Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V6 Chapter 11, 12, 13, 13.5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 20.5
Chapter 11: “Is It ‘Paoooon’ Even at School?”
“Tsukuyomi-sensei, these are souvenirs from Kyoto. There’s enough for the other teachers too, so please share.”
“…Please keep your voice down a little… no, never mind. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. And also, I heard you got along well with Susanoo last night—allow me to thank you again.”
“Not at all! Susa-Susa and I are best friends!”
With a sparkle, Natsuki flashed a bright grin.
Tsukuyomi looked at him with a slightly suspicious expression.
“…You’ve already gone to Kyoto and come back, so there’s no need to keep up appearances anymore, you know?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you don’t have to pretend to be friends with Susanoo.”
“Come on, sensei. Sure, I was a bit harsh about the name ‘susa-susa,’ but I don’t actually dislike him. Yeah, we fought and all, but you know how it goes in delinquent manga—once you trade punches, you’re basically best buddies!”
“…If you say so. I won’t press the matter any further.”
“Yessir!”
“…Sigh. Please take care of my younger brother. He’s not a bad god, really. It’s just… he tends to act impulsively—too quick-tempered, too emotional, and prone to acting on a whim.”
“It’s fine. He was even worried about my powers, so I know he’s not a bad guy.”
Their first meeting hadn’t exactly been pleasant—and they had even tried to kill each other.
Even so, maybe it was because of Susanoo’s straightforward, easygoing personality, but Natsuki felt sure they could get along as good friends.
At his words, Tsukuyomi looked relieved and gave a small bow.
“Please take care of my little brother.”
“Yes!”
The two exchanged smiles.
But then—the atmosphere shifted.
From light and friendly, it turned sharp and tense.
“Now then, as both a teacher… and as Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, there is something I would like to ask you.”
“Y-Yes?”
“—Why is there an elephant on the rooftop going ‘paoooon’?”
“…So you noticed, huh?”
With an awkward expression, Natsuki glanced from the staff room toward the rooftop.
Up there, the elephant was happily splashing itself with water—going “paoooon.”
“Well, he said his presence-concealment thing should be fine, though?”
“I may not look it, but I am a god. I can see him just fine.”
“Ah, um, that elephant is Ganesha from Indian mythology—aka Ganetan.”
“I don’t know about ‘Ganetan,’ but I do understand he’s the god Ganesha. That’s not the issue. I’m asking why you brought him to school.”
“Because Senju-san refused to take him!”
“I don’t fully follow, but if Senju Nanamori wouldn’t take him, then you could’ve just left him at home, couldn’t you?”
“My mom hadn’t left for work yet! And unlike you, sensei, he’s not in human form—he’s literally a god with an elephant head, so it’d be obvious! Even if he tried to disguise himself, being an elephant is still a problem!”
“That still doesn’t mean you bring him to a middle school. What do you think this place is? It’s not a zoo.”
“Don’t treat Ganetan like an animal!”
“He is an animal, isn’t he? He’s going ‘paoooon’ nonstop.”
The truth was, since Natsuki had arrived at school before any other students, he had ridden in on Ganesha.
And of course—“This is my first time riding an elephant!”
—His excitement had been through the roof.
“It’s fine since no one can see him!”
“…Miyako Minazuki-san is sprinting full speed toward the rooftop. Is that still ‘fine’?”
“Crap! Miyako-san’s a psychic, she’ll totally notice! I’m gonna get yelled at!”
“Please do get yelled at.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Natsuki gave a quick bow to Tsukuyomi, then dashed toward the rooftop.
On the way, Gondo-sensei—still glowing from his recent marriage—shouted, “Don’t run in the hallway, Yuraaa!”
…but Natsuki didn’t stop.
—And then, on the rooftop.
“…Natsuki Yura-kun. Please explain this elephant.”
“…Natsuki-kun, I think bringing an elephant to school goes way beyond fantasy.”
Miyako Minazuki and Kazuto Miyahara both stood there, stunned, staring up at Ganesha as he happily went—
“Paoooon.”
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Tsuku-Tsuku: “Since Miyako-san is a sensible person, let’s have her take responsibility for Natsuki-kun until graduation. Come to think of it, there’s an option to go into a spiritually-focused high school… maybe we should send Natsuki-kun there too. That school lets you graduate even if you skip—as long as you’ve got the ability.”
Chapter 12: “Isn’t This Other World Seriously Bad?”
Yusuke Sado—the Hero of the Earth—had once been summoned to another world.
He was supposed to be called as the successor to Natsuki Yura, the Hero of the Sea who defeated the Demon King.
But simply because he was “weaker than his predecessor,” he was abused… and in the end, even treated like breeding stock.
Even after Natsuki had nearly destroyed the Demon King’s army, the human side had fallen into chaos—no unity, constant backstabbing, and without an absolute figure like the Demon King to hold things together, they were being pushed to the brink.
And so—
Yusuke was used as a disposable pawn.
And he died.
God pitied him, brought him back to Earth, and revived him—
…But that trauma still hadn’t faded.
“I knew something was off! God said he’d rewind time if that world got destroyed, so I thought my summoning would get erased too! But my powers as the Hero of the Earth are still here! Which means… I might get summoned again—haha… I tried not to think about it, but damn it! Even if it’s a different time, I got summoned again! And this time, I’m separate from Natsuki-kun and the others!? You’ve gotta be kidding me!”
Even though the era, location, and summoner were all different—Yusuke Sado had been summoned to another world once again.
Humans still held the advantage this time, so his treatment wasn’t as terrible as before… but—
It hadn’t even been three weeks since he came back.
His trauma hadn’t healed at all.
And yet, he had been dragged back into this hell of an isekai again.
So he screamed.
And screamed.
And screamed—
Then ran into a nearby room and barricaded himself inside.
They brought him food, but he didn’t even want to touch it.
Luckily, he still had emergency rations, and as the Hero of the Earth, he could draw magic power from the ground to sustain and heal his body—so he could manage without eating or drinking for a while.
“…I don’t know if time flows differently between worlds or if summoning causes some kind of time gap, but… there’s no sign of Natsuki-kun or the others coming! I’m basically a captured princess right now!”
If Natsuki were here, he’d probably say, “You’ve got it pretty easy, don’t you?”—but Yusuke, alone in a world filled with nothing but trauma, had no room to stay calm.
“…If I just head to the Demon King’s army… no, wait, I don’t even know any demons personally. And if I drop Natsuki-kun’s name, I can only see it turning into a revenge battle! What do I do!?”
Bang bang bang!
Someone knocked on the door.
They were still speaking gently—for now—since they wanted to make use of Yusuke.
But there was no telling how long that polite front would last.
“—Hero-sama, it’s me. Beatrice Blescott.”
“Eep.”
“I understand you’re confused. But we truly need your power, Hero-sama!”
“…Yeah, no thanks.”
