Volume 6 Chapter 72 First Mound
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I left Mr. Ono’s house early in the morning and reached my uncle’s place before noon. I’d almost forgotten, but this was the real destination of my journey.
If I’d taken the bullet train, I would’ve gotten here in just a few hours. But I picked a longer route. Even so, I don’t regret it.
This roundabout little trip with Uncle… I’ll probably remember it until the day I die.
Meeting Mr. Ono and the others turned out well, too. Maybe I’ll stop by again on my way back.
I’m still curious about the old man with hakama’s old junk pile. They say he has power looms from the early 1900s and canned food machines. For dwarves, old machines are the best kind of toy.
Even if it’s just rusted junk, I bet I can fix it up. I want to bring some as a gift for Mr. Zenom.
”Sab-Sab, why bacon and eggs for lunch?” Uncle asked, his eyes lighting up. “It’s really good. Super tasty.”
I don’t know why, but I suddenly wanted it. So I bought eggs and bacon at a nearby convenience store and cooked it myself.
Too bad the bacon wasn’t smoked for real. The taste was just okay. It didn’t have that deep, smoky smell.
Uncle looked happy, so maybe that was enough… but I felt a little bad.
It wasn’t bad exactly—but did Uncle just have weak taste buds?
”Uncle, what do you usually eat? Bento from the convenience store?” I asked, tilting my head.
”My specialty’s Sharia-pine steak. From the Imperial Hotel…” he said, puffing his chest.
”That’s not what I meant. I’m asking what you eat every day.”
”Ah… sorry. Sab-Sab, you’re kinda scary sometimes,” he said, scratching his cheek. “Well, I usually just have egg over rice or natto with egg over rice.”
Well, it’s cheap, fast, and tastes okay.
”What about bacon? You don’t make bacon and eggs?”
”I don’t hate it, but when you live alone, you have to buy the small packs, right?” he said, sighing. “And those cost more per bite. Buying that stuff feels like losing.”
What kind of battle is Uncle even fighting?
I tried frying up a second batch until it was really crispy. Still not right.
That crispy, juicy bacon I ate in the other world… was that just a dream? I can still remember the sweet fat melting in my mouth.
Maybe the way they raise pigs and make bacon there is just totally different.
It’s not that Earth’s bacon is bad.
Over there, bacon is a luxury even nobles rarely taste. But is that how it should be?
Lots of people want to eat meat.
One reason I became king was to share what I had with everyone.
”If store bacon’s no good, make your own,” Uncle said, grinning. “With your skills, Sab-Sab, it’ll be crazy good. Right? That smoker… wait, where did I put it? I still have Rin-go’s wood chips, though.”
His house has plenty of rooms, but they’re all packed full of stuff. Probably bought too much over the years.
We could find it with Radar Scan, sure, but I don’t have time to make smoked meat now. Still, I’ll take the wood chips with me.
”Uncle, seriously. I don’t have time. Please think about your priorities,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
”Oh, right, right. It’s okay. I’ve run simulations where there’s no time too,” he said, nodding proudly. “I’ve been getting ready for all kinds of otherworld summoning for decades…”
”Uncle!!” I yelled, exasperated.
”Ahem! First on the list of super-useful gear for another world: a gun!!“
Uncle beamed as he pulled a hunting rifle from a cabinet.
Looks like he worked hard to get the license.
There aren’t any bears around here, but the damage from deer is pretty bad.
They eat the good parts of vegetables and stomp all over the fields. To farmers, they’re hated pests.
Fencing costs money, and hunting clubs are doing what they can to cut the numbers.
In that world, deer are a prized food.
Here, they’re just a nuisance. Even if game meat is kind of popular now, few people actually eat it. Handling the bodies is too much work.
Still, is it really okay for Uncle to have a rifle license?
”Sadly, gunpowder doesn’t work in the other world,” I said, folding my arms. “The Fire Spirit detects it and blows everything up.”
”Now that’s a fantasy,” Uncle said, nodding with admiration. “As expected of another world. But maybe there’s a way, like using low-sensitivity gunpowder.”
