Beyond Abyss 77

Chapter 77 Welcome Party For Valeria

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Edited by: Kanaa-senpai

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 After returning to the boys’ dormitory, I went to the top floor special room that would be my new personal room, where the maids who were cleaning the dormitory were bringing in bedding for me.

 It seems that they also clean and change the sheets in the mornings when I’m attending classes on weekdays, but just the fact that commoner like me stains it makes me feel uneasy. My stepmother is quite wealthy, but our home is just an ordinary single-family house. At first, I didn’t know what to do just by living together and being given a personal room.

 To avoid getting in the way of cleaning, I decided to pass the time training on the rooftop.

 As I immersed myself in training, I received a message from Himeno. When I returned to my room, the maids had already left, and I tried putting a bed in the living room, but it felt a bit off. Peeking into the guest room, it seemed cramped but just right, yet living in a guest room also felt too humble. Looking into the private spaces, there were several rooms about 12 tatami mats in size.

 Putting off thinking about it for later, I took a shower first and left the boys’ dormitory.

 As I walked straight towards the girls’ dormitory, I suddenly ran into Higurashi walking from the direction of the park.

 ”Hey, Tsuchimiya-senpai. How’s the new room?”

 ”It’s too spacious, I can’t relax. It’s convenient to be able to practice on the rooftop right away though.”

 ”Well, you’ll get used to it soon. Oh, it seems Kibakura-senpai dove into the dungeon in the afternoon. Unless provoked, he probably won’t show up at the school for a while.”

 Did she gather information from the newspaper club? Knowing Higurashi, she probably didn’t just come to share information. She’s reliable, but the fact that she’s completely uncontrollable is a downside.

 ”So, it means I don’t have to think about him for a while?”

 I don’t want to get involved with such a monster either. I think it’s okay to punch Iwakura once in a while.

 In front of the girls’ dorm, the dorm manager, Lisphy-san, was watering the flower bed. She was using a large water ball floating in the air to separate water and make it rain down on the flower bed like rain.

 When Lisphy-san noticed us, she smiled and greeted us.

 ”Welcome back, Asuka-san. Takeru-san, welcome as well.”

 ”I’m back, Lisphy-san.”

 ”Excuse me, Lisphy-san. Is that water ball magic?”

 It looks similar to Maekawa-san’s water ball, but it holds much more water and is controlled with great precision.

 ”No, this is a spirit magic that controls water spirits. If it’s Takeru-san, who has the blessing of the Spirit King, Takeru-san can control even lower-level spirits eventually. Hiromi-san and the others are Takeru-san’s friends, right? It’s an honor to welcome a party with the blessing of the Spirit King in my dorm.”

 Lisphy-san looks happy with a smile on her face.

 Maekawa-san and the others have all received the blessing of Varniora. Is the blessing of Varniora really that amazing? I wonder why I don’t feel grateful when I know the real thing.

 ”Takeru-san is currently connected to Varniora-sama. Just a little, but I can feel Varniora-sama’s aura. Varniora-sama seems to be having a lot of fun. I wonder what she is doing.”

 She is probably having a good time with Sendou. I shouldn’t ruin Lisphy-san’s dream, so I’ll stay quiet. It’s like saying rude things to an innocent child, like ‘Santa Claus? He’s in the middle of having s*x!’”

 I went up to the 4th floor in the elevator and rang the bell for the special room. Satou-san opened the door for me.

 ”Welcome. Please come in.”

 After changing into slippers at the entrance, I entered the room. Hano-san and Nishina-san were cooking in the kitchen, with Himeno and Kanon helping out. They seemed quite busy, so I tried not to disturb them.

 Satou-san guided me to the sofa in the living room.

 ’Stay alert, stay alert.’

 Higurashi grabbed Njorn’s tail as they circled around the living room and kitchen.

 ’Njo?’

 Njorn, floating like a balloon, was being pulled by Higurashi.

 ”What are you doing?”

