Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V4 Chapter 19

Chapter 19: “Another Abe, Huh?”

“Hello there~. I’m Abe Shinonome. Sorry about my little brother causing trouble. As a member of the Abe family, we don’t want any conflict with the yokai of Tono.”

A relaxed voice came out of nowhere as a man in his late twenties appeared without a sound.

He was dressed in a classic black suit, wearing matching black gloves. His white hair was neatly trimmed above his ears, and a gentle smile adorned his face.

However, to Natsuki, that smile felt completely fake.

“Really, sorry for interrupting. I really didn’t want to get in the way of your fight, but, you know, I just can’t let my cute little brother get killed. Sorry, sorry.”

Bobbing his head apologetically, the man walked casually toward Natsuki and the others.

Despite his humble demeanor, there was no trace of servility in his actions. Nor did he show any hostility whatsoever.

(…Great. Another troublesome one showed up. This guy… he’s strong.)

Since returning from the other world, Natsuki had encountered only a few humans he considered strong. Among them was Ren Kobayashi, someone with natural spiritual and physical abilities, but even Ren didn’t feel like a real threat to Natsuki.

But this man who called himself Shinonome Abe was different. He looked like a real hassle—and strong too.

If they weren’t in this particular place, Natsuki might have fought him on the spot. But Nurarihyon had specifically asked him not to go all out here, so now wasn’t the time.

The yokai village in Tono was a hidden sanctuary. It was surrounded by various barriers designed to prevent accidental human intrusion and to avoid being discovered by psychics.

Even so, some like Madoka managed to locate it and break in, but the difference a barrier made was apparently significant.

However, the village’s barriers couldn’t withstand Natsuki’s full power. Because of that, Nurarihyon had pleaded with him not to unleash the kind of strength he’d used when fighting gods and demons.

Moreover, the village was home to many weaker yokai. Even a glancing blow from Natsuki’s power could potentially cause serious harm to them.

Just as Natsuki was cautious of Shinonome Abe, so too were Nurarihyon, Senju, and Yusuke. All of them were on high alert.

Meanwhile, Madoka, looking somewhat disinterested, backed away from Natsuki to put some distance between them.

“Come on, Madoka, you should apologize properly. Oh, by the way, here’s some yatsuhashi as a gift. Please, help yourselves!”

Out of nowhere, Shinonome pulled out a package of sweets wrapped in decorative paper and began handing them out.

When Natsuki received one, he immediately tore open the wrapper and started eating.

“Hey, Yura! What if it’s poisoned?! Don’t just start munching—oh, great, you already swallowed it!”

“Poison doesn’t work on me, so it’s fine, fine.”

“That’s not the point!”

Senju shouted at Natsuki, who was happily munching on the yatsuhashi without hesitation.

Though it seemed like Natsuki had no sense of caution, he wasn’t worried because he had a strong resistance to poison.

Back in the other world, a certain noble, jealous of the rising influence of the nobles who supported Natsuki as a hero, once spread poison in an attempt to eliminate him. Everyone who consumed it died, including the noble himself—except for Natsuki, who remained unaffected.

According to the old man who had trained Natsuki, he had an unusually high resistance to toxins.

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve had yatsuhashi, so I couldn’t help myself.”

“That’s not an excuse!”

“Aw, come on now. I didn’t put any poison in it. What would be the point of that?”

“Says the shady-looking guy with the suspicious smile!”

“For real, there’s no poison in it! I just picked it up at Kyoto Station. Besides, I’m a pacifist. I don’t intend to harm any yokai who haven’t done anything wrong. I’ll take Madoka-kun and Bear-chan back with me, so isn’t that fine?”

Shinonome’s smile never faltered as he made it clear he planned to take Madoka and Kumazaki home.

“…Your little brother knows the exact location of this place now, though.” 

Nurarihyon said, observing him carefully.

“Oh dear, I guess I know it too now. Should we seal my lips or something?”

“No. You’re not human anyway. We’ll just rebuild the barrier. That much isn’t a problem.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you. We Abe folks promise not to set foot in Tono’s village again.”

