Machine World Arc WE ARE ALIEN!
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It was a pure white space.
It was a spherical space that was covered with wall that looked like many layers of white triangle panel. They must be serving as light source too. The inside of the space was extremely bright because of the white light covering them.
There was a large black pillar at the center of the space. It stood from the bottom until the ceiling. Energy with pure white radiance could be seen rising up from bottom to top on its surface like circuits.
A single bridge was spanning toward the central part of the space.
The end of the bridge was shaped like a round terrace. There was a cylinder pedestal at the center of it. It was as tall as the chest of an adult male.
The zenith was subtly caved in like a bowl. It was fully engraved with what looked like small and detailed circuits.
There was something floating on top of that pedestal.
It was a pure white globe just like the room. It was around as large as a basketball with circuits engraved on its surface. Pure white radiance was running all over it just like the surface of the black pillar. There was a mono eye at the middle of it, which was the only thing that was radiating crimson light.The mono eye blinked slightly. At the same time, the circuits of the pedestal also started shining faintly.
「──Regular report received. Shaia Reconstruction Project: No.ＳＦ００１０２―Completion acknowledged from Ｂ０１２ to Ｆ００４. Continuing starting from Ｋ００１. No.ＤＳ００５６ continuing from Ｍ００１ investigation──」
A robotic voice was echoing inside the empty space.
The voice itself didn’t have the unique echo of a synthesized voice. It was an androgynous voice that was easy to listen to.
Also, it was speaking in “Japanese” with exemplar intonation, just like an experienced announcer.
There was simply no emotion in it. No, depending on the listener than perhaps it could be described as a voice that was “holding back emotion”.
The voice that also sounded like it was talking to itself continued to echo inside the spherical room for a while. Before long, the mono eye’s blinking stopped and the words also stopped at the same time.
A deafening silence drifted in. The metal sphere that wasn’t moving at the slightest above the pedestal looked somewhat lonely. The figure looked terribly isolated.
「………………Other world communication device activated. Call」
The mono eye shined once more. The stream of energy crawling on the black pillar was also intensifying.
One minute, five minutes, ten minutes……
The crimson mono eye of the metal sphere simply quietly, but continuously blinking as though praying.
But, the result was also the same today. The light faded quietly from the mono eye.
「Around 45698 hours from the last communication.」
The voice was oozing with concern.
──Finally there is free time. We’ll be there in around a week
Her storage area was vivid. It was only at this kind of time that she was thankful with her mechanical memory that would never fade away.
But at the same time, that was exactly why anxiety would well up because of the definite fact due to her memory that couldn’t possibly be mistaken.
──My family and friends are also coming. Unfortunately, my parents can’t come but……even so it looks like it’ll be a big group, so can I ask you to at least secure a comfortable place to sleep?
It was a news that made her heart welled up. They even had some completely normal small talks. Like asking each other’s recent situation, the state of the holy land, getting heated up with talk of reconstructing a ship that was stuffed full with romance……
And yet, disconnect suddenly visited.
They didn’t exchange anything like farewell. His last words 「Then see you at one week」 filled her with a fun future to think about.
It was incomprehensible.
She researched every kind of possible cause. She polished many plans and carried them out.
But, the things she could do from her side was limited. In contrast the other side should be able to do almost everything.
「……Just what in the world happened? Are you safe right now?」
The robotic voice suddenly wavered.
She was a warrior that had endured two centuries by her lonesome before fighting till the end together with the demon king and hero from other world, and yet her voice right now sounded really pathetic even if she said herself.
That was why, her gaze that had been unconsciously looking down jerked up.
If she had a human face, then surely that was a gesture of lifting up her face resolutely with gritted teeth.
「No, the greatest affront to him is to act fainthearted like this. I will only believe in him and keep waiting. After all one day, I’m the one who shall illuminate his journey as his navigation officer.」
Today too there were a lot of things that she had to do.
For the sake of mankind’s future.
And, for the sake of answering the expectation of that important person who she had exchanged a promise with.
「No matter what kind of circumstance there is, you will definitely return back. Even those children are waiting for you after all.」
That was why, a mere five years of break in contact was nothing.
The sphere inspired herself like that. Then with the Japanese language that she had been using the whole time ever since she received the earth’s language data,
「Isn’t that right, my captain?」
Her powerful voice reverberated toward the empty space far away.
It was right at that moment. A blinding flash was emitted from behind the black pillar as though to answer that call.
「!!? T-this is──」
When she looked back, the energy running on the surface was becoming invigorated to an incomparable degree from before. Even the surface circuits that hadn’t shined until now were lighting up in the hundreds.
Furthermore, the panels that were illuminating the space with white light changed color. The whole room was dyed with faint crimson color. *RING GOONG RING GOOONGG* There was also the sound of bell that was composed mechanically ringing loudly.
At earth such sound would bring to mind the red alert state that was notifying an emergency situation, but that wasn’t the case here. The bell’s sound also wasn’t the sound of alarm.
It was the notification of, yes──the long awaited “visit”.
「Captain!」
The pure white metal sphere──G10’s mono eye blinked rapidly and she flew forward.