 Sitting down on the sofa next to Higurashi, I asks Njorn.

 ’I can’t sense the presence of that so-called high-level spirit at all~nyuru. Maybe Njorn scared them off and they ran away, must be a spirit with not much power~nyuru’

 Is Valeria still wrapped around Maekawa-san’s wrist, hiding her presence? When I focus, I can feel Valeria’s excited and restless emotions. Is she planning a surprise or something?

 Thinking that, Maekawa-san comes and sits down next to Satou-san in front of us.

 ”It will take a while longer, so take it easy.”

 ”Hano-san and Nishina-san are amazing.”

 Watching them, the two of them skillfully make separate dishes side by side.

 ”I didn’t know Chika could cook so well. It seems she used to make meals and bento boxes for her younger siblings in Japan. I was worried if they would be able to manage when we suddenly came to this world.”

 Hano-san is surprisingly reliable.

 ”Himeno-san, bring the large plate for plating.”

 ”Sure!”

 ”Kanon-chan, put about half the amount of rice oil in that pot over there.”

 ”Okay!”

 ”Oh, Nishina-san is so efficient.”

 Nishina-san, who has entered serious mode, is shaking the frying pan and giving clear instructions to the two of them.

 ”Tomoko has always been like that. She used to be shy, but back in kindergarten, if a boy made me cry, she would immediately come over and make the boy cry instead.”

 Satou-san looks at Nishina-san with a nostalgic expression.

 ”I was also saved by Tomo-chan… She’s a very strong-willed girl.”

 Maekawa-san is gently smiling.

 ”Oh, really?”

 Nishina-san gives off a vibe of being cherished by everyone. She’s usually reserved, but when she opens up, she becomes bold, similar to Kanon.

 Then, Njorn crawls forward on the low table, lifting their head high in front of Maekawa-san.

 Satou-san slightly stiffens her expression and steps back. Maybe she’s not fond of snakes?

 ”Oh, is Njorn-chan interested in Valeria?”

 Maekawa-san smiles and offers a glass snake bracelet wrapped around her left wrist.

 ’Slink…’

 Njorn enlarges their body like a python and brings their nose close to Valeria.

 Are they trying to intimidate her?

 Valeria slowly lifts her head and lets Njorn’s nose touch hers. Instantly, Njorn shrinks their body and retreats.

 ’Nice to meet you. I’m Njorn.’

 Njorn, who had shrunk to the size of a pencil, prostrated themselves with a voice as quiet as a mosquito. Show some more guts.

 ”I’m Valeria, a high-ranking spirit. Not just any high-ranking spirit, but an Elder and also a part of the Water Spirit King. Nice to meet you, Njorn.”

 ’Oh, thank you so much, Valeria-dono! I look forward to working with you.’

 Njorn humbly rubbed their head against the table. It seemed Valeria had the upper hand in this banter.

 Njorn reluctantly returned and, for some reason, coiled around Higurashi’s wrist and calmed down.

 ”I wanted to talk about the joint dive. Would it be alright to start from the 2nd floor where most students are?”

 Higurashi spoke to Maekawa-san.

 ”From the 2nd floor? We don’t really mind.”

 ”Why would you do something like that?”

 ”It’s a demonstration. We want Tsuchimiya-senpai to show off by defeating a group of goblins in a flashy way. Then we can head straight to the 3rd floor.”

 ”Huh? Will I stand out?”

 ”Having Tsuchimiya-senpai make a name is directly related to attracting and gaining trust from the Student Freedom Alliance. Since you’re already drawing negative attention, it’s better to attract positive attention to dispel any bad rumors.”

 ”Attracting attention, huh…”

 Well, it’s true that my face and name have become known to all students through the special edition of the school newspaper. Maybe it’s better for me to start sharing information proactively.

 The Student Freedom Alliance is also expecting something from Amahara-senpai, so I can’t just leave everything to Higurashi.

 ”Okay… So all I have to do is defeat the goblin in front of the people, right?”

