Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 185: “The First Demon Lord’s Domain ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ Countermeasure Meeting”
—Thor’s point of view—
The countermeasures against the “Pseudo-Smartphone” are steadily progressing.
A restricted area has already been established outside the Demon Lord’s Castle, and personnel have been gathered for the purpose of dealing with the “Pseudo-Smartphone.”
Dozens of people have assembled in the grasslands outside the castle.
Everyone wears a tense expression.
After all, the opponent is a magical item from the Heroes’ world.
Under the orders of Demon Lord Rukie, a strict security system has been put in place.
At the center of the countermeasure area stands a large tent.
That’s the command center.
Inside it, a “Temporary Simple Storage” had been established to contain the “Pseudo-Smartphone.”
Agnis, Kelve-san, and I are waiting here for the “Pseudo-Smartphone” to activate.
Beyond it stood a stone wall built by the Minotaurs.
It’s meant to prevent any effects from leaking out in case the smartphone goes out of control and the “temporary warehouse” fails to contain it.
Further out, the elven magic corps has formed a perimeter.
In case of emergency, they’ll deploy a full-scale magical barrier to stop the effects of the “Pseudo-Smartphone.”
In addition, the minotaur soldiers are on standby.
Even from the castle walls, the tent containing the “Pseudo-Smartphone” is under constant watch.
It was a defensive formation demonstrating the full strength of the Demon Lord’s Domain.
“—The enemy is the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ from the Heroes’ world. So we must be vigilant.”
“—Protecting the people from the threat of the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ is our duty as elves!”
“—The Minotaur Unit will also do their best.”
“—Even the ‘Traffic Cones’ and ‘Jump-Out Kids’ are helping. There’s nothing to fear!”
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!”
The minotaurs and elves are brimming with determination.
Of course, “Traffic Cones” and “Jump-Out Kids” had been placed around the central tent. They would immobilize any magical beasts that might emerge from the Pseudo-Smartphone.
With this, I believe we’ve taken every countermeasure we can think of for now.
And so, Agnis, Kelve-san, and I—our analysis team—also began our operations—
First, we decided to hold a meeting to determine our course of action going forward.
“Let’s begin the meeting, shall we? Thor-sama, Agnis-sama.”
This is the tent set up in the countermeasure area.
Agnis, Kelve-san, and I were holding the first “Pseudo-Smartphone” countermeasure meeting.
“There are two and a half days left until the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ activates. We don’t have much time. First, we should try to predict what kind of phenomenon it might trigger.”
Saying this, Kelve-san looked toward me.
“You’ve made a few predictions yourself, Thor-sama?”
“Yes. I’ve come up with four scenarios, ranging from safe to dangerous.”
“Please share them.”
“Understood. Agnis?”
“Y-Yes.”
Agnis unrolled the parchment I had entrusted to her.
Bullet-pointed sentences were written on it.
“The first prediction… is that the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ may display a ‘message from another world.’ This is the safest possibility.”
I began to explain.
“Hard Creatures came to this world through summoning magic. I believe the Heroes’ world used that event to confirm that our two worlds are connected. That’s likely why they sent the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone.’ Which means—”
“They may be trying to make contact from their side?”
“Exactly.”
“But what about the language barrier?”
“The Empire has had frequent encounters with Heroes, and some people have learned their language. I think we can manage some translation.”
“That makes sense. And the Heroes probably know that.”
“They might have sent the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ to the Empire.”
“And the coordinates were misaligned, causing it to arrive in the Demon Lord’s Domain… is that your theory?”
“Summoning or dispatch magic is unstable. That’s certainly possible.”
If the Heroes simply wish to make contact, there’s no major issue.
We can just discuss how to handle it.
Then we can take our time to disassemble and analyze the “Pseudo-Smartphone” however we like.
“The second possibility is that the Heroes’ world may include other information along with the message.”
“Your parchment says ‘a message embedded with a trap.’ What does that mean?”
“I tried to imagine something specific. Please take a look at this.”
I handed another parchment to Kelve-san.
He examined it and said,
“…It contains a magic circle, a spell, and an explanation. ‘We’ll teach you magic from the Heroes’ world. Use this and instantly become the strongest mage! Gain the results of one year’s training in only ten minutes’… is that correct?”
“I modeled the wording after ‘mail-order catalogs.’”
“Well, it’s a prediction, so this is fine.”
Kelve-san nodded with a serious expression.
“You believe the Heroes’ world may send magical knowledge?”
“Yes. Everyone would leap at the chance to obtain magic from the Heroes’ world—especially people from the Empire.”
“That I understand.”
“If it were information about otherworldly items, I’d jump at it myself.”
“Please restrain yourself.”
Kelve-san cleared his throat.
“But… where’s the trap in this?”
“What if they claim, ‘This spell will make you stronger,’ but it’s actually a summoning spell that brings Hard Creatures from the Heroes’ world?”
“…Huh?”
“As I mentioned, if the magic comes from the Heroes, the Empire will jump at it, right?”
“Y-Yes. Anyone from the Empire would cast it without hesitation.”
