"So, Master, where are we going today? Since it's a day trip, somewhere within the prefecture?"
"Outside the country."
"...Since it's a day trip, somewhere within the prefecture?"
"There are many cases where you only get one chance to obtain information. Listening carefully to even the slightest sounds and memorizing the content without error is important for obtaining accurate intelligence..."
No, no—I didn't say anything wrong, did I? If it were at least within the country, I could understand, but no matter how I think about it, a day trip abroad is ridiculous! It might be possible somewhere in Asia, but it would be an incredibly rushed trip. Above all, I don't have a passport.
He's getting on in years, so maybe he's just a little senile. Or maybe he's teasing me as his disciple? As I pondered this, he stopped his lecture and sighed. Seeing my unconvinced expression, he scolded me: "You're showing too much on your face." Damn it, I should have been more careful not to let him read my emotions. Master shrugged his shoulders and smiled slightly.
"Really, disciple. Where are you right now?"
"At a café near the agency."
"No, the place you're trying to get into. If you're bound by the common sense of the outside world, you'll get your feet swept out from under you easily."
Common sense of the outside world? I furrowed my brows at Master's words but decided to think it through first. The place I'm trying to get into—from the flow of the conversation, it's probably the underworld. Being bound by the common sense of the outside world means thinking that "it's difficult to go abroad for a day trip," right?
But no matter how hard you try, there's still flight time and time differences to consider. It's not exactly normal to go abroad for a day trip.
"...I don't have a passport."
"You don't need one."
"You don't need one? Are you serious? Are you suggesting I stow away?"
"In the end, that might be the case."
"No, no, no—that's illegal—"
Wait. Maybe my way of thinking is just stuck in conventional wisdom. I've been walking around at night without permission, destroying part of the port, eavesdropping on other people's conversations, and fare-dodging—all clearly criminal acts. And now, am I going to turn myself in to the police just because something's a crime? The answer is no. I get it—I need to change my way of thinking.
The idea of stowing away isn't entirely off the mark. Master's use of "ultimately" is probably the first clue. Hiding on a plane or ship to escape the country is definitely the wrong answer. In other words, there must be a way to leave the country that can't be reached through conventional thinking.
Remember, this is a supernatural world of monsters and demons. Dragons, gods, and magic are real. So there might be a method like a "doko demo doa" (anywhere door) that allows instant movement to distant places... Ah!
"Could it be teleportation magic?"
"...Your knowledge is sometimes inconsistent. You don't know the basics, yet you know deep things about this world."
"Ah, ha ha ha..."
"I didn't think you could answer that, but you're right. I wanted to give you some hands-on experience today. I'll teach you one of the techniques I've developed over the years."
"Really?"
I couldn't help but stare in shock, but my expression gave me away again, and I was scolded once more. I need to work on this. Still, I never thought the method I'd just guessed would be correct. But then again, teleportation magic was used so casually in the original story. The world I'm in is one where such supernatural phenomena are taken for granted. I realized once again that I need to stay focused, or I'm in trouble.
In the original story I remember, almost all non-human characters could use it. Human mages could use it too, I think. Demonic teleportation magic has different magic circles for each family, and apparently you can tell which family's demon is coming just by looking at the circle. Being able to identify families just by their circles shows incredible memory. Come to think of it, I think Hyoudou Issei studied this kind of thing to rise up in the demon world. I'm starting to respect him a little for trying to memorize something so difficult.
"Huh, so teleportation magic is something humans can use easily?"
"For short distances or within a city, many can use it. But for long distances across countries, it's not something you can just use casually. Even among magicians, there aren't many who have the skill to use long-range teleportation magic."
"I see. So Master must have connections to a magician skilled enough to use such teleportation magic."
"Of course, there aren't any in Japan."
Wait—that means we can't go abroad. The premise that we have to go abroad using teleportation magic is completely broken. I know this is part of my training, but I scratch my head in frustration at his deliberate refusal to give me a straight answer. The old man watches me with an amused expression. What is this? I'm genuinely annoyed.
"Alright, here's another hint. We're going to meet a certain wizard. Of course, he himself cannot use long-distance teleportation magic. However, if you pay him a price, he will make teleportation possible."
"Pay a price..."
