unable to elaborate any plot yet!
And so, it will be my happiness if you all can go along with the idle chapter until I get idea.
By the way, I also still haven't thought concrete detail of Shia's long arc.
Even the decision of which one to write is still pending. In any case, I'm thinking that writing some kind of long arc from the first Saturday of next year might be a good timing to start perhaps.
This year, there are two weeks remaining but, please treat me well!
By the way, it feels like Tortus travel journal will become a lot, so if there are a lot of people who say that they want to read it, I'm thinking of putting it in between bit by bit like Yue's diary or student life series.