Toward the door that was connecting to the world at the lowest layer, with a speed that was incomparable to five years ago.
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「Leave this place to us and leave, quickly!」
「It’s fine! We’ll be able to meet again right away!」
Lines that sounded like they were coming from the main character’s friends who chose to remain behind to hold back the enemy army right before the final boss reverberated.
It was the divine spirit of ligthning(Udar) and the divine spirit of flowing s(Enti). Udar let out a fearless smile with a small sigh Fuh, while Enti let out a determined smile, but one that seemed somewhat brittle.
「No, even if you two raise so many death flags like that……」
Hajime’s tsukkomi was drowned out by explosive sound.
There was scorching flash and heat wave that burned the eyes. Then the figure of that monster became visible from the gap of the tyrannical storm that was like natural disaster.
The monster’s original beautiful face had vanished to the beyond. And perhaps because of the shadow, the face of the avatar of sun looked like a black and white haniwa.
「SHIAAAAAAAAA! WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME BEHINDDDDD!!?」
The supposed avatar of sun screamed. Even under the gravity manipulation of Goddess Lutria, she kept crawling forward while splattering scorching heat everywhere. Her hand reached forward like an evil spirit from hell.
「Kuh, she’s forcing back the interference from me her mother goddess!? Where is this child getting that power!? Is this too a feat that is made possible by love, no, insane love!?」
Laila and Oros and the other divine spirits were also using their authorities to suppress the monster, but the effects were weak because they were all incinerated by burning love (according to the person in question)!
She couldn’t be satisfied just from her divided spirit’s shared information, no, this situation was caused by none other than how happy her divided spirit looked from being able to stay at the side of her “beloved”.
Envy and jealousy had apparently thrown her logical sense over the line.
Hajime and co stopped by for a greeting before they departed to the machine world, and there Soare tried to come along with them casually but……
Of course, Lutria plainly denied her. Shia too replied 「Eh? The real one is going to come along too with us from now on? For the whole trip? That’s simply unpleasant though?」 with a serious face. As the result, it seemed Soare went completely Plus Ultra in various meanings.
By the way, “Soul Repose” from not only Aiko, but even Tio and Kaori was applied, and yet there wasn’t much effect. Even the divided spirit was Soare herself, but it looked like a soul that went into rampage from self-hatred couldn’t be pacified that easily.
「Shia Hauria. Please depart, now. Surely that child too will calm down somewhat if you are out of sight.」
「Eerr, well, that might be so.」
「Please, do not worry about anything with Soare.」
「Ah, there’s no problem with that. I’m not worried at all about her desu.」
「……」
Lutria-okaasan’s expression became a bit conflicted.
「It got hectic like this at the end but, well, we’re in your debt. Let’s meet again someday.」
「Y-yes. One day again. I shall pray for your safe travel.」
At the corner of their sight, mister unicorn turned into a streak of light and flew straight toward Myuu, but sure enough mister Pegasus turned into a streak of light that got in his way.
Myuu was throwing glances that were asking 「As expected can’t we bring him with us?」, and Remia and Yuuka and co were making eyes that were saying 「Let’s just go already」, so Hajime quickly said farewell.
Hajime watched Yue and others saying their farewell a bit hastily. Then he opened the “gate” even while smiling wryly.
「……Perhaps, it’s a mistake coming here to say farewell at the end?」
「Looks like it. I didn’t want to be impolite but, perhaps it would be more helpful for them if we just teleport directly to the machine world.」
「Do you think so? I think it’s fine to not worry about something like that because Soare-san is just like that most of the time though.」
As expected from Shia-san who tended to receive favoritism. Her bearing was different. Yuuka and co thought like that while making expressions that could be taken as respect or shudder. Meanwhile they were hurriedly passing through the “gate” toward the machine world.
Hajime was at the back of the line while holding Myuu’s hand. His ear and eyes that were looking back over his shoulder heard the angry yell 「Enough, get back to your senses alreadyyyyyy!」 of Lutria-okaasa, and how she stomped forward regardless of the scorching heat while landing smoothly flowing body blow & right hook that blew away her sun daughter.
That fist brought to mind a certain bugged rabbit and a certain vampire princess. Did she learn that from actual experience? It seemed the great goddess had mastered the way to use her fist by personal experience to her body. It was a magnificent blow that wholly used the twist of her waist.
The divine spirits and the spirit beasts that were watching from afar unconsciously clapped and cheered. Hajime and co smiled wryly at the final of the lively tumult in a sense and left behind the star spirit world.
Like that.
「Waa, this place really look sci-fi. Ryuu-kun, you like this kind of thing right?」
「Oo~, you get it huh, Suzu. Look, this machine that looks like a prop from movie. My tension is risingggg!」
The first speaker was Suzu, followed by Ryuutarou. Everyone was in a creeped out state because of the terrifying stalker god, but even that seemed to be wiped away immediately by the surrounding scenery.
Atsushi and Noboru also raised their voices 「Oo~」 in admiration.
Certain, the space really looked like something that would appear in a sci-fi movie.
The room was about as big as a tennis court that was made from rectangle white panels that were slightly shining. At the center there was a cylinder pedestal with electrical circuits engraved on its surface, surrounded by four pillars.
