With those dauntless parting words, the girl strode cheerfully out of the cave and disappeared into the distance. I had been prepared to face death for a while, and yet, my life had already been saved several times over. What providence!
Side. S
Karane-san left Sir Kamakuru and returned to us.
“Karane-san’s ability to demolish large rocks comes in handy, even on a different planet,” said Hakari-san.
“You know I can’t actually do that!”
Why did Karane-san stand in for the berserker? Well, it all started a little while ago…
As was our typical routine, we were preemptively visiting the locations in which the story took place to ensure that there were no deviations. This incident happened when thick clouds began to cover the sky, prompting us to head for the cave.
“Oho! Aren’t you cute lasses? What do you say about spending some quality time with yours truly?”
We turned around upon hearing this voice, where we were confronted with a slender boy—or maybe a girl?—wearing a mask. The androgynous-looking individual waved cheerfully as they approached. Their other hand carried a large hammer. It occurred to me at once that this was the berserker set to appear in the forthcoming cave scene!
“Um, we all have a boyfriend…”
Hakari-san tried to rebuff the berserker, but they didn’t appear to be listening. “That hardly matters. Isn’t love meant to be free? Let us sally forth to Shangri-la!”
The berserker tried to put a hand on Hakari-san’s shoulder. However…
“This is the most efficient way to repel a sex pest.”
Nano-san poked them in the eyes.
“Yeowch!”
“This is what you get for trying to touch Hakari without her permission.” Karane-san followed up with a crippling punch to the face.
“Oof… I-I’m so sooooorry!”
The berserker fled. They even left their trademark hammer behind in the panic.
“Nano-san, Karane-san!” There were tears of joy in Hakari’s eyes. “Thank you so much!”
“D-don’t get the wrong idea! I just didn’t like the look of their face!” Karane-san turned away in a huff.
Although I was relieved that they helped Hakari-san, a terrible thought struck me at the same time.
Nano-san noticed me trembling. “Yoshimoto Shizuka? Was that an important character just now?” she asked.
I nodded back at her, and sweat ran down her cheek.
“Y-yeah,” said Karane-san, “but we had to drive that a-hole away, didn’t we?”
I nodded vigorously in reply. Helping Hakari-san was most certainly the right thing to do. Nevertheless, I explained that the berserker played a significant role in the story. They would make flirtatious comments to Princess Io but ultimately assist in crushing the rocks sealing the entrance of the cave.
“Okay, then I’ll pick up the slack! Heh, this thing is…” Karane-san wrapped her hands around the giant hammer. She tensed her muscles, and with a magnificent display of strength, she rested the hammer on her shoulder. “No sweat!”
“But not even you would be able to demolish a bunch of big rocks, right?” said Hakari-san. “Or maybe you can.”
“I’ll, uh…cross that bridge when I come to it!”
“We ought to eliminate all elements of uncertainty. We must find the perfect time to explode the rocks. That will guarantee the ideal result,” Nano-san suggested.
Hahari-san let out a gloomy sigh. “According to the Hanazono Company’s research, this world does not have a precedent for creating explosives.”
“However, it does have the raw materials,” Nano-san pointed out. “As long as you possess the sufficient know-how, you can make bombs and explosives.”
“Another stereotypical isekai trope!” everyone else shouted.
“Anyway, here’s a bomb I made earlier,” said Nano-san.
Kusuri-senpai blinked. “You blazed through the steps like a cooking show, aye.”
“The materials were obtained from the various regions in which the company does business,” said Mei-san.
“All your talk of companies and business… It’s like you guys are in a completely different story,” Karane-san commented.
In any case, the matter was settled.
As a side note, Hahari-san provided the berserker’s mask and armor. Apparently, she had anticipated something like this happening and had made costumes for all the principal characters. Though I was certainly impressed by her foresight, she had followed that up by saying, “I want to see you all in cosplay!” Typical Hahari-san.
Karane-san gave a thumbs up. “Nice timing, Nano!”
“My apologies, Inda Karane.” For some reason, Nano was visibly sweating. “The rocks in this world were more durable than their terrestrial counterparts. The bomb was not enough to destroy the rocks altogether. You ended up doing half the work yourself.”
“What?” Karane-san’s eyes widened.
“In less fortunate circumstances, you would have been trapped inside too.”
“That’s what you’re hung up about? Look, I made it out just fine. No problem, right?”
“That is merely an opinion based on hindsight.”
“Besides, knowing you, even if I didn’t manage to break the rocks, I bet you would’ve done an instant recalculation and made a better bomb.”
“I used up all the materials on hand, so it would have been impossible to adapt immediately.”
