Chapter 504

Chapter 504

Interlude During That Time, At Earth ①

Author’s note: The story resumes from today. Best regards!

Beginning of August. The summer vacation had only just started for student.

Although, club activity, supplementary lessons, extra short course, and the like caused school to be still open even during summer vacation. It couldn’t even be compared during the normal time, even so the number of student who came to school during this time wasn’t few at all.

Even today when the summer sunlight was scorching hot, the students, some who were listless and some who were passionate were arriving. Or perhaps they were simply looking forward to spend their time with friends.

The corridor during the period between classes was enveloped with liveliness that wasn’t at all inferior to the loud chorus of cicadas.

At a corner of such corridor,

「…………Strange」

A small muttering that was filled to the brim with suspicion was uttered.

There was a suspicious person who was peeking from behind a pillar with only half his face visible, observing a certain group that was having a lighthearted chat at the corridor.

It was the vice principal.

This was vice principal Kazuura who was also known as Wig-sensei. Sensei’s black hair looked lustrous too today. (TN: The name Kazuura is a wordplay of Katsura which mean wig in Japan)

As though contrasting the perfection of that hair, his default displeased face looked particularly sourer than usual today. The creases on his forehead were deep and the eyes behind the eyeglasses were brimming with suspicion. To a degree that he didn’t realize how suspicious he himself looked right now.

「Even so, vice principal. This change isn’t for the worse.」

To tell the truth, the vice principal had comrades in suspiciousness.

Kazuko-sensei was stooping while Asada-sensei was kneeling on one knee. They were all looking like a totem with how the three of them were peeking from behind the pillar.

One day, Asada-sensei started talking in the way of military man. Since then he also started training his body. Now he had a splendid macho body. His skin was more tanned than the PE teacher even though he was a math teacher. And his sleeves were constantly rolled up until his shoulder to show off his biceps, something that he had never missed doing.

Kazuko-sensei who was even called as Snake Kazuko due to her sneaking ability that she had mastered from continuously fixing the position of the vice principal’s wig secretly all this time was also nodding enthusiastically in agreement with Asada-sensei’s low voice.

Also, Kazuko-sensei’s talking frequence was apparently decreasing in inverse proportion with the increase of her sneaking ability. Now she almost never talked when she wasn’t teaching in class.

Getting back on topic.

「Certainly that is how it looks like, Asada-sensei. This isn’t a bad thing. Rather, originally this should be a good thing.」

「That, is so.」

「But, however. She……she is Hatayama-sensei! Look! Is that Hatayama-sensei!?」

Yes, the reason the vice principal was acting like someone suspicious lied on Aiko.

Ahead at the corridor, Aiko was chatting with the students. There was also the young male teacher who was currently under Aiko’s guidance behind them.

There wasn’t anything strange at all about that in itself. Aiko was popular among students. She often got greeted by students when she passed by, and she also often stopped to chat with them. In other words, this was something usual.

But, this was wrong. Around this one week, there was something obviously strange. It wasn’t like her at all!

It was then, something happened as though to prove that.

A male student was running up the stair. He was wearing the soccer club’s uniform, so he must be at school for his club activity. He tried to turn the corner without slowing down.

Aiko and others were coincidentally at the direction he was running toward.

At the same time, one of the female students who was chatting with Aiko started walking toward the stair while saying farewell to Aiko.

The vice principal and the others who could sese the stair and the corridor from their position reflexively raised their voice 「Ah」.

They saw that at this rate the soccer club boy and the chatting girl would crash with each other!

But, that didn’t happen. Because Aiko moved before the vice principal and others raised their voice.

「Wait.」

「Fuwaa!?」

Aiko took the girl’s hand as she passed her by and pulled her back to switch place with her. Instantly, the boy who rushed out of the corner looked surprised seeing Aiko right in front of her. His eyes widened like saucer.

He reflexively tried to brake and stumbled forward.

In respond Aiko caught him really beautifully during his fall. She placed her hand on the boy’s chest and lightly stepped back to perfectly neutralize the momentum, then she supported the boy without even staggering. Even though the difference in physique between the two of them was clear to see.

If it was before, or rather even just a week ago such sight would be impossible to happen.

