Chapter 50 Kanata, Shizuka, and Setsugekka, Part ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Tch, this is delicious.”
Kotono muttered that with a frustrated look. She scooped up the curry at an amazing speed, emptying her bowl.
”Yeah, it’s tasty. But the seasoning is a bit different from Maria-chan’s, right?”
Haruka tilted her head as she said it. Still, she did not stop moving her spoon.
”…”
Shizuka stayed quiet. She just focused on carrying the curry to her mouth.
The big pot of curry looked like it could feed 3 or 4 people for three full days. But now, it was already less than half full.
…How much are they eating?!
Kanata thought that in his mind. But he had eaten twice as much as they had, so his words had no power.
For Kanata, curry was not something he craved much back in Japan. When Maria said she would make curry for dinner, he even asked if that was really okay.
The ingredients came from refining mana, so they were not natural. Even so, he could prepare things like fatty tuna sashimi or top-brand beef steak if he wanted.
Why settle for curry?
Kanata used to think that just a short time ago. But now, his mind had changed completely.
…I never knew curry could be this good….
Kanata had to admit it.
”Hehe. I’m so glad everyone likes it.”
Maria smiled the whole time.
She ate her curry too. But she also served seconds to Kotono. She added side salad to Haruka’s plate. And she wiped the corner of Shizuka’s mouth. Maria took care of them all.
Kanata stared at the scene. It felt so natural.
Since coming to this world, he was not always alone. But the people he ate with were mostly ones he had dragged along by force. There was always some distance. He had never really shared a meal like this, full of easy laughter and no worries. Not even back in Japan.
For Kanata, this was a fun dinner table after a long time. It was a bit bright and dazzling too.
* * *
”Okay.”
The happy dinner ended. They drank tea after the meal and took a break. Then Kanata spoke up.
”I want to talk about what happens next. Is that okay?”
Kanata looked at everyone’s faces.
”Does that mean… about going back to Japan?”
Haruka asked. But Kanata shook his head.
”No, we don’t need to think about that right now.”
”What do you mean?”
Kotono asked.
”I talked about it with Maria while we were cooking earlier….”
”Maria??”
Kotono and Haruka jumped on the fact that Kanata used Maria’s name.
…Wait, is that the issue?
Kanata looked confused. Then Maria helped out.
”I asked him to call me that~desu wa. Kotono and Haruka, you wouldn’t want Kanata-san calling you ‘Yukishiro-san’ or ‘Hanasaki-san’ in this situation, right?”
”…True.”
”Yeah, so call me Haruka-chan. And call Kotono ‘Kotono-chan’.”
Kotono nodded at Maria’s words. Haruka jumped in.
”No, just using first names is fine, right? Haruka-san.”
”Ugh, Kanata-kun… It feels more distant than ‘Mari-chan’ or ‘Shizu-chan,’ so at least drop the -san, please….”
”Yeah, me too. …I really don’t want a boy calling me ‘Kotono-chan’…”
Haruka and Kotono said that. So Kanata changed how he called them.
”Got it. Kotono, Haruka… Is this okay?”
”Yeah, nice to be friends from now on, Kanata-kun.”
”Kotono, good luck.”
Haruka smiled brightly as she said it. Kotono’s face softened a little.
Honestly, Kanata did not know how to react in moments like this. He just said, “Yeah, good luck,” back.
”Anyway. The talk went off track, but let’s put going home or not on hold for now.”
Kanata pulled the conversation back. He could not handle the friend vibes for long.
”So, what do you mean by that?”
Haruka asked.
”Ah, like I said, I talked with Maria earlier….”
”Maria??”
…Didn’t we just do this?
Kanata gave them a deadpan look. “Can I keep going?”
The two gave sheepish, playful smiles.
…Yeah, dealing with girls is tough.
”…Let’s continue. We don’t even know how to go back, right?”
”But Almea said if we beat the Demon Lord, she’ll send us home….”