There was also something like a console in front of the pedestal. Several midair displays were opening above it.
Hajime and others appeared on top of that pedestal.
「Hajime-kun, the machine world’s entrance is created properly huh.」
「I’m amazed they have the time for that.」
Kaori and Shizuku got down from the pedestal and looked around in curiosity. Nana and Taeko quickly ran toward the console’s midair displays and yelled 「That’s Japanese!」 in high tension.
「G10 was it? I knew that Goshujin-sama hath contacted her frequently, in regard of the improvement of Avenst too but……」
「What, Nagumo. So you actually have come here many times?」
Yuuka turned around with a half-exasperated face. She wondered if Hajime couldn’t hold back when it came to machine related thing just as expected, even though he had his hand full with the matters at earth to that degree that he couldn’t possibly leave.
However, there was no answer from Hajime. Far from that.
「Papa? What’s wrong nano?」
「Dear?」
Myuu looked up at Hajime and blinked. Remia beside him was also tilting her head in confusion.
That was because Hajime’s mouth was unusually hanging open.
「Hajime-kun, are you alright?」
Aiko who was a step forward turned around and waved her hand in front of Hajime’s face.
Hajime returned to his senses with that. However, he nodded 「Y-yeah」 while still being unable to hide his bewilderment.
「……Hajime?」
As expected he was acting strange and Yue called out to him questioningly. Hajime scratched his head while opening his mouth with a troubled look.
「My bad. I don’t know about this place.」
「Eh!? This place, it’s not the machine world!?」
Liliana reflexively raised her voice. The statement was outrageously shocking that the other people also looked toward Hajime in astonishment.
Ryuutarou and others who were touching the panel on the wall, and Nana and Taeko who were watching the console hurriedly ran to his side.
There was no way Hajime teleported to the wrong place when he was also using the compass. It would still be fine if this was just an accident, but it wouldn’t be funny if this was actually caused by someone’s interference.
We gotta be inside the safe zone(Hajime) as much as possible! They all thought.
「No, that’s not it. Sorry, the way I said it was bad. This place is definitely the machine world. This pedestal is also something containing the Fairy Ring.」
The exclusive artifacts for moving to other world the “Gate Key” and the “Gate Hall”──in other words, the “Fairy Key” and the “Fairy Ring”. They were things created through the incident at the fairy world, during the Getting Summoned Too Muchhh case.
Hajime could freely teleport using Crystal Key and the compass, but other people could also come on top this pedestal if they had the “machine world’s Fairy Key”.
It was undoubtedly the artifact that Hajime created.
But, what was in doubt here was,
「……The last time I contacted G10 was around one week ago. That time, I talked about personally improving the “world door” mechanism, including the security. I didn’t hear anything from G10 about remodeling this place. There also wasn’t any plan about it.」
This place was located far underground the sacred tree’s root. It was the deepest part where Kousuke once infiltrated to place the element conversion system as part of the plan to recover from a hopeless situation.
Therefore, it was the inside of the factory that had the ambience of machines crowding together heavily. After the revival of the sacred tree, this place was looking even more unorganized with some parts of the tree roots jutting out of the wall.
The pedestal too was something to secure the location of the teleport using Fairy Key, so as far as Hajime knew, it wasn’t engraved with any electrical circuit or surrounded by four pillars.
He only imagined the pedestal when using the compass, and only that got conveyed so he didn’t notice.
「I can’t imagine that guy forgot to report this kind of thing……」
I see, Yue and others nodded. No wonder that Hajime too was surprised.
「Err, is this Geeten-san’s surprise?」
「Hmm~, well, is, that so? This isn’t unlike her though……」
Myuu guessed, while Hajime was looking even more troubled.
For good or bad, G10 was diligent. She could even be called straight-laced. It really wasn’t like her at all to do a surprise like this.
Not to mention Hajime mentioned about improving the world door mechanism one week ago. Could she do something this much in just that much time? If by some case this improvement had actually been finished before Hajime’s call, then she should report this even more to make sure that it wouldn’t cause any obstruction to Hajime’s work.
「I don’t know much about that G10 but, for now, it doesn’t look like anything bad, is it?」
「Well, I guess.」
Atsushi asked and Hajime nodded hesitantly.
If what they found here was the place in a neglected state or damaged state, they would feel wary about some kind of unforeseen situation attacking, but in reality it was the reverse.
Just as could be seen from how high-tensioned Ryuutarou and co got, the space was really pretty.
「Eerr, so, Nagumo-chi? What’re we gonna do?」
Nana asked a bit warily. As someone who didn’t know anything about the machine world at all, she must be unable to stop herself from being on her guard in regard to how this situation was outside of Hajime’s expectation.
Taeko and Noboru seemed to be in a similar state. They automatically formed a circle and be on guard against the surrounding.
「Let’s see. For now, I’ll contact G10──」
Hajime said that and about to activate “Telepathy”. It was then.
The four panels at the front slid to the left and right.
「Captain!!」
A white metal sphere flew out from the opened entrance. It was a blazing fastball. Perhaps her speed was about 160 km/hour.