”Low-sensitivity?”
”There’s gunpowder that won’t explode even if you burn it. Don’t know the details, though,” he added, shrugging.
So that kind exists, huh?
Well, it’s Uncle saying it, so the trust level’s pretty low… but I guess it’s possible.
When it comes to power, bows or magic or whatever, there are plenty of dangerous weapons.
The real scary part of guns is how easy they are to use. That’s the big issue.
If Earth tech makes guns possible in that world, then cost becomes the wall.
If the gunpowder is special and expensive, it won’t spread.
But if profit doesn’t matter, magic tools can fire projectiles just fine.
After everything that happened back on Earth, I’m starting to doubt whether bringing tech from here is even right.
Maybe that world is better off staying medieval.
If so, then maybe the Hero Administration Bureau is right to hide science and tech knowledge.
But maybe there’s no one correct answer.
I’ll think for myself, choose what’s right, and take full responsibility for what happens.
”If gunpowder’s out, how about this? Ku-u-u-ki-ju-u-u!” Uncle said with a dramatic pose, raising something above his head.
He looked so carefree. It made me smile.
”That’s built well for a toy,” I said, looking at the device.
”It’s not a toy. This is a real hunting air rifle. I needed a permit for this one too,” he said, puffing up again. “Since the ammo’s cheap, it’s great for shooting pest birds, like sparrows.”
There was even a real scope on it. If it can hit sparrows, maybe it could take down quail over there too.
”I’ve used it for ducks before,” he added, frowning a little. “But wild birds taste weird. Picking up the body is a pain, and I can’t clean them right… I’d rather just buy meat at the supermarket.”
Hmm… birds like bulbuls are the perfect size to eat. If you roast them whole and crunch the bones, they’re actually tasty.
If Uncle can hit ducks, brown quail shouldn’t be a problem.
Pellets shaped like little dolls only cost a few yen each. Really cheap. That matters when you’re practicing.
The airgun I made with the dwarves before was too expensive to use. Ammo costs ruined it.
Maybe a normal airgun is best. Not too advanced, but still useful.
”This seems pretty handy,” I said, nodding. “The problem is what if people start bringing Earth weapons into the other world…”
”Huh? That’s fine, isn’t it?” Uncle said, tilting his head. “They’ve already summoned a bunch of us. Cheating with Earth knowledge is part of the deal.”
”That’s true. Still, the Administration Bureau’s actions feel weird. Why are they hiding tech but still letting people bring it?”
”I dunno what that Bureau even is,” he said with a shrug. “But all organizations are full of contradictions. One side pushes forward, the other hits the brakes. You know what they say—if too many people steer the ship, it ends up climbing a mountain.”
Yeah… that’s probably true.
The Hero Administration Bureau is a mess inside. A patchwork of different departments.
Honestly, I don’t even know who’s in charge.
”And crossbows are way better than airguns, right?” Uncle said suddenly. “They must have those over there?”
”They do,” I replied, nodding. “But most need a crank, so you can’t shoot fast.”
”Oh, cranked crossbows? Those are stronger than bad guns,” he said, grinning. “They were so strong, they got banned by Christians for being too cruel…”
Here we go again—Uncle’s trivia time.
”Look, this is a crossbow bolt they used in those wars,” I said, pulling it from a magic bag.
”Whoa, it’s all metal!” Uncle said, eyes wide as he held it carefully. “Feels like it could kill someone just from throwing… like a ninja star. That’s crazy! That world is way rougher than I thought! No way, no way, it’s too much! Sab-Sab, how did you survive over there?”
”Well, I just kinda got used to it,” I said, shrugging. “Like how people say car crashes are more dangerous or something.”
”What a tired line,” he muttered, frowning. “Still, if they use things that dangerous over there, bringing an airgun isn’t a big deal at all.”
Now that he said it, it did sound logical.
”If I only use it to hunt quail or something, it should be fine,” I added.
”Exactly. This right here is the air pump,” Uncle said, raising a big floor pump that looked like one you’d use for a bicycle.
