Episode 39 – Capital of [Country of Industry] – Evening

“……Rachel”

Both of my arms are encircled around Rachel's slender waist as I hugged her delicate body strongly. I can feel her warmth, softness, and her good smell, everything that reminded me of human sensation.

“……”

While hugging and also being hugged by her, I thought to myself. There is someone who is worried about me, and she is right here right by my side, knowing that fact is making me feel really relieved.

“……”

I raised one of my hands, and then I tapped my palm against Rachel's delicate back twice.

“……Kaoru”

As Rachel received my signal, she slowly released her clutch of my body. She then rested both of her hands on my shoulder and is looking at me with a worried expression.

“Thank you, I feel better after being hugged by Rachel”

“Stupid…… It's just a hug……”

Rachel said that with an angry tone, and then this beautiful girl pulled her face away.

“……”

She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and then wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, her slender white fingers brus.h.i.+ng against my bangs. Her hand feels really gentle.

“……It's the truth though”

I wonder if my heartfelt grat.i.tude isn't transmitted properly to her?

“When you're in pain, you can feel better just by having someone embrace you gently. I know that fact for sure”

“……Stupid”

Even after I explained it again, Rachel still called me stupid angrily. The stuff that I just said is an important information that I learned during my still short life you know.

“……Hey”

Rachel is staring straight at my face. She used her left hand to undo the b.u.t.ton of my s.h.i.+rt and stopped her right hand which was wiping the sweat in my neck.

“Are you hurt somewhere? Do you have a sickness or something?”

“…….”

Aah, I understand now.

“It's not a sickness. I was just feeling awful for a moment”

Certainly, my state before was not normal. I think it's not strange for Rachel to suspect that I'm sick or something.

“Really? You're not lying to me?”

Rachel is keeping a serious look on her face as she said that.

“Really, it's not a lie”

I answered Rachel immediately. While I didn't tell a lie, there's something that I didn't tell her. Perhaps Yuela is recording an adult video with Kantarou right now, there's no way I can tell that to her.

“……I'll get some water”

After thief-chan saw that I've calmed down, she said that and left her seat swiftly. Somehow, I ended up following her movement with my eyes.

“……”

She talked to the employee and seems to have asked for a flask of water

“……”

And then I could feel someone's gaze on me. I immediately turn my line of sight sideways.

“……”

The men from before, the two mercenary-looking ojii-san, one thin one small, who talked about how their d.i.c.k is itching for action is looking at my direction.

“……”

Those ojii-san weren't worrying about me, they're simply watching the situation while still drinking their alcohol. I think it might be more fit to describe them as observing me.

“……”

Apparently, my scene from before had gathered the attention of the people around us. Certainly, Rachel did call my name out loudly like she was crying.

“Fuhh……”

I want a cigarette. I searched the back pocket of my coat with my right hand.

“Kaoru, smoking right now is not good”

After Rachel noticed me, she quickly grabbed the hem of my coat and said that.

“I'm alright. I'm not feeling bad anymore”

I smiled thinly and said that to rea.s.sure Rachel. It's true that I felt a better already.

“No. You will listen to what I say”

However Rachel is still strongly opposed to it. Seeing her acting like an older sister is somewhat funny.

“……Got it, I'll endure”

I pulled my right hand away from my coat pocket and said that. It's no use I guess, I'll give up on the smoking idea.

“Rachel-san is right, you shouldn't smoke cigarette right now”

Priestess-chan also gave me a warning. However this girl had a gentle face and gentle eyes where the corners are dropping slightly, even if she gets angry, she won't create much impact with her face.

“I understand. I won't make Rachel worry anymore”

“h……”

When she heard my voice, Rachel's white cheeks were dyed in pink.

“……That's absolutely right. You shouldn't make me worry too much”

Rachel is saying that with a sharp tone and composed face, however her lips is forming a small happy smile. This girl is really easy to understand.

“Ahaha…… Aren't you glad Rachel-san?”

And Priestess-chan then said that while smiling gently.

“……Here, water”

Thief-chan brought and placed a flask of water and a gla.s.s on top of the table.

“Thanks”

I thanked her and drank a whole gla.s.s of water. I thought I don't really need to drink or anything, but when I saw the gla.s.s I noticed that my throat is very dry.

“Fuh…… Thanks, that was delicious”

The cold water feels good on my dry throat, I can feel the uncomfortable sensation disappear immediately. I said my sincere grat.i.tude to Thief-chan afterward.

“……”

Thief-chan doesn't reply, she only flashed me a smile while still smoking her cigarette. She's quite the interesting girl.

“……Are you alright? Should I use [Healing] magic on you?”

It seems priestess-chan is able to use some kind of sacred magic, she made that offer while acting reserved about it.

“Thank you, but I'm really okay now”

I really appreciate the offer, but I declined her gently. My physical condition is getting better so I don't need it. Besides, I roughly know the cause myself.

“Rachel”

“……What?”

Rachel answered my call while slightly acting tsun about it. She might be embarra.s.sed for having acted all sticky with me in front of her adventuring friends. I think this should be a good time to ask.

“What happened to me earlier?”

I asked that question to confirm my current situation.

“I don't know. You just suddenly lost consciousness…… You dropped on the table just like that……”

I see, I fell on top of the table.

“What about the time before that?”

“Just normal, I think…… You just, suddenly dropped on the spot……”

Rachel answered my question with a worried tone while slightly swinging her head left and right.

“……I see”

Just as I thought then. It was definitely because of that. G.o.dd.a.m.nit.

“Earlier, does it feel like my soul just escaped my body?”

“……It looks like that, probably”

Because of how I used ominous phrase in my question, Rachel replied while furrowing her eyebrows.

“Sorry, I phrased that badly didn't I?  I don't have any sickness or the likes, really”

“……”

I'm a bit too loose with my mouth. I couldn't really tell Rachel about the reason behind me losing consciousness that I just happen to know.

“Hmph…… You will explain things properly later okay”

Rachel seemed to be a little dissatisfied, however she doesn't pursue the matter further in this place. This girl is clever as expected. She seems to have sensed something just from how I've been running my mouth off earlier.

“……Yo”

My mind responded with a little shock. Suddenly, there's a man's voice calling out to me from the side.

“……”

While keeping up my wariness, I turned my face toward the opposite side of Rachel.

“……”

The animal person with a dog head who had been staring at me aggressively earlier stood there.

What's with this guy.

“Our eyes met earlier right. Are you alright?”

“……”

I was at a loss of words from hearing the dog head's words. I guess this guy is not right in the head after all.  Our eyes didn't meet, you literally glared at me one-sidedly.

“If you're feeling sick, you might want to go to the Guild's medical office”

“……”

Dog head's upward pointing dog ears are facing down right now. With a worried sounding voice, he is showing his concern to me who had just suddenly dropped down— or that's what he was trying to produce with this gentlemanly atmosphere of his at least.

“Shall I take you there?”

“……”

I thought to myself while listening to dog head's voice.

This guy, I want to beat him up. I'm sure I could clear my mind if I shoot him with my gun, just seeing his face alone is enough to make me feel nauseated.

Of course I won't actually do such thing for real, but if it's on my mind, I'm free to do whatever I want right?

“……Kaoru?”

“……”

Rachel called out my name with a small voice. It seems she was suspicious of something because I haven't making any response.

“……”

I followed my own feeling and slipped my left hand into the pocket of my coat.

“……”

And then I looked upward at the dog head's face. The gaze of Rachel and the adventurers girls are all focused on me.

