Chapter 1.10
01. Visitor from Another World
1-10. Rain
Countless Sparkling faint phosphorescent lights danced in the air.
The magic circle that had been spread out on the floor eventually disappeared, and when everything had been finished, only Kururu remained in the room. Someone who had been with him until just now was no longer there. Nowhere in sight, in this world.
He had gone. To a world different from here, unknown to Kururu as well. All that left was to pray for the safety of his journey. Before long, With a sound of "shhh", the Regalion in his hand expelled steam and heat.
With another strange movement, it transformed, eventually returning to its original disc shape, completely stopping its function. It was a signal that all the spells embedded in this item had been executed successfully and completed.
In other words, it meant that he had crossed the dimensional barrier and safely returned to his original world. seeing this, Kururu finally let out a sigh of relief. It was a relief filled with all sorts of meanings, but most of it was for himself. And—
"I'm so glad...!"
With an outburst that welling up from the depths of his heart, he collapsed weakly on the spot. It was also a lament for the misfortune that had befallen him this time.
It was an unprecedented crisis, truly. He thought he'd quickly finish the petty task of sending back the visitor from another world, a job that occurred maybe once a year, and then leisurely enjoy his hobby with the remaining time.
Well, today's a lucky day, he thought in a carefree manner as he headed out. Never did he imagine that such a young boy would awaken to extraordinary abilities.
He had let his guard down completely. This was why there were regulations advising to keep contact with visitors from other worlds to a minimum. She was understood that encountering them wasn't something that happened very often, but his almost total lack of vigilance in this instance had backfired.
It sends shivers down his spine just to imagine it. If the spirits hadn't intervened along the way, he wondered what might have happened by now. It would have been difficult to contain the situation alone, and he likely would have faced appropriate consequences.
Pay cut, bonus reduction, written apologies, punitive penalties. Those terrifying words passed through Kururu mind one after the other. He couldn't even muster a smile. A small mistake can still be easily excused, but this time, it was a blunder of such magnitude that it couldn't be excused as mere carelessness.
To say that she got off scot-free would be an understatement. The bridge she had crossed was far too precarious. It was truly a miracle that nothing had happened. Honestly, she was on the brink of disaster just moments ago. There might not even be a moment of relief to be had. It was a hair's breadth from a close call. The palpable sensation was overwhelming.
Hence—
"Honestly, this isn't something to laugh about..."
Trembling with that kind of thing, Kururu, covering his face, looked up at the sky. Grief, introspection, and earnest emotions mixed together as she seemed on the verge of tears while clutching his head.
It wasn't born out of embarrassment or helplessness. It was simply an inability to endure the fear of what might happened. Because, really, what else could she have done? If she hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to hold back. This restless feeling in his heart, there was just no way. It was a type of impulse.
She didn't care. After all, there was no one around to hear him. Since she was alone in his room, she decided to let out a hearty scream and vent until she felt satisfied. Eventually, peace of mind would return. She writhed and moaned, half-desperate, half-exasperated. That's why what happened next was unexpected.
"—No, it's not like that, is it?."
A response that shouldn't have been there, and then, a thud. Kururu collided forcefully with the wall of the room right behind him, stuck in place Unable to move, she stared wide-eyed in shock, maintaining a pose as if she had just been thrown, and focused on what was before him.
There stood a familiar figure for Kururu. A girl with lightly curled, yellowish hair, elegantly seated in a wheelchair. Well, perhaps "a little girl" would be more fitting.
After all, at first glance, she appeared to be around that age. a child of about ten, so young that still holding hands with her mother wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Her skin was already pale, and she wore a dress of a similar hue, which further emphasized her delicate and frail appearance.
Yes, her outward appearance was that of a child. Sitting in a wheelchair, it even raised concerns that she might have slipped away from the hospital, perhaps escaping the watchful eyes of the staff. If she were to wander the streets alone, day or night, she would undoubtedly be escorted back.
—However, one should not underestimate her. Kururu knew this well. Her true nature didn't align in the slightest with her adorable appearance. After all, they had been acquainted for a long time. Since the day Kururu joined the guild, it had never changed.
Every year, he would glance at the subtly shifting organizational chart and sigh, "Here we go again." It had been like this for how many years now? Yes, it had never changed.
"Behold! This is the meticulously considered organizational chart that I, in my wisdom, have devised for this year!!!"
