“Y, Yes?”

Suddenly spoken to, I become suspicious in my behavior.

About middle school age? She is about the same height as Nagi and has a similar atmosphere somehow.

Is it the lack of makeup and a simple feel? If I had to put it negatively, she’s not polished.

Her appearance overlaps a little with Nagi, who is always sleeping at home and doesn’t know about makeup.

“Ah, I-I’m sorry. I’m Imai Nagisa from Yonaki Village.”

“Imai-san… Nice… to meet you. So, what’s the matter?”

I ask why she suddenly started talking to me.

I don’t think she’s found out, but I’m breaking the rules by clearing the Cube alone.

A little bit of guilt accelerates my heartbeat.

“Ah, right. I contacted you, but… can you check the situation for now?”

“Situation?”

“Yes, the Cube!”

I thought there was a misunderstanding between us, but Imai-san started walking briskly, so I decided to follow her.

I didn’t know the location of the Cube in this village so it’s convenient if she leads me to it. Therefore, while not really swallowing the situation, I follow her.

Imai-san walks straight ahead at a brisk pace.

Looking at her back, I can’t help but murmur.

“…Nagi.”

“Eh?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing!”

Her build, height, and hairstyle.

Everything about Imai-san resembles Nagi, even their names, Nagisa and Nagi, are similar.

Their faces aren’t alike, but the makeup-free, simple feel is similar.

But Nagi is the cutest in the world with her just being herself, so that’s different, I guess.

However, looking at her from the back, they are so similar that I feel like I can imagine what Nagi would look like if she had grown up healthy and went to middle school.

Feeling a bit sentimental looking at her back, I hope that Nagi will also wear a uniform and walk energetically one day.

For that, I absolutely have to find a cure with this Eye of God.

I continue following her.

Then, I guess it’s the center of the village, where there’s a big building and villagers gathered around it.

About 50 people, is there some kind of festival going on?

People gather around a square box-shaped building.

It’s like a Cube, but it looks like a prefab hut.

As I stare at the building, an old man spots me and starts yelling.

“Nagisa! You!!”

He looks like a farmer’s grandfather, stubborn if I had to put it negatively.

Many villagers look at me, prompted by him.

I don’t feel welcomed at all.

Rather.

“I’m sorry, but… we should call a professional!”

“Idiot! The village will solve the village’s problems! That’s the tradition, and that’s what we decided!!”

Then the old man walks up to me.

“Outsider, go home. This is our village. Thieves. You came to take advantage of us.”

“Ha?”

I’m suddenly insulted, but one after another, other villagers hurl abusive words at me and tell me to leave.

I don’t understand why I have to be insulted like this, but it’s starting to get on my nerves.

Moreover, it’s not just me, but Imai-san is also being blamed terribly; I don’t know why, but it’s pitiful.

“But…”

“Nagisa, you stop this nonsense!!”

The old man raises his fist at Imai-san with an intense expression. Imai-san closed her eyes with a tearful face.

However, that fist never hurt Imai-san.

“I don’t really understand, but if it’s my fault, then please lower your fist. I’ll leave.”

I caught the old man’s fist.

Even though he’s an old man, he’s an Awakened.

If he had a high rank, Imai-san could be injured.

But I had seen their statuses – the old man is E-Rank and Imai-san is D-Rank, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

“Outsiders… should stay out of this!”

The old man forcibly shook off my arm. Not really understanding, I told Imai-san I would leave and started to back away.

I then headed straight for the train station. The Cube here was a shame, but the atmosphere didn’t seem like one where it could be cleared. There are plenty of other Cubes, so I decided to clear another location.

“Um, excuse me!”

Imai-san came running after me and called out to me.

“I’m really sorry. And thank you for helping me earlier.”

“No, it’s fine. Can I ask what happened?”

“…Well,”

Imai-san explained the situation to me.

The Cube in this village had been thinned out by the village chief’s grandchild, an Awakened, who lived in the village.

However, that Awakened person had been invited to join an overseas guild and was now in America.

The village chief had a falling out with the person and stubbornly refused any outside help. That old man was the village chief.

Moreover, the dungeon’s collapse could happen any moment now, so the village was going to take down the dungeon boss.

“It’s hard to believe that there’s such a closed-off village in Japan these days.”

“So, I contacted the Dungeon Association, but… they said I should ask the representative of the local government… but I’m glad you came!”

“Ah…”

I looked away with a slight feeling of guilt.

The Dungeon Association, by default, manages the Cubes.

However, they can’t keep track of all the new Cubes that suddenly fall from the sky, so the local government of the area where the Cube is found has to report it.

“But looking at the way they were…”

“… I know it’s a very rude request, but please help us! I may need some time to prepare the money, but I’ll definitely pay! Please!”

Imai-san desperately bowed her head and called out to me. I wondered why she would go to such lengths even after being treated like that.

“Why do you go that far, even after what they did to you?”

“…Please. The people of this village are precious to me. That’s why… please help. Please.”

I was troubled by her desperate attitude, wondering what to do.

But when someone begs me so desperately, I can’t help but feel weak.

Especially when it’s a girl who looks so much like Nagi, even more so.

I guess you could say I’m too kind-hearted.

But there was a time when I resented the fact that someone with the power to help wouldn’t help someone in need.

There were also selfish moments when I wanted someone to help me.

I remember feeling angry, thinking that if it were me, I would definitely lend a hand.

Then the answer was already decided.

“Alright. I’ll stay in the village today and tomorrow. If anything happens, I should be able to handle it.”

(If it’s an E-class dungeon, I should be fine even if something happens.)

“R-really!? Thank you so much! Please stay at my house tonight! My grandmother and I live at the edge of the village.”

“Really? Well, I guess I’ll take you up on that offer since it’ll be easier to help if something happens.”

“Then it’s settled! Oh, what should I call you…?”

“Ah, I’m Amachi.”

“Understood, nice to meet you, Amachi-san.”

I headed to the thatched-roof house at the edge of the village.

“Grandma! We have a guest staying with us tonight!”

As soon as Imai-san entered the house, she called for her grandmother.

An elderly woman, probably in her 80s, came out, leaning on a cane and holding her hip.

I was slightly cautious, but she seemed to be a kind old lady with no issues.

“It’s rare for an outsider to visit our village. Are you Nagisa’s boyfriend?”

“N-no, I’m not!”

“Oh