Sometimes, there were moments when Aiko would show astonishing abilities like being able to detect someone else’s presence even when they were out of sight, however, it didn’t mean that her clumsiness had also gotten improved.

Even now, although she would be able to protect the girl, originally she should panic 「Awawah」 so much that she wouldn’t be able to support the soccer club boy too.

Perhaps, they would fall together and she would act as cushion replacement, or she would fall on her but even if she was able to prevent the soccer club boy’s fall. It would be either of that.

For such Aiko to not panic, but astonishingly handling two students perfectly to prevent their crash with a dignified expression that could even be described as sagacious without any exaggeration……

「……As I thought something is strange-」

「C-certainly. Just now Hatayama-sensei did something cool that’s really unlike her!」

Asada-sensei couldn’t deny the vice principal’s words. Kazuko-sensei was also nodding strongly in agreement.

Even the other students and the new teacher were freezing with eyes widened in astonishment. Meanwhile Aiko-sensei stood in front of the soccer club boy who straightened his posture even while looking dumbfounded.

The eyes who were looking up at him from below were very stern.

「Running on the corridor is not allowed. Do I still need to teach you something like that even after you have entered high school?」

「Ah, no, umm……I’m in a bit of hurry, that’s why──」

The soccer boy was incoherent in front of the strange pressure. He almost stepped back unconsciously but……

He was stopped. His excuse too at the same time.

Aiko-sensei stood on her tiptoes and extended her arm forward. She pushed her fingertip on the soccer boy’s nose and said

bad

scoldingly.

「Isn’t there something that you should say first before making excuse?」

「Eh? Ah……I-I’m sorry!」

Aiko’s gaze moved toward the side. The boy’s eyes followed and only then he noticed the dumbfounded girl whose hand was being held by Aiko-sensei’s hand.

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

It was easy to imagine that Aiko-sensei must have been pulling her back. The soccer boy finally realized what he had almost done and hurriedly lowered his head.

Aiko-sensei’s expression instantly relaxed. Her stern atmosphere also dispersed like mist. Perhaps because of that gap, her smile looked like a blooming flower to the people there.

「Yes, that’s a proper apology. Good boy?」

「!!?」

The boy’s lowered head was softly patted. When he shyly raised his head, what he saw there was a kind smile that made the stern expression just now felt like a dream.

That smile wasn’t like the cute smile with Aiko-sensei’s childish face that would give those seeing it heartwarming feeling until now, but a smile that was filled with the composure and affection of a mature lady.

The soccer boy’s face was reddening *Kyuu~~* hotly.

And then another blow was dealt there.

「What’s important is to not repeat your mistake. If you do the same thing next time, I’ll scold you more sternly okay?」

Aiko-sensei chuckled, but her gaze conveyed without any room for doubt that she was serious as her fingertips pushed the boy’s nose tip scoldingly once more.

What is it, this feeling in my heart?

The soccer boy thought. No, the other students around them, and perhaps even the new teacher were also thinking that.

It felt like, yes, like a youth when in front of a lovely older woman, or perhaps a girl when in front of senior lady they looked up to.

In addition, Aiko-sensei was wearing very normal summer wear that consisted of a blouse with short sleeves and a knee-length skirt, but her damp skin texture due to the sweat, or the slightly visible collarbone from her unbuttoned first button, or her faintly blushing cheeks due to the heat……

Really, just what is this feeling in their heart?

The shorty baby-faced teacher before them who never exuded even a shred of sex appeal until now that she even got called with a nickname like cute animal sensei, was looking excessively sexy right now!

Such teacher, was also giving him an upward gaze because of their height difference.

The soccer boy thought. He deeply thought.

I prefer to get that scolding instead……

he thought.

The soccer boy might have a new door pried open (?) inside him, however, when he was asked 「Your answer?」 with an affectionate gaze and a cute tilt of the head……

「Y-yes! I’ll be careful!」

He could only say that.

I can’t betray! I don’t want to betray Hatayama-sensei’s expectation on me!!

He thought with a bright red face.

The soccer boy hurriedly left from that place.

Aiko saw him off smilingly. Her appearance exuded even more composure of a mature woman.

Her gaze then moved toward the girl next.