“That works for me.”

“Well, then, we’ll be off—oh, wait a sec.”

Shinonome tossed a charm to Kumazaki, and in an instant, the giant figure crouching on the ground disappeared.

“A teleportation charm, huh? You don’t see those often.”

“It’s homemade.”

“…As expected from the Abe Clan.”

Even as Senju commented, Shinonome kept his usual relaxed smile.

While answering Senju, he leaned forward slightly, studying Natsuki’s face with curiosity.

“What?”

“You… wanna come to Kyoto?”

“Why?”

“Let’s hunt some oni together. Oh, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not about killing all yokai or anything. I only deal with the ones that harm humans—just like any regular psychic.”

“I used to be interested in Kyoto, but I’m good now. I’ll enjoy myself here in Tono.”

“Oh no, rejected. Well, that’s fine. Here’s my contact info. If you ever change your mind, just reach out. You too, Sunglasses Guy, and you over there. Kyoto’s yokai are evil that must be destroyed, unlike the ones in Tono. Feel free to come by and see for yourself anytime.”

With that, Shinonome turned his back on Natsuki and patted Madoka on the shoulder.

In the next moment, the sound of charms flapping in the air surrounded them, enveloping the pair.

“—Natsuki Yura. Yokai are evil. Just remember that. But I hope we never meet again.”

“See ya later!”

Madoka glared at Natsuki, while Shinonome waved cheerfully before the two of them vanished.

“They came and left as they pleased… If there’s a next time, I’ll wipe out the Abe Clan. Yeah. But honestly, I don’t want to see them again—it’s just too much trouble.”

Hearing Natsuki’s muttering, Senju, Yusuke, and Nurarihyon all nodded in agreement.

 ■Bonus Scene■

Meanwhile, with Seishiro Kanna:

“Yo, Master! Wassup! I’m the divine sword Totsuka-no-Tsurugi! Whoo-hoo!”

“…What is this? A dream? I was just taking a nap after my training, but… why is there a blonde guy, who looks like he spends all his time partying, standing in front of me? And unless I’m imagining things, this guy in an aloha shirt just called himself Totsuka-no-Tsurugi.”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff! By the way, Master, you’re pretty popular, huh? Who’d have thought you’d be getting hit on by the sister of the woman you kicked out of your house—your former fiancée—who’s also your brother’s wife. Man, I get a bit of attention in the sword industry, but nowhere near your level. I’m impressed! You’re nothing like that annoying old Susa-Susa dude!”

“…This has to be a dream. Please, just let it be a dream!”

“Well, actually, Master, I snuck into your dream because I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Yep, a favor! See, we’d love it if you could, you know, use us more often.”

“…I understand. Once I become an arm worthy of wielding the divine sword, I will.”

“Oh no, no, you’ve got it a bit wrong, Master! We’re tools, right? We want you to use us to the fullest! Back in the day, Susanoo-no-Mikoto used me as a laundry pole, you know? Like, seriously? Don’t disrespect me like that! That’s why, as my true master, I don’t care about your skill or whatever—just use me a ton! I’ve got a repair function, so even if the blade chips, it’s no problem! Heck, even if I break, I can handle it!”

“Is that really okay, though?”

“Well, I’m fine as long as you actually use me, but I can’t speak for… them.”

“Them?”

“Doesn’t use me, stabstabstabstabstab. Doesn’t treasure me the most, stabstabstabstabstab. Doesn’t give me a name, stabstabstabstabstab.”

“Why is there a creepy kid with bangs covering their face staring at me and muttering scary things?!”
“That’s the divine sword Tsukuyomi-sama entrusted to you, Master! Just go ahead and use it freely. Alright, later!”
“Wait, that does not sound like a sword I can use casually! Hey, come back…!”

With a jolt, Seishiro woke up from his dream, his face pale and his body trembling.

“First things first, I need to go buy a baby name book.”

〜〜Afterword〜〜

The Kyoto folks will be back for another battle sometime soon, so look forward to that!
Next time, we’ll have an interlude and then a banquet!

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