Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: My Village
Living in another world, a horde of undead attacked—but then, by the power of the gods, Sana was sent over.
With the power of a Saintess, the undead are a one-shot deal.
After clearing out the dead, I returned to Tetsuo's mansion where I had been staying.
I thought I could catch my breath, but my body was enveloped in light, and I was instantly transported back.
It seems the gods consider their business in the other world finished.
Tetsuo is probably being used in this manner as well.
Well, if the gods' protection holds, my family's safety is guaranteed, so I have no choice but to do my best.
That's fine, but during the transfer back to my original world, the beastman girl Nina got caught up in it.
We had transferred into the undersea tunnel that connected Honshu and my hometown.
This place was supposed to be a dungeon, but since I destroyed the Tokyo Dungeon, it seems this place is no longer a dungeon either.
Maybe it could be used for logistics again, but with the power shortage, trains aren't moving much, so it's probably impossible...
A steam engine couldn't run through here anyway.
No, if we used a boiler powered by magic, there wouldn't be any smoke, so it might work?
Sana rides pillion on the bicycle as we head for the surface.
Beside us, the beastman Nina runs alongside.
―― I talk with Sana behind me about everything that happened so far.
"Everyone, what were you doing after I disappeared?"
"It was terrible!"
"Terrible?"
In the other world, it was too busy to hear the details, so I ask here.
Since I'm just pedaling, I have time.
"Yes! It was terrible trying to hold back the Cherry Princess!"
"Did the Princess try to dive into the dungeon after me?"
"Yes! But everyone tried to stop her because without Daisuke-san's Item Box, they couldn't clear the dungeon."
"Well, that makes sense..."
I don't say they couldn't do it—but without an Item Box, it would take an enormous amount of time to resupply, just like other guilds.
"Kaorulko-san convinced us, and while we were preparing to dive and gathering supplies, the dungeon collapsed."
"So, you weren't caught up in that?"
"Yes, but..."
"And after that?"
"The Cherry Princess became like she had lost her soul..."
"Oh..."
Hearing that, a tight pain squeezed deep in my chest.
Had I betrayed them? Had I hurt them?—Such thoughts rushed over me like waves, making even breathing difficult.
It wasn't just about the Princess.
Sana, Kaorulko, Iroha—time was cruelly limited, and if we hadn't made that choice, the only ending left was to lose everything.
Even if I hadn't disappeared, they would have attacked the dungeon and reached that 10th Floor, right...?
I don't think they could have won against that thing.
Logically, I understand.
Thinking calmly, that was the best, or perhaps the only, choice.
No, it was also just an old man's ego.
Still, it was good that everyone was safe.
"Were there any casualties from the dungeon collapse?"
"I don't think so."
"The gods pushed everyone out of the dungeon."
"I heard that."
"We should be grateful to the gods."
"Yes."
If I owe the gods too much, I won't know what they'll make me do, but I won't complain.
Everyone being safe is thanks to the gods.
"And after that?"
"We all went to Daisuke-san's house."
"Huh?"
At her sudden words, I let out a foolish sound.
"Daisuke-san's parents' home."
It seems everyone is living in my house.
"Why at my house?! Before that, did I tell you my address?"
"That was... mumble mumble..."
Well, the Yaegashi Group is behind me.
Finding my address would be a piece of cake.
"You heard from the gods that I was safe, right?"
"Yes, so if you were safe, you would return to Daisuke-san's parents' home."
"Well, that's correct, hahaha."
Actually, we transferred into the undersea tunnel, and now we are heading to my parents' home.
"Also..."
Sana seems to have something hard to say.
"Huh? Is something wrong?"
"Well..."
What happens when a dungeon disappears?
Naturally, it means all the supernatural power adventurers gained from dungeons is gone.
Normally, that would be the end, but there were people who could still use their powers even after the dungeon vanished.
The Emblem Squad and the followers of Izal.
Since they didn't rely on power derived from dungeons, they could use magic and such.
"So, people seeking the convenient powers they lost started becoming followers of Izal one after another."
"Yes."
It seems the number exploded after the dungeon disappeared.
"The gods must be overjoyed."
"Probably so... And so, since the gods' power increased, dungeons started appearing in various places again."
"Is that Izal's gods' dungeons, different from the previous ones?"
"Yes."
The other world where Tetsuo lived also had places called Gates, connecting to other worlds.
People excavated various things from there and used them as mines...
So it's becoming similar to that?
"Um..."
It seems Sana is having a hard time saying it again.
I have a bad feeling...
"Is there still something?"
"A dungeon appeared near Daisuke-san's house, and the area around the village is in a terrible state..."
"Eh?! Seriously?"
"Yes."