“If that happens, the people of the Heroes’ world can send Hard Creatures into this world.”
“Ah…”
“Ah…”
Seeing Kelve-san and Agnis surprised, I continued.
“Ordinary people in the Heroes’ world are having trouble dealing with Hard Creatures. I think they may be considering banishing them to another world. Of course, that applies only to ordinary people.”
Previously, we had discovered an object from the Heroes’ world—a “Fireproof Safe.”
Inside it was a document stating that countermeasures against Hard Creatures were being implemented in the Heroes’ world.
Apparently, some people in the Heroes’ world possessed immense power, while others didn’t.
The Heroes are probably happy to fight “Hard Creatures,” but those who aren’t Heroes seem to be troubled by how to deal with them.
So maybe, as a countermeasure, they’re thinking of banishing “Hard Creatures” to this world.
The people of the Empire all seek “strength.”
If they were told that they could grow stronger by using magic from the Heroes’ world, anyone would leap at the opportunity.
If they truly became stronger, their status in the Empire would rise. It’s hard to resist that temptation.
If information about magic that summoned Hard Creatures were distributed through large numbers of Pseudo-Smartphones, some people would use it without thinking. Hard Creatures would then come here, reducing their numbers in the Heroes’ world.
Of course, I might be overthinking it.
But still, I thought… that kind of thing might be possible.
“However, that’s unnatural, Thor-sama.”
Kelve-san shook his head.
“If they wanted to send Hard Creatures, would it not be easier to use dispatch magic from the Heroes’ world? After all, they’ve already managed to send these ‘Pseudo-Smartphones.’”
“I’ve considered that too.”
I’ve been thinking about it ever since I found the Pseudo-Smartphones.
Those Pseudo-Smartphones were likely sent using dispatch magic.
But if dispatch magic was usable, why had the Heroes not returned to this world?
I thought the heroes had been satisfied after defeating the Demon Lord’s army.
Yet the Heroes’ world had summoned Hard Creatures.
That means the heroes still crave battle.
However, there are no records of the heroes returning to this world.
In other words—
“Perhaps only small objects can be sent from the Heroes’ world to this one.”
I said it aloud.
“I believe it’s due to compatibility between worlds.”
“Compatibility?”
“The gate from this world to the Heroes’ world can be opened, but only a narrow gate can be opened from the Heroes’ world to this one. They can freely open gates from the Heroes’ world to the world of the Hard Creatures, but we can’t open gates from this world to theirs. That’s my hypothesis.”
“…That might be possible.”
Kelve-san pressed his forehead, lost in thought.
“So the Heroes’ world may be trying to make this world open the gate instead… is that your theory?”
“It’s just a hypothesis.”
“Their goal… would be to protect the Heroes’ world?”
“That’s Hypothesis #1.”
“And Hypothesis #2?”
“Perhaps they’re saying to the people of the Empire who admire Heroes, ‘Look! We found some incredibly strong beasts! Let us fight them together and become even stronger!’”
“““Entirely possible!!”””
“Right?”
Kelve-san, Agnis, and I nodded in agreement.
After all, the Empire truly had summoned Hard Creatures into this world.
It wouldn’t be strange for people from the Heroes’ world to think, “Oh, the people of that world also desire combat!” They might even kindly try to teach a better summoning method.
The heroes are a battle-loving race, and the people of this world admire those heroes.
“And so, the third possibility is that the Pseudo-Smartphones will automatically summon Hard Creatures without asking.”
“…What?”
“This is what’s called ‘Delayed Magic.’ Suppose the heroes embedded summoning spells inside the Pseudo-Smartphones, set to activate about ten days later. Then they use dispatch magic to send them into this world.”
“Delayed magic, huh…”
“Well, they’re heroes, after all. It can’t be helped.”
“Yes, it can’t be helped because they’re heroes.”
“…I-I see. So, Thor-sama, what’s your fourth prediction…?”
Kelve-san peeked at the parchment.
Reading my final hypothesis, his eyes widened.
“…Um, Thor-sama?”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t make a concrete prediction.”
“‘Explosion’? ‘Something incredible might happen’… is that it?”
Yeah. It’s the Heroes’ world we’re talking about.
There’s a good chance they’ll easily surpass anything I can imagine.
That’s why I wrote down the possibility of something completely unexpected happening.
For now, that’s the best I can do—
“…Thor Canaan-sama and Chancellor-sama… you’re both incredible.”
Just as I was thinking that, Agnis muttered softly.
She looked at both me and Kelve-san, eyes sparkling.
“When the two of you talk, things I didn’t understand before become clearer one after another. The Chancellor raises questions, and Thor Canaan-sama answers them—then it becomes very clear what the issues are and how they might be resolved.”
“Is that so?”
“Huh…? U-uh, is that… really?”
“Maybe the two of you’re actually an excellent team…”
That might be true.
Kelve-san keeps asking questions about my ideas.
By searching for answers to those questions, I’m able to find new solutions.
Perhaps Kelve-san is the kind of person who helps others grow like that.
As expected of the Chancellor of the Demon Lord’s Domain. I was glad we had recruited him.
