Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Flying Through the Other World
I thought I had defeated the dungeon's final boss and cleared it, only to be flung into another world.
What am I saying -- no, never mind that.
Anyway, in order to get information about this local area, Tetsuo and I searched for a human settlement and found a Dark Elf village.
It was our first contact with people from another world, but it seems to have gone well.
It seems we can speak any language thanks to the god's blessing -- but still, being able to understand each other is huge.
As a result of Tetsuo exchanging information with the Dark Elves, it seems to be near the country where he used to live.
If that's the case, Tetsuo knows the land well, so we should be fine for the time being.
While talking with the Dark Elves, we suddenly encountered a wyvern attack, but we easily repelled it.
It served as good assistance in gaining their trust.
Thanks to the monsters.
It seems the benefits of the level we gained from the dungeon in the original world are still there to some extent.
The Item Box works, and magical items work too.
The physical enhancement also feels like it's around level 50 equivalent.
Whether this will last forever or gradually become unusable is currently unknown.
As darkness fell, after everyone ate the disassembled wyvern, we were invited to a Dark Elf woman's house.
There, she stripped naked without hesitation.
This is that thing, isn't it?
No matter what world it is, men and women do one thing.
I had already confirmed this with Tetsuo beforehand, and it seems correct.
In the world sinking into darkness, two shadows leaned against each other as if confirming one another.
Only body heat and heartbeats echoed, breaking the silence of the night.
There, words, the other world, skin color, place of birth, and even the world they belonged to, were all irrelevant.
The primal impulse of living beings bound the two together, melting away distinctions.
The act in the darkness was universal and irresistible, like a ritual of life repeated since ancient times.
From an old man's perspective, aside from the length of their ears, their bodies seem exactly the same.
Perhaps there are organs humans don't have.
The level benefits were still here too.
As long as we eat, we can continue without end.
When the first Dark Elf became motionless, more and more women came one after another.
The small room filled up with Dark Elves.
The spicy scent wafting from them reminds me of that scent of the Princess.
Was that the scent of another world?
As we tangled in the darkness, eventually even the Elder came.
Is this okay? Is this?
Well, I don't mind, since you can't have such a valuable experience in the original world.
While eating the food taken out of the Item Box and attending to the women, the sky began to lighten.
In the end, another sleepless night.
"Hoo..."
I sighed and drank a canned coffee taken out of the Item Box.
The morning sun streaming through the window softly illuminated the room.
The world that had sunk into darkness suddenly emerged, taking on color and appearing vividly.
The wooden walls took on a warm brown hue, and even the colors of the fabrics and the intensity of the shadows stood out clearly.
Several women lay before my eyes.
Their tanned skin shone glossy under the light, looking as if they were not of this world.
Everyone possessed abundant curves, their soft undulations overlapping, highlighted by the light to emphasize their lines.
Depending on the light, shadows carved deep valleys, and the shading increased the three-dimensionality like a sculpture -- as if viewing a grand natural landscape.
"Hey, not all the Dark Elf women came, right?"
I think several went to Tetsuo's place too...
"Fwaa~!"
I stretched.
Doesn't matter anyway.
There's still some time until the sun gets high.
Should I take a nap?
I pulled over the Elder's body lying nearby and fell asleep using her large breasts as a pillow.
"What is this!"
I woke up to Tetsuo's voice.
When I sat up, it seemed the other women had also woken up.
They were shyly hiding their bodies.
Tetsuo was standing by the door.
"Ossu..."
I let out a big yawn.
I dealt with that many women.
Naturally, I'm a little tired.
"It's not 'Ossu'! Why did it turn out like this?!"
"...Didn't several go to Tetsuo's place too?"
"They certainly came."
"I realized I couldn't handle everyone, so they all came."
"I see -- a sight that can't be shown to Daisuke's Princess."
"Keep it a secret."
"Ha ha ha! Well, you probably won't go back to Japan anyway."
"...No..."
While talking with Tetsuo, the Elder let out a slightly sexy voice and got up.
She seemed a bit dazed, but quickly returned to her senses and covered her large breasts.
"I-I'm sorry... for dealing with someone like me, an old woman..."
"No, not at all -- it was very wonderful."
"..."
When she looked a bit surprised, she grabbed her equipment nearby and went straight outside.
"Hmm, her large buttocks are wonderful too... she's no ordinary person."
"For real, ha ha ha!"
Tetsuo seemed to think so too.
