I was able to rest and enjoy myself to my heart’s content yesterday.
After hearing about that work, I could chat leisurely with Suella and Kaido’s group, and play with the children. That night, I also had some “nighttime exercise” with the women who were envious of the children.
My enhanced body didn’t seem to mind the fatigue, and I woke up refreshed today as well.
Therefore, I had to do the work that I rested from.
However, today’s work is not within the company, but “outside the company.”
“Alright, right on time.”
“Is this it? They really made us come all the way here.”
This is what’s commonly called a business trip.
And, not necessarily, but I’m not on this trip alone.
To my surprise, since I’m the only one in the company who can drive, I drove us to our destination. I just stopped the engine now, after driving for the first time in a while.
I looked at the scenery of our destination through the windshield, sitting next to Evia in her suit in the passenger seat.
You might wonder why a company from another world would go on a business trip, but surprisingly enough, this company has branches all over, both domestically and internationally. There, they gather information on a wide range of topics, from securing testers to trivial household conversations, and have quietly established bases.
I can’t help but worry if this might cause problems later, but now is not the time to dwell on it.
There are many places we can go on business trips, but unfortunately, this is not one of those bases.
For me, whose main job is dungeon testing even as a section chief, going outside the company is a rare occurrence.
Readjusting my tie, I got out of the car upon arriving at our destination.
Evia, who was in the passenger seat, also picked up her light luggage and opened the door to get out. It’s not particularly unusual to wear a suit, but it’s been a long time since I wore one outside.
However, I didn’t have time to get sentimental about coming on a business trip with Evia. I never imagined that the place to show off my long-unworn suit would be deep in the mountains.
Two people, a man and a woman in suits, coming to the middle of the mountains. We are completely out of place.
But this is the correct destination, I think. I checked the time on my smartphone and arrived five minutes before the meeting. However, it’s quiet.
“You’ve invited us from quite a distance.”
“Indeed. I didn’t think there was a place this remote in Japan.”
“Well, there are many things we don’t know. If you learn one new thing, you can consider it a gain.”
“Is that based on experience?”
“Yes, my motto is that it never hurts to accumulate knowledge.”
“I see.”
After transferring from the Shinkansen to a local train and then driving for about two hours on unpaved roads in a rental car, we arrived. It’s a shrine not on the map, located a short distance from Lake Biwa.
Naturally, the navigation system had no information, and relying on the map I was given beforehand, I drove with a question mark over whether this was the right place. I stuck the accompanying amulet to the passenger seat and drove. Stopping the car in the parking lot before what appeared to be the entrance to the mountain path, I looked up at what lay ahead.
A vibrant vermilion torii gate that couldn’t possibly blend in with the surrounding greenery. Majestic and stately large torii gates, which could easily be registered as a World Heritage site, lined the path, exuding a unique atmosphere.
“This atmosphere isn’t magic, is it?”
“No, it seems like a power I don’t recognize is at work here.”
Perhaps because we are always exposed to the special air called “Maso,” we are sensitive to air that is not part of our everyday lives. Evia, standing beside me, had a similar feeling and seemed to perceive the air of this place.
“Even though it looks untouched by human hands, the way the air is so different feels quite strange.”
“Indeed, it’s like being inside a dungeon.”
“That might be a surprisingly apt comparison. This is like their backyard. There’s no doubt that this entire area is a special place.”
It’s so rich in nature that you might expect to hear the chirping of birds or the babbling of a river, yet it’s unnaturally quiet. It’s a silence that makes you feel like you’ve been left all alone. Surprisingly mystical, in a way.
While not quite in battle readiness, I looked around with a considerable amount of caution. I noticed the path we had taken was beginning to be shrouded in mist.
“It was easy enough getting here, but it seems they won’t let us leave so easily.”
“I hope it doesn’t get troublesome.”
“It’s impossible.”
“What’s your basis for saying that?”
“Because talks of this nature rarely end easily.”
“That’s a terrifyingly sound opinion.”
It was evident that this was not a natural phenomenon. So, would I be agitated by being intentionally cut off from my escape route? Not exactly. This is a sacred place that ordinary people must not know about. While wondering what the aerial photographs were showing, given the existence of such a magnificent shrine on land thought to be empty, I tried not to think too deeply about whether it was being concealed for mystical or political reasons. I could understand such handling. I waited for five minutes in front of the torii gate, sensing an atmosphere around me that was different from the city and not due to magic.
“It appears our welcoming party has arrived.”
“Yes.”
Despite having been looking at the long torii gate, their figures suddenly appeared. As if they had walked a long distance, a figure emerged from the mist with a natural gait and slowly stopped before Evia and me.
“Long time no see, Jiro-”
“Yes, it has been. Since New Year’s, I believe.”
Whether to call it on time or not, women in red and white shrine maiden outfits slowly descended the mountain path. The woman with fair skin and jet-black hair tied up, accompanied by two younger shrine maidens on either side, was my aunt, Kirie Sagami. Originally, as this was a business trip and an acceptance, we might have expected a more formal greeting, but it turned out to be a friendly exchange due to our family ties. However, the junior shrine maidens were giving us rather stern glances. Evia stepped forward, as if to shield me from their gazes.
“Once again, I am here today as the representative proxy for MAOcorporation. I am Evia Nordis.”
“Yes, we are aware. I am Kirie Sagami, head of the Kanto branch of the Japan Shiju Jutsu Association. Thank you for making the long journey. We permit your and your companion’s entry into the mountain. As this is a preliminary meeting before the main conference, you are considered to not be here officially, so please refrain from any reckless actions.”
