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The Only Way to Reach the Flying Island – Part 02

“So, Flower Face. You were restless earlier because you knew the Four Eastern Stars were here?”

“Y-Yes. I was told to stay quiet so they could surprise you.”

Hikaru had sensed the Four Eastern Stars thanks to his Mana Detection even before entering the apartment.

“Hmm. Anyway, I assume introductions have been made. Do you know about the Man Gnome village?”

“We’ve shared everything except for the confidential details,” Yoshino said. “We’ve also mentioned the Black Wedge Gate. You’d probably pass that information along anyway.”

This spared the trouble of explaining how Hikaru and the others had managed to overtake the Four Eastern Stars, who had left the Theocracy of Bios earlier than them. They arrived while Hikaru was at the Adventurers Guild.

“I do have the discretion to keep secrets if asked,” Hikaru said.

“I trust you, but the elders doubt you’ll keep them. So it’s the same whether I tell you or not. Even if I do, you won’t be able to use the gate without a Tally.”

“That’s true. Well then, we’re off,” Hikaru told the girls.

Granryuk and Yoshino stood up.

“Wait!” Serika said. “We’ll get ready right away! We just got back, so we’re already ready for a trip!”

“What are you talking about?” Hikaru asked. “Oh, are you going somewhere for a guild commission?”

Hikaru remembered that the Four Eastern Stars had been ordered by the capital’s Adventurers Guild to return for a designated commission once the monster outbreak from the Great Labyrinth was over. Being a high-ranking party, the Four Eastern Stars couldn’t refuse.

“The commission was just an excuse! There was no real emergency!”

The guild just didn’t want the Four Eastern Stars to stay in the Theocracy of Bios.

“So where are you going?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re going with you!”

“Quit joking around. I’m about to get involved in the war between the Man Gnomes and the Saak family. It’s extremely dangerous.”

“We know that! But we’re already in this together!”

That might have been true. Hikaru had only been thinking about reuniting with Lavia. Whether it was in Japan or in this world didn’t matter much to him. However, returning to Japan was crucial for the Four Eastern Stars.

“But it’s dangerous.”

“No problem! We’ve already made up our minds!”

Hikaru felt a sharp smack on his back. “Ouch.”

“Expect something worse if you leave us behind!”

Serika headed inside to get her things, followed by Sophie and Sara.

“…”

Selyse remained behind the door, her eyes the only visible part of her. Then she too disappeared, presumably to fetch her belongings.

“Seriously.”

His back stung.

---

Even as a Man Gnome, Yoshino had only used the Black Wedge Gate a few times.

When the Four Eastern Stars first encountered the gate, they were understandably skeptical. Warp devices were unfamiliar both on Earth and in this world. But after actually using it, their doubts were replaced by disbelief and intense nausea.

They found themselves in a bleak room in the Man Gnome village, where the Black Wedge Gate was located. The girls were exhausted, and the idea of passing through the gate again nearly brought them to tears.

Silver Face, who was more accustomed to the experience, managed better, and Flower Face held herself together.

“Thanks for all the help,” Hikaru said.

They were going separate ways with Granryuk and Yoshino here.

“Don’t mention it,” Granryuk said. “I’m honored to work with someone I admire. I should be the one thanking you. May I have one last handshake?”

“S-Sure. I don’t mind.”

Granryuk took Silver Face’s hand with a warm smile.

“Silver Face, I have something for you.”

“Hm?”

Yoshino handed over a burned and darkened Tally that Silver Face had found deep inside the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas. It had been repaired and now had a polished stone fitted into it.

“Did you… repair this?”

“Yes. It wasn’t too difficult. I needed to bring this back with me anyway.” Yoshino showed him the token she had taken from the Ultimate Mirk facility. “It’s fully functional. It’s the one we used to activate the Black Wedge Gate earlier.”

“Is that so? Impressive.” Silver Face scrutinized the piece of wood.

Yoshino blushed slightly. “N-Nothing too hard for a member of the Ultimate Mirk.”

“Thanks a lot.”

“Just make sure to return it once everything is settled, okay? This is a treasure of the Man Gnomes.”

“Of course, once it’s over.”

Yoshino let his noncommittal words slide. She hoped he would return it, or she’d be in trouble.

“Well then, we’re leaving,” Hikaru said. “You can let go of my hand now, Granryuk.”

“Oh.” Granryuk looked forlornly at Hikaru’s hand.

Castling a sidelong glance at Granryuk, Yoshino led Silver Face and the others to a different room. The Black Wedge Gate there was connected to the Quinbrand Empire.

“I see,” Silver Face murmured.

Yoshino suspected he was trying to remember which door led to where. Alternatively, he might be attempting to deduce the relationship between the door positions and the destinations.

As Yoshino had said, the repaired Tally worked perfectly, and Silver Face and the others departed through the gate.

“Aaand they’re gone.”

“Come on, Rikido, stop crying. Honestly, it’s disturbing.”

“That’s just harsh.”

“What’s harsh is your face.”

“What?!”

“Anyway, we need to get back.”

The two left the room. They needed to inform the Man Gnome village about the approaching Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas.

“Ugh, the misery. They’re gonna tear us a new one,” Granryuk said.

“Better that than be removed from Distant Girdle, which by the way, is likely what’s coming.”

“Then maybe I should leave the village.”

“Well, you have a lot of experience outside, so you could do that.”

“When that time comes, Yoshino, will you come with me?”

“What?”

They just reached a long, spiraling staircase. Yoshino, walking ahead, stopped in her tracks.

“Y-You mean…”

Leave the village and live outside? It sounded like he was asking her hand for marriage.

“Yes.” Granryuk wore a straight face. “You won’t tell me where that Tally is, will you? I just need you to come with me to activate the gate. You don’t have to do anything else.”

Apparently, he only needed the token, not her.

“What’s wrong?”

“You dummy!”

“What?!” Granryuk blinked in surprise at Yoshino’s sudden outburst.

Yoshino squared her shoulders and marched up the stairs.

“Hey, Yoshino. Why are you mad? Oh, you want to come with me outside too?”

“I’d rather die than be with you.”

“What?!”

Eventually, they reached the top of the stairs. Returning to the village was daunting, but they were curious about what had happened and if anything had changed.

Nervously, Yoshino pushed the door open. “Huh?”

What they saw they never expected. It was bright.

The Man Gnome village, usually dimly lit by sunlight filtering through small holes, was now flooded with light. The reason was clear: the sky was visible. A giant hole had opened in the cavern ceiling, indicating that the mountain had collapsed.

Under this hole stood a prominent tower that extended upwards through the opening.

What was this tower? It looked as if it had sprung up like a bamboo shoot, piercing through the ceiling. It was not something that could have been built in the days they had been gone.

“Let’s go check it out,” Granryuk said. “Everyone is gathered around the tower.”

“Ah, w-wait!”

Granryuk started walking ahead, leaving Yoshino, who had been deep in thought, behind. Yoshino hurried to follow, realizing she was confused. What had happened after they left the village?

The tower, visible from afar, was a crude structure of stacked stone. In contrast to the ornately decorated buildings of the village, the tower was stark and alien. Yoshino felt an instinctive fear of its oddity.

“…”

“Wh-What is it?”

Granryuk stopped and turned around.

“Give me your hand.”

“Huh?”

Confused, Yoshino let Granryuk take her hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“Your hand is freezing.”

“…”

Indeed, whether from fear or shock, her hand had gone cold. Granryuk’s hand was warm, and that warmth gave her comfort.

“Idiot.”

Yoshino’s murmur didn’t reach Granryuk. Many Man Gnomes had gathered under the tower up ahead, talking among themselves.