Ore Dake Kaereru Kurasu Teni - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“Tomorrow I’ll get to Lv 5 too . I’m excited to see what kind of expanded ability I’ll get . ”

“That’s right . Shigenobu has a relatively good ability, so who knows what sort expanded ability it’ll be . I’m look forward to seeing it . ”

“We’re both production-types, so maybe it’ll be the same as me?”

Hagisawa replies .

“Yukinari and Meguru-san got different expanded abilities, so we can’t say that for sure . ”

That’s true . Meguru-san and I got different expanded abilities . Frankly speaking, in regard to transporting people, it’s obvious that Meguru-san’s is superior to mine . Does “transfer[1]” also include things like phase transitions? I would’ve been fine with something like clairvoyance too . Point convergence in short, seems to be a conversion ability, except only between points and money .

“Alright, so do any of you guys want to contribute your money into points? Or do you want Yukinari to buy you something?”

“Um…”

“Honestly, I think this ability is very versatile . If we can order weapons from Japan, it won’t be a disadvantage . ”

“That said, isn’t a kitchen knife about the best that can be ordered?”

“Are iron hammers, crowbars, etc on the list? I get the feeling those kinds of things should be fine to order . And if we do, they’ll probably be better than our current equipment . At worst, I can use the iron as raw materials for blacksmithing . ”

Ah right, Taniizumi and the others are still mostly using weapons made out of stuff like mamono fangs . Metal items, as well as stuff like mamono drops, are low quality due to having been misappropriated . So, suddenly obtaining things like kitchen knives, hammers, crowbars, etc might be useful .

“I think we can solve the problem of the Japanese weapons’ magical energy by having Minori-san use her ability . ”

“Was there a problem like that?”

“Ah… you gave me a knife from Japan, right? I used it for an experiment, but it was strangely dull . Minori-san can temporarily solve that problem, making it useful . ”

“I see, so that’s why you haven’t been using the knife I gave you . ”

“Yep . ”

Fumu… we can use Japanese weapons . Would they sell stuff like that at a home improvement store? Well, I’ll go to a home improvement store at once and buy it .

“So, shall we try buying something? How about food?”

“MD burger . ”

“I heard you before . I’ll try, so wait . ”

“Is it safe to do that here? I don’t know what would happen if this got exposed to everyone . ”

It’s my selfish request to help everyone while hiding this as much as possible . If this isn’t handled well, I can see a painful experience happening . Of course, it’s good incentive for attracting the undecided, but in any case, it’ll all be pointless if we can’t get into a position where we can, to a degree, press our opinions against Taniizumi and the others .

“Ordering cosmetics might be too much… right?”

What a girly response . Hagisawa has a, “In a situation like this?” sort of expression, but wipes it away . By the way, bathing supplies like shabby soap can be made using abilities . Taniizumi and the others have been supplying them . Being filthy can get us sick after all . I think Himeno-san can cure that to an extent though .  

“How frustrating . Right now, we can’t buy anything other than food . ”

“Well…that’s how it is . I can buy stuff like sweets though . ”

We all think together about what to buy . As I thought before, perishable items are ruled out one by one . We also rule out weird things .  

“Ultimately, we need a safe place to eat . ”

That’s right . Hiding it is the main problem . It has to be big enough for everyone to discuss in, but we can’t do anything too bold because we’re trying to hide it .  

“But I think being able to use money as points is a good strategy . With this, we can obtain weapons that we were unable to make due to lack of points . ”

“It’s best to leave this to Shigenobu, huh?”

Shigenobu nods .

“If we need equipment, let’s ask Yukinari . ”

“Understood . ”

“That said, even if I use points to make a weapon out of the materials from a metal turtle, a Japanese crowbar might be better . ”

“Is something like that really necessary?”

Shigenobu nods silently .  

