Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V4 Chapter 03

Chapter 03: “Does the Yokai Want Something? Or Nah?”②

“For now, let’s head back home. No point staying by the river all day.”

“Don’t rush things, kiddo.”

“What now?”

Natsuki finished his bottle of mineral water and stood up.

At this point, he was definitely going to be late for school, so he decided to give up on the idea altogether.

He had already messaged Tsukuyomi-sensei: “Taking the day off because of some nuranura business.”

“C’mon now, have a seat. Let’s have a little heart-to-heart—just you and me. A chat between a human and a yokai, you know?”

“…Is this going to be one of those fantasy discussions?”

“Well, if you want to lump us yokai into the whole fantasy category, I guess I can’t stop you.”

The Nurarihyon gave a wry smile, amused at being casually categorized as “just fantasy” by Natsuki.

Since the Nurarihyon seemed intent on talking, Natsuki sighed and sat back down, deciding to hear him out.

“I might’ve gone a little overboard with the nuranura, but let’s have a serious talk.”

“Alright.”

“I’ve asked around about you—spoke to the kappa, some yokai living nearby, the bridge princess over there, and even that loud susa-susa guy. Sorry for digging into your background.”

“I don’t really mind, but wow, Grandpa, you’ve got quite the social network.”

“Comes with living a long life. Anyway, kid, what are you planning to do from here on out?”

“From here on out? Well, for now, I guess studying for entrance exams? Honestly, I don’t have any big dreams, so I’m thinking of just going to a school within my reach. But I kind of want to start working as soon as possible, so I’m still figuring things out.”

“Yeah, that’s important too, but that’s not quite what I meant. I’m talking about this—what’s the hero who returned from another world planning to do with his life here in Japan?”

“Oh, that.”

“Yeah, that.”

Natsuki crossed his arms, lost in thought.

It was true—he had been a hero who dominated in another world, but now that he was back in Japan, he didn’t have any specific plans to use that power for anything.

Life had been so full of events since his return that he hadn’t really had the time to think about his future.

“Hmm… I don’t really have any big ambitions to use this power for anything. Sure, if some strong god or demon picks a fight with me, I’ll fight back, and if I can kill them, I will. But I’m not going out of my way to start fights. Oh, but I am planning to visit Kyoto. Even though I’ve been told not to, I’m still thinking about it!”

“Wait, hold up—Kyoto is dangerous. A kid like you, who trouble clings to, is guaranteed to get caught up in something if you go there. Kyoto is seriously bad news.”

“It’s that dangerous? How bad are we talking?”

“…Let’s see… Imagine messing up your first kiss and accidentally bumping teeth instead.”

“That’s super bad! Kyoto’s terrifying! That’s the kind of thing that makes things awkward forever—like, if it’s a new couple, it could even lead to a breakup! You’d stop texting each other, and before you know it, you’re drifting apart!”

“Wait, are you speaking from experience? If so, sorry about that.”

“Nope. Learned it from shoujo manga!”

“Ah, shoujo manga. Got it. Well, anyway, that’s how bad Kyoto is.”

Natsuki could tell Kyoto was dangerous, but now he was more curious than ever about how it was dangerous.

“Okay, I get that it’s dangerous, but if you don’t tell me just how dangerous, I’m going to end up jumping on a bullet train out of sheer curiosity!”

“What the—!? You said you wouldn’t come to Tono, but you’re fine with going to Kyoto!?”

“I don’t even know where Tono is! Where is it? Aomori?”

“No! Why Aomori!? It’s in Iwate! It’s a great place, so you should visit! Oh, and it’s a sister city with Salerno in Italy and Chattanooga in the US!”

“Uh… where even are those!?”

Somehow, Natsuki got the feeling that the Nurarihyon was the same type as Ginko—someone who didn’t tire him out but always managed to drag him into their pace.

“So, about Kyoto… the fox faction and the oni faction are in a huge feud, and it’s a total mess. Then you’ve got the Abe clan jumping in, creating a full-blown three-way standoff. If you show up as a tourist, every faction’s going to target you, and there’s no way you’ll make it back home!”

“Whoa, seriously? A three-way standoff? Wait, Abe clan… you mean, like, that Seimei?”

“Yep, the one and only Abe-no-Seimei. The clan’s split between a peaceful faction that wants to hold hands and get along with us yokai and an extreme faction that wants to wipe us out completely. It’s chaos! Soooo, instead of Kyoto, why not come to Tono? Right now, I can introduce you to a cute snow woman or a rokurokubi! You might even find a bride!”

“Y-you’re coming on pretty strong…”

“Hey, I heard everything! Could you introduce me to a beautiful faceless woman, maybe a nopperabo?”

“Wait, how do you even decide if a nopperabo is beautiful? They don’t have a face! That’s next-level difficulty.”

A very familiar voice echoed along the riverbank.

“Who’s there!?”

“No need to take it so seriously.”

Natsuki interjected, cutting off the Nurarihyon, who had stood up, visibly on guard.

Of course, Natsuki already knew exactly who it was.

“I ran into Senju-san at the convenience store, and we figured we’d grab breakfast together. That’s when I overheard your little chat. If you think Natsuki-kun is the only hero summoned to another world, you’re dead wrong! I, Yusuke Sado, was summoned as the Hero of the Earth, only to be constantly compared to my predecessor, insulted, treated like a breeding stud, and ultimately killed! I’m the unluckiest hero ever!”

“…You’re something else. You were holed up indoors until yesterday, and now you’re out here giving dramatic speeches. Oh, and wipe your tears. If talking about it makes you cry, maybe don’t bring it up.”

“…Okay.”

Standing dramatically with their backs to each other were Yusuke Sado, Natsuki’s successor as a summoned hero, and Senju Nanamori, a psychic with magical eyes.

〜〜Afterword〜〜

A shocking, all-guys yokai party in Tono!

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