「I’m sorry for pulling your hand so suddenly like that. Did I hurt you?」

Aiko grabbed the girl’s hand with both her hands as though to envelope it whole for checking whether she was hurt. She didn’t stop there and gently started rubbing said hand. Of course, the gaze she directed toward the girl was overflowing with affection and worry, to a degree that it was conveyed without any room of doubt just how much she was treasuring her.

「Eh, ah, not attt all! Thank you for protecting me there, Ai-chan-sensei!」

The girl’s face also turned red. Her hand that was wrapped within Aiko’s hands felt strangely hot. She also recalled how cool Aiko looked when she was her face for an instant from the side while pulling her back. The girl’s speech too was incoherent like the boy.

The finishing blow (?) was also properly stabbed into that girl.

「I’m glad. I was able to protect my beloved student.」

「—!?」

Ai-chan-sensei’s expression relaxed fully with relieve. It made

「

Nnnh

」

a dirty voice to slip out from the girl. She hurriedly pulled back her hand because it felt like a new door was almost opening inside her.

And then, similar with the soccer boy, the girl ran away from that place while feeling shaken up.

The surrounding students broke into noise and surrounded Aiko. The respect parameter of the new teacher was rising up rapidly could be seen from the fierce sparkling in his gaze toward Aiko.

No, it wasn’t just that, there was also a heat of slightly different vector in that gaze……

「Hey hey, Ai-chan. As I thought……you, got a boyfriend right?」

「I-is that true!? Hatayama-sensei!?」

The moment one of the female students asked that question with a wide grin, tension ran through the new teacher’s eyes.

Apparently such conjecture was spreading among some of the female students as the reason behind Aiko’s change.

Aiko looked astonished by the deeply interested gazes of expectation of those around her waiting for her to answer. Then a second later

Fuh

she lightly smiled. It was the face of a mature woman that was full of composure that looked like she had fully experienced both the bitterness and sweetness of life, an extremely bewitching look.

「……Fufu. That’s a secret?」

She even winked while placing a finger on her lips. The female students squealed

Kyaaaah

while the new teacher’s shoulders drooped slightly.

To the vice principal that had been witnessing the whole thing from start to end,

「…..Who’s that?」

A heavily thick voice slipped out. He had the eyes of a protagonist who was questioning the true identity of the attacker that had launched a sudden ambush.

Apparently that was just how impossible Aiko’s current state was to the vice principal.

「No no, vice principal. That cannot be anyone else other than Hatayama-se──」

「She’s hardworking, earnest, and put the student above all else. I know that. That’s how Hatayama-sensei is. But however. But however!」

The vice principal pushed up his glasses with a trembling hand. Just like a famous detective revealing his deduction, his glasses flashed!

「That’s exactly why she often panic meaninglessly! To be shaken up, trying to do something in a fluster only to fail, then she’ll get tearful and trembling before the reality that just won’t go well! That too is how Hatayama-sensei is! There’s no way she can deal with things perfectly and full of composure like that!! Not to mention spraying around atmosphere that almost twist the student’s fetish so naturally like that, impossible! That’s someone else! That’s an unknown thing wearing the skin of Hatayama-sensei!」

Asada-sensei and Kazuko-sensei both were looking toward the vice principal with eyes that were saying 「Just what is this guy prattling?」.

Certainly it wasn’t like they couldn’t understand his feeling. To not give up and keep working hard even after she failed was also one of Aiko’s good points. Asada-sensei and Kazuko-sensei also liked that side of Aiko, and they recognized and trusted her as a fellow teacher because of that.

But, to accuse her as someone else just because of that, there was no way that could be true.

Realistically thinking.

Yes, that was if they were thinking realistically.

To think that the realistic vice principal would hit the unrealistic bull’s eye.

The woman who in this one week got secretly called with things like 「The Awakened Ai-chan」 or 「Super Ai-chan Mode」 among the students was certainly a fake.

She was an autonomic clone created by Aiko using soul magic.

It was just, a li~~~ttle bit of her desire of her ideal self had gotten mixed in it.

The vice principal didn’t believe anything related to occult at the slightest, and yet he saw through Aiko’s true identity. As expected from him. No matter how much he acted snidely or sternly, there was nobody as attentive as him when it came to the students and the teachers.