It was clearly made for high pressure, inflating just a bit each time. The valve was also different from a bicycle’s one.
”If we take the airgun body and this pump to the other world, hunting would be pretty normal,” Uncle said with a nod. “You’ll need ammo too. A scope would help. Wait… actually, we can’t bring the main gun. You need a license to own this one.”
”Uncle, weren’t you planning to bring it to the other world?” I asked, giving him a look.
”Well, if I was, then whatever happens after that, happens,” he said, waving it off.
If he stayed in Japan and the gun’s main part got lost in the other world, the punishment for the administrator would be harsh—just like with real guns.
But if it’s just the pump, scope, or bullets, there’s no problem.
”Then I’ll scan the air rifle’s shape and just make a copy over there,” I said.
A model made from beeswax shouldn’t break any gun or weapon laws. I did wonder if that would count as stealing design rights or something, but in another world… does that even matter?
”I heard they use lost wax casting for small stuff. Magic tools must be pretty handy,” Uncle said.
It’s not exactly lost wax, but beeswax that melts with boiling water is perfect for shaping things. In that world, it’s valuable, so they don’t keep a lot around. I’d like to stock some while I’m still here.
”Is beeswax expensive in Japan too?” I asked.
I hoped not. Since nice honey sells cheap in stores, I wanted to believe beeswax was too.
”It depends on quality,” Uncle said, scratching his head. “Real beeswax costs a bit, but I don’t know the exact price… Want me to check online?”
”It’s not for eating, so fake stuff is fine,” I said.
Beeswax is food, though. In that world, people just eat the whole honeycomb straight. Honestly, honeycomb on bread tasted really good.
”If it’s just for modeling, paraffin is cheaper… Wait, maybe I can use this one?” Uncle muttered, walking to a shelf.
He pulled out a huge spool of thread, thick like fishing line.
”Sab-Sab, you know this? It’s filament for 3D printers. Plastic that melts at like 200 degrees.”
So even Uncle was into 3D printing. Those machines make solid objects from data. Pretty amazing that people can own them now.
Beeswax melts at a bit over 60°C, and this plastic melts at about 200°C. If I adjusted the heat right, it might work.
I tried shaping one airgun part. The process was simple: melt it in the air, then let it solidify inside an invisible mold.
”It’s like magic… well, it is magic, huh,” I murmured.
”Is this plastic expensive?” I asked, looking at the filament roll.
”Hmm, depends how you see it,” Uncle replied. “But if you’re using it for that…”
He opened the closet, then pulled out a cardboard box and began digging through it. It was stuffed with plastic junk.
”I saved my failed prints. Thought they might be useful someday.”
If the 3D printer settings are off, it spits out warped stuff. There is a machine to re-melt the plastic, but not many people do that at home.
”Can I have it?” I asked.
”Sure, I was gonna throw it out anyway.”
The box was full of brightly colored plastic pieces.
Maybe I should sort the colors when I melt them. Though, honestly, I didn’t care much. But if I mixed them right, I could get a marble pattern. That sounded fun. I wanted to try a few combos.
”Sab-Sab’s magic is totally better than a 3D printer,” Uncle said, laughing. “Way more fun too.”
He’s not wrong. It was fun. Though it took a lot of practice to get used to.
Uncle started putting together the parts I made without asking. I didn’t want him to break them… Maybe I should make extra, just in case.
”There are tiny flaws, but this should work,” he said. “For rubber seals or valves, buying parts might be faster. Oh, and an official barrel would be more accurate.”
”Do they even sell repair parts?” I asked.
”Yeah, look,” he said, taking out a small plastic bag from the gun case.
So they did sell them. That was helpful.
”You’ll need extra pump parts and bullets too. Let’s hit the gun shop later,” he said.
I didn’t have much money right now. I wasn’t sure when I could exchange my gold bars for cash.
Maybe I should look for other ways to make money. If I earned it legally in Japan, I’d have to pay taxes and stuff… but I wanted to go back to the other world before the year ended.