“The previous Hero-sama risked his life to fight the Demon King. I, too, am heartbroken, having lost the one I loved—”
“Yeah right.”
“The previous Hero-sama also said this—he wished for me to forget him and move on with my life.”
“There’s no way Natsuki-kun would ever say that!”
“Even so, I cannot forget him. However, I cannot afford to grieve forever! Now that the previous Hero-sama has defeated the Demon King, this is our chance—humanity’s chance to defeat the demon race! With the holy sword gone, you, the new Hero, are humanity’s last hope!”
“This is bad… just because you can’t hear me doesn’t mean you get to say whatever you want! Who’s gonna believe any of that!?”
“Other Heroes have already agreed to cooperate with us.”
“—Huh?”
“And gods who have descended from other worlds will lend us their power!”
“—Wait, what?”
“Now is the perfect opportunity to defeat those hateful demons and use them as labor forever! Please, Hero-sama—lend us your strength!”
Once the speech ended and her footsteps faded away, Yusuke let out a long, heavy sigh.
“…There are other Heroes besides me and Natsuki-kun… and even gods involved? Isn’t this… way worse than last time?”
〜〜Afterword〜〜
This time was from Yusuke-kun’s side.
A quick note: after Nacchan returned from the other world, that world has basically been reset and is going through a redo.
Because of that ripple effect, Yusuke-kun ended up getting summoned as a Hero—even though he originally wasn’t supposed to.
And on top of that, more Heroes and even gods have been added into the mix.
In other words—Total chaos!
Nacchan’s descent into the other world is just around the corner.
Chapter 13: “Is Miyako-san Actually Mad?”
“O-Oh, Kazuto’s here too. Ahh… so you could see him after all! Sorry if I surprised you! But, uh, he’s not a dangerous elephant, okay? If anything, he’s more like a lucky charm kind of elephant—”
“—Yura-kun, sit.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
At Miyako’s low voice, Natsuki immediately dropped into a proper seiza.
For some reason, Kazuto followed along and sat the same way.
Ganesha had been going “paoooon,” but now—
He went completely silent.
That was how much pressure Miyako was giving off.
“Yura-kun… who, exactly, is this elephant?”
“He’s Ganesha from Indian mythology—Ganetan, here on a little visit.”
Natsuki gave the introduction, but—
Ganesha didn’t move a single inch.
He was so still, he almost looked like a decorative statue.
“He’s a revered god, isn’t he!? And you’re just… leaving someone like that on a middle school rooftop, going ‘paoooon’!? What kind of situation is that!?”
“But! Ganetan said he wanted to come to school with me!”
“Couldn’t you have left him with someone else, Natsuki-kun?”
“Senju-san ran away, my mom was still home, and I can’t even contact Yusuke-kun! And the only place he originally showed up was my front door!”
“…Please take him back to India.”
“No way! That’ll start the India arc! I may be someone who can’t live without events anymore, but even I don’t need something that intense! If I get involved with Indian mythology, the world’s definitely gonna end!”
“Events don’t just happen that easily!”
“Oh yes they do! My encounter rate with gods, demons, and yokai is insane! I never thought Earth would be more fantasy than another world!”
Natsuki let out a half-laugh, half-cry.
If asked which was better—Earth or the other world—he wouldn’t hesitate.
Earth, obviously.
But still—
Facing big-name beings, nearly dying multiple times—
He was already completely fed up.
“I mean, seriously, it’s fine! Events are fine! I’ll fight gods or demons if I have to! But the problem is—they’re too packed together! It’s only been eighteen days since I got back from another world! Why is every single day this busy!? What are these events trying to do to me!?”
“Uh… Miyako-san… Natsuki-kun’s kinda hitting his limit, so maybe—”
“No, Kazuto-kun, don’t be fooled. The moment you tried to defend him, Yura-kun smiled a little.”
“Damn it! How did you catch that!?”
“—Yura-kun.”
“I’m very sorry! Also, you were calling me Natsuki-kun earlier, but now you’re using Yura-kun because you’re mad—that’s honestly kinda scary!”
Natsuki quickly apologized and insisted he was reflecting on his actions.
Miyako didn’t actually want to lecture him forever.
She let out a long sigh and uncrossed her arms.
“…Anyway, what are you going to do about Ganesha-sama?”
“Huh? Isn’t it fine to just leave him like this?”
“Of course it’s not! Even if someone isn’t as gifted as Kazuto-kun, anyone with some ability would still be able to perceive him.”
“…Um, then… doesn’t that mean it’s already a problem right now?”
Kazuto asked nervously.
Miyako gave a slightly smug look as she replied.
“—I’ve placed a concealment technique on him. For a short time, it’ll be fine.”
“As expected of Miyako-san!”
“Woo! The prodigy of the Minazuki family!”
“Well, it’s not that impressive—actually, it kind of is!”
Natsuki smirked to himself.
(As I thought, Miyako-san is weak to flattery! I mean, her concealment technique is amazing…but if it were me, the only way I could stop witnesses would be to destroy the entire school!)
“Um, Ganesha-sama… Miyako-san isn’t angry anymore, so maybe we can start talking?”
When Kazuto spoke to him, the elephant went pop—and transformed into a humanoid form.
“Yo! I’m Ganesha! Greetings from Indian mythology! Call me Ganetan!”
Seeing Ganesha exactly as they had imagined him, Miyako and Kazuto both went—“Whoa…”
And immediately bowed down in awe.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Nacchan: “What if we just put him in an animal shed for now?”
Miyako: “There isn’t one at a middle school.”
Nacchan: “No, I mean the elementary school one.”
Miyako: “Why!?”
Nacchan: “Like, even if people notice, maybe we can just play it off—‘Whoa, it’s an elephant!’—and get away with it?”
Miyako: “There’s no way that would work!”
Chapter 13.5: Interlude — “Isn’t This the Abe Family Dining Table?”
—Kyoto.
Abe Madoka sat at the table, chewing on toast, his face twitching slightly as he stared at the three sitting across from him—Hoshiguma Doji, Torakuma Doji, and Kuma Doji.
“…Why aren’t you going back home?”
Wearing matching tracksuits in different colors, the oni lounged around like they owned the place.
Madoka asked, clearly annoyed.
“We don’t have a home, so what do you expect!?”
“We’re even cooking for you in return for staying here, aren’t we!”
“Kumaa!”
“…Kumazaki’s mom is already here, so you don’t need to do any housework! That’s not the point—I’m asking why you’re staying at my place!”
Hoshiguma Doji happily dug into bacon and eggs, along with a huge pile of white rice, natto, and miso soup.
Torakuma Doji focused on a vegetable salad, along with toast and corn soup.
Kuma Doji munched on biscuits drenched in honey, looking completely satisfied.
“Can’t you at least coordinate what you’re eating!?”
“What, we should just eat whatever we want, right?”
“I’m the one buying the ingredients anyway. You’re kinda petty, you know.”
