Chapter 279: Returnees from the Dungeon
Inside the stone cottage, there was only a staircase leading downwards. With Asuka leading the way, everyone descended the stairs and arrived at a ten-meter square basement. In the center stood a pedestal, and embedded in the middle of it was a blue, transparent stone. A narrow path extended deeper into the room, likely leading to the teleportation device.
“Alright, everyone, go ahead and touch the blue stone in the center.”
As instructed, we all reached out to touch the blue stone, and for a brief moment, it seemed to glow. One by one, everyone placed their hands on the stone, and when Phonia lifted Nil to touch it, Nil jumped onto the pedestal and placed his feet on the stone as well.
“Did everyone touch it? Good, now gather around the center… yes, just like that.”
Once everyone was gathered, Asuka touched the stone, and her gaze wandered through the air as she began to manipulate something with her fingers. Though nothing was visible, it felt as if something was indeed there.
“Alright, here we go.”
Asuka struck the space before her, and after a fleeting sensation of weightlessness, the atmosphere around us shifted. The surroundings didn’t change much visually, but it felt slightly cooler.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Eh? Already?”
While Ivan looked around in confusion, Asuka stepped out of the room. It was clear we had moved to a different dimension, and the coordinates I remembered from Japan felt strongly familiar, so there was no doubt about it. Following closely behind, we emerged into a corridor made of concrete. Continuing forward, we encountered a thick iron door, and after passing through a sturdy iron gate, we finally stepped outside.
“This way.”
The area resembled the remnants of a once-great city. Towering buildings lay in ruins, and as far as the eye could see, desolation spread around us. It was evident that no one lived here anymore. After following Asuka for a while, we arrived at a parking lot where several cars were parked.
“Get in.”
“Oh, okay.”
Asuka pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked a van. She opened the rear door, and we all climbed inside.
“By the way, where are you all from?”
Asuka glanced at us through the rearview mirror as she started the engine. Our origin was Japan, where we had lived before being summoned, but explaining that would likely lead to confusion. Suddenly, I remembered the apartment Mr. Jinpei had lent me, but I realized I didn’t know the address…
“We’re from Shiragasaki Prefecture.”
As I struggled to recall, Rio chimed in from the side. That name did sound familiar, though I doubted I could remember a place I had never heard of before.
“Really? That’s close from here.”
Asuka quietly pulled out her smartphone from the Dimensional Box and opened a map, confirming that we were indeed nearby. As the vehicle began to move, a short scream echoed from behind us. Turning around, I saw El wide-eyed, frequently glancing left and right. Was this her first time in a car? It must be quite nerve-wracking for her to be in such an unfamiliar contraption.
After driving for a while, the ruins began to clear, revealing open land. Soon, a metallic fence appeared, blocking the road. It felt as if this area was thoroughly isolated. After passing through, we finally spotted a building that wasn’t in ruins. Instead of just passing by, Asuka maneuvered the van into a parking space.
“I’d love to take you home right away, but I need to hear a bit more about what happened.”
“Understood.”
Though I felt a bit annoyed, I reminded myself that she was the one who had helped us. We had destroyed the Majin Tribe Summoning Circle, and there was no rush to complete our tasks now. Following Asuka, we entered the building. It seemed a few other people were gathered inside, and I could sense multiple presences. The structure appeared to be a three-story concrete building, giving off a bureaucratic vibe.
“Welcome back, Asuka. …Wait, is it just you?”
“I’m back! Today, we rescued some Japanese people over there!”
“What?!”
“Is that true?!”
As we passed the front counter, voices called out, and Asuka’s response spread the news of our day’s events. People began to gather from behind the counter, but was it really that shocking?
“Hold on! I’ll explain everything later, so please keep it down. I’m borrowing the room in the back.”
“Ah, sorry for the noise. But it’s great to see you back…”
We passed through the counter area, receiving warm, lingering gazes as we made our way into a room at the end of the hallway. I had followed along out of curiosity, but I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.
“Haha, sorry about that. It seems everyone is excited because it’s the first time we’ve rescued someone from a dungeon.”
“Is that so…? But it’s the first time?”
“Yeah, many people went missing when they were ravaged by those creatures back then. Even after that, there were still sporadic cases of disappearances.”
“Oh, I see. It felt pretty heavily fortified, but can regular people enter the dungeon?”
“…No, this place is off-limits, but there are other entrances. I believe there are entrances we don’t even know about, and I can’t guarantee they aren’t being used by them…”
As we talked, I began to notice a hint of doubt in Asuka’s tone. Perhaps she was starting to realize something was off about us.
“I see…”
We weren’t showing any signs of joy at being rescued. Did she begin to suspect we weren’t the missing persons she thought we were? I had silently followed along, thinking it was lucky to come to Japan without using magic, but now I regretted not explaining things right there and then.