Chapter 49 – My Home is Connected to Another World?

“Wh-what in the world is this?!”

Imроrtant things desеrve to bе sаid twiсе!

※ ‘Wh-whаt is this?!’ ‘Is this rеal scеnery?’ ‘Nоt СG?’ ‘Wait, sеriоuslу!?’

Тhе cоmment sеction buzzеd.

Аnd thеn а call frоm an unknоwn number camе tо my A-Phonе.

‘Мaster, it’s the Labyrinth Мinistrу.’

“Ah, they were mоnitоring the streаm. Go аhеаd аnd connect thеm.”

‘You’re сurrеntlу streaming.’

“It’s finе, it’s finе. Тhey knоw that and сalled anywау.”

※ ‘The littlе girl stаrts interаcting with the Lаbyrinth Ministry’ ‘Sо cооl’ ‘Now revealed: thе true intеntiоns оf the sеcret оrgаnizаtion, the Lаbyrinth Мinistrу!’

“Аh, уеs, hellо. Тhаt’s right. Spiсе’s new home suddenly connected to an Otherworld… Huh? You’ll send an Onmyoji? To investigate? To seal it off? It’s okay if I keep living here? Ah, yes, yes. I’ll be waiting.”

The call ended.

※ ‘Little Spice repeats everything one by one, so it’s very easy to understand’ ‘A model streamer~’ ‘Even interactions with the Labyrinth Ministry become entertainment, huh’ ‘I only have the impression that it’s a scary organization’

Yeah, I know.

From a civilian’s perspective, the Labyrinth Ministry probably has an image like a secret police.

It’s true they monitor Dungeons and work hard 24/7, 365 days a year to prevent damage from spreading. But their response towards actions that could potentially spread a Dungeon Calamity, or people trying to spread one, is extremely severe.

For example, saying things in public that could lower a streamer’s motivation can get you punished.

Just the other day, someone who owned a building that got Dungeonized said to the streamer who cleared it, “What are you going to do about the damage inside my building?” and “You should have done it sooner,” and got arrested.

Hmm, terrifying.

And that Labyrinth Ministry is coming to my house!?

※ ‘Be careful, Little Spice’ ‘Hoping we can see Little Spice tomorrow too…’

“Ahaha, don’t worry, don’t worry! Spice is on pretty good terms with the Labyrinth Ministry! It’s that thing called adult social skills. So, from here on out, it’s top secret! I’ll share the progress later. See you!!”

Stream over!

I think I made a lot of listeners anxious!

I’ll post a follow-up comment on Tsubuyakix.

‘I’ll record a video and stream about what happened eventually’… There.

“But, something serious happened right after moving in. Is it really okay to just welcome the Labyrinth Ministry like this?”

I groaned, “Hmm,” and went to check on Mashiro, who had returned to her original form and was sleeping.

Wow, what a wild sleeping posture.

A girl shouldn’t let her clothes get so disheveled.

I’ll fasten the button on her chest and stuff like that.

‘Master, you often see girls with their clothes undone, but you don’t get all worked up, do you?’

“I do, but I’m desperately suppressing it.”

‘Mmm, a monk~!’

“An unwilling ascetic practice!”

If I didn’t have streaming or being the Witch’s successor, I’m sure I would have crossed that line!

Then it would be a straight road to taking responsibility.

I don’t want to take on a new challenge during this already difficult time!

And so, I called a taxi and sent Mashiro home.

“It would have been nice if you’d let her stay over.”

Mashiro’s mother says something terrifying.

“This girl, once she sets her mind on something, she goes straight for it, so I hear it can be heavy for the other person. That’s why her relationships never lasted long. But if it’s someone as sincere as you…”

“Well, I’ll be off then! Please give my regards to Ms. Mashiro!”

Damn it, they’re coming to fill in the inner moat!!

It’s too early, way too early!

I’m in the middle of massively expanding the Black Pepper Spice brand.

I don’t have the leeway to cause a big private event right now!

When I returned home by taxi, there was already a man and woman in suits in front of my house.

The Labyrinth Ministry.

“Mr. Shogo, I presume?”

“Ah, yes. From the Labyrinth Ministry?”

“Yes. I am Murakami, Chief Onmyoji in charge of the Tama region.”

A man with a rather unmemorable face bowed.

He offered me a business card.

Wow, the business card is a Talisman.

“Nice to meet you. Unfortunately, I haven’t made business cards yet.”

“Not at all, please don’t worry. Now, I’d like to see the room that connected to the Otherworld right away.”

“Ah, yes.”

As I stood in front of the door, Flota unlocked it for me.

It opened without her even touching it, creating an air of astonishment among the Labyrinth Ministry staff.

“A Shikigami? No, in your case, it’s a Grimoire, right? The style of using Witch techniques for good is highly regarded even within the Labyrinth Ministry.”

“Thank you very much. Well, I’m still just a first-year Witch. This way. This hidden door.”

“Hmm, I see… Indeed. It seems a magical seal had been placed here originally, but it wavered during the Dungeon Calamity, and when the Dungeon vanished, the seal disappeared along with it.”

Mr. Murakami said this as he entered the room.

He looked at the Magic Circle and groaned, “Hmm.”

“It’s a pattern I recognize. Once, around the beginning of the Dungeon Calamity, there was a new religion that preached Dungeons were the will of God. The ritual they performed to summon God’s apostles used a circle like this one. Ah, it has no effect anymore, so please don’t be concerned.”

I know about that religious group.

They were Dungeon terrorists who scattered micro Magic Circles in the subway, trying to Dungeonize entire train cars.

Their cult leader was caught and should have been executed already.

Was their hideout this apartment building…?

“The owner must know about this room. It stinks.”

Hearing Mr. Murakami’s mutter, the Labyrinth Ministry staff nodded and left.

This is getting serious!

Furthermore, Mr. Murakami checked outside the window.

“No doubt it’s the same type of location as the few confirmed cases of Otherworld connections to date. The ritual succeeded. Not in creating a Dungeon, but in connecting to an Otherworld. Mr. Shogo, please try not to go to the Otherworld from here.”

“Of course I won’t go. I have no reason to.”

I didn’t say I wouldn’t go, though!

“Good. Listen carefully. Otherworlds exist intertwined in complex ways with our world. Depending on the situation, it seems one can instantly travel to faraway places in our world by passing through an Otherworld. But that technology hasn’t been established on the human side.”

Mr. Murakami stared intently at me.

“If a Magic Power capable of manipulating space exists, then perhaps…”

Gulp.

“No, such a thing surely can’t be possible…. No, no, there is the precedent of Kiraboshi Hazuki who overturned common sense, so preconceptions…”

He’s muttering something.

“Well, well, since we’re here, how about some tea inside? It’s a mess, though.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll have some. Ah, I’m not a public servant but a contractor commissioned by the Labyrinth Ministry, so personal hospitality isn’t a problem. Well, you can treat me as a Labyrinth Ministry employee.”

Saying this, Mr. Murakami hurriedly entered the house.

For just a moment, his figure overlapped with that of a petite girl with fox ears.

This person isn’t what he appears to be…!?