“Kuma! Kuma kuma!”
“I don’t even understand what Kuma Doji is saying!”
Feeling a headache coming on, Madoka took a sip of his coffee.
“…Why does this coffee taste so damn good?”
“Hah! When it comes to grinding beans, no one beats our Kuma Doji! She doesn’t drink coffee though—too bitter for her!”
“…What a waste of talent. Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine—you don’t have to force yourself to drink it. Don’t make that sad face… now I feel guilty.”
For some reason, Hoshiguma Doji puffed out her chest proudly.
On the right side of her tracksuit, the name “Hoshikuma” was embroidered.
By the way, Torakuma Doji had “Tora,” and Kuma Doji had “Kuma” stitched on theirs.
“…Well, whatever. The food’s fine. I don’t feel like nitpicking every little thing. But still—why are you all camping at my house, of all places, after Nacchan and the others left!?”
“Well, that’s because this place feels the least ‘lived-in,’ so it’s the most comfortable.”
At Hoshiguma Doji’s answer, Torakuma Doji chimed in.
“Kirara’s room feels way too girly—it’s hard to relax. And Onsa’s place—why are there so many random workout machines!? As for Shinonome’s room… well, we’re young women too, you know?”
“…That’s not what I’m asking. Just go stay with Shuten Doji! You live in the same apartment complex!”
“No way! It probably reeks of alcohol and old-man smell!”
“I don’t like oni, but I think Shuten Doji is allowed to cry here. Also… aren’t you guys basically just as old? You’re not that different from him.”
“Hey! Don’t go calling beautiful women like us ‘old’!”
“I’ll smack you! There’s no way I smell like that!”
“Kuma kuma kuma!”
The oni sisters had followed Madoka home naturally after seeing Natsuki and the others off the day before.
The moment he let his guard down, they completely took over his place.
“You’re complaining, but let’s not forget—your childhood friend Natsuki Yura destroyed our house! All my carefully stored plum wine jars got smashed—I nearly cried!”
“My home garden got wrecked too!”
“Kuma kumaa!”
“And Kuma Doji’s precious hidden stash of honey was completely ruined!”
“…Nacchan’s my best friend, sure—but does that really justify you all camping at my place? I was the one who suffered the most because of Ibaraki Doji, you know!”
When he was young, Madoka had been attacked by Ibaraki Doji and cursed to hate Shuten Doji.
His mind had been unstable back then—so much so that when he reunited with Natsuki, he didn’t even recognize him at first.
Even now, after Ibaraki Doji’s death, that resentment hadn’t completely faded.
“If we’re going there, we had our sister and little brother killed too! But we’re not blaming you for that! So don’t go blaming us over our sister either!”
“…You guys have some nerve.”
“Actually, we’re the ones who suffered because of our sister! You only dealt with it for a few years, right!? We had to put up with her for over a thousand years!”
Madoka let out a deep sigh.
It wasn’t like he planned to take out his feelings about Ibaraki Doji on Hoshiguma Doji.
Still—
Having three people just barge in and settle down like this…
At least complaining a little felt fair.
“Alright, I’ve got something to take care of, so I’m heading out. Thanks for the food.”
“Something to take care of?”
Madoka asked, puzzled.
The three sisters exchanged a glance and smiled.
“I’m going with our old man to prepare our sister’s grave. And we’ve gotta give Kin Doji a proper send-off too.”
It seemed Hoshiguma Doji had plans with Shuten Doji.
“I’m going shopping with Kirara. I can’t just show up to my husband looking like this, right!”
“Why are Torakuma Doji and Kirara-nee-chan suddenly so close!?”
“Kuma kuma kuma!”
“Hm?”
“Kuma Doji says she’s going to train with Onsa! Apparently Onsa invited her for a rematch from before!”
“Wait, that ‘kuma kuma kuma’ had that much meaning!? And Onsa-nee-chan’s gotten close with you too!?”
“Oh, and while we’re at it—Shinonome Abe is apparently going to take down some hardliners using evidence of corruption he dug up.”
“Why does Hoshiguma Doji know my brother’s schedule!?”
—Somehow, the Abe family and the oni were getting along surprisingly well.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
I don’t know why, but every time I type “Torakuma Doji,” it converts to “Senju Nanamori”…
Guess it’s fate!
Chapter 14: “Feels Like School Life Again, Right?” ①
“C’mon, raise your heads. If you’re Nacchan’s friends, then you’re my buddies too—best buddies!”
Ganesha, with his elephant head, spoke cheerfully as he helped Miyako and Kazuto stand up.
“Ganesha-sama, I am… Miyako Minazuki. A member of the Minazuki family, protectors of this land. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m Kazuto Miyahara, Natsuki-kun’s childhood friend. Nice to meet you!”
“Miyako-chan and Kazu-chan, huh! Alright! From today on, we’re best buds!”
After their polite greetings, Ganesha casually patted both of them on the shoulders.
Despite being a god, he was completely friendly—no arrogance, no overwhelming presence at all.
The two relaxed and smiled back at him.
“Man, even over in Indian mythology, word about Nacchan’s been spreading. Curious as I am, I wanted to meet you before anyone else did!”
“…Isn’t that kinda bad? Like, seriously bad? My name spreading all the way to Indian mythology—is that for real? If they’ve got their eyes on me, that’s really bad, right?”
Natsuki started panicking at the thought of his reputation spreading.
At the same time, he wondered who was responsible—and quietly vowed to track them down and beat them up.
“Um, so then… Ganesha-sama—”
“Just call me Ganetan, Kazu-chan!”
“Ganetan, you just came here to hang out?”
“Yup! I’m not really into fighting or anything. Though there were some guys who wanted to pick a fight with Nacchan… but that’s just a minor detail!”
“Wait, tell me their names!”
“…You’re better off not knowing. If you hear them, you’ll probably lose hope.”
“Definitely big names! Uwaaaaaaahhhhhhh!”
It hadn’t even been three weeks since he got back from another world, and yet—
Natsuki could already feel another life-threatening situation creeping closer.
“Ganesha-sama… ah, no—Ganetan-sama. It’s fine that you came to visit, but having you go ‘paoooon’ on a school rooftop is… a bit of a problem.”
Miyako spoke carefully, almost nervously.
Ganesha scratched his head and apologized.
“My bad, my bad. I just wanted to check out a school. I can just stay in an animal shed or something, so don’t worry about me!”
“There is no animal shed here.”
“…Oh. Middle schools these days don’t have those, huh.”
“Aren’t those more of an elementary school thing? That’s not the point! We have classes, and we can’t just leave a god on the rooftop.”
“But I’ve got nowhere to go… and being alone is kinda lonely, you know?”
“…Understood. Please wait a moment.”
With that, Miyako pulled out her phone and made a call.
