Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Apostle of Izal
We decided to sell the items brought from another world to the Princess's family home—the Yaegashi Group.
Since the envoy from another world was Tetsuo's possession, I wouldn't get any money, but helping him should bring us great benefits.
He possesses knowledge we don't have and the powerful strength of a god's apostle.
That is the exchange.
I had further thoughts on this.
It seems the work given to him by the god lies within the dungeon.
If that is the case, selling this favor should make him fight alongside us.
I want to count on that.
What surprised me was that the Princess's great-grandmother had used the elixir I sold to the group to rejuvenate herself.
The Princess and Kaorulko are beauties, but she surpasses them as a super beauty.
Even the Prime Minister of Japan was bowing and scraping to that super beauty.
There are rumors that she has had a major influence on the birth of all prime ministers elected so far, including the current one.
The group's statements and whether they offer support or not have swayed the political power map and played a decisive role in candidates' elections.
She has been involved in behind-the-scenes adjustments and consolidating opinions within political parties, sometimes moving influential politicians to create the flow of prime minister selection.
Her influence went beyond mere recommendation or support; it was enough to determine the direction of the political situation.
It is thought that the Yaegashi Group's involvement in politics began in the mid-Shōwa era.
Who called her? The shadow empress, the "Empress."
Kaorulko is also called the Empress, but surely the great-grandmother is the true empress.
The hologram communication with the great-grandmother ended.
"I think the national card for that Mr. Tetsuo can be made immediately."
Kako and Kaorulko were cleaning up the machines.
Well, since even the Prime Minister was moved, it should be completed via express service.
"Thanks."
"Is 'Nanashi' really okay as your surname?"
Kako took a photo of Tetsuo.
It seems she sent the photo to be used on the card somewhere.
"Yeah, any kanji or whatever is fine, hahaha."
"Tetsuo, is it okay to leave Aoi-chan and Ichiro with Sana?"
"Yeah, no problem. I have absolutely no interest in being an adventurer or whatever."
Money is coming in anyway.
"Even if you say you don't need Japanese yen, wouldn't it be good to buy something useful here and take it back?"
"That's true."
"Books on science and mechanical work..."
"Actually, I wish I could just take the online encyclopedia as is..."
Even if electronic terminals are brought in, they won't connect to the net, and even if saved to storage, no one knows how long they will last.
If they break or the battery dies, that's the end.
"Then, maybe buy and take an old-fashioned paper encyclopedia?"
"That's good too."
"We're getting a huge amount of Emerald Dragon stones. Maybe buy a specialized book explaining how to cut gems..."
"Good idea! If we bring new gem polishing technology, it could be a business!"
It would be better to bring knowledge and technology that could be realized in the other world rather than our latest technology.
As I talked with Tetsuo, he was grinning.
"What is it? Creepy."
"My great-grandmother was quite a beauty too."
"Maybe you weren't interested because you're used to seeing elves from the other world?"
"If my great-grandmother is doing life extension, isn't your grandmother also doing life extension?"
"Now that you mention it... Princess, is your grandmother also doing life extension, not your great-grandmother?"
I asked the Princess.
"She is."
"Hehehe—if so, if we get them all, we can make a four-generation family bowl."
What he was thinking was ridiculous—I wanted to say, but...
Family bowl, that is a man's dream.
I understand, but I can't say it out loud.
"Stop it in front of them."
"Darling, what is a family bowl?"
The Princess looked puzzled, but she probably hasn't heard of it.
Kaorulko looked at me with a white gaze.
She has been my plaything since elementary school, so she's probably an earful and knows.
"Ji~"
Kako seems to know too.
"See, already... it's nothing. It's chicken and egg for a family bowl. If it's pork and egg, it's a stranger bowl—ah, there's also salmon and ikura family bowl."
"Is that so! I've never eaten it!"
So the Princess has never eaten a family bowl either.
It seems like a commoner's meal.
"I'll make it for you next time."
"Yay!"
I managed to bluff it off well.
"Whahaha."
Tetsuo was laughing loudly.
Troublesome, really.
"By the way—speaking of elves, they are long-lived and don't change appearance, right?"
"That's right, there are some around 1000 years old."
"Even then, do they stay handsome and beautiful?"
"Ah, but—when they get old, the smell gets strong."
"Smell? What kind of smell?"
"Well... Naphthalene, right? You know the stuff in the closet?"
"Could it be camphor?"
"That's it! The smell gets strong like that."