Brother Jirou said there were good ways to turn things into money slowly. I could even borrow from family, using gold or gems as collateral?
No… I didn’t want to drain my parents’ savings. I couldn’t keep making them carry my load.
It was hard to bring things in bulk. Maybe I should build a delivery post on Earth’s side too, like the bureau’s exchange gate.
”I have a serious idea, Uncle,” I said. “How about becoming the contact person for the other world? Even just part-time.”
”What?! Tell me everything!” he shouted, grabbing my shoulders.
His face was way too close.
Looks like helping from Japan while staying here was perfect for him. I was glad he was excited… but was it really that interesting?
The spell to send items between worlds could be written using EditorSkill as a base.
It needed matching Magic Formations in both worlds. Since it used a lot of mana, the spell stored energy inside the formation.
It was probably made for Earth’s mana-poor environment. I couldn’t summon Pii-Pii right now, so this was quietly helpful.
If I carved the formations on ley lines—places where mana flowed—and let them run automatically, I could maybe open a gate on a timer.
Using pre-made formations saved energy, and you didn’t need a skilled mage to handle them. Pretty clever. The bureau must have top-notch magic users.
Still, problems were piling up.
First, I had to find land on Earth with strong mana. Right now, the only place I could think of was the bamboo grove where Mr. Ono’s workshop used to be.
”Land, huh?” Uncle muttered, rubbing his chin. “If it’s in the mountains, it should be cheap. Since the whole mountain from Dad went to my big sister, I guess she’d give me a bit if I asked.”
”It can’t just be any mountain,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Isn’t there something like an old shrine site or a haunted place? Didn’t Grandpa say something like that?”
Grandpa always worked alone deep in the mountains. I never knew exactly what kind of job he had, but we always used firewood for baths, and he often came back with mushrooms and wild plants.
Uncle Keisuke should’ve gotten that land next. But forestry doesn’t really bring in much money these days.
”I know about the Heike clan’s grave,” he said, leaning back. “But lately, people keep sneaking in, and my big sister got mad. She fenced it off.”
”Oh, that place…” I said, hmy face lighting up with recognition.
The locals called it the “Heike clan’s grave,” but it looked more like the ruins of a small castle. There were broken-down stone walls and a still, muddy moat. Back during summer break, kids would go there for courage tests.
There used to be a rumor that stag beetles gathered around the moat trees, and one time, a bug collector even set off smoke bombs at night. That caused a huge uproar, especially with my aunts.
My big aunt is Mom’s older sister. My great aunt was Grandpa’s younger sister—at least, I think so. They’re both terrifying. Since my great aunt is also my uncle’s aunt, family talks get confusing fast.
That’s the countryside for you. Everyone’s family and everyone lives close by.
”The Heike grave brings back memories,” I said with a sigh. “Should we go check it out? Maybe say hello to my great aunts… or is that a bad idea?”
”It’s still a secret that Sab-Sab survived,” my friend said, his voice dropping. “If that strange organization is competent, they’ve probably figured it out already.”
Who knows? It is a mysterious group, after all. But honestly, the police seem more suspicious. They scare me more than the group does.
I might bump into my great aunt up in the mountains, so I decided to borrow sunglasses from Uncle. They’re the flashy kind made for cycling, so bold it feels like I could shoot lasers from my eyes.
Uncle owns more than five mountain bikes, so getting around isn’t a problem for him. He even has over twenty bikes hanging in the garage. The neighbors probably think he runs a shop.
”Let me borrow one that’s okay to break,” I said, pointing at a sturdier frame. “If it’s steel, I can fix it.”
”Sab-Sab likes chromoly steel, huh?” Uncle said with a smirk. “Well, today I’m using a carbon frame.”
Chromoly is chromium-molybdenum steel—pretty much iron. I don’t really know how to handle aluminum or titanium, and carbon fiber is way beyond anything a blacksmith could manage.
The mountain bike Uncle picked had top-grade parts on it. It even had suspension on the rear wheel. Probably cost more than a compact car.