“……I'm fine”

After saying that, I smiled thinly.

“I'm not feeling bad anymore”

This guy sure have a big body, I think he might be about 2 meters tall. I supported my grasp on the grip with my thumb and little finger, and at the same time, I attached the tip of my index finger on the trigger.

“Really? Are you sure you're not pus.h.i.+ng yourself?”

This dog head with grey fur is still running his jaw like he's really worried about me. He sure can speak eloquently. I wonder if the structure of his mouth is different from a dog, It looks exactly the same to me.

“I'm fine”

I gave him a short answer. I don't want to talk to him anymore nor do I want to be connected to him in any way, just go scram already.

“You don't need to be reserved. You've become our friend in the adventure guild aren't you?”

“……”

Shut up will you. I already know what I dislike from your face. Rather than its shape, I hate your facial expression that smells of lies. I'm sure you make full use of your face that looks exactly like a dog.

“I said I'm fine didn't I? Or could it be, you have something else to do with this table?”

I deliberately said that while flas.h.i.+ng a smile.

“……”

And the dog head turn speechless after hearing my words.

“……No”

The left side of dog head's wide mouth is raised upward to his cheek, then underneath his mouth, I could see a line of imposing fang. Apparently, this guy is able to smile unlike a dog.

“……Please take care of yourself”

After saying kind and sincere sounding words, dog head turned around and walked with his back facing me. While showing his muscular and st.u.r.dy back, he walked to somewhere inside the guild.

“……”

I wonder if that guy's whole body is also covered in short fur. His arms and neck at the very least had the same color with his head. If I opened a hole in him, I guess the blood spurting out from it would be red too.

“Kaoru”

“……What?”

I pulled my hand away from the revolver in my pocket and looked back at Rachel again.

“Why were you so angry?”

“……”

I'm really no match for this girl. Even though she's supposed to only see my back, Rachel seems to have found out that I was p.i.s.sed.

“You really understand me well”

“Muu……”

When she heard my reply, Rachel answered with an unhappy groan and her cheeks are puffed up cutely.

“……It's the power of love, right Rachel?”

Thief-chan grinned while still holding her cigarette between her lips. She was saying that with a tone that makes fun of Rachel. She sure is one interesting girl.

“……You can tell that much just by voice or atmosphere”

Rachel then answered while looking all embarra.s.sed. Just by voice or atmosphere is it? I sure am loved aren't I?

“Earlier, you said that you decide whether you like or hate people based on their face didn't you?”

“That's right”

This time, Warrior-chan asked that while smiling. After I answered her immediately, she smiled again like she just heard something strange.

“That person sure is hated by men isn't he……”

“Hmm……”

Warrior-chan then mentioned something interesting.

“That dog head, is his reputation with the women good?”

“Ahahah……, Dog head……, Ahahahah……”

Instead of answering me, Warrior-chan then goes into laughing spree until her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are bouncing around. I wonder if it will be fine to call her out loud as b.o.o.by-warrior-chan?

“Mou……, that person is a wolf animal person you know”

“……That so”

Priestess-chan then informed that to me. Now that she mentioned that, he did feel like one somehow. I really thought that he was a wild dog earlier.

“……That person seems to be popular with the women”

Thief-chan then said that while pressing her cigarette against the ashtray.

“……He keeps changing from one cute girl to another as he goes to explore ruins”

“Hmm……”

I understand everything now, from the reason why he was glaring at me in the beginning, to the reason why he called out to me afterward.

That b.a.s.t.a.r.d, not only he's an irritating guy, he's also a shallow minded person. He didn't like how the att.i.tude of the men and women around him has changed.

“That guy, he was glaring at me before I arrived to this table”

I looked at the face of the beautiful girl beside me and say that.

“He didn't seem to like how I'm acting all familiar with Rachel”

The reason behind his glare perhaps was this one.

“Kyahah~….. You have it hard don't you”

“……”

Rachel then laughed unconcernedly at my explanation.

“Yeah, going out with beautiful girl is very hard”

“It can't be helped right? You can go out with me, so you need to endure that much at least”

I tried to make a little retort to Rachel, but then she talked back with a sharper response instead.

“Ahahah…… Rachel is really cute after all, our group also had it hard too. The adventurers wanted to join our group as soon as they laid their eyes on Rachel”

“Hmm……”

b.o.o.by-warrior-chan laughed heartily. I can totally imagined the scenario she described, there's no way the men are going to leave a beautiful girl like her alone.

“But you know”

“Yes?”

I addressed my words to b.o.o.by-warrior-chan.

“I'm sure those people weren't looking at Rachel only. All of you are really cute too”

“h……”

Hearing my words, b.o.o.by-warrior-chan blushed. I feel a little satisfied after seeing that nice reaction.

“In my case……, probably just because I'm big……”

b.o.o.by-warrior-chan seems to have a complex about her height. She's certainly tall, I think she might be around 180cm.

“I like tall girls, I think they look very stylish. If I have girlfriend like that, I'm sure I'm going to boast about her”

“……”

b.o.o.by-chan blushed even more and her face also has an embarra.s.sed look on it. This virgin-like reaction is really nice isn't it.

“……Musketeer-san, I think you should leave it at that. Your cute girlfriend is getting angry”

Thief-chan said that in a playful and teasing tone.

“Muu……”

“……”

Sure enough, my cute girlfriend is angry. She doesn't seem to like the content of my conversation with b.o.o.by-chan.

“Ahaha……, You're going to have it hard too from now on Musketeer-san……”

And then b.o.o.by-chan said that with her still red face.

“Rachel, I'll be returning first. I'm going to pick you up later”

I stood up from my seat. I think it's about time for me to return. I don't have any purpose in the adventurer guild, and I don't want to stay in this place too long either. I think It'll be good if Rachel can have more relaxing time with her friends too.

“Ah wait, I'll return too”

However Rachel then also stood up from her seat.

“It's fine Rachel. You want to talk with everyone rig-……”

“Are you stupid”

My speech was interrupted by Rachel's insult midway.

“You know that I couldn't leave you by yourself right?”

It seems Rachel was worried about my physical condition. I'm really alright Rachel, sorry for worrying you like this.

“……You sure have changed Rachel”

“I did?”

Rachel tilted her neck when she heard Thief-chan's remark.

“……Before, you would make a fool of men more”

“……”

I smiled from hearing Thief-chan's remark. I certainly can imagine Rachel acting like that.

“Oh shut up……”

As for Rachel, she had a not-amused look on her face.

“You'll be in the capital for around one month right? Next time, let's go for an adventure together with us. You too musketeer-san”

“Sounds good”

b.o.o.by-chan made an invitation, and Rachel answered in our place without my confirmation. I don't like adventurers you know……

“We couldn't find a subst.i.tute for you Rachel-san”

“……There's not enough female adventurers”

Priestess-chan and Thief-chan joined the conversation. It seems their group has their own circ.u.mstances.

“There are some of course, but their professions are different. Since our group is composed of a warrior, a scout, and a priest, our balance will be bad if we don't have someone in the rear guard.

b.o.o.by-chan is explaining their situation to me.

“I see”

I nodded at her explanation, but then I pushed b.o.o.by-chan speech aside on my mind and went into thinking about something that is unrelated.

It seems Thief-chan profession is not thief, she's Scout-chan.

