It’s been a week since training began.
That is to say, less than a day has passed outside the Jigen Room, so “several hours” might be more accurate than “several days.”
However, from my perspective, where I can firmly feel the passage of time, that statement feels a little off, so I’ll stick with “several days.”
Still, I’ve used this facility a few times now, and I think it’s amazing.
Simply put, it allows you to increase your usable time.
However, one can only make extensive use of this room if they have contracted with a special spirit to halt their aging, like myself, or if they possess a magic body.
If one were to ignore those conditions and use it, it could become something like Rip Van Winkle’s treasure box.
Every good story has a hidden cost; too much medicine can become poison.
I truly feel this is such a facility after spending time here.
Now then, I started talking about the facility, but I’m still diligently working on my training today.
Today, as usual, it’s classroom learning.
I’m not saying I don’t want to get my body moving soon, but fortunately, I’m not given enough time to dwell on such thoughts for long.
The content changes, so it doesn’t get boring, but on the other hand, there’s so much to memorize that my head feels like it’s going to explode.
I’ve been continuing this training, but since that day, after I started talking with the supervisor, our opportunities to converse over tea or drinks have increased whenever we have spare time, with Tatte-san also present.
I believe we’ve built a reasonably good relationship.
“Jiro, the harvest of wheat from that region is from Baron Hakurou’s territory. Don’t get it wrong.”
“Yes.”
That said, the supervisor is not one to cut corners in their instruction.
Through mutual understanding, they actually teach more thoroughly, drilling information into my head so efficiently that it makes you wonder if the one who can’t remember is at fault.
It’s probably not my imagination that the training schedule has become more precise, as they can gauge when I’m on the verge of breaking.
Currently, the lecture is on the prominent noble territories of the Demon Lord’s continent.
Apparently, this kind of knowledge is necessary for eventually making an appearance in high society.
In sales, you gauge the interests of the person in charge of a client, right? You grasp the opponent’s tastes and preferences for the purpose of entertaining them.
Entertaining golf, communication over drinks, or even during casual conversation, talking about martial arts or sports, the outcomes of baseball games, or good places to eat.
It’s the same in this otherworld.
Though the details differ slightly, such conversations are commonplace.
The local specialties of that territory, topics about famous nobles, words that nobles shouldn’t discuss with each other, etc.
I’m being given knowledge that I could never have imagined in my previous company.
I’m not particularly good or bad at memorization, so I struggle as I drill the names and preferences of various nobles into my head.
Kitamiya seems to be good at this kind of thing and has already moved on to another lecture.
Despite me and Kitamiya attending different lectures, the supervisor’s explanations are seamless.
The style is to levitate the textbook in the air with magic, leaving both hands free at all times.
It’s become quite a sight, and I, for one, am gradually getting used to this efficient style of lecturing.
I’m even getting used to the feeling of my head getting tired, and I’ve figured out a good pace.
Even though I know it’s training managed by the supervisor, it’s still good to feel that I’m making progress.
“Hmm, this is a good stopping point. Let’s take a break here.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Good work.”
And if you just diligently attend lectures, time passes surprisingly quickly.
Compared to the first day, I’m less tired, but still, for someone like me who usually uses his body more, I’m not necessarily not suited to sitting at a desk, but I don’t prefer it.
I bow my head to the supervisor, who silently tidies up the materials, and I enter the break before Instructor Fushio’s class, who is practically smoking from his head, and Instructor Kio’s group, who are struggling to keep up.
I receive glares that seem to resent me from Minami and Kaido, but I can’t help it since I have the leeway. I rotate my shoulders to loosen my stiff body from sitting for so long.
“Seriously, doing something unfamiliar makes my shoulders stiff.”
Although my previous job involved desk work, I’m fundamentally from a sports background. This kind of desk work and lectures puts a certain strain on the body.
“Really? I actually find it quite fun. It’s more interesting and practical than university lectures.”
In response to my mumbling, Kitamiya, who is currently a university student, cheerfully shares her impressions of the lecture she had just been attending.
“I understand that it’s necessary and I agree. It sticks better than regular studying. But still, issues of aptitude are unavoidable problems.”
