Chapter 359: Frustration

Dear readers, what’s a good setting for a solve & unlock/room escape challenge thingy? I’m making my own for a party.

Frustration

One week passed since then.
The Four Saint Weapons book had its contents updated little by little.
While wondering if there was anything we could do, we tried tampering with our straps at first and going to the library many times but there was no development.
The days passed with us worrying endlessly about what we should do. [T/N: I wonder what would happen if they were to try writing in the book and changing the story…. Does that not work?]

“I’ll be going to practice with your little brother.” (Raphtalia)

Raphtalia started sword practice in the garden with my little brother.
It was only with Shinai though. [T/N: bamboo sword used for kendo]
My little brother was beaten black and blue by Raphtalia and was frustrated.

Kendo was different in many ways, but Raphtalia was still at an expert level.
Or I should say, she ended up being on the instructing side.
I think if I was in my little brothers position, I would parry lightly.
The weapons in our possession were currently in an idle state.

In one week, there were many incidents of cultural friction from Raphtalia coming to my world.
Being surprised by the television and home appliances was a given but…. she adapted quicker than I imagined.
Well, everything could be settled with magic. In that world, that was.
It seems she thought the television was similar to recording crystals, which she had seen normally.
Although, she did show an interest in the program contents.

Movies and such were also…. I considered being indiscrete at this kind of time but we did go see them.
I hoped she would mistakenly believe the movies were real, but it seems the Raphtalia with comprehension watched the movies and thought them to be fictional stories, or otherwise records of people who were summoned into another world like I was.
So she didn’t make such a fuss.

Our courses were different but she also showed up at university like me, just in case.
In any case, everyone recognised Raphtalia as an obvious existence.

So in reality the reaction was this kind of thing…..
Right now is the result of helping my mother with the housework. Raphtalia was helping with the laundry and cleaning.
I was cooking meals every day for some reason though.

“Um.. What is this?” (Raphtalia)

Raphtalia brought a little Shigaraki ornament from the room and asks me.
I was informed by my little brother that it was something I gave Raphtalia.
To give Shigaraki ware to a girlfriend as a present, what kind of taste was that.

“Shigaraki ware.” (Naofumi)
“Huh…. Doesn’t it kind of look like Raph-chan? Naofumi-sa..n gave Raph-chan this kind of appearance in the past.” (Raphtalia)
“I think it doesn’t resemble him much, although I guess it’s true that it looks that way.” (Naofumi)

Raph-chan has way more charm and fanciness.
I guess it’s rude to confuse plushies and ornaments.

“So…..why….” (Raphtalia)

Raphtalia had trouble verbalising her words.
I knew what she was referring to.

“Ah…..yeah.” (Naofumi)

Shigaraki ware has, you know… that stands out. [T/N: He’s talking about balls.]
Incidentally, although I haven’t seen them, there are female ones apparently.

“I think because they’re tanuki, maybe.” (Naofumi)
“Tanuki….” (Raphtalia)
“In my world, they’re also called Racoon Dogs.” (Naofumi)

While I was informing her, Raphtalia made a really sullen face.
Well, it’s because they’re not really a popular animal.
In reality, there aren’t many personified-tanuki heroines in manga or light novels, and they’re not very famous.

“In other words, Naofumi-sa..n thinks I am like this?” (Raphtalia)
“No, I didn’t say that much. There’s also an animal with a similar name, the Racoon. They’re also called Araiguma though.” (Naofumi) [T/N: lit. Washing Bear, the Japanese name for Racoon.]

I used the computer to show Raphtalia.
When I tried searching, they appeared quite sufficiently.

“I feel like I know what Naofumi-sa..n is thinking when he sometimes looks at me.” (Raphtalia)

Oh? I have a hunch that a strange misunderstanding has arisen.
Well, it’s also true though.

“And so you pictured this when you were giving me an alias, I see.” (Raphtalia) [T/N: Shigaraki Tanuko]
“Don’t be like that.” (Naofumi)
“Hmph…..” (Raphtalia)

Ah, Raphtalia was sulking.
That is, it is quite rude to be compared to Shigaraki ware.

“It couldn’t be helped. Because there was an animal that resembled a Demi-human.” (Naofumi)
“Sigh.… I understand. I understand but it’s hard to accept it.” (Raphtalia)
“And so, this is…. It looks like a piggybank.” (Naofumi)
“It seems so. There’s a hole at the back for inserting money.” (Raphtalia)

With sounds of jingling, Raphtalia shook the Shigaraki piggybank.
I wonder where it was bought?

“…..Father wasn’t this big though?” (Raphtalia)
“Huh?”
“Nothing!” (Raphtalia)

There was even something like that.
Apart from that, Raphtalia, who had been learning the alphabet little by little, tampered with my computer while I was in the toilet and was astonished at my playing of dating sims.
In the end, Raphtalia with an erotic scene reflected in her gaze was terrifying.
Well, I suppose it’s similar to the slate terminal and keyboard in Rat’s laboratory so it’s not like she wouldn’t know how to use it.

“R-raphtalia?” (Naofumi)

She clicked with the mouse as if she didn’t hear me, her face bright red.
I was worried she would decide nothing else mattered and kill time for a while.
However, Raphtalia was also of the appropriate age…. No, based on her actual age, isn’t this no good?
She was the same age as me in our census though.