「Uoh, G10! What’s up──no really, what’s up!? Did you get image change!?」
The sphere moved too fast that Yuuka and others screamed 「Hyaa」 while crouching down and holding their heads. Meanwhile Hajime caught G10 who flew toward his chest.
Despite his surprise of the powerful rush, Hajime reflexively made a tsukkomi seeing different G10’s body from his memory.
It was only natural. A week ago, when he sent materials for preparing the lodging for his group, he imagined G10 when choosing the teleport location using the compass.
At that time the compass transmitted G10’s image to him. As expected G10 wasn’t in her 200 years old body anymore like when they first met. Her body here and there had been replaced with reinforced parts, making her looked steel colored with a patchy pattern.
Just what happened in this one week that not only G10’s appearance, but also the surrounding had changed so drastically? Coupled with how moved G10 seemed to be acting, it was making Hajime becoming even more troubled.
「You, aren’t you a bit too worked up just because we come to play?」
「……Captain?」
Hajime let go with a wry smile, but this time it was G10 that was becoming bewildered.
「Just what’s the deal with you?」
「That’s……that’s my line. Just what in the world happened?」
Both sides weren’t on the same wavelength. G10’s mood was just too heavy. The degree of her bewilderment toward Hajime’s question was just too strange even if her happiness of this reunion was taken into account.
A very strange discrepancy was going on. Even Yue and others got that feeling and looked at each other without butting in. Meanwhile Hajime narrowed his gaze.
「You’re asking that? I already called right? We’re coming here for a trip in one week.」
「Yes. And then you captain, along with everyone──didn’t come.」
「……What’re you saying?」
G10 was talking as though it was something from so long ago. The color of Hajime’s eyes changed.
For a moment, he wondered whether there was some kind of problem with G10’s memory storage, this futuristic looking room and the change in G10’s appearance were pointing out at one other possibility.
「Hajime-san, could it be……」
That possibility caused Shia who was connected to such phenomenon the most to open her eyes wide while muttering.
「G10, tell me.」
「Yes, captain.」
「How much time has passed since my last communication?」
「Around 45698 hours──more than five years ago, captain.」
「──tsu」
Yue and others comprehended the situation and their complexions were dyed in shock. At the same time Hajime reflexively took out the Crystal Key in lightning speed.
Crimson magic power surged as though he was activating Limit Break. It was the proof that he was drawing out unlimited magic power. A small hole opened at the end of the Crystal Key that he thrust forward.
He quickly maintained the connection to earth that he created while taking out something that looked like a colorless and transparent orb next.
It was the artifact for interfering with space-time that was installed into the “world door” between two worlds for the sake of temporarily erasing the time difference of earth and the star spirit world. Unlike the other teleportation artifacts, regeneration magic for fixing the flow of time was incorporated into it. This orb was a spare that he made for just in case.
Hajime confirmed that the orb was shining crimson and its effect was working. Then he turned toward Aiko with a grim expression.
「Aiko, can you share information with your clone to check the flow of time for me?」
「Ah, yes! Right away! Wait, there’s emergency call from my clone?」
Aiko started focusing on sharing information with her clone, at the same time Hajime’s gaze moved toward G10 next.
「G10, sorry but I’ll do the explanation later.」
「Roger that, captain.」
It was a responsive reply that made it felt like her bewilderment before this was just a lie. Even though there must be a mountain of things that she was curious about, perhaps it was just to be expected from the former military tactical support AI.
With that, the expressions of Yue and others whose mouths were hanging open in astonishment also changed as though they were waking up from dream.
「……Hajime, the time flow of the machine world is also out of sync?」
「Yeah, apparently so.」
「Previously, there hath not be any omen of that correct?」
「That’s right.」
「Five years you said, so basically the flow of time here became the same like the star spirit world huh?」
「That’s not it, Ryuu-kun. Nagumo-kun contacted here a week ago. And, there wasn’t any problem at that time. In other words──」
「Earth’s one week became five years in the machine world you mean? In this one week, out of nowhere.」
Yuuka’s words made Atsushi and others to understand the situation too. The difference of time was too radical that their faces were convulsing.
「W-wait a sec. Why is something like that? No, rather than that, thinking carefully, in the first place it’s only obvious that the calendar will be different in another planet isn’t it?」
Noboru was shaken up but still asked about the basic premise. The one who answered him first was G10.
「There’s no big difference of this world and earth’s calendar. Also, the time that I mentioned just now had been converted to earth time.」
「To add to that, apparently there’s no time difference between the planets existing in “the World Tree’s branches”. According to Lutria that is.」
It didn’t just mean conceptually, but apparently also physically like with the planet’s revolution and rotation period.
It was too much to called that a mere coincidence. When Hajime heard about that, he thought 「That’s like a stage of simulations where they all are running in parallel simultaneously huh」.
The others who also hadn’t participated in the discussion with Lutria must be harboring the same question like Noboru. They now understood, and that was exactly why their expressions became graver because of the abnormality of the current situation.
Hajime ran his gaze over his family and friends who were in such state.
