94-094




 The transformation



 Shiroe stared blankly into the air.
 Just a few minutes ago, he had telekinetically contacted many places to clean up afterwards. This room, surrounded by synthetic stone and magic machines, is still the Fortress of Calling. After defeating the Summoned Taliktan, the summoned monsters and their eggs turned into rainbow-colored bubbles and disappeared, but we had to make sure that they were all gone. The Calling Fortress is currently being searched for while receiving the rest of the men from Akiva.
 Shiroe and the rest of the large-scale combat (raid) capture team are exempted from investigating and alerting the surrounding area due to battle fatigue, but the energetic ones seem to be working on their own accord. Nevertheless, mainly Tetra who is holding a guerrilla concert in the music hall, and Xiaolong and Feiyan who are preparing for the banquet and supporting it, the tired main members were sitting down in this equipment room (studio) at the base of the broadcast tower.
 Shaking his saturated-looking head forcibly, Shiroe refilled his water bottle with water.
 The earlier battle had made me very emotional. I'm embarrassed, but I also have a strong feeling that this was the right thing to do. After all, Shiroe had chosen to be greedy.
 She wants to help those who can be helped and protect her friends.
 Until now, Shiroe had been reserved. He's been quietly taking care of only what he can handle within himself, and staying out of the outside of it, leaving an escape route wherever he can. But those days are over.
 I wasn't going to do a halfway house, now that I had decided I wanted to.
 Stopping Akiva from becoming any more gloomy.
 Prevent any further gloom in Akiba, and prevent any more disturbances from erupting between the East and West of Yamato.
 Discuss with the Voyage Species.
 Return to their home world.
 That's what it would look like in words. Shiroe let out a chuckle at the seemingly insignificant goal. But it's okay. It's a good thing that you have decided to work for it, so Shiroe's feelings were clear.
 The immediate course of action would be| contact with Plant hwyaden and the Holy Empire Westland. The scent of trouble is strong and I am aware that I have been putting it off until now, but now that it's come to this, I can't afford not to exchange information with them.
 Wet Feather had said that the method of return had been discovered.
 That in itself is not too surprising. I have some idea of the "circumstances under which it can be said so", and Shiroe thinks it's possible that some of those methods could be used to return. The question is not whether or not we have the technology to return, or the method, but rather the confirmation of the return. If any of the adventurers disappeared from this Seldesia and Minami said that they had successfully returned, it would only mean that there was one person missing. The current situation in Krusty is no different.
 The inevitable hurdle that most people who want to return home ignore is this "confirmation of return" or in other words, communication with the Earth world. Before returning home, it is necessary to make contact with the Earth world. This is an absolute prerequisite.
 If that is not possible, the future will be very much up to chance. In other words, I would have to choose the best "human body elimination" idea out of all the ideas I could think of, and try it out. Even if such a method were to succeed, there is no way to confirm its success since there is no way for someone who has returned to Earth to contact us. It would be good if they succeeded, but it would be bad if they couldn't even confirm their failure. It could be a future where we jump into the same traps one after the other as if it were a mass suicide.
 The only way out is to exchange information with the Voyage Species, but even if you do that, you'll need to talk to the Plant hwyaden to establish a foothold.
 There is no question about the difference between their rank 2 and 3, but one thing we can be sure of is that Minori has proven herself. Shiroe does not intend to fall into what they call "rank 2".
 Moreover, one of the goals that still seems to have a clue is to prevent a disturbance in Yamato. The idea of getting in the middle of an armed conflict between political entities is an outrage that I would never have thought of, but it is surprising that this is still a relatively low hurdle to overcome in the scheme of things. It's not surprising that there's a dry laugh.
 That meant that whichever of their goals took precedence, Shiroe and the others would have to discuss it with Plant hwyaden, or at least exchange information with them.