「Asada-sensei!」

「Y-YES! What is it, vice principal!」

「Go check the hospitals for me! Find one with psychiatric department of good repute! And Kazuko-sensei! Prepare a car! We’ll have the hospital check Hatayama-sensei immediately!」

「……Y-yes!」

Thinking realistically, of course this would happen.

Rather than possibility like a replacement by a twin, or someone else using a detailed disguise that would make even a real spy turn pale in fear, the possibility of problem in the mind would be more plausible than such preposterous tales.

「I’ve never actually seen one by myself but, this might be that affliction popularly called as multiple personality.」

「Mumuh. That affliction that is also called as dissociative identity disorder is it?」

「That’s right. I remember hearing that one of its possible causes is heavy stress. ……Kuh, I should be more attentive before things turned out like this. I’m a complete failure as the vice principal-」

Before the summer vacation, Aiko consulted to him about taking an extended leave that might last for a month. He reflexively retorted 「You think this is the West-」 to her in respond.

He had been harboring doubt ever since that time. That perhaps, that absurd request was the form the SOS of her heart took shape.

That was why, he interacted with her gently to the best of his ability. He believed that he had done his best to be a good listener for her. He even offered that if she wanted, forget day off, he wouldn’t mind even if she took a leave of absence from school.

Though he got the feeling that for some reason, it only made Aiko felt creeped out and even scared instead……

「Hatayama-sensei is a diligent and hardworking person. She would obviously insist that she’s just fine if we’re worried for her. And the result……」

「The result is that mode is it……if that’s the case, then I can see how such drastic change can come to be-」

Kazuko-sensei was also nodding furiously. Her eyes were blazing with a sense of duty. As though to say that she absolutely would make sure Hatayama-sensei would be delivered to the hospital.

By the way, the clone certainly possessed an advanced degree of autonomy, and it was fundamentally tracing the sense of values and way of thinking of Aiko. But it could also switch mode to remote control depending on the necessity like perhaps some students needing to ask her for advice.

The inside of the clone contained a personal super small “Gate” artifact and with the brute force method of unlimited magic power, it was constantly in contact with the real body. With that it became possible for maintenance, sense sharing, and remote control to happen even from across worlds.

Also, the “switch to remote control depending on the necessity” could happen actively based on its periodical sense sharing with Aiko, or passively when the clone judged that there was an emergency. The case right now was the latter.

Because, the vice principal and the others were acting suspicious not that far away. There was no way the Aiko clone wouldn’t notice them.

「Notify the other teachers too. We’ll need to adjust the schedule of the afternoon lectures because of this. Also……contact Hatayama-sensei’s family too. I don’t know how I can possibly apologize to them for this……anyway, Asada-sensei, Yanagi-sensei! It’s time to act! Now move!」

「Yes, command understood!」

「Accepted!」

「Wait a secooooooooonddd!!?」

Aiko dashed toward the vice principal and the others in a great panic!

「There’s misunderstanding! There’s nothing wrong with me! I’m in perfect formmm!!」

「!!? This feeling……the actual Hatayama-sensei!?」

The vice principal’s expression was like there was a light bulb lighting up above his head. The sharpness of his senses, wasn’t it something occultic already?

「Vice principal! This is you know, some kind of, yes, it’s image change or something! I’m also entrusted with giving guidance to the new teacher! I thought that I need to look a bit more composed──」

Aiko desperately explained that the so called awakened mode just before this was something intentional from her part.

The vice principal stared fixedly at such Aiko. Then he let out a sigh

Fuh

and smiled. Abruptly, he wore an expression that was so gentle it caused Aiko to shiver.

「Hatayama-sensei. Unexpectedly, the scream of the heart is something that even the person themselves sometimes cannot notice. Don’t worry, this is just for in case. Let’s take a break this afternoon, and go to the hospital.」

「No, umm, I’m really grateful for everyone’s worry for me but, I’m really alright is what I’m saying……」

「Then, this is an order from your superior. Go to hospital.」

Aiko realized. Ah, this is hopeless. The vice principal was absolutely going to make sure she went to doctor! His eyes were filled with a will of steel that he only showed when wanting to protect student or teacher!