//TL Note : The kanji used for Scout is 密偵 Mittei. The literal meaning is spy, but I translated it as Scout//

It was obvious after I gave it a bit more thought. If she was thief, she would be apprehended the moment she showed her status to another person, and there's no way she would be able to register in the adventurer guild as one too.

“Sorry everyone. We'll cooperate as much as we can later”

Rachel said that with an apologetic tone and then stood up from her chair. She was also dead set with involving me in her adventuring promise.

“See you later, all of you”

And then she said her goodbye while waving her hand to her friends.

“Good bye. Be careful with that dog head okay, he might be targeting you girls”

I also said my goodbye and gave the girls some words of warning at the same time.

“Ahaha…… We'll be fine. We only invite girls to our group”

b.o.o.by-chan giggled again as she answered me back.

“But still, I cannot believe that dog head is popular. His overbearing att.i.tude only smells like trouble to me”

“That's true…… We'll keep that in mind. Also, about him being popular…… I think it's because of that rumor……”

b.o.o.by-chan nodded in agreement to my remark, but after that she muttered in a small voice that I couldn't hear.

“……If you don't say it loudly, musketeer-san won't be able to hear you”

Scout-chan said that while smiling. There's a hint of teasing behind the words that she addressed to b.o.o.by-chan.

“……”

b.o.o.by-chan didn't say anything and took a glance at my face.

“That guy is……quick with his hands, and his that is amazing too”

And then she muttered those virgin-like speech shyly while blus.h.i.+ng.

“……Hey, are you really alright?”

Rachel looked uneasy. She bent her waist forward while walking to take a look at my face from the front.

“I'm already fine”

I answered Rachel while my lips slightly forming into a smile. Her gesture just now looks really charming somehow.

“……Why are you smiling?”

However Rachel's expression then immediately took a turn for the worse.

“Muu……, even though I'm really worried about you……”

Rachel is a little angry. I wasn't smiling because I was trying to make fun of her though. This girl sure is changing her facial expression constantly.

“About the stuff from before”

We are currently walking in the main street of the 11th District. As I noticed a crossroad before me

that can take us sideways, I decided to open my mouth.

“I think I roughly know the cause”

While saying that, I took a turn at the crossroad.

“Huh, where are we going?”

Rachel also hurriedly turned the crossroads and followed me.

“It's not really a story that I want other people to hear”

I paused my steps and waited until Rachel lined up next to me before resume walking again.

“You've heard the story of how I was summoned to this world right?”

“Not in detail, but yes……”

Hearing my sudden inquiry, Rachel replied while sounding a little confused.

“This is about the exact moment when I was summoned to this world”

I continue to speak while Rachel and I are walking aimlessly in the backstreet of a city that I don't know anything about.

“When I was still in the world where I was born from, I had my eyes closed while my back is leaned against a big Buna tree¹. At that time, I was thinking that maybe I'll go take a quick nap or something along that lines”

“Okay……”

I began to tell Rachel about the story from that time.

“Before I noticed, my vision had become pure white. Even when I closed my eyes, everything is still pure white. ……It was a place that I totally don't know about”

“What, was that……”

“I couldn't even see my body. While I could feel that my body is there and I could move my arms and legs, I couldn't see them at all. The sensation got me worried whether my body actually exists or not. I was really scared back then”

“Yeah……”

“Then after a short while pa.s.sed, an unpleasant sensation is pa.s.sing through me”

“Unpleasant, as in……?”

“Like someone is stroking my cheek with their hand. It feels repulsive”

“……”

“Everything around me is still white, and I still can't see anything, but I understand that there is something huge right in front of me”

“Hmm……”

“I wonder how should I describe it……”

I paused my story there and looked up at the sky.

“That cloud high above”

I pointed at a pa.s.sing cloud with faint looking shape, it's the highest thing there is in the sky.

“That one?”

Rachel also looked up at the sky and pointed her finger at the same cloud.

“Yeah, now try to imagine this. There's a structure that is taller than that cloud, and you're standing right in front of it trying to look at the top”

“……”

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows as she looking up at the sky with anxious expression on her face.

“……I can't imagine something like that”

“……”

I smiled after hearing Rachel's response. That's to be expected I guess.

“I experienced something like that. Basically, it's very huge and made me very tiny in comparison. I tried my best to keep my consciousness intact while enduring the fear. I thought I could disappear at any moment before it”

“That is……”

“Perhaps, that right there was the G.o.ddess of Darkness”

“H……!”

“Thinking about it now, I can explain everything that I felt back then. There's no way a human would be able to grasp the existence of a G.o.d. It also won't be strange for me to be killed without any deeper meaning behind it”

“……”

“Humans won't be able to tell what that is thinking. That is not even a same creature, it's a fully different concept of existence already. I understood by instinct that my feelings or intents will never reach that”

“That's scary……”

“Yeah……very scary……”

“……”

“Afterward, I could hear a grating sound on my ears, but strangely the sound is calming my mind down too. I think that was the voice of the G.o.ddess of Darkness”

“……What did it say?”

“……I don't remember. I feel like I was told something that sounded like a serious mission with a tense atmosphere, but at the same time, I also feel like I merely heard something from someone's idle chat somewhere”

“……”

“However, there's no doubt that I heard something back then”

“……I see”

“……”

“……”

“……My consciousness fade away after that, then when I opened my eyes, I saw Yuela and Kantarou in front of me”

“So that's what happened……”

Rachel turned her gaze down while walking and muttered that with a small voice.

“Earlier in the adventure guild, I experienced the same feeling”

“Eh……?”

“Ah wait, It's a bit different I guess. When I was summoned, I didn't feel awful like that”

“Idiot…… Why didn't you say it sooner……”

“……”

Rachel stopped walking and slightly pulled the hem of my coat, I also stopped my foot after her.

“You're……, you might be returned to your original world”

“H……!”

That was foolish of me. I never considered that possibility.

“……”

An indescribable, uneasy feeling is spreading rapidly in my heart. I feel scared and lonely. I'm totally anxious right now.

“Kaoru…… you're……”

Tears are welling up inside Rachel's big eyes. She is pulling my clothes while wearing a face that looks like she could burst into tears at any moment.

“Rachel, wait. Let's calm down first”

I put my hands on Rachel's shoulder and said that slowly with a calm tone. I think it won't do any good to be crushed by this uneasy feeling right now.

“Yes……”

Rachel stared at my face and then nodded firmly, after that she put both of her hands on her chest and slowly took a deep breath.

“……Rachel, you're good?”

“……I'm fine”

Rachel's voice is calm. She's wearing the face of someone who is ready to face the difficulties in front of them, together with me.

“……Alright”

My feeling of love for Rachel is overflowing, my disturbed heart has now calmed down quietly.

“……Let's check my status. We might understand something”

“……Yeah”

Rachel nodded to my suggestion. I opened my status Window between the two of us so that Rachel can see it as well.

Name                    : Kaoru

Race                      : Human

Profession          : Gunner

Height                   : 174cm

State                     : [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]

: [Likes NTR]

: [Peerless]

Skill                        : [Gun Knowledge]

[Shooting]

[Hunting]

[Reloading]

[Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]

[Likes NTR]

[Peerless]

[???]

Equipment          : Revolver

: Bolt Action Rifle

: Shotgun

“……”

“……”

Rachel is silent, together with me.

“……What is, this”

She spoke out with a coa.r.s.e voice.

“……Who knows?”

I also finally managed to squeeze out my voice.

“……You have one more skill”

“……Yeah”

This [???], I wonder what is it.