”Did she really say that? That ‘Almea will send you back’?”
”Now that you mention it….”
”…Almea… said she can’t send us back herself… Needs the Goddess’s guidance….”
Shizuka, who had been quiet, spoke up softly.
”Oh yeah… She did say that. …Why did I forget?”
Maria said it like she just remembered.
”That’s probably the power of that princess Almea, right?”
From what Shizuka, the otaku trio, Setsugekka, and El had said – plus what El investigated – Almea’s skill seemed to be mental guidance.
Almea likely used it to control people around her. She even tried to make the summoned heroes her pawns.
When Kanata explained, Maria and the others nodded, like it made sense.
”Oh, but brainwashing? Can’t resistance potions stop that?”
Haruka remembered the potion she drank while under house arrest. Maria had said something about mental interference.
Honestly, that potion was weak due to material limits. It was just for peace of mind. If it worked that well, the whole royal palace wouldn’t be controlled.
”Well, temporary control is one thing. But full ‘brainwashing’ takes time and prep. I won’t go into details, but basically, the princess guided everyone’s thoughts: ‘Beat the Demon Lord, get your wish, so help Almea.’ No doubt about it. Though, looking now, the ‘help her’ part didn’t stick.”
”I see… But… we can’t go home….”
Haruka said it sadly.
Shizuka took her hand and stayed close to cheer her up.
”Well, even saying ‘beat the Demon Lord’ – there are lots of them in the world now. And it’s not like we can’t go home for sure.”
Kanata said it without thinking, seeing Shizuka and Haruka.
”We can… go home?”
Maria gave a doubtful look.
”I can’t promise. But it’s not impossible. The magic that summoned us moves between worlds. So in theory, it could go to Japan too, right?”
”That makes sense, but….”
Kotono said it, but her voice had no strength.
”Well, there are ways and chances. But it’ll take time, of course. So for ‘now,’ don’t worry about going home… or rather, thinking about it won’t help.”
Kanata finally got the talk back on track. He felt relieved.
…Why do talks with girls tire me out so much?
Kanata had hardly talked to girls besides Maya and the other two.
With Maya, he just responded to what she started. With Sayaka, most talks were… physical. With Miyako, it was just “hello,” “yeah,” “oh,” “goodbye” – nothing more than single words.
So, was this his first “normal talk” with the Setsugekka girls?
…But I talked normally with El and Sara, right?
What was the difference between El/Sara and the Setsugekka trio? As Kanata thought about it, someone shook his shoulder.
He looked. Shizuka was gazing up at him with worry.
”K… Kanata… Everyone… is waiting….”
The three who had been chatting looked at him quietly now.
”Oh, uh… What?”
”What do you mean ‘what’~desu wa? We’re waiting for you to continue, but you zoned out… Is something wrong?”
Maria’s voice mixed anger, worry, and confusion.
”Oh, sorry. It’s not that. Right, the continuation?”
Kanata looked around at their faces.
They all had a mix of worry and hope.
”I have three proposals. First: I’ll take you to whatever town or country you want.”
Even without Alfheim Kingdom, this world had several countries. With their gifts, the girls could live okay anywhere.
If they did not want fights, they could settle in a far-off border land.
But their faces said they wanted other options before deciding. So Kanata spoke again.
”Second: I force you to be captives. You become sacrifices for my dungeon.”
Kanata said it harshly on purpose.
Right now, even as old classmates, if Dungeon Master Kanata helped, he needed some return or cost. Otherwise, the others – especially the demonkin – would not agree. It could look like he favored humans, hurting morale later.
To fix that easy, Kanata could assault the three, get lots of DP, and treat them like the other girls.
When he said it, all three gave him cold stares.
”W-Well, or you could just join my team and help out… something like that.”
The stares were too much. Kanata backed down. He could force it… but he wanted it peaceful. For Shizuka’s sake too, he hoped they chose this.
Joining Kanata meant dealing with demonkin. It could even mean fighting them or the humans they owed.