Something caught my attention—the two words 'wizard' and 'price.' That's right, I know someone who demands payment from others. Despite being a fantasy character, he wants business-like, give-and-take contracts. Could this be the answer? Apparently, my expression gave me away again, and I received a third flick on the forehead. However, it seems Master sensed the answer I had come up with from my expression.
"That's right. You said it yourself—this would be real-life experience. Shou, have you ever seen a real demon?"
That was the answer.
First, what are the demons that appear in "High School D×D"? In simple terms, they are beings that grant wishes in exchange for a price from humans. They have human-like appearances, value contracts, and have bat-like wings that allow them to fly through the night. The demons in this world also possess a highly convenient ability called "honyaku konnyaku" (translation jelly). They can form contracts with magicians as part of their work, so the "demon" element is strongly emphasized in the story.
The Four Great Demon Lords, who unite these demons, once ruled the Underworld, their homeland. The Fallen Angel Realm is also said to be in the Underworld, but details are unclear. Demons are often targeted for extermination as evil beings, have weaknesses such as vulnerability to sacred things, and have a low birth rate. Their numbers were greatly reduced in a major war long ago, and further events like a coup against the government seeking to continue the war led to a period where the survival of their species was threatened. The current Four Great Demon Lords are the new rulers who successfully carried out the coup.
The system created to resolve these issues is the "reincarnated demon system." It's an amazing technology that can reincarnate other species into demons, and astonishingly, it can even revive the dead if performed immediately after death. The story begins when the protagonist, who has died, is reincarnated as a demon. Each demon has unique abilities, and they compete in battles called "Rating Games," with the goal of gathering high-quality subordinates, which also serves as their status symbol.
That alone wouldn't be so bad, but the problem is that this reincarnation system may not always be carried out with consent. The main reason I avoid demons is because of the existence of these "demon pieces." There are benefits to being reincarnated as a demon, and if it's done with the person's consent, that's fine. However, there are also higher-ranking demons who force others to be reincarnated as demonic subordinates. Especially those who desire excellent pieces for Rating Games tend to want to turn talented humans—especially those who possess Sacred Gears—into their servants.
Reasonable demons will negotiate, present conditions, or even give up. But to be honest, such demons are few and far between. That's why many have been manipulated by terrorists who exploit their negative emotions. Some are forced to become "stray demons." The "Devil Piece" system is honestly still far too problematic. Depending on how it's used, it could become a tool that harms both humans and demons alike.
"A courier using devil teleportation magic..."
"That's unusual, isn't it?"
"Well, yes. There are such devils, I see."
"That devil is apparently an intermediate-level devil. He can easily create teleportation magic. By paying a price, he can transport people to various places, so he's used as a long-distance transportation method by those in the know."
Since the magician and the devil lived in a place somewhat removed from the metropolis, we traveled there using various means of transportation, taking about two hours. That devil apparently lives in the human world rather than the underworld and is quite an eccentric individual. It seems he struck up a rapport with the wizard he's contracted with, and they've formed an almost equal partnership as a courier service. Both are apparently famous for being eccentric, but their abilities are genuine, so others seem to accept that aspect of them.
Still, I wonder what kind of background led a demon to stay in the human world as a courier and a wizard to form an equal contract with such a demon. In the original story, demons were the ones who could use teleportation themselves. So even if they're famous among humans, it makes sense they don't appear in the original story.
"So, what does that eccentric demon and wizard demand in exchange? The price is usually something difficult, right?"
It wasn't a demon, but some Dragon King who demanded the panties of a blonde beauty as payment and was caught sniffing them.
"Money. There's one more thing I can offer as compensation."
"What? That's pretty materialistic..."
"The reason that devil and wizard live near a major Japanese city is because there's something they can only get in Japan. However, it costs money to obtain. Therefore, they started working as couriers to earn the money to buy it."
"So the other price is the thing they're buying that's only available in Japan?"
What's that? Do they like Japanese culture? When you think of Japan, you think of temples and shrines, so they'd probably live near Kyoto or something. Besides, you can't give a temple as payment. Then maybe Japanese cuisine? Tempura or sushi—those might not be available in the underworld, but I don't think they'd cost that much.
I racked my brain but couldn't come up with an answer. As we chatted like that, we finally arrived at the wizard's house. It seemed he had already contacted the other party, so it appeared all we had to do was hand over what Master was carrying on his back.