“Fuhh……”

I let out a deep breath. It won't be a joke if I was returned to my former world at this time. While there are some people who might be worried about me there, I have no regrets about my current situation at all.

After all, I know that the lives of those people won't change even without me in there. Even if I don't exist, the world will keep on moving normally. But it was different with my girlfriends in this world.

“Hey. Could it be that Kaoru's state from earlier is because the G.o.ddess of Darkness is granting this strange skill to you?”

This girl is clever as expected. She draws an apt conclusion for my situation from before.

“……Seems that way”

However I think it's not that straightforward. I think the vision of that yellow room I saw back then might be related too.

“Did the G.o.ddess of Darkness say anything?”

“……Probably. I don't remember”

I answered Rachel with a weak voice.

“Idiot…… You should remember that much at least…… Kaoru is useless without me……”

Even though her eyes still have some tears floating inside it, Rachel smiled and made fun of me with some ungracious words. She seems to have relaxed from knowing that I wasn't going to return to my original world after all.

“Well, it wasn't really a situation where I have some leeway”

I opened my Item Window and took out a handkerchief. While tears look good on a beautiful girl's face, I think a smiling face suit Rachel's face the most.

“……Rachel”

“…….”

When I pressed my left hand on her small face, Rachel raised her head and closed both of her eyes.

“I don't remember about anything about the voice, but as for the others……”

“Yeah……”

I wiped her tears with the handkerchief in my right hand next. I was hesitating, but I think I'll tell Rachel about the vision that I saw back then.

“Oi, you guys!”

“h……”

“Kyah……”

All of sudden, I was surprised by the voice of a woman. Rachel also shouted a little.

“What do you think you're doing, making a scene in front of someone else's shop”

From an opened gla.s.s door, a lively looking old woman appeared and scolded us in anger.

We seem to have stopped in front of the entrance of a clothes shop, I guess we have interrupted their business.

“Welcome to my shop, 『 End of The World 』”

The old lady with deep wrinkles at the corner of her eyes is showing us an energetic smile as she said that. I think she should be at her fifties, but she's overflowing with energy.

“……”

Immediately after entering the shop, I noticed that the s.p.a.ce inside is separated into three section, men, women, and a s.p.a.ce for a chic-looking shoes.

“Hmm……”

The shop is filled with clothes that have antisocial, offensive, and even obscene design. Like for example, clothes that were shredded on some parts of its body, and even mini skirt with suggestive design. It doesn't seem like it's selling a lot though.

“It's a nice shop”

I like punk rock fas.h.i.+on. Other stuff that I like includes stuff like military fas.h.i.+on, worker fas.h.i.+on, and bikers fas.h.i.+on. Basically, I like stuff that is manly.

“Ooh, you got it don't you!”

The old lady said that while giving me a thumb up and further deepening the wrinkle at the corner of her eyes. Somehow, she looks like a punk queen.

“Yup, I got it”

There are lot of men who aren't interested in fas.h.i.+on, but that's not the case for me. I like clothes, so I poured some money into it. I think of it like improving myself, and I also like to look fas.h.i.+onable.

“Oh my? That's an interesting-looking fabric. Where did you buy that?”

The punk queen is appraising my jeans. As expected of someone who works in clothing industry I guess, her eyes are sharp.

“It's made by a craftsman from my hometown. The person is already deceased though”

I told her a lie with a straight face.

“Aah, what a waste! That craftsman must be a genius……”

And the queen then swung her head sideways dejectedly.

“Waa…… Hey hey, look at this Kaoru”

It seems Rachel also like this shop. She took a piece of white clothes from the shelf and spread it before me.

“Kyahaha…… the heck is this……”

Rachel is laughing with her mouth opened wide. The clothes that she showed me is the first T-s.h.i.+rt I've ever seen in this world. The U neck is boldly spreading the b.r.e.a.s.t.s area, and there's small『Please Rape Me！』letters embroidered below it.

“……”

I was speechless. It's an interesting design indeed, but If Rachel wore this thing she will be kidnapped in no time immediately.

“It's funny, but let's not buy this thing”

I gave Rachel a warning. This girl's behavior sometimes exceeds my expectation, so I'm a little worried.

“Isn't that obvious. There's no reason for a beautiful girl like me to wear this thing”

“……”

Rachel looked at my face like she was trying to say ‘Are you stupid?' as she said that. It seems she understood well the danger of the message written on it.

“This place is full of lovely clothes……”

Rachel then looked around the inside shop again and muttered that with a lively voice.

“I think, I like this shop”

She said that while smiling, but afterward she made a gesture of sticking her tongue out while biting her lips. She looks like a mischievous and charming girl like that, and I spontaneously answered her back.

“Yeah, I like it too”

Entering this shop is purely a coincidence, but now I'm glad we did because Rachel seems to be pleased and has returned to her usual att.i.tude.

“Fuhh……”

I'm missing my usual energy. I stood up lifelessly with my spirit still feeling very tired.

“Kaoru, how does this look?”

Rachel is showing me a knee-length skirt with rare asymmetrical design. It looks expensive.

“It's nice”

I made a serious face and answered appropriately. I know that you need acting skill when accompanying a girl choosing their clothes.

“I think it suits you Rachel”

The truth is I think everything will suit her because she's a beautiful girl, however if I answered with that she'll definitely get angry. It's troublesome to be honest.

“Then, which one do you like more?”

After that, Rachel is showing me white hotpants. It's a very short one that is designed for girl, this thing is good isn't it.

“This one”

I chose the hotpants without hesitation. If I may be honest, I'm the type of man who wants his girlfriend to wear erotic clothes.

“Really? Then I'll get this one”

Rachel then picked the hotpants. It seems she was trying to match her choice with my preference.  Well, it's better than mulling around endlessly I guess.

“I'm going to check it out okay”

With clothes folded in her hands, Rachel said that with a lively voice.

“I'll pay”

“No, It's fine”

I said so while trying to receive the clothes, however Rachel shook her head and refused me. Now that I recall it, I heard that Rachel had sold the aphrodisiac that she brought from her parents home.

“You don't need to mind”

“It's fine, really”

Rachel is refusing my offer adamantly. This girl might be a little rich, but I don't feel good about letting a girl pay full amount during shopping.

“Kaoru can buy me another stuff next time, that's why it's fine”

“……”

Then while showing me a straightforward and beautiful smile, Rachel declared a scary remark. I wonder what I will end up buying her.

“……That so”

I'm a bit afraid now. I can feel a dangerous scent rising around me.

“Yup. Wait for me okay, I'll be back soon”

“Alright”

The cute little devil then walked away while carrying clothes in her hand. I guess I finally have a free time for myself after a long while.

“……”

I walked on the store's flooring and headed toward the shoes section. On the wall at the back of the shop, good looking leather shoes are lined up in a row. It made me think again that this shop might not be selling well after all.

“Can I see these shoes?”

Before I noticed, the number of male clerks inside the shop increased. He was standing in front of the shoes section while wearing a fresh smile. I tried to call out to him.

“Please do”

The clerk is wearing a black hat with a brim and a m.u.f.fler around his neck that is long enough to reach the floor. He looks like the type who went overboard with their fas.h.i.+on.

“……”

I took a black leather shoe with ankle length in my hand. The shoes are very light contrary to its appearance, and then I noticed that it was made using high quality leather that is thin and soft.

“Our shoes are one that was made from the scratch by using a wooden mold”

The clerk stood on my side and smoothly explained the product. This is great. If this is something in the world where I was born from, it would be quite the luxury item.