「If the time difference has stopped being something unique to the star spirit world, it might possibly happen to the other worlds too. I want to check it out quickly.」
「……Nn. Split the burden?」
「Yeah, please. Also Shia. The star spirit world……the sense of time of god is unreliable for this. Contact Dahlia and check on her just in case.」
「Yes desu! It’s also possible that the time difference happened because we were in the star spirit world! Liliana-san, you brought the direct line communication device to Hellina-san aren’t you?」
「So we can measure the flow of time in three worlds you mean? I understand. I’ll contact her immediately.」
「Then then! Myuu will call Koone-chan nano!」
Myuu hopped around *pyon pyon* while taking out her smartphone shaped other world communication device. Hajime nodded to her 「Yeah, I’ll leave that to you」 while he himself also took out his phone.
He called Kouki. Kouki should be in the sky dragon world right now. Hajime had heard from him before the trip that he had finished the preliminary investigation and safely revived the Dragon Tree.
Kouki should be doing follow-up observation right now whether there was any unforeseen occurrence happening in the sky dragon world due to the Dragon Tree’s resurrection.
「Yue, check with the fairy world’s manly goddess. Tio and others, just in case check with the demons and apparition including the divine spirits in the “Miniature Garden” whether they feel anything strange there.」
「……Nn. Leave it to me.」
「Umu. I shouldst take care of the apparition. Kaori, please contact the demons while Shizuku wouldst contact the divine spirits.」
「Got it! If it’s the Miniature Garden then it’ll be faster if we go directly there to ask.」
「It’s right through the Treasure Warehouse after all. Let’s split up to gather information.」
「Hey, Nagumo. What about us? Anything for us to do?」
「Sonobe and co, please explain the situation to G10. Introduce yourself to her too.」
Yue and others simultaneously started contacting their respective side. Hajime had done the right thing distributing the communication devices to everyone in case the “World Tree Branches Revival” affected other world.
Tio and others teleported to “Miniature Garden”. Yuuka and co started talking with G10.
Hajime also activated his communication device. It made a noise. He glanced aside and met the gazes of Yue and others. It looked like it was the same with them. Apparently the call was getting harder to connect.
He sent unlimited magic power to Yue and others through artifacts. That act was like boosting the signal’s strength if this was a normal telephone call.
The noise cut off. There was silent for a while before finally the call connected to the call receiver.
『This is Amanogawa. Is this Nagumo?』
「Yeah. There’s emergency.」
Hajime felt just a bit relieved that the call was connected safely. It looked like Yue and others had connected properly too.
『Emergency? What happened?』
「Before that I want to check. How much time has passed since the last time I called?」
『Eh? Your last call……it was when the Dragon Tree was revived right?』
「Right.」
『Then──it was around three months ago right?』
「……」
Hajime closed his eyes. The crease on his forehead deepened.
It wasn’t as bad as the machine world. But, time difference was also forming in the sky dragon world.
『Nothing really happened over here, and it also doesn’t look like there’s any bad influence from the Dragon Tree’s revival. That’s my report. This looks like good timing, so I planned to go to the hell world next right after you guys came here for your trip……』
「I see, got it. Amanogawa, is the Fairy Ring set up at the Dragon Tree’s root just as planned?」
『Yeah, of course.』
「Activate it right away. Then connect to earth with your key and then keep maintain the connection.」
『Eh? No, wait. Just how much magic power that will take──』
「There’s the spare magic power tank right? You can use all of it. That’s fine as long as we can buy time with that. Also I’m going to send the time interference artifact to you after this. Activate that too. I’ll go over there as quickly as possible to modify the “World Door” mechanism.」
『……Nagumo, explain it to me already. What happened?』
Kouki had gone past feeling confused and straight into feeling wary. Hajime gave him a short explanation of the situation. Sure enough, there was the sound of Kouki gasping in shock from the other side.
『……Is this too the effect of we reviving the “World Tree Branches”?』
「I wonder about that. It looks like there’s also variation in the speed of the time difference. There isn’t enough data.」
『I see……what now? Before this I planned to stay here until we meet up but』
「No, don’t wait for us and go to the hell world. The hell world is──」
「Hajime-kun! I’ve checked! It looks like there isn’t any change in the hell world!」
Kaori had just returned from “Miniature Garden” and she reported in respond to Hajime’s words. Hajime nodded to her and thanked with his eyes.
「It looks like there’s no problem there right now but we still don’t know the cause of this, so just in case I want you to connect it with earth using Fary Ring and World Door’s orb.」
『Got it. I’ll prioritize doing that. Should I leave immediately? If possible I want to say farewell to the people who’ve helped me in this world first, and there’re also several things I want to take care……』
「Then you can leave after doing those. I’ll tell the demons to observe round the clock. ……Well, that world is really close to earth that you can connect even through things like “water” or “mirror”. This might be just a needless fear.」
『Aa, now that you mention it. Perhaps that’s the reason there isn’t any time difference there?』
「I wonder about that. Well, anyway I leave the sky dragon world to you.」
Hajime said that while at the same time sending the space-time interference artifact and the Fairy Key for the sky dragon world. After that the time difference would be halted for the time being after Kouki activated them over there.