Every year, the god of the guild would declare in a grandiose manner in front of the assembled members, tracing their names up the chart. And every time, her name would be there.
"Rain-san?!"
"I unexpectedly enjoyed it."
how long had she been there? Kururu, showing his astonishment, but on the other hand, Rain, upon being called, remained calm and composed, wearing an indifferent expression that didn't quite suit her age. She simply gazed quietly at the dumbfounded Kururu. In short, that young girl, Rain, was Kururu direct superior.
(Tn: a loli boss? No a loli baba)
At the same time, question marks overflowed in Kururu head.
why on earth is she here?
"What's going on...! Why is Rain-san here...!?"
"It's Noah"
That was the reply to his question. It was just one word, but it was enough for Kururu. After all, it was the name of the godlike figure who served as their leader. And Rain explanation continued in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Just now, I received a message from him. He said it was urgent, so I reluctantly listened. He mentioned that you might have been subjected to mental contamination. I had heard that you were on your way to send back the visitor from another world, so I thought it couldn't hurt to rush over here."
With that said, Rain paused, calmly surveying the room. Meanwhile, still pressed against the wall, Kururu was on edge. She Glancing sideways at the clock, he confirmed that only half an hour had passed since Kururu had made contact with Naota. Given the time elapsed since the accident, it should have been even shorter.
Yet, here was Rain, having rushed over nonetheless. Kururu couldn't help but be genuinely amazed by the guild organizational prowess. They swiftly took control upon as soon as the problem arised. Their rapid response was nothing short of impressive.
Normally, even a single administrative procedure would be left untouched for weeks. Why was it that only in times like these did things move quickly? Kururu couldn't help but mutter a curse. After all, it seemed that, thanks to this, he was once again in a tight spot.
Once he had vented his frustration, Kururu immediately shifted gears. She was determined to mobilize the little people and set out to conceal all the evidence. She planned to establish an alibi, come up with a plausible excuse, and figure out how to cover up this blunder. However, with the scene being investigated so soon, there was nothing she could do.
So, with no other option, Kururu could only pray earnestly. She hoped that, just this once, Rain would remain oblivious to his bumbling. Rain slowly surveyed the room, giving a thoughtful nod. Kururu watched her with bated breath, his heart pounding. The Tense moments passed. And then—.
"In particular, there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. I can't even see the figure of the visitor from another world... Could it be that my concerns were unfounded?"
While tilting his head in puzzlement, this was the question-shaped judgment that was rendered. In an instant, a burst of sunshine illuminated Kururu heart. His body and mind instantly lightened, enveloped in a feeling that seemed to ascend even to the heavens, along with the cupid blowing trumpets and laughing heartily. The greatest hurdle had been overcome. From here on, it might just be a matter of tying up loose ends.
"Huh? Wha-what? Did that really happen? I mean, mental contamination?! Me!? No, no, that's not the case! Because, well, there was absolutely no problem anymore! Um, it was just about 30 minutes ago, right? I found the visitor from another world just fine! Probably a boy a little younger than me, seemed a bit confused, but once I explained the situation and everything, he understood perfectly! He looked so relieved! After that, i was just following the manual! And I made sure to explain everything, including the part about erasing memories completely, before sending him back to his original world! Certainly, he seemed a little reluctant at the end, but he waved goodbye with a smile! There wasn't a single problem, and everything was perfectly fine—"
Kururu joyfully reported all of this with animated gestures. But—
"Huh...?"
Suddenly, she became calm. Something had caught his attention. She quickly arrived at what that something was, stopping in his tracks to think it over.
"Enjoyed it...?"
It was a comment that Rain had casually mentioned at the beginning of this exchange. At that moment, surprise had overshadowed everything else, and she hadn't been able to pick up on it properly. Come to think of it, she still wasn't entirely sure of the meaning.
A vague sense of unease crept over him. Following the foreboding, Kururu looked up at Rain. And what did she find? She was smiling. No, it might be more accurate to say she was smirking.
That could be the answer. She must have seen through everything, even while testing it. With an air of interest, as if mocking his efforts. That cruel, malicious smirk she directed at him. It was profoundly unsettling.
"Um, Rain-san. May I ask you something...?"
"Hmm, what is it? Speak up," Rain elegantly nodded, prompting Kururu to timidly inquire.
"Um, what did you mean by 'enjoyed it' just now...?"
He began to ask the question cautiously, then waited, focused on her reaction. And then, silence flowed. After the pause, as expected, "Hmph."