He's saying he should have done it too.
Well, since she's the Elder of the Dark Elves, she's probably very old, but to humans, she's a normally beautiful mature woman.
Moreover, such a beautiful and well-built mature woman doesn't exist normally.
While changing clothes, it was noisy outside.
It seems the Dark Elf men are causing trouble.
Apparently, they are angry about being left out.
It seems the men of this village were not attended to.
"Shut up!"
"Gyah!"
I could hear a man being punched, but here, the women look stronger than the men no matter how you look at it.
"It's kind of pitiful..."
"It's useless to sympathize with those guys."
One of the women spat out.
"But, they'd be in trouble without men, right?"
To my words, one woman wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me.
"That's right -- they're only useful for breeding purposes."
She said that, but I couldn't see any children.
Perhaps due to their long life, the birth rate is close to zero.
"Hey! Don't sneak away!"
I stopped other women who tried to hug me too.
Seeing that, the other women raised their hips, but if we keep doing that, it won't end.
"It's endless, so let's stop here..."
"..."
The two made dissatisfied faces but let go.
"Ha ha ha! You're quite popular."
"Let's eat."
When we went outside, a good smell was already drifting.
A large pot was set over a fire in the square, and something was simmering with a bubbling sound.
Well, it's probably yesterday's wyvern.
Everyone gathered around the pot and began to eat.
"Do you always gather and eat like this?"
"...No, only when there's a celebration..."
The Elder answered a bit awkwardly.
Her face was red too.
"Elder! Why is your face red in the morning! Gyah!"
"A red face of an old woman in the morning is gross! Gyah!"
The men were being punched by the women as soon as they spoke.
That's lacking in delicacy.
"Ah, I had guys like that when I was working. They probably didn't mean any harm, but they were geniuses at making people angry."
"Ha ha ha! I know, I know."
Bowls with soup were handed to me and Tetsuo, who were laughing.
As expected, there was a large chunk of meat in it, but from a Japanese perspective, I'd like some vegetables too.
The moment I put the meat scooped from the soup into my mouth, I was surprised by its tenderness on my tongue.
The fibers crumbled as if falling apart, cooked to the point where they could be crushed between the tongue and the upper palate without even needing teeth.
What spread throughout my mouth was not just the umami of the meat itself.
The soup's fat and spices had soaked in, as if a rich umami had permeated every gap in the meat.
It was rich yet left a heaviness on the tongue, a taste that even made the lips shine with oil.
It seems the salt and spices I provided were useful.
"Oh, it's very rich..."
"It's like pork bone soup."
Tetsuo's expression fits perfectly.
"I don't think meat alone would be this heavy..."
"This is boiling bone marrow."
"I see."
Then it wouldn't be strange if it became like pork bone soup.
Dragon bone soup, then.
The soup is exquisite, but if you're Japanese, you'd want rice -- but...
Serving onigiri here would be a breach of etiquette.
My stomach was full from the heavy soup in the morning, so I prepared to depart.
The Dark Elves tried to stop us, but Tetsuo's family is waiting, so we need to hurry.
Riding on Shazam, who had turned into a black bird, the Dark Elves saw us off.
"Well then, take care."
"Please visit us anytime."
The Elder said that, but without Shazam, coming here would be quite difficult.
According to Tetsuo, it seems you can't make it without crossing the sea.
After bidding farewell to the Dark Elves, the huge wings grasped the wind and flapped powerfully, and our bodies floated lightly into the air.
The ground receded, and in no time, the entire village could be seen.
That place, which was filled with the light of bonfires and the voices of people last night, was beginning to look like a small shadow.
Even the humble dwellings looked like models that could fit in the palm of a hand.
Soon, the village sank into a sea of deep green -- an endless forest -- and could only be distinguished as a single point.
"Alright, from here it's a direct flight to Laraful!"
"That's where Tetsuo lived, right?"
"Yeah, it's a pretty big city. No trouble living there."
"How do I find a place to stay?"
Anyway, it's another world where I know nothing.
I must secure food, clothing, and shelter.
Glad that the blessing allowed us to understand the language.
If I had been dumped in a foreign country suddenly, I'd be totally screwed.
"Ha ha ha! Anyway, just stay at my place. The room is empty."
"Is that okay?"
"Of course."
According to his story, he seems to live in a fairly large house.
His status in the city seems to be decent too.
Well, he is an Apostle of Izal.
"Oh!"
Shazam increased speed.