“Hello. Yes, this is Miyako. Actually, Ganesha-sama from Indian mythology has come to visit, and right now… he’s on the middle school rooftop. Yes, yes. I see. If you already knew, I would’ve appreciated you dealing with this sooner. No, I’m not blaming you. Just thinking out loud—but currently, I’m here with Natsuki-kun and Kazuto-kun.”
Natsuki immediately figured out who she was calling.
The next moment, the space nearby warped—and Amaterasu popped out.
“Good morning!”
“Ah, Teruko-chan!”
“I-I’m so happy to greet Kazuto-kyun first thing in the morning… hehehe.”
“—Amaterasu-Omikami-sama?”
“Eek—sorry! Anyway, Ganesha-dono! I’d like to invite you to the Minazuki household, where I’m currently staying! We’ve got hot springs, a sauna, and even a gym, so please, come along!”
“…Japanese hot springs! Those exist in normal homes!? I’m honestly super interested!”
“Please, by all means! Natsuki-kun, I—this Sun God, Amaterasu-Omikami—will personally take responsibility for hosting Ganesha-dono!”
“…You don’t have to keep emphasizing you’re a sun god while sneaking glances at Kazuto like that.”
It seemed Amaterasu was trying to show off a bit in front of Kazuto.
Her way of inviting Ganesha didn’t exactly scream “sun god,” but if she was happy with it, that was fine.
“Teruko-chan, thanks!”
“No problem at all! For Kazuto-kyun, I’d handle one or two gods from Indian mythology!”
“Don’t say stuff like that! We don’t need more added to the list!”
“Oops, my bad. Anyway, come by later, okay? See ya!”
It seemed just seeing Kazuto was enough to satisfy her.
With a huge smile, Amaterasu disappeared, leaving behind the warped space acting like a gate.
“Nacchan, we finally met, but… I’m gonna go enjoy those hot springs for a bit! You make sure to attend your classes properly, alright! Miyako-chan and Kazu-chan too—studying is important! Later!”
With that, Ganesha stepped into the gate and vanished.
“…My mother and Unkai-sama are going to have a hard time, but let’s just leave it to them.”
“Miyako-san is amazing! You can even order around Amaterasu-sama like that—seriously impressive! Sasuga Miyako-san! Sasumiya!”
“Sasumiya! Sasumiya!”
“Hmph! It’s not that impressive—well… actually, it is!”
Natsuki and Kazuto kept chanting “Sasumiya! Sasumiya!” while praising her.
The chant went on for a while—
Then the bell rang.
“Ah.”
“Ah.”
“Crap.”
—Of course, they were late for homeroom.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Miyako-san is strong!
Amaterasu-sama showing up first thing in the morning—what a treat!
Nacchan: “That was a relief.”
Kazuto-kyun: “Teruko-chan is really dependable, huh.”
Chapter 15: “Feels Like School Life Again, Right?” ②
“Haah… that was such an awkward time.”
“Good work, Natsuki-kun.”
“Natsuki-kun, good job.”
After finishing the morning classes, it was now lunch break.
Up on the rooftop, Natsuki was eating his bento together with Miyako and Kazuto.
“Seriously, they treated me like some rare creature—it actually hurt. And I forgot everyone’s names and faces. Actually… I don’t even remember that I used to remember them in the first place!”
“I wonder about that…”
“Maybe it’s the influence from the other world?”
“Or maybe Natsuki-kun just isn’t interested in his classmates?”
“That’s definitely it.”
“You two are awful!”
While eating the bento Satan had made for him, Natsuki looked like he was about to cry.
The moment he stepped into the classroom, someone went, “Whoa, Yura showed up—no way,” and apparently people had even been betting on when he’d finally come to school.
That honestly hurt.
Even during breaks, everyone just kept watching him from a distance, and no one came up to talk.
“I can’t take this anymore… coming to school is suffering!”
“It’s only been half a day. The reason Natsuki-kun is being kept at a distance is because you got the basketball club shut down. You also ended up causing several students to be suspended. They were in the wrong, but people probably just don’t know how to approach you.”
“The basketball club? …Ahh, yeah, those guys really were hopeless! Just throwing away their virginity like it’s nothing! The fairies are gonna cry, you know!?”
“…They’re not going to cry.”
“Yeah, they won’t. What kind of fairy are you even talking about?”
“Then at least make it a unicorn or something. ‘Fairy’ is kinda vague.”
“Got it.”
Natsuki already knew Satan was a great cook, but he never expected the Demon King—famous even in the West—to be making him a simple nori bento.
On top of the rice was a layer of bonito flakes, lightly soaked in soy sauce, then covered with a sheet of seaweed.
And on top of that—another layer of rice, then seaweed again.
A double-layered nori bento.
It wasn’t too salty—just right. Perfect for soothing Natsuki after a tiring morning of classes.
There was sweet omelet, sausages stir-fried with ketchup for that slightly sweet taste, and some pickled radish on the side.
Even neatly peeled orange slices were packed in, which made him oddly happy.
His thermos was filled with warm tea, brewed just right.
“I mean, it’s fine. If I get too friendly with my classmates, I might drag them into all this fantasy mess, and that’d be bad.”
“That’s definitely very likely.”
“Even if you don’t intend to involve them, your enemies won’t exactly be considerate about it.”
“Exactly. It’s not like I don’t care just because I don’t remember their faces or names.”
“…”
“……”
“Don’t look at me like that!”
Being stared at with those exasperated, disappointed looks, Natsuki hurriedly stuffed his mouth with his bento to dodge the topic.
—And just like that, after finishing lunch, Natsuki and the others got through the afternoon classes without any incidents, and the school day finally came to an end.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
We brought you a nice, peaceful moment this time.
Nacchan: “Huh? Where are the events? Don’t tell me today’s event ended with Ganetan showing up? That’s it, really? I can believe that, right? Whew… well, if Nacchan gets serious, this is how it goes. —Ah, wait! Ganetan’s impact made me totally forget about Yusuke-kun! I gotta go see God!”
Yusuke: “That’s just cruel!”
Chapter 16: “Seiji Ayakawa’s Melancholy?”
When Seiji Ayakawa opened the door to his apartment, he loosened his tie and let out a long, heavy sigh.
“…Anzu… she home? Not long ago, I used to complain about her not being here… and now, just knowing she is home feels painful… I’ve really failed as a father.”
A faint light leaked out from his daughter’s room, confirming she was inside.
There was no sense of relief at knowing she had come back home.
If anything, the thought that she was home again today filled him with a feeling no parent should have.
“…At least it seems like she hasn’t been causing trouble today.”
He kept his footsteps quiet, placed his bag on the living room table, and took off his jacket.
Since he hadn’t wanted to come home early, he had stopped for drinks before returning.
To sober up a little, he poured himself some water.
“…She was always a bit emotional… but I never imagined she’d change this much. What am I even supposed to do?”
Seiji had his daughter, Anzu, with a woman who had been his classmate in college.
