ch21-ch40 · 045-ch39

Chapter 39

A few days later.

Sai and Hexaria were called by Hiyori and set foot onto Ichijō property.

Hexaria's existence had been detected by the exorcists through government channels.

Hiyori's suggestion was that rather than clumsily hiding it, it would be better to reveal Hexaria's existence to a limited group of people and consult with them.

Since Hexaria needed to reach the top of Shinjuku Tower to return to the other world, this situation was, in a sense, a blessing in disguise.

The reason was that Shinjuku Tower was managed by the Japanese government.

So if the Ichijō exorcists and the government officially recognized her, they could obtain an adventurer license for Hexaria.

In that process, they would need to disclose information about the other world to them, but currently, no one — including Hexaria — had a means of traveling to the other world.

So they figured there was no harm in disclosing it.

And now, Sai and Hexaria stood before the Ichijō residence's gate.

"Hmm. Exorcism enchantments are plastered everywhere."

"It's an exorcist family, so they use defensive seals."

"Old seals... no. The enchantments are inconsistent and mana is being wasted. Much of it is inefficient. But the spirits are... heh heh, I see. For you, this is appropriate."

Hexaria was speaking to empty space.

...Not empty space. She was talking to the spirits dwelling in this land.

Unfortunately, the spirits of Earth were invisible to humans.

Incidentally, the spirits of the other world were visible to humans, and Sai had been indebted to them as well.

Just as the little maids who served her were visible to Sai and the others.

But why such a difference existed between Earth and the other world was unclear.

"Sensei, welcome~"

"Sensei. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Hiyori and Mio, both in casual clothes, arrived.

Mio must have been called as a relevant party as well.

Beside them stood a man with a clean, honest aura.

Hiyori's father, Ichijō Hayato.

"It's been a while."

"Not at all. My daughter is always in your care. And this must be..."

Today, too, Hexaria wore a wide-brimmed hat.

"Yes. It seems her presence has caused quite a surprise..."

"Yes. There are many things we need to ask her."

"Hey, Papa, don't talk about it in front of the house."

"Ah, you're right. Please, come in."

They were led to the same reception room they'd entered before.

Last time, it had been only Hiyori's family, but this time it seemed to be different.

Sai had met Hiyori's father and grandfather before.

And there was also that man he'd greeted during the Shinjuku Majin Frontline.

Aside from them, everyone else was someone he was meeting for the first time.

"Now that everyone is here, let us begin."

With a voice that sounded sincere, Hiyori's father Hayato took the lead.

"First, the participants. From the Ichijō family: myself, Hayato; my father, Genji; my daughter Hiyori; and her friend, Mio-kun. They are also relevant parties. And next to them..."

The stern-looking man sitting beside Hiyori's grandfather stared at Hexaria with suspicious eyes.

"Sakuraba, from the Exorcist Alliance Kanto Branch."

The Exorcist Alliance was an organization that received government support and united exorcists.

Originally, it was an organization that the Ichijō family coordinated, but since the Ichijō family was taking the lead this time, he had been dispatched as a representative from the Alliance.

Beside him were officials from the Japanese government.

"Yoshimura, from the Shinjuku Tower Division."

"Kaga, from the Magic Countermeasures Division."

Both were government officials from departments created after Shinjuku Tower's appearance.

"Sai... Yamana-kun, if you would."

"Yes. I'm Yamana Saito, an adventurer. And..."

When his turn came, Hexaria calmly turned her face forward.

"I am Hexaria. It seems my existence has startled you all."

She removed her hat, revealing her face and long ears.

"Ooh..."

Murmurs of wonder came from around them.

"Let me ask immediately, Hexaria-san. Your appearance is like the elves from stories..."

"Correctly, I am a High Elf. From a different world, you see."

A stir ran through the room.

However, one person wore a stern expression.

Sakuraba, from the Exorcist Alliance.

"A different world... you mean Kakuriyo. Like the Majin."

"Hey, Sakuraba."

Hayato hurriedly tried to restrain Sakuraba.

But Sakuraba wouldn't stop.

"Hah! I don't know how you managed to sneak into this barrier-packed mansion, but I can see you."

"Oh? Go on."

Completely unruffled, Hexaria urged him to continue.