''Mr. Shiroe, what's wrong? Are you still tired?
 Minori sat down next to Shiroe's left. She took off her miko uniform and before she knew it, she was dressed in a blouse and tie that looked like a school uniform.
'Another difficult look on your face, my lord.
 Akatsuki, right next to him, warns Shiroe while lifting his own eye brows with his fingertips. I don't mean to make that kind of face, but Shiroe chuckled.
'Just in case. In the middle of a battle, you see. It's just that in the middle of a battle, you see, I said something outrageous.
Is that right?
 Crossing her arms, Akatsuki tilted her head with still eyes.
 It was as if they were connected in that dizzying offensive and defense, but Shiroe thought that such things were just an illusion after all. It seems that Shiroe's worries and determination have not been conveyed to the diminutive "assassin".
 When I asked him about it just to be sure, Minori also has a questionable look on her face. It's natural, but even the girl here, who is farther away in age, doesn't seem to be able to understand it.
 This may be God's way of telling us that it's human nature to put into words what we think of each other. Feeling a bit disappointed and greatly relieved, Shiroe tried to explain.
I'll do my best to make my wish come true, I thought. The goal is so high and far away, I'm not sure if it's even within my reach. There's a lot of work to do and all of it is extremely difficult (nightmare). I don't know where to start. So that's why I was thinking about it.
I mean, it's always the same.
What?
 But Shiroe's confession is easily cut off by Akatsuki's reply.
(Ew. I learned that it's important to talk to your friends about it, and that it's not good to accumulate too much, and I learned that in the raids of the Susukino expedition in the abyss that was so severe.
 Shiroe was shocked to see that the consultation was dismissed out of hand as 'business as usual'.
''That's right. It's the same every month, isn't it?''
'What?'
 And even Minori agrees with me and I don't have any words to say in return.
 For that matter, isn't "the same every month" awful? That makes Shiroe look like a miserable clerk who is just holed up in his office and roaring. I'm not willing to give him the credit he deserves when he comes to Seldesia and that's all he's done. Even Shiroe should have spent some time being active. The Susukino expedition and the Approach to the Abyss, for example.
 It was a mistake to notice that Minori didn't accompany him on either of those.
 Minori, with an excited expression on her face, said, "I bought some special smooth ink and dry sand for documents. Shiroe could only watch with a drawn-out expression as he pulled out his magic bag, "You should see it, too, Shiroe-san," he said.

 It was Li-Gan who came to Shiroe's rescue as she tried to change the subject.
 The communication device that had been crouched down from earlier, touching the magic circuitry, suddenly began to emit a deafening noise, and then the lights returned to the room.
 Sparks sparked with a popping sound, and suddenly the loudspeakers began to vibrate.
 The reason why they were resting in this not-so-wide-open anteroom in the first place was also because Li-Gan wanted to quickly check the damage to the communications equipment and investigate whether the ill effects of the "liturgical taliktan" were still present.
 The members of the team, who had been taking a nap with their eyes closed, sat up and watched the proceedings.
'You're back on track, old man?
Oh no. It's not so much that we've fixed it as that we've confirmed the survival of the function itself.
So you get to talk to the moon now?
We're debuting in the galaxy!
 Li-Gan, who was being crowded by Naotsugu and the others, answered on all fours to maintain the back of the low device. His voice was joyful, despite the painful posture he was in by all accounts. You could say he was happy. 'You're a hobbyist,' murmured Shiroe, who was still looking on.
It's not a facility designed to communicate with the moon, although we know from the ancient documents of Miral Lake that this was a long-distance communication device in the ancient Arv era. The purpose of communicating with the moon is mentioned, but this is a magical device that will be analyzed, studied, modified and enhanced as necessary, and then challenged further.
Surprisingly pragmatic.
 Shiroe soothed the mortified Akatsuki, "It's a matter of course. Tetra replied to that explanation, "I'm disappointed. I was so excited to debut in space," he said, climbing up on Naotsugu and screaming yellow as Marielle pulled him back.
 Shiroe finally felt her body relax in the face of such a fuss. Sibuya's massive battle (raid) was over. The series of commotion that began with Roe 2's letter could be said to have helped him make up his mind.
 We can't stay in the same place forever as time is passing.
 From tomorrow, he must take on a new challenge.

