If someone had asked me if I’d seen Mount Fuji before, I probably would have given a vague answer. I had no memory of ever traveling to see it in person, but considering where I grew up and the location of my mother’s side of the family, it was entirely possible I’d caught a glimpse of it from the Shinkansen during one of our trips back to her hometown.
It wasn't as though the mountain had left a deep impression on me, though; I simply didn't have much interest in it back then. The Mount Fuji I knew was mostly the version from television programs and magazine spreads.
And now, through some bizarre twist of fate, I found myself staring at the iconic peak in another world. Perhaps it was because I was seeing it with my own eyes rather than through a screen or a page, but the mountain felt like it was... glowing. No, wait. It was definitely glowing. It had to be. Given its apparent size, it had to be a considerable distance away, yet I could see the entire silhouette clearly despite it being the middle of the night. It was undeniably unnatural.
"……Oh?"
"Hm? Is something wrong?"
Beside me, Shiro-san tilted her head slightly. I doubted she found the glowing mountain strange herself. It was obviously designed to be visible at night, and knowing her, she must have requested it to be that way.
"It seems Kuro is here. She is with the Earth God right now... Hmmm. She is masking Mount Fuji so that no one can see it but us."
"That’s actually a huge relief."
That follow-up was crucial. If a glowing Mount Fuji suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the Hydra Kingdom would be plunged into total chaos. Based on Shiro-san's tone, it sounded like Kuro had arrived after the fact, so some people might have already spotted it. Still, considering the stress Laguna-chan and Chronoa-san were under, hiding it now would make it much easier to handle—or rather, to cover up.
As I expected, it seemed Eden-san was the one responsible for manifesting the mountain. If Eden-san was cooperating with Shiro-san on something of this scale, I wondered if they had some kind of contract or agreement between them.
"Kaito-san, the mountain is visible from the hot spring as well. Let us head inside the inn."
"Ah, right. Still, this is a massive place... a real onsen ryokan. It wouldn't look out of place in a famous hot spring district. The design is so authentically Japanese."
Unlike Blossom-san’s house, which felt slightly "off" in its interpretation of Japanese style, this building felt like a genuine, high-end, long-established inn.
I really had to hand it to Eden-san for her meticulous work. Putting aside the fact that it felt a bit too cavernous for just the two of us...
Shiro-san led me inside to our room, a pure Japanese-style space with tatami mats. The window offered a spectacular, unobstructed view of Mount Fuji.
"Wow, this is incredible. It’s a beautiful room, and the view is perfect..."
It even had legless chairs. It really felt like I’d been transported back home for a hot spring vacation. There was even Japanese tea provided. I’ve always been fond of this kind of atmosphere.
"Shiro-san, before we head to the hot spring, why don't we have some tea and take a break? We've done quite a bit of walking today."
"Yes. Then, I shall prepare—"
"Actually, since we have all the tools right here, I’ll brew it myself. You don't need to go to the trouble of creating any."
"I see... Then, I shall leave it to you."
There was even an electric kettle, which made things easy. Wait... why is there an electric kettle? Where is the power coming from? Actually, I decided not to think too hard about it. If Eden-san was the one who provided it, she’d surely found a way to make it work.
Around the time Kaito and Shallow Vernal arrived at their room in the hot spring inn, at the base of Mount Fuji some distance away, Kuromueina was speaking to Machina with an exasperated expression.
"Sigh, honestly... If a mountain this big suddenly appears, it’s going to cause an uproar. You need to use recognition inhibition or at least make sure people can't get near the area..."
"Why do I need to show consideration for meat slabs?"
"……I’m really glad I came."
"This dimension is essentially just a parallel world, isn't it? No matter what happens here, it has no bearing on the original dimension, so it shouldn't matter."
"That’s not the point... Good grief. I’m going to go report to Laguna-chan and the others, so don't do anything else weird while I’m gone, okay?"
"How rude. I haven't done anything weird in this world yet, have I?"
"I'm saying it because you already have!"
After letting out a heavy, weary sigh, Kuromueina headed back toward the royal castle to file her report. As usual, Machina's logic was enough to make anyone clutch their head in despair; Kuro felt uneasy leaving her alone even for a second.
"……Ah, Kuro-san. It’s fine. I’ll keep an eye on this idiot for now."
"Right. Thanks, Shaltier. I’ll head to the castle and help with the damage control."
"That’s strange. If anything, I’m the victim her—Ow, ow, ow!? Wa-Wait, Alice? Why are you pulling my ear!?"
Serious-senpai: "With Kuro and Alice on the scene, the anti-Machina containment unit is well-positioned... Yeah, as far as Machina is concerned, everything is under control. The real problem is the other one—the normally expressionless goddess who is currently so giddy that her tension has blasted through the stratosphere..."