“Jiro-san, you have an image of silently doing everything and completing it flawlessly, so I thought you’d be good at this kind of studying too.”
The supervisor momentarily leaves the room, and in this brief respite, Kitamiya and I, who have had more opportunities to talk since starting this training, have a conversation.
We’re sitting next to each other, we know each other, and we don’t dislike each other.
We have different tastes and preferences, but we also have common topics.
Opportunities to converse like this have naturally increased.
At first, we didn’t even recognize each other, but it’s strange how human relationships grow through conversation just by being in the same workplace.
“For someone like me, precisely because I’m not good at it, I have to put in the volume. If I neglect my effort, I’m the one who will suffer for it.”
Kitamiya seemed surprised to see me struggling with my studies.
From my perspective, it’s surprising when someone appears to be good at it.
Effort isn’t a hardship, but studying isn’t my forte.
The fact that I didn’t seem like I was struggling was purely the result of my effort.
“Anyway, you seem to be in a good mood today. Are you looking forward to the afternoon session?”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it. The social gatherings are one thing, but I’ve never been to a dance party before.”
To me, who is like a cloudy sky struggling with studies, Kitamiya today seemed like clear skies, in a brighter mood than usual.
Her expression itself hasn’t changed from the norm, but she’s humming a tune and her general demeanor is softer, making me feel she’s in a good mood.
Without needing to think too deeply about the reason, it leads to an event I can anticipate.
“Social dancing, huh? I only did it in PE class back in school, and even that’s different.”
The dance party that Kitamiya is looking forward to is actually a bit different.
Parties in this otherworld are essentially social events.
They are also dark places for conversing and probing each other’s intentions, but they also serve as places for encounters.
In modern Japan, where fewer young people feel compelled to marry or believe they can’t marry, marriage is a status symbol for nobles in this otherworld.
Depending on how splendidly one can marry off to a husband or how beautiful a wife one can acquire.
The way others look at you changes based on that.
Envy if it’s a wonderful partner, mockery if it’s otherwise.
They don’t focus on love, but on bloodlines and the status that one’s being possesses, which is quite different from the common people’s sensibilities.
Nobility is a harsh world.
And regarding this dance party, it’s not that Kitamiya is starving for encounters.
What Kitamiya is looking forward to is the fact that the social venues prepared by these nobles would undoubtedly be more than just mere dance halls, and she’ll be able to dance like Cinderella in a dazzling and splendid place.
Beautiful dresses and a beautiful stage.
Dressing up and becoming a splendid figure is likely a joy for women, with few exceptions.
Well, that’s from a woman’s perspective.
As a man, it’s difficult to empathize with that feeling, but not impossible to understand.
Today’s afternoon lecture is on dance etiquette and dance itself.
Well, since it’s a practical dance session, we won’t be practicing dance in our gym clothes.
To match the occasion, we will be changing into outfits that we have previously had measured for this afternoon.
Although they are for practice, we have prepared proper suits and dresses for this training, and among our party’s female members, Kitamiya, having made quite a few requests which were approved, is particularly looking forward to the afternoon training.
“You’ve done folk dance before, haven’t you?”
“That’s why I’m in trouble.”
My middle and high schools didn’t have a fancy event like folk dancing.
Because of that, I’ll finally be having my dance debut at this age.
Fortunately, our party has a balanced ratio of three men and three women, so I won’t have trouble finding practice partners.
However, regrettably, not a single one of us has any experience dancing styles done at social gatherings.
Even Amelia, who has dancing as a hobby, can’t handle social dancing as it’s a different genre.
As for the other female members, Kitamiya has knowledge but no experience, and Minami’s experience level is what you’d expect from her, which is in rhythm-based dance games played with controllers or smartphones.
As for the male members, I’ve danced Bon Odori.
Kaido has experience with dance games where the objective is to aim for high scores with steps.
Katsu, who might be the only one with some potential, has experience with folk dancing.
I can only laugh at the impressive experience levels of the male members.
“To be clear, I apologize in advance if I step on your foot.”