 Liese looked at me from the aisle and said, "What are you doing here? 'Shiroe-sama,' he said as he entered the hall surrounded by magical devices.
'Looks like things went better over here.
It's as if it wasn't destroyed.
'I guess we didn't do much damage because we ripped the enemy off, after all. Thank you for your efforts, commander.
'I'm grateful to Mr. Liese for his help.
 Shiroe scratched her head and almost laughed. It was hard to understand why Akatsuki was nodding yes and no next to her, but this girl from 〈D.D.D.D〉 had helped her. Shiroe feels that the success of the attack this time was largely thanks to her organizing the attackers in the rear row and constantly telling them the order in which the enemy would be destroyed. She's a top-notch commander.
The "Round Table Conference" is also very busy with inquiries from all over the place. Why don't we take a break and go home? It's still going to take some time to get the communications equipment up and running.
 Liese keeps a thoughtful expression on her face and puts her fingertips to her chin as she makes a suggestion.
 We certainly can't stay in these ruins forever. It's time to order them to withdraw. Shiroe thought and looked around the hall.
 Fortunately, more than half of the members seemed to be in this room. It is the commander's duty to return to the main base.
''If.........hello. Can anyone hear me?
 But just as he was about to address each member of the team, the magical device spat out a voice that could make sense differently than before. The ancient magic machine of the Arv era brought news from a distant land, inviting them to a new adventure.



 ◆



 At first, the room was momentarily silent due to the fact that he suspected that he had overheard.
''.........Nie Hao. Bonjour, Aloha. Moi! And Moikka!
 In the silence, the magical device repeated a bland greeting. It was a jolly young woman's voice. There was no one to reply. It was just a test of the communication device, and no one expected that answer to come from somewhere else.
'Kalimera. Hujumbo.... Guten Turk.......... What else..............Markaziri?'
Yes, sir. There's a lot of noise... how about you?
 It was Shiroe who quickly regained his composure.
 It was more of a sense of duty, as the person in charge of the place, not to remain silent, but Shiroe's words were met with an unexpected response.
''Hmm? Is that your voice, White?
What?
 Shiroe froze when his name was called. There aren't many people who know Shiroe's voice. Of course, many of Akiba's "adventurers" would know Shiroe, but he didn't think there were more than thirty people he could identify with based on his voice alone. In other words, they're acquaintances. "Hey, was that your voice? 'No way, sir,' his companion's voice, which was exchanged behind him, fell on deaf ears, and Shiroe turned the conversation over to Li-Gun with a hushed voice.
'Where does it lead? Don't you have that kind of detector? Maybe they just connected in the neighborhood?
 However, Li-Gan shook his head buzzingly at Shiroe's question. I didn't make a mistake and I didn't do any unnecessary operations. That's the expression on his face. He's not a child who played a prank, so there's no reason to get angry about that. Either way, it seems Li-Gun isn't going to help.
 It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for in a good friend.
 I don't like that term because it's kind of dog-like. In Shiroe's world, Shiroe is an indoor dog. It's not that I don't like being called that, to the point of being outraged, but it tickles and makes me feel insulted. That's why there's only one woman (or person) who calls Shiroe 'Shiro-kun'. And there is no way you can communicate with that person.
'I knew it! Yoo-hoo! White!
Kanami-san!
 It was connected to the fact that there were no plans.

'Long time no see~! How have you been?
It hasn't been a long time!
 Shiroe replied reflexively, feeling dizzy and dark in front of her eyes. Anemia. I've never had it, but I think I must be anemic.
 Why now? Shiroe is not good at this man. He's a natural enemy, if you will. If I were asked to think of one person I could never match, I'd say her (Kanami).
 It's not that I don't like her. It's not that I want to avoid her.
 It's just that I'm not very good at it.
 I respect her, I feel a debt of gratitude for her, and I think she's a good person. Her cheerfulness and charisma are the biggest factors that allowed the Prodigal's Tea Party, the Debauchery Tea Party, to stay in the large combat (raid) rankings for a long time, even though she's not a guild. She is also the reason why Shiroe, who was just a gloomy game doctor, was able to experience the true joy of MMO's, where she and her friends worked together to conquer the content.
 It was ridiculous and unpredictable, but the Tea Party was a festive gathering, and I don't think there was a single person who didn't like it for that reason.
 That's why Shiroe is just not good at it. This typhoon-like woman who treats me like a little brother for whatever reason.
''Oh, I heard that? I've heard it. Even in Yamato! Hooray! I hear it's a fun thing to do. EnTaku Honka!
Roundtable. How do you know that? I mean, Kanami has retired! When did you get back in, and where are you!
 What the hell is the matter with Honan?
 Shiroe was a little depressed again as she answered by reflex. With someone who doesn't listen to others at all, Shiroe also uses her spinal nerves to converse with them. It's a conversation, or rather, a tweak. Moreover, Shiroe's words are worn out because they are being passed around.
 Isn't that man a bit of a jerk? I once talked to Naotsugu about this.
 I'm a miscellaneous person, you know. The only thing that happened was that he gave me an answer that wasn't a solution and I lost my strength.