Rain laughed. Decisively this time, with a touch of derision. It was a devilish grin that seemed to say, "I was waiting for those words."
"Well, what about it? I suppose it's not easy to bring up, especially after receiving such a report."
She said with amusement, waving her hand. And then, from behind her, a magic hand floated into the air, shaped like a human wrist.
Skipping the details, this wrist was one of the functions pre-installed on Rain wheelchair, where she was seated. In Rain life, which forced her into a wheelchair it came with various inconveniences, it was a handy device that literally played the role of her hand—or perhaps even more.
Well, leaving that aside. The magic hand brought something to Kururu, something thin like a piece of paper. Upon inspection, it turned out to be a photo. It was taken from an angle outside a building, capturing a room inside.
In other words, someone was standing in front of a window, while someone else embraced them tightly from behind. if one were shown such a thing, it was impossible not to burst into laughter.
"Wha-wha-what is this!??" Without hesitation, she snatched the photo and shouted with a beet-red face.
Needless to say, the figures captured in the photo were Naota and Kururu.
"Well, well, even I was thoroughly taken aback by this."
Ingnoring Kukuru, Rain continued composedly.
"I shouldn't let any harm come to my cute subordinate. But What I saw was both of you, arm in arm, entering this building together. At that time, I tilted my head in confusion. As you know, we're strictly prohibited from excessive contact with people from other worlds. Yet, here you were, leading that boy into a sealed room. It didn't seem like you were being threatened."
"...Huh?"
At that moment, Kururu train of thought had already stopped.
Nevertheless, Rain continued unperturbed.
"I wondered what had happened, but I decided to hold back and observe for a moment. Knowing you, I figured there must have been some unavoidable circumstance. As your superior, I chose to trust my subordinate on-site judgment. I was ready to intervene at any moment, but I continued to watch you both carefully. I kept my eyes on you without looking away for a moment, and watched over you with bated breath."
Suddenly, as if they had been waiting for their cue, several small shadows flew out from behind Rain. Each one was an additional magic hand controlled by her, and they held various shots taken from different angles and timings.
"As a result, I obtained this scoop."
"W-Wait a minute, Rain-san! There's a huge misunderstanding about this!"
Feeling the urgency, Kururu tried to interject. But, she was swiftly blocked by one of the magic hands that pounced on him, covering his face.
"Muuuuuuh!!!"
Struggling on the floor, she grappled with the magic hand stuck to his face. Meanwhile, Rain continued her story unfazed.
"Well, I must say, I was truly surprised. First of all, that you had an interest in this sort of thing, but what more surprising was the cunning method you used. I see, you put some thought into it. Choosing a person from another world as the target would indeed make it harder to trace, and leave fewer traces of evidence. Moreover, many of them are newly thrust into an unfamiliar land and are in a state of panic. If it was a young boy like him, it would be even more effective."
"Moooooooh!!!"
"Good grief, it goes beyond amazement and into admiration. It's truly something. To boldly claim that there was no issue at all after this, it's really quite remarkable. Honestly, it's frustrating. Never did I imagine a day would come when I, who trusted my subordinate, would be faced with such a scene. While there may be some fault in my supervision, it's truly pathetic. It might have been an unavoidable circumstance, but couldn't you have handled it differently? There's a line that should never be crossed, a thing called discretion."
"Mooooooooh!!!"
"Ah, it's really regrettable. Incredibly so, Kururu. I believed in you, you know. Even if my subordinate were engaged in inappropriate conduct during duty, I still held onto a glimmer of hope when I came across this undeniable scene. After all, if it's as the initial report suggested, you were under mental influence from that boy, there might have been room for interpretation. Perhaps, I even wished for it to be so... But I see, it's different, isn't it? In that case, I have nothing more to say. I can only lament my own powerlessness. Ah, it's truly saddening. So saddening, my friend... Well, that's the end of my commentary on the scene I witnessed and the internal monologue that followed. Let me ask one last thing."
At this point, Rain's tone unexpectedly became calm, and the gag from the magic hand was removed. Exhausted from the struggle, Kururu, who had resigned himself to the floor, let out a small sound.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense? Defendant."
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Please let me tell you the truth..."
Gasping for breath, Kururu pleaded. To her, who probably knew everything from the start, all of his efforts were in vain. He hung his head in resignation, realizing that everything was futile.
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