Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V5 Chapter 01: “There Were Still People From Kyoto?” ①

Chapter 01: “There Were Still People From Kyoto?” ①

The Minazuki residence had become so familiar to them, it now felt like visiting a friend’s house.

Unkai, Mio, Miyako, and Seiun were there to greet them as always. After exchanging a few casual greetings and some light banter, everyone was ushered inside.

Even the Minazuki house staff now gave them friendly hellos like, “Hey there!”—they were all pretty much on a first-name basis by now.

“Can’t believe I’m being welcomed like this at the Minazuki estate… invited in, even.”

“Yeah, seriously.”

Senju Nanamori and Seishiro Kanna—who just happened to be visiting Mukaijima City—both wore complicated expressions.

“Why?”

Natsuki, genuinely curious, asked without thinking.

It was Seishiro’s nephew, Yoshimasa Kanna, who pushed up his glasses and answered with a cool, matter-of-fact tone.

“The Minazuki family, who worship the local deity Mizuchi-sama, is one of the more powerful old families affiliated with the Institute. On the other hand, the Kanna and Nanamori families are also old bloodlines—but in recent generations, their heads have been… well, fools. They clung to power for power’s sake. In contrast, the Minazuki family has stayed rooted in the community, continuing to protect the people. It’s obvious which family would be better regarded by those around them. But fools don’t get that. Instead, they let their ugly jealousy fester and started picking pointless fights with the Minazuki clan.”

“…Okay, so whose kid is this exactly? Also, are we sure he’s actually a kid?”

“Ah, that’s my nephew. My younger brother’s son. I mentioned him before, didn’t I?”

“Oh yeah, now that you mention it…”

“My name is Yoshimasa Kanna. I’m five years old. I was born to a foolish father and an unfaithful mother. Thanks to Uncle Seishiro, I’ve been allowed to remain in the Kanna family. He brought me here today because he thought staying cooped up in the house too long would stifle me.”

Watching the bespectacled Yoshimasa calmly discuss heavy family drama with perfect composure,

Natsuki couldn’t help but ask:

“…Um, excuse me, but—who are you on the inside?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a reincarnator, right?”

“Natsuki-kun, seriously… that’s a bit much.”

Kazuto cut in with a sigh—though even he looked a little unnerved by just how sharp this five-year-old was.

“I… don’t really understand stuff like reincarnation.”

“You suddenly sound like an actual five-year-old! Up until now, it felt like I was talking to a full-grown adult!”

“I’m thiiirsty…”

“That’s such a normal kid thing to say all of a sudden!?”

As Natsuki stared suspiciously at young Yoshimasa, both Senju and Seishiro lightly patted his shoulder.

“…I get how you feel, but let’s just go with ‘he’s a kid’ for now.”

“For now!?“

“He probably learned what not to do by watching those two. Apparently, his dream is to become a video streamer. Isn’t that kind of cute?”

“…Seishiro-san, just personally—let’s make sure that dream changes sooner or later, yeah?”

With that casual chatter going on, they were guided not to the usual room where Amaterasu resided,

Nor the formal parlor, but deep into the back of the mansion.

“This is around where Natsuki sliced everything up, right? Already repaired, huh. Japanese craftsmanship really is something.”

“Honestly, it’s too fast…”

And then, they arrived at their destination—

A gym.

“Whoa, they seriously have a gym! And a sauna too! Wait—there’s even a hot spring out back!? What is this place!?”

As Natsuki’s eyes sparkled with excitement, Amaterasu-Omikami stepped out, dressed in sporty workout clothes.

“Ahh—sorry, everyone. You all came out here and I’m like this. I’ve been working on building my body to become a proper land god, you see.”

“…What’s a land god doing with a workout routine? Just admit you’re trying to burn off that belly fat already!”

“H-Hey! Don’t say stuff like that in front of Kazuto-kyun! You’ll ruin my image!”

As Amaterasu started shrieking in protest, and Koume waved her off like she was a noisy fly,

Natsuki quietly looked away and asked the question that had been on his mind the whole time.

“So, uh… who’s that person in the gray sweats, tied up hand and foot over there in the corner of the gym?”

When he turned to Unkai, Mio, and Miyako, the three exchanged awkward glances.

After a brief, uncomfortable pause, Unkai finally stepped forward and spoke.

“Those two are from the Abe family.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?”

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Welcome to the Minazuki home gym!

So… you know what that means, right?