Chapter 83

Uhm, Suzumoto and Hariu, who went to the floating island in the middle of the lake presumed to be where the courtyard is, didn’t come back.

I told everyone to come back at noon, so it’s about time they arrive. Is it taking more time than expected?

“What to do? Use [Communication]?”

“No, don’t. Maito-san. You can communicate to Minamo-san, right?”

“Communicate, more or less…well, I can understand the information that Minamo got.”

Minamo can send something but that didn’t mean we can communicate efficiently.

That child can’t speak, and even if it did, it’s just through body language. Even though I’m [Sharing] with them, I can only vaguely understand what they’re thinking.

“It doesn’t matter. Then, could you take a look at Suzumoto and Hariu’s situation?”

Right. [Communication] can be a nuisance depending on the circumstances of the other party.

In that respect, it’s unlikely that I’d get in the Suzumoto’s way if I just took a peek with Minamo.

Alright. Minamo~, Minamo~, aren’t you good?

When I tried to [Share] with Minamo, she seemed to be inside the pouch since it’s pitch black, so I gently opened the lid. It’s still pitch black.

…what’s the meaning of this?

I tried to look around, but it’s all pitch black. Uhm, Minamo. What does this mean?

When I asked, I got that Hariu did something. Uh, yeah. Alright. I had her stick her head out of the pouch, then poke around Hariu’s waist.

“Hn? …ah! I see! Minamo-chan was here!”

Ohh, I can hear Hariu’s voice. Alright, Hariu, talk about the current situation.

“Uhm…perhaps, Minamo-chan, can Maito-san hear my voice right now?”

Minamo cutely nodded. Yup. This child can be used as a one-way communication device from my side to their side. Moreover, it’s relatively high performance.

“Hn. Then, if Maito-san can hear me, Minamo-chan should raise her right hand.”

Hoi hoi. I directly manipulated Minamo to wave her right hand.

“Oh, so you can hear me. Okay. Well, uhm, as for our current situation, I’m in Suzumoto’s shadow.”

…ahh, yes yes yes. Right, Hariu had that kind of skill.

“And, Suzumoto is now dealing with the temple.”

…yes? How did that happen! Or rather, are you guys okay!?

“When we tried to go to the floating island in the middle of the lake, we suddenly fell and dived inside. Well, I should report that the temple is under that waterfall. Ahaha, did you know that?”

Waa, don’t laugh!

“That happened, so what did we do? For the time being, Suzumoto pretended to not know anything about the temple and is now listening to various things, but it only proves the story that Maito-san heard from that strange book so far. The temple is trying to summon a hero to defeat the cause of the collapse of this world. They told Suzumoto that the summoning might have failed and he was sent to a distant place rather than near here. It’s so full of lies that I can only laugh. Ahahaha.”

Yup, I’m really glad that we have [Alive Grimoire]-san. Because that book is a really good book.

“And so, since we don’t know how to interact with the temple, we opted to get information instead. You know, like pretending to cooperate with the temple. Like this. Suzumoto is doing his best while alone out there but I can convey information to Suzumoto, though he can’t say anything to me.”

…I see, so that’s how it is.

I can receive information from Minamo and the other maid dolls but I can’t send…

[Communication] connects to everyone, so if I call Hariu, it will also reach Suzumoto, and since he’s talking to the temple right now, that’s not good. …ah. Right, should I ask Hariu to remove Suzumoto’s [Communication] bracelet?

I moved Minamo to find Hariu’s arm. It’s pitch black because we’re in the shadows. (If I’m looking at it directly, I should have [Night Vision], but that didn’t work because Minamo is just showing what she sees…)

After groping around, I finally found Hariu’s arm and that bracelet.

Then I had Minamo tap it and make him notice.

“Ah, you mean have Suzumoto remove this? I wonder if I can do it… Yeah, let’s ask.”

Then it became quiet for a while. Seems like Hariu is having a conversation with Suzumoto by some means.

“Yup. I got it removed, so [Communication] is OK.”

