Kono Sekai ga Game da to, Ore dake ga Shitte Iru (WN) – Chapter 242

Thank you for accompanying me to the end of this story.

The five shadows gathered in the courtyard remained motionless for a long, long time.

They simply gazed at the sky, as if searching for the lingering magic remnants that had consumed two humans.

It was a strange, melancholic, yet warm stillness, as if they were lamenting a dream that had ended, or fearing that time would resume if they moved.

However, in this world, or rather, in any world, nothing is eternal.

No matter who disappears, the clock’s hands continue to tick, and their frozen time will eventually begin to move again.

“…They’re gone, aren’t they?”

The first to break the silence was the woman with long blonde hair, standing closest to us.

Layla Mitton, for that was her name, lowered her gaze and clenched her fist as if lamenting what had slipped through her fingers.

“Hmph! That brat! Go back to your own world and be happy! Serves you right!”

The one who reacted was the masked girl standing further back.

Her harsh words towards the two who had vanished before her eyes went unchallenged by anyone.

This was because her voice was tinged with tears, and the mask that hid her eyes could not conceal the heavy sobs that followed.

Ena, the girl with brown hair standing beside her, looked with compassion at the girl calling herself Sahzan, who was trying so hard to appear strong. She gazed at the sky where they had disappeared once more and then murmured, her voice full of concern.

“I wonder if Soma and the others made it back to their own world safely?”

Her words, spoken by the kind-hearted girl, brought about another silence among the girls.

After all, what choice did they have?

All they had witnessed was the “Forbidden Synthesis, Death Flash”—a dazzling display of light created by the fusion of two ultimate spells—and the two figures who vanished the moment they saw it.

As mere mortals, they had no way of knowing what truly happened to them…

Only one person in this place could answer her question.

“…I don’t know. All I know is that at the moment we saw that light, their reactions completely ceased,”

The one who answered was she who possessed the “Explorer’s Ring,” an equipment that allowed one to pinpoint anyone’s location.

Even at a time like this, her cat ears stood at attention, and her resolute eyes showed no hint of doubt.

However, just a little.

Only a tiny bit.

As she looked up at the sky again, her pursed lips and clenched fists reflected her inner turmoil.

“…I believe.”

From the very back of the five, in the place closest to the sky, a girl who had been gazing intently at the heavens murmured.

“…Because Soma, promised.”

Her sky-blue hair fluttered slightly in the wind as she, Ringo, made her declaration.

Still looking at the sky, as if nothing else mattered.

Her words carried only her will.

“…So I will keep believing.”

It was a vow that would turn an uncertain promise into a lifelong commitment, a pledge that, no matter what happened from then on, she would never waver in her resolve.

“…They are loved, aren’t they?”

The words were spoken suddenly, but not by any of the five girls.

Beneath the eaves of the mansion, about ten meters away from the girls standing in the courtyard and gazing at the sky, were two pairs of eyes watching them.

And the owner of that gaze, the woman in a somewhat clumsy maid outfit, was none other than Lilm, the bodyguard they had met during the Arken Mansion incident, whom some people called the “Dumb Maid.”

Lilm, her demeanor unusually melancholic, stared straight ahead and spoke.

“Is this truly alright, Soma?”

It was not a mere monologue, but a strong address to someone who should not have been there.

“Leaving them to cry like that, is that alright?”

As if to let the vanished one hear, she continued.

“Leaving the people most important to you, like that, is that alright?”

She questioned, even though she knew no one there could answer.

“Hey, are you listening, Soma?”

Finally, overwhelmed by her emotions, she raised a clenched fist.

She couldn’t bring herself to strike, but her eyes, filled with both pity and undeniable strong condemnation, let out a small shout.

“—That’s why! Stop hiding behind my back already!!”

…And.

…

…

…

…Well, it’s more or less like that.

It’s a matter of the narrator’s perspective in a story, or a viewpoint character gaining a god’s-eye view, which is rather presumptuous.

If that’s the case, then I, Soma Sagara, will be the narrator.

Or rather, in reality, I was simply observing everyone from a third-person perspective to escape reality, nothing more.

In short, to put it in a single word…

—I came back in five minutes!!

The trick behind my early return, which no one here expected, lies in the candy I had swallowed.

Maki seemed to be only paying attention to the Transfer Stone, but that wasn’t the only thing I had in my mouth when I was watching the Death Flash.

Along with the Transfer Stone, I put “a gem imbued with the magic of the ” into my mouth and successfully brought it back to the real world.

Then…

“Just as you instructed, I chanted the magic five minutes after Soma disappeared, but suddenly a teddy bear popped out, and Soma, who I thought was gone, also appeared! I was incredibly surprised! What would you do if my heart stopped?”

As the “**dumb maid**” said, I used the Magical Pocket gem to return to this world from Japan.

This method of return, though seemingly abrupt, was inspired by three hints from my past experiences.

—The “Thief-Bait,” the Yellow Slime, and the Underwater City.

First, is a magic that creates an entrance to a storage space similar to an Adventurer’s Bag.

And as evidenced by the bug where items put in by players were mistakenly used by NPCs due to the negligence of the Nekoneko staff, that space is unified.

Therefore, the initial idea was that if I could enter the storage space using magic in Japan, I might be able to transfer there when was used in the Nekoneko world.