Sakuraba, it seemed, had mistaken Hexaria not for a High Elf, but for a Majin disguised as one.

"What 'other world'? I can see a body, you know?"

"Oh? You see a body, you say."

"You look just like those Majin — your body is made of magical power. And what's with that ridiculous amount of magic? You'd have to be a Majin, or at least a high-ranking demon, to have that much."

What Sakuraba was saying was technically correct.

The High Elf race had bodily tissues composed almost entirely of magical power.

"First those Majin last time, and now you — what are you people plotting, aiming for Shinjuku Tower!"

"Hey, Uncle Sakuraba!"

Hiyori hurriedly tried to stop him.

"Don't stop me, Hiyo-chan. Do you know how hard it was last time!? You girls went through it too, didn't you!? Our comrades died! I've had enough of that kind of thing!"

The Shinjuku Majin Frontline had resulted in many severe and minor injuries, as well as deaths.

The Majin were demons with names, considered exceptionally strong among phantoms.

Thanks to Hiyori, Mio, and Sai, they had managed to defeat them.

And now, less than two months after the last incident, another one had appeared...?

Moreover, this one too was aiming for Shinjuku Tower.

The previous incident must have affected Sakuraba deeply.

Because of that, he was mistaking her, whose body resembled a Majin's, for one herself.

But Sakuraba was making one major mistake.

It was the quality of magical power. The magical power of phantoms and elves was completely different.

Sai, with his trained Mana Perception, could tell, but Sakuraba, who relied on his Mana Eye, apparently couldn't read that aspect.

Sai was wondering how to defuse the situation.

But Hexaria acted first.

"Such insufferable drivel."

"Hah!?"

The moment Sakuraba shouted, the reception room was instantly covered by an overwhelming pressure of magical power.

The source was Hexaria.

Hexaria slightly shifted her glasses and looked down at Sakuraba.

'Stop your chirping. You, be quiet and sleep.'

"Yessir..."

Sakuraba, hit by Hexaria's trademark charm, fell asleep.

In the other world's language, which only Sai could understand, she put him to sleep.

Her charm easily leaped across language barriers.

Those around were overwhelmed by the sudden development.

Only Sai was a little surprised by the situation.

"Just putting him to sleep? That's pretty lenient, coming from you, Saria."

"Hmph. I cannot dirty this place with blood."

Hexaria showed no mercy to those who insulted her. That was Hexaria.

She had heard from Sai a little about phantoms and Majin.

Sakuraba had equated Hexaria with phantoms — what the other world would call demons.

From the other world's sensibilities, that was beyond mere insult.

And Sakuraba had made such a statement.

And Hexaria was not a woman who stayed quiet after such an insult.

Normally, she would have administered a much harsher punishment.

Yet this time, she settled for just "don't interfere."

Anyone who knew Hexaria from the other world would certainly be shocked.

Everyone present looked stunned, but the first to try and steer the situation forward was Hayato.

"My apologies, Hexaria-san. There was someone unworthy of this occasion."

"It matters not. Continue."

"And so... just to confirm, the language you just spoke was..."

Hayato was conversant in many languages.

Yet even he couldn't identify that language.

"Yes. That was what you would call an 'other world' language."

"What exactly is this 'other world' place?"

It was Yoshimura from the Shinjuku Tower Division who asked.

"I think I should explain that. It would probably be easier to understand than if she explained it."

"Sai-san?"

Yoshimura worked at the Shinjuku Tower Adventurer's Guild.

So he naturally knew of Sai's existence.

A middle-aged adventurer who'd obtained his license less than a year ago. Yamana Saito.

Commonly known as Sai. A solo adventurer in his forties who had suddenly obtained an adventurer license and was conquering Shinjuku Tower with unstoppable momentum.

An adventurer with both the skill and the will to help those in need, even though he wasn't part of a rescue team.

He also ran instructional streams, spreading unprecedented training methods for magical power, and could teach the ropes of adventuring — where did he learn all this?

At the Adventurer's Guild, his achievements, accumulated in a short time, had led some to say they wanted to at least send him a letter of appreciation at some point. A star among middle-aged men.

That was the assessment of Sai.

And now, what was Sai going to explain?

"Yes. I also lived in her world for about thirty years."

It was an unexpected bombshell.

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Thank you for reading.