They started dating back then, worked for about three years after graduating, and then got married.
Their married life had been happy, and Anzu was born soon after.
Up until Anzu was around three years old, everything had been fine.
But then—his wife left.
The reason wasn’t anything unusual.
She had an affair.
She got involved with her boss at work, and planning to remarry him, she abandoned both Seiji and Anzu and left.
But to that boss, she was nothing more than a fling—he had no intention of remarrying.
After that, everything turned into a complete mess.
Seiji received compensation from both his ex-wife and her boss, and with help from his parents, he raised Anzu on his own.
It was during that time that he met Haruko Yura.
At first, they simply got along as a single father and a single mother, building a good relationship as friends.
But little by little, he found himself drawn to her.
And when he finally confessed his feelings, they ended up getting remarried.
Natsuki, who became his stepson, was a truly sweet and kind kid.
He quickly started calling Seiji “Dad” and grew attached to him.
Seiji, too, came to love Natsuki like his own son.
Anzu also quickly warmed up to Natsuki, who doted on her.
Watching her happily follow him around, Seiji truly believed—they could build a happy family together.
—He never once doubted it.
But… it didn’t happen.
The reason lay with Anzu.
He didn’t want to blame everything on her, but the trigger was undoubtedly his daughter.
Anzu grew attached to Natsuki.
But she never accepted Haruko.
Even though Haruko tried to treat her like a real daughter, Anzu responded with cold defiance.
Seiji tried to correct her as a father, but Haruko would say, “Girls are delicate,” and he ended up going easy on her.
That… was a mistake.
Anzu’s defiance kept getting worse.
Eventually, she met a boy named Yuto Miyahara, and from then on, she started bringing up his name all the time.
At the same time, her attitude toward Natsuki completely changed.
Before, she had always been desperate for his attention.
Now, it was like she didn’t need him at all.
And every time she opened her mouth, it was “Yuto this,” “Yuto that.”
From what he heard, this boy Yuto was still in elementary school, yet somehow popular with everyone—from younger kids to older ones.
Though apparently, he wasn’t very well-liked by other boys.
At first, Seiji thought Anzu had just developed a crush on a popular kid.
But then, the insults toward Natsuki started increasing.
Most of them were comparisons to Yuto.
After that, her attitude toward Haruko also got worse.
Natsuki eventually stopped engaging with Anzu.
But Haruko kept trying to treat her like a mother would.
And in response, Anzu started throwing tantrums.
Back then, Seiji didn’t understand it.
But now, he did.
Anzu couldn’t handle things not going her way.
She didn’t care who it was—she just wanted someone who would spoil her and give her attention.
In the end, their family couldn’t hold together.
It fell apart.
Seiji didn’t lose his love for Haruko and Natsuki—but for their sake, he chose to divorce.
And from there on… it became a living hell.
Day after day, Anzu would stay out late at night, hanging around with Yuto and what looked like his group—people who, honestly, didn’t give off a good impression at all.
No matter how many times he tried to stop her, no matter how much he scolded her, his words never reached her.
She wasn’t getting picked up by the police, and it didn’t seem like she was committing any crimes…
But he couldn’t stand seeing his daughter, with a clingy, sweet voice, begging Yuto to take her first time.
Then—Yuto Miyahara died in an accident.
It was inappropriate to think this way, but…
Seiji felt relieved.
He thought this might finally make his daughter change.
And she did change.
But not in the way Seiji had hoped.
“It’s not Anzu’s fault. It’s that guy’s fault. It’s Onii-chan’s fault. Anzu didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not wrong…”
Even now, he could hear her voice from inside her room.
That voice, repeating over and over that she wasn’t to blame.
He thought maybe she was just in shock from losing someone she cared about, so he tried to take her to a counselor—but she resisted strongly.
Seiji was already exhausted.
He didn’t want to deal with her anymore—even if she was his own daughter.
He had reached the point where he could calmly admit—that he had failed as a father.
“…Where did I go wrong? What… did I do wrong? What did Anzu do wrong?”
〜〜Afterword〜〜
This time, it was from Seiji—Nacchan’s former stepfather—his perspective.
It might have been a bit uncomfortable, but it leads into what’s coming next, so I had to include it.
Next time, we’ll return to Nacchan’s side.
※ Sorry, I’m still not feeling well today.
Chapter 17: “Doesn’t This Feel Kinda Ominous?” ①
On the way home after school,
Natsuki left the campus together with Kazuto and Miyako.
“Haah… school is so boring. My classmates look at me like I’m some weird creature, and the ones who were friends with the basketball club are straight-up hostile. And on top of that, some people even blamed me for not ‘controlling’ my so-called childhood friend. Like, how is that my fault? I don’t know anything about it. If anything, those basketball guys who were getting physical with her were way closer to her than I ever was. That’s on them, right? Why am I the one getting blamed? Nacchan’s gonna cry, you know?”
The only classmate who had actually talked to him in a friendly way was Yoshioka-kun.
Even though Natsuki didn’t particularly care about getting close to his classmates, he still didn’t like being treated like some fragile, untouchable thing.
The stares were annoying, and with his sharp hearing, he could even pick up all the whispers.
And none of them were pleasant.
“There, there”
Seeing Natsuki puff up his cheeks in frustration, Kazuto gave a wry smile and tried to calm him down.
That said, Kazuto himself was also being kept at a distance—probably even more than Natsuki—because of his problematic older brother.
Still, since he had friends who understood his situation, he wasn’t alone.
Kazuto had always been easy to get along with, so he naturally had a lot of friends.
Right now, though, it felt more like people just didn’t know what to say to him after he lost his family.
“Asuka Matsushima transferred schools before anyone even noticed, so she’s not coming back… I guess people just wanted someone to complain to. Even if that someone ends up being you, Natsuki-kun.”
“…I mean, I kinda get how they feel. But still… it’s their own fault, isn’t it?”
They had been messing around with reckless relationships nonstop.
They should’ve known there were risks.
Even if it was just teenage impulse, it wasn’t something you could excuse.
They only got suspended because of it—but honestly, that was getting off easy.
Since it was middle school, it ended with suspension and a report to their parents.
If this had been high school, they could’ve been expelled.
If anything, they should be grateful they got caught while they still had a chance to reflect.
“Anyway, putting school stuff aside—I’m more worried about Yusuke-kun, so I’m gonna go check on God.”
“…But what about Ganesha-sama?”
“I’m leaving him to you, Miyako-san!”
“That’s impossible!”
Miyako looked genuinely troubled.
Even though she was already living together with Amaterasu, adding Ganesha on top of that was clearly too much for her to handle.
“…Kazuto.”
“I can’t either. I have no idea how to deal with gods.”
“Yeah… figured.”
Honestly, Natsuki didn’t know either.
“Guess it can’t be helped… I’ll go see God first, then call Koume-chan and the others, meet up with Ganetan, and then… what am I even supposed to do!? There’s no way I can just walk around town with Ganetan’s face like that, right?”
