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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 161 Part 1

Snow White

―― ＊＊＊＊『unknown』, ＊＊＊『unknown』――

―― Style 『unknown』, ※Space-time Pressure Difference 『unknown』――

 

「… Detour, bad, you know?」

「My bad.」

I’d like to say that it was by no means on purpose.

Linda-chan’s eyes are boring at me silently.

At any rate, I get it that the torii gates set up here and there in this other world (raid) are realm gates.

Going through places where torii gates are randomly placed like stations, we’ve now reached an area that looks like a virgin forest.

As I stepped back on the way, wondering what would happen if we were to go back there, or tried to stick my face in another torii gate for a bit, I finally pissed Linda-chan off.

I was just a little curious after seeing guys that looked like an edamame or eggplant going in and out of the torii.

They’re probably relatives of the tomatoes at Asagi-sou.

Walking on their own as they expand their breeding grounds, what truly reasonable plants they are.

The one who looked for me as I almost got lost in such a manner was the creepy Doll-kun.

It had been a long time since I last saw him, so I involuntarily ended up putting myself on guard.

If you look closely, he has a form that has a certain charm to it, but if you suddenly encounter him on the street at night, I think you would let out a scream.

Right now, he’s riding on Linda-chan’s shoulder, striking a yare-yare pose.

If I have to guess, the creepy Doll-kun must have been hired by Yuki-chan, too.

I feel uneasy as I see him pounding his chest as if saying: ya can count on me, dude.

Linda-chan, having him ride on her shoulder, also makes a somewhat annoyed face.

No, well, I guess I can rely on him, though.

At the very least, the creepy Doll-kun is superior to Diana.

There are some pretty dangerous-looking presences in the surrounding area, but I guess the reason they don’t approach us is because they’re afraid of Doll-kun.

「Hmm….」

If I could, I’d have liked to look around this other world (raid) a little more.

All I got was a fleeting glance at them as I got lost, but there was a strange pyramid-like tower, a port town, and a ghost town that looked like an ancient city.

I feel like I saw human figures too, but I think they were monsters.

In fact, in the Edo-like castle town that looked like something out of a period drama, the tsukumogami series similar to Konnyaku-man and the others were making merry and playing around.

It’s a pretty diverse other world (raid).

It’s a hodgepodge of worldviews of varying genres, like yami nabe (nabe made in darkness with all participants providing secret ingredients), I guess.

「Here, we are.」

As we pass the forest without having to walk for that long, we come out into a grassland-like place with a great view.

In the center of the grassland, there stands a remarkably crazy huge tree that seems to cover the entire sky.

I’ve encountered a huge tree like this one in the dungeon before, but this one is more than twice as big as that one.

No, as expected, even if we cut it down and bring it back to the dormitory.

I don’t think there is enough space to install it.

I’d like to ask for one with a more reasonable size.

「Ah~, uu~, hold, Tannenbaum (fir tree)… Audition. Danna-sama, as you wish.」

At the end of the sight of Linda-chan, who is looking up at the giant tree, perhaps blown by the wind, I see its branches swaying.

Looking around at our surroundings as I feel some presence, I notice that the forest is closing in.

Or rather, about a hundred trees are approaching us, rustling and wriggling their roots.

Linda-chan, whom I try to protect, nods her head in satisfaction for some reason.

「Please take, whichever you like.」

… It seems that the tree I chose will be delivered to Asagi-sou, walking there on its own.

No, I can’t use the Item Box, so I have to say that’s a lifesaver, but…

I hope it won’t fight with the tomatoes and palms.

My Christmas tree search ends up coming to an end in a truly simple manner.

I feel the reason we took more time than expected is all on me, but well, it doesn’t matter.

Led by the hand by Linda-chan, we once again head back to Yuki’s home.

On the way back, the creepy Doll-kun gets off her shoulder and disappears.

Linda-chan is a little irked by his consideration, which seems to imply: I ain’t not gonna interrupt yer date, dude.

Her showing a complicated expression on her face, perhaps feeling a little grateful as well, is cute.

Although we don’t make any stops along the way, the time we spend walking leisurely isn’t so bad either.

Surrounded by rice paddies, the straw-thatched mansion looks cozy from the outside.

This feeling in which your sense of distance is out of place is the same as that of Asagi-sou, huh.

「Yuki-sama, waiting for you inside.」

Linda-chan, who has led me all the way to the front of the wooden door, stops in her tracks.

Yuki-chan should be preparing a banquet to welcome me, but there should be no problem even if Linda-chan comes too, right?

「Will refrain myself. Interfere, other’s relationship?」

「I see… Thank you, for guiding me.」

As I pat her on the head, Linda-chan looks happy, closing her eyes.

If I get the chance, let’s ask her out on a real date next time.

「Yes. Promise….」

Leaving behind a happy-sounding voice, Linda-chan’s figure vanishes into the air.

As I thought, this stealth technique of hers is a great deal.

When I open the door, I find myself in a small room just as I have seen it from the outside.

With neither a hallway nor an adjoining room, it’s a small space with nothing but a dirt floor and wooden floor.

In the center of the room, a fire is lit in the irori, and a pot hanging from the ceiling is bubbling away.

Around the reddish charcoal fire, river fishes on skewers are being roasted.

Compared to the room where I first woke up, it has a somewhat desolate, rundown feel to it.

However, it’s very nostalgic.

「…..」

The mouth that I’m about to open is shut.

The name of the girl standing by the fireplace doesn’t come up.

No, I haven’t gotten so senile as to forget Yuki-chan’s name.

It’s just that, I end up being at a loss as to what I should call her.

A girl in white kimono that seems to have been stripped of all colors.

Seeing such a girl, the only thought that crosses my mind is: she’s just like snow (Yuki).

At one point of time, I thought as such.

「… Oyuki」

「… Mn.」

The white girl turns around and smiles sweetly at me.

◇ ◇ ◇

　The night of Christmas Eve.

The snow that had continued to fall heavily had stopped, and the sky was filled with stars.

The students, whose activities had slowed down as they got locked down by the snow, were lively and in high spirits on this day.

In academy life, where entertainment was scarce, seasonal events were precious festivals.

Even students who had no particular plans were caught up in the festive atmosphere.

「「Jingle bells~, jingle bells~, jingle all the way~!」」

Noisy but lively singing voices were resounding.

The fact that they were out of tempo and tune boasted a charm of its own.

No one minded it, and they overlapped their singing voices with each other.

The place was a girls’ dormitory located in a place that was considered remote even in the academy grounds.

Its grade was also that of an entry-class, making it a place that gathered not that much popularity in particular.

At least, that was the case until last year.

At that entry-class girls’ dormitory, 『Asagi-sou』, a grand Christmas party was being held.

「Well then, I’m not going to make a long speech. Everyone has their glasses, right?」

Otoha, the dorm leader, raised her champagne glass.

「Cheers to the holy night! Merry~ Christmas!」

Following Otoha’s lead, voices in celebration of Christmas were chanted in chorus.

The students, who had no interest in either Judaism or Christianity, for today only were ardent believers.

Though, there was no shred of religious atmosphere around them.

What was there were tables full of treats, a large array of bottles, and a treasured large barrel stamped with a secret brand.

All that was there was a party space, decorated by Asagi residents who had gotten accustomed to festive events.