 ”Yeah. And as long as Tsuchimiya-senpai actively fights in places where people can see, that should be good. If Tsuchimiya-senpai also helps people on the side, Tsuchimiya-senpai might be recognized as a gentleman.”

 ”Hmm…”

 That might be important. Just reading that article might make many students misunderstand me as a dangerous person. It seems like it would be good to show that the real me is a gentleman.

 As Maekawa-san and the others discuss the dive, dishes start to line up on the dining table, and the sound of sizzling fried food from the kitchen stirs up our appetites.

 ”Akari, bring out the salad from the fridge! And the dressing too!”

 ”Got it.”

 When Nishina-san called out to Satou-san, she stood up and started arranging the salad and tableware. We decided to help set the table too.

 ”Is the almond jelly set?”

 ”It looks fine. I’ll take care of it here.”

 ”Please!”

 Satou-san took out a large silver bowl filled with jiggly milky white substance from the refrigerator. Is all of that almond jelly? It looks like it’s for commercial use.

 As Maekawa-san lined up clearly more plates than the number of people, Satou-san scooped almond jelly onto the plates with a ladle, Maekawa-san added canned fruits, and Satou-san poured coconut milk. They then drizzled orange sauce, topped it with small leaves, and put the trays back in the refrigerator. They seem quite skilled at this. Maybe they used to work part-time?

 Meanwhile, fried food was arranged on the table, and the oven timer went off.

 ”All right! Right on schedule! We’ve made a Crab Gratin with plenty of crab!”

 While Hano-san opened the oven door and put on oven mitts, Satou-san took out a hot large dish with her bare hands. By the way, Satou was wearing a fire-resistant ring.

 The large gratin dish was bubbling with cheese and breadcrumbs creating a crispy crust on the surface.

 When Satou-san placed the crab gratin in the middle of the large dining table, cheers and applause erupted.

 ”That’s everything.”

 ”Yeah, it’s done!”

 Himeno and Kanon happily high-fived Maekawa-san and the others.

 ”Wow, this is amazing!”

 Higurashi admired the array of dishes lined up.

 On the dining table and serving shelf, there were dishes like crab gratin, mixed vegetables, mapo tofu, pork kimchi stir-fry, assorted tempura, karaage, fries, salad, and bread rolls. Higurashi sneakily scooped rice from the rice cooker.

 ”It’s a buffet style, so you can eat as much as you want of what you like! You can also have unlimited dessert!”

 When Maekawa-san opened the refrigerator, in addition to the almond jelly from earlier, there were small crepe-like treats and what seemed like parfaits lined up, eliciting loud applause and cheers from the women.

 It’s quite elaborate. I can tell they put a lot of passion into the desserts.

 Juice and tea were also provided, and when we sat down, Maekawa-san and Satou-san poured sparkling wine into our glasses.

 At the table, Maekawa-san and the other three women were seated across from us four, with an extra set of tableware already prepared at the head of the table.

 ”Well then, let me introduce today’s star! It’s Valecchi, the Spirit!”

 When Hano-san indicated the seat, a bright light sphere appeared there. Valeria, who had transformed from Maekawa-san’s wrist with a shimmer, jumped into the light sphere, causing it to shimmer and change colors as it was covered by a membrane of flowing water. As the water membrane expanded and gained texture, Valeria, dressed only in a blue robe, stood with her hands raised.

 So this is the kind of performance she had in mind, huh.

 ”I am Valeria, the Elder Undine. Nice to meet you all, whether it’s your first time or not. Please feel free to call me Valeria casually.”

 Applause erupted, and Himeno and the others stood up to introduce themselves to Valeria.

 ”Cheers to our new comrade!”

 Maekawa-san took the lead, raising their glasses with everyone as Valeria bowed.

 ”Will Valeria be joining us for dinner today?”

 Last time, she declined to eat unnecessary food, saying it wasn’t good.

 ”Yes. Since I’m here, let’s not worry about the details.”