“…Jiro-san stepping on someone’s foot sounds quite dangerous if you think about it normally. I’ve seen you stomp through the floor while fighting, so you’re okay, right? You won’t misjudge the force or anything, will you?”
The downside of my enhanced physical abilities comes out in situations like this.
I can control my force, but making a mistake in a momentary reaction is common.
I can control my power, but I can’t completely eliminate the possibility of an accident.
Kitamiya, seeing my footing, which has been known to shatter floors in dungeons, is concerned that it might land on her foot.
“I won’t put that much force into it.”
Even I know that the footing I use in battle is different from the steps I use in dance.
I don’t think I’ll need steps that would crush the ground.
What I’m worried about is misjudging the steps and stepping on the other person’s foot.
My physical abilities have been enhanced by my Magic Crest, so our durability has increased, and our evasion performance has also improved.
But still, it will hurt if I step on someone’s foot.
However, I can confidently say that it won’t result in complex fractures during practice, as Kitamiya fears.
I say that with a sigh of exasperation, and Kitamiya, relieved, agrees with me.
“Jiro-san, shouldn’t your first dance partner have been Suella and the others, rather than us?”
And then, once safety is secured, women tend to broaden the topic of conversation.
Except for peculiar female relationships like Kaido’s, in modern Japan, it would be difficult to call it normal, but among the party members, I am the only one in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex.
Therefore, she asks if it’s not dissatisfying to have Kitamiya and the others as her first dance partners in a setting for male-female interaction like social dancing.
Kitamiya’s expression, which clearly betrays a mischievous grin, seems to be enjoying watching my reaction.
I think it’s the kind of talk a girl who likes romance stories would have, but I’m not the age to get embarrassed like a pubescent child.
“Perhaps in spirit, but it would also be good to wait until I get better at dancing and can escort well before inviting them, wouldn’t it?”
Unfortunately, I can’t provide the reaction Kitamiya desires.
I reply casually.
Her displeased reaction suggests she doesn’t appreciate my nonchalant attitude.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re just convenient women for you.”
“Hey, wait, that’s a misstatement. Add the object, ‘for dance practice,’ to your sentence.”
It’s true that they are convenient for dance practice, but the way Kitamiya put it makes me sound like a scumbag towards the opposite sex.
When I point that out, I can tell she’s teasing me with a “Hmph.”
I chuckle in exasperation, thinking “What am I going to do with her?” Kitamiya has tended to avoid topics involving the opposite sex due to her connection with Himusumi.
Even if their relationship ended, it doesn’t mean her heart has completely healed.
Especially since they had a long relationship.
Only time can solve that, so I’ve made an effort not to bring up topics like whether she’s found a new boyfriend.
However, recently, she’s started to engage in conversations about romance like this, and though it’s gradual, she seems to be coming to terms with her childhood friend situation and starting to look towards her own love life.
Well, that’s also thanks to someone who has approached her with just the right sense of distance.
Perhaps unconsciously, her strong demeanor sometimes subsides, and a gentle, happy expression appears.
I’m not so dense as to miss that, and besides me, Minami and Amelia have also noticed it.
Although the feelings regarding that expression differ between the former and the latter, that’s also part of youth.
And who it’s directed at, I won’t say, but it’s clear who I’m referring to.
“Ugh.”
Her eyes dart around, her cheeks blush slightly, and she looks a bit bewildered. I give a wry smile and point it out to her as she rests her chin on her hand. The disadvantaged Kitamiya can only turn her head away sulkily.
Seeing that, I laugh, and Kitamiya, though slightly displeased, also blushes.
For my part, I’m involved in a rather extraordinary romance, but Kitamiya is also up to something quite interesting.
Thinking about the future of the romantic endeavors of this young girl, in this everyday life filled with battles, I realize I must be getting quite old.
Today’s Word: If there’s time, such casual conversation might be good. It would be even better if I could smoke.
This concludes today’s entry.
Thank you as always for pointing out any typos and for your feedback.
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*The first volume of this novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The ebook version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The published volumes include revised and expanded content from the “Shousetsuka ni Narou” web novel, along with newly added interlude chapters. Please also check out the new releases!
A manga adaptation has also been decided for Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.” It is currently in progress.
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