“Maybe we can pass him off as some kind of mascot…?”
“…No, that’s not happening.”
“Yeah, no way. There’s no such thing as a mascot that looks that real.”
“Right!?”
If it were a cute, chibi-style elephant face, maybe.
But this was a full-on, realistic elephant head sitting on a well-built human body.
There was no way anyone would believe that was just some mascot.
“Anyway, I’ll think about it after I talk to God.”
“—No need for that.”
A heavy, crushing pressure came with the voice as it echoed around them.
Kazuto and Miyako immediately dropped to their knees under it.
“Kazuto! Miyako-san!”
Natsuki stepped forward, placing himself between them and the source of the voice, shielding them.
“…Who are you?”
Meeting Natsuki’s hostile gaze without flinching, a man—who had appeared out of nowhere on the now-empty street—answered.
“I AM THE—GAAAAAAAAAAAP!”
—A demon with overwhelming magical power had suddenly appeared before Natsuki and the others.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
And just like that, out of nowhere—Garp from the demon side makes his entrance.
Chapter 18: “Doesn’t This Feel Kinda Ominous?” ②
“Gaaaaaap-san, was it? I can feel your magic, but… was there a demon like you before?”
With Natsuki stepping forward to face the demon, Kazuto and Miyako—who were behind him—were finally freed from the crushing pressure.
It seemed like they had even stopped breathing, and now they were gulping in air.
“Hm… yeah, don’t know him.”
“No, wait—hold on. I just shouted that out with momentum. It’s Garp. Garp, okay?”
“Got it, got it!”
The demon calling himself Garp looked to be around thirty, dressed in a black military uniform.
He had clawed wings spread behind him, long black hair, and two horns extending from his head.
Natsuki didn’t show it on his face, but he was genuinely shocked by the sheer amount of magic this guy had.
(…Not quite on Satan’s level, but he’s got more magic than Koume-chan? That’s seriously bad… Also, after struggling against Ibaraki Doji, seeing a horned demon like this… makes me really want to snap those horns off.)
The horns Garp proudly displayed reminded Natsuki of Ibaraki Doji—the oni who had nearly killed him—and it irritated him.
Still, Natsuki was already a third-year middle schooler.
He couldn’t just walk up and snap someone’s horns off—it’d be way too rude.
“So, which middle school are you from, Garp-san?”
“I’m Garp—graduate of Underworld’s Seventh Middle School!”
“…Ah. Right.”
Natsuki hadn’t expected him to seriously answer with a middle school name, so he was a bit surprised.
Now he was actually a little curious about what the demon world was like.
“So then, Garp-san—formerly a middle schooler, currently unemployed—what exactly did you come here for?”
“I’m NOT unemployed! I have a proper job as a loyal subordinate of Lord Amon!”
“Amon? What’s with that name—sounds like some ‘sweet potato mammon-mammon’ knockoff or something.”
“That’s exactly the kind of nonsense you humans say—mocking Lord Amon—and then trash like Mammon starts getting full of himself!”
As expected of a demon, he seemed to know Mammon.
“Please be careful, Natsuki-kun! Amon is a powerful demon known as one of the Eight Lesser Princes! And Garp himself is also a commander who leads a legion!”
“…I don’t really get it, but… are they listed on that famous online encyclopedia?”
“They are!”
“—Garp! I’ll acknowledge you as a somewhat notable demon. But honestly, I’m already full with Satan, Mammon-Mammon, Samatan, and Leviako-san. So yeah—exit’s that way.”
Natsuki tried to send him off with pure momentum—but Garp didn’t play along.
Seriously, what a buzzkill of a demon.
If it were someone on Satan’s level, he’d probably leave once, then come back just to deliver a comeback.
“Enough of the jokes. And you there, little girl—don’t you dare refer to Lord Amon and me so casually!”
It seemed he really didn’t like how they had been talking about his master.
Garp suddenly stretched out his arm toward Miyako.
“—Hiii!”
Hit by that overwhelming magic and killing intent, Miyako let out a short cry, while Kazuto stepped forward, spreading his arms to shield her.
But Garp’s arm never reached them.
“…What do you think you’re doing to my friends?”
“You little—”
The arm he had stretched out—had already been cut off below the elbow by the magic sword Natsuki had pulled out from thin air—the Blade of Eternal Darkness.
“…I’ll kill you, you damn brat! Don’t think the Seven Deadly Sins are the only demons out there!”
“Bring it on. I’ll slice you up—vertical, horizontal, diagonal—and send the pieces straight to your boss, that Amai-Mammon or whatever!”
“DON’T MIX MAMMON INTO THISSSSSSSSS!”
With his magic sword at the ready, Natsuki closed in.
At the same time, Garp formed a blade out of pure magic and rushed forward.
—The two clashed at close range.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Garp makes his entrance—and now, the fight begins.
Miyako: “F-For some reason… doesn’t Natsuki-kun seem kind of excited even though a demon just showed up?”
Kazuto: “He was probably waiting for an event like this.”
Miyako: “So Ganesha-sama didn’t count as an event?”
Kazuto: “Maybe he just didn’t know how to deal with a friendly god.”
Chapter 19: “Isn’t It Weird He Came to Me Specifically?”
The first thing Natsuki needed to do—was get out of this place.
It wasn’t because he was afraid of fighting Garp, or worried about losing.
—He just didn’t want Kazuto and Miyako getting hurt in the aftermath.
The Dark Blade clashed against Garp’s magic blade.
“You bastard… you’re holding back.”
“You stupid? Going all-out on a school route? C’mon, let me see your head—I’ll crack it open and check if there’s anything inside!”
“You brat! Like someone your age could be a doctor!”
“Didn’t expect that kind of comeback—not gonna lie, that surprised me!”
With his free left hand, Natsuki grabbed one of Garp’s arms.
Then he poured magic into it, forcing Garp’s magic blade to scatter into nothing.
“Cheap tricks!”
“Like I care! You think I can go all-out in a place like this!?”
He moved to cut Garp down in one swift motion—but Garp suddenly fired a blast of magic from his mouth.
Instead of dodging, Natsuki took it head-on.
“—Natsuki-kun!”
“Natsuki-kun!”
Kazuto and Miyako shouted in concern.
Thanks to focusing fully on defense, the blast only lightly scorched Natsuki’s skin.
“Tough, huh! But I get it now—your weakness. You’ve got those useless weaklings behind you, don’t you!?”
“—If you lay a hand on them, I’ll kill you. Your boss, that Amaymon or whatever, your close friends—if you’ve got family, them too. I’ll tear every last one of you apart and make you suffer before you die.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear! You sound more like a demon than I do—scary stuff! Relax, I’ve got no interest in weaklings anyway!”
Garp threw a punch, and Natsuki met it head-on.
A dull crack echoed—the bones in both their fingers shattered.