“Hmm……”

The clerk seems to be around 35 years old. He's on the obscure scale where I'm not sure whether to call him Onii-san or Ojii-san.

“Onii-san, are you the shoes' designer?”

I decided to use Onii-san.

“Designer……, oh no, not at all. I'm just a mere craftsman……”

The clerk onii-san responded with a humble answer, however his lips is moving and forming into a smile. I wonder if he was happy to be called a designer, or maybe, because I called him onii-san.

“Customer, come here a moment!”

The punk queen is calling for me, I still don't have a chance to try out some shoes.

“……What's wrong?”

I moved alongside the wall. Next to the shoes area, there's a huge fitting room located at the corner of the wall at the back of the shop. The queen is standing in front of it.

“Ojou-chan, you're good?”

“Yeah……”

The queen is shouting toward the curtain of the fitting room, and Rachel's voice answered from the inside. She hasn't returned for a while, but apparently she was trying on some new clothes.

“Kaoru, how does it look?”

The curtain opened with a swift motion and Rachel appeared behind it with a shy smile.

“h……!”

I was surprised and couldn't make any noise. Rachel is wearing a swimsuit. She's wearing a yellow triangle bikini, and is staring at my face embarra.s.sedly.

“Ojou-chan, your boyfriend is so captivated he is speechless!”

The queen is saying that while raising both of her hands up. Even her gesture is overflowing with energy.

“Kaoru……”

Rachel is showing a rare side of her. She was fidgeting around and made a gesture that is showing her shyness. Just like the queen said, I was really fascinated by my girlfriend.

“It looks really nice. ……It's perfect for you Rachel”

“Ehehe…… really……?”

After hearing my response, Rachel showed me her smile while still acting all bashful. In particular, I really like how she choose a yellow colored triangular bikini. I think yellow bikini looks the most erotic.

“Then, Kaoru, let's go swimming in the lake just the two of us?”

“……”

Rachel is saying that with a happy voice. Certainly, there's a sandy beach-like place on the lake near the capital, it becomes a place that the citizens is using for relaxation.

“……Just the two of us?”

I confirmed that to Rachel. If we leave Yuela and Kerebryl behind, I'm afraid that the two of them will get angry.

“Muu…… Do you hate it, being alone with me?”

But now, instead of Yuela and Kerebryl getting angry in the future, Rachel is angry instead. She sounds dissatisfied and is inflating her cheeks from the inside.

“Doing that much should be fine isn't it. You made me cry earlier after all……”

“……”

Aah, I'm powerless if she said it like that. Rachel indeed had tears floating in her eyes earlier. Even if it kills me, there's no way I would say something like you're the one who cried on your own.

“Hey, Kaoru, It's fine right……?”

Rache's feet took a step forward into the floor. She came out from the fitting room and brought both of her exposed arms around me, and then while embracing me, she said that with a sweet voice.

“……Alright. Next time, let's go swimming with just the two of us”

After that seductive attack, I was easily defeated. As expected, a man will never be able to win against a cute girl.

“Mou, you should just say that from the beginning”

And Rachel then smiled with her lips forming into a crescent moon shape.

“Your girlfriend is a cute one isn't she. She looks exactly like me during my younger days!”

The queen is scooping her silver hair that has some golden color mixed in it and said that while the wrinkles on the corner of her eyes are getting deeper. I hope she won't say such a sinister thing again.

“Darling! You think so too right?”

“Of course I do”

The shoes onii-san came forward and hugged the punk obachan tightly.

“You still look cute even now you know……”

“Darling geez!”

Both of their faces are coming closer to each other, and then their lips overlapped.

I was surprised. Their ages are years apart, but these two are apparently lovers.

“Ah, Kaoru……”

The curtain of the fitting room opened at the perfect timing and Rachel came out from inside. I thought it would be dangerous if there's only me in front of these two.

“Come on, you should choose your swimsuit too”

Rachel said that and pulled me into the area for swimsuits. This shop sells everything don't they.

“This one will do”

I picked a dark blue pants that looks like surfing pants.

“Hmm……, It looks refres.h.i.+ng doesn't it”

Rachel doesn't seem to have any problem with my choice.

“You guys, If you came to the 20th District's『 Kings Road 』again, make sure to drop by okay!”

The punk queen is coming out from her shop to send us off.  When I take a look at the shop again from the main road, I noticed that the building is a very conspicuous one that is covered with gla.s.s.

“Yeah, we'll come again obachan”

Rachel looked back and responded while waving her hand.

“Ah, Kaoru, look”

“What's wrong?”

Prompted by Rachel's voice, I looked toward the direction she pointed.

“There, the shoes ojii-san is watching too”

“……You're right”

The shoes craftsman is looking toward our direction with a blank expression from the inside of the store that is visible from the gla.s.s.

“We sure have come far”

Rachel muttered while looking at the big main street in front of her.

“……Indeed. This is the 20th right?”

We're currently on the main street of the 20th district, we're planning to use the back street from before to return toward the 11th district.

“Let's go”

“Yeah”

I started to walk after being urged by Rachel. We were also told that the name of this mainstreet is the『 Kings Road 』, I think that's quite the powerful sounding name.

“That shop was nice wasn't it”

Rachel is in a good mood now, it seems she took a liking toward that shop.

“Yeah. Let's go visit again sometime”

I hardly bought any clothes and I would like to see their shoes selection as well. I hope I can have a more relaxing visit next time.

“We also need to tell Kerebryl about it, right?”

Rachel is saying that with a proud tone. Her face looked like someone who thought ‘I just brought up a good idea didn't I?'.

“Yeah, I concur”

“I hope Kerebryl would wear clothes with other colors too sometimes”

It's just as Rachel said. Kerebryl likes to wear white dresses, I've never seen her wearing clothes with another color.

“You think so? I think Kerebryl understood her own charm well”

“Of course. She's wearing white all day everyday, even I'm getting tired of it”

It seems Rachel's opinion is clas.h.i.+ng against me.

“Girls should wear clothes with beautiful and vibrant colors, their mind will become more beautiful too that way. Even Yuela is always wearing a Kimono with beautiful colors right?”

“……You're right”

Thanks to Rachel's speech, I was reminded of Yuela's vision from earlier again.

“Yuela is the same too, she should wear something other than kimono sometimes. It's a waste considering how cute she is……”

“……”

Yuela, I wonder if she's in the middle of recording her act with Kantarou right now. I wonder how many times have they done it by now.

“Kaoru……?”

“……”

I'm getting all moody again right now, or rather, I'm getting irritated. I wonder where in this city is that yellow room from earlier located.

“Hey……, Kaoru……”

“……”

Alright, the next time I meet with Kantarou, I'm going to punch him in the face immediately. I can do at least that much can't I?

“KAORU, HEY”

“h……!”

I came to my mind immediately after hearing Rachel's loud voice. It seems I was absorbed in my thinking again.

“What's wrong? You have a scary look on your face”

Rachel is looking up at my face anxiously. I did a bad thing again to her.

“Sorry Rachel. I was thinking of how I'm going to punch Kantarou when I met him”

“……Has your head gone crazy?”

I told Rachel my honest feeling, but she responded with rude words while looking at me with an astonished look. Well, my way of phrasing it was bad I guess.

“So, where should we go now Kaoru?”

“Aah”

Rachel only asked that after we come this far. We've been walking for quite the long time.