"Maybe Kanami-san, but are you on the moon?
 I worked there, feeling exhausted, and asked him clerically: 'It's a Chinese server,' he replied.
He said, "I'm on a trip, but I found a TV station. I was on a trip and found a TV station," he said. I found a TV station on my trip, and it seemed to work, so I tried it out. Then I found a TV station that looked like it was working, so I tried it, and it was connected.
He found it.
 Shiroe suppresses her brows.
 This means that Kanami returned to Elder Tail after moving to Europe. Elder Tail was a MMORPG with players from all over the world. Europe, with its two servers, was one of the most active regions, along with North America and Japan. I hadn't thought of that possibility at all, but if I had changed my entire account, I could understand why I hadn't been contacted.
 Shiroe wasn't sure if that was good news or bad news.
 There are very few things about Kanami that are clear to Shiroe, and he doesn't want to know. I don't want to know, I don't think I should know, and I don't think it would be better to know.
'Oh, yes! Listen, listen, listen! 'White, my daughter, she's three years old!
I know.
 There are many things it's better not to know.
"Huh? Did I report it?''
No. But I heard.
"I see.
 I can see Kanami rolling her eyes and making a surprised face. She's a woman with her hands on her hips, her chest heaving, her soft cheeks furrowed, nodding as if she's aware of everything, and in fact, she's a woman who doesn't think about anything.
 She had a big mouth and was always smiling.
 She often comes into Shiroe's private life with her feet, and she and Naotsugu have even formed a victims' association.
 Her energy was outstanding, and that didn't change when they met off-line.
 Kanami, who seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of vitality built into her body, was always at her best. That didn't change in the outside world or in the game. Her natural cheerfulness and leadership skills made it feel like a summer breeze was always blowing around her.
 It could be said that Shiroe's best friends Naotsugu and Kanami were the reason why she was able to gain the experience of "going out" for fun, as her parents were busy and her friendships were limited since childhood, and she had no experience of playing at leisure facilities.
 The Tea Party was Shiroe's answer to her recklessness, and in other words, most of the Elder Tail she had spent since middle school.
 Once again, she's a bit of a nuisance, if you count the number of times she's been there. Destructive, one might even say. It's no wonder that Shiroe is not very good at this. I don't even want to know why she was so popular as a charismatic leader.
 Shiroe dropped her gaze slightly to her feet. He could see his own feet stomping on the stone-like floor. His fists were clenched, but they weren't tight or trembling. Letting out a small breath, Shiroe braced himself.
'I'm sorry I couldn't say congratulations.... Congratulations.
 Shiroe said to Kanami.
 Even though she knew she wouldn't actually tell him, she was able to deliver the lines she'd practiced hundreds of times to Kanami in as normal a tone as possible.