“So then… Thor Canaan-sama. What’s the countermeasure?”
Agnis said this while looking at the parchment.
“We just need to be careful about the first and second ones. But if a ‘Hard Creature’ comes directly…”
“For now, I intend to surround the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ with ‘Traffic Cones.’”
“I see! That way, the ‘Hard Creature’ will also move more slowly!”
“Then, during that opening, we can drop a ‘Meteor Replica’ onto the ‘Temporary Simple Storage’ containing the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone.’”
“The Hard Creature will be crushed along with the Temporary Simple Storage.”
“Even if it happens to get outside, the ‘Meteor Replica’ will still hit. No problem.”
“That’s reassuring.”
Agnis and I clasped hands.
However, it’s entirely possible that the Heroes’ world will exceed my expectations.
In that case, we’ll need a backup plan as well.
I was thinking of consulting Kelve-san about that too, but…
“Chancellor, may I ask for your thoughts on my plan?”
“…I don’t see any problem with it.”
Huh?
For some reason, Kelve-san has a vacant look in his eyes.
He’s leaning tiredly against a tent pole—why is that?
He looks like he’s trying desperately to steady his breathing…?
“Thor-sama.”
“Yes, Chancellor?”
“I now fully understand the saying ‘fight poison with poison.’ As Chancellor, I shall ensure that this incident is recorded.”
“Yes, Chancellor.”
“However… the idea that you and I make a good team… that’s just too much pressure… so I would appreciate it if you didn’t think that way…”
“Um, Chancellor?”
“Yes?”
“Why are your eyes darting around?”
“It’s just your imagination.”
“Isn’t the tent pole leaning a bit?”
“It’s an illusion.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. More importantly, Thor-sama, do you have any other thoughts?”
“Yes. I’m wondering what we should do if the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ behaves in an unexpected way.”
“…That would be difficult.”
Kelve-san said that while holding his forehead.
“If it breaks through the Traffic Cones, the Temporary Simple Storage, and the Meteor Replica… we’ll have to rely on numbers. That’s why we surrounded the tent with stone walls and stationed soldiers and the magic corps in formation.”
“Exactly. So Agnis and the others will have to give it their all…”
“In that case, I have a proposal.”
I spread open a ‘mail-order catalog’ on the table.
“I got the idea from your words, Chancellor, about ‘fighting poison with poison.’”
“Could you please stop using my words as inspiration?”
“That aside, how about using the ‘smartphone countermeasure items’ listed in the Mail-Order Catalog? In a sense, we would be ‘fighting Hero with Hero.’”
The ‘mail-order catalog’ doesn’t list smartphones themselves.
But ‘smartphone countermeasure goods’ do exist.
“Smartphone countermeasure goods, you say!?”
“There are countermeasures for that magical device!?”
“Exactly because it’s the most powerful magical tool, countermeasure items exist.”
The Heroes’ world always prepared countermeasures against powerful weapons and magic.
Against the ultimate magic “Ultimate Vivid Light,” there was the “UV-Cut Parasol.”
Against the overwhelming power of a Hero, there was the “Chain Lock” that bound them to the earth.
And against Heroes whom even that couldn’t stop, there were “Traffic Cones” and “Jump-Out Kids.”
There are magic items specifically to restrain heroes.
Precisely because it’s a world of overwhelming power, deterrents are necessary.
So of course, items to reduce the power of magical tools like the ‘smartphone’ also exist.
That’s what the ‘smartphone countermeasure goods’ are.
“It says here, ‘Using a smartphone generates electromagnetic waves. These must be suppressed.’”
“Electromagnetic waves?”
“Lightning—in other words, something like wind-based magical power?”
“Since they’re called waves, there could be a connection to water-based magical power too.”
In any case, it’s still magic.
Previously, I had used the Mail-Order Catalog as a reference to create a “Magical Power Detector.”
That was based on a ‘radio wave detector’.
In the end, radio waves were the same kind of thing as magical power.
Which means electromagnetic waves might be something similar too.
If electromagnetic waves are emitted when a ‘smartphone’ is active… then it’s reacting like magic.
Before magic is cast, magical power overflows around the caster.
If you disrupt or erase that power, the flow of magic gets disturbed.
As a result, the spell fails.
If this works the same way—then by doing something about the electromagnetic waves, we should be able to interfere with the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’s’ function.
“So, I looked into electromagnetic waves, and here are some sheets and gloves for electromagnetic wave protection. Also, there’s something called ‘grounding’, which lets magical power flow into the ground—”
‘Grounding’ is a method of letting excess magical power flow into the ground.
It’s said to be essential for high-output magic items in the Heroes’ world.
Even the “Chain Lock” from the Heroes’ world had a function called “Land Lock Mode,” which bound a Hero to the ground.
Borrowing the power of the earth to suppress great power seems to be a fundamental principle in the Heroes’ world.
If that’s the case, it should also be possible to apply this to the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’ or even magic itself.
If it works—
This could become the trump card against the ‘Pseudo-Smartphone’…
Or even against dangerous magic.
That was what I explained to Agnis and Kelve-san.