“This is….” (Raphtalia)
“He~y.” (Naofumi)
“Hyau!” (Raphtalia)

Surprised, Raphtalia stiffened and then fell off her chair with a thud.
She appeared extremely flustered and panicked.
I understand her feelings.
If someone came up to me when I was reading an erotic book, I’d probably feel considerably shaken.

“Ah, Naofumi-sa..n.” (Raphtalia)
“I’d rather you didn’t touch other people’s computers that much but…..” (Naofumi)
“S-sorry.” (Raphtalia)

I have a hunch that it was too late, because Raphtalia had already quite a few of the manga in my room.
There were times where she’d read somewhat enthusiastically.
She had seemed embarrassed to ask me what was written. Moreover, going to my little brother and asking.

She was often seen with an erotic doujin that she got from somewhere.
When I speculated, it was established that she borrowed it from my little brother.
Despite telling others to buy doujinshi for him, what was my little brother planning by showing them to the pure-hearted Raphtalia.
And yet he goes and lends out doujinshi and dating sims from other people’s rooms as if it were natural.

And well…. Various things happened.
I remember my dark history.
I think Raphtalia did well but….

“Naofumi-sa..n….. Come over here.” (Raphtalia)

I’d prefer it if she didn’t copy those dating sim characters and lie on the bed while saying that sort of thing.
Being influenced by a game and doing the same actions is just like someone from another world, huh.
One way or another, getting influenced by fictional works can’t be helped.
Because that’s how pure she was.
Even so, I have to caution her when she’s mistaken.

“It’s fine if it’s just fiction but I’ll get weak in reality. In Sadina’s case…. Well, she does it as a joke but Raphtalia is fine as you are now.” (Naofumi)
“I-is that so…..” (Raphtalia)

She seems somewhat disappointed.
Raphtalia was relatively active though……
She probably researched because she thought I’d be pleased by this.

In reality, I do feel a little happy but this course is wrong.
I kind of felt like Raphtalia is being contaminated by modern society.
I wonder if it’s alright?

And that…. Let’s think about that later.
Right now is the Four Saint Weapons book.
I think I should talk about the continuation.

Itsuki and the others who were left behind had sunken into despair at losing us, but they couldn’t cry forever.
It seems the Goddess commandeered the resurrected Queen and invaded Melromark together with the Reincarnates.
They used the Queen, who was well versed in Trash’s tactics, and because the opponent was the resurrected Queen, Trash was in a bad condition and wasn’t able to seriously refine their tactics, putting Melromark at a disadvantage.

The Vassals were certainly strong, but the Reincarnates became strong due to being granted various abilities by Medea, and so apparently they had a handicap.
The story referred to them as the Hero of the Bow or the Hero of the Cane and such though.

The Four Saint Weapons book had written that Itsuki was fighting at the frontlines along with the people that the Hero of the Shield left behind.
Within that were also descriptions which seemed to refer to Sadina, Kiel, Raph-chan and Gaelion.
Gaelion was treated as the Dragon Emperor.

In the text, there was an explanation saying that the unsealed Ouryuu was useless as the worlds had already assimilated completely.
Damn…. So it’s saying we erred in regards to when to release our final measure.
But.. As if we could sacrifice two thirds of the world population.
I could infer from the text, that every day was leading to ruin.

Scenes in which Firo tried hard and played an active role were also mentioned.
She had been the one who mourned the most at our deaths.
It seems Melty somehow encouraged her.

Right now, Melty was proceeding to the frontline as a commander.
It seemed they were somehow trying to find a way out.
Even then, the result was poor, now was certainly when the collapse of the frontline commenced.
It was a scene in which showed the Reincarnates facing Melty.

We couldn’t do anything.
It was extremely frustrating. It’s like saying dead people can’t do anything.
It looks like there haven’t been any more casualties among the heroes since then but I don’t know how long that will last.
I’m in the real world that I had longed to return to for ages, but when I see this kind of thing, I’m not sure what to do.

So far, we’ve been spending our days looking for a solution, wondering if there was anything we could do.
The Net Games aren’t linked from that point anyway…. if we were able to return, I’d procure weapons from modern society for everyone andー.. or so I considered.
I guess swords, spears, and small arms are probably things I can’t obtain in Japan.

And so I bought various weapon encyclopedias from the bookstore as a substitute idea.
Because it seems like we could make some ground-breaking arms if I show them to the Old Man at the Weapon Shop.
In addition, I went to places like the hardware store and bought meaningless items that looked as if they could be absorbed into our weapons.
There were drills and such, but a Drill Spear?
If I had to say then it seems like they’ll become Itsuki’s equipment based on their shape though.

I wonder if Ren will be like us and do something in his own world?
Because his world is a Sci-Fi world.
If we could meet again, it seems like he’d bring some amazing weapons.

Meeting again…. I wonder if it’s possible.
At this rate, won’t we just stay in the real world without being able to do anything?
We searched through various texts and all sorts of other things but we couldn’t find any useful information.
We also investigated whether there were any humans who had been transported from another world, but well…. we didn’t discover any, fictional works were the limit.
I also wondered whether there were games or stories that were similar but the result was unfavourable.