「Ah, that’s right. You can also get a health checkup while you’re at it. I believe that you ought to have yourself checked properly at least once and then take time to take another good look at yourself.」

「Was the me just now really that strange!?」

It should be just a little, reaaa~~lly a little bit of a “capable me”.

Certainly, my desire for things like Yue-san’s mature woman atmosphere or the good aspects of Shia-san and others got mixed in, but still!

To be thought that it was so divergent from my original self to a degree that I was suspected to be mentally ill……as expected that’s just hurtful!

Aiko felt a smidgen of dissatisfaction like that.

In addition, it would still be fine if it was just the psychiatric department, but it would be bad for her to get a medical examination. The clone body was super advanced and could reproduce body temperature and skin texture and coloring depending on her mental state, but it the end it was just a lump of magic power. As expected it would cause a great commotion if the body got examined.

And so, things became like usual.

In other words, in her effort to desperately proclaim her wellbeing, she started getting over eager and at her wits’ end due to this unforeseen development, leading her straight to her usual spinning her wheels.

「I, I won’t go to hospital!」

「I told you this is an order──」

「Vice principal! Please believe me! My true mental state is actually going through refreshment right at this moment! I’m having fun, I’m even feeling happiness!!」

「R-right at this moment? Happiness? What do you possibly mean?」

Of course, that was because her real body was in the middle of family vacation right now.

But, how would the current situation objectively look like? It could be seen as Aiko saying that she was having fun and happy with her current situation of talking with the vice principal.

Is it the usual that? Is that coming!?

The vice principal warily thought.

As expected he had a good instinct. No, in this case, perhaps it was just the matter of him having a prior experience.

Aiko too was feeling lost after this late of how to explain, because she couldn’t possibly say anything preposterous like how this wasn’t her real body or how she was in the middle of a vacation at another world. Her spinning-the-wheels state was accelerating──

「Eh? Ah, err, that I mean……should I say that it’s fun to be together (with Hajime and others), or that the (other world people’s) thoughtfulness makes me happy, or that I’m feel really moved for the observation (of the many things in other world)……」

「Wha-, you noticed that you were under observation for these several days……? And yet not only you don’t feel offended, y-you, feel moved instead?」

That whisper of the vice principal didn’t reach the ears of Aiko who was desperately thinking up some kind of excuse.

Aiko whose gaze was darting around at the end met the vice principal’s eyes firmly. Then she declared with a strong gaze that conveyed her serious feeling.

「A-anyway! Thank you very much for your concern toward me! But, I’m fine! Because, right now (while I’m in the middle of vacation) I’m truly happy!」

「Y-you’re, happy (by this current situation)……?」

「Yes! My atmosphere might be slightly different from usual but……vice principal!」

「Y-yeah……」

「I’ll work hard so that you’ll feel glad for choosing me (to be the new teacher’s instructor), so please keep watching me from now on too!」

Depending on how those words were interpreted, one could perhaps reach the conclusion that the vice principal who had a wife and also children had chosen Aiko (deep meaning). Then, as the result, Aiko was happy. Such flow of conversation might be perceived by the surrounding people.

There were low murmurs from the surrounding.

Of course, Asada-sensei and Kazuko-sensei had often watched the two’s daily comedy skit in the staff room, so they somehow managed to understand the actual meaning.

But, that didn’t mean that would also apply to the students and the new teacher.

「Eh? Could it be Ai-chan-sensei’s man is……」

「No no no, nopeeeee」

「This is absolutely some kind of misunderstanding right? It’s a misunderstanding right? This is Ai-chan after all.」

「Obviously that’s the case. If, that’s not the case……I’mma k*ll that baldy」

The students almost fell into misunderstanding, but it looked like things would be alright just barely with them somehow. Judging from Ai-chan’s lovable flaw and the mood of the conversation, some of the girl students somehow deduced the situation and it was thanks to them that no misunderstanding would spread.

But, the way the new teacher-kun was looking at the vice principal wasn’t normal.

「H-Hatayama-sensei! Y-you’re really, every single time, why are you always acting in the way to invite misunderstanding like──」

The whispering conversations of the students and the eyes of the new teacher-kun who looked like he was staring at a criminal made the vice principal broke into cold sweat. He tried to reprimand Aiko as loudly as possible.