"Where did a dungeon appear in my village?"
"Um, Daisuke-san, you have a field with a hill behind it, right?"
"Oh... Could it be there?!"
There is a hill right next to the field where I always grew potatoes.
It goes into shade quickly, so it's not suitable for farming, but I didn't have time to say such things.
"Yes."
How terrible!
If a dungeon appeared, that area becomes government-managed land.
Which means my field is gone.
I managed to bluff my way through when a dungeon appeared in my backyard initially...
But now I'm losing my field.
I was a bit shocked, but I have money now.
I don't need to grow potatoes.
Besides, if a dungeon appeared, the village will become a town centered around it.
People will increase, various facilities and shops will appear, and maybe even a Home Center branch will come.
My house will become the center of the town—a prime location.
Thinking of it that way, it's not a bad story.
Property taxes will skyrocket, though.
"By the way, what about Sana's grandfather?"
"He is still at the facility in Tokyo."
He probably wouldn't want to move to an unknown place after getting old.
It seems he will be buried in Tokyo.
Sana also earned a lot of money from the dungeon, so there is no problem paying the facility fees.
As I pedal the bicycle and talk with Sana, I see a point of light in the darkness.
"Eh?! Could there be people? Are the trains running?"
"I haven't heard of that..."
Well, if the dungeon disappeared from the undersea tunnel, it can be used as a tunnel again.
"Maybe an investigation is being conducted."
"Yes."
I stop the bicycle and turn off the magic lamp.
We can see in the dark, so let's just pass through.
From my Item Box, I take out a robe and hand it to Nina.
If they see a beastman, they might think it's a monster and panic.
We wait in a corner for the light to come.
From the depths of the tunnel, a low metallic rumbling rises, and eventually, it hits the walls, folding over itself multiple times and echoing.
In the darkness, a hazy yellow light seeps out, approaching like a warning-colored blade cutting through the shadows.
What appeared was a single-car train, boxy and angular.
Every time the headlights traced the concrete walls, cables, bolts, and old stains floated up white, as if inspecting the very space the train passed through.
"So, since the dungeon is gone, the engine works."
The dry sound of wheels biting the rails and the regular driving sound of machinery operating remain in the ears with echoes.
The vehicle passed without noticing us.
"If we get caught, will we be arrested?"
"I don't know. If it's illegal entry, yes... hahaha."
"Daisuke, what is that? Is it moving by magic?"
Nina seems very interested in the train.
Well, in the other world, the only vehicles are carriages.
"It's the vehicle we use. It's not magic."
"Heh~nya."
"Ji~."
Sana watches my conversation with Nina intently.
"You two seem very close."
"Well, we lived together at Tetsuo's mansion."
"Gugu..."
Sana has a complicated expression.
Perhaps as a Saintess, she needs to show compassion, but it seems she can't help it.
"Well, if you're going to blame anyone, blame me. Nina just took care of me, so she's not at fault."
"I-I wouldn't do that..."
She understands, but her face says she doesn't accept it.
We take out the bicycle and start climbing the slope again.
About 20km remaining; at 30km/h on a bicycle, we should reach the surface in 40 minutes.
As I calculated, about forty minutes passed, and a needle-point light appeared in the depths of the darkness.
At first, it seemed like a hallucination, faint and likely to disappear with every blink, but as I kept pedaling, it began to take a definite shape.
The light slowly but surely expanded, pushing back the cold darkness of the tunnel.
The smell of damp air faded, replaced by the presence of dry wind from outside.
The echoes of my own breathing and the creaking of the chain gradually changed as if being absorbed, and my body realized the exit was near before I did.
Finally, a clear brightness arrived, the moment I could be certain it was the tunnel exit.
Near the exit, several construction vehicles were parked, and workers wearing yellow helmets were visible.
Under the work lights, shadows moved busily, and someone seemed to notice us and raised a hand.
There is no time to slow down here.
Bursting through from darkness to light, we slip between the yellow helmets and the work lights.
We rushed through the tunnel at full speed.
Men's voices could be heard from behind, but we ignored them.
"Haha, sorry about that."
They probably didn't expect anyone to come out from inside, but did no one try to use this to cross the sea?
There were stories of red foxes passing through the tunnel, though.
Riding the bicycle along the coast, we stopped briefly in a deserted spot.
Looking around, the weeds haven't grown yet.
It feels a bit chilly, so it must be spring.
Just before the magnolias bloom.
I take a jacket out of my Item Box and put it on Sana.
"How do we get back to Daisuke-san's house from here?"
Even though Sana moved here, she probably doesn't know the local area.
The undersea tunnel hasn't been used for a while either.
"If we go a little further, it splits left and right, and we can return either way—but it's about 100km."