His black body swelled up, acting as a windbreak.
"Alright, if we lie down like this, we'll arrive by evening."
"It's quite far, isn't it?"
"Well, about 1000km -- no, since we have to cross the strait, it's probably around 1200km. We might arrive after dark."
"We don't know when we'd arrive if we walked, so it's enough."
"Well. I moved by walking or horse at first too."
It seems transportation is mostly horses and carriages.
Science and technology seem undeveloped.
After a while, the scent of the sea grew stronger.
Looking down, waves were spreading below our eyes.
The water surface constantly changed shape, breaking sunlight into tiny fragments and reflecting it.
As if countless jewels were scattered in the waves, the shimmer changed color every moment, shifting from white silver to blue, and sometimes to pale green.
Every time the waves rolled in and receded, their brilliance ran as lines, breaking apart again into countless particles of light.
"There's not a single person..."
Looking out to sea, there were no shadows of ships sailing, and nothing could be seen to the horizon.
All that reached my ears was the sound of waves endlessly rolling in and out, and the occasional cry of seabirds.
I can't see a scene like this in the original world.
After flying for about 30 minutes, the opposite shore came into view, and this time I could see a port town and some fairly large ships.
Calling them ships, they were wooden sailboats, and science and technology were undeveloped as expected.
"Tetsuo made something like a motor, but isn't that used for vehicles?"
"Moving that requires a certain amount of magic power."
"Oh, I see."
To move something that big, a considerable amount of magic power would be needed.
It would require an amazing archmage, or many archmagi gathering to pour in magic power.
So it wouldn't be strange to say that using the power of the wind or having animals pull it would be better.
Maybe the steam engine found in the dungeon would be okay, but with the technology here, a steam engine seems difficult.
The city continued, and ahead, a huge city appeared.
The massive cityscape was laid out in a circular grid, with stone buildings connected like multiple rings.
The stone houses spreading regularly from the outer perimeter to the center felt like a labyrinth, yet possessed an orderly discipline.
The closer to the center, the taller the buildings, with a force that seemed to suck you into the heart of the city.
Multiple overlapping outlines of what looked like city walls reminded one of a solid fortress protecting the entire city.
The stone-paved main streets extended radially, making it clear at a glance that people and goods flowed from the outside to the inside.
A little outside the city, standing in a vast green space, was a white building that stood out above all others.
Its solemn and elegant appearance was either a palace or a temple.
"Could this be the Imperial Capital?"
"Yes. I heard the population is over 1 million, but if you include irregular residents, there are probably even more."
When told that, there were many shabby barracks-like buildings in the outer perimeter.
"What's the population of the city where Tetsuo lives?"
"Probably around 500,000. It has increased significantly since I first visited."
It seems a place called "Gate" was created, connecting to the other world and producing many materials.
It's like the Dungeon Special District in Tokyo.
When materials gather, merchants gather, and if the economy is good, people gather.
"I'll change course a bit. It's bad to fly over the Imperial Palace, even though I know some royals."
Shazam changed course and took a detour, but it wasn't a significant loss of time.
"All the buildings are stone, but what about earthquakes?"
"Not at all. I heard there was shaking when the Gate disappeared..."
Past the Imperial Capital, the land spreading below looked like a giant painting.
The endless grain fields shone golden, and every time the sunlit tips of the grain swayed in the wind, they swayed like waves in a vast ocean.
Between them, rivers flowing to divide the fields and small lakes reflecting light like mirrors were scattered, showing abundance and moisture.
On the other hand, beyond that, a forest area covered in deep green spread out.
The trees grew so tall they seemed to pierce the sky, densely overgrown, making it difficult to even peek inside from the outside.
Deep shadows sank into the depths of the forest where there seemed to be no trace of human hands, and from there, occasionally, the distant howls of wild beasts or the shadows of unknown monsters could be seen.
"This really feels like another world..."
"Really? I'm used to it."
-- Land outside the human living area is both fertile and a threatening domain dominated by monsters.
Viewing that scenery from the sky seemed like a miniature of a world where beauty and terror stood side by side.
After flying in the sky for a whole day, a large city came into view around evening.
The city spreading below was a scene fitting for the stage of a story -- that kind of feeling.
Huge city walls surrounded the city, and their solidity seemed like a symbol of a strong will that would not allow enemies to approach.
The city gates were heavy structures decorated with black iron, and people and carriages entered and exited continuously.