“Then I’m sure Mei or someone would have done something.”
“I suspect that it would’ve taken a day or so in that scenario,” Mei-san pointed out apologetically.
“Not even Mei can do everything,” Hahari-san said with a sigh.
“Gathering materials from across the entire world in just one day is still pretty damn mind-boggling,” Kurumi-san said.
The atmosphere was relaxed at that point. At the same time…
Nano-san clenched her fist. “My miscalculation put you in danger, Inda Karane.”
“Don’t be so down! Kusuri knows what it’s like to majorly screw up.” Kusuri-senpai gently patted her on the shoulder.
Seeing Nano-san so miserable, Karane-san sighed softly. “I’m really not bothered at all. It’s just annoying to see you all down in the dumps and apologizing! Besides, it’s not exactly efficient to get hung up on stuff from the past, is it?!”
Nano-san blinked, as if startled by Karane-san’s words.
Hakari-san smiled. “Can I take this to mean that you’re trying to say, ‘I’m fine, so hurry up and get back to your usual self’?”
“Quit it with the stupid translations!” Karane-san shot back, although her cheeks were somewhat flushed.
“You are correct in saying that it is more efficient to consider the next task instead of dwelling on past events.” Nano-san appeared to have taken Karane-san’s words to heart, because she spoke with her usual tone. “On this occasion, I prepared the smallest possible bomb in secret out of consideration for this world’s environment. Next time, I will not show the same restraint.”
“This isn’t just about bombs, you know,” Karane-san pointed out.
“Wouldn’t you just end up doing that really stereotypical isekai thing where you impress everyone with Earth science?” Kurumi-san chimed in.
Regardless, the important thing was that Nano-san had a positive outlook. As for the bombs… Well, I didn’t foresee them making another appearance anytime soon.
An Excerpt from Circlet Love Story: “Shangri-La”
“Heh, a fellow can’t get through by ordinary means,” said the bandit. “You just gotta push ahead!”
In the midst of a furious storm, the beastmaster grimly faced off against a sea serpent that blocked their boat’s passage. The colossal creature reminded them of the legends of Bahamut. “Hey, can’t someone make a mechanical cat weapon?” she asked.
“I find myself ill-equipped for naval warfare,” said the elderly knight.
“I’m warnin’ ya!” cried the bandit’s henchman. “I’m all gristle, no meat!”
“Don’t you chicken out!” the bandit shouted back. “Keep shootin’ them arrows, you dummy!”
“My knight!” the princess shouted. “I will strengthen your body! This should help you defeat your foe!”
“As you command, my liege!” I declared.
“I’ll make sure it’s all under control, brother.”
The beastmaster called a flock of seabirds to block the sea serpent’s vision as I borrowed the power of the crest to jump as high as the World Tree. I struck the sea serpent with a blow that surpassed the speed of sound, and its head split in two. Using my foe’s sinking body as a scaffold, I jumped back onto the ship.
“Splendid work, my knight.” The princess greeted me with applause. Perhaps she thought that a spot of giant killing was worthy of praise.
At almost the precise same moment, the elderly knight poked his head out from the wheelhouse. “My apologies, but the helm will not turn! Hold on tight so that you do not fall off the ship, my good folks!”
The storm raged harder, washing us all away.
Eventually, we emerged on an island of some sort. The ship was grounded and in want of repair. Would we find what we needed here? Ah, but our first priority was ascertaining a food source.
I was still deep in thought when the elderly knight returned ahead of the scout, bearing an armful of fruit. “I have gathered victuals. Please take what you fancy.”
This resolved the food problem, for now.
“What kind of fruit is this?” asked the princess.
“I know not myself,” admitted the elderly knight. “However, in times of strife, it is standard practice to secure a stable food source. Given that this fruit is plentiful, I would say that this environment is blessed in that regard.”
The princess and I took the fruit from the elderly knight. Like her, I bit into it experimentally. “T-to think that a piece of fruit could contain so much juice!”
A delectable taste that I had never hitherto experienced spread across my tongue. Entranced by the fruit’s sweet seduction, I ate until there was nothing left of it.
“I reckon it ain’t a bad idea to rest here awhile,” the bandit remarked.
“I agree, Big Bro!” said the henchman.
This had been a long, perilous journey. Indeed, I saw the wisdom in resting our weary bones for a spell.
“Tee hee, catch me if you can!”
“Ha ha, please wait for me, Princess!”
I chased the princess as she ran across the sand. She was not running at a full sprint, of course. Several days had passed since we’d washed up on the shore. Here, our lives were unbound and peaceful. I wondered if this was…
“The fabled Shangri-la?!”