“We’ll get one for everyone . If it’s a crowbar, it’s well worth our money . ”

“For now, isn’t it fine to just give the best weapons to Meguru-san while the rest of us use the cheap Japanese weapons? Minori-san needs to replenish their magical power too . ”

“Ah, there’s that . I agree with Hagisawa’s proposal . ”

The discussion ends without any objections .

“I’ll try to see if I can use the cards . It’d be helpful if I got your PINs . ”

With that, we disperse . After dismantling the day’s materials, I return to Japan with a dry expression on my face . Now to use the cards to buy the goods that have been requested .   

***

As soon as I return to Japan, I convert points into a 500-yen coin and use a vending machine . It recognizes it . It starts up . I was really uneasy about returning to Japan because I kept worrying about what if it became counterfeit currency . I try out the bills, they seem to work too . If it’s like this… it’s fine?

Next, I walk to a convenience store with Hagisawa’s card in hand . It’s fine if everything goes well… but if it fails? Well, for the first time, regardless of success or failure, I can just make an excuse . With that thought in mind, I stand in front of an ATM, press balance inquiry, and insert the card .  

…oh? It’s requesting the PIN . It seems like this place is suitable after all . As usual, it’s pretty sloppy at recognizing imposters . Or maybe because only the card returned to Japan, something changed? As Hagisawa told me, I enter a dangerous choice for a PIN, his birthday . Once I do that, the account balance is displayed .  

…yeah . I have his permission, so I withdraw the entire balance . Then, I casually put all of it into my wallet . At another convenience, I withdraw Shigenobu’s savings . It’s a bit troublesome, but I also withdraw the savings of Minori-san and Meguru-san . While I’m at it, I also withdraw my own . Somehow, I feel like I’m doing something wrong .

“…”

Oh no, now my wallet is overflowing with money . It’s completely inflated with bills…

“Next is…”

According to Shigenobu’s request, I head to a home improvement store so I can buy a kitchen knife, a crowbar, and a hammer . Only buying those things is kinda scary .

Like that, I search the home improvement store for a kitchen knife . The knives on display all emit a suspicious light . Which ones are sharp? Or maybe a survival knife is better? Should I look in the gardening and camping corners as well? 

“Is this even useable in a fight?”

Well, it’s bound to be better than a stone weapon or bone sword . Which is better for fighting mamono in another world, a kitchen knife or a survival knife…? It was in a game . A guy was in a situation where he was fighting mamono . He used a mop as a weapon .  

“Am I really wasting time thinking about something this useless?”

I bring a kitchen knife, a crowbar, and a hammer to the register . It’s my first time buying a kitchen knife . It’s scary being watched . I feel like the clerks are looking at me suspiciously .

Next is…well, things like bulletproof vests are of no use in the other world . Something like a protector maybe… would be better for the other world . In the first place, you can’t buy bulletproof vests in Japan, probably . I’d like to buy a bowgun or something, but as expected, they don’t sell such things at home improvement stores . Where do you even buy that sort of stuff?

This smells of danger . I’ll find out if I can order one over the internet . If everything goes well, I might be able to get one . The question is how to fool my parents .  

“Okay . ”

After putting everything into a bag, I leave the home improvement store . I have a kitchen knife, a crowbar, and a hammer amongst other things . This is a set of items that’ll make others doubtful to whether I’m planning something like a murder .

The sun sets, leaving me to walk through the evening streets with dangerous items in hand . I wonder if the sound of cars seems comfortable to me due to my situation’s superior conditions compared to Shigenobu and the others living in the woods .  

…If there is a person who gave us these abilities, I’d like to ask why I got mine . Of course, I think it’s a great ability . But I wonder if there’s a plan for why we were transported to that other world? 

The streetlights light up as I pass by the deserted shops . Should I buy sweets at the supermarket again? From now on, even if having them is unnaturally, Shigenobu and the others will no longer be suspicious . I think I explained it pretty well .  

A/N: The sanitary products mentioned in the comments section are the next opportunity for the story .  

[1] The character for transfer has multiple translations: movement, metastasis(medical), phase transition, transfer of learning, transference in psychoanalysis .