'Daughter, you're already super cute. Super woozy! It's a rocket dash and a suicide bombing attack, squeezing me. She's a princess!
 The reason she had to leave the Tea Party was because she was going to study abroad in Europe to pursue her marriage. Shiroe didn't know much about her partner's background, except that he was apparently of German descent. It was only through KR (Keieru), after the Tea Party had been disbanded, that she learned that he was a doctor belonging to an international NGO, also known as Doctor of the World.
 However, this did not mean that I was ignorant of the fact that he was a doctor. Just before the breakup of the Tea Party, Kanami was in a state of buoyancy, and I had heard a lot of fragmentary information about how she had thick shank hair, liked sashimi, got teary-eyed at the roller coaster ride at the amusement park, and could only say good morning to her, and so on. The happy Kanami was more powerful than ever, which was really annoying.
 Bragging about one's family is part of Kanami's personality. Shiroe knew that she went around talking about the members of the Tea Party here and there. That's why she could get a warm feeling when they talked about their daughter.
 If you think about it, there must be many adventurers in Kanami's situation.
 They're the kind of adventurers who have been separated from their young children. Of course, being separated from a young family is not the only tragedy. The vast majority of adventurers have parents or siblings on Earth who are difficult to separate. Shiroe knows that he must find a way to help them.
 That's what Kanami is doing on her journey. Kanami is an annoying, useless leader, but her daughter is innocent. Shiroe spoke with the miracle of such an event on the day she decided to make the effort to return home.
''I see.'' --Then we must go home. Back to the world.'
'....What? Why?
What?
 But Shiroe's thoughts were easily dismissed by Kanami, as usual.
''Shiroe! Hey, I... I want to show my daughter this world!'
...What?
 Shiroe could only react like an idiot in the blink of an eye.
 He'd thought about it many times, no, hundreds of times, but what the hell is this guy? I don't know what it means, and questions are swirling around in my mind. I have no idea what I'm thinking about.
'Oh no. Celldesia is amazing! It's a huge panorama of uncharted territory! It's such a big, beautiful, amazing place, full of your mother's friends, and a great adventure to meet people from all over the world. I would definitely let my daughter do that!'
 Kanami's voice was bright.
'My daughter, I like to be up high. I want to take her up on the griffon. I want to show her the great forest, the sea and the desert. When she is surprised, her eyes roll back in her head. I want to show her the world you were born in is a beautiful place!
 But all we talk about is our daughter.
 Kanami's love for her is genuine. She's not crafty enough to lie or cheat in the first place. The recklessness, the sycophancy, and everything that looks like she's even joking from the outside are all just Kanami's true intentions.
 So Shiroe understood.
 Apparently, she was going to bring her daughter to him with her true intentions.

 Shiroe suddenly felt pained.
 She felt like an idiot for all the things she had been worrying about. She thought she could see Kanami's face as she told her dream story with a defenseless smile.
 After moving away, Shiroe realized that he had forgotten her a bit, after all. Listening to her voice again in this way, Kanami was several times hackier than he had imagined. She was, after all, Shiroe's least favorite woman(person).
 She gallantly jumped over the problems that I had suffered through after I was troubled and hesitant and made careful plans to avoid doing so. He was an infuriating hero.

'My lord,'
Mr. Shiroe?
 He could smile at Akatsuki and Minori, who looked up at him with concern.
'Still, it's okay. .... although I had given up on the idea that it would never happen. Then.
--I'm greedy anyway. If you want to go for it, you don't have to go home or be buried in this world, that's the choice....
 You can do it.
 That's what Kanami spoke of, in essence.
 You don't have to choose one or the other, you choose both, and even more importantly, you want that future too. Shiroe felt ridiculous as she tried desperately to convince herself that she was being greedy. Apparently even the 'biggest ambition' that Shiroe wanted was too small for Kanami. But if there was a form of such a dream, it wouldn't matter if Shiroe got it.
'I'll make it possible to travel between Earth and Seldesia.
 I could see the buzz around me as I said the words.
 It's understandable. It's a hope that's too much of a guessing game. Everyone has been hesitant to speak of it, thinking how nice it would be to be able to do so.
 Even if it could be achieved, the contact between the two worlds, Earth with its modern civilization and Seldesia with its medieval science, Earth without magical technology and Seldesia with its fantasy, would have a huge impact on each other's worlds. Perhaps it could be on a catastrophic scale.
 But that was okay, Shiroe thought.
 He had no intention of ignoring such dangers or taking part in terrorism, but if the two worlds were in contact with each other, it would be arrogant for Shiroe himself to try to stop it. If the two worlds are not in contact, they will never meet, even if Shiroe personally tries.
 Frightenedness and arrogance were unnecessary feelings in the stage of deciding where to go. There was no need to be frightened by the possibility of not knowing for sure.
''Well, is that even possible?
"It's okay.
 Even such musings on the interaction between the two worlds seem to get lost in the daze of Kanami's extremely cheerful words. But even such Shiroe has a friend.
'How irresponsible!
'I knew it was Kanami. Seriously, it's a festival that's out of control.
He's amazing. Even for an idol like me, he's amazing.
 So Shiroe could shrug his shoulders and laugh. The tsukomi to Kanami wasn't just a punishment for Shiroe alone now.
'So, please. Shiroe! Do it with your freak out!
You're here on a quest, aren't you?
Yeah, that's it! The Quest
I can't do it.
 Maybe it was because he hadn't laughed in a long time, but his mind was clearer. With a teasing voice, the time that had passed in Shiroe slowly left.
''Eeee! White's getting mean!
 Time passed.
 The scab that had stuck in his mind, a scab that he himself hadn't noticed, seemed to be peeling away and clearing away.
 It seems that I am no longer the Shiroe of the Prodigal Tea Party.
 Shiroe experienced this realization with just a little bit of sadness and an overwhelming sense of pride.
Kanami-san. I've created a guild. It's called the Log Horizon. I've made friends and associates.
Yeah?
 Shiroe is now the Log Horizon's Shiroe. Minori looks at Minori anxiously, Akatsuki picking at the hem of her robe, Naotsugu smiling at her, Nyanta squinting at her, Touya seemingly unconcerned, Isuzu and Rundelhaus, and Tetra getting into a bad mood, all of which Shiroe sees in her companions. The friends are now available.
 That's why time has passed.
That's why I don't accept such requests.

