Chapter 71: Not Bad
As we followed the road toward Matsue, a vast lake appeared on the left.
“It’s enormous.”
“Yeah. It looks like the ocean.”
I wondered how many kilometers it was to the opposite shore.
“This may be our only chance to travel around and see so many different places.”
“Given the state of the world, it is a rare experience.”
Ayaka and I were talking while gazing outside, but I couldn’t help noticing Riku, Takamiya-san, and Kitaura-san whispering among themselves.
“What’s going on?”
I asked Riku.
“Nothing. Linda-san, could we stop at a convenience store? I need to use the bathroom.”
“Me too.”
“Then so do I.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll pull in.”
Sis Linda entered a convenience store parking lot.
Everyone got out. I decided to use the bathroom while I had the chance and followed them.
Riku emerged just as I entered. After finishing and coming back out, I found Ayaka by the magazine rack.
“What are you looking at?”
“This.”
Ayaka showed me the cover.
It read: “The Truth Revealed! Demon Ecology and Activity.”
“I guess that isn’t an occult magazine anymore.”
“No. It introduces all kinds of demons and even lists which species live in different regions. Look at this.”
The page Ayaka showed me featured a photograph of a Hecatoncheir cooking while holding numerous frying pans.
He looked like a professional chef.
“That’s the Hecatoncheir in Nagato.”
“Yes. I don’t know how they interviewed him, but there’s even a profile.”
Seriously, how had they managed that?
“Let’s buy it. It might be useful during the journey.”
“Good idea. I’ll pay for it.”
We bought the magazine and returned to the car.
Riku had moved into the passenger seat.
“Hmm? You’re sitting in front?”
“Yeah. I want to get used to this phone, and I thought I could navigate for Linda-san.”
“That will be helpful.”
Hmm…
Fair enough. Ayaka and I got into the car, and Sis Linda set off.
“What did you buy?”
Takamiya-san asked Ayaka.
“This.”
Ayaka handed her the magazine, and she looked through it with Kitaura-san and Elvis.
“Oh…”
“They publish things like this?”
“‘Goblins attack women’… No, we don’t! They’re a different species.”
Apparently, it contained some lies too.
“It says you eat people.”
“Elvis, how scary.”
“I’m an omnivore, that’s all. I eat the same things you do. Oh, but it’s right about goblins being weak.”
Elvis was strong, though.
“Does it say anything about Okayama?”
“Let’s see… The demon commander is a dragon… A dragon!?”
A dragon…
“Sounds powerful.”
“It has to be.”
“They were legendary monsters even in the other world.”
Naturally, none of us had ever seen one.
“Does it say anything else?”
Ayaka asked.
“Let’s see. There’s no picture, but it says the dragon loves Muscat grapes and lives at a vineyard… That’s unexpectedly cute.”
“Maybe it likes fruit.”
That had suddenly become rather fairy-tale-like.
“In any case, we simply need to stay away from the vineyard.”
“Probably. There isn’t anything about Tokushima in this magazine.”
“Then we should gather information in Okayama before going there.”
That was the sensible choice.
Once again, we’d have to rely on Elvis and Sis Linda.
“Everyone, we’re almost there. Shall we go straight to the inn? Is there anywhere else you’d like to stop for shopping or sightseeing?”
Sis Linda asked.
“It’s only a little after one. Will they let us check in?”
“Oh, most of the hotels in Kumamoto started check-in around three.”
That was why we’d chosen one that offered early check-in at two.
“Is that so? I think they’d let us in if we asked.”
Demon towns were relaxed about that sort of thing.
The succubus attendant at the inn in Nagato had told us to wake the chef if we became hungry in the middle of the night.
“Linda-san, it looks like most of them do start check-in at three.”
Riku had checked on his phone.
“I see. Then what shall we do for the next two hours?”
Hmm…
“Why don’t we go shopping? Human towns have a better selection, and Riku probably needs clothes and other things.”
Kitaura-san suggested.
“Oh, that’s true. This is all I have.”
“Very well. Let’s do that. I’ll head for a shopping mall.”
Sis Linda drove into the city and parked when we reached one.
“Elvis, you’re staying here again?”
“Looks like it.”
“I’ll wait too. I want to consider our route from here. Please enjoy your shopping.”
So both demons would remain behind.
“All right.”
We got out and entered the mall.
There were quite a few people inside, and it appeared lively.
“First, a clothing store. I want to look around too.”
“Same. They’ll have a different selection from Kokura.”
“We have two hours, so let’s take our time.”
We followed the enthusiastic women to a clothing store and began browsing.
“Fashion must have changed in ten years. I don’t know what looks good anymore.”
Riku tilted his head.
“I never knew in the first place.”
I’d never cared much about fashion.
“Really? Your clothes suit you.”
“Ayaka chose them.”
Lucky me, right?
“That explains it…”
“All right, Riku. We’ll choose for you.”
“Leave it to us.”
“Please don’t play around.”
Takamiya-san and Kitaura-san selected clothes with Riku.
“It’ll get hot soon, so buy summer clothes too. And you’ll need something to wear in your room.”
“Oh, right. Are we all right for money?”
“We’re fine. We’re somewhat rich.”
We’d been given money someone picked up.
“Then I won’t worry.”
The women chose and bought Riku’s clothes.
Then it was their turn to shop, so Riku and I went to look at underwear and undershirts.
“Not needing travel bags makes this easy.”
Snacks, cup noodles, clothes—everything fit inside my storage.
If I wanted, I could probably put a large bus in there.
Probably.
“Yeah. Spatial magic is incredibly convenient. It was indispensable in the other world, and it still is.”
“No kidding.”
“This is starting to feel a little like a vacation. Maybe that’s wrong.”
We still hadn’t found Minato, and fighting was happening all over the country.
“Honestly, I feel the same way. But isn’t that all right? We’ll find Minato eventually, and even in the other world, our journey sometimes felt like a trip. We were under the grave obligation to defeat the Demon King and return home, yet we still had a fair amount of fun.”
There had been painful times, but the happy memories were real too.
“That’s true… Yeah, it was fun. Both the journey and our life in Reste.”
“I don’t think that has to change now… or after we find Minato… or even after we reach Tokyo.”
“You’re right. I want us to keep living that way.”
After buying Riku’s roomwear and underwear, we met up with the women and passed the remaining time exploring the mall.
Shortly before three, we headed back to the parking lot.