After receiving a message from Toriumi about finding Class 5, I initiated a [Transfer].
“Oh… Huh? Aren’t there fewer people?”
“The team in charge of making the Spirit Elixir went to the temple to search for ingredients.”
“Mm… Ah, the key, right?”
Toriumi is perceptive, and that’s helpful.
It’s a place only the Great Priest of the temple can enter, so there’s probably something quite unusual there.
“It wouldn’t be funny if everything we find turns out to be useless or worse.”
“Yeah…”
Well, I think there should be some valuable items there. At least, I want to believe so.
Meanwhile, Kadomi went on a Ketorami Ride to search for Class 6. During that time, Katori, who was feeling relatively energetic, accompanied Toriumi to hunt for nearby meat.
Leaving Suzumoto, who was lying face down on the desk exhausted, I continued with my task. Yesterday, I did some preliminary work for the bacon, such as salt curing and drying. Today, it’s time to smoke it.
I hung the bacon on a string and placed it in the smoking chamber… Oh, one smoking chamber won’t be enough. Alright, let’s divide it into multiple rounds.
After hanging it, I lit a small fire for drying, and then I started the smoking process. Hehehe, gradually, it begins to smell like bacon. The sweet aroma of dripping fat heated by the smoke, combined with the spicy fragrance of the spices… just the smell alone makes me want to eat. But I have to let it age overnight. I can only eat it tomorrow or later. I keep telling myself that… But it’s bacon made from several wild boars, a luxury item in modern-day Japan… and I can use as many spices as I want… It’s equivalent to dozens of wild boars… My mouth keeps watering.
While diligently smoking the bacon and waiting, I occupied myself with sewing. Finally, Hariu discovered Class 1 and the toilet. Well done!
…However, there were no students here either. There were no signs of life.
I guess first-year students don’t stay behind that much. Usually, the brass band club would be practicing their parts, but seeing that everyone was in the hall, it must have been a full ensemble rehearsal.
Anyway, I [Transfer] to retrieve Hariu.
The destination is a flower field. It’s a pleasant place with trees scattered around, offering a comfortable living environment.
Just in case, just in case someone is nearby, we had Hariu create a signboard. It says that if they call for help here, we’ll come to their rescue.
And beneath that sign, we had a small wooden cabin built and stationed around three maid dolls.
Maid dolls can alert me to any unusual incidents and serve as an anchor for [Transfer]. They only need to come for periodic replenishment of the mint extract liquid, and the maid dolls will notify me about that too.
Well, of course, it would be best if nothing happens.
Now, after bringing Hariu back, a little while later, Kadomi found Class 6, so we [Transferred] to his location.
…Lately, I’ve been using [Transfer] like a taxi, so I feel like I’m getting better at it. Well, that’s a good thing, yeah.
And Katori and Toriumi, who went to get meat, also returned. We now have plenty of chicken meat. We had finished all the chicken meat with karaage, so it was perfect timing. They really understand what we need.
Let’s check on the progress of the Spirit Elixir production team here. We also need to ask about lunch plans.
So, I borrowed the vision of Sakura, the maid doll who stuck with the President.
…Hmm. Now might be a good time to [Communicate].
“Hello, this is ‘Head Maid.’ Respond, respond.”
Through the communication bracelet, I called out, and I could see the President reacting through Sakura’s field of vision.
[Yes, this is ‘Sakura.’]
“How are things going there?”
[We have searched through all the locations mentioned in the information we obtained from the Great Priest, and we found about half of the materials.]
After saying that, the President showed something that looked like a bird feather and some dried grass-like thing in front of Sakura’s eyes. I see, but I don’t really understand what it is.
[Should we come back for now?]
“Yes, it would be better to return. Lunch is almost ready, so I would be happy if you could come back for now. Is it okay for me to come to pick you up?”
[Yes, please.]
“Then I’ll come there. Take care.”
With that, I went to pick up the Spirit Elixir production team and returned. I’m getting used to this back-and-forth as well. Oh well, humans really do grow.
For lunch, we had pasta for the first time in a while. Fettuccine with tomato sauce, salad, and cabbage soup… I thought it would be nice to have a noodle-making machine. I can’t make spaghetti!
“How did the President and the others manage to infiltrate the temple without raising suspicion?”
“What are you talking about? Anyone can enter the temple as long as they are below the 3rd floor.”
…Huh, ah, I see. So, the temple is… a place open to the public. Yeah, that makes sense. It’s relatively close to the capital, and it wouldn’t be strange for someone to say, “I’ll go on a pilgrimage at least once in my life.”
“So, we just said, ‘We came for a pilgrimage again,’ and we were able to pass through without any issues. Kariya dressed up like a priest-like figure also played a role, I believe.”
Well, from a distance, it’s not impossible for them to look like guides from the temple. …But still, all three of them have been recognized by the people at the temple, yet they managed to pull it off. They’re really something.