"Are we going by bicycle?"
"No, I'm taking out the light truck."
I take out my beloved vehicle from my Item Box.
I used it a little in the other world, and spare gasoline was stored inside, so there is no fuel issue.
"Nya!"
Nina is surprised by the sudden appearance of the white iron block.
I haven't shown her this one.
"Well... maybe we should take a back road."
In spring, there are no grass or insects on the mountains yet.
"Is it okay?"
"It's a road not usually used, but we should be fine. It's the shortest route."
If there are places we can't pass, I'll carry Sana.
The beastman Nina isn't worried even on rough roads.
The other world was full of rough roads.
That was normal.
"Alright, get on. Nina, you take the truck bed."
"Understood, nya."
She lightly jumped onto the truck bed.
Sana watches it intently.
"Don't bully her."
I got into the light truck with Sana.
"I wouldn't do that..."
I started the engine and drove a little, then opened the window.
"Nina, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, nya. Better than a carriage, nya."
Well, carriages in the other world don't have suspension.
Compared to that, even a light truck is worlds apart.
Since there seems to be no problem, we proceed on the national road.
After a while, there is a fork, so we go left.
If we continue straight, we will pass through the mountains and cross the peninsula vertically.
"Are we going to break through to the port town?"
"No, that's not it~."
We drive for about an hour, and there is a forest road on the right.
I turn the handlebars and enter the mountains.
"Can we pass through such a place?!"
"Haha, I think we can go partway. The other side of this mountain is exactly our village."
"Is that so?"
Once, they tried to build a road here, but talks of breeding grounds for wild birds and nature conservation arose, and it stalled.
Construction had stopped halfway.
"Even if there's no road, it's only about 1km to the summit."
"Are you planning to go through there?"
"Haha, that's right."
"Eh~?"
"Because it's the shortest route."
"I understand that..."
"Don't worry, I'll carry Sana, hahaha."
The forest road is not paved; dry earth and crushed stones are exposed and trampled down.
The road width is barely enough for one car, with deep ruts in places and black traces of accumulated rainwater.
The road seems to refuse to go straight, twisting persistently left and right, blocking the view ahead immediately.
Around us, a primary forest with fallen leaves stands like a wall, thick-trunked ancient trees intertwining their branches overhead, squeezing the sky into fragmented pieces of blue.
For a while, there are almost no traces of human hands; the more we advance, the thinner the presence of artificial objects becomes.
Well, no one would use such a road.
With the world standing still, the Forestry Agency—no, now the Forest Management Agency, which had also stopped, was gone.
I glance at the rearview mirror—Nina seems fine.
"Oops!"
A rotten giant fallen tree blocks the road.
We get off, store the light truck, and holding Sana's hand, we go around the fallen tree.
The Saintess's pure white dress, the dense forest—and beside me, a beastman in pitch-black fur with a hood.
It's like a fantasy world, but this is Japan.
"Sana, you don't have normal clothes, right?"
"Yes, the gods told me to wear this..."
"It might be equipment with some enchantment."
"Probably..."
Sana's change of clothes is not in my Item Box either.
I stored it when attacking the dungeon, but when we came out, I returned it to her.
Nina lightly jumped onto the giant tree.
"Amazing jump."
"Nice forest, nya."
Nina is sniffing the air.
"Nina, aren't you cold?"
"I'm fine, nya. Leaves are falling, but is it winter, nya?"
"No, it will get warm soon. A lot of snow falls in winter, you know?"
"What is 'Mimaru'?!"
"Mimaru?"
At her words, I tilted my head.
It seems there is no other-worldly word corresponding to snow.
The auto-translation probably put in a random word.
I give up explaining, come out to the other side of the fallen tree, take out the light truck again, and start driving.
Having an Item Box allows you to do this, which is why it's strong.
After driving for a while, I stop the car and check the map with my smartphone GPS.
――Is it around here?
I put everyone down and stored the light truck, but looking at my phone, I remembered something.
"By the way, since the dungeon disappeared, can we use old computers now?"
"No, it seems that's not possible anymore."
"Eh? Is that so?"
It seems the properties of matter have still changed.
The influence of the dungeon is gone, but is it the influence of the god Izal now?
"Oh, but! Magic lamps and such can be used now."
"Eh?! Is that so?!"
It seems the Yaegashi Group's technology development succeeded, and products using magic stones are being sold.
Simply put, they seem to be converting magic power into electricity to use for lights and stoves.
I want to see it, but Sana isn't carrying any luggage.
"Then, what about the Magic Bag?"
"It seems that's still impossible~."
"Light and stoves seem possible if we can extract electricity from magic stones, but the Magic Bag is—indeed."