"Hmm~"
Even the famous elves, after living 1000 years, seem to have nothing left to do and just sit around blankly.
Since they receive energy from forest spirits, if they don't move, they don't need to eat almost at all.
"So when they realize it, about 100 years have passed."
"When men get old, a year passes in a blink, but for elves, a blink is 100 years..."
"There are cases where they said they'd come play soon, and then came 10 years later, hahaha."
Does it become like that for long-lived races?
"Maybe even if you can extend your life and live long, you might get bored around 200 years..."
"Probably."
In the evening, we made family bowls and stranger bowls and ate half each with the Princess.
——A few days after the deal with the great-grandmother ended.
I received a call from the Prime Minister.
It seems the Emblem Squad is withdrawing from Sana.
That's good.
Instead, it seems the condition is that I take care of her.
Basically, they want to make me monitor her.
Well, I don't think Sana would fall into the path of evil.
Besides, I already have the money.
Anyway, it seems Tetsuo's national card has been completed, and Onoda-san from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), with whom I worked before, came over.
"G-good afternoon."
Still that crisp middle-part hairstyle.
"Um, Ms. Onoda, even though you're from the MLIT..."
"You know the details, so they told me to bring it—I brought it."
She handed me the card.
"Ah, it's not for me. Wait a moment."
I opened the door, went to the next room, and rang the bell.
"Are you in?"
"Uu~i."
When the door opened, he stuck his head out.
"It seems the national card is ready."
"Oh, that's a must-have."
Returning to the room with Tetsuo, I introduced Ms. Onoda.
"This is Ms. Onoda, who brought the card."
"Mr. Nanashi Tetsuo. Here is your card."
"Oh, thanks."
Looking at the card together with him, it read "Nanashi Tetsuo."
"So this is how 'Nanashi' is written?"
"Does a surname like that really exist?"
I tried searching it a bit—but no.
It seems non-existent.
"Well, it fits me perfectly, hahaha!"
"Ms. Onoda, thank you very much."
"No, you've added more guild members."
"Yeah, he's a bit different..."
"Ms. Onoda, aren't you interested in the god?"
"Eh?! Eh~ um..."
At Tetsuo's words, she looked quite troubled.
"Whahaha! If you don't, that's fine."
He is doing his work as an apostle properly like this, and when he goes out every day, he preaches while standing on the black Shazam's hand.
"Ms. Onoda, how about some coffee?"
"No, um—I have a site to go to for work."
"Oh, I really made you run errands. Sorry."
"It's fine. I was really taken care of by Mr. Niwa—um, there was also Mr. Gojoji..."
"That was that guy's fault, so Ms. Onoda has nothing to do with it."
"Ahaha."
Well, it might not be that simple.
"Was there some kind of trouble?"
"Something like this and that..."
"Ah, that was being possessed by a bad god."
"Bad god? Is that the enemy god of Tetsuo's god?"
"Probably. It's deep inside the dungeon—"
It seems that's the reason he was sent here.
"Ah, I'd like to avoid troublesome work—but this is also apostle work, so no choice."
After all, the opponent is a god.
I can't run away, and they are watching from everywhere.
"That's tough."
"Seriously, that."
His struggles have some merit, but since the card is done, let's go straight to the government office.
Tetsuo couldn't open his status, so he can't become a formal adventurer, but he can get a provisional license.
With that, he can enter the dungeon.
I left the hotel with Ms. Onoda.
"Apostle-sama!"
Suddenly, a woman ran to Tetsuo and knelt down.
"What?!"
Since she came suddenly, I protected Ms. Onoda, thinking it was an attack on me.
"It's okay, she is my believer."
"My prayers reached the god Izal."
She opened her chest, and indeed, there was a black pattern—the Holy Engraving.
"Good. But as I always say, Izal gives power, but doesn't save you."
"Yes! It means 'Power is given, so figure it out yourself'—is that right?"
"Whahaha! You understand well. That's right, the deeper your faith, the bigger power you can use."
He squatted down and touched her Holy Engraving with his finger.
"Hyaaaaa!"
The woman leaned back and started convulsing.
Ms. Onoda, who was watching, turned red.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"It's fine. If it were a man, he would writhe around."
"Eh? Then it's strict for men, isn't it?"
"That is also the god's trial."
Black things—Shazam—extended from in front of Tetsuo.
Putting the convulsing woman and him on top, he lifted them high.
"Do you want power?! Power that doesn't rely on such dungeons! Then pray to the god! My god's name is Izal!"