My own ride only had front suspension, but it still felt solid. It climbed mountain roads smoothly—like it was made for it.
Clack!
With a small jump, I lifted the front wheel and popped over the stone steps using just the rear tire.
”When did you learn to do that?” Uncle asked, raising an eyebrow.
”I just had a feeling I could, so I gave it a try,” I said, brushing off the handlebars.
Back in middle school, I’d practiced stuff like this, but I couldn’t manage it then. Now, it felt natural. Way easier than horseback riding. Maybe I’d finally built up my balance.
Looking a bit sour, Uncle caught up, carrying his bike.
”These shoulder pads make it easier to lift the frame, huh?” I added, trying to cheer him up.
”Carbon’s light, so it’s built to be carried like this,” he said, nodding. “But if you crack it by accident, it’s game over.”
If I were bringing something to another world, I’d go with a steel frame. Or maybe, if I forged it from reforged Mithril, I could make something both tough and light.
I’d visited the grave a bunch of times before, but I’d forgotten the path. Wasn’t it creepier than this? Now it just looked like a regular mountain.
Around the old stone wall, someone had put up a brand-new yellow-green fence. But already, there was a huge hole cut through the mesh.
”This is rough,” I muttered, peering through the gap.
”Fences aren’t cheap,” Uncle said, frowning. “People usually just climb them. But lately, the trespassers don’t even try to be subtle.”
Even the padlock on the gate had been snapped off. If they had bolt cutters, they didn’t need to rip the mesh.
”Yeah, with bolt cutters, that’s a one-shot job,” Uncle muttered darkly. “An army could move through here if they wanted.”
Even Uncle, who usually stayed cheerful, looked seriously annoyed.
Inside the fence, just like I remembered, there was a small water moat under the stone wall. Now that I looked at it again, I realized—this wasn’t a castle ruin. Just a defensive embankment. Then again, maybe those count as part of a castle?
Since the moat was only on the downhill side, maybe it was built to stop attacks from below. Higher up, maybe there really had been a castle.
The trees around the place were all gone now.
”That bug tree was around here… but this is awful,” I said, scanning the cleared space.
”No, the trees were cut down by my aunt and the others,” Uncle explained. “They said if someone set off smoke again, it could start a wildfire. But even without the trees, people keep sneaking in.”
He let out a sigh. “Ah, that’s it. Somebody built a Hera fishing platform without permission. Must’ve been a Hera craftsman. As a fellow fan, I’m embarrassed.”
There it was—an aluminum fishing stand sticking out boldly over the moat.
A “Hera master” was someone who specialized in catching carp. Uncle was into that once, too. He’d spent a lot on Hera rods. Handmade bamboo rods can cost a fortune depending on the craftsman.
”So they’re fishing for carp here?” I asked, tilting my head.
”I once caught a shaku-buna here,” he said proudly. “Not a true Hera, but a Mabu.”
A thirty-centimeter fish, huh. That’d make anyone excited. But breaking in and damaging private property? Still not okay.
Then I felt it—like a soft pulse under my feet. Mana. There was a strong ley line running right through this place.
If I placed a Magic Formation here, it could work without a hitch.
That means I’ll need serious defenses to keep people away.
I left the moat to Uncle and climbed the stone wall.
The flat clearing at the top was wide—maybe big enough for a tour bus. In the center was a bowl-shaped pit deep enough to reach an adult’s chest. Dangerous if someone fell in.
At the bottom of the pit was a stone chamber, built with loose, uneven stones. People called it the “neck tomb,” but Grandpa once told me it was a ninja’s escape path.
But there was nothing unusual inside. A side tunnel ran off, but it hit a dead end.
Uncle Keisuke said it was just an old well. I was the only one who thought it was a tomb.
No one really knew what it was. It had a creepy feel, so people stayed away. Looking at it now, it just seemed like an underground room made of stone. I wonder why it scared me so much back then.
Judging by the ley line’s flow, this spot was the best for setting up the formation. But I’d need something to keep the rain off. Maybe a prefab hut?
But if I did that, it might attract weird people.
