Chapter 244: Place Names and Convenient Stores
“But why did the goddess drop us into this world…?”
I muttered as we walked down the road, but no one had an answer.
“She said it sounded interesting, but it definitely seems like it’s going to be anything but fun for us…”
“That’s true… But maybe it’s thanks to the goddess that we were able to come to our homeland… or what might be our homeland.”
“I really don’t want to say thank you, though.”
“Agreed.”
Rio and Ivan echoed my sentiments. I had thought about giving the goddess a piece of my mind, but I decided to hold off for now. Just then, the next sign came into view. This time, the current place name was written in blue on a white background.
“Looks like this confirms it.”
“Yeah… What is Shiragasaki Prefecture…?”
Rio bluntly stated, but I felt a sense of relief upon realizing it was different. For now, I wouldn’t have to worry about disappearing. By the way, since we were at the border of the prefecture, there was a sign for Zakiama Prefecture on the opposite side.
“Is that a place name you didn’t recognize?”
“Yeah. It seems like a prefecture I’ve never heard of in Japan.”
The likelihood that we were no longer in the Japan we knew was increasing. This meant that the chances of our parents being in this world were almost nonexistent. It pained me to tell Rio, who longed to see her parents, but I had to let her know before it was too late.
“Hey, Rio—”
So I explained to her that my soul had been copied and that I was still living in the original world, and that if our souls merged, the current me would cease to exist.
“…I understand.”
After hearing my words, Rio pressed her lips into a thin line and hugged me tightly.
“I want to see my mom and dad too, but right now, you, Shuu, are more important to me…”
“…Thank you.”
I almost said I was sorry, but I swallowed those words. As I embraced her back, I felt a soft warmth enveloping me, bringing a sense of relief.
“…But really, this place is so much like Japan.”
Rio shifted the mood back to its original topic, as if to dispel the somber atmosphere.
“Is it really that similar?”
Phonia tilted her head, looking up at us.
“It’s incredibly similar. So far, the only differences are the place names and the signs.”
“Wait, is that really the only difference?”
Ivan, who had been startled every time a car passed by, asked with curiosity.
“Yeah… So, that means…”
If there are few cultural differences, then there’s a possibility…
“It means there might be miso, soy sauce, and rice!”
“Exactly!”
I replied enthusiastically to Rio’s words, which made Ivan look exasperated.
“I’m looking forward to miso and soy sauce too.”
It seemed Phonia had also been influenced by us. Repeating it often must have piqued her interest.
“They’re incredibly delicious, so look forward to it!”
“Yeah!”
Ivan shrugged at our exchange. He had been amazed by the well-maintained roads and traffic lights, but to the inhabitants of this fantasy world, advanced scientific civilization must have seemed like magic.
As we continued, the slope became gentler, leading us into a residential area. The foot traffic increased, and we began to see bicycles and motorcycles on the road alongside cars.
“Is that also a vehicle…? It moves without horses and doesn’t fall over easily…”
Ivan looked around curiously, but we were also drawing attention. I could feel the gazes on me and Rio, so it seemed our clothing stood out more than Ivan and Phonia’s ears. We had stored our weapons in the Dimensional Box, but our adventurer-like armor and robes were certainly eye-catching.
If they thought of it as cosplay, it might help camouflage the beastman ears.
“By the way, there weren’t any walls to protect the town…”
“Haha, there are no monsters in our homeland. Maybe it’s the same here?”
“Huh?”
“Oh, a convenience store!”
“You’re right. Should we stop by?”
Ignoring Ivan’s silly exclamation, we headed toward the convenience store we spotted. I had never heard of Crown Mart, but it looked like a convenience store from the outside and inside, so it must be one. My anticipation grew as we finally found a shop.
“Whoa! The door opened by itself!?”
Ivan was astonished by the automatic door, and I felt embarrassed as I watched the cashier’s bewildered expression.
“Um, I’m sorry, but pets aren’t allowed inside…”
And just like that, Nil, who tried to enter the store as if it were the most natural thing, was stopped by the cashier. I realized that pets usually aren’t allowed in stores…
“Oh, right… Sorry, but Nil has to wait outside.”
“Woof…”
Nil drooped sadly, but unfortunately, pets weren’t allowed in convenience stores.
“Just wait patiently, okay?”
I ruffled Nil’s fur vigorously, and he obediently sat outside the store, waiting. He wasn’t wearing a collar, but I figured it would be fine.
“What is this place…? It’s small, yet it has so many things…”
“Wow…”
Inside, Ivan and Phonia, who had entered before us, were admiring the food items at the back of the store as they passed the register. The selection looked quite similar to the convenience stores we were familiar with.
—Which means, there should be something we’ve been eagerly anticipating on the shelves.
“O… Onigiri!”
“Look, Shuu! There’s miso soup too!”
I was choked up with emotion, while Rio was excited to see the miso soup. I didn’t care if the cashier looked at us strangely. We already looked suspicious with our outfits.
“Oh—”
But then, I realized something important.
“What’s wrong? Hurry up and buy—”
Rio, who seemed to sense my unease, hurriedly asked. After I voiced my concern, she seemed to realize the same thing.
“Wait, these are in some interesting containers… Huh? What’s wrong with you two?”
Ivan, who had been selecting products, tilted his head as he turned to us.
“Come to think of it, we don’t have any money…”
“Huh?”
Ivan let out a dumbfounded sound at my muttered words.