The Land of the Rising Sun Transfers to Another World

Chapter 109: Misunderstanding

Offshore of the Land of Owari

Unable to land yet, the team members were forced to spend the night aboard their boats. Considering the group of black-hooded figures, it was deemed too dangerous to proceed ashore.

The team alternated between keeping watch and resting.

"I wonder if the night sky I see here is the same one you're looking at?"

"What's wrong, Wolf? Finally lost it?"

Wolf and Nishitani, one of the survey team members, began a casual conversation while on watch.

Though Nishitani spoke to Wolf with a composed demeanor, his mind was filled with unease. They had ventured into an unfamiliar land, faced incomprehensible circumstances, and lost contact with two other boats carrying fellow members. He needed someone to talk to, to distract himself from the mounting anxiety.

"That's a line from a novel Captain Kondō recommended to me a while back."

"You read books?"

Nishitani was genuinely surprised by Wolf's unexpected comment.

"Before my deployment, I was integrated with various humanistic sensibilities as part of an AI learning program. Reading, as a primitive yet profound method of developing emotional perception, is something I rather enjoy."

"...You're surprisingly human-like for a robot."

"What do you mean, 'for a robot'? That's discriminatory—I'll file a lawsuit!"

"Was that a joke?"

"Oh? You caught on quickly!"

"Haha, cutting it close with the self-deprecating humor there."

Wolf let out a faint, electronic chuckle. Though Nishitani rolled his eyes at it, he couldn't deny that Wolf's lightheartedness was a small comfort.

Feeling a bit more at ease, Nishitani refocused on keeping watch. His gaze turned to Nezu, who was lying down and resting. Beside her was Raki, the girl with oni-like features they had rescued earlier. She clung tightly to Nezu, her face buried in Nezu's chest, breathing peacefully in her sleep.

"Different species or not, maybe it's comforting to be with another female."

"Or perhaps she senses something reminiscent of a relative."

"Maybe... Either way, if she can sleep soundly, that's all that matters."

Other than her name, they still knew nothing about Raki. After the rescue, she had fallen asleep in Nezu's arms as if a thread had snapped. Who was she, where did she come from, and what were those black-hooded figures? They would have to wait until morning to find answers.

"Why would anyone feel the need to kill a girl like that?"

"It's troubling but not something I want to understand."

As the two pondered such thoughts while keeping watch—

Splash...

A faint but unusual sound of water reached their ears. At first, it seemed like the usual waves hitting the boat, but something about it felt different.

"...Wolf."

Nishitani whispered to Wolf, who gave a small nod without turning.

"My detection systems were active, but I couldn't identify anything until multiple entities entered within seven meters."