If only I could use an elf barrier to keep intruders away. But that’s a type of magic, and if you mess it up as a beginner, it can go really wrong.
Speaking of magic, Princess Auroora was into that kind of stuff. Languages, ancient stuff… She liked the niche things. Ms. Nina was the same way.
I decided to explore the side tunnel deeper. Thanks to my night vision skill, I could see clearly inside the chamber. It might not be a tomb after all. The space was just big enough to hold a coffin.
Just in case, I searched carefully. But there were no bones, nothing like remains.
The story about the seven fallen warriors’ heads being buried here? Probably fake. Even if they’d turned to dust, there should’ve been something.
Some curses used angry spirits as fuel, so I’d been a little worried.
But really, I still didn’t get the difference between curses and sorcery. Actually, I didn’t even understand sorcery all that well.
Still, I could use it. It worked like a program.
I wondered—do curse techniques not use mana? Can they work even without any skill?
If anyone can use them, that makes them dangerous. They might trigger even if the chant’s off by a little, which makes debugging a pain.
It was a common tale in that world—amateurs who dabbled in curses and ended up cursed themselves.
Honestly, it’s kind of their own fault. But that’s how curses got their bad name. Just rumors snowballing into fear.
* * *
I sat cross-legged at the center of the stone room, eyes closed, calming my breath. Something felt off around me, like a whisper in the air, and this kind of starting move—settling down and focusing—wasn’t such a dumb idea after all.
A shape floated ahead of me, not drawn or carved, but sensed. Like a symbol made of invisible threads pulled tight in space. Not paint or light—more like magnetic force lines drifting through the wall.
Were the stones… talking? Maybe my Radar Scan had leveled up or awakened something deeper.
I remembered reading somewhere: if you press granite hard enough, it gives off a tiny bit of electricity. Could that be what I’m picking up?
I pulled the strange symbol into my Editor Skill and tried to snap its form into view. The shape matched the kind used in cursed techniques—like the kind that creates magical barriers. I’d seen something similar before, in spells elves used to keep people out.
Was this stone chamber set up as a protective field? A ward to keep intruders away?
Still… the vibe wasn’t quite the same as the elf-made ones I’d read about. And, well, elves weren’t real. Not in Japan, not on Earth. But something about it still felt close—like it shared the same roots.
What do I do now? I didn’t know what the curse was meant to do, but I could see its structure. I could understand it, somehow.
A part of it had broken. The lines had been cut, and the magic was nearly dead. I squinted at the stones. One of them had been nudged out of place. The scratch marks on the floor told the story. Someone must have shifted it. Was it a prank? An earthquake?
If I just moved it back… maybe the spell would start working again.
But should I?
This was how it always went in stories, right? Some clueless fool fixes an old seal, and boom—a monster pops out, cue disaster. But this wasn’t that. This curse had been working normally just a few years ago. It didn’t seem like the sealing type.
What scared me was not knowing what it would do. Still, if I could get it running, I’d find out.
Reckless? Sure. But I had to know.
I took a slow breath and pictured the flow of energy. If I was right, this spell was meant to push people away—make them feel fear and turn back. That’d explain the chill I used to feel around this place when I was younger. It must’ve been working back then.
Recently though, people had started coming up here more. That might mean the barrier had faded. If I could bring it back, we could protect the place. Especially if we planned to turn this into a gate between worlds. A repelling curse would help.
Alright. Let’s reconnect the lines.
…Should I get Uncle out of here first?
* * *
”Huh? Sorcery? A barrier? That’s super cool! Man, this is like, bam! The moment is here!” Uncle grinned, eyes sparkling.
”You’re a bit too hyped,” I said, giving him a flat look.
”I mean, c’mon! Curses, spells—this is totally a dark hero thing. Sab-Sab’s sealed left hand, aching with forbidden power—don’t tell me you’ve done that too? It’s classic teenage boy stuff.”
”That kind of theme’s kinda out of style now. Anyway, it’s dangerous. Head back to the mountain entrance,” I said, motioning him away.