“Well, there's this thing”

I opened my item window and took out a piece of paper that was crumpled like a garbage to Rachel.

“Ah……”

Rachel is letting out an incomprehensible voice when she saw it. This paper is the letter of introduction that I receive from scholar in the hot spring village.

“While it's fine to just throw it away, I was thinking of paying the person a visit just to see their face or what kind of person they are”

I guess this makes me a person with strong sense of duty too. Well, half of my intention is just me trying to make fun of the person though.

“Well, it should be fine isn't it? That person apparently is a celebrity that is envied by everyone right? Let's try checking it out”

Rachel gave me her approval. Though since this person is the scholar's friend, their ident.i.ty is already suspicious by default.

“But this thing doesn't even have any name written on it. So much for something called introduction letter”

Rachel took a glance at this waste of a paper and said that.

“You're right. As expected, that person must not be right in the head”

“Yeah. That person's face and head are filled with bad stuff…… Hmm……, it seems the address is near here”

Both of us are badmouthing the scholar while wearing a straight face. This much is the normal for us.

“I think it's that way. Let's go Kaoru”

“Okay”

Both of us then headed toward the address that was written in the introduction letter.

“I think it's this building”

Rachel is saying that while looking upward. In front of us is a five story stone building that looks very robust.

“The top floor huh…… Let's go”

This person who scholar claimed to be his best friend, they live in quite the luxurious place apparently.

“Who is it?”

The door opened and an onee-san wearing a fitting suit with charcoal grey color came out from inside. She had a dark brown colored hair that is collected on the back of her head and is wearing red gla.s.ses.

“We're sorry to disturb you. We were introduced to this place by a scholar from hot spring village”

Rachel handed the introduction letter to the onee-san and introduced ourselves with polite words. She could've used a more aristocrat-ish way of speaking, but this girl likes to speak like common people.

“……Please wait a moment”

The onee-san took a quick look at the introduction letter and told us to wait after thinking for a short moment. After that, she closed the door again and returned to the building.

“That onee-san, she feels like a secretary”

She looks like she has a firm att.i.tude while also looking competent at whatever she's doing. I also thought that there's no way that that onee-san is the scholar's best friend.

“Does Kaoru like that type?”

Rachel is saying that while acting like she wasn't concerned about it at all. It seems she's still bothered by that stuff with b.o.o.by warrior-chan earlier.

“I think it's not bad”

“Muuu……”

I gave her my honest answer, and as expected, Rachel is dissatisfied about it.

“I merely thought that it's not bad, It's not like I want to go out with her.  She also can't compare at all to you Rachel”

I make proper distinction between my girlfriends and other people. I might be gentle to girls in general, but I make sure to treat my girlfriends differently.

“……That's fine then”

Rachel said so, but it seems she's still unconvinced by my words alone. She's angling her face upward and is looking straight at my face.

“I love you Rachel”

“……”

I gave my response to Rachel while putting my left hand below her left ears, and she then silently closes both of her eyes.

“n……”

Both of our lips then touched each other as we kissed lightly.

“……I'm just asking, that woman, how many points is she?”

“……”

After our lips separate and Rachel opened both of her eyes, she asked me that. It seems she's still bothered by how I gave her 30 points when we just met.

“……About 15 points maybe”

The moment I said that, the door in front of us is pushed open in an instant.

“……Please enter, Sensei is going to meet with you”

I'm sure this onee-san just glared at me. I don't think my conversation with Rachel was overheard, but this onee-san might have reacted to my last 15 points words.

“……I was thinking of refusing your visit earlier”

With her guidance, we proceeded through a long corridor that was built with [Island at the Edge of the East] design. The wall is made by plaster, while the flooring is made of board. And of course, I took my shoes off at the front door.

“Sensei is a very busy person”

The onee-san is speaking with an austere tone. Apparently, scholar's best friend is someone who deserved to be called sensei.

“Kaoru, what's this thing?”

Rachel is tugging my coat lightly. After the wall made of plaster is cut off, fusuma shoji were lined up in a row afterward. It seems this place also has a j.a.panese style room inside it.

//TL Note : See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusuma for fusuma shoji//

“Ah, it's a sliding door. They're like a part.i.tion that was made with daylighting in mind”

While giving my explanation to Rachel, I noticed that there's a crystal ball that is filled with 『Light』magic installed on the corridor's ceiling.

“Hmm……”

It seems this is Rachel's first time seeing a shoji. She was looking at it with a look of interest in her face.

“……?”

But then I noticed something strange on this fusuma shoji. This thing doesn't seem to be made of paper, but a different material instead.

“Sir, are you listening?”

“Yeah, I heard you, of course”

I swiftly told the onee-san an appropriate reply.

“……I'll repeat it again just in case. Sensei is a very busy person, I hope you can keep your visit short”

The onee-san stopped at the end of the corridor, and then she proceeds to open the fusuma shoji that was painted with scenery that feel familiar to me somehow.

“Sensei, I brought the guests”

“Fumu……”

The person called sensei is sitting on the floor made of tatami mat and is staring at some piece of paper on top of a desk. After the onee-san finished speaking, this sensei gave a quick reply and slowly looked back toward my direction.

“Is it you guys? The one introduced by my best……friend…..”

Sensei was trying to say something, however he was stunned after looking at my appearance.

“……”

Sensei has a black hair that is fully combed to the back and is wearing a yukata. His age seems to be a little over 40 years old, but strangely his atmosphere feels like that of a college student.

“……Over here please”

“Thanks”

The onee-san prepared cus.h.i.+ons for us. I sat on it cross-legged while Rachel sat with both of her legs aligned.

“……”

Meanwhile, sensei has both of his eyes opened wide and is looking at me with a licking gaze. I wonder why this person doesn't react to this beautiful girl beside me. To be honest, this feels creepy.

“You…… please prepare some tea”

Sensei raised his dumbfounded face and asked the onee-san to prepare some tea.

“……Sensei, but your time”

However the onee-san responded back with dissatisfied tone.

“I don't mind. He's an important guest, please do as I told you”

Sensei buried the onee-san's complaint with his declaration.

“……This person, he is the same with me”

“h……!”

And then he finished it with a surprising announcement.

“……”

I was surprised, so much that it felt like my body was. .h.i.t by an electric shock.

“Kaoru……”

“……Yeah”

Rachel looks really anxious, she's gripping my hand that I rested above my lap. I looked back at her and answered with a nod.

“……Understood”

The onee-san lowered her head to sensei and she then immediately went out from the room.

“……It's because you're wearing dungarees”

Sensei said that while looking at my pants. So he was looking at my clothes earlier. Certainly, I have never seen jeans in this world, I'm sure denim hasn't been invented yet in here. That's how sensei figured out that I'm a person from another world.

“You're right sensei. Also, I called this jeans”

I hesitated a little, but I decided to not address sensei with a honorific.  Sensei is speaking with a polite speech, however his manner has a strange sense of incongruity to it. While it's a bit strange, I felt that it will be better to talk with him like normal.

I'm going to believe in my intuition here.

“Your clothes doesn't look battered, were you summoned into this world just recently?”

Sensei's tone wasn't that of asking a question, he's confirming his guess.

“Yes….., you're correct. What about sensei?”

“……It's been around 20 years for me”

20 years huh, that's long.

“I would never expect my best friend to introduce someone like you. …….You, are you visiting me because you know that I'm someone from different world?”

It seems sensei is also surprised by our encounter.

“That wasn't the case sadly. I'm also really surprised by this myself”

I made a thin smile as I said that.