…I guess it’s probably because these three are quite skilled at acting or casually telling lies…
After finishing lunch, the Spirit Elixir production team headed back to the temple, but this time, Hariu accompanied them. Since you need to be a high-ranking priest to enter the temple’s 3rd floor and above, Hariu will have to try his best for an unauthorized entry. Well, it’s become a recurring theme, so calling it an unauthorized entry is a bit nonsensical.
And Toriumi will be searching for Class 7. Although our samurai attendant managed to revive before having lunch, it wouldn’t be a good idea to make him unusable again considering potential emergencies, so we didn’t let him use the Ketorami Ride… At least not today.
…Seriously, it would be great if we could acquire skills like that, right? Something like [Motion Sickness Resistance].
In the afternoon, while continuing the remaining bacon production, I realized that I hadn’t reported to [Alive Grimoire] yet, so I decided to go and report.
…The temple… we managed to crush it, right? At least it’s becoming something different from the original temple, right? It’s all good, right? I believe in Ariane-san!
So, after a while, I headbutt the cover of the book and [Share].
[Oh, you’re here.]
“Yes. First of all, we captured the Great Priest of the temple and left him tied up or rather, packed him in a stone tablet and left him there. And then, we encouraged them to undergo a change of consciousness in the temple.”
[Rather than simply destroying it, huh. Interesting… You people are quite fascinating.]
Yes, yes, that’s right. Everyone is interesting… Especially the President in this case.
[Now, remember this. If you destroy the temple, there is something to be handed over.]
“And I said, I don’t want anything troublesome!”
[If you refuse to accept it, things will become even more troublesome… You were drained of your magic power by the cause, correct?]
…How did you know that?
[…I will teach you a method to restrain the cause. It should be helpful.]
Oh, I want that!
Then, it’s highly likely that even if I have two causes in stealth mode, it’ll be okay, right? Well… You’re giving me something much more useful than I expected.
[Hmm… Try [Share] with the cause. It should help restrain it… And also, I shall grant you the ‘right to ask ten questions that can be answered with yes or no.’ Ask anything you want.]
Oh, this sounds fun. Let’s see, but it’s only yes or no questions… Well, I want to think about it for a moment.
“Can I exercise this right the next time I come?”
[You shall not return this right until you exercise it.]
…Is this book simply wanting to have another “intellectual exchange” with me?
Well, whatever. It’s a rare opportunity.
“Alright, here’s my question. Are there three or more methods for us to return to our original world?”
[YES.]
Oh, so you really are sticking to only answering with yes or no. Hm. Well… What should I do about this? Unexpectedly, a third option has come up. I guess I can find out more about it later.
“Alright, second question. Is gathering all the fragments of this world the most suitable method for all the students from the same school who were dropped into this world to return?”
[YES.]
Oh, yes! That’s a good YES! So, it means that the presumed third solution is either highly inefficient or not feasible for everyone to return. In that case, we can just leave it alone. Yeah.
“Then, third question. Is the world where George-san was the same world as ours?”
[YES.]
You’re a real YES-man, aren’t you? It’s been nothing but YES answers from you.
…George-san, well, if he… if he wants to go back, if it’s possible to bring him along, then it’s also an option to bring him back, I thought.
“When we bring George-san back to the original world, will he be in a state similar to Urashima Taro?”
[…What do you mean by Urashima Taro?]
“…I mean, will George-san be treated as missing for several decades?”
[NO.]
…Oops. I phrased the question wrong. Does that mean he’ll become like Urashima Taro, disappearing or something terrifying like that? I don’t really understand. That’s the tricky part about yes or no questions…
“Then, fifth question. If George-san returns to the original world, will he go back to the same time when he was dropped into this world?”
[…NO.]
…In that case… Ah!
“Will his memories not return?”
[YES!]
I see… Well, in that case… It should be fine to bring George-san back with us, right?
…I wonder if there are others like him, living in this world after being dropped here.
…Though it would be endless if we started interfering with that, right?
…Well, anyway, there’s something else that’s been bothering me. Yeah.
What exactly is this book?
…Doesn’t it make you curious?
“Seventh question. Have you ever been a Demon King in the past?”
[NO.]
…
Huh. I was convinced that… this book was… either very close to or even the Demon King themself. So, does that mean this book is someone closely related to the Demon King?
“Eighth question. Were you a member of the Demon King’s faction?”
[NO.]
Huh? Um… Not a member of the Demon King’s faction, but close to the Demon King… Um…
“Have you met the Demon King?”
[YES.]
Oh? Then… um… but, no… Well, it’s not an impossible story, right? Yeah.
Since there’s only one question left anyway, let’s go for it.
“Are you the goddess who is said to have fought against the Demon King in the past and created this world?”