Maria did not want Kotono and Haruka to kill people. Kanata understood that pain. But on his side, they might have to kill to survive – or lose their own lives.
Still, Kanata could protect them if they stayed close. He could force bonds here, but he wanted them to choose freely.
Kanata wanted their skills badly, sure. But more, they were his first female friends. He did not want to lose that.
What about Maya and them? The thought crossed his mind. But even being nice, his bond with Maya was not real friendship.
Haruka and the others thought for a bit after Kanata finished. Then Maria spoke.
”We want to talk alone~desu wa. Can we have some time?”
”Yeah, you can’t decide right away. And you’re tired today, so rest well…. One room for all three okay?”
”Four! Shizu-chan too!”
Haruka said.
”…Right. The room’s ready now, so use that one.”
Kanata pointed to a door that had not been there before.
”Then, we’ll take your offer and rest~desu wa. …Good night.”
Maria’s greeting started it. The three and Shizuka went through the door.
Shizuka hesitated till the end. But Haruka dragged her along, and they vanished.
”Okay….”
Kanata watched the girls go. Then he moved to another room.
It looked like an old altar. Or a futuristic computer room. It was odd and strange.
This was a sub-room for the Dungeon Core.
Even as a secret base, it linked to the main room for quick response if needed.
Kanata finished typing commands into the panel. Then he went back to his own room and lay on the bed.
Notes:
• Kotono – A classmate, and a wielder of Mage.
• Maria – A healer aiding Sumire, ensuring classmates recover during intense training sessions. One of Setsugekka.
• Haruka – A classmate who have Harvester gift. She keeps her distance from Ichiro, focused on her role in training. One of Setsugekka.
• Shizuka – Classmate, wielder of Sniper, nicknamed “Shizu-tan.” Neglected, raised herself after father’s death and mother’s abandonment. Nearly assaulted in another world, broke her stoicism with first real plea for help. Saved by Kanata, now torn between distrust and fragile hope. Reminder: hardened loner, only cracks under extreme pressure.
• Hanasaki – Haruka’s Family Name. The Harvester.
• Yukishiro – Kotono’s Family Name. The wielder of mage.
• Almea – First Princess of Alfheim, poised and graceful, leads and guides summoned heroes, embodies calm authority and divine favor.
• Setsugekka – Trio of Yukishiro Kotono, Tsukikage Maria, and Hanasaki Haruka.
• May – Blonde, soft-eyed shrine girl. ch14–15. Gentle and pleading (“Please… just let us go…”), timid but loyal, relies on Mina’s strength. Came with Mina to save Sara, but was disarmed and bound by Kanata as his captive maid.
• Maya – Cheerful brown-haired girl, naturally charming and social, Kanata’s classmate and morning conversation neighbor.
• Miyako – Quiet library girl with golden hair, intelligent and book-savvy, occasional silent companion to Kanata.
• Saya – Orphanage sister of Maya and Miyako, later adopted into the wealthy Kitahara family for a political marriage. Holds rare Gift Princess Knight (Valkyrie): versatile fighter-leader with light magic, stronger than Morita’s Commander. Quiet in Class A but bound by childhood oath to protect Maya and Miyako. Torn between duty as Kitahara heir and hidden first love for Kanata.
• Sayaka – Athletic blonde with sharp presence, expert in multiple martial arts, Kanata’s lunch-time sparring partner and admired distant figure.
• Sara – Once part of Rick’s party, was lured and bound by Kanata in the Dungeon. Timid and dependent, her trust broke with his betrayal, yet she stayed close—pleading mercy for others and later standing by him publicly, claiming it was her will.
• Alfheim Kingdom – A demi-human realm of Elves, positioned among the powers bordering Florence. Its existence, along with Alefgard and Mercuria, kept Florence trapped in a triangle of stronger neighbors. Reminder: the elven neighbor whose presence tightened Florence’s cage.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply