Chapter 85: The Guild [Valsia]

"Wait, your first move is calling the cops? Seriously? Since when did you get so cold?"

My smartphone was snatched away at a speed I couldn't even track, let alone react to. My attempt to summon the authorities was effectively neutralized.

Okay, this woman is dangerous.

That was my immediate assessment. I managed to get my phone back on the condition that I wouldn't report her, and I reluctantly agreed to hear her out.

"So," I began, "who are you exactly?"

"Wait, what? Hey, Ayane, what’s up with Reima? Did he really forget about this perfect beauty?"

"Actually... they haven't seen each other since Reima woke up," Ayane chimed in.

"That's right! Exactly! Isn't Reima being heartless? You finally wake up and you don't even come to see your beloved Guild Master, Senka Kujo? The rest of the guild is going to be heartbroken!"

So the pervert’s name was Senka Kujo. I dug through my memories, trying to find her in my old world... and there she was. I remembered a woman eight years older than us with the same name. She had lived near my house when I was young. I’d assumed we had simply drifted apart over the years, but in this world, it seemed our relationship had stayed intact.

"Listen, Senka, Reima has amnesia," Ayane explained. "That's why he hasn't reached out. I haven't really brought it up to him yet, either."

"For real? Well, I guess that can't be helped. But... you seriously don't remember anything?"

"Sorry," I said. "I don't know the first thing about this guild, and I don't know you."

"Oh my... Well, let's try this again. I am Senka Kujo. I’m the Master of [Valsia], the guild you and Ayane both belong to. I'm an S-Rank Adventurer known as [Divine Healing]—a world-class beauty who happens to be a bit of an expert at recovery magic!"

Her initial behavior was what it was, but she seemed like a decent person at heart. She looked genuinely shocked by my memory loss, but she brushed it off and offered her hand. Her manic energy was uncomfortably similar to my Summoned Beasts, but I took the hand anyway.

"Oh, that's right, Reima."

"What?"

"Are you free today? Since we've bumped into each other, I’d love for you to show your face at [Valsia]."

I hesitated. It was a place where the "other" Reima belonged; I might find some actual information there. But walking into a room full of people who knew a version of me I didn't recognize sounded incredibly awkward.

Still... I need to know who that guy was.

"Fine," I said.

"Thanks. The sub-master has been worried about you, too. Seeing you today and inviting you back was the whole point of me stopping you."

"Wait," Ayane interrupted. "If that was the point, why did you start groping me?"

"Just the usual hype."

"I'm telling on you later."

"Wait, please don't."

Looking at the exchange, they were clearly on good terms. It was rare to see Ayane open up her heart this much; the way she let her guard down was something I never would have imagined in my previous world.

"Then let's head there by bus! Forward, to [Valsia]!"

We took a bus toward the urban center of the city and eventually arrived at a massive building that looked like a blue castle. It felt completely out of place in modern Japan. There was even a pair of gatekeepers, a man and a woman, who saluted us the moment they saw us.

"Welcome back, Master! ...Wait, Ayane? And Reima!?"

"Reima?! Hey, everyone! Reima’s back! Get out here, quick!"

The shout echoed through the fortress-like structure. Before I knew it, I was surrounded. Strangers in various types of gear swarmed me. They didn't just greet me—they hoisted me into the air for a celebratory tossing, passing me around in a chaotic blur.

"Wow... I guess they really missed you," Ayane said, watching the spectacle.

"Don't just watch, help me! I'm gonna barf! Seriously, I'm getting motion sick!"

The rhythm of the tosses was just slightly out of sync with the way they were shaking me. The resulting discordance was doing some very specific, very unpleasant damage to my inner ear.

"I know you're excited, but calm down, everyone... Reima's suffering," Ayane tried to mediate, but no one listened.

I figured they’d keep going until they got bored. But then, a presence like a ghost emerged from the guild building.

"What do you think you're doing? Put him down!"

The command was sharp. The tossing stopped instantly, and I was dropped unceremoniously.

I hit the ground with a pathetic "Gufh!" and scrambled to my feet. I looked up to see the face of the person who had—regardless of the landing—saved me.

"...Hm? What is it, Reima?"

"Nothing... I just wanted to say thanks."

"Why are you being so formal? That's not like you."

Another person I'd never met. I stared at the individual with the long black hair, my mind a complete blank. I couldn't just stay silent, but I had no idea what to say. My eyes darted around for a second, looking for an escape.

"Anyway, let's head to my office for now," Senka said, stepping in to rescue me. "I'm sure we have plenty to discuss."

With that, Ayane and I followed the Guild Master into the depths of the massive building.