“Yes, can I help you?”
“This curry dish—is it spicy, served with rice, and dripping with sauce?”
“Why, yes, it is! It’s a famous dish in the Portario Republic, but not many people have heard of it around these parts. Are you from Portario, miss?”
“No, I’m from...somewhere else,” I said vaguely.
Curry. Just the thought of it made me salivate.
“I’ll have the seafood curry, then,” I said, feeling impatient.
It almost felt like a waste, eating Japanese food when I was in a foreign land. But maybe a foreign country’s curry would be a little different.
“Got it! Your food will be out in just a bit!”
“What kind of dish is curry, milady?” Sérignan asked me.
“It’s very tasty, Sérignan. I’ll give you a taste.”
Curry. Curry. Curry rice! Mom’s curry was so tasty... I’d love to have it when I go back home. She put carrots and eggplants in it, and it was so delicious...
“Thank you for your patience! Here are your appetizers: salad and marinated tuna.”
Dinner here was served in courses. After that, they served us soup, and then we got the curry.
“Here’s your seafood curry! Just be careful; it’s hot!”
It really is curry!
Seeing the pool of amber roux blanketing the rice, I confirmed that it really was the dish I wanted. My heart positively cheered as I brought the first spoonful to my lips. It was a little too hot, but it definitely tasted like curry. It was a bit spicier than Mom’s curry, but the spices were amazing.
Curry really is the best. The pinnacle of human wisdom and civilization!
“I-Is it really that good?” Sérignan asked, a bit awed.
Oh. Sérignan had felt my emotions again, prompting her to eye the curry curiously.
“Have some!” I offered her a spoonful, bringing it to her lips.
“V-Very well, then.” She was already intrigued by the smell of the spices, and my recommendation prompted her to taste it. “It’s quite...stimulating. But I can understand why you hold this flavor in such high regard. I should have ordered curry as well...”
“Just order some tomorrow.”
We were still on our first day of our three-day, two-night vacation. She didn’t have to cram it all in one day. I felt bad for Roland and the other Swarms fighting on the front lines, but at the very least, I could transmit the flavor of this curry to them through the collective consciousness.
That said, the Nyrnal forces that attempted to invade the Popedom seemed to be getting smaller in number, so things were relatively calm on Roland’s side too. He abided by my instructions, creating a detachment as a reserve force. They could move in regardless of whether there was an attack on the front lines or from the rear.
The reserve force was crucial. Knowing when to send them in could decide a war. That was just as true in the game too. Throwing your entire army into a battle wasn’t always the right approach. Having a reserve force set aside gave you a way to handle the enemy’s unexpected actions.
Nyrnal swooping in to occupy Maluk after I’d marched my entire army into the Popedom of Frantz was a grim reminder of that. I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
“I’ll share my fried oysters with you, so let me taste your curry too, milady!” Lysa offered.
“Oh, yeah, sure. Have a taste. I ate this back where I came from, you know. It’s a little taste of my world.”
After tasting one another’s dishes, we had some nice cake for dessert and some coffee. It was a satisfying meal. Everything tasted good, and the curry sparked memories of home.
We took another bath and dipped in the hot springs again, listening to the roar of the waves as we gazed out at the nighttime sea.
Despite the atmosphere, I was feeling anxious. What was Nyrnal planning? They had a navy, after all. I couldn’t discount the possibility of them attempting to stage a landing on the Eastern Trade Union, and I wasn’t sure if the Union’s own navy could stop them.
I could dispatch some Swarms there, since they could operate ships. They weren’t as good as seasoned sailors, but they were loyal and brave, and they’d learned how to operate a ship from the pirates.
My other concern was that Nyrnal was using Gregoria units. If it were just the wyverns, I could chalk that up as coincidence, but the lindwyrms were definitely from the Gregoria. I didn’t know how the Empire was able to employ them, but that meant there might be behemoths and dragons as well.
Thankfully, my most recently unlocked unit could effectively deal with the lindwyrms. It was faster than the Dreadnought Swarm and could work alongside my other units.
But what if the Nyrnal Empire had the Gregoria hero unit? Georgius the Dragon Slayer was among the strongest hero units in the game. If they were to send him against us, would we be able to put up a fight? If we were to run into him in his final form before Sérignan evolved again, we’d be in trouble.
“Phew. So much to think about...”
The problems were piling up. At least I was able to get some rest and relaxation on this trip. I had my work cut out for me, but for now, I was grateful to Lysa for bringing up the idea. Rather than mull it all over any longer, I went to sleep. Good night.
♱
I woke up...only to realize I was in a dream. I was in my room back in Japan.
“Who’s there? Sandalphon or Samael?” I asked.
I could tell this place was fake. It wasn’t my real room.
“It’s me, _________.” A familiar figure in white materialized before me.
“Sandalphon.” I sighed in relief. “I’m glad it’s you.”
Honestly, I didn’t like dealing with Samael.
“Tell me, _________,” Sandalphon said. “How do you feel about that world?”
“That’s awfully sudden, Sandalphon,” I replied, frowning. “And it’s hard to answer.” I contemplated her question for a moment. Eventually, I said, “I’m feeling pretty attached to it right now. Being with Sérignan and the others is fun. But I know that world isn’t where I belong. I’m an outsider. So...I guess I’m not sure how to feel about it.”
“You’re very honest, _________.” Sandalphon regarded my perplexed answer with a kind smile. “Although that might be for the best. It means you haven’t lost your human heart. That’s why I want you to save that world.” Sandalphon fixed me with a somber gaze. “It’s still too soon, however. Samael set up the world, and you won’t be able to leave until you fulfill some kind of condition.”
“A condition...?” I said. “That sounds like something out of a game. Well, I happen to like games, but it’s my first time playing with such high stakes. I don’t like it.”
I couldn’t help but resent Samael for her vileness.
“Are you sure you want to go back to your world, _________?” Sandalphon asked.
“Of course I do,” I replied unflinchingly. “This apartment is where I belong. I’ll graduate someday, but until then, this is my home.”
“I see. Yes, I understand...” Sandalphon’s voice carried a hint of sorrow. “For now, live on with pride, _________. You will find salvation, I promise.”
As Sandalphon said that, my consciousness began to fade. Why was there such sadness in her eyes? I didn’t know. The only concrete thing was her heartache, plain for me to see.