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Imminent Choices and Unexpected Reunion – Part 01

The black-haired boy, Hikaru, knife and fork in hand, paused momentarily. Across from him sat a girl with melancholic blue eyes and beautiful silver hair that gleamed in the light. Lavia, her elegant demeanor painting her as a noblewoman, was having dinner with Hikaru at a restaurant.

In the Kingdom of Ponsonia, one of the most powerful nations on the continent, it was an uncommon sight for a boy and a girl to share a table in a restaurant frequented by the wealthy elite of the capital city. Nevertheless, the well-dressed staff and fellow patrons paid the pair little attention. This establishment catered exclusively to discreet and discerning clientele, and its prices reflected the exclusivity it offered.

“Hikaru, you haven’t eaten much. Is it not to your liking?”

The herb-seasoned sautéed white fish, with its delicate flavor and the harmonious blend of seasoning and herb aromas, had Lavia finishing her plate in no time at all.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

Hikaru rarely spaced out like this. Lavia wondered if fatigue might be catching up with him.

Throughout the height of summer, he had diligently trained at the Adventurers Guild’s training ground, then explored the dungeon on Southleaf Island to the south of the continent. There, he had reunited with Jillarte, a girl he had helped previously, and together they triumphed over the dungeon’s trials. They then confronted the Knights Templar of the Theocracy of Bios, who had taken over the island, and emerged victorious.

Following their departure from the island, they took a leisurely tour around different places on their way back. Overall, they had been busy in a way.

“How about taking a few days to relax at the hotel, starting tomorrow?”

“Why’s that?”

“Why, you ask… Aren’t you tired?”

“Physically, I’m perfectly fine. Oh, sorry. Are you tired? I didn’t notice.”

“Not really, no…”

“Hmm?”

They didn’t seem to be on the same page. Hikaru wasn’t tired, which was a good thing, but there might be something tied to their visit to the capital that was bothering him.

Hikaru had received an elemental magic stone in the Adventurers Guild in Pond, a satellite town of the capital. Gerhardt, the lion leader of the Confederacy of Einbiest, had sent it to them through the guild, thanking his party for helping Jillarte. The stone had been obtained from the Southleaf Island dungeon.

Subsequently, Hikaru expressed a wish to visit the capital, and so the three of them came here. Paula was currently touring the capital’s clinics, offering voluntary treatment to those who couldn’t afford medical care. She concealed her identity with a silver mask adorned with a floral pattern.

Apparently, their purpose for coming to the capital was to give the elemental magic stone to the kingdom’s new ruler, Queen Kujastria. Lavia held no objections to this. While she recognized the incredible monetary value of the stone due to its size, she wasn’t obsessed with coins. To her, embarking on adventures with Hikaru and Paula and reading books she liked were more important.

“So, when are we returning to Pond?” Lavia changed the subject.

Hikaru pondered for a moment. “Do you have any business in Pond?”

“None.”

Not only did she lack business there, but unless necessary, she preferred to stay away from that place. Lavia had once been a wanted fugitive, accused of killing her own father, but her wanted status had been rescinded, and she now enjoyed complete freedom. The capital posed no danger, and, more importantly, it boasted a wealth of bookstores.

Moreover, in Pond, there was the Adventurers Guild receptionist who seemed unusually close to Hikaru.

Lavia furrowed her brows. The intimacy between them is more than you’d expect from an adventurer and receptionist. Still, Hikaru seems attached to Pond. While I wish to honor his choices…

“Something bothering you, Lavia?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Well, it didn’t look like nothing, but… well, never mind. I’m considering extending our stay in the capital. Lodging is pricey, but the guild has plenty of commissions.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Lavia readily agreed. If Hikaru wished to stay in the capital, then she had no reason to say no.

“On a different note, I’ve grown quite accustomed to luxury,” Hikaru mused.

As far as Lavia knew, Hikaru arrived in this world without a single coin. He took commissions from the Adventurers Guild on an empty stomach, spending nights in budget accommodations and relying on street stalls for meals—truly living the life of an adventurer. Lavia envied it, but Hikaru had expressed his lack of desire to relive it.

“Was a meal like this considered luxurious in uhh… what was it… Japan?”

“Hmm… Dining in a place with such an upscale ambiance felt like a luxury, I guess. As for the food… Back in Japan, you could enjoy some really delicious dishes for cheap.”

“I see… That makes sense.”

“What makes sense?”

“Your pickiness. Not many people as young as you, and an adventurer at that, is fussy about their food.”

“…You think so?”

“Yes.”

With a dry laugh, Hikaru returned to his knife and fork.

---

After escorting Lavia to the library, Hikaru found himself alone. By mid-September, the sunlight had grown gentler, and the shade offered a refreshing coolness. He made his way to a café with a terrace shaded by a huge tree, where he ordered coffee. To his delight, he discovered that coffee existed in this world too.

However, due to the coarse filter used for the drip process, coffee grounds settled at the cup’s bottom, resulting in a coffee resembling a more diluted Americano. Nevertheless, the rich aroma and flavor was more than enough for Hikaru.

The café was less crowded in the morning. Sitting on the terrace’s shaded area, sipping coffee, Hikaru was lost in thought.

“A portal big enough for a human to pass through should be possible. However, extending the duration will be difficult. One person—perhaps two, if you time it right—can cross over to the other world.”

Kujastria’s words replayed in his mind. One or two people should be able to enter the portal—in other words, return to Japan.

Should Lavia and I go to Japan together? But what about Paula? She’s come this far with us; parting ways here doesn’t feel right. Should I ask her to perform the world-crossing spell again? How do I even acquire an elemental magic stone that big? Well, if I really want to, I can just head to Southleaf Island’s Maze of Magic Locks. It might take time, but it’s possible.

Suddenly, a different thought came to mind.

Do I really want to go back to Japan?

Earth had no monsters. Stores remained open late into the night, and anything was obtainable. There were plenty of employment opportunities, groceries were affordable, and dying of starvation was virtually unheard of. Above all, human life was cherished, and the specter of war felt distant.

But there are so many things beyond human comprehension in this world.

Uncharted regions, diverse forms of magic, undiscovered monster ecosystems, demi-humans, dungeon treasures. These things embodied the essence of fantasy and epic adventures that Earth once had.

There was no established method of traversing from Japan to this world. Returning there would mean forsaking these “dream-like realms” in exchange for security.

For Lavia’s well-being, Japan might be the better choice. With the Stealth ability, they could avoid physical harm, and minor injuries could be mended by Paula’s healing magic. But if exposed to pathogens or unfamiliar diseases, there would be no solution. Healing magic had its limitations, too.

But what if we die instantly from a traffic accident?

Endlessly pondering “what ifs” led nowhere. He sighed, taking a sip of his cooling coffee.

“Oh,” came a voice.

On the street facing the café terrace stood a girl with the same black hair as Hikaru—Serika, a member of the Rank B adventurer party, Four Eastern Stars.

In this world, black hair was rare, which was why Hikaru had been avoiding contact with her. His black hair was already curious, and if she learned his name, her interest would inevitably be piqued. Since he had sheltered Lavia, once a wanted fugitive, he wanted to avoid attracting attention to himself.

Hikaru had barely interacted with her, and when he did he was under the guise of Silver Face, with his hair concealed by his hood. They had only briefly crossed paths when Paula’s home village, Cotton-elka, was attacked by monsters.

“You’re Paula’s friend, aren’t you? We met on the way to Cotton-elka.”

Hikaru was surprised. Not because Serika remembered him, but because she was speaking to him in Japanese.