Chapter 50

Yukinari: “Ono, along with Taniizumi and the others had a decent amount of stuff put away.”

After finishing the burials, we decided to loot the houses of Taniizumi and the others so that those of the base group could fight during our escape from the forest. Turning up here and there… was a lot of equipment made by Shigenobu and Ono. Well, there’s a lot of stuff the battle group isn’t using anymore but… for now, to escape the forest, those of the base group will need something to protect themselves with at the very least.

Meguru-san isn’t here anymore… so we had no choice but to move on our own feet. My transfer can’t move people. I wish it could…

By the way, our teacher has shut himself away and refuses to come out. Seems like there was some sort of dispute. According to Shigenobu and Hagisawa, it’d be best if I stayed away and was made to keep my distance.

Yukinari: “It might be bad to use items belonging to the dead, but it’s for the sake of everyone.”

All of us, including me, receive the personal belongings of Taniizumi and the others. Well… they don’t seem all that different in quality from the equipment we were already using, so it’s really just an increase in numbers.

Yukinari: “Taniizumi and the others were hiding all this just so they could control us…”

Once things had calmed down, we heard about the circumstances of the battle group. Just like how we didn’t get any information, those of the battle group seem to have been kept a bit distant from Taniizumi’s top group. The information to them was limited to an extent as well. Those who didn’t know about the way out of the forest were many.

Why? Basically, they wanted to concentrate mamono around Taniizumi, his group, and Ono in order to raise their Lv. To that end, Meguru-san’s ability was also seen as convenient for the battle group.

Thinking about it, it’ll take about two weeks to leave the forest. It’s like we’re going on an expedition. Returning to base will take time, and there won’t be any safe areas to rest in nor will there be any other such conveniences.

Naturally we can’t depend on the directions of Taniizumi and the others. Isn’t this the natural outcome after being fooled by their lies…? Those of the battle group, as if their demons had been expelled, are now apologizing to the base group and promising to protect them in the forest.

I wasn’t the only one hurt by those events. Everyone is enduring that bitterness.

There’s some high-level armor which can’t be equipped by the low Lv base group members because of weight issues. Well, that just means they have no choice but to raise their Lv. The party formation is also set up in such a way that the battle group will pull up the Lv of base group. Maybe this is the original party composition that we should’ve aimed for?

We also share our previously secret information and then make plans for passing through the forest as safely as possible. Never have we had as many points and materials as we do now.

Yukinari: “Ono is next…?”

After finishing with the belongings of Taniizumi and the others, we search Ono’s room. Rare ores and armor are scattered about. Other than that, the bed seems to be quite luxurious. It has a canopy and is pretty soft. The quality is even better than my bed back in Japan. This… was well made. I have a strange fixation with this bed.

Yukinari: “It’s amazingly soft. Not even Taniizumi had a bed like this?”

Shigenobu: “He must have made it in secret using his copy ability.”

Hagisawa: “He probably had fun with Otsuka and the others every night on this bed.”

Hagisawa complains. I understand how he feels. That bastard, going on about being the strongest… what the hell did he consider his classmates’ lives to be?

Shigenobu: “With the owner no longer here, it’ll never be used again either… Yukinari, is it transferable?”

Yukinari: “It’s not impossible, but are we bringing something like this along?”

We are being forced to move through the forest for the next two weeks. We know the direction, and we don’t have any intention to conduct a large-scale search, so it should be a bit faster… rather, are we really bringing a bed like this?

Shigenobu: “Yeah, this too.”

I hear a loud noise outside the house. Somehow a mamono has gotten into the base. Ku… since the barrier is gone, mamono can enter as they please.

Yukinari: “Let’s go!”

Shigenobu: “Wait, it’s probably already over.”

The battle group seems to have already finished counterattacking while I was rushing over. That’s why Shigenobu called out to me to stop.

Yukinari: “…”

Shigenobu: “Calm down Yukinari. Let’s get back to what we were saying. Since we’re abandoning the base, this bed will become useless, right?”

Yukinari: “So you want Hagisawa to use his trade?”

Shigenobu and Hagisawa nod in response to my words.

Hagisawa(?): “That’s right. For now, this bed is ours…”

Hagisawa designates it using his trade ability.

Hagisawa: “It’s going to take some time. Somehow or another, it’ll be done by the time we leave, so wait.”

Shigenobu: “Alright.”

Then, while searching Ono’s room, I found some sort of parchment in his bag… I don’t intend to criticize another person’s tastes, but this is a bit strange.

Yukinari: “Ono was keeping some kind of weird parchment.”

Shigenobu: “I see. Maybe he found it stylish?”

Yukinari: “Like a diary?”

Shigenobu: “That Ono keeping a diary?”

Hagisawa: “I get the imagine of it being more of a grudge notebook.”

That makes sense.

Shigenobu nods after hearing Hagisawa’s opinion.

