The explanation session for the discovery of the Southern Continent has ended, and I decided to return to our mansion once. It seems like there have been consecutive disturbances happening everywhere, so I’d missed my chance to go home recently. This is why I say this, but the fleeting time was perfect for a visit. I wonder if Efil and Ryuka, whom I entrusted with the mansion, are doing well? Well, I know they’re doing fine in real-time because we’ve been in regular contact through my doppelganger, Kuro.
“Oh, you’re back, Kelvin-kun. I’m just visiting~”
…Well, it’s precisely because we’ve been in contact that I also knew Kuon was visiting the mansion. Despite her lovely, youthful appearance, she, who claims to be near forty, was elegantly relaxing in my garden.
“Welcome back, Master.”
Efil, waiting behind Kuon, greeted me politely like a maid. In fact, Efil was the one who informed me of Kuon’s arrival at the mansion, and I had instructed her beforehand to welcome her as a guest.
“Ah, I’m back. I’m sorry for the sudden, unreasonable request. Did she do anything strange?”
“No, nothing in particular. She was peacefully enjoying tea and sweets.”
“I’m enjoying the tea and sweets~! Besides, Kelvin-kun, it’s rude to ask that when I’m right in front of you, you know? This old lady has a big heart, so I don’t mind at all!”
Saying that, Kuon popped a high-class confectionery, presumably served by Efil for guests, into her mouth in one bite. Looking closely, there’s evidence that she’d eaten quite a few sweets. I wonder, she gives off a vibe similar to Mel and Silvia… No, it’s just a feeling, I wonder if it’s my imagination? I hope it’s just my imagination… Well, putting that aside for now.
“Yeah, I don’t really feel like pointing this out anymore, but I’ll ask just in case. How did you know this was my house?”
“Eh? My drinking buddy, Shin-chan, just told me normally?”
My drinking buddy, Shin-chan? Shin-sama, you scoundrel…!
“What, that free spirit is becoming your drinking buddy…”
“Oh my, I’ve learned about so many good places to drink. How about we go together sometime, Kelvin-kun?”
Saying that, Kuon made a gesture as if to tip her glass to her lips.
“With your appearance, doing that feels… dangerous in many ways… So, seriously, what business do you have here today? Surely, you didn’t just come for a drink, right?”
“Eh? That’s right, though?”
“No, I’m kidding, I mean— wait, what is with that serious reaction…”
Could it be that she genuinely came all this way just for that? I thought you were traveling mainly around the Western Continent right now, weren’t you? Did you just pop over to the Eastern Continent, a place you’ve never even visited, with the same casualness as going to the convenience store?
“…By the way, how did you cross the sea between continents?”
“Ehehe, I just swam here.”
“You swam all the way here…?”
So it really was a convenience store trip. I vaguely remember hearing about Glostina swimming across the sea during the Beast King Festival, but with Kuon… it didn’t feel like it took her much time at all. I’m pretty sure she really felt like she just swam it. This physical monster.
…Glostina, Glostina. Ah, right. Speaking of Glostina, I remember Gordiana saying they would hold a funeral just for close family. I believe they were planning to build a grave at Gordia’s sacred ground. Due to overlapping schedules with Efil’s childbirth and various national meetings, I couldn’t attend, but I need to make time soon to pay my respects at the grave. Also, I’m a little worried about Gordiana. Right after that battle, she seemed outwardly normal, but there’s no way she was completely fine—
“—Kelvin-kun, something on your mind? If you need an old lady to listen, I’m here, you know? Go on, sit down. There’s just an empty seat right in front of this old lady.”
Kuon lightly tapped the table while urging me to sit down. No, this is my garden… Well, that’s a trivial detail now. I meekly sat in the seat opposite her.
“Damn, was it that obvious on my face?”
“Nope, not at all? You didn’t look any different, but you seemed like you were thinking about something else, so I just decided to probe.”
“……”
“Ahaha, now it’s obviously on your face. Sorry, sorry, it’s just fun talking to young people. So, what were you worrying about?”
Kuon, like a senior in life, seems willing to give me advice on my life problems. However, in return, she requests another serving of tea and sweets. Yeah, Efil, please bring one. Not the guest ones, but the ones for Mel, please.
“It’s not exactly a worry… but you see, in the last battle, ah, shortly before you and Maria came to this world, I lost a precious comrade in arms. I need to visit their grave soon.”
“Haaah…”
Upon hearing my words, Kuon’s eyes widened.
“What’s with that surprised face and voice?”
“No, well… I always thought you were a battle-maniac through and through. Like, you were apparently making all sorts of combat requests to Maria the other day? And in the end, I ruined it, and you directed an incredible amount of killing intent at me, didn’t you? You looked like that kind of person through and through.”
“Through and through that kind of person… Well, I’m used to hearing it, so it’s fine. But I have normal human sensibilities too. Even if it was death in battle, if someone close to me dies, I’ll be sad, and I’ll fall into despair. Glostina and I had a sparring match, and we connected on many things. Yeah, I am sad, and it hurts.”
“Haaah… So, are you going to stop fighting now?”
“Huh? Why would you say that? Are you trying to take away my reason for living?”
Does Kuon not know the saying, “that’s that, and this is this”? If I were to step away from combat and live peacefully, I’m confident I’d become a shut-in.
“… *Pft*! Fufu, Ahaha! Yeah, yeah, you’re somewhat crazy after all. You seem to have normal sensibilities at first glance, but you’re crazily interesting.”
“What a way to put it. From my perspective, you don’t look like just a Japanese housewife either?”
“Well, given you’re hanging out with Maria, I might not look like one. But, hey? Did I mention I was Japanese?”
“Hm? Ah, that’s because—”
I explained that I surmised she was Japanese from her name, features, and hair color, and that I myself was originally a transmigrator from Japan. With Kuon, there’s no need to hide it.
“Whoa, this is an even more unexpected development. I never imagined Kelvin-kun was originally Japanese.”
“You say that, but you seem more calm than when you were talking about my battle-maniac tendencies… Huh? What? Is this kind of thing common?”
“Hmm, I don’t know about the frequency. But my daughter and her friends, their whole class was sent to another world… So, in terms of numbers, it might be more common than you think.”
What, a whole class? Judging by how you say that, it’s not transmigration but teleportation, right? Isn’t that a major incident involving tens of people? It’s more than just going missing… Ms. Mel, were you working with her properly?
“Her Earth is different from the Earth you know. Please think of it as another dimension, a parallel world. Well, it falls outside my jurisdiction, so I can’t help it.”
…Some telepathy just came through. Don’t read my mind just because I’m far away.
“Ah, but rest assured. More than half of them returned safely.”
“…And the other half?”
“……”
“Don’t go silent while smiling…”
Well, I guess a lot happened.
