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TL: ALT
Chapter 117 – Dungeon Shrine
Just like the shrines in the original world, there is a stone monument next to the Torii that reads “Dungeon Shrine.”
But that is the only similarity.
The Torii Gate, which was almost worn down in the original world, has been repainted in a bright vermilion color.
In front of the Torii Gate, there was a row of stalls that looked like a festival.
Some were selling mysterious skewers called “Dungeon Shrine Grill,” while others held a lottery for drop items with a large sign that read “Dungeon Shrine Fortune Drawing.”
“Oh…”
The dungeon shrines in the original world were too insignificant to be listed in the unidentified information section of the wiki.
I was probably the only one who knew that there was a real god in the shrine.
Of course, there was not a single shadow of any other explorer in the shrine.
It was an old and elegant shrine, but it was so desolate that you could almost hear the chirping of a silent bird.
Yet.
There were quite a few people at the shrine where I am now.
Explorers kept showing up, climbing up the stone steps to the main shrine.
Like me, a party of explorers who had been transferred from the portal of some dungeon were happy to see the shrine, and some of them said, “Yay, a shrine!” and “Finally…?” in a tired voice.
The people at the stalls called out to them.
A little further up the stone steps, a party of female newcomers to the shrine were taking pictures of each other to post on social media.
From the top of the stone steps, I could even hear the sounds of musical drums and flutes.
“It’s so lively…”
I muttered to myself.
“Really? It’s always like this here, isn’t it? It’s a weekday, so it’s better.”
Haruhara tilted his head and said that.
Unlike the original world, the shrines in this world have an important function for explorers.
Of course, it is the function of finding and assigning jobs.
Even after getting a job, you must come back regularly to check your proficiency until you get to the next rank.
No wonder there are so many people.
I know the lonely shrines of the original world, and it feels strange to see them like this every day.
For God, this world might be much closer to the ideal.
“What is wrong with you? You seem a bit strange today, Yuto.”
“…Sorry, let’s go up there.”
Haruhara and I walked up the stone steps.
On both sides of the stone steps are many beautifully painted Torii gates.
In addition, there are many paper lanterns and lanterns lined up to fill the gaps between the gates.
The names of the explorers and guilds that donated the paper lanterns and lanterns are written on them.
We arrived at the main shrine and felt overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle.
There was a permanent healing center and an item exchange station run by the Explorers’ Association on the grounds of the shrine.
There was also an amulet and charms shop in the building attached to the shrine office.
A beautiful elf woman dressed as a shrine maiden who managed the shop was very familiar.
“Hello, Haruka-san! Kuuuh, you look as beautiful as ever today!”
Haruhara rushed to the shop and called out to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed elf shrine maiden, Haruka-san, who was tending to the shop.
“Ara, Haruhara-kun… and Yuto-san are here too. Welcome.”
Haruka-san smiles and greets us.
“Haruka-san. How are you feeling?”
I ask,
“Yes. Thanks to you, I’m fine. I’m so glad you introduced me to this place. Thank you again, Yuto-san.”
“No, don’t worry about it.”
I was the one who introduced Haruka-san, whose spiritual power was slowly eroding and her health was deteriorating in the earth environment, to the “part-time job” at this shrine.
To be precise, I asked God to allow Haruka-san to work here.
God wanted to hire someone because the shrine was busy with business, so it was just right.
Haruka-san is an elf from another world, but she doesn’t have to hide her ears in this world where anything goes.
Most people seem to think that she is one of God’s servants or something.
“Tch, what the hell. Everyone is always talking about Yuto…”
Haruhara sulks.
Haruhara is in love with Haruka-san.
It seems that Haruhara, who has a complicated family situation, has a weakness for tolerant older women.
…When I remembered such a “setting” in the original world, I thought to myself, “A character who has a special sexual preference and doesn’t look at the heroine, what kind of eroge friend character is that?” But in this world, I thought, “You’re the one with the eroge brain, right?” Haruhara is a really nice guy, so I wanted to defend him. [T/n: Eroge = Erotic game.]
“So what’s the matter, Yuto-san? It seems that Honoka is not with you.”
Haruka-san says to me.
Poor Haruhara, Haruka-san ignores him, and his shoulders slump in disappointment.
In this world, Haruka-san also pushed the extreme solution of… becoming my girlfriend with Honoka-chan, but when I decided to go out with Honoka-chan, she agreed after a discussion.
…I know now that Haruka-san was greedy for a reason.
That’s what Clovis said in the original world.
Elves have longevity, but age wears on the spirit.
Haruka-san, who was thrown into another world with her daughter and no relatives, needs to stay healthy in mind and body until Honoka-chan can stand on her own.
Haruka-san’s forceful approach was probably to have a strong explorer protect her daughter, as well as to prevent Haruka-san’s own mental wear and tear.
By forcibly stirring up romantic feelings, she was delaying the decay of her spirit…
All because she was worried about Honoka-chan’s situation.
In this world, I never heard anything like that from Haruka-san or Honoka-chan.
Maybe Haruka-san is hiding the fact of her mental deterioration from Honoka-chan as well.
Haruka-san’s physical problem was solved by visiting this shrine, but her mental problem is still unresolved.
…Maybe Haruka-san has seen that Honoka-chan and I have grown closer, and she no longer wants more.
I’ve decided to accept the wear and tear of the spirit as the fate of elves, or…
If so, it’s… sad.
Maybe this world isn’t so convenient for me either.
“I had a question I wanted to ask God… but she seems to be busy.”
I said, looking back at the main shrine.
There’s a line of worshippers at the main shrine.
Even if each person waited five minutes, it would be as long as a busy hospital.
“Is this going to be a long case?”
“I can’t say, but probably.”
“Then it should be break time soon, so I’ll ask her.”
“Is that okay?”
“It’s important, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Well then, will you go up to the shrine office and wait? I’ll invite her in soon.”
Taking Haruka-san at her word, Haruhara and I walked around the amulet counter (which, it seems, is not for sale but for donation), opened the sliding door, and went into the shrine office.
We took off our shoes and went into the living room.
In the living room, there was a sunken hearth with an iron kettle on it, a shelf with hanging scrolls and flowers, and an old CRT television with a dial mechanism.
The TV looked more like an antique than a household appliance, but when turned on, it showed terrestrial television like the latest TVs.
Underneath the TV was a state-of-the-art video game console that looked out of proportion to the TV.
It does not even seem to be possible to connect it to the TV, but it seems to be able to play games through some mechanism.
However, from my perspective in the original world, this game console was a generation ahead of its time.
In the original world, there were rumors that the next generation was coming soon.
“Well, who plays this game console?”
Haruhara asked.
“I heard it’s God. Honoka-chan told me that Haruka-san said so.”
“Heee. It seems like the opposite, but it’s exactly what I imagined…”
“Indeed.”
It’s surprising to think that such a serious god would play games, but since she looks like a little girl, I don’t think it would be strange if she played games.
Or maybe the god is trying to understand modern culture in her own way.
Haruhara and I each take a bottle from our magic bags and quench our thirst.
We wait for the god to come and talk about useless things,
“Sorry, Yuto and Tsukisagi. I kept you waiting.”
The god opens the sliding door and appears.