ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (1)

The Truth About the World

"I have never been to other worlds, and I have only heard bits and pieces of God's voice, so I can't say for sure, but your world without magic is probably... quite heretical... The gods create all accidental Material Realms in a similar way. Therefore, your world, where magic did not flourish well and demi-humans were not existed, is a failure, if I may say so..."

"...!"

Geral told him that the world in which the Earth exists is a failure. Apparently, the world is a healthy place where demi-humans and magic existed. Murata was shocked to hear this unexpected fact, and asked another question.

"...Is the reason why the spoken language of our world is different from that of this world, and why each nation and ethnic group is different and cannot communicate with each other, also because our world is a failure?"

Murata asked another question of the researchers: "Why there are no barriers of spoken language in this world."

"...Maybe. There are spirits in the world called 'Spirits of Speech' that control the spoken world. Perhaps this is also a system created by the gods, who decided that the inability to communicate is a source of unnecessary strife. But humans never stop fighting... Since each spirit including the Spirit of Speech is powered by magic, perhaps this system is not working at all in the world where you were."

"I see... So a world with magic, demi-humans, and no language barriers is the 'proper world'..."

Murata had a difficult expression on his face when he heard the truth about the world as described by Geral. Although he was intrigued by the truth, which had room for many other explanations, he was also shocked to learn that the world he and his friends had come to call home was a failure. If their world had been a world where there were no barriers between languages and where communication was easier, it is not to say that conflicts would have been eliminated, but there would have been many conflicts that could have been avoided. Because of the world was flawed, there must have been a lot of blood spilled.

"...But I think that 'your world,' which developed civilization and technology to a degree that this world cannot follow, is something to be proud of, even with the disadvantage of not having magic. You have come so far from a situation where you were as good as losing the blessings of the world, so to speak... Don't worry, even without magic and magic power, you already have enough power to overcome the disadvantage."

"...!"

Geral spoke soothingly to the discouraged Murata. He understood exactly what she meant by power to overcome the disadvantage of not being able to use any magic. The name of that power was 'science,' the very crystallization of 'human power' that had created an industrial civilization without the blessings of the gods.

"...That's right. Even if my world is defective... there is no shame in it!"

Encouraged by her words, Murata replied with a big smile. Geral, watching him, chuckled.

"...Then it's your turn. Why don't you tell us your story?" Geral asked Murata.

She was also interested in the information he would bring to her.

"Okay... where do I start?"

"Well, let's start with a little personal history..."

"Hmm..."

Murata wondered where to start with the subject 'personal history' that Geral had asked for. Soon after, he had a clear idea of what she wanted to talk about, and began to tell his own personal story.

"Well... let's start with my birthplace. I was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, where cattle breeding and rice cultivation flourished. I was..."

The conversation between the two, with one table between them, continues until midnight. Geral was enjoying them, listening to Murata's stories about himself and the country of Japan. But when she finally ran out of things to talk about and saw that Murata was at a loss of what to talk about next, she looked out the window with a satisfied smile on her face.

"...It's getting late, isn't it? I can't tell from here," Geral said as she looked out the window and got up from her chair.

Murata checked his watch and found that it was already 01:00.

"The wound should heal in about three days, so I don't mind if you stay here and relax until then. You're still separated from your people, right?"

"...Ah."

Murata first realizes the sourness of the current situation he is in when Geral pointed it out to him. The transceiver Murata was carrying had been damaged by the impact of the fall into the cavern, and he was unable to contact the resource survey team.

"Um... how long did it take me to wake up after I fell into the cavern?"

"Well... almost two days."

"!!"

Murata is shocked to hear her answer. The survey team had planned a week-long search, and a day had elapsed on the road before they first reached the Grassall volcanic area. Although the Grassall volcanic area is as large as the 23 wards of Tokyo, the actual area that can be explored is rather limited because it is a volcanic area dotted with active volcanoes. If they were to visit only the places of interest, they would probably be able to complete their tour in three days. However, there was a major miscalculation. Unbeknownst to Murata, the survey team had accidentally succeeded in making contact with the Lime immediately after he fell into the crevasse, and had already found a gold mine the next day, guided by the Lime youth, Beloborg.

"T-then... if I don't join them soon... it will be bad!"

"!"

Murata was frustrated, feeling in danger of being left behind. Seeing him like this, Geral also realized the current situation.

"...W-wait a minute. I'll let them search for your friends!"

Geral exclaimed and held her hand in the air. Immediately after, a number of visible spirits appeared around Geral.

"Fly... to the Grassal volcanic area!"

With that, Geral exclaimed and countless spirits flew high into the sky. The crowd of souls that had escaped from the underground cavern to the ground headed for the volcanic zone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes: There is a scene in the chapter where Geral mentions that "there are times when the gods interfere," but the gods are basically non-interfering and non-surreptitious to each world and do not interfere unless there is a "world collapse level" calamity.