I came back but the world is still a fantasy!? – Repercussions Arc – Act 2: Otherworld Hometown – 02-10: The True Intentions of the Demon Tribe and the Mission of the Mask (5/6)

“That’s news to me, Reben.

You know where Masquerade disappeared to, don’t you? ‘Fess up.”

“N-No! I haven’t even reported it to dad yet! I don’t know the exact location and direction!”

“So in other words, you do have a ‘rough’ idea of where he went.”

His older sister pointed out with a triumphant face, leaving Reben at his wits’ end.

“Why are you so sharp when it comes to things like this!?”

Even though you’re normally such a dullard who couldn’t notice anything if you tried!

That last part was implied, but as expected, she didn’t notice it.

“You should hurry up and tell me what you know while I’m still smiling, Reben. For your sake.”

And yet because she was threatening him while smiling, Reben had no choice but to wave the white flag.

The pecking order that was established in their youth was something that remained even after they had grown up.

 

That day.

When they went to look for Masquerade inside the castle, the last place they got to was the treasure house.

But by then any trace of the mask was already gone. Masquerade had taken away the Pupils of the Demon King and vanished.

Inside were traces of human teleportation magic, so it could be inferred that he might have fled through that. There were five traces, and each one of them led to a distant land.

But Reben knew that those were only there to distract them from the real thing.

He could tell because it was simply too unnatural given Masquerade’s behavior. It was almost as if he wasn’t thinking at all about someone pursuing him.

“So I investigated the place in hopes of finding the real trace.

It was really hard to find though, so I thought up a new magic formula.

The formula I used that allowed me to find the real trace was—”

“—I don’t care about the formula. Just give me the conclusion. Where did he go?”

This older sister of his wasn’t even planning on hearing him out as she wholeheartedly tried to steal the information that he worked so hard to get.

Of course, Reben wasn’t all too happy about that, but he knew from experience that it was pointless to say anything.

With a sigh, Reben gave her his conclusion.

“He left for another world. It’s likely the same place the rumored hero came from.”

“…Why would Masquerade go to a place like that?”

“I don’t know.

But I followed the traces thoroughly. There’s no mistaking it. He’s left this world.

Besides, word has it that the heroes have also been sent back home too.”

“What!? You mean there’s no more heroes!?”

And she was looking forward to fighting them too. Ymir was crestfallen.

Until Masquerade appeared, hearing about the achievements and rumors surrounding the heroes was Ymir’s number one source of curiosity.

Reben hoped that she would lose all interest after being crestfallen, but unfortunately for him, this elder sister of his directed her curiosity to a different direction altogether.

“…Hmm?

So in other words, you’re saying that the heroes and Masquerade are together in that world?”

“Huh?”

“…Reben. You know how to get there, don’t you?”

Ymir asked with anticipation and absolute confidence.

Her gaze was pointed straight at the old book that Reben had taken from the archives.

Reben reflexively tried to hide that book as he tried to seriously resist this sister of his.

“Aneue, that’s really a bad idea!

We don’t have enough information on the coordinate, and there’s not enough materials on Dimensional Transfer Spells.

There’s no way to guarantee a safe crossing, and even then, only one person can go.

Moreover, it’s likely to be a one-way trip!”

Reben had indeed been throughly pursuing the traces left by Masquerade, but he was still only halfway there.

Even with his new spell, the rest of the trace had been cut off, so he couldn’t pursue it any further.

Although he had wrung out whatever he could from the trace he caught, it still wasn’t enough to begin a transfer.

What was more is that for some reason, they had less materials on topics pertaining to otherworlds and dimensional space. Reben was sure they ‘used to have more’ materials, though, but…

Anyhow, it was indeed true that they could force a transfer, but even then it was sure to be a one-way trip.

“But that’s only for ‘now’, right?” Ymir smiled a meaningful smile.

When Reben saw that, he couldn’t help but have an ill foreboding.

He has never before turned down his older sister when she smiled at him like this.

And not once has he come out unscathed. At least, not in a ‘punishment’ sense.

“After all, aren’t you the magic professor of the demon tribe?

Given a hundred years, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a way to make a round trip.”

“You’re being way too optimistic!”

Even though he knew that this older sister of his was this sort of person, he still wanted to yell that out loud.

Still, the reason why this prince was often said to be undemonlike was not just because of his weaker fighting instincts, but also because of his strong thirst for knowledge and curiosity toward human magic.

As far other as people were concerned, converting mana to fire or electricity was a meaningless endeavor that was more trouble than worth.

Just slamming mana directly on one’s enemies was a much more effective use.

Of course, Reben himself knew that. It was just that he found the conversion of mana interesting.

And because he studied that, he came to be known as the professor.