“I fear the only person that is summoned into this world right now is only me and you. ……I hope we'll be able to get along from now on”

After saying that, sensei swiftly presented his right hand.

“……The pleasure is mine”

I also stretched my right hand. Me and sensei than shook our hands firmly.

“……Excuse me”

The onee-san opened the fusuma and brought her prepared tea to the room.

“……Please”

“Thanks”

I know this just by the smell alone, it's green tea. The onee-san had placed three cups of extravagant tea that was brewed in western style in the tatami in front of us.

“Sensei, the editors are looking for you”

“……Tell them to wait a bit”

When he heard the onee-san's words, sensei slightly frowned before giving her his respond. It seems sensei is prioritizing us.

“Sorry sensei, it's because we're visiting so suddenly”

“Not at all, you don't need to mind”

Sensei is smiling as he answered me back.

“……I'll do as you say”

This time, the onee-san obeyed his order obediently.

“……You, I've been worried about this since before”

As soon as the onee-san went out of the room, sensei immediately focused his attention to our direction.

“Is that beautiful ojou-san your lover?”

So sensei is interested in Rachel after all. I guess It would be stranger if one didn't show any reaction for beautiful girl like her isn't it.

“That's right, we're dating”

“……I see”

After hearing my respond, sensei draws a single breath before continuing to talk.

“……So you're not summoned by the G.o.ddess of Darkness huh. Which G.o.d summoned you?”

That's strange, I wonder what made him misunderstood.

“No, you're wrong. The one who summoned me was the G.o.ddess of Darkness”

“What? Really?”

Sensei was really surprised after I corrected him and yelled out quite loudly.

“Then, you're not cursed by the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]?”

“I am. The d.a.m.n thing is there”

“You're cursed by the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness] yet you have a girlfriend?”

“That's right”

I simply nodded like an idiot from watching sensei's confused reaction.

“Also, this Kaoru over here is always doing thing as he likes you see. He has two more girlfriends beside me”

Rachel joined the conversation by saying unnecessary thing to sensei.

“Two more……girlfriends……”

After he heard that, sensei is shaking his head like he couldn't believe what he just heard.

“……Pardon me. Then, miss, you're also cursed by the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]?”

After he collected himself and coughed on purpose, sensei continued to talk.

“Well, yes……”

Rachel answered with her cheeks dyed red. Her answer means that our love toward each other is mutual, and also that she had s.e.x with me. I guess it's a somewhat difficult question for girl to answer.

“Sensei, what about you?”

I asked him this time

“……When I was summoned into this world around 20 years ago, I was also cursed by the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]”

“Even now?”

I raised my long forelock and asked that while looking straight at his eyes. This is a very important question.

“……Yes. Even now I'm still cursed”

His coming answer was cruel. Even after spending 20 years in this world, he can't solve the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness].

“……That so”

For a moment, I felt like the vision in front of me has turned dark.

“……”

A black feeling is spreading inside my heart. It feels as if our future was dyed in darkness irrationally and unreasonably by someone else's hand.

“Kaoru……”

My head is falling down unknowingly, but before it happened to its fullest, Rachel came close to my side and hugged my body.

“I'll always by your side Kaoru……”

“Yeah……”

Rachel spoke with a gentle voice, and her small hand is grasping mine.

“Even after Kaoru become a grandpa, and I become a granny, we'll always be together…..”

“Yeah……”

I thought that I was alone in this world, in this different world that I don't know anything about, and the feeling of sadness overcame me.

“……Thank you”

But Rachel is here right by my side, and I'm really glad for that from the bottom of my heart.

“……Let's talk about me a little shall we”

Sensei then quietly opened his mouth.

“I was summoned into this world by myself, and then……I was beaten by the inhabitants of this world that day”

As he slowly talk about his past, sensei lowered the gaze of his eyes.

“……It was a robbery”

He had a painful look on his face, probably from remembering the things that happened back then. It seems he's also gritting his teeth too.

“I don't have any money of this world in the first place, and I don't have any weapons to protect myself either……I was beaten one-sidedly”

“……”

It seems sensei's past is really dark, I pity him. He looks weaker than before as he sat there telling his past while gritting his teeth.

“Sensei, sorry”

I opened my mouth. If I need to mention this, I think would be better to say this earlier.

“When I was summoned into this world, I have a weapon and skills, and also lot of money”

“……”

Sensei raised his gaze and looked toward my direction.

“Eeeh……?”

And then he immediately let out a dumbfounded voice. The expression on his face is also broken.

“I'm not lying”

I think sensei was born in the same country as me. He's one of the extremely few people that I can potentially share my feelings with. If it's him, it should be fine to show him my Status.

Name                    : Kaoru

Race                      : Human

Profession          : Gunner

Height                   : 174cm

State                     : [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]

: [Likes NTR]

: [Peerless]

Skill                        : [Gun Knowledge]

[Shooting]

[Hunting]

[Reloading]

[Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]

[Likes NTR]

[Peerless]

[???]

Equipment          : Revolver

: Bolt Action Rifle

: Shotgun

“You're……how should I say this, amazing……”

Sensei is looking at my Status with a hint of envy. I wonder if it's because of the [Peerless] skill?

“……Also, you have dangerous skills and weapons too”

This one is definitely about my guns and its a.s.sociated skill isn't it.

“I like hunting and did it as a hobby. I didn't know about handguns, but if it's a hunting gun I'm good at it. I guess that's why the G.o.ddess of Darkness gave me these kind of skills”

That is just my guess though.

“You…… have you ever killed a person?”

Sensei then asked that while wearing a bitter face. I wonder if he have a grudge against someone enough to want to kill him.

“……I have. Since I came to this world, I have killed lot of people”

I answered him honestly and told him the fact.

“……You sure are frank with it. Are you fine with the act of killing?”

“……That's not the case. I'm used with killing large animals because of my hunting hobby, but killing humans was completely different”

While answering sensei's question, I thought to myself. That question is something that someone who never dirtied their own hand would ask, ignoring the fact that living means robbing the life of the others. Sensei is definitely someone who was born in the same country as me.

“I tried to not think about the people that I have killed, such as how they might have family that loved them, or about the fun of life they could had if they're alive”

“……Is that so”

Sensei's eyes never moved from me as he listened to my speech.

“This [???] skill……what about this?”

“……I don't know. It just appeared there when I checked it today”

I told him the fact as it is.

“I think it's related to the G.o.dess of Darkness. Earlier during daytime, I heard something that might be the voice of the G.o.ddess of Darkness, however I didn't remember what I was told”

“……I see”

Sensei raised his eyebrows when he heard that and went into thinking.

“……There's a possibility that you're a special existence for the G.o.ddess of Darkness”

After that he said that while wearing a serious expression. Is that really the case?

“I'm confident that you're going to obtain a new skill. Your condition right now is merely the state before it happened”

“……Yeah”

Sensei then shared his totally useless opinion. He declared something that any other people can predict while wearing a serious expression.

“Hey sensei, have you ever heard the G.o.ddess of Darkness' voice?”

Rachel then asked her question while extending her long legs over the tatami mats. I bet her feet are getting numb.

“I remember it clearly. I only heard it once during the time I was summoned into this world. While I was standing dumbfounded in this different world, a voice is ringing inside my head directly. [Change this world], that's what the voice told me”

“I see……”

[Change this world] huh. This G.o.ddess of Darkness, she sure is asking for an extreme thing so casually.