No matter what, he had to pry out the true meaning from Aiko’s mouth──it was right at that timing.

「Ah, sensei’s here! Geez, pick up the phone when someone called! You also aren’t at the staff room!」

One female student ran up the stairs. Her voice was loud and clear and also filled with anxiety, so the vice principal reflexively swallowed back his words.

When he turned his gaze toward the voice’s source, the one who was there with her twintails wildly bouncing up and down while looking unusually panicked was the girl commonly called as “Kouhai-chan”, aka Hino Rin.

The kendo club should have activity today, and she was the club’s president but……for some reason she was dressed casually. Was she playing hooky?

The vice principal’s eyes were slanting up seeing a student coming to school dressed in rock fashion. The surrounding students also looked confused saying things like 「Ah, ain’t that Hinorin」 or 「What’s Hinorin-paisen doing?」. (TN: Sometimes senpai got reversed into paisen there in Japan to make it sounds more casual)

「Hino-san? Running at the corridor breaks the rule! And what’s with that outfit──」

「Forget about that! Ai-chan-sensei! Please come with me! Amai-oneesan is once again──aa~~, it’s that! That hard to describe thing she often get involved with makes her head in a papparapaaa state, so please do something about it!」

「What kind of state!?」

The Onee-san with extremely sweet tooth that periodically got dragged into dangerous looking occult incident──the woman who was commonly called “Bus Guide-oneesan” was apparently in a some kind of unavoidable situation.

The woman’s escape ability and survival ability were at the level of occult even in the eyes of Hajime and co, so in reality she was always be able to get through her situations on her own. Even the keyholder with the function of calling for help during emergency that Hajime sent to her as an apology still hadn’t been used until now.

A woman like that was unable to escape? Furthermore, Hino Rin who was an adventurer type high school girl who also frequently ran into some kind of accident but always managed somehow on her own as expected was running here looking for help……

Even if the situation was confusing, Aiko at least realized that the two were wrapped up in some kind of incident again.

There was no way she could just ignore this. If it was a matter of the hidden world, then there was also no way she could demand an explanation of the situation in this place. And so Aiko allowed herself to be dragged by Hinorin down the stairs in a rush.

「Oi, you! Wait! Hino-san! Explain the situation properly! Hatayama-sensei too, I haven’t finished talking with you! Why’re you quietly just going with her!」

The vice principal reacted too late toward the sudden development and hurriedly ran down the stairs too.

The two were going down the stairs fast by skipping three steps each time. The vice principal leaned over the railing to yell angrily at them but……

「I’m sorryyyyy!! There’s a bit of urgent business that we have to take care so we’re goingg! I’ll make sure to return in time for the afternoon classss~~!!」

「Do you think I’ll permit something like thattt! Stop! Eeei, don’t keep running!」

「Y-You must not, vice principal! If you run down the stairs that fast──AAAH, it falls! Vice principaalll! As I thought, your precious hair gear is-」

「──Fuh, leave it to me」

The vice principal who was chasing after Aiko, and the wig that fluttered down behind.

Asada-sensei followed in panic, while Kazuko-sensei recovered the wig with a movement that looked like she was creeping on the ground. They began to chase after the vice principal together.

Left behind them were of course, the new teacher and the students.

「……Sensei, what do you think? A lot happen in this school but……do you think you can hang in there?」

「………Hahah, I’ll do my best……」

The school was still bustling with one thing or another even after the returnees graduated. The words from a third year female student who looked like she had gotten completely used to it was responded with a small lack of confident from the new teacher who was left behind.

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The mountain range zone of junk.

This place that should be described like that was a place that ought to be described as “mountain range zone of trash” in the past. It was filthy, shrouded with offensive smell, there wasn’t any road-like road, the sky was covered with dark clouds and flashing thunder. The place truly ought to be called as this world’s bottom layer.

But, it was different now.

What was forming the mountain range here was “junk” in the end. Parts of every kind of machine, a place where resources like metal and the like were dumped. There wasn’t any raw garbage, much less corpses lying around.

There were smell of oil or metal, but there wasn’t any smell of something rotten. There were also roads that could be firmly perceived between the mountains of junk.

Yes, this dumping place where it was forbidden to enter previously was becoming a place where people were frequently visiting. Their objective was of course, treasure hunting.