"According to Kako-san, that seems to be the case."
It seems she heard the theoretical explanation from the Princess's older sister, but Sana doesn't seem to understand well.
Being able to convert magic power into electricity is revolutionary.
In fact, the price of worthless magic stones that had no use is rising.
Once it's understood that you can live normally and make money, more people will start making adventuring a profession.
Checking the map on my smartphone, I enter the mountains.
Crossing the mountain in a straight line from here.
This is the shortest route.
"How far is it?"
"About 1km in a straight line."
Well, on flat ground, it's not a big distance, but it's crossing a mountain.
Stepping into the deep forest, the first thing to touch the ears is the air as if silence itself is breathing.
Seeming to stitch through that silence, the voices of wild birds rise from various places.
Clear high notes bounce around the treetops, short and sharp chirps flying from branch to branch.
A shrill cry is heard from an unseen place.
"Such a beautiful singing voice."
"Probably a Japanese warbler. A beautiful black and yellow bird."
"Heh~"
"Nina! Don't get close to leaves like that. There are ticks."
I pointed to the bamboo leaves.
It's still cold, so I think it's fine, but I've been bitten even in early spring by entering the bamboo groves.
"Understood, nya."
There were ticks in the other world too, so she knows.
"Alright, I'll carry Sana."
"I-it's okay."
"Come on, if the Saintess's outfit gets wet, it's bad..."
"That can be fixed with a cleaning magic."
"Oh."
She is a high-level adventurer too.
Ah—that, by the way...
"Since the dungeon disappeared, what happened to levels?"
"Those things are gone. We could inherit some power to a certain extent..."
"Well, the system seems different."
If that's the case, dungeon exploration seems like it will become more difficult...
"But the followers of Izal have this."
She turns around and shows me the Holy Engraving on her back.
"Oh, I see. Tetsuo also said that as it grows, you can use greater power."
Essentially, the size of the Holy Engraving corresponds to the level.
But to make the Holy Engraving larger, deep faith will be required.
The black-furred girl who was ahead of us climbed the mountain lightly and was already at the summit.
As we approached the summit, it was indeed a bit chilly, and snow remained in the shaded depressions.
"Sana, aren't you cold?"
"I'm fine."
Nina waves her hand.
"Daisuke! You can see the town, nya!"
"What is she saying?"
"She says you can see the town."
"Is it that close?"
"No, it should be about 10km from here, but once we get on the road, we can use cars."
We reached the summit with her.
Straining my eyes, I can see my beloved village, but...
"Hmm? It seems there are more buildings, doesn't it? I can see something like a building..."
"Apartments are being built too."
"Apartments in my village?!"
"It's no longer a village; it's been upgraded to a town..."
"Seriously?"
Did that many people increase?
"Yes."
"If people increased that suddenly, the village infrastructure won't keep up?"
"That's fine. The Yaegashi Group is providing full support."
"Oh, because the Princess came?"
"And a dungeon appeared too. There is also a Yaegashi Group research institute."
Wow, it's become like that in just two years.
Well, since the village is the frontline of the dungeon, it's reasonable to build a research institute.
According to Sana, a monster research institute was also built.
"Then, could the Sensei who was researching monsters..."
"Yes, they are here."
"Is Sensei's mother at the Group's research institute...?"
"Yes. She had a very unpleasant look on her face."
"As expected... Ah, but did you say anything when you saw the Doctor looking younger?"
"She was speechless."
"Haha..."
Sensei is still young, so she might be fine, but if she gets a bit older, I don't know?
She might do the same thing as her mother.
We started descending from the summit, but Nina's movement stopped abruptly.
"What's wrong?"
"A beast, nya."
At her voice, I take out a sling from my Item Box.
There is no need to fight.
It's enough to drive it away.
Shaking fallen leaves and branches, a black, huge, shaggy creature approaches.
"A bear."
Before becoming an adventurer, I would have been terrified, but now I'm not surprised by a bear.
I set a large rock in the sling, spin it around, and throw it at the bear.
"Bumo!"
The rock hits the bear's head in a parabola.
Surprised by the sudden attack, the other party probably escaped into the forest at an incredible speed.
"Th-the legs are so fast!"
"On rough terrain like this, they can reach about 60km/h."
"It's scary~."
"What are you saying. Sana could do it in one hit, right?"
"That's not true."
She says that, but a critical hit would probably take it out in one shot.
Well, there's no need to kill unnecessarily.
We went down the mountain and came out onto the paved road.
From here, if we get in a car, we can reach the village—no, now it's a town.
I'm almost at my house, but what kind of face should I show the Princess and the others?
At my age, all sorts of things were spinning in my chest.
Next time, the final episode.