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

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Chapter 16: “Wait, Isn’t Madoka Acting Kinda Weird?”

Madoka Abe sat cross-legged on the couch in his apartment living room,

Glaring out the window at the sky with clear irritation.

“C’mon, Madoka! Let’s hit the weights together for once!”

“…Shut it. I don’t wanna turn into some walking muscle mountain like you.”

“Even spiritualists gotta keep their bodies in shape, y’know?”

“Didn’t help you when you got taken out with one kick to the groin.”

“Heh. That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve already started training down there.”

“…You what? This bear is actually insane. How do you even train your groin?”

“With a metal bat.”

“…That had to hurt, right?”

“One hit and I was seeing stars. Thought I was gonna transform into a girl right then and there.”

“YOU IDIOT!”

Whatever “method” he was talking about, Madoka didn’t even want to picture it—

But just hearing it made him reflexively pull his knees together in horror.

“Seriously though! All those damn siblings of mine… none of them have come home yet!”

Madoka hadn’t told anyone that his eldest brother, Shinonome, was secretly in contact with Ibaraki Doji.

Shinonome had a position to protect.

If that got out, the hardliner factions might label him a traitor—and come for him.

Madoka didn’t think any human would actually try to hurt his brother…

But if the spiritualists in Kyoto started turning on each other, things could get real ugly, real fast.

(I mean, wiping out the oni is fine and all—but the real goal is Shuten Doji. Once he’s dead, that child’s grudge can finally be settled… And if the hardliner exorcists do something reckless and end up paying the price? That’s fine too. As long as it helps kill Shuten Doji, who cares if a few nobodies go down? They’d probably say it was worth it, right?)

He let out a breath—

And immediately froze at the direction his thoughts had taken.

(…No. That’s not okay. What the hell am I thinking? I lost Nacchan. It tore me apart. So how can I possibly think sacrificing others is just “part of the plan”?)

His head throbbed—painfully, suddenly.

“Madoka? You okay? Your face looks pale—like, seriously bad.”

(Wait—why am I even thinking like this? No, I shouldn’t be thinking this at all—Wait, why do I feel like I’m not allowed to think it? What’s happening to me!? Get it together already!)

His thoughts spiraled out of control.

He stood up, dizzy and parched, meaning to get a drink—

But his legs gave out beneath him.

He crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Hey! Madoka! MADOKA!?”

“H-Hey, Kuma…”

“W-What is it!?”

“Why… why the hell am I even thinking about killing Shuten Doji?”

“Madoka!? Hey, snap out of it! You’re bleeding—your nose—HEY! Mom! MOOOM! Come quick!”

Kumazaki’s panicked voice echoed in Madoka’s ears, distant and fading.

As his vision dimmed, his thoughts kept spinning.

(The oni who killed Nacchan… it wasn’t Shuten Doji. Sure, he’s the top of the oni, but… The one I actually want to kill isn’t him. It’s the one who actually took Nacchan from me… So then… why? Why am I so fixated on Shuten Doji?)

■

When Shinonome returned from Mukaijima City, the one who greeted him was his younger brother, Madoka—asleep on the bed.

“…Looks like this hit him harder than I thought.”

Kumazaki had done his best to keep Madoka’s condition under wraps.

If Kirara or Onsa—both notorious for doting on their little brother—saw him like this, they’d definitely panic and cause a full-blown scene.

“I was planning to take things slow for a little longer… But maybe it’s time we start wiping out the oni.”

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Ohh… Something’s definitely up with Madoka-kun and Shinonome-san…

Chapter 16.5: Interlude — “Is Samatan About to Make a Move?”

In the far reaches of Aomori,

Samael—a demon with power on par with the Demon King Satan—was deep in thought.

“…I just want a reason to go see Kazutan.”

The more she thought about it, the more unfair it felt.

Amaterasu, who she only knew from online games, had already met Kazuto in person.

Meanwhile, Samael’s only interactions were limited to video comments and the occasional private message.

She wanted to call him—she really did.

But just imagining his voice made her so flustered, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Until now, she’d treated Kazutan like just another loyal fan.

But after that whole mess Mammon caused in Mukaijima…

She’d actually met him.

And they’d talked.

Really talked.