It was his usual sermon.
Since this is his work, no choice.
According to Tetsuo, Shazam is considered a holy beast.
People in the town gathered around the man preaching the god's teachings on the black, tall holy beast.
Well, most of them were probably just onlookers.
"Ms. Onoda, that will take some time."
"Yes, it seems so. Then, I will leave now."
"Thank you very much."
"No, no, it's my pleasure."
I parted with her.
After the five-minute sermon ended, Tetsuo and the woman came down to the ground.
"Apostle-sama, thank you very much."
The woman bowed politely.
"As I said, the Holy Engraving grew a bit, didn't it?"
"Yes."
She was looking at her own chest.
The pattern that was in the center of her body had clearly extended downwards.
"It really gets bigger."
"Whahaha, that's the rule of the land! That's why I said I would strengthen those Emblem Squad guys too."
Since his daily routine was over, we headed for the government office.
"By the way, shall we buy a terminal before the office?"
"Right—if we have a national card, we can buy a smartphone. It's inconvenient without one. We can't get any information."
"With a smartphone, you can search yourself."
"Yeah."
We searched for a place where smartphones were lined up at a market stall.
Smartphones at a stall?—You might think so, but it's normal here.
The Yaegashi Group's shops also sell at stalls.
The reason is that setting up a shop costs expenses.
If you have a national card, you can buy a terminal immediately.
The card serves as an ID.
Once got, link the smartphone and national card immediately.
"Oh?! Money has already been deposited into my account."
The national card has an account for government refunds and subsidies from the start.
It must have been deposited there.
"Since Japanese yen can't be taken to the other world, you have to spend it all, right?"
"Hahaha, that's true. If there's any left, I'll give it to Daisuke. He took care of me."
"That might incur gift tax..."
There is a trick.
He uses Japanese yen to buy expensive dungeon items.
I take over those items and say they were dropped in the dungeon.
Then, even if sold, it only costs 20% withholding tax.
"Whahaha! Japan is troublesome!"
"Is there no gift tax in the other world?"
"No—but if you live in a town, you pay something like citizen tax."
"Just that..."
"Also, nobles are taxed according to their land holdings."
"Nobles have it tough too."
"There are many poor people who just show off."
The other world seems quite harsh.
It seems about 500 million yen in Japanese yen was deposited into his national card.
It should take some time to prepare gold bullion and Emerald Dragon gems.
That will be living expenses until then.
Compared to the assets the Yaegashi Group might get, it's a tiny amount.
If we can analyze that magical item—well, even if not completely, we might get a clue for new technology.
Just that is quite big.
"Well, what should we do? Tetsuo didn't get a status before... let's try going one more time?"
"Well, I'm free, so it's fine."
After making Tetsuo's provisional license at the office, we headed straight for the dungeon.
Today, with the card, we passed through the automatic gates.
"Sometimes Tetsuo's figure disappears, how does he do that?"
"Ah, he's just hiding inside the thinned Shazam?"
If you hear the details, it makes sense—but only Tetsuo can do that.
"So if you can become thin, you can enter any gap?"
"That's right! You can put Shazam through gaps and remove locks too."
"Using it like that... seriously invincible, isn't it?"
"Well, actually, I am a god's apostle, whahaha!"
He took out Shazam and made him hold the smartphone, doing something.
Then the black thing disappeared.
I was curious—but before entering the entrance hall, Tetsuo handed me the smartphone.
"What is it?"
"It's captured well, isn't it? Whahaha!"
"Ah."
What was shown on his smartphone was a panty shot taken from a low angle directly below.
No, maybe a panty flash.
Probably a girl mage.
Did I just pass that to Shazam?
"I really want to bring a camera to the other world~"
"Hey hey, if you get caught stealing shots, it'll be terrible."
The shutter sound should have gone off...
"It seems if only the lens part is out and the body is inside Shazam, the sound doesn't leak."
"Good grief."
"Even if you do various things with elves and rare races, it won't be recorded in video~. If you're a man, you'd want to collect them, right?"
"I-I get the feeling..."
"Whahaha! That's right, isn't it?"
Though somewhat dumbfounded, we entered the dungeon.
Immediately, he ran Shazam in all four directions and started exploring.
"So you can do that too? How wide is the range covered?"
"Up to about 50m at max."
"Then, find enemies hiding somewhere and attack from behind—or something?"
"Whahaha! I am the man who absolutely kills those who come to kill me!"
