Chapter 415 - 415: “Extraordinary LogOut”

At breakfast I asked the inn staff to call Jinny for me.

"Today we'll check the shops we haven't seen yet, then go to the abandoned village Jinny mentioned where monsters appear."

"Yes, Master."

Last night I slept deeply.

During school lodging events I always pick a spot in the corner where I won't bother the other roommates and go to sleep early. Even then I can hear love talk and it takes a while to fall asleep. Of course I'm outside that circle, but when the name Akie Omoi comes up inside it I still get a jolt.

Lime said she doesn't roll over, so I had her be my pillow. When I put my head on the belly of the lying-down Lime, the soft squish felt good and I slept well. At first we were in our own futons, but before I knew it Akie was sleeping beside me, Nanao on the other side, and Haruki at my feet. I was surrounded like that.

I woke up refreshed without any nightmares, but when I opened my eyes Akie's face was right in front of me and I got startled.

"Good morning, everyone."

When we left the inn, Jinny was waiting. She was wearing the clothes I bought her yesterday. In girlish clothes, even with short hair she doesn't look like a boy.

"It suits you, Jinny. You're cute."

"Thank you. You even gave me a big tip, and then you bought me this too. I'm truly grateful."

She's small but polite.

"You're polite. Did your parents raise you well?"

I said that with a laugh, but Jinny's face clouded a little. What?

"My parents are already gone."

Ah. Did I step on a landmine?

"I see. Sorry."

"No, it's fine. Right now I'm living happily at a place called 'Aunt Ilim's House'."

Probably something like an orphanage.

"They teach me reading and writing, and arrange various part-time jobs for me like guiding and cleaning. There are bad adults in the world who skim money, but Aunt Ilim is already an old woman and she doesn't do that."

She knows about skimming money. She's been through some hardships, even if she doesn't look it.

"Got it. I'll pay the guide fee today too, so I'm counting on you. First, guide us to the shops we haven't visited."

"Leave it to me."

In the end, the remaining shops didn't have anything major that we needed. That means the place Jinny guided us to yesterday was the best choice.

"Thanks, Jinny. Good work."

"Sorry, there wasn't anything good today."

"No, that just means yesterday's guidance was accurate. Right, Akie?"

"Yes. How much for today?"

"We kept you for yesterday and today, so how about this much?"

I showed Akie the amount and Akie handed that sum to Jinny.

"Eh? W-wait, 50G? I can't accept that much."

"It's fine, it's fine. We'll definitely come to the hot spring again, so guide us then too. This is the reservation fee for that."

"Understood. Thank you. You're going to the abandoned village today, right? Shall I guide you there too?"

"No, we'll encounter monsters. It's dangerous, so we'll go alone."

"I see. Please be careful."

It was a refreshing goodbye. It was a short acquaintance, but it feels a little lonely.

"She was a good kid."

When we left the town and started walking, Akie muttered that.

"Yeah. I hope she grows up healthy. Well, we'll do what we can. If we defeat the monsters, the town and the people heading to the town will be that much safer."

"Yes, Master."

The abandoned village is less than 2km away, so we're walking without using "Transport," but the wind blowing across the continuous grassland felt good.

Eventually the grassland ended and the ground turned to dirt. A few buildings became visible in the distance. Even from far away I could tell they were decaying.

"That's it."

"Yes. We'll put away our change of clothes soon."

"Alright. Then front line will be Nanao and Mizurii. Mid line Lime. Rear line Akie, Kotori, and Ikumi-sensei. Let's go."

Putting the two low-level ones in the rear is of course for leveling purposes. Depending on the monster levels I'll swap them.

I materialize Lime and Gill too. The women who were in casual clothes put their clothes into the item box and returned to their original forms.

"Alright, let's go."

When we reached a spot where the abandoned village's condition was clearly visible, we encountered enemies.

It was a set of three: "Skeleton," "Undead," and "Dead Animal."

Levels 5 or 6. They're not enemies, so we one-shot them.

"Undead-type monsters. Seems related to the reason this village became abandoned."

"The story Jinny told us?"

