Chapter 295: Arrival
“Well then, shall we go?”
I informed Mr. Jinpei, who had fallen silent, that we were heading to the Dragon Corporation Building. After hanging up the call on my smartphone, I turned to Kaede and spoke in Japanese. I briefly considered letting him speak, but thought it would be quicker to meet in person, so I ended the call promptly.
“Ah, yes… This scenery is so nostalgic.”
“I’m glad to hear that. You’re still thinking in their language, but do you remember any Japanese?”
Perhaps she hadn’t been aware, but Kaede looked surprised, placing a hand on her throat.
“Um, well, I think I can probably speak it…”
Her Japanese was awkward and fragmented, but she was indeed trying to communicate. After five years without practice, it seemed natural that she would struggle.
“Alright, then let’s change clothes and head to see Father and Grandfather.”
“Y-yes.”
Kaede was dressed in a white and gray robe-like outfit, resembling a nun’s attire with a veil on her head. If she were to walk outside in Japan like that, it would undoubtedly look like cosplay. Since we had bought some clothes in this world, we all changed into outfits that would blend in better. Kaede’s height seemed similar to Rio’s, so I figured we would have something that fit her.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
After changing, Kaede emerged from the room, looking shy. Her outfit was coordinated in shades of blue, featuring culottes and a long-sleeved shirt topped with a hoodie. It gave off the vibe of an everyday girl’s casual wear.
“Hehe, you look great!”
“You look cute too, Onee-chan!”
Rio praised her, and Phonia joined in with compliments as well. With her shorts and a tail peeking out from her waist, anyone would agree that Phonia was the cutest of them all.
“Um, Phonia-chan is the cutest, right?”
“Hehe.”
Phonia seemed pleased to be complimented by Kaede.
“By the way… Mr. Ivan and Phonia-chan, your Japanese is quite good too.”
Despite Kaede’s still somewhat awkward Japanese, the two of them spoke more fluently.
“Ah, well, it seems to be a Skill we received from the gods,” Ivan said, scratching his cheek with a wry smile.
“Eh? So you two… came from Japan to this world…?”
Kaede looked back and forth between them, her head filled with questions. After all, there were no Beastmen in Japan.
“We’ll explain that while we travel, but let’s head out now. Mr. Jinpei and the others are probably waiting eagerly.”
“Ah, yes.”
And so, the five of us, including Kaede, set off towards the Dragon Corporation.
To explain how Ivan and the others came to speak Japanese, we couldn’t ignore the fact that Dungeons had appeared in Japan as well. It seemed that a Dungeon had emerged in Japan when Kaede was eight years old, a memory that lingered in the back of her mind. She was surprised but managed to understand how they had learned to speak Japanese.
“El wasn’t summoned, so he’s the only one who doesn’t understand Japanese,” I added.
As we discussed the world of the Majin Tribe, we finally arrived at the Dragon Corporation Building.
“This is… where Father and Grandfather are…”
“It’s one of the five major telecommunications companies in the world.”
“Have you ever been to the company?”
As I gazed up at the building, Kaede murmured with deep emotion, shaking her head in response to Rio’s question.
“No, I’ve never been to my father’s company.”
“Well, that’s probably normal.”
“Yeah, I haven’t either.”
It’s not often that one gets the chance to visit their parent’s workplace. Shrugging, we entered the building and headed towards the elevator hall. I took out my Entry Pass and handed it to Phonia, who lifted it triumphantly. With a proud smile, Phonia scanned the card, and the door in front of us opened.
“Wow, amazing!”
“Isn’t it cool?”
As Kaede expressed her amazement, Phonia puffed out her chest in pride. The way her tail wagged excitedly was irresistibly adorable. No arguments allowed.
As the elevator ascended to the 72nd floor, Kaede’s expression grew more serious. After five years, she was about to reunite with her family, but what was she thinking right now? Gradually, her words became fewer, and by the time we reached our destination, she had fallen silent.
“We usually talk with Mr. Jinpei in this conference room, but…”
It seemed the conference room was empty, the door ajar and the interior dark. I had expected an emotional reunion, so I felt a bit let down.
“I did send a message saying we were coming…”
“Maybe they’re on a business trip or something?”
“That’s possible. I should let them know we’ve arrived.”
I sent a message to the group that included Jushiro, Mr. Jinpei, and Rio.
“Is this good…? Oh, I already got a reply.”
“It seems they’ll be here in about thirty minutes.”
Rio pulled out her smartphone and read the response aloud.
“We’ll be able to meet them soon, huh?”
Kaede gazed at the entrance with a complex mix of emotions.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I wondered if this would fulfill Mr. Jinpei’s request. I felt a bit surprised at how quickly things had resolved, but we quietly waited for Kaede’s family to arrive.