 Then, inside Valeria’s robe, water began to fill up and take on a human form. The surface changed to pure white skin, transforming into a beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Her features resembled those of Varniora and the members of the guard.

 ”Valecchi! Over here, over here!”

 ”Over here?”

 Hano-san shouted in a panic, and Valeria tilted her head curiously, looking at the table.

 Himeno covered my eyes from behind with both hands.

 ”Valeria, you should wear something.”

 Maekawa-san advised Valeria.

 ”In that case, there’s no need to worry. Being n*ked is a spirit’s hobby. Varniora-sama also said that if you just let it out occasionally, good things might happen.”

 That Spirit King is thinking some weird stuff.

 ”Humans usually wear clothes, so it’s strange for us.”

 ”Even though we undress during mating, it’s curious, isn’t it? I understand. Let’s adapt to human habits here.”

 Valeria seemed to close the front of her robe. I also had my blindfold removed, and Valeria in a n*ked robe took her seat.

 ”I know. In times like this, we do this, right?”

 When Valeria clasped her hands, everyone followed suit.

 ”Itadakimasu.”

 As everyone echoed Valeria, the party began.

 ”Wow! This crab is delicious!”

 ”It’s actually a scorpion.”

 ”Akari, pass me the karaage!”

 ”The mapo tofu is tasty! I’ll have some rice too.”

 ”Tsuchimiya-senpai! The mixed vegetables are delicious too! I cut these vegetables myself.”

 ”Tomoko-senpai is amazing! Your Chinese dishes are perfect, aren’t they?”

 ”My shop puts out a sign for a soba restaurant, but we do all sorts of things, so I end up preparing various things…”

 ”This is my first time tasting this. I see, I understand why humans are particular about food. I feel really happy.”

 ”Njorn-chan, do you understand the taste?”

 ’I’m fine~nyuru! I’ll even gobble up another piece of kaarage~nyuru!’

 ”I can’t stop even though there’s still dessert! Can’t we stop eating silently and have a chat!?”

 ”Everyone, it’s okay to leave some behind! It can be used for bento and stored with Valeria’s storage magic!”

 After a long time of feasting, everyone’s eyes changed. They concentrated on eating greedily while repeatedly praising the delicious food, but when they realized they couldn’t finish the amount they had, they finally calmed down as they reached out for dessert, and small talk began sporadically.

 ”I’ll make bento with the leftover dishes tomorrow. I’ll make some for everyone.”

 ”Is that okay? I’ll come help in the morning!”

 ”Hehe, since we’re all diving together anyway, should we gather for lunch and have bento together?”

 ”Sounds good!”

 ”The desserts here are amazing too! Individually, the nectar is divine, but when combined, it creates such a complex flavor profile…”

 When Valeria materializes, she looks like a stranger and feels strange. If she were transparent, I could easily pat her on the head, but in her human form, it might be a bit awkward.

 ”Wait, is this a magic item!?”

 ”Yeah! Tsuchimiya-senpai gave it to me!”

 Nishina-san and Kanon are chatting next to each other. These two seem to get along well.

 ”Chika, while you’re at it, could you get me a crepe too?”

 ”Sure thing!”

 Despite having eaten quite a bit already, the ladies are steadily getting more dessert. I’m taking my time enjoying some almond jelly. It has a gentle flavor that’s comforting.

 Njorn is flipped over like a tsuchinoko.

 ’I… I can’t stand it…’

 Even in that state, when Maekawa-san offered a canned mandarin orange on a fork, Njorn eagerly took a bite.

 ”So, is Valeria’s immediate task in the spirit world to plant a Nectar tree? How will you get to the spirit world?”

 ”Well, you see, we need a base to connect the spirit world and space. Hiromi, it would be appreciated if you could provide me with one of the guest rooms…”

 ”Sure thing. Use whichever room you like.”

 Valeria, who was talking to Higurashi, obtained permission from Maekawa-san to use a room.

