Daisan no Isekai: The Quartet (Isekai Quartet x Tensura)

'Smooth' First Contacts

   Those attending the festival will be: Tanya, Visha, Grantz, Kazuma, Megumin, Darkness, Aqua, Subaru, Rem, Ram and Emilia. Tanya decides to leave Weiss, Neumann and Koenig behind to help Ainz with keeping the place, much to their disappointment. She would've told Grantz to stay behind too, if he hadn't bumped into that girl who may be another Otherworlder yesterday. He should be able to remember what she looks like. Just in case they bump into her again.

   The group, with their map in hand, begin their journey, walking back up towards Blumund, Tanya, Visha and Grantz leading the way. Once they get there, Kazuma makes a comment that it reminds him of Axel back in their world. Megumin rebukes the sentiment saying that Axel is a lot more spacious and comfortable. As she recalls the prior day, Tanya asks the others, “Out of curiosity, can any of you hear and understand the people conversing around us?” Everyone seems surprised in realizing that, contrary to the discovery in Tanya's last visit, most of the current group can, in fact, understand the locals. Only Darkness and Grantz are unable to. Grantz suddenly begins to feel dejected and Darkness can be seen squirming for some weird reason. "Just ignore this weirdo." Kazuma says with a deadpan expression. This gives Tanya a theory, ‘Perhaps it’s just that people with better magical aptitude or something similar are naturally able to converse? Either way, this is a lucky turn of events. Being unable to converse with locals is problematic for reconnaissance and infiltration missions.’.

   They arrive at the large road heading east. It's first thing in the morning so the traffic isn't quite as heavy for the time being. However, due to how large the group is, Tanya is unsure if she can afford carriages for everyone so unless they plan on attracting attention, their only real option is to walk. They are all dressed casually for inconspicuity, apart from Kazuma's group who would fit in well with this world's adventurers, judging by the trio Tanya and Visha met yesterday. Tanya, Visha and Grantz are carrying their service rifles. However, they're hiding them, with barrels dismantled, inside large cloth sacks that are held by a leather sling. Rem, Ram and Emilia were able to quickly prepare some for them at Tanya's request. “Never hurts to be prepared for the worst.” she said at the time. Tanya, along with those in her unit, could prove devastating, even when using an unloaded gun.

   Along the side of the road, they come across small markers, milestones, indicating the distance to the capitol. Tanya, Subaru and Kazuma, who originated from Earth, quickly recognize them for what they are. Kazuma mentions to Subaru with some excitement in his voice, “Whoever designed these roads must be an Otherworlder or, at the very least, be getting either inspiration or instruction from one.”. Subaru responds to him with the same hint of enthusiasm, “And, no doubt from Earth too.”. Further down the road, they come across inns placed at regular intervals as they walk, one of which they decided to make a stop at some time after dark. They had been walking all day and most of the night too, making it around half-way according to the markers. They still have no real need for food, but the humans in the group still need regular sleep.

   Stopping at one of the inns proved very useful to Tanya. Due to the fact that she, the disciplinarian of the group, took charge in handling the money, she was able to discern just how much their collection of ill-gotten coinage was worth. Her inner ex-salaryman showing through the cracks. She found out that, judging by the quality of the lodging and food provided by the inn, Bronze coins are valued at what would be around 10 yen, their now 72 Silver coins are valued at around what would be 1000 yen each and their 6 Gold coins are at around 100,000 yen each. She was surprised that they had found so much coin. "Guess that guy wasn't lying about his identity if he had this much just lying around" She muses to herself as the group all had headed to their various rooms to sleep the night.

   Early in the morning, everyone in the group awakens after Tanya's ‘military-style’ wake-up call. She enters both group's rooms rudely, and loudly, waking them up, telling them to be ready for food in 10 minutes. Visha and Grantz follow her, leaning into the rooms after her, apologizing profusely and heading down the stairs for food. Everyone, not wanting to tick Tanya off, is able to be ready on time. Digging into the food that they ordered for breakfast, Tanya, Kazuma and Subaru realize something. A lot of the food is from another world, from their original world, from Japan, amongst various other famous styles of cuisine. ‘Amazing! I can’t believe it! All the flavors… It’s perfectly recreated!’ Kazuma looks up to the ceiling, he has begun tearing up at the taste, much to the amusement of his party. Subaru laughs. But then, like Kazuma, he too crumbles at the mighty taste of this Tempestian food. Elegantly recreated flavors that he'd almost given up on ever tasting again. However, the one surprisingly most moved by the taste, is Tanya. ‘I just can’t believe it… Living my second life, no thanks to that rotten, self-righteous bastard, Being X, surviving on nothing but stale military rations, then being thrust into yet another new world, not just once, but twice over. I have been through the hell of the battlefield, living war on the front lines. We finally get to eat real food again…’ It reminded her how lucky they all were to have survived that brutal conflict. Rem, Ram and Emilia were also greatly enjoying their food but they didn't have such an overwhelming reaction to its taste.