After receiving a message from Toriumi about finding Class 5, I initiated a [Transfer].
“Oh… Huh? Aren’t there fewer people?”
“The team in charge of making the Spirit Elixir went to the temple to search for ingredients.”
“Mm… Ah, the key, right?”
Toriumi is perceptive, and that’s helpful.
It’s a place only the Great Priest of the temple can enter, so there’s probably something quite unusual there.
“It wouldn’t be funny if everything we find turns out to be useless or worse.”
“Yeah…”
Well, I think there should be some valuable items there. At least, I want to believe so.
Meanwhile, Kadomi went on a Ketorami Ride to search for Class 6. During that time, Katori, who was feeling relatively energetic, accompanied Toriumi to hunt for nearby meat.
Leaving Suzumoto, who was lying face down on the desk exhausted, I continued with my task. Yesterday, I did some preliminary work for the bacon, such as salt curing and drying. Today, it’s time to smoke it.
I hung the bacon on a string and placed it in the smoking chamber… Oh, one smoking chamber won’t be enough. Alright, let’s divide it into multiple rounds.
After hanging it, I lit a small fire for drying, and then I started the smoking process. Hehehe, gradually, it begins to smell like bacon. The sweet aroma of dripping fat heated by the smoke, combined with the spicy fragrance of the spices… just the smell alone makes me want to eat. But I have to let it age overnight. I can only eat it tomorrow or later. I keep telling myself that… But it’s bacon made from several wild boars, a luxury item in modern-day Japan… and I can use as many spices as I want… It’s equivalent to dozens of wild boars… My mouth keeps watering.
While diligently smoking the bacon and waiting, I occupied myself with sewing. Finally, Hariu discovered Class 1 and the toilet. Well done!
…However, there were no students here either. There were no signs of life.
I guess first-year students don’t stay behind that much. Usually, the brass band club would be practicing their parts, but seeing that everyone was in the hall, it must have been a full ensemble rehearsal.
Anyway, I [Transfer] to retrieve Hariu.
The destination is a flower field. It’s a pleasant place with trees scattered around, offering a comfortable living environment.
Just in case, just in case someone is nearby, we had Hariu create a signboard. It says that if they call for help here, we’ll come to their rescue.
And beneath that sign, we had a small wooden cabin built and stationed around three maid dolls.
Maid dolls can alert me to any unusual incidents and serve as an anchor for [Transfer]. They only need to come for periodic replenishment of the mint extract liquid, and the maid dolls will notify me about that too.
Well, of course, it would be best if nothing happens.
Now, after bringing Hariu back, a little while later, Kadomi found Class 6, so we [Transferred] to his location.
…Lately, I’ve been using [Transfer] like a taxi, so I feel like I’m getting better at it. Well, that’s a good thing, yeah.
And Katori and Toriumi, who went to get meat, also returned. We now have plenty of chicken meat. We had finished all the chicken meat with karaage, so it was perfect timing. They really understand what we need.
Let’s check on the progress of the Spirit Elixir production team here. We also need to ask about lunch plans.
So, I borrowed the vision of Sakura, the maid doll who stuck with the President.
…Hmm. Now might be a good time to [Communicate].
“Hello, this is ‘Head Maid.’ Respond, respond.”
Through the communication bracelet, I called out, and I could see the President reacting through Sakura’s field of vision.
[Yes, this is ‘Sakura.’]
“How are things going there?”
[We have searched through all the locations mentioned in the information we obtained from the Great Priest, and we found about half of the materials.]
After saying that, the President showed something that looked like a bird feather and some dried grass-like thing in front of Sakura’s eyes. I see, but I don’t really understand what it is.
[Should we come back for now?]
“Yes, it would be better to return. Lunch is almost ready, so I would be happy if you could come back for now. Is it okay for me to come to pick you up?”
[Yes, please.]
“Then I’ll come there. Take care.”
With that, I went to pick up the Spirit Elixir production team and returned. I’m getting used to this back-and-forth as well. Oh well, humans really do grow.
For lunch, we had pasta for the first time in a while. Fettuccine with tomato sauce, salad, and cabbage soup… I thought it would be nice to have a noodle-making machine. I can’t make spaghetti!
“How did the President and the others manage to infiltrate the temple without raising suspicion?”
“What are you talking about? Anyone can enter the temple as long as they are below the 3rd floor.”
…Huh, ah, I see. So, the temple is… a place open to the public. Yeah, that makes sense. It’s relatively close to the capital, and it wouldn’t be strange for someone to say, “I’ll go on a pilgrimage at least once in my life.”
“So, we just said, ‘We came for a pilgrimage again,’ and we were able to pass through without any issues. Kariya dressed up like a priest-like figure also played a role, I believe.”
Well, from a distance, it’s not impossible for them to look like guides from the temple. …But still, all three of them have been recognized by the people at the temple, yet they managed to pull it off. They’re really something.