So, I straightened my back, silently observing Evia’s self-introduction and Kirie-san’s reciprocal introduction. The first hurdle was cleared. Their voices changed instantly, and from this point on, our familial relationship would mean nothing, and this would become a secret meeting between two organizations.
“Understood.”
“If you have any weapons or equipment, please hand them over to them beforehand. As for the car you arrived in, we will return it using shikigami, so please ensure you have not forgotten anything.”
Upon hearing the mention of weapons, the presence of the two shrine maidens standing behind Kirie-san changed. Evia and I remained unfazed, as if we hadn’t noticed. Evia is not human, even though she hides her horns and wings, and they must be able to sense that. Are they wary of that? I pretended not to notice the gazes from our surroundings since Kirie-san and the others appeared, but I maintained a battle-ready stance internally, as not just following instructions. However, my body complied with the words and disarmed itself. I didn’t come empty-handed; I have a considerable amount of luggage, all in a special magic bag designed for use outside the company, which has the capacity of a six-tatami mat room. Therefore, I haven’t forgotten anything, but weapons are not included. Evia hides her weapons in another dimension, so there’s no way to find them. I heard she didn’t bring any this time either. This is a standard procedure when entering another organization, so it was expected. I left the Ore Tree behind, but as a precaution, I took out the dagger embedded with a magic stone made by the Giant, which I had brought, and presented it. One of the shrine maidens took it, while the other pierced me with a gaze asking if there was anything else.
“If you don’t mind, we’d like to perform a body check.”
I wanted to give a wry smile at that gaze, but I suppressed it and spoke first without changing my expression. There are no weapons in my suitcase. However, just in case, I have prepared many accessories that can replenish magic power. In fact, I am currently wearing a wristwatch-like item that allows me to strengthen my body at any time. I hoped this wouldn’t be discovered as I spread my hands, showing my intention to be defenseless. The two shrine maidens then touched both me and Evia. It took about five minutes, and the inspection was complete. They looked at my watch, but it doesn’t have the hidden needle mechanism of a certain young detective; it looks like a very ordinary mechanical watch. In the center of the watch, a tiny but high-quality magic stone is hidden, concealing ample magic power. They stared at it intently, but it seemed they thought there was nothing there, and they let it pass. This, I suppose, completed the preparations for entering the mountain. As I wondered what would happen next, Kirie-san spoke to me after the two shrine maidens stepped back.
“We have prepared a room for you at the inn today, so after a short rest there, we will have dinner. At that time, there is someone we would like you to meet. Would that be alright?”
“That wasn’t in the schedule?”
According to the schedule I was given beforehand, I was supposed to rest in my room and have the preliminary meeting tomorrow. I wasn’t supposed to meet anyone until then. Was this added at the last minute? Looking at Evia, it doesn’t seem like I was the only one who didn’t know.
“It was their insistence. We could also refuse, but…”
“Will you tell me who it is?”
“…”
“That silence is my answer. Without knowing who it is, just being asked to meet, do you think someone in a position like ours would be willing to meet?”
“No, at least I wouldn’t.”
“Precisely.”
We are both in a position where we can refuse an unplanned meeting. Kirie-san is suggesting I should meet them, but Evia shows no sign of concern. With perfectly sound words that could not be interpreted as evasive, Kirie-san couldn’t hide her wry smile.
“Is that so? It is true that we are being impolite. I will convey that to the other party.”
“Please do.”
Perhaps it was a meeting with someone who could bring some profit, but judging by Kirie-san’s demeanor, it might have been about troublesome matters, not related people. I admire her intuition for predicting things from such subtle nuances. The two shrine maidens did not cry out that it was rude or condemn us for refusing the meeting.
“Then, this way.”
And so, we followed Kirie-san and the two shrine maidens, crossing the torii gate.
“Huh?”
“Don’t stop, just follow us. If you get separated, you won’t be able to return.”
At that moment, I felt a sensation like a barrier from the company, and I almost stopped, but Kirie-san spoke sternly. I followed her serious tone and proceeded. “You won’t be able to return” – such a ominous phrase. I glanced around, but it was just a normal mountain path. Evia seemed to have noticed something, but I didn’t ask. We just quietly proceeded along the mountain path. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but the tense atmosphere naturally increased. It was then. Like a camera flash, my vision suddenly turned white, and in an instant, the scenery changed.
“Welcome, traveler from another world, to our main sanctuary, the Village of the Hidden.”
It was a place that seemed to have been left behind by time. We looked down upon a town with ancient residences, as if the townscapes of the Heian period had been preserved into the modern era.
“…”
I wasn’t the only one stunned by this sight; Evia was too. While the scenery was astonishing, upon reflection, this was teleportation magic. And the fact that we had been moved to a different dimension meant that modern Japan possessed a space with properties similar to a dungeon.
“Please stay with us for a week, starting tonight.”
While I was still reeling from the shock, Kirie-san bowed slowly.
Today’s word: I couldn’t help but be surprised that my business trip destination was so extraordinary.
Thank you for your usual feedback and for pointing out any typos. If you find this interesting, please leave a review, rating, bookmark, etc.
*The first volume of this series is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book 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 content has been revised and expanded from the original web novel posted on “Shosetsuka ni Naro,” with additional unpublished interlude chapters included. Please also look forward to the new books! We ask for your continued support for this work.