 ”Tomoko-senpai, you’re cute…”

 Before I knew it, Himeno had Nishina-san sitting on her lap, rubbing their cheeks together. Nishina-san turned bright red, but Himeno’s face was also flushed. Could they be tipsy from sparkling wine?

 ”Well then, I’ll go check out the room right away.”

 ”Sounds interesting, so we’ll come along too.”

 Valeria stood up, and Higurashi also took my arm and stood up. Am I going too?

 ”Oh, I’ll go with you!”

 Hano-san broke away from the lively group and clung to my arm.

 ”Tsucchi, what was the most delicious thing?”

 ”They were all delicious. I ate too much Mapo Tofu and Pork Kimchi with rice. I was impressed by the Crab Gratin with so much crab in it for the first time. I couldn’t stop eating the kaarage and tempura, I’m so full.”

 ”Hehe~? what about Asukacchi?”

 ”While the Crab Gratin is tempting, Mapo Tofu bowl is still the best.”

 Higurashi protested when Hano-san called her “Asukacchi” earlier, saying, “Stop calling me that, it’s like a UMA.”

 When Valeria reached the corridor lined with guest rooms, she walked all the way to the end.

 ”What is this door?”

 At the end, there was a sturdy door that could be locked from this side with an iron bolt.

 ”It’s the door to the emergency staircase that goes straight down to the 1st floor.”

 When Hano-san replied, Valeria opened the door to the nearby guest room.

 The room was small and tidy, with a single bed, a small table, and a small window.

 ”Looks good. I’ll make this my base.”

 ”I’ll make a nameplate for Valecchi later!”

 ”It has a stylish vibe, but I want it to feel more homey. Do you have a kotatsu or something?”

 ”What’s a kotatsu?”

 ”Let’s try setting it up for now.”

 At Valeria’s question, I moved the table to the window, laid out a carpet, and took out a kotatsu from the ‘Storage’. I also set up a floor chair and cushions.

 ”In our country, we have a culture of sitting on the floor. We sit here to work or relax.”

 ”Not bad. Why does it come with a futon?”

 ”You can switch it on when it’s cold to warm up the space and keep it insulated. Since I don’t need it now, you can just store the futon.”

 When Valeria sat on the floor chair, for some reason, Higurashi and Hano-san also got into the kotatsu.

 ”Kotatsu is so nice, isn’t it? It feels calming.”

 ”What’s that? I remember seeing something similar in the living room ealier.”

 In front of Valeria, there was a monitor of an LCD TV placed on the TV stand.

 ”That’s a TV, a machine that displays entertainment and informational videos, but I guess there’s no broadcast available right now… Just wait a moment.”

 ”Oh, really?”

 Valeria tilted her head in wonder, but it would be quicker to show her.

 I took out an old game console from the storage and connected it to the TV. After setting up the disk and starting it, the opening animation began playing on the screen.

 ”Wow!? What is this? I’ve never seen this kind of magic before!”

 Valeria is surprised and excited. When we handed her the controller and taught her how to play, Valeria got really into the game. She looked so cute, like a kid.

 The game called “Bunyobunyo” is a type of puzzle game where different colored “bunyos” fall from the top, and you stack them to make rows of four of the same color to clear them. It’s an easy-to-understand game. It’s a competitive game where the first person to overflow the screen with “bunyos” loses.

 If you clear “bunyos” in a row, you can send nuisance “bunyos” to your opponent in a move called a “chain reaction,” but Valeria doesn’t seem to understand that part yet. Still, she bravely challenges the computer opponent, even if she keeps losing.

 ”Ah! That was so close! I almost won!”

 Valeria seems to be quite competitive. Since it feels like we’re getting in her way, we decided to leave Valeria behind and return to the living room.

 ”Valecchi was really into it, but is she okay?”

 ”Well, since she’s a spirit, I don’t think she’ll lose sleep over it.”

 ”Yeah, you’re right…”

 After this, we still didn’t know that Valeria would get so addicted to the game that she would forget the task given to her by the Spirit King.

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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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