I want to know what magic each of my classmates got, so I can figure out how to deal with things going forward. But the place where they're doing the interviews and magic measurements is a bit of a walk from here. It's a little too far to eavesdrop on what they're saying; I hid in the back so I wouldn't stand out, and that kinda backfired on me.
If I just stepped out of my Item Box1, I could move around easy, but then people would notice I exist. Right now, my classmates haven't noticed that I'm gone, which is actually pretty nice. I always acted like I wasn't there back in class anyway, so it's not like it hurts that nobody noticed... It doesn't hurt at all, okay.
Since nobody's noticed me, I want to move while staying inside my Item Box1. My Item Box1 is pretty cramped space-wise, but I try making it narrower on the left and right and wider front to back, which gives me just enough room to take one step. I move right up against the front wall, shrink the space behind me, make new space in front, and take another step. I keep doing this over and over, slowly getting closer to where they're measuring magic. By the way, while I'm inside my Item Box1, I can pass right through obstacles. If I bump into a person, their insides show through and it looks gross, but I didn't have the room to walk around them, so I just went straight through.
"2300 Mete2...? That's a monster."
So "Mete2" is apparently the unit for magic power. The average adult man in this world has about 150 Mete2, and 200 Mete2 gets you classified as high tier. Compared to that, Saizou's magic value is more than ten times higher, so it's no wonder they see him as a monster.
The other classmates also all hit numbers over 1000 Mete2, causing the soldier doing the measuring to even wonder if the meter was broken. I kinda wanted to get measured too, but honestly, whether I can actually use it matters way more than the number.
The magic my classmates got was all over the place. There were the popular ones like fire, wind, water, and earth, and some people got everyday stuff like cleaning and cooking magic. Then, once everyone's measurement was done, another uproar broke out.
"Now then, we will distribute collars that prevent magic from going out of control," the captain, holding up a silver collar with a red stone set in it, announced calmly. "Until you get used to handling your magic, wear these collars to prevent accidents..."
"Hold up a second!" Saizou called out, raising a hand to stop the captain. "Are those really collars that stop magic from going out of control?"
"W-what do you mean by that?" the soldier stammered, flustered. "Are you saying we're lying to you?"
"If it prevents magic from going out of control, that means while you're wearing that collar, you can't use magic freely... right?" Saizou questioned smoothly.
"That's correct," the soldier replied sternly. "Otherwise, it couldn't prevent magic from going out of control."
"How do you take that collar off?" Saizou asked directly.
"Th-that's..." the soldier trailed off, hesitating.
"Go on, try putting it on Her Majesty for us," Saizou pressed with a sharp grin.
"What did you just say, you bastard!" the soldier roared, stepping forward angrily. "How dare you be so rude!"
"Why is putting on a collar that stops magic from going out of control rude?" Saizou challenged calmly.
"Th-that's..." Gord stammered again, unable to formulate a response.
"That thing is a magic tool for slaves, isn't it?" Saizou accused directly.
The soldier choked back a gasp, his silence pretty much proving Saizou's guess was right. Well, for an otaku3, this is a classic development, so of course he'd figure it out.
"You summon us without asking, and then you're gonna treat us like slaves and work us to the bone?" Saizou sneered sarcastically. "You're really giving us the royal treatment, huh."
When they found out they'd been tricked and almost turned into slaves, all my classmates started raising hell at once.
"Don't screw with us, man!" one classmate shouted furiously. "What kind of heroes from another world are you, you old hag!"
"Was that whole damn evil dragon thing a straight-up cap too?!" another yelled in outrage.
"Man, hurry up and send us back to our block already!" a third demanded loudly.
The soldiers realized these guys had five or ten times the magic of normal people, so they readied their spears and got serious. The whole thing was about to explode, until a giant fireball suddenly blew up overhead and shut it all down. The one who shot it up there was, of course, Saizou.
"Okay, okay, everyone calm down," Saizou urged, waving his arms to placate the crowd. "We haven't actually been turned into slaves yet, and it's not even decided that we can go home, so let's all just chill."
Saizou's point was totally right, but the way this dramatic fat otaku3 said it was annoying as hell. I mean, why'd the hot guys and the punks get to be slaves, and did he really have to jump in that fast?
"First, I want Her Majesty to apologize for trying to trick us," Saizou stated firmly.
"What did you say, you little-!" the soldier growled, reaching for his weapon.
