From bustling Tokyo, with its towering buildings and neon lights beneath a rainy sky, they had arrived in this quiet rural town under a clear night sky, filled with fresh air and the strong scent of farmland.
The two outsiders had clearly fallen into trouble.
Not only had they failed to enter Paradise, they had also attracted the attention of the villagers.
Fortunately, the town was fairly large, so this minor disturbance did not spread too far. Soon, the noise faded into the distance.
Nanakamado Nanaka followed behind Kazuma, watching him stroll leisurely along the country road.
"You don't seem worried at all."
"Worrying won't solve anything right now," Kazuma said calmly, breathing in the countryside air. "It looks like your wish won't be fulfilled anytime soon. We'll come back on the weekend. For now, let's gather information."
He glanced at her.
"Nanakamado Nanaka, do you really have no memory of this place?"
"None at all." The girl's golden hair brushed lightly against Kazuma's face, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance. She quickly walked ahead of him, then turned and walked backward while facing him. "I have absolutely no idea where this is."
After speaking, she tapped her head playfully and stuck out her tongue.
"Maybe it's because I was always confined in Paradise before and never came here. The first place I ever appeared was Tokyo."
There was a trace of disappointment in her voice, but Kazuma's calmness gradually steadied her mood. The ghost girl suppressed her unease and widened her eyes.
"Kazuma-kun, do you have any ideas?"
"We can ask the townspeople if there have been any supernatural incidents nearby—like mysterious disappearances or strange phenomena."
He suddenly stopped and looked toward the dark forest not far away.
"In a remote rural town like this, there are usually plenty of rumors—especially about forbidden or dangerous areas. That mountain forest over there is pretty suspicious."
As he spoke, a dark shape moved through the trees in the direction he pointed.
Nanakamado Nanaka looked carefully.
It was a sika deer.
"A deer?"
She blinked. "A sika deer in the forest?"
"No, it probably came from the road." Kazuma's expression turned subtle. "I've heard that Japanese wolves went extinct long ago, which caused the sika deer population to explode. Deer hunting is legal here. I didn't expect to actually see one."
Perhaps startled by their presence, the sika deer quickly disappeared at the edge of the field. Kazuma didn't move at all, nor did he show any intention of offering it a Momotaro rice ball.
"Should we go take a look inside?" Nanakamado Nanaka walked beside him with a mischievous smile. "There might be animals in the mountain forest~ You could gain some companions."
"You seem to be in high spirits, worrying about my affairs," Kazuma said dryly as he took out his phone.
The screen displayed [Within the Circle], indicating that they were indeed in the real world, not inside some horror movie scenario.
Ah. Slightly disappointing.
Although, remembering how he had appeared inside someone's house through the Anywhere Door earlier—and accidentally witnessed a beautiful naked woman—Kazuma pursed his lips.
Not a horror movie.
More like an erotic film.
"I just think that since you helped me, I should help you too. Oh—it really is Kyushu."
They stepped onto the town's main street. Most of the shops were already closed. Only a few restaurants, small stores, and 24-hour convenience stores remained open.
As two students, Kazuma and Nanakamado Nanaka didn't draw much attention.
Kazuma glanced at a roadside signboard displaying the town's name.
This was indeed a remote rural town located on Kyushu.
The positioning was correct, and the "Anywhere Door" had no malfunction at all.
"I want to grab some late-night snacks?" Kazuma noticed an oden stall ahead. "It's already pretty late, and I'm a little hungry."
The most obvious change after evolving was his appetite. Maintaining his body required a large amount of energy.
Nanakamado Nanaka didn't refuse. The two of them sat down on the stools. The owner was an older woman who looked at them with a slightly strange expression. "Are you still students? It's so late—why aren't you home resting? Be careful, the police might stop and question you."
"No, no, we're not students," Kazuma said, pointing at a bottle of sake. "She and I are both adults, ma'am. How about a bottle of sake?"
"Adults? You don't look like it at all. Unless you have a work ID or driver's license, I won't sell you alcohol."
"You're quite principled," Kazuma replied with a grin. "Alright then, never mind. Two cans of coffee will do."
It was very late, and there were hardly any people around. Aside from Kazuma and Nanakamado Nanaka, there were no other customers. The lightly flavored oden suited Nanakamado Nanaka's taste perfectly.
She ate happily.
"This town feels very cozy," Kazuma casually chatted with the female owner.
"Are you two from out of town?" she asked curiously. "No wonder. The town really is peaceful. It's not as prosperous as the cities, but life here moves at a slower pace, and everyone's used to it."
"Has there been any recent news? Or any strange incidents?"
"Meow~"
Kazuma picked up a fish ball and stuffed it into Luna's mouth, silencing her.