"Master, that's quite a large payment."
"The price varies. It was hard work finding this one."
"What could be so hard for an information broker to find?"
"...Apparently, that demon is a big fan of one of the Four Great Demon Lords who rule the underworld. After worshipping that demon lord, he developed the same hobby. He then struck up a friendship with a wizard who shared the same interest, and they made a pact to appreciate Japanese culture together. The fee for delivery is pretty high, but if the payment is in kind, the amount isn't that much."
"What? The same hobby as one of the Four Great Demon Lords... and they appreciate Japanese culture?"
At Master's explanation, my movements froze. Sweat trickled down my forehead, and I repeated his words in my head. A loud warning bell seemed to ring endlessly inside me.
There was one thing that came to mind. I had found it. It was definitely Japanese culture, and one of the Four Great Demon Lords was obsessed with it. But wait a minute—if my imagination is correct, is that really okay? A demon and a wizard?! Especially a wizard! In the original story, there were terrorists who were furious about that demon lord's hobby!
The Four Great Demon Lords of the Underworld: The sister-obsessed demon lord, Sirzechs Lucifer. The engineer who created the basics of Rating Games and the demon pieces, Ajuka Beelzebub. The military strategist of the underworld, Falbium Asmodeus. And the sole female figure overseeing diplomacy in the underworld, Serafall Leviathan. Among these four, there is only one demon lord whose hobby is Japanese culture.
And then, after taking a deep breath, Master knocked on the door with determination, and before I could stop him, he opened it effortlessly. And at that moment—
The world changed.
"——"
Inside the log cabin-like house were countless otaku items crammed into every available space. On the shelves stood hundreds of magical girl figures wielding wands in various poses. The walls were adorned with framed posters of magical girls, and the floor was covered with a carpet emblazoned with the words "Magical Girl Milky."
From the ceiling, intricately decorated magical girl dolls spun around in the air with mysterious sparkling effects.
...This is another world. This is definitely not the human world. Overwhelmed by the sheer presence of it all, I couldn't move. In every sense of the word, my legs were frozen. I don't mean to judge other people's hobbies. If you like something, that's fine, and I think it's amazing that you can be so open about your interests. Still, I think there are limits. Am I wrong?
"Uoooooooh! As always, Milky's anime is so amazing!"
"This is a divine script. The writer's work is truly incredible."
In that otherworldly place, two grown men were sitting side by side, watching anime on a big screen. I knew the anime itself, and I had even thought, "Oh, this is that magical girl anime," and found it surprisingly interesting. I knew the second season had started, so I recognized the characters to some extent. But I was just an ordinary viewer, and I understood that was all I was.
This is what a true fan looks like. The passion and enthusiasm of these two, with eyes sparkling like children's, was overwhelming me. I couldn't win against this. I couldn't imagine a future where I could ever defeat these two. Fearsome, 'Magical Girl Milky.' Is there a curse that those who are captivated by this anime become beings that transcend dimensions?
"Courier, I'm the one who requested your services earlier. I've brought the payment, so I'd like to request long-distance teleportation magic."
Even in this hyperspace, Master's words and facial expression remained unwavering. This is the true form of a professional. Master looked incredibly cool. I was once again moved by how truly worthy of respect he was. And then, Master simply took the payment he had been carrying on his back out of the bag and declared it with confidence.
"Here's the payment. Take it—'Life-sized Magical Girl Milky Doll, Punished with Sparkling Magic! (Sparkle)' version!!"
"Alright, where do you want to teleport to?! I'll take you there and back safely, no matter where it is!!"
...This is weird. This is supposed to be real-world experience in the supernatural world, right? Was the supernatural world like this? No, wait—remember. This is the same world as the "Oppai Dragon" series.
The world where the world's strongest dream dragon, Great Red, says things like "Zum zum, noo!" The world where the legendary Two Heavenly Dragons receive counseling about breasts and butts. Isn't this the true nature of this world...?
Calm down, my values. Don't give up, my common sense. Also, Master—please don't put unnecessary effort into the "kira" sound effect at the end!
The two of them, who had been glued to the anime until just now, accepted the request together, and we were able to use the teleportation magic safely. I felt like I had lost something important, but I'll just tell myself it was my imagination. And so, I had probably succeeded in making first contact with a legitimate demon and a wizard.
***
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