Normally, it would be impossible to use magic in Japan, where magic and magic power do not exist.

However, there was an exception. Unlike magic that uses surrounding magic power for activation or Transfer Stones, Magic Gems are items set to “use magic power stored within the gem.”

As proof, the Magical Pocket gem could be used without issue even in a room that sealed off all magic and skills, like the Thief-Bait. The biggest gamble was whether I could bring this gem back to the real world, but I succeeded.

…Incidentally, I had also tried other hiding places in case my mouth didn’t work out, but it’s fine for now.

In fact, thinking about the subsequent process makes me feel down, so I’d rather forget about it for a while.

Furthermore, by having the “dumb maid” ready to use the magic as the entrance on the Nekoneko world’s side, the conditions for using the Magical Pocket were met in both worlds. However, immediate travel was not possible.

This is because living beings cannot enter the storage space of an Adventurer’s Bag or the Magical Pocket.

But then I remembered the Yellow Slime, familiar from the Slime Forest.

I had once devised a way to put it “into a bottle” and carry it alive inside my bag, using it as a weapon against the Fragment of the Evil God.

For reasons I don’t understand, by placing a living being into a container, it’s possible to indirectly bring living beings into the storage space.

And I knew of an item that could “contain humans” and was also “small enough to be put into a storage space.”

It was the Underwater City, a miniature city that could be entered, which I visited to obtain the Water Dragon Ring.

First, in Japan, I would use the Magical Pocket gem to take out the Underwater City’s fish tank, and then get inside it.

According to prior verification, the Underwater City can be placed in an Adventurer’s Bag or the Magical Pocket’s storage space even with a person inside. From here, it’s easy. All that’s left is to entrust everything to the mystery creature, Bear, which exists between NPCs and items, can freely enter and exit Adventurer’s Bags, and move freely within the storage space, acting as a transporter.

I had Bear, who was waiting in the Magical Pocket, store the Underwater City containing me and transport it into the storage space. Then, the moment the “dumb maid” used Magical Pocket in the Nekoneko world, Bear would pop out carrying the Underwater City. And magically! I could travel between Japan and the Nekoneko world in an instant.

Oh, and to be prepared for the next trip to Japan, I had Bear #2 take the Magical Pocket gem and wait there. If this works, it’s not just limited to Bears, so eventually, I want to ask Maki to take over this role, but I really owe the Bears.

“No, no, Soma, you should be bowing your head to them, not the bears! Why did you hide?”

Lilm snapped at me in a low voice just as my recollection ended. But it couldn’t be helped.

“W-well! I intended to come out right away! But everyone was being so somber, it didn’t feel like the right atmosphere to just say, ‘Hey, I’m back!’ I thought it might be more of a bother if I showed up now.”

“W-what are you saying! Look at them! Sahzan is crying her eyes out, separating from you! Doesn’t seeing those tears hurt you?”

“It does hurt! But that’s precisely why it’s even harder to come out. If it had been about a week since I left, I could have said something like, ‘Hehe. I’m back,’ but this is five minutes! Everyone’s in full farewell mode, and after such a grand goodbye scene, to suddenly reappear because I forgot something—it’d be awkward, you know!”

Of course, I didn’t think I could keep hiding forever.

The moment Mitsuki tried to locate me again with the Explorer’s Ring, it would be over. And anyway, I had no intention of hiding forever.

However, I truly believe that timing is everything. So, if I waited a little longer until their emotions settled, and a more natural reunion could be orchestrated…

“Ah! So, Soma, in front! In front!”

However, the fact that we were whispering to each other, even in a low voice, seemed to have been an utter mistake.

I quickly looked forward again. Mitsuki’s cat ears, sensing something, twitched. She then looked at her finger, at the “Explorer’s Ring” that could gauge a Player’s location, her eyes widening in disbelief.

—I was completely found out.

My back, frozen in embarrassment and awkwardness, was gently pushed by a warm hand.

“Here, go on.”

Her voice, a mixture of exasperation, amusement, and happiness, tickled my ears. Prompted by that warmth, I found myself taking a step towards my companions.

When I finally raised my head and their eyes met mine, Mitsuki’s expression didn’t change. However, the cat ears on her head, flailing wildly, spoke her feelings more eloquently than any words.

Next, Layla noticed. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps and burst into tears the moment she recognized me.

Sahzan looked towards me with a puzzled expression. Perhaps due to the shock of our reunion, her mask fell to the ground, but she made no move to pick it up. All she managed to say was, “Idiot. I wasn’t worried at all, idiot…” before her words failed her.

Behind them, Ena pinched her own cheek in disbelief. Then, muttering “It hurts…” absentmindedly, she wiped away her tears with her sleeve and gave me her brightest smile.

And then, finally…

“Ringo…”

Her blue hair swirled.

As she turned and our eyes met. Her clear blue eyes widened, then widened even further.

The tears she had held back so resolutely at the time of our parting spilled out, making her eyes brim. Even her usually impassive expression crumbled in an instant.

And then—

“—Welcome back, Soma!!”

She threw herself at me with all her might, and I held her tightly.

Thank you for reading!!
Please look forward to Usabar-sensei’s next work!!
Volume 9, the final installment of JC, will be released on Thursday, April 5th, with new bonus content!!

Starting next issue, Usabar-sensei’s “Last Rookie” will begin serialization!!
Please look forward to it!!