To check whether there was anything usable inside the huge mound of machine parts, today too a lot of people were whittling down the junk mountain, inspecting the excavated parts with deep attention. When an object with already decided value was dug up, people would alternate between happiness and anxiety depending on that value’s high or low, or perhaps they would livelily argue with each other 「Dear me, what can this be used for?」.

Depending on the location there were even stalls opened. Barter or sale or buying of objects were carried out. At a glance the place looked like a slum, but there wasn’t any gloomy atmosphere or dangerous presence there.

Many of the people who visited here were filled to the brim with hope, curiosity, and vitality.

At the edge of such mountain range of junk, there was a hut that was standing quietly as though putting a distance from other people.

It had metal pillars and walls created from welding many iron plates together, along with a window of wire mesh. The hut looked like a cloth that was riddled with patches.

But, no softness could be felt from it. It also used steel frame jutting out from the junk mountain, anchor that was driven into the ground, and the like to be able to support the hut’s own weight together. The structure had certainly been created with a proper thinking behind it.

A plank was hanged on such shabby but solid hut.

──First Workshop(Hajime no Koubou)

It would be read like that if it was translated to Japanese. The letters were formed by expressly welding metal rods on an iron plate, so it was very hard to read.

Did the creator has a lot of emotional attachment to that name?

It absolutely wouldn’t break or fall off. That was how it was. It felt like there was such firm will from it.

The owner of such workshop was actually very famous in various senses.

The fame came from creating various practical mechanical products, or perhaps from restoring a machine back to normal. But not only that, the person was also famous for tending to forget even sleeping or eating once they shut themselves inside the workshop, that someone apparently would often come bringing food or checking the owner’s condition.

But as expected the biggest factor of the fame was──

「Nn?」

The workshop’s owner was shutting themselves inside the workshop too today. They fiddled around with their gathered junks doing this or that with them when they suddenly lifted up their face.

There was a peculiar sound from afar that sounded like *whoop whoop whoop-*.

It was the sound of something very precious that could only be used by extremely low number of people──a helicopter.

Why was someone from among such extremely small number of people came to a place like these mountains of junk?

That was none other than the biggest reason why everyone knew about this workshop’s owner.

「Even though I’m at the good part right now」

Gale blew around. The helicopter was going to land at the empty lot in front of the workshop. The surrounding people yelled

Waaa~~h

and scattered. Meanwhile a loud voice that didn’t lose out even against the helicopter’s sound reached out.

The voice was obviously directed toward the annoyed workshop owner. Yes,

「LISTYYYYYY!!」

It was directed toward Listy, the stepsister of Jasper, the governor of Coltran, the capital that was the base of mankind’s restoration.

Listy pushed aside the workshop’s curtain and her face peeked out with an annoyed look. The helicopter landed at that timing.

「What?」

A single word. No friendliness. In addition a displeased face. Those were her default state.

That stern look of Listy was extremely popular among a certain group of ladies and gentlemen, but forgot about that for now.

Don’t come here with helicopter, a governor shouldn’t come visit so casually, right now my research is in the good part so don’t disturb me……her gaze was fully filled with such complains, but even though the big brother who was targeted by such gaze would usually show a pathetic look right away despite being the leader of mankind restoration, it wasn’t the case just for today.

「Get in right away!」

He one-sidedly told her that. His look also wasn’t like the ordinary.

Is there an emergency?

Did something happen to Misty-oneechan or our other siblings?

Listy thought uneasily like that for a moment but……

「──We received message-!!」

Just that one sentence made her felt like her heart was stabbed. Her eyes naturally opened wide, her lips trembled uncontrollably, and she stood freezing on the spot.

Jasper didn’t get down from the helicopter and kept his hand held out toward such Listy. With an expression that was all smiles with joy,

「Come-」

「──!!」

She strongly knitted her eyebrows. Her lips were pressed tightly together that it formed a single straight line. Because if she didn’t do that, even she didn’t know what she would yell out.

That was why, for now she simply ran.

In order to meet that person.

Carrying only her feeling for these

five years

.

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.

It will be the other world trip machine world arc from the next chapter. It’ll make me happy if we can have fun together again! Best regards!