"What? We'll do the quest, you know. --We'll be the first in the world to get the view. That's right, you and Kanami, you're going to have to compete. I don't have any choice.
 With the best of his ability to return the joking snide remark, Shiroe spoke behind the magic device. Shiroe felt that the Tea Party was slowly coming to an end, like the beach being washed by the waves again and again.
 Perhaps Shiroe had been wrong somewhere, after all.
 What should have been done was not done. Those had been great days. The Prodigal's Tea Party had been a good place. To establish that as fact, what's done must be done. That's natural. But Shiroe may not have been good at it.
(Very few things could be done well, though.)
 Shiroe could afford a small smile.
 How strange it was. On the day he decided to move on to the future, the past said goodbye to him.
 It wasn't a hard thing to do. At least it was much calmer than the days when the Tea Party was dissolved, filled with a quiet light.
 Memories will never disappear. In fact, now is the time for the past to become memories. It seemed like a secret blessing to Shiroe, and she kept it close to her heart, as if she was compassionate.
'We're rivals now, you know.
"So.
But it's for old time's sake. You can show it to him if you can, if it's not too late. If it's a Chinese server, it's heading this way, right?
 If he had to see her again, he wouldn't feel as bad about it as he did before. Shiroe shook her head, almost thinking about it.
 It wasn't that Kanami herself had repented or improved in any way. She considered whether having a child would have cured her troublemaker nature, but she concluded that she shouldn't base her hopes on wishful thinking.

'You are indeed everyone's bus guide. It's no wonder Kula-kun praises him. The girls won't leave you alone.
So stop making jokes like that--Mr. Krusty!
 As soon as I say it, Shiroe feels dark and miserable. Even more so because behind him, Riese is repeating "Milord, Milord" with an inaudible scream.
 Shiroe and Naotsugu are still used to it, but it's too irritating for Riese, an outsider. Kanami was still Kanami. For better or worse, she could only be described as a natural problem child who only draws jokers. Why would Krusty's name be mentioned here?
''Oh yeah, he's over here. I'm on the verge of dying, and I've been told that Krusty's strong--
'Is Krusty on the Chinese server? I mean, Kanami, what are you involved in? Where's the help? On behalf of Mr. Krusty--
 Still, the words I desperately questioned him about were left as a butt-ugmented dragonfly.
'Wha ... ah ... you're not doing well ... gu ... punch, kick. ...Oh! "GaGaGaGaGaOu...
 The magic machine fell silent and the air was indescribable.
 Shiroe looked back, his shoulders slumping dejectedly.
 Ri-Gun shook his head as if to plead innocence, Naotsugu held his head, and Nyanta looked away, a rare sight. Nazuna chuckled, Soujiro chuckled, and Lise wandered off in a daze.
 Minori and Akatsuki, who had been blown up by Tetra for something, said, "It's nothing. It's not that kind of thing," Shiroe explained to the attacking force, announcing their return to Akiba, which was getting into a tizzy.
 Although it was a trivial end, it was still an irreplaceable end for Shiroe. Like all endings, there was already a hint of a new beginning in it.
 Shiroe nodded and called out to his friends. It was not only for the Horizons of Record, but also for the city of Akiba, and for the Adventurers, for a season was approaching from which they could not escape.
 It was the eve of the beginning of the Nouasphere - the season when Shiroe and the other adventurers meet and open up new horizons.




Ep10 End