It didn’t feel like “streamer and fan” anymore.

It felt like… they were friends.

“…Now then, what excuse could I use to head to Mukaijima City… Oh! I know! A field report on the Kappa problem—I’ll make it a video!”

“Mammon!? What did the Kappa do this time!? What did they mammon-mammon!?”

“They’ve started stealing more than just cucumbers! I’m talkin’ cabbage, carrots—whole damn orchards! Remember that big theft last week!? We caught one red-handed, and when our guard was down—bam! The rest slipped away!”

“Mammon-mammon… But the Kappa in Mukaijima didn’t do anything wrong, mammon-mammon…”

Samael’s loyal subordinate—and current staff member of her streaming team—was none other than the demon of greed from the Seven Deadly Sins: Mammon.

Wearing a kitchen apron, Mammon was busy preparing dinner.

Meanwhile, Samael sat at her desk, still torn about wanting to see Kazuto… while absentmindedly editing their next video.

Lately, the comment section had started to shift.

It wasn’t just mammon-mammon! spam anymore.

More and more viewers were leaving messages directed at Samatan herself.

Sure, the channel had blown up thanks to Mammon’s chaotic catchphrase—

But with the rise in viewership came a growing number of fans who were now totally hooked on Samael instead.

Some even said they loved the dynamic between the two—

Samael constantly roasting Mammon,

Mammon just rolling with it.

Apparently, their banter had become a major draw.

Still, at her core, Samael wasn’t a content creator.

She was a farmer.

Streaming had always been just a fun little side hobby.

Though hey—if it brought in a bit of ad revenue?

That just meant she could afford the good beer.

The kind that hit different after a long day in the fields.

Honestly, she was starting to think this could become a legit side gig.

But the more the channel grew…

The more the complications did too.

“I’ve been up working since the crack of dawn, and now I’m editing videos at night! I barely even have time to talk to Kazutan! I used to spend my evenings watching dumb TV shows and sipping beer—Now the only time I drink is during dinner or while editing!”

“Mammon-mammon, but as you know, Samatan-sama, for us to return to the Demon Realm, we must hit one million subscribers—!”

“Don’t drag me into your personal goals! That’s your mission, not mine! I never signed up for this nonsense!”

“…Mammon-mammon. We are in this together, mammon-mammon.”

Mammon finished plating up ginger pork and a big ol’ mound of shredded cabbage, then grabbed a cold bottle of beer, poured a glass for himself, and took a long, satisfying gulp.

“Mamooon~! Japanese beer is seriously top-tier, mammon-mammon!”

“Right? Ever since we moved to Japan, I’ve been hooked. Oh—and sweet potato shochu? Absolutely divine.”

“Then maybe instead of Aomori, we should move to Kyushu, mammon-mammon?”

“That’s a separate issue!”

The two demons raised their glasses in perfect sync—

And downed them like true champions.

“Pwahhh! This is what life’s about!”

“Mammon-mammon~!”

After that, they fully indulged in the flavorful, tender ginger pork alongside steaming white rice.

The meat had been bought on sale—thin-cut beef from the local supermarket—but after a generous soak in ginger marinade, it came out soft, juicy, and packed with flavor.

The rich taste of the pork paired perfectly with the fluffy white rice.

Soaking the shredded cabbage in the leftover sauce? Fantastic.

Eating it together with a bite of beef? Even better.

“Mmm… dinner was amazing. But seriously, how do I get to meet Kazutan? …Wait, what if I bring the head of Shuten Doji from Kyoto as a gift—No, wait, he’s kind of retired now. Probably wouldn’t even care.”

“Mammon-mammon. If I may, Samatan-sama.”

“What is it now?”

“Do you… consider Kazuto Miyahara a friend, mammon-mammon?”

“Of course I do.”

“—Then you don’t need a reason to visit a friend, mammon-mammon.”

“…You…”

Samael covered her mouth, visibly moved.

She hadn’t expected that kind of profound wisdom from Mammon—

Especially considering it hadn’t even been a month since he’d shown up in Aomori.

But then… something else crossed her mind.

A sudden thought—one she decided to speak out loud.

“I’m just going to ask this once, but… You’re not planning to sneak Ako-chan into the house while I’m gone, right?”