…I guess it’s probably because these three are quite skilled at acting or casually telling lies…
After finishing lunch, the Spirit Elixir production team headed back to the temple, but this time, Hariu accompanied them. Since you need to be a high-ranking priest to enter the temple’s 3rd floor and above, Hariu will have to try his best for an unauthorized entry. Well, it’s become a recurring theme, so calling it an unauthorized entry is a bit nonsensical.
And Toriumi will be searching for Class 7. Although our samurai attendant managed to revive before having lunch, it wouldn’t be a good idea to make him unusable again considering potential emergencies, so we didn’t let him use the Ketorami Ride… At least not today.
…Seriously, it would be great if we could acquire skills like that, right? Something like [Motion Sickness Resistance].
In the afternoon, while continuing the remaining bacon production, I realized that I hadn’t reported to [Alive Grimoire] yet, so I decided to go and report.
…The temple… we managed to crush it, right? At least it’s becoming something different from the original temple, right? It’s all good, right? I believe in Ariane-san!
So, after a while, I headbutt the cover of the book and [Share].
[Oh, you’re here.]
“Yes. First of all, we captured the Great Priest of the temple and left him tied up or rather, packed him in a stone tablet and left him there. And then, we encouraged them to undergo a change of consciousness in the temple.”
[Rather than simply destroying it, huh. Interesting… You people are quite fascinating.]
Yes, yes, that’s right. Everyone is interesting… Especially the President in this case.
[Now, remember this. If you destroy the temple, there is something to be handed over.]
“And I said, I don’t want anything troublesome!”
[If you refuse to accept it, things will become even more troublesome… You were drained of your magic power by the cause, correct?]
…How did you know that?
[…I will teach you a method to restrain the cause. It should be helpful.]
Oh, I want that!
Then, it’s highly likely that even if I have two causes in stealth mode, it’ll be okay, right? Well… You’re giving me something much more useful than I expected.
[Hmm… Try [Share] with the cause. It should help restrain it… And also, I shall grant you the ‘right to ask ten questions that can be answered with yes or no.’ Ask anything you want.]
Oh, this sounds fun. Let’s see, but it’s only yes or no questions… Well, I want to think about it for a moment.
“Can I exercise this right the next time I come?”
[You shall not return this right until you exercise it.]
…Is this book simply wanting to have another “intellectual exchange” with me?
Well, whatever. It’s a rare opportunity.
“Alright, here’s my question. Are there three or more methods for us to return to our original world?”
[YES.]
Oh, so you really are sticking to only answering with yes or no. Hm. Well… What should I do about this? Unexpectedly, a third option has come up. I guess I can find out more about it later.
“Alright, second question. Is gathering all the fragments of this world the most suitable method for all the students from the same school who were dropped into this world to return?”
[YES.]
Oh, yes! That’s a good YES! So, it means that the presumed third solution is either highly inefficient or not feasible for everyone to return. In that case, we can just leave it alone. Yeah.
“Then, third question. Is the world where George-san was the same world as ours?”
[YES.]
You’re a real YES-man, aren’t you? It’s been nothing but YES answers from you.
…George-san, well, if he… if he wants to go back, if it’s possible to bring him along, then it’s also an option to bring him back, I thought.
“When we bring George-san back to the original world, will he be in a state similar to Urashima Taro?”
[…What do you mean by Urashima Taro?]
“…I mean, will George-san be treated as missing for several decades?”
[NO.]
…Oops. I phrased the question wrong. Does that mean he’ll become like Urashima Taro, disappearing or something terrifying like that? I don’t really understand. That’s the tricky part about yes or no questions…
“Then, fifth question. If George-san returns to the original world, will he go back to the same time when he was dropped into this world?”
[…NO.]
…In that case… Ah!
“Will his memories not return?”
[YES!]
I see… Well, in that case… It should be fine to bring George-san back with us, right?
…I wonder if there are others like him, living in this world after being dropped here.
…Though it would be endless if we started interfering with that, right?
…Well, anyway, there’s something else that’s been bothering me. Yeah.
What exactly is this book?
…Doesn’t it make you curious?
“Seventh question. Have you ever been a Demon King in the past?”
[NO.]
…
Huh. I was convinced that… this book was… either very close to or even the Demon King themself. So, does that mean this book is someone closely related to the Demon King?
“Eighth question. Were you a member of the Demon King’s faction?”
[NO.]
Huh? Um… Not a member of the Demon King’s faction, but close to the Demon King… Um…
“Have you met the Demon King?”
[YES.]
Oh? Then… um… but, no… Well, it’s not an impossible story, right? Yeah.
Since there’s only one question left anyway, let’s go for it.
“Are you the goddess who is said to have fought against the Demon King in the past and created this world?”