If I remembered right, the effect of the curse reached somewhere around the base of the mountain. The fear always faded near the houses. That matched.
Back then, during our courage test, Uncle had been with me. Explains why it hadn’t affected me strongly.
* * *
After sending Uncle off, I went back to the stone room alone. Now or never.
All kinds of sayings ran through my head—A fool’s blade cuts deepest, Only a hornless bull knows no fear—things like that.
I knelt down again and looked at the stone. The mark of where it used to sit was clear. Just a few centimeters off. Should be easy.
With careful hands, I shifted it back into place. It felt like placing the final piece in a jigsaw puzzle—satisfying and nerve-wracking at the same time.
The moment it clicked in—
…Nothing happened.
”…Huh.”
I felt both relief and disappointment mix in my chest.
Then—thump. My chest tightened. The fear didn’t slam into me. It crept in. A slow wave pressing in from the ground beneath.
Something was watching me from below. Deep below. Something not human.
It was way more effective than those status ailment debuffs you see in games. No mana drain. Just fear. A wide-area effect.
Now that I thought about it… didn’t I have a skill like Status Resistance? Kind of hard to check when my memory gets fuzzy like this.
As I stepped onto the mountain road, I saw Uncle crouched nearby, shaking hard, teeth clenched tight.
”Uncle, can you walk?” I asked, moving closer.
”N-No… bike’s impossible,” he said, voice trembling.
So riding down was out. We walked the bikes down together. By the time we hit the main road, he had calmed down.
”Whoa, that was rough! Back when folks called this place the cursed neck mound, it didn’t even feel this bad! Or maybe it did?”
”Just like I thought. It’s a ward to drive people away. Now it’s working again, we’ve got solid intruder protection,” I said.
”Sure, but now I can’t come close either! Even if I know it’s not real, it still creeps me out.”
”Then you’re like one of those birds scared of rice field balloons,” I muttered. “Hold on.”
I had something in my inventory. Should boost fear resistance.
”Try this ring,” I said, digging it out. “Might help.”
It was from one of Uno’s treasure chests—probably a third-place prize or something. I just called it a Mysterious Ring when I made it.
”Mysterious Ring… Whoa! Is this a cheat item from another world?” Uncle shouted, slipping it on.
Cheat gear, maybe. It was just copper and silver, nothing that’d mess with Earth physics.
The real question was whether it’d work on someone like him—someone who hadn’t been summoned.
”…Huh! I’m not scared at all!” he yelled, suddenly full of energy.
He ran back up the slope like nothing had happened. I put on my own ring and followed.
It did something. Not major, but I could feel it—less pressure in the air, less dread. The mana here was probably thick enough for even cheap effects to activate.
”Totally fine!!” Uncle beamed, fists clenched in triumph.
The ring wasn’t that strong. Probably just placebo. But it was enough for him. Uncle was easy to please.
”There’s hundreds of places like this in the prefecture! Thousands if you count all of Kinki! You dig around, and boom—relics! Let’s find more jujutsu zones!”
”No, that doesn’t mean relics are good,” I said, rubbing my temple. “It only worked because I had all the info ready this time.”
Then again… maybe there really were more sites like this. With a bit of digging, I could probably find them. But I’d only be able to do simple fixes.
I needed to be careful. If I got cocky, I’d end up in trouble. This time was just luck.
I really needed to reflect on how reckless I’d been.
Notes:
• Mr. Zenom – Tough dwarf blacksmith from Toyoata Village. Repairs weapons, improves accuracy. Charges 100 gold/arrow. Becomes protagonist’s strict master. Assigns hard tasks like pre-dawn cleaning, firewood, water pumping. Owns well-equipped forge. Challenges protagonist to prove ideas.
• Jirou – Male. Saburou’s other older brother. He is a shady businessman with a villainous look. He is more understanding of Saburou’s experiences in another world due to his exposure to light novels and anime. He is also tight-lipped, which makes him a good confidant for Saburou’s secrets.
• Keisuke – Saburou’s Mother’s younger brother. Saburou’s uncle.
• Ms. Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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