While having such a conversation, Shazam seemed to find a monster.
We were guided to that location.
"Kyuu!"
There was a fluffy white fur in the darkness.
"It's a rabbit."
"Roooooo!"
With his shout, a black fist extended and crushed the monster that was far away.
Memetaa!
That's how it sounded to me.
"Tetsuo, how is it?"
"Hmm? Still no change?"
It seems it won't appear.
"So there's no aptitude?"
"Well, aptitude or not—as I mentioned before, it seems the lord of the dungeon found out that I am another god's apostle. Whahaha!"
"With you and Shazam, you are strong enough even without level correction."
"We've managed without relying on such things before, fighting against other apostles and enemy holy women, so it's fine."
He doesn't seem worried at all.
"Status won't appear, but with that provisional license, we can enter and exit the dungeon."
"No need to hide in Shazam every time."
"Since I'm not a formal adventurer, monsters might be bought cheap..."
"I got the money, and I don't plan to sell, so it's fine."
"Well, that's true."
Just in case, I tried defeating one more slime, but it seems the status still won't appear.
There's no point staying in the dungeon any longer, so we went out.
"OH~! Peraperaperapera!"
At the automatic gate, there was a foreigner—probably American—excitedly shouting.
Wearing a T-shirt and denim, taking photos with a selfie stick and smartphone.
Blue eyes, short blonde hair, but it's unclear if it's natural color.
In this day and age, is it a tourist trip?
"What is he saying?"
"He's asking if this is the Tokyo Dungeon."
He seems to have the god's blessing that understands all languages.
"A tourist or a streamer?"
"He seems to be explaining the place, so maybe a streamer."
"Hmm~ He came all the way to Japan. Eccentric."
Thinking that, Tetsuo went to talk to the blonde man.
"Hello! Peraperaperapera!"
"OH! Peraperaperapera!"
He was conversing properly.
Like a native.
Amazing, truly amazing.
"Daisuke, he seems to be an American streamer."
"Hmm~ I see. Then ask if he knows me. I'm streaming videos from inside the dungeon."
"This guy is streaming videos from inside the dungeon, do you know about it?"
"Seriously?! I know that guy! He's the adventurer who defeated the dragon, right?!"
He showed us a video on his smartphone.
It was definitely my site.
"It's me, me!"
It was a conversation like an Oreo scam.
"OH!"
He asked to take a video together, so I agreed.
I also showed him the Item Box.
"Here."
I took something out to show him.
"OMG! What the hell!"
By showing the Item Box, he seemed convinced I was the real deal.
After Tetsuo translated, he seemed to be a famous streamer too.
I don't know any foreign streamers at all.
—In fact, I don't know domestic streamers either.
"It's not just me, that guy over there is amazing too?"
"Whahaha!"
A black shadow appeared on the ground, and the three of us were pushed up into the sky.
About 10m high, I suppose.
Below our feet was Tetsuo's partner—Shazam.
'OMG! What is this?! Is it magic?!'
'This is my partner—I'm not an adventurer, I'm a god's apostle. Not the god you believe in.'
Tetsuo and the man were talking about something.
I couldn't understand a word.
"Peraperaperapera!"
"Whahaha! This guy says he wants to become a believer of Izal too?"
"Eh?! Is that okay? You have an original religion, right?"
"He didn't seem very interested."
"Do people like that exist even in foreign countries?"
Tetsuo and the man were taking a two-shot photo.
"If he introduces me in his video, the number of god's believers might increase."
"He's dedicated to his work."
"We don't even know if gods of this world exist."
"Well, yes."
"But the god Izal really exists, and I am being taken care of by him, so I am fulfilling the work of a believer."
Many Japanese people seem not to believe in gods, but if they actually receive power, if the proof appears on their body, or even if the god descends right before their eyes—then maybe more people will believe.
According to his talk, if believers increase, the god's power will increase.
According to the blonde video streamer, he is also staying at our hotel.
If he has money, in the Special District, that hotel is the only choice.
Returning to the hotel with the blue-eyed guest.
Hotel staff ran over.
"A-ah—that is, there is a guest for Mr. Tetsuo..."
"A guest for me?"
Looking at the lobby, a woman stood up.
Tall, large breasts visible even under the black suit.
Thighs sticking out from the mini-skirt were dazzling, with long black hair covering one eye.
"Huu~♪"
The blonde man whistled.
Who is it?
—I thought, but the black suit looks like it belongs to the Emblem Squad members who came here...