Shigenobu: “In any case, if he drew a map for leaving the forest or something, that would be really helpful…

Saying that, Shigenobu spreads the parchment out. Witten on it are characters I’ve never seen before… and Ono’s signature seems to be on it. Also, the lines drawn on the parchment feel familiar.

Yukinari: “This is…”

Shigenobu: “Can you call Kuramoto-san over?”

Hagisawa: “Got it.”

Hagisawa listens to Shigenobu’s request and beckons Kuramoto-san over. She is a female student with a secretary ability who fell in love with a member of the battle group. How to use her ability isn’t very clear, but if it’s these unreadable characters that we’re talking about, Kuramoto-san might be able to decipher it.

Then, Shigenobu asks Kuramoto-san if she can decipher the words on the parchment we found, but she unfortunately isn’t able to.

Yukinari: “What the heck is this?”

Shigenobu: “Who knows…”

I, Shigenobu, and Hagisawa all think about a certain place.

This is a magic circle.

Hagisawa: “Hanebashi, Sakaeda, don’t you guys remember this? If someone had taken a picture, I’d be able to confirm it…”

Shigenobu: “Yukinari, can you confirm with the classroom? Can you bring some evidence?”

Yukinari: “Sorry, but there is nothing in the classroom. If there was, I would’ve said so.”

Yeah, if our memories are correct, then the pattern on the parchment we found in Ono’s room is from when we were transported to this world… it resembles the one that appeared on the blackboard. It’s already been a few weeks since then, so my memory is hazy, but I think it is similar.

“Really… what in the world is this parchment?”

“The owner Ono isn’t here anymore, so there’s no way to know.”

The item name also only shows as, “mysterious parchment”.

“Should we take this, just in case…?”

“Investigating that magic circle… could Ono also have been behind that?”

“Who knows.”

Yukinari: “Well, wasn’t Ono the culprit? He got a pretty convenient ability.”

I can’t speak for anyone else… but stealing as an expansion ability is a bit too convenient. This isn’t a game, so this expression might not make sense, but it’s obviously unbalanced. It’s almost as if it were saying, “take everyone else’s abilities and kill them.”

But with all that said, regardless of the truth, it’s all been buried in darkness. We now have no way of telling if Ono was the true culprit. In fact, no more information turns up from of Ono’s room.

After collecting the personal belongings of the deceased, we finished our preparations and decide to leave.

Shigenobu: “Yukinari.”

Shigenobu calls out to me as we’re about to leave.

Yukinari: “What’s up? I’m ready if that’s what it’s about.”

Shigenobu: “That’s not it.”

Then, Shigenobu hands me the reinforced metal turtle sword… Meguru-san’s sword. It had been left with him ever since that time.

Yukinari: “This…”

With how it helped defeat Ono, even the battle group was surprised by how powerful a weapon it is. Although, there should be others more suited to wielding it than me. There aren’t any barriers between the battle group and the base group anymore.

Shigenobu: “Yukinari… you use it. If I were Meguru-san, I would want you to use it.”

Yukinari: “But…”

Someone from the battle group using it instead of me would lead to a higher chance of everyone surviving. In the battle group… I’m pretty sure there’s someone there with the swordsmanship ability. But, Shigenobu shakes his head, denying my opinion.

When I look towards the battle group, their eyes have the same opinion.

Shigenobu: “Since we had a surplus of materials, I made a second one. We also got points from those of the battle group.”

Then, Shigenobu gives another one to the swordsmanship ability user. I explained how I could turn money into points using my ability, then upon receiving everyone’s money, I converted it and gave the points to Shigenobu. To begin with, those of the battle group must have had a considerable amount too.

Shigenobu: “But that sword is appropriate for you. It’s Meguru-san’s memento. Treat it well.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t refuse. The sword that Meguru-san left behind… it’s thanks to this sword that everyone was saved from Ono’s violence. This is Meguru-san’s will… I have no other option.

Yukinari: “I understand.”

I receive the metal turtle sword and fasten it to my waist. Meguru-san sacrificed her life for someone like me. That’s why I’ll absolutely protect everyone with this sword. Even if I lose my life in the process.

Shigenobu: “With that, we’re ready. Everyone! We’re departing!”

Everyone nods to Shigenobu’s words.

Shigenobu: “Tell me anytime if we’re running low on food or water. Minori-san can get more from her storehouse.”

Minori: “Yes, we’re all set here as well. Everyone, it’s going to be tough, but let’s depart.”

There are no worries about food and water. When it comes time, I’ll get more. Therefore, we should be fine as long as we’re all together… I hope. I look towards the grave we made at the base.

Meguru-san… I’m going. I’ll absolutely make sure everyone returns to Japan alive, so just wait a bit longer. You might get angry thinking about this but…

Yukinari: “Let’s go.”

This is how we’re starting our migration.