Oh, that’s good. Then I should withdraw. It’s hard to keep staring at that pitch-black space.

“It’s okay to [Communicate] to Hariu. Suzumoto is currently encountering people from the temple. Hariu, who’s hiding in Suzumoto’s shadow, said they’re telling Suzumoto various things.”

When I told everyone who was anxiously observing me, they each activated their [Communication] bracelet.

“Hariu-san, can you hear me?”

[Yup, I can hear you.]

“For the time being, I’ll just tell you what we got from George-san. And for now, we must never let the temple perform their ritual.”

[You mean, not everyone can go home even if they do the ritual?]

“Yes. So we need to interfere with the temple or the heroes.”

If the heroes managed to get rid of the cause, the temple has no choice but to perform the ritual.

[Then, are we hostile?]

“No, you idiot. We don’t have to be hostile in such an easy-to-understand manner, okay? We don’t want them to be alert.”

…Yeah, well, that’s correct, but Hagasaki-kun, please be a little more obtuse…

[Hn, then don’t agree to any contracts. However, should we leave without giving a particularly bad impression?]

“That would be best. Hagasaki-kun, do you have anything?”

“No, I want Maito to get information from [Alive Grimoire] as soon as possible. There are too many things we don’t understand right now. It’s a bit dangerous to move without knowing those things.”

…the best we can do right now is to not do anything. Yup. That’s difficult, isn’t it? I’m sure the temple side would like to do something.

“It’s difficult for Suzumoto, but can you do that?”

[Hn, let me check.]

It became quiet for a while before Hariu came back.

[I think he got a place to rest by pretending to be ill. That’ll give us some time. Then, Maito-san, please hurry and listen to various things from the book, and make a conclusion on how to move from here so I can tell him. Then, I’ll cut it here. Best regards.]

…yeah. As far as this goes…I’ll do my best, I should have said that.

“Why did they fall into the waterfall in the first place?”

Who knows…but you’re right, it’s strange. As for why those two fell, I can only think that their MP run out, or that something interfered with their skill.

“Let’s stop speculating here. For the time being, Maito-san, please talk to that book as soon as possible.”

“That’s fine but what exactly should I ask?”

There are a lot of things, and I’m confused.

“First of all, what is the cause? Next, if it knew what a hero is, how many heroes are there right now, and what are their current movements. After that, please ask as much as you can about the temple.”

“Hn. Got it. Then, I’ll trouble you to take care of the people in the English Lab in the meantime. [Share].”

After leaving the people in the English Lab to everyone, I headbutted Alive Grimoire-san. Let’s talk again.

[Hmm, looks like you’re in a hurry.]

It’s time to talk!

“Uhm, in a nutshell, I know the answer to your question. It’s George-san, right?”

[Hm. Correct. I thought you’d get it sooner.]

Meta-reasoning is like this. Sorry.

“So, I heard a lot. Not everyone can go home with the temple ritual.”

[That’s because they only pick up the otherworlders who were there when the ritual was performed, and what you call classrooms. If you’re left behind, then that’s it.]

“Then, when my companion went to the middle of the lake, he suddenly fell and ended up in the temple.”

[Hmm, I see, did they get close to that?”

That should be…yup, the floating island.

[That sucks magical power endlessly, so it can’t be helped. If you get closer to that, you’ll become an ordinary person.]

…yeah, uhm, that’s…ei, pass! Later! I’ll ask it later!

“So, do you know anything about the heroes?”

[Ahh, hero, huh? …hmm. A hero is an otherworlder contracted by the temple.]

“…contract.”

[Correct. An otherworlder who becomes a hero makes a contract with the temple. The hero erases the cause to save this world while the temple gives the hero armor, power, and the means to return to their original world when the cause is erased. And…the life vessel of the hero is used as collateral. Of course, they can’t say that. I think they said it’s a measure to prevent death. That’s partly correct, but in the end, it’s just a measure to prevent the heroes from turning on them.”

…that’s a scam, isn’t it!!