Nihon 2

"S-so, is that really true?"

"Aye, though this nation doesn't engage in active diplomacy, it's not widely known."

"I see... that's right."

In essence, the hero never managed to return to the original world, did he?

Thoughts began to spiral in circles. A brief pause formed in the conversation.

In that instant, Coil cut in.

"Listening quietly this whole time, but I still can't figure out your intentions. Just what exactly do you want us to do?"

"Haha, I suppose it's a bit embarrassing after going this far, but we don't know every detail of history ourselves. That's why we need your strength."

"Then we're just giving you all the information we've gathered, and you're getting nothing in return."

Of course, I won't say it's free. I'll pay a fair reward. And I'll also make the relevant documents available to the public.

"Why go to such lengths? I'm sorry to say it, but it's just history, isn't it?"

It's important to be able to explain how a nation comes into being! Well, there are other reasons too, but there's nothing you can do about that.

The thought that the hero might never return to their original world makes it hard to think clearly. What was it again? Something we can't do anything about, right? What kind of nonsense is that...

"What should we do, Taro?"

My mind, spinning in circles about something unavoidable, is pulled back by Coil.

"Yeah, I guess we can accept it. Doesn't seem like such a bad deal, really."

"If you're okay with that, then fine by me."

Coil looks like he's about to say something, but seems to hold back for now.

"Indeed, cooperation. A blessing indeed. Then, once preparations are complete, I shall summon you. Until then, wait at the lodgings."

Returning to the lodgings. Rilka and Coil, noticing something amiss with me, grow concerned and call out.

"Taro, are you alright?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Why? Is something wrong?"

Hey, you're clearly not okay. We've known each other for a while, you know.

...You're definitely catching on. Yeah, I suppose I am a little shaken up.

Alright! Let's eat while we talk—nothing gets done on an empty stomach!

I explained in detail why I had been pursuing the Legend of the Hero with Coil and Rilka, and the thoughts I am currently facing.

"Hey, why are you stressing over something you can't figure out anyway?"

"Listen! It was seriously important to me!"

"Is Taro really hate this world?"

Rilka looks at me with a worried expression...

Seeing that look, I remember.

Yeah, that's right.

Didn't I already confirm it myself...? Going back to the other world isn't the end of it...

"I don't hate it. I'm just a bit surprised, that's all."

"That's right! You've gone beyond being just a magician—you can already see into the realm of true wizards. Why don't you use that power to open a door to another world yourself?"

"To open it myself? Open it myself...?"

I'd never even considered it. I'd always believed it was impossible to do something like that on my own. But maybe I won't know until I actually try.

I came from my original world here. Though it's a distant memory now, I passed through that black hole to reach this world.

This world aside, there was no magic or magic stones in my original world. Physical phenomena exist clearly, yet...

Then, maybe there's a chance to solve it using magic!

Honestly, it's quite unrealistic, and I can't even tell if it'll be possible to resolve it within my lifetime, considering practicality.

Still, it's worth the challenge. That's precisely what scientific exploration is all about!

Thanks to my conversation with the two of them, my motivation didn't just recover—it surged back with renewed energy.

For now, since I seem to have a chance to delve into the history of this country, I'll gladly take advantage of that opportunity.

"Hey, Taro! You're straightforward, so that's good—you're regaining your motivation. But be careful about what politicians in this country say. Honestly, I still suspect they're hiding something."

"I agree! But right now, there's nothing we can do about it. For now, I'll take the lead in cooperating with them. While we do that, can we look into the country's inner workings from another angle? And what about the legend of the Hero...?"

"Ah, that's exactly my forte, you know."

Coil firmly clenched his fist.

"Rilka, this time, stick with me, keep an eye on the people around us, and let me know if anything strange happens."

"Got it."

"Great! There's a lot we don't understand yet, but let's give it our best from tomorrow onward!"

"Yesss!"

Encouraged by the two, they parted for the day.

The lodging provided by the government was a single room, assigned to one person.

Since becoming alone, I began challenging myself with things I'd wanted to start anew.

I kept remembering what Ian's wife had said.

Reclaiming a lost part of my body. Medical treatments that still haven't been achieved in my original world...

Such things couldn't possibly be realized in this world, where science is still undeveloped.

Yet, there remains a sliver of hope.

That is the petrification of the flesh.

Though it has always been treated as a disease, perhaps it could be turned to our advantage instead.

Some magical stones have merged with flesh—meaning the cells and the stones are highly reactive.

Moreover, there are healing stones! I can't explain how they work at all, but they can regenerate injuries. In other words, they must somehow affect the cells. If we combine these two, the possibilities... aren't nonexistent.

I'm not an expert in this field, but something like IPS cells—those are the so-called totipotent cells, right? There are countless possible approaches.

Gathering fragmented memories from the depths of my mind. Now that I think about it, among the few things I brought from the original world, there was something like a science dictionary...

I want to achieve it, no matter how many years it takes.

An outdated challenge began with quiet determination.