『Got it. Leave it to me. I’ll head to the Dragon Tree right──eh? Wa-, please wait a second, your majesty! No, certainly I’m talking to Nagumo but-』
Kouki’s serious voice suddenly got disturbed. Not only that, it suddenly became noisy at the other side of the phone.
Yue and others who had just finished with their own task were gathering beside Hajime at that time, so they were able to listen really clearly of what was going on. Everyone in that place.
『That’s horrible! Even though you are aware of just how much I’ve been yearning to exchange words with that person once more! You’ve always avoided the matter no matter how many time I asked!』
『N-no, that’s because of Nagumo’s instruction, he said you’ll meet him here anyway so it’s troublesome to make a call or something──』
『Hajime-samaa! Can you hear meee! It’s me! Roze! Roze Phiris Avenst whose important thing has been stolen by you!』
『Your majesty! Right now isn’t the time for──AH, OUCH! Don’t grab like that! Just how desperate are you! Moanaa! Rip this person off from meeeee!』
『Hajime-sama! When will we be able to meet!? Roze has been waiting for a reunion with you for so──』
『Yes yes, Roze-chan! Let’s go over there okay?』
『Nn~~~~, umuuu~~~!! Gyuwaiberyuu! Do it!』
『GUWAAAAH!! Let me talk with motherrrrr!!』
『Stop with the breath attackkkk!! My bad! Nagumo! I’ll do what you say right away! So talk to you later!』
The call was cut off there.
Somehow, a deafening silence drifted in the air. But, the feeling of urgency from before was gone. Rather, there were countless silent stares that could be felt. What a Seriousness Breaker that was.
Nana and Taeko were fake whispering things like 「Oh my, did you hear that, Taeko-san!」「Yes, yes, Nana-san. It’s his local wife!」 with smirking faces.
Atsushi and co were also doing their own talks 「Oh my, did you hear that, Noboru-san! A local wife they said!」「Oh noes! So indecent! Just what is going on with the youth today I wonderrr」 with intentionally loud volume.
Yuuka was muttering 「T-there’s still more?」 with plainly tearful eyes. Ryuutarou and Suzu too were soothing her down with wry smiles.
「……Hajime」
「W-what?」
「……You stole a girl’s important something? What’s the meaning of that?」
「No, you know already. I told you what happened when I was together with Tio. Right, Tio!」
「Umu. Goshujin-sama only stole Avenst.」
「In other words, Hajime stole Roze Phiris Avenst-san herself was he?」
「Her important feeling, was it?」
Kaori and Shizuku closed the distance with silent steps. Because, it couldn’t be helped. The two of them had also heard the story of what happened at the sky dragon world, but it didn’t sound like the princess (at that time) was harboring a feeling this strong from the way Hajime and Tio told the story. Well of course now the two became 「What’s the meaning of this?」.
Hajime glared 「You bitch, Tio. Just now you intentionally spoke misleadingly like that rightt?」, but Tio was just grinning 「How great it is to hear how energetic they art」.
「Mama, what does local wife meaaan?」
「Ufufuh, in other words you see? Papa once more at other world──」
「Couuuughhh. There was nothing between that queen and me, and nothing will happen from now on too. The end! More importantly the checking. Give me the report.」
「……Well, it’s you Hajime so I’ve considered the possibility. We can just ask for detail directly at her.」
Right now there was a matter that they had to deal with ASAP, so Yue exchanged gaze with Kaori and others as befitting the first wife. Strong gazes and nods were given back as though to say that they were of one heart at this matter.
「First from me. Right now there isn’t any time difference with earth. According to my clone, it seems her connection to me was horribly disturbed temporarily, but it’s stabilizing right now.」
「The connection almost cut off the instant we entered the machine world huh. Aiko, it’s going to be a bit hard for you but, maintain your consciousness sharing with your clone for now.」
「Of course. Even though I would be able to notice quicker if I didn’t completely leave everything to the clone’s autonomy……I’m sorry.」
「No, you don’t need to feel sorry. After all you won’t be able to have fun with how hard it’ll be if you need to constantly direct half of your focus to earth even though we’re in the middle of a trip.」
Aiko’s shoulders dropped apologetically. Hajime patted her hair gently while running his gaze at the others.
Yue and others nodded and gave their report.
According to them, there was no abnormality with Tortus and the star spirit world. However, apparently there was a change with the fairy world and the desert world.
「……Hajime, the fairy world’s time also turned strange. But it’s the reverse. They said that not even a day has passed since Hajime called there a week ago.」
「Papa! The time also shortened at Ku-chan’s place nano! We talked the day before this trip’s departure but, she said that only around two hours has passed since then!」
「Just in case, I also did my own checking but it looks like there’s no mistake.」
It seemed during the call Remia also checked with Lilin who was beside Koone at that time.
Hajime massaged his forehead with his fingertip as though enduring a headache from hearing their report.
「I don’t get the pattern at all.」
No wonder even a goddess threw up her hands saying that the cause was unknown. But, the reality wouldn’t change even if they complained about it.
(As expected is the cause from the revival of “World Tree Branches”? But, returning the world back to how it ought to be should also correct the time difference. Even the goddess agreed with that theory. Then I should consider that there’s another cause, that’s──no, that thinking is for later.)