When we heard about the abandoned village from Jinny, she said the village was cursed. Jinny herself doesn't know the details, but the adults hate even talking about going to the cursed land, let alone going there.

"A cursed village, huh."

"Kotori's skills might be useful."

"Well, if the levels aren't that high, I think we can overwhelm them with force."

Encounters weren't particularly frequent, so it doesn't seem like there's a Master-class monster.

After that we also encountered undead-type monsters at max around level 10. Nanao defeated all of them without letting them take a turn. Undead types generally lack agility. Of course.

Even when we reached a spot where we could see the decaying buildings from the side, there was no particular change.

It's advertised as cursed, but I don't particularly feel that kind of atmosphere.

"Lime, Gill. What about you two? Do you feel anything?"

The two shook their heads.

Of course there's a suspicious atmosphere, but there's no overwhelming power.

While I was thinking about what to do, a button saying "extraordinary LogOut" suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Oops, logging out for a moment."

"Yes, Master."

I cardified the women and hurriedly logged out.

"Aoi, you have a guest."

When I took off the GD, my mother had the door to my room slightly open and was looking this way.

While logged into "World," if someone calls out to you or touches your body, a temporary logout button like earlier appears. It should also react to big earthquakes and the like.

"A guest?"

A loner like me shouldn't have anyone visiting my house at this hour. The only one that comes to mind is my childhood friend Akie Omoi, but from the convenience store situation I don't think she'd visit my house.

"Who?"

"I don't know, a girl. It's this late, so once you're done talking we'll drive her home."

"Even though I don't know who it is?"

"Your father and I are going to a memorial service now."

"Memorial service?"

"Geez, I told you. There's a seventh-year memorial. It'll be two nights and three days."

Now that she mentions it, I feel like she did say something like that. It's a distant relative I've never met, so I skipped it.

Standing inside the entrance was, surprisingly, Karen Haruki.

Seeing me coming down the stairs, Haruki bows her head with a small motion. I also bow without thinking.

"Aoi-san, good evening. Sorry for coming at this hour."

"Ah, Karen Haruki-san. What business do you have?"

I ask that, but Haruki glances at my mother. The nosy one.

"This is my classmate's younger sister, Karen Haruki-san."

"Nice to meet you. I came because I have a little consultation for Aoi-san today."

Consultation? More importantly, how did this girl find my address?

"Oh my, then have her come up to your room. It won't do here. Shall I bring some tea?"

"No, that's fine. Please don't mind us."

Room? Seriously? It's not a room I'd be embarrassed to have seen, but it's not one I particularly want to show people either.

But my mother brings out guest slippers, so Haruki quickly puts them on.

"Ah, then, please."

I reluctantly guide her to the room.

"Excuse me. Whoa."

Haruki is surprised as soon as she enters the room. She probably thinks I'm a weirdo.

"Eh, why are there three computers? There's one over there too."

No, that's just a display. The computer body is the box standing over there.

"Ah, these are just screens, the body is over here."

"Eh, you use three screens? For what?"

"When I do various things at the same time, I need them. More importantly, the consultation?"

Explaining every little thing is a pain, so I bring the talk back. I have Haruki sit in the chair and I sit on the bed. Haruki is impressed by the chair's comfort and sits again. Hurry up and talk, oi.

"Yes, um, I told you that after Aoi-san took the card from my brother, his condition became strange, right?"

"Ah, I heard. He's muttering something and acting weird."

"Yes, to a creepy degree. And now it's become even creepier, and somehow, that, I feel like he's no longer my brother."

Haruki appeals desperately, but I'm troubled even if she tells me. She should take that kind of consultation to the school counselor.

"Isn't that because you found out that your brother cardified you and was cherishing you?"

"No, that, it's weird to say this, but I got along very well with my brother. I didn't particularly hate that he made me into a card."

"But?"

"That, Aoi-san, you filmed me, right?"

"Ah, I did. It seems you felt unwell, sorry about that."

"No, there's nothing abnormal anymore so it's fine."

Again, "but." The talk is roundabout.

"Since that day, that, this is weird. That…"

Is there something hard to say?