“Nice punch!”
“Shut up!”
Natsuki followed up with a swing of his magic sword, but the blade only grazed Garp’s jaw.
“…This is getting annoying. Let’s take this somewhere easier to fight. Then I’ll kill you in a second.”
“Gahahahahaha! Don’t go blaming the location! You humans are always making excuses for being weak! Location? People to protect? Who cares about any of that!? If you can’t fight without worrying about that stuff, then that’s your problem!”
Garp wasn’t wrong.
But for Natsuki—this town, and his friends, mattered.
In another world, he wouldn’t care.
He could destroy the land, turn it into something unlivable, even drag civilians into it—and it wouldn’t bother him.
But this was Japan.
That wasn’t an option.
“—Fine. Then I’ll end this in an instant.”
Natsuki put away his magic sword—and electricity began to crackle around him.
Black lightning wrapped around his body, writhing like it had a will of its own.
“I’ll crush you so thoroughly… you’ll never be able to talk like that again.”
So that the town wouldn’t be destroyed, and Kazuto and the others wouldn’t get hurt—
Natsuki decided to use the strongest power he could, but only for a single instant.
Using a sword would cause too much damage around them.
So—his fists.
After fighting Ibaraki Doji, his capacity for power had grown, but he was still worn out, not at full strength.
Even so, he knew this wasn’t an opponent he could afford to hold back against.
Garp still had room to spare.
Then fine—he’d make him leave while still feeling that confidence.
“Go on, human. Show me your power.”
Even now, Garp didn’t lose his composure.
Natsuki moved to attack.
And in the very next instant—
“—That’s enough.”
A cold, emotionless voice, heavy with pressure, echoed out.
“Amaymon-sama!”
The owner of that voice stood behind Garp.
A boy—one who looked no older than ten.
He wore dark blue short pants and a blazer, like an elementary school student from a uniformed school.
And yet, the pressure coming off him was even greater than Garp’s.
More than anything—his magical power was on a completely different level.
(This is bad… he’s on Satan’s level.)
While Natsuki stayed on guard, the boy—
Amaymon—spoke calmly.
“Garp. Our goal is not to fight here.”
“—Yes, sir.”
“Boy… Natsuki Yura, was it. I will make a declaration.”
After Garp dropped to his knees and bowed deeply on the spot,
Amaymon turned his gaze toward Natsuki.
“—We, Amaymon and Garp, have decided to side with new gods.”
“Ah… okay.”
“In the past, we were defeated by Satan and Samael and served under them. But it’s been centuries. I’ve grown bored.”
“Well… yeah, I guess that happens.”
“That is why I’ve chosen to side with whoever seems more interesting.”
“Um… can I ask something?”
“Ask whatever you like.”
“—Why did you come all the way here just to tell me!?”
That was Natsuki’s soul-level scream.
It was fine if Amaymon decided to side with new gods.
Someone like Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto would deal with that.
But why go out of his way to tell him?
Natsuki couldn’t understand it at all.
“You bastard! How dare you speak so casually to Amaymon-sama! He came all the way here for you—you should be thanking him! Ah, Amaymon-sama, your tie is crooked.”
Even while getting angry at Natsuki, Garp turned his back and carefully started fixing Amaymon’s tie.
Natsuki didn’t miss that opening.
“Like I care, idiot! —Drop dead right here! Ultimate Kappa Cosmic Super Strong Finishing Move! SUPER GALAXY MAMMON-MAMMON LIGHTNING DANGEROUS HYPER DANGEROUS ULTRA KUGELSCHREIBER!!!”
With a loud battle cry, he unleashed a kick packed with all his magic and lightning—straight into Garp from behind.
“—Nghfo!?”
The moment his toe slammed into Garp’s groin—raging lightning shot through his body, blasting from his crotch all the way up to his head.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Around that same time, at the Yura household—
Satan: “Oh my, it’s already this late. Koume-chan, Ginko-chan—stop watching those daytime shows already and come help bring in the laundry!”
Koume: “How long are you going to stay in full housewife mode!? It’s getting so creepy I’m starting to feel sick!”
Ginko: “This is the king of the demon world…? That’s messed up in so many ways…”
Chapter 20: “Isn’t Naming Things Just Because They Sound Cool a Bad Idea?”
After taking Natsuki’s signature move—the groin kick—
Garp’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground.
Clutching himself, pressing his head against the ground, writhing in agony—just looking at him made it painfully clear how intense that damage was.
“…Thor, the god of thunder, actually broke my leg with his groin instead… what a pathetic demon.”
As if he had just worked up a good sweat, Natsuki wiped his forehead with his sleeve, recalling all the opponents he had kicked like that before.
Among them, the most memorable was Thor from Norse mythology.
Even after taking Natsuki’s hit, Thor hadn’t even flinched—no, he had actually broken Natsuki’s leg with his groin.
An absurd feat.
As expected of the thunder god Thor.
Even in terms of “training,” his groin was on a completely different level from other gods and demons.
“Uwah… Natsuki-kun, that’s just cruel… I feel like I’m starting to hurt just watching that.”
“…Even for me, that’s a bit much… I mean, shouldn’t we call an ambulance or something?”
Both Kazuto and Miyako were actually feeling bad for Garp, even though he had shown up as an enemy.
“…Natsuki Yura, wait a moment.”
“Okay.”
Amaymon raised his hand to stop him.
He then quietly approached Garp, who was still writhing in pain.
“…Garp. Does it hurt? I see, it hurts. I do not understand it myself, but if it hurts, then it cannot be helped. What should be done? Hm? Do not apply further shock, you say? Understood. Then we shall leave you as you are for now.”
After showing a bit of concern as a master, Amaymon stood up.
His face remained expressionless, but there was a faint hint of trouble in his presence as he spoke to Natsuki.
“Garp is in this state. I had no intention of fighting and was planning to withdraw, but… like this, he cannot move. We will need some time.”
“Ah… okay.”
“By the way, I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
Still expressionless, Amaymon tilted his head slightly.
“—Why did you suddenly shout ‘ballpoint pen’ with such force?”
“Huh?”
Natsuki tilted his head the exact same way, looking completely confused.
“…Did I say ‘ballpoint pen’?”
“Um… Natsuki-kun… ‘Kugelschreiber’ means ballpoint pen in German.”
“Wait, seriously?”
Miyako pointed it out carefully.
Natsuki, now slightly trembling, looked over at Kazuto.
Kazuto quietly averted his eyes.
Then Natsuki looked back at Amaymon.
Amaymon simply nodded, as if agreeing with Miyako.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! THIS IS SO EMBARRASSINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!”
“More importantly, why did you even shout ‘Kugelschreiber’!?”
“I found it while looking up cool-sounding words on my phone during class!”
“Why are you even looking up cool words in class!?”