“Kaoru, does that sound familiar?”

Rachel turned her face toward me and asked that.

“Nope, my case is completely different. At that time, I couldn't see anything, and my existence feel like it could get annihilated at any time. I heard the voice during that time, and I think it was talking about something, but I don't remember it at all”

“……I see, you're useless aren't you”

“……”

This girl sure can be merciless with her words sometimes. It can't be helped if I can't remember you know. My situation is also completely different with sensei, it's definitely not because I'm useless.

“……”

While I thought of that, I didn't say it out loud of course. I know I can never win if I get into quarrel with girls.

“Hwait-……,fwhat do you think you doin-……?”

Which is why, I merely pinched the soft meat on Rachel's cheeks and pulled it lightly.

“……Our talk went off tangent didn't it. After that, I desperately struggled to live in this world”

Sensei then returned our talk to the original topic.

“Even if I was like that, the G.o.ddess of Darkness still gave my one and only skill”

His face turned slightly unhappy as he said that. He might be comparing his skill with mine, also, it seems he didn't get any money either.

“……I am living by writing these things”

Sensei turned to his back and then showed me a bunch of papers.

“This is……ma.n.u.script for a novel……?”

The ma.n.u.script paper is crowded with letters. It seems sensei's profession is a Writer.

“……”

Then I realized something, lots of things. Sensei's strange way of polite speaking is caused by his awareness of his literary works.

“Hee…… sensei is amazing aren't you?”

“No, I'm not. My skill is the amazing one”

In response to Rachel's simplistic and naive praise, sensei gave his denial while shaking his head.

“The skill granted to me is [Forgery]. I can write elaborate fakes of any book that I read in the past. The sentences forming the book are simply coming up inside my head”

“……That's amazing sensei”

I said that by reflex like I was groaning. I remembered how both Yuela and Kerebryl know some anecdote and idiom of literary works from the country I was born from.

“Sensei, you already wrote some story from our world right? I'm sure you're already a famous writer by now. I think that skill is very useful to make a living”

I was convinced because sensei is living in high cla.s.s residential area. I'm sure he has lot of money by now.

“That's right, I wrote some”

Sensei smiled and said that while acting bashful.

“This one is……Russian literature right”

I looked at the ma.n.u.script during my speech flattering him.

“The setting isn't 19th century St. Petersburg huh……”

“Hee……”

Rachel also brought her face closer to look at the ma.n.u.script together with me, and she had a strange look on her face during it.

“Yes, I changed the stage of the story into the capital of [Country of Industry], and I also modified the detail of the story to fit with this world. ……Which is why, this is [Forgery]”

Sensei nodded and smiled as he said that.

“I was lucky that I was summoned in the [Country of Industry]. The paper industry of this country is thriving, and their censors.h.i.+p is also lenient too”

“I see”

I learned some new information from his speech just now and responded appropriately.

“I understood the power of my skill, and I'm also lucky enough to be able to get a job related with writing, and so just like this, I managed to life my live in this world”

After he finished saying that, sensei had a somewhat lonely smile on his face.

“Sensei, you didn't try to unravel the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]?”

Rachel is voicing out her simple doubt to sensei. She's right, this person hasn't mentioned anything about this important matter.

“……I don't”

Sensei made a simple nod.

“Unlike you, I don't have any power myself. I don't think I'll be able to break the curse with my own power”

And then he said that while looking at my face.

“Even though my condition is like this, I still managed to life an affordable life, so I did began thinking about having a marriage”

“……Yeah”

I don't know how to respond to that so, I simply nodded, however I can sympathize with that sentiment.

“However there's the problem of this [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness]. Even if I do get married, I can't see a future where I can be happy”

“……This d.a.m.n skill”

I also muttered my real feeling.

“Just as you said, the books that I wrote are selling really well. But rather than living an affordable life, I rather say that I have collected quite the ample funds”

Sensei kept talking while keeping his lonely smile.

“Funds?”

I asked spontaneously.

“That's right. Funds”

And sensei nodded to my question.

“I also looked for a way to unravel the curse. Unlike the time when I was summoned into this world, I have gained the power of money now. Then one day I learned about the temple of the G.o.ddess of Darkness in the [Country of Freedom]”

“And then?”

My body leaned forward unconsciously.

“In the temple of the G.o.ddess of darkness, there's a high priest who lead the religious organization. With that high priest's skill, apparently it will be possible to deliver a human soul to meet with the G.o.ddess of Darkness”

“I see……”

Before I noticed, my body had raised upright again. So what Kantarou said back then was true.

“But that means you will need to negotiate with the G.o.ddess of Darkness directly isn't it”

I smirked as I said that. To be perfectly honest, I don't want any part in that. I don't want to come near to such terrifying being for the second time.

“Sensei, is that really the truth? Where did you hear that story from?”

“It's true. I have sent people to the [Country of Freedom] and contacted the G.o.ddess of Darkness organization directly”

Sensei is answering Rachel's doubt calmly. It seems the authenticity of his information can be trusted.

“……So, you have an interest in marriage sensei?”

“Yes. She knows about my [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness], yet she still tried to understand me. I truly have met my ideal partner”

Sensei's smile looks the widest now compared to any other before.

“Excuse me. Sensei, your time is already……”

At this time, the fusuma slide open and the secretary-looking onee-san appeared from behind. This onee-san always appeared on good timing doesn't she.

“Goodbye sensei”

Rachel cheerfully waved her hands.

“Yeah, goodbye”

Sensei also raised his hand and said his farewell.

“Goodbye”

Rachel left the room first. I said my farewell, and then when I tried to leave the room.

“Ah, you……”

Sensei's voice stopped me.

“Will you visit me again? I'm going to prepare as much time as I can for you”

Sensei had a serious look on his face as he said that.

“If you're fine with it, sure”

I gave him a short answer. I already heard the information that I wanted to know the most, but there are still other things that I want to discuss with sensei. For example……

“By the way sensei, do you know the detail of how to make denim?”

“I think…… I have read a book about that in the past. What about it……?”

Sensei looks puzzled by my question.

“I think hotpants must be made with denim. You think so too right?”

“……Maybe”

Sensei then smiled wryly from my response.

“Well then sensei. Let's talk about denim and the country we were born on our next meeting”

“Ah, You……, please wait”

I tried to leave the room after saying that, but then sensei stopped me again.

“You, if it's possible, please come alone from now on”

“Why?”

Sensei is saying a somewhat strange thing.

“……The skill that I gained from the [Curse of the G.o.ddess of Darkness], it's called [Netorist]”

And then he said that while turning his gaze down.

“Wah, it's night already”

Rachel said that while looking up at the starry sky.

“Yeah, it sure is late. Should we eat something?”

I grasped Rachel's hand as I said that.

“Yeah, my stomach is starving”

Rachel then had a bright smile on her face.

“I'm glad. You look alright now Kaoru”

“……Is that so”

Now that she mention it, I've been on my edge the whole time today, and I was also really depressed too earlier. This is all because of that strange skill and the vision that the G.o.ddess of Darkness showed.

“Rachel”

“Yes?”

Rachel looked upward at me. I kept getting helped a lot by this girl today.

“I love you”

“Kyahah~……I love you too”

When she heard my voice, Rachel answered back while showing me her magnificent smile.

It's already the time for us to return to the 7th district, and so, the two of us snuggled to each other and walked into the night-time city.

//TL Note¹: Buna tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/f.a.gus_crenata  Another hint for Kaoru's exact hometown//