Looking inside the city walls, the streets were neatly planned, with stone-paved main streets extending radially.
In the center stood a large mansion, equipped with wide gardens and fountains, indicating that powerful people and nobles lived there.
Around it, elegant houses with red roof tiles were neatly lined up, showing the wealth and order that formed the core of the city, but if you shift your eyes to outside the city walls, the scene changed completely.
There, shacks made of rough planks and cloth, and crumbling brick houses, were crowded together everywhere.
"Oh~ A city surrounded by walls! What's that tall tower?"
A black, slender tower could be seen in the center.
"That is the headquarters of an organization called the Tower of Magic."
According to his story, all the archmagi belonging there are believers of Izal.
"So, acquaintances of Tetsuo?"
"Ha ha ha, I'm on first-name terms with the most important person there (dead language)."
"Wait, I have something I want to know about magic..."
"I'll introduce you to an archmage acquaintance."
"Thank you."
If I can bring back the magic technology and knowledge of this world to the original world, the world will change.
I can't stop getting excited -- yes, because I intend to return.
A little away from the city, another gathering of people could be seen.
Buildings were densely packed irregularly there, and in the center, a square surrounded by trees spread out.
In that space, like a small park, many stalls stood, people gathered, and it showed a great bustle.
Even without electricity, many lights could be seen, but it's probably magical lights.
Maybe the kind of magic lamp Tetsuo had has become popular.
"What's that lively place in the distant spot?"
"Oh, that is the Gate."
Gate -- a place connected to the other world inside, where various things fall.
This world's economy and life are sustained based on resources recovered from that Gate.
Shazam entered the city walls as is and landed in the garden of a mansion.
Inside the grounds surrounded by a wall, there was a two-story stone building with a pointed roof.
No, since there are windows on the roof part too, is it three stories?
"Is this Tetsuo's house?"
"Yes."
It seems there is a stable in the back too.
It's quite big.
"So, this is Tetsuo's hometown now?"
"Well, that's how it is. In the original world, I had a terrible life, so I'm glad I can live a different life here."
"Ah! Tetsuo! Welcome back!"
Hearing a high voice, I looked that way, and a black-haired girl was waving from the second floor of the mansion.
"Oh, Roro! I'm back!"
"Is she Tetsuo's child?"
"Well, she's an orphan I picked up. But I ended up taking care of her."
I think I heard such a story...
"Tetsuo-sama, welcome back."
The front door opened, and a blonde woman appeared from within.
Her golden hair, shining under the sunlight, was carefully tied up to the left and right, gathered into two chignons.
Her facial features were refined, and her eyes, framed by long eyelashes, held light like clear crystal.
Her skin, smooth like white porcelain, was flawlessly arranged, and a dignified aura seeped from even her slightest gestures.
Her posture as she stepped forward with her back straight conveyed a "class" that went beyond mere beauty.
Her presence suggested a noble, or perhaps a high-ranking archmage.
At least, she did not seem like an ordinary human.
"I just returned. Where is Alstreina?"
"She is going to negotiate with the nobles."
"Understood."
"Tetsuo-sama, who is this person?"
"Oh, this is Daisuke, who will be staying with us."
Being introduced by name must be normal.
Perhaps nobles don't have surnames other than that.
"I'm Daisuke, who will be staying here for a while. Please take care of me."
"Likewise, please take care of me."
She bowed politely.
"This guy and the woman named Alstreina are the former Saintess of the enemy."
"Eh?! So, like that woman from the Labyrinth Cult..."
"Yes, yes -- she can be used as a vessel for the god, so there are various uses for her. She went to a different world too, and she was a catch."
Suddenly brought to another world and made to do meaningless things.
Will she be mentally able to handle it?
I feel a bit sorry for her -- but considering what that woman did, I can't sympathize.
"A-ah... Tetsuo-sama."
It seems the woman has a slightly dissatisfied expression.
"Ha ha ha, the Pope's circle is growing. I hope that one can lactate too."
"..."
I feel like there are some ominous words lined up -- but now that I think about it, he seemed to say something about "milking."
Even if it doesn't fit the common sense of the original world, I can't interfere with the rules of this world.
Without Tetsuo's help, living in another world alone would be super hard mode.
Here too, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
"Tetsuo~!"
The entrance door opened forcefully, and a creature like a plush toy ran over and hugged Tetsuo.
To my eyes, it looked like a golden tiger wearing a red Chinese dress.
Faced with a creature I had never seen before, I froze right there.