As we made our way through the Aqua Area toward Dragon Adventure, the sheer scale of the place began to sink in. It was far more massive than I had imagined.
The entrance was situated on an incline, providing a wide-open view of the surroundings, but even that hadn't allowed us to grasp the full extent of the area. I could see the rocky peak where Dragon Adventure was located, and I caught sight of the Aqua Area’s defining features—a rugged Rocky Zone on one side and a vast ocean on the other.
I figured we just needed to head toward that central mountain, which served as our primary landmark. However, as we descended the gentle slope and entered the Rocky Zone proper, I noticed something strange.
It was enormous. We were walking between rock faces so massive they were less like walls and more like towering cliffs. The paths were broad and easy to navigate, and guide signs were posted everywhere, so it didn't feel cramped or oppressive, but the height of the stone rising on either side was simply overwhelming.
Those rock walls weren't just for show, either; they were being put to good use, housing souvenir shops, merchandise stalls, and snack bars. But that wasn't the issue.
The real problem was that when looking from the entrance, this path through the Rocky Zone had appeared much smaller. The entrance’s elevation had likely been calculated to give a long-range view, which had skewed our sense of perspective. I hadn't expected the reality on the ground to be so vastly different from that first impression.
"...Aoi-chan, Hina-chan. Unless I’m totally mistaken... isn't that mountain way bigger than it looked?"
"It’s probably incredibly large. It looks huge even from this distance, but more importantly, we’ve been walking for quite a while now and I don't feel like we're getting any closer at all."
"I think we had a bit of a preconception," Aoi-senpai added. "Since we’ve been to amusement parks before, we unconsciously assumed a certain size for a Rocky Zone mountain for a Splash Coaster. In reality, I think this is about five times the size of what we were imagining."
As Aoi-chan said, we should have covered a fair distance by now, yet the gap between us and the mountain didn't feel like it was shrinking at all. And just as Hina-chan noted, the scale seemed several times larger than our initial estimates.
"Well, I realized it was going to be big the moment I saw the overall area, but man... getting around is going to take forever."
"In that case, you should use the Fast Road over there," a voice called out from behind us.
"Alice? Fast Road... You mean that path behind the fence?"
Just as I was coming to terms with the fact that the park was way too big and travel would be a major time sink, Alice chimed in. Following her gesture, I saw a separate lane cordoned off by a fence. It was dotted with gates and entrances that made it look distinct from the main thoroughfare.
"To put it simply, it’s the same system as the one in your hallway, Kaito-san. You just lean your weight forward to move. If you input the attraction number from the pamphlet at any of the entrances, it’ll take you there automatically."
"...Wait, seriously? That’s incredible."
The Fast Road was apparently a park-wide application of the Automatic Movement Formula used in my house. It meant we could reach our destination without having to walk a step—the ultimate convenience.
This would drastically reduce the fatigue from traveling and eliminate the risk of getting lost. It was an extremely comfortable addition.
"Th-That is so high-tech... I completely underestimated this place," Hina-chan muttered. "I thought our Original World amusement parks would still have the edge in technology, but to have an Automatic Movement Function..."
"...It’s essentially a Fast Travel system for the whole park. That’s insane," Aoi-chan remarked.
"Aoi-senpai, what’s 'Fast Travel'?"
"Eh? Oh... is that not a common word?"
Fast Travel was primarily a gaming term. Aoi-chan, being a gamer, used it naturally, but Hina-chan—who didn't seem to play those kinds of games—was left tilting her head in confusion.
While the transportation issue was more or less solved, a new thought occurred to me, and I turned back to Alice.
"...Wait, wouldn't the cost of installing an Automatic Movement Function and building dedicated lanes for the entire park be astronomical?"
"Oh, it was fine. I had Machina help out, so we were able to build it at a very low cost."
"...Did you work Machina-san like a dog again?"
"I did not. I just asked a little favor, and she willingly provided her full cooperation. Besides, this park uses a lot of technology that doesn't exist in this world yet. It’s only rational to have an advisor who properly understands the contracts with Shallow Vernal-sama to ensure we don't have any inter-world technical disputes later."
Knowing Alice, she probably talked her way into it. Machina-san was incredibly easy to manipulate where Alice was concerned. If Alice put on a serious face and started talking about being "best friends," Machina would likely give her whatever she wanted. I had a feeling she’d been worked very hard indeed.
...So that’s why she was able to build a park several times larger than the original plan.
～Conversation Between the Hero and the Easy God～
Machina: "No, listen. Building something on this scale requires Shallow Vernal's approval. If any part of it conflicts with the current contracts, we have to make adjustments, and that's an enormous amount of work."
Alice: "But for me, this amusement park is a place overflowing with memories of my Best Friend, Machina... I don't want to compromise. If I’m going to make it, I want it to be something truly spectacular."
Machina: "I—I guess it can't be helped! It's true that the park is a place for our memories, and I do understand wanting to get every detail right! Put that way, I can hardly refuse as your Best Friend... Leave it to me! I'll help as much as you need!!"
Serious-senpai: "She’s way too eeeeeasy!?"