“—I wanted a hero-style attack name…”
“Natsuki-kun… you’ve already been doing whatever you want—calling kicks punches, naming yourself a kappa hero, throwing in ‘galaxy,’ adding ‘mammon-mammon,’ even mixing in lake names—and now you care about sounding cool!? If anything, you should’ve just fully committed to that chaotic style!”
“Kazuto-kun is absolutely right. I’m sorry… I tried to act cool for a moment.”
Natsuki’s face turned bright red as Kazuto fired off one comeback after another.
Beside him, Miyako nodded in full agreement.
“…There is no need to worry, Natsuki Yura. The young grow through their mistakes. If today’s failure becomes tomorrow’s strength, then that is enough. There is nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Stop it! That kind of proper encouragement hurts way more! It really hits me!”
Even Amaymon tried to comfort him, and that just made it worse.
At this point, Natsuki seriously wished there was a hole he could crawl into.
“F-Fine! I’ll let you off this time! Next time, you better be ready and waiting! I-It’s not like I want to fight you again or anything!”
Leaving behind that completely nonsensical parting line, Natsuki grabbed Kazuto and Miyako and hurried off.
“—Humans really are as entertaining as ever.”
Amaymon’s expression didn’t change, but his lips relaxed just a little.
Then—
Garp, who had been writhing in pain, slowly stood up.
For some reason, his legs were slightly turned inward, and his cheeks were faintly flushed.
“Amaymon-sama… this Garp wishes, from today onward, to serve you as Gapuko.”
“…Very well. Continue serving me as you have, Gapuko.”
“—It would be my honor.”
“Now then, let us go. I had other matters to discuss with Natsuki Yura, but it seems that won’t be happening. Perhaps this too is fate.”
With those words—
Amaymon and Gapuko vanished from the spot.
〜〜Afterword〜〜
Hero Punch: “If you’d just gone with ‘Hero Punch,’ none of this embarrassment would’ve happened. Ah… this is youth, I suppose.”
Kugelschreiber: “…German just has a kind of sound Japanese doesn’t! The meaning is a minor detail!”
Hero Punch: “So you refuse to accept it… that you’re just a writing tool.”
Kugelschreiber: “What did you say…!? You’re the one calling yourself ‘Punch’ when you’re clearly a kick!”
Hero Punch: “Oh? Bold words from a youngster.”
Kugelschreiber: “You wanna go!?”
Hero Punch: “Very well. I’ll show you… the true power of Hero Punch!”
Kugelschreiber: “BRING IT OOOOOOOOOOOOON!”
Hero Punch: “Don’t think a mere ballpoint pen can withstand my power!”
Chapter 20.5: Interlude — “Isn’t This Samatan’s Decision?”
—Somewhere in Aomori.
“Hey, Mammon.”
“mammon?”
After finishing work, Samael downed a post-bath beer, then called out to Mammon, who was busy editing videos at the round table.
“I heard the Takahashi grandparents a few houses down are retiring.”
“mammon!?”
“Not surprising you’re shocked. I only heard about it after work too. Those two… they’re like mentors to me. Well, actually, all the farmers around here feel like mentors when I think about it.”
“mammon-mammon.”
The Takahashi grandparents they were talking about were an elderly couple who farmed rice just a few houses away.
They were both in their seventies, still healthy, and incredibly close.
To both Samael and Mammon, they were the ideal couple.
When Samael first moved here, they had been kind and welcoming.
They taught her how to grow rice, how to care for vegetables—they were truly like teachers to her.
They were friendly and easygoing people.
They often invited her over for meals, and even shared their rice with her.
“mammon-mamo-mammon?”
“The reason they’re retiring is… lately, they haven’t been doing well. They used to complain about back pain and joint aches, but this is different… their stamina’s dropped, and they’ve been catching colds more easily.”
“mammon-mammon…”
“Well… I guess that’s just aging, in the end. For us demons, the older you are, the stronger you tend to be… but humans, their lifespan is just too short. Still… maybe because it’s short, they don’t live as carelessly as we do.”
“mammon-mammon.”
“Yeah… it’s kind of dazzling, isn’t it.”
Among the things Samael owned back in the demon world, there were elixirs that could extend life—even ones that could restore youth.
Of course, she wanted her kind neighbors to live long lives—but she also understood that using those wouldn’t be right.
Even so… she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something she could do for them.
“So, about that…”
“mammon?”
“They actually asked if we’d like to take over their land.”
“mammon!?”
“Apparently, their kids live far away and aren’t interested in farming. They tried selling the land, but buyers kept lowballing them… not dirt cheap, but still below what it should be. So instead, they thought of offering it to us.”
“mammon-mammon!”
“Hey, don’t get mad. Their kids have their own lives and choices too. Anyway… I’m thinking of accepting the offer.”
“mammon-mammon…”
“I know, I know. The Takahashi grandparents said we don’t need to pay, but that’s not happening. I’m planning to give them enough so they won’t have to worry about their retirement.”
“mammon-mammon!”
“Glad you agree.”
Mammon had also been taken care of by the Takahashi grandparents, so he supported Samael’s decision.
Samael had originally thought she’d just live quietly as a small-scale apple farmer, but lately she had been putting more effort into expanding her fields.
Her income had gone up a bit, and she had some savings.
But buying land—that was still a stretch.
“So, about that… I don’t really want to do this, but I’m thinking of cashing in a bit of the treasure I’ve got in the demon world to pay for it.”
“mammon-mammon!”
“Nope, buried treasure is off-limits! Stuff like that only has meaning—and romance—when humans discover it themselves, right!? I mean, yeah… I do know where some are, but still!”
“mammon-mammon!”
“What do you mean ‘make sure it doesn’t affect the human world’? I know that already, okay!?”
Samael had lived for a long time, so she had plenty of gold and treasures.
But because of that, a lot of those items could end up affecting the human world if used carelessly.
“Well, I’ll just turn some gold into cash, or maybe… there are some historically valuable things buried on land I own in this world. I could have an acquaintance ‘discover’ them and make a bit of money that way. Also, if we’re getting more land, we’ll need more people. Even hiring those rowdy kids as official employees won’t be enough, so I’ll have to put out job listings—”
“—mammon!”
“‘What about Aurel and Masami—the couple who moved here from France after getting married?’ —Yeah, yeah, I know! If they want, I’ll officially hire them too, and maybe even divide up some land for them in the future, so relax!”
“…mammon-mammon.”
“You don’t have to sigh in relief like that. Anyway, let’s put the computer away and get some food.”
“mammon!”
At Mammon’s reply, she quickly started cleaning up.
Samael checked the freshly cooked rice, then set up the hot plate.
“Alright! Tonight’s dinner is grilled wild boar—caught by Grandpa Takahashi!”
“Mamoooooooooooooooooooooooooon!”
〜〜Afterword〜〜
From Aomori, we bring you some wholesome mammon-mammon vibes.
Comments for chapter "V6 Chapter 11, 12, 13, 13.5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 20.5"
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