Chapter 267: Home Sweet Home (1)
Chapter 267: Home Sweet Home (1)
It took five minutes to reach The Hole, and quite a bit of time had passed since then, yet we still hadn't returned to our original world.
It wasn't because of any particular problem.
It was simply because Al’shel was busy scattering countless magic formulas in front of The Hole, double-checking everything.
"Just a moment, please wait a little longer. I just need to check this one thing."
Hmm, I think he’s said that at least four times now.
I thought it, but I didn't say it out loud.
To be honest, my level of trust in The Queen was exactly at that level.
Un-ho didn't seem to care much that his Queen was being doubted; he was just fiddling with the Food Ingredient Generator.
…Come to think of it, that thing is basically a quasi-Perpetual Motion Machine.
He eats the food, uses that mana to create more food, and then accumulates mana again from that food.
Of course, there must be some loss somewhere, so it’s not a perfect Perpetual Motion Machine, but if I could figure out the structure, life would become a whole lot easier.
Anyway, I understood how Al’shel felt, so I waited patiently despite the long delay.
"Whew."
With a final sigh, Al’shel withdrew all the Magic Circles.
"Huh? Oh. Ah? What is it? Are you done?"
Reacting to the disappearance of the light source, my hazy consciousness immediately snapped back to alertness.
I wiped the dampness from the corner of my mouth with one hand and asked a question.
"Yes, it appears to be the same Hole we entered through. The coordinates are within a 1% margin of error, and the secret code we set when stabilizing The Hole is 100% identical."
"So that means it’s the same Hole we came in through? It’s not a path to some parallel world?"
"Yes. While I cannot say for absolute certain, the probability of this Hole leading to another world is about the same as the probability of Lee Ha-ram winning the first-prize lottery."
So, basically a zero percent chance in this lifetime.
"Nothing special we need to worry about?"
"No, there’s nothing to it when going in. It’s not a world with different laws like the Magic Kingdom, and even more so since you're returning to the world where you were born."
I see. Then.
"Let's go."
"Yes, understood."
"Un-ho, put that back in the box."
"Ah? Got it-yong!"
With those words, we began our slow entry into The Hole—which I couldn't personally perceive—protected by a barrier. And just like that, we were back home.
* * *
"Daddy! You're back!"
The one who greeted me upon my return to Earth was none other than my daughter.
Linshua, who had long since grown taller than me, suddenly lunged into my arms, and I reflexively hugged her back.
A soft sensation, slightly sticky due to her clothes.
That feeling immediately made me realize I was back on Earth.
But soon, a question arose.
How did Linshua know I was coming?
However, that question wasn't more important than finishing Linshua’s greeting.
"Hehe."
I patted the smiling Linshua once more.
After finishing the stroking right before letting go, I gently pushed her back and spoke.
"By the way, Linshua."
"Yeah!"
"How did you know Daddy was coming?"
At that, Linshua’s bright smile grew even brighter as she spoke.
"I knew right away when Daddy and Uncle Octopus got close! I was worried because my detection range was narrow, but you dropped in right away!"
Then, her expression darkened slightly as she continued.
"But you suddenly popped up so close…. I thought I’d be late even if I ran out to meet you…. But I made it in time!"
In the end, she returned to a bright face as she answered.
I kept a smiling face on the outside, but I couldn't hide my inner bewilderment.
A field of vision wide enough to look beyond the world and observe the Otherworld?
I knew she was getting stronger, but this strong?
"Ah! It's Un-ho! Long time no see!"
"Uuuugh…. Fried Fruit-Meat…."
While I was lost in thought, Linshua left me and ran toward Un-ho.
Un-ho, unaware that his formidable nemesis was right in front of him, was talking in his sleep again, a side effect of crossing through The Hole.
However, that peace didn't last long.
"Un-ho! Hello!"
Just like that, Un-ho began to be stretched out like dough.
"Gwaaaaack! Lee Ha-ram, what are you doing all of a sud—"
Un-ho turned his head while being squeezed, assuming it was me as usual.
But soon, his face turned pale, and he began to tremble.
"Lin… Linshua…?"
"Yup! It's Linshua!"
"Aaaagh…. Ha-ram! Please get Linshua off me… Gwaaaaack…."
Sorry, Un-ho.
Just hold on for a bit.
If you get molded into something like a ceramic vase again, I'll knead you back to normal.
Thinking that, I looked around while Linshua’s attention was focused on Un-ho.
We were currently at The Lowest level of Nanjido. The endless Abyss.
That was correct.
And those around us…
The Thunder God, covering her eyes with her hands and shaking her head from side to side.
Elder Li, stroking his beard and letting out a "ho-ho" sound.
And finally, Al’shel, who was deep in thought.
The one I needed to talk to was the expert in this field.
"I have something to ask you."
I threw a question at Al’shel.
"What is it? I am currently immersed in the joy of having actually returned alive."
…No, cut it out with that bizarre joy.
"You, can you observe the outside of The Hole we just came out of?"
"How could that be possible? Even if we call it a Hole, it’s not like an actual hole has been bored through. It’s not like I can roll my eyeballs inside The Hole."
Hmm, did this guy not hear what Linshua and I just said?
"Ah, of course, theoretically, it is possible. If I concentrated all my power, I could see for a brief moment before immediately collapsing from exhaustion."
Hrmmm….
"Linshua said the reason she came to meet us was that she perceived us arriving nearby?"
As I said that, I looked at Linshua, who was making something out of Un-ho.
She seemed to be shaping him into a teapot.
"Ah…. Well, that’s… Linshua is just… in a different league, so it would be possible for her."
Al’shel spoke cautiously about Linshua.
No matter how I heard it, he had a suspicious vibe, as if he wanted to say something like, 'Dammit.'
"A different league. Even so, you're saying the difference is so great that she can naturally do something that would make you collapse the moment you tried it?"
Really?
"…Ah, well, you know, there are racial differences and such. Just like how Grix was stronger than me in Mental Magic and scouting."
I feel like this guy is hiding something fishy….
Even now, isn't he desperately averting his gaze and feigning ignorance?
Hrmmm.
Would beating the answer out of him work?
Just as I clenched my fist to strike.
Zap.
With the sound of a spark.
"Now, that's enough."
The Thunder God, who had teleported from afar trailing yellow flames, blocked the path between me and Al’shel, catching my fist to stop the attack.
"Let go, Thunder God. We're talking about something important."
"I heard the whole conversation. You're worried that the power Linshua has is suspicious, right?"
If you boil it down, yes.
"Yeah, and since this octopus seems to know something, I need to beat the information out of him."
I said that, and while I didn't dare shake off the hand the Thunder God was holding, I tried to swing my other hand.
"Is that really so important?"
With that one sentence from the Thunder God, everything stopped.
"…What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're worried that Linshua has some power you don't know about, or that she's a being you don't recognize."
"…."
Struck by the truth, I couldn't open my mouth.
As if aiming for my silence, the Thunder God’s rapid jabs continued.
"But, even if Linshua is some kind of impossible being, like the one who gives out that Black Candy…."
Those words clearly referred to the Queens and their ilk.
The ones who must not be mentioned.
"From what you've seen of Linshua, is she the kind of kid who would do something bad, even if she were such a being?"
A heavy blow followed the jabs.
"The Linshua I've seen definitely didn't seem like that kind of child. Of course, it hasn't been long since I've seen her face, so it could all be a lie. So, what was the Linshua you saw like?"
The Linshua I saw.
…Well, isn't the answer obvious?
Isn't she the daughter I've raised since she was little?
"There's no way…."
"Then, are you doing this because you're afraid Linshua might be in danger from some unknown power? If that's the case, you have me, and you have yourself. We can just protect her, can't we?"
"…."
The Thunder God’s shout pierced through all my anxiety and worry.
"And you, Octopus, if such a situation arises, you'll help too, right? Hmm?"
On top of that, an additional threat directed at Al’shel.
"How could I refuse?"
Even Al’shel yielded to the Thunder God’s words and bowed his head.
And so, I stopped.
"…I'm sorry, Al’shel."
And I apologized to the octopus.
Sincerely.
Al’shel, having received such an apology, just stared at the Thunder God in surprise.
"No, how did you manage to persuade that?"
'That,' he says.
Look at how he immediately got cocky.
Regardless of what I thought, the Thunder God, upon hearing Al’shel’s question, spoke with a beaming smile.
"We've spent time together, haven't we? Anyway."
Zap.
A spark flew.
A lightning-fast punch thrown with all the Thunder God’s sincerity.
A speed so fast that even I, who had experienced various incidents in the Otherworld, lost track of the midpoint.
Faster than even her prime.
A single blow to someone's solar plexus.
Perhaps he hadn't expected it.
Of course, expecting that would be a harsh demand.
Even so, it didn't mean Al’shel flying away like a piece of paper wasn't funny.
"'That' is a bit much, don't you think?"
Whoa, our Thunder God is the best.
* * *
After that, nothing much happened.
Un-ho, who had turned into a teapot, hadn't been fired in a kiln yet, so a few taps returned him to his original form.
The unconscious Al’shel was dragged away by Elder Li, and the Thunder God and Linshua parted ways after promising to meet again.
Oh, for reference, it supposedly took about 37 days until I returned.
It felt like I was in the Otherworld for two or three months, so it hadn't been as long as I thought.
I was prepared for a year to have slipped away if I was unlucky, but to find it was only about half that.
Having parted ways, I am now moving slowly through the Management Bureau.
I told Un-ho to leave the Food Ingredient Generator and go home, so I'm alone.
There are several reasons.
I intend to write a report about the Otherworld through a self-report.
Even aside from the report, I have something to secretly convey to Hyun-seok.
And most importantly.
I have to apologize to the Librarian.
I wish I could just say, 'I accidentally left the Reality Anchor that used the Curator’s Heart in the Otherworld!' but that's not going to happen.
Whew.
Letting out a sigh, I knocked on the door of the Librarian’s laboratory.
Knock, knock.
"Come in!"
An unfamiliar woman's voice rang out from inside the room.
This bastard is in female mode again, I thought as I opened the door and walked in.
My prediction was spot on.
Two or three months in perceived time.
The Librarian, whom I was seeing for the first time in a month of this world's time…
For some reason, he was wearing black stockings, a grey-toned suit jacket, and a narrow knee-length skirt, with a white lab coat and glasses over it.
…He’s really gone off the deep end.
He probably thinks he’s dressed normally.
Well, whatever happens to him isn't my business….
"Hmm? Isn't it Lee Ha-ram? You've returned in better shape than I expected."
Thinking that at least a trace of the Librarian remained, I bowed my head.
"Sorry, I lost the Reality Anchor."
Your final boss is probably wandering around somewhere in the Otherworld with the octopus folks.
I apologized, waiting for the Librarian’s inevitable scolding.
"Hmm, you really did lose it. Well, it was within the expected range, so it's fine. That gentleman probably felt satisfied that he was used for something."
The Librarian accepted the situation more calmly than I expected, stopped the work he was doing, sat down at his desk, and continued speaking.
"Then shall we collect the price for losing the Reality Anchor? Please tell me about what you experienced in the Otherworld."
He—or rather, she—said that and held out a hand.
As if telling me to sit comfortably on the other side and talk.
"I'll do that…."
The important parts would be censored, though.
Well, that should be enough.
* * *
After all the stories were finished.
"I think I've told you most of it…. And I'll say it again, I'm really sorry for losing the Reality Anchor."
I bowed my head once more in apology.
At that, the Librarian shook his head, stood up from his chair, and came up behind me.
Vrrr.
"Apology for what? It's fine."
With a vibration, the Librarian suddenly spoke in a male voice and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Because, I think I'm the one who should be apologizing more."
Thud.
A thick hand, encased in armor, landed on my shoulder.
A hand so heavy that even I couldn't immediately shake it off while my Limiter was locked.
In that situation.
What on earth is this…?
Just as I was about to shout.
Click.
The firmly closed door of the Librarian’s laboratory opened.
And from there, a person in black clothes with belts walked in.
Wearing a Gas Mask and holding a syringe filled with a rainbow-colored liquid.
A terrifying medical professional.
"Since you've been to the Otherworld, you should get a comprehensive check-up, shouldn't you?"
She spoke in a voice that overflowed with absolute happiness.