Chapter 387: Troubles Arrive When You Least Expect Them
While considering options like crustaceans and shellfish, Mr. Miles ultimately chose the safer route with fish. The hired Adventurers were desperately working on the disassembly, but it seemed they were out of their depth, as they only finished around sunset. During the disassembly, several recipes using fish were sold, leaving El with a satisfied smile.
The fillets were swiftly transported to the warehouse, but the more perishable parts were served on the spot. Since those parts would have been discarded anyway, they were given away for free. They could have charged for them, but perhaps it was also a way to promote the guild. The orphans left with content expressions, so it wasn’t a bad outcome.
“Lord Shu, I have a report for you.”
The following morning, after returning to the base, a servant informed me that Mesaria-san had come to deliver a report just as I finished my breakfast.
“Mesaria-san, you came all this way.”
“Is it an urgent report?”
“Yes. It concerns the information about your classmate who was summoned along with you, Manaka Hitoshi, and Oda Kuya, as well as Hino Kyouka.”
Now that I think about it, I did request that information. I was only mildly curious, so it didn’t seem like something that required immediate reporting.
“The Commercial Nation Aresgute Commercial City Comets Branch was attacked by the three of them.”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
Wait, what? What are they doing? Are they idiots?
“It has been confirmed that Shimizu Masayoshi, Nagai Mei, and Ootori Honoka are also staying in Commercial City Comets, but it seems they did not participate in the attack. Rather, they apparently restrained the three who initiated the assault.”
“‘Huh?’”
Rio and I echoed each other in disbelief.
“Why would they get involved in something like that…?”
I had named Hino Maru, thinking that someone like Kaede, who got caught up in something and ended up in this world, might take an interest and make contact. But to think these guys would bite… Well, of course, they would. It’s not surprising at all. In fact, it’s exactly what I was aiming for; they’re the real deal!
“Shuu?”
As I realized I was the fool here and buried my face in my hands, Rio looked at me with concern.
“I’m sorry. It seems they visited the branch a few days ago for a request, and during that time, they spotted a PET bottle from our world… They reported that they were persistently questioned about where they got it that day.”
“Ah, I see.”
“A PET bottle, huh… That’s definitely something to be curious about.”
“Those things are convenient.”
Ivan, who had been listening with a blank expression, couldn’t help but chime in at the mention of PET bottles. As lightweight and easily sealable containers, nothing surpasses a PET bottle. Given the technological level of this world, it wouldn’t be impossible to create a container that seals as precisely, but it would be quite difficult. Anyone who knows would recognize it immediately.
While we’re careful not to spread the word, it’s not strictly prohibited; in fact, we promote items that are convenient and available in Japan within our organization.
“If they found something like that here, they might think there’s a chance to return…”
“But isn’t that place different from the world you guys were in?”
“True, but it’s so similar that you can hardly tell them apart.”
“Hmm.”
“Even if we brought them over, they wouldn’t have a place to go.”
So, while I’m not trying to raise their hopes only to dash them, there’s still a chance they could end up feeling worse. First and foremost, I don’t even want to face them.
“Oh? By the way, wasn’t there one more classmate?”
“Oh, right, there was someone else, wasn’t there?”
Rio’s words triggered a faint memory. There should have been a total of seven classmates, excluding us. The one I least wanted to see had slipped from my mind.
“We still don’t know the whereabouts of the other one.”
“Oh, is that so? Well, that’s fine then.”
“Indeed.”
As Mesaria-san conveyed this, both Rio and I promptly pushed it out of our minds. It was a matter of not wanting to encounter them, so knowing their whereabouts was unnecessary. If we don’t know, there’s nothing we can do about it anyway.
“So, what shall we do?”
“What should we do… Honestly, I’d prefer not to get involved.”
“Huh?”
Mesaria-san’s eyes widened in surprise at my unexpected response. She probably thought I wanted to make contact since I was told to investigate. When I revealed that I had asked her to look into it precisely because I didn’t want to meet them, she seemed to understand.
“Ah, I see…”
“But if we leave it like this, they’ll probably keep poking around.”
To them, it’s a clue that might lead them back to Japan. I doubt they’ll give up so easily.
“Hmm. But I don’t want to take them over there.”
“If that’s the case, I can take care of it here…”
As I pondered, Mesaria-san made a rather ominous suggestion with a hesitant air. I’ll assume she meant it in terms of cleanup.
“No, no, that’s a bit much.”
Even if they are technically classmates, if they were attacked, they might not have any complaints about whatever punishment they receive. However, if punishment is to be meted out, it would only apply to the three who actually attacked, and it’s unclear how the other three would react.
After all, they were people who were also called Heroes. They possess considerable strength, and it might be difficult to handle things forcefully with the people of Hino Maru.
“Hmm.”
Without reaching a conclusion immediately, I could only continue to wrack my brain.