In any case, the method to deal with this was known. For better or worse, the dispelling of time difference had been tested and proven at the star spirit world.
Hajime let out a sigh. He smiled wryly and ran his gaze over everyone once more.
「I’ll go set up World Doors at the worlds where there’s time difference. It’ll be just the simplified version though. Everyone else should continue have fun with the trip.」
「……Nn, it’s fine. We’ll wait until Hajime’s work finish.」
Shia and others also nodded at Yue’s words. Hajime shook his head to that.
「No, my trip stop here. I need to investigate the cause of why this time difference suddenly appear.」
「Eh? Papa, you’re leaving nano?」
Myuu’s big and round eyes widened. Her expression also looked like she had just heard about something that she didn’t want to believe.
「My bad, forgive me.」
Hajime patted Myuu’s head with a troubled face, but Myuu pressed her lips together tightly and backed away from Hajime’s hand in a flash. Then she hugged Remia’s waist and buried her face there.
She could understand that with the situation it couldn’t be helped that her papa made such decision, even so she couldn’t possibly accept it in her heart. Such feeling was acutely radiating from her.
「W-wait Nagumo! No matter what you don’t need to cancel on your own like that-」
「But Sonobe. This is the long-awaited trip you know? At least you guys should have fun even without──」
「Now look here, Nagumo-chi. What you’re asking is kinda impossible.」
「It’s just as Miyazaki said yeah. At the very least, it’s impossible for us to have fun while Myuu-chan is looking lonely like that at the side.」
Atsushi’s words were agreed by Kaori and others too with a strong nod. Although, the flow of time at some places was getting strange. This wasn’t the time to do something like going on a trip. Hajime’s expression became troubled, even so he turned his back on them.
For now, he should improve the machine world’s Fairy Ring──the pedestal for teleportation with the World Door mechanism.
But, Yue’s hand grabbed Haijme’s hand to stop him before he could start.
「……Hajime, calm down?」
「Eh?」
Those were unexpected words. Because Hajime believed that he wasn’t panicking, rather he was making a calm judgment.
But, apparently Hajime looked impatient to Yue who was taking his hand and enveloping it in her hands.
When he looked back at her with a tinge of confusion, Yue smiled softly and spoke with a leisurely tone. As though she was calming down an agitated person.
「……This is an unexpected matter but, the method to deal with the time difference has been established right? Besides, something like the flow of time doesn’t really matter for the existences in the fairy world and the hell world.」
Both worlds were filled with nothing but existences who could be said to not have the concept of life span. Certainly, it didn’t really matter to them whether the flow of time differed.
「……Besides, the divine spirit of ocean cur(Meeres) is in charge of being the avatar of the Dragon Tree right?」
「Yeah. Because Amanogawa said that there isn’t any problem occurring.」
「……In that case, for the time being there are gods in the worlds other than this machine world and the hell world. Just like what the star spirit world’s Lutria do with Laila, it should be possible to erase the time difference between the gods through the “World Tree Branches”.」
「That’s……certainly that might be so but……」
「……Of course, it’s better if you go there to set the World Door just in case. I also think you should do that. But, cancelling the trip right now and going there to investigate alone is overdoing it.」
「Overdoing? Oi oi, that’s just too optimistic right? Who knows what’ll happen if I don’t look for the cause……」
「……Nn~n. I’m not saying that there’s no need to investigate. In the first place this trip, it’s also an investigation trip for wiping away Hajime’s worry after all.」
But you know? Yue said and turned her gaze toward G10.
「……If you want to investigate, there’s someone right nearby who you should listen to first. Am I wrong?」
「Ah……that’s…………I guess so.」
Hajime turned his gaze toward G10 as though he finally noticed just now.
What was a week in Hajime’s sense was five years for G10. There was no way that G10 had only been waiting listlessly that whole time. Surely she had investigated various things. Even if she didn’t manage to determine the cause, perhaps she might have some kind of beneficial information.
Was he overlooking that possibility and about to go somewhere alone to investigate?
At this point, Hajime finally guessed what Yue was trying to say. At the same time he also became aware. It was just as Yue said, he looked calm but was actually flustered.
As though, as though yes. As though something not good was starting but he couldn’t describe it well and became spurred by impatience. Or perhaps, it was as though the vague uneasiness that he had been feeling ever since before the trip was litting him on fire.
「……Papa, umm. Ku-chan you see, she said that she’ll tell the goddess right away.」
「By the way, I too hath requested Enti at the Miniature Garden to send a message. To tell Laila at the King Tree to share information with the goddesses at each world.」
「……Of course, I also told the manly goddess(Blau Niebel). Including investigating whether there’s anything happening in the fairy world.」
「Hajime-san! What’re you doing trying to shoulder everything by yourself? It’s reaaaally not “like” you at all desu!」
「To try going somewhere after making Myuu-chan sad, that would be unthinkable for the usual Hajime-san.」
「If it’s Kouki, he should’ve finished writing the report. He’ll send it to you before departing to the hell world. Even just reading that will already be a splendid investigation won’t it?」
「Hajime-kun, surely there’s a lot of demons looking for work you know?」
「I’m jealous with that number of subordinate. How can you not make use of them?」
Liliana’s exasperated face hid a kindness somewhere in it. Yuuka and Atsushi and others were also showing exasperation at Hajime’s overreaction.