"The town has always been peaceful. Nothing much happens here. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just curious. We're traveling around and exploring. In remote rural towns like this, there are usually ghost stories or mysterious legends, right?"
The female owner looked a little displeased. "That's prejudice. We don't have any of those superstitious things here…"
It seemed they wouldn't get any useful information from her.
Luna sat on Kazuma's lap, tasting the various fish balls. Suddenly, she lifted her head, her sharp eyes gazing into the distance. Someone was approaching—and it was someone familiar.
The darkness couldn't interfere with Luna's vision. Even in pitch-black surroundings, she could clearly see the other person's appearance. The sound of geta clogs echoed against the ground, and soon a beautiful woman in a kimono appeared beneath the streetlights.
Her long black hair reached her waist, and her charming face carried an air of indifference and aloofness. However, that cold expression quickly shifted into curiosity when she saw Kazuma and Nanakamado Nanaka. She walked straight toward them.
Tap—
The kimono-clad woman stopped in front of the stall. Then she sat down next to Kazuma as if it were the most natural thing in the world and spoke calmly, "Give me one too."
"Alright."
As she sat down, a faint scent of shower gel mixed with her natural fragrance drifted over—refreshing and captivating, sensual yet elegant. Her mature figure and temperament were something Shirakawa Miwa and Akane Nanao couldn't imitate.
But Kazuma remained completely unmoved.
He didn't even lift his head, continuing to eat a piece of radish as if he hadn't noticed anyone sitting beside him. Nanakamado Nanaka, seated on his other side, looked over with a strange expression. Wasn't this the woman Kazuma had accidentally seen naked when they entered that house earlier?
Hey! The actual person came looking for you—how can you still eat so calmly?
"Meow—"
Luna's sharp gaze stayed fixed on the woman. She didn't even touch the delicious fish balls anymore, her eyes burning with intensity.
"What a cute little cat." Tohka couldn't hold back. She turned her head and met Luna's clear eyes. "Do you want to try some?"
Luna ignored her.
The woman calmly withdrew her hand, set down her bamboo skewer, and sighed softly. Then she turned to face the young man beside her. "I originally thought this cat discovered me first. But now it seems you noticed me even earlier. I'm curious—why didn't you run?"
Kazuma paused briefly, then casually fed another fish ball to Luna and stroked her soft back. "I'm curious too. Since you saw us here, why didn't you call for help?"
Kazuma turned his head and met the beautiful woman's gaze.
"Answering a question with a question—how cunning," she said with a slight frown. "Calling for help wouldn't have worked anyway. Even if I had called those people, they probably couldn't catch you."
She recalled what she had witnessed earlier and spoke softly.
"Since you already know it's useless, what do I have to fear?" Kazuma smiled faintly.
The woman looked somewhat helpless. "So… what I saw earlier was real?"
"Huh? Saw what? What are you talking about? I don't quite understand." Kazuma suddenly put on a confused expression, his wide eyes full of innocent stupidity. "Madam, do we know each other?"
His sudden change nearly made Tohka lose her balance. She narrowed her eyes, staring at this shameless actor, black lines practically appearing on her forehead. "If you were my student, I would make sure to properly educate you."
"Oh? So you're a teacher? My apologies." Kazuma leaned back cautiously and patted his chest in mock relief. "Good thing my homeroom teacher isn't you. She's just as charming as you, but her personality is much gentler."
Crack—
The veins on Tohka's forehead became even more pronounced.
Nanakamado Nanaka watched the two clash and secretly chuckled. Kazuma wasn't wrong. Teacher Shirakawa Miwa really did have a softer personality. In terms of charm, the two women were about equal.
Tohka took a deep breath. This boy was different from her other students—much harder to handle. "Stop pretending. Since I saw you here, I'm certain what I saw and heard earlier wasn't an illusion."
Her expression grew serious. "Am I right?"
Kazuma put down his bowl. "Why push so hard? Do you really want me to recall that scene again?"
His eyes slowly swept over the kimono-clad woman's figure like a scanner. "Fine, I admit it. It wasn't an illusion. I did see you naked—from your impressive figure to your fair skin, and even your chest…"
"Stop!!!"
Tohka completely lost her composure, glaring at Kazuma with fury in her eyes. Kazuma simply spread his hands. "I had already forgotten about it. You're the one who made me remember."
"…"
Teacher Tohka realized her stern glare had no effect on him whatsoever. In the end, she could only sigh softly. "Don't worry. I won't expose your secret. As a teacher—and as an adult—I keep my word."
"I believe you." Kazuma finally dropped his playful tone and extended his hand with a smile. "Kazuma, an ordinary high school student from Tokyo."
"Tohka." The beautiful woman understood he was showing sincerity. She shook his hand. "An ordinary teacher from a rural town."
...
..
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[image] Tohka (Mother)
*****
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