"Which do you think is faster?" Saizou countered, aiming a fireball straight at the throne. "You completely finishing me off, or me blasting Her Majesty with everything I've got?"
The soldier froze on the spot. "You..."
"Enough. Pray stand down, Gordi..." the queen commanded softly.
The soldier called Gordi, who was gritting his teeth so hard it looked like his molars would shatter, obeyed the queen's order and stepped back.
"I offer my sincerest apologies for resorting to such deceit," the queen spoke, bending at the waist and bowing deep. "However, it was borne entirely out of terror regarding your tremendous magical power, so I beg you to grant me your forgiveness."
The soldiers looked down, biting back their frustration at her submission.
"I see," Saizou acknowledged carefully. "I can understand being afraid of a mass of magic power that could blow up at any time. But this kind of treatment is completely unacceptable. Can you promise us that from now on, you'll give us honest information and treat us properly as guests?"
"You have my solemn word," the queen agreed without even pretending to hesitate.
Figuring it was a good moment, Saizou kept asking questions. "Then let me ask again. Is there a way for us to return to our original world?"
"As I previously stated, should you fulfill your noble calling as heroes, a gateway shall open to facilitate your return," the queen answered smoothly.
"So if we defeat the evil dragon, everyone can go back to our original world?" Saizou clarified.
"Indubitably," she affirmed without missing a beat.
"After we return to our original world, will we still be able to use this magic?" Saizou pressed further.
"Alas, that I cannot say," the queen replied with a subtle shake of her head. "We possess no means of maintaining communication with heroes who have already departed."
"What if, what if we lose our lives before defeating the evil dragon?" Saizou inquired gravely.
"The earthly remains of heroes who perish prior to completing their sacred mission are automatically returned to their native world," the queen explained calmly.
"When we defeat the evil dragon and return to our original world, can we bring rewards back with us?" Saizou sought to confirm.
"Upon fulfilling your solemn duty as heroes, you shall be granted a grace period of roughly ten days prior to your departure," the queen detailed. "Should you gather your rewards during that interval and traverse the gateway together, they shall accompany you."
The queen's calm answers didn't seem to contain any lies, but you can't tell what's behind all that heavy makeup... Actually, it's probably better to be suspicious. Saizou crossed his arms and thought for a while before declaring clearly, "Fine. I'll cooperate with you and defeat the evil dragon."
For Saizou, who's totally planning to enjoy the heck out of this other world, it was probably the obvious choice. But that smug face on the fat otaku3 playing hero still pissed me off.
Trivia:
- The narrator's repeated insistence that being unnoticed "doesn't hurt" is a quiet tell that it actually does, setting up his resentment toward the popular classmates.
- Saizou's fireball is not aimed at anyone, it is a pure show of force meant to freeze both sides, showing he understands intimidation better than the soldiers do.
- The Queen's ten-day grace period before return quietly plants the idea that rewards can be gathered and carried back, which may matter later if the class ever reaches the dragon.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ A personal storage skill that also lets the user physically hide inside it. The narrator uses it as a mobile hiding spot, squeezing and reshaping its interior to shuffle forward one step at a time.
2 ↩ The world's unit for measuring magic power. Average adult men sit around 150, while 200 marks the high tier, so the class's 1000+ readings look monstrous by local standards.
3 ↩ A Japanese term for a hardcore fan, often used self-mockingly or dismissively. Here it colors Saizou as the stereotypical genre-savvy fan who instantly recognizes the slave-collar trope.
Notes:
• Saizou - A classmate with an enormous magic value over 2300 Mete, more than ten times that of an average adult man. He is calm, sharp, and quick to see through the kingdom's scheme to collar the summoned students. He negotiates directly with the Queen and demands an apology and fair treatment as guests. He openly plans to enjoy the other world and agrees to cooperate in defeating the evil dragon. The narrator describes him as a dramatic fat otaku with a smug face.
• Saizo - Classmate who was given fire magic. Normally a quiet otaku in class but seizes the spotlight during the summoning. Uses dramatic chunibyo poses and shows off his power to gain leverage in negotiations. Takes charge of questioning the queen.
• Gordi - A soldier serving the kingdom, addressed by name by the Queen. He carries out the magic measurements and presents the collars meant to prevent magic from going out of control. When Saizou calls him out, he grits his teeth in frustration and has to be ordered to stand down. He speaks with a harsh, military bluntness.