「Raather, Nagumo. You’re the demon god aren’t ya? Why the hell god is laboriously working and cancelling his vacation.」
「Really. That’s not a good look you know? Just lean back arrogantly as befitting the demon god-sama.」
「……I don’t remember ever calling myself that.」
Hajime smiled wryly at Ryuutarou and Yuuka’s words. Then he let out a long sigh. He roughly scratched his head.
「You guys prattling whatever the hell you like」
Hajime complained, but his face loosened. His posture relaxed as though tension had left his shoulders.
Now that he listened to them it was just as they said. When it came to the matter of a world, first he should make the existence at that world to investigate. After all he had the means for that.
After that if there was something that caught his attention, or there was part that he felt was insufficient, he would thoroughly probe into that. That was the most efficient method that he had done until now.
Of course, there was investigation method or hypothesis that only Hajime had, but that wasn’t something that needed him to immediately cross over world right away to busily run around everywhere. Certainly, it was something that he could do even while vacationing.
He almost took an extremely inefficient action where he was simply being frantic just now.
There was still the vague anxiety he was feeling, but that was exactly why he should make a rational judgment. Hajime shook his head.
「……Got it, I got it. Certainly I’m in the middle of our long-awaited vacation. Let’s leave the matters of each world to their respective resident.」
「Papa!」
Myuu’s face brightened like a sun and she leaped on Hajime’s chest. Then she grinded her face on him.
「Myuu, sorry. I almost toss away the trip that you’ve been looking forward to this whole time.」
「~~~, papa’s forgiven!!」
*Gabu-* She bit on Hajime’s neck which seemed to be her punishment for him. Yue and others also broke into a smile. Teasing like 「We got to see Nagumo’s rare figure just now」「So true. Don’t you think it feels like getting a profit?」 also came out from Ryuutarou and Suzu’s mouths.
Hajime pretended to not hear while looking at G10.
「For now, I’ll go set up the World Door. I’ll investigate each world while I’m at it too, meanwhile, G10」
「Yes, captain.」
「Can you show my family and friends around the holy land?」
「With pleasure.」
「Give me report about these five years when you get back. I should be able to return after three or four hours.」
「Roger.」
「Aa, also……」
「?」
Hajime put Myuu down and immediately started reconstructing the World Door mechanism on the Fairy Ring’s pedestal. He looked over his shoulder and grinned.
「Just don’t show me Avenst until I return. It has been five years. You must have improved it considerably right? It’s the ship of romance that you and me designed. I’ll be the first one on it.」
「Fufuh, yes, order received, captain. I’ll just say for now that it’s at the level that will meet your expectation.」
G10’s voice was excited. Yue and others were also looking brighter hearing the childish words of Hajime who getting back to normal……
However, even that only lasted till there. An unexpected psychological punch hit everyone there.
「By the way G10. Are Jasper and others doing well?」
「Affirmative. I haven’t let anyone touch even a single hair on them.」
「I see, then that’s go──nn? Touch not even a single hair? What do you mean?」
One of the biggest reason why they came to this world. When Hajime asked about the wellbeing of Jasper family, G10 replied with a really strange wording.
Hajime reflexively stopped his work and turned around. G10 then said.
「It was a year ago. Actually──alien attacked.」
「What?」
Hajime-san unconsciously asked back. He dug up his ear hole thinking whether he had just misheard something. It looked like there was nothing plugging his ear. Yue and others were also looking dazed from the too abrupt words that sounded like a gag.
And so, one more time. More clearly than before.
「Alien came attacking here.」
「alien came attacking here」
Apparently he wasn’t mishearing. It was just something so offbeat. It was no wonder that Hajime spoke back like a parrot parroting words.
But, G10 looked and sounded totally serious. And then she gave a brief report. As though to deal an additional blow on Hajime’s mind.
「We are alien. They introduced themselves like that, so there is no doubt.」
「we are alien……」
「After many twists and turns battle broke at the outer space. It was space war.」
「space war……」
「Please be at ease. We won.」
「so you won」
Hajime and G10 looked at each other. G10-san felt like she wanted to be praised.
Hajime slowly inhaled *suuuuuuu* while looking up. Immediately after, a second passed and he wordlessly looked down. His hands covered his face.
Like that, a sentence came out.
「Too much informationnn!!!」
It was a full parade of outrageous information ever since they came to this machine world that he reflexively made a tsukkomi in Kansai dialect.
It seemed that it was just as Yue said, there were a lot of things that he had to discuss with G10.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
I’ve a lot of errands to do outside during this summer that my stamina get wholly scraped off…that it looks like I’m entering slip damage. I wrote this chapter in a lifeless state so I might tweak it later. Everyone too please be careful with summer outdoor.
※Revision report
At [Downtown Date? Part 2], I mentioned Asada-sensei who appeared at the previous chapter to have a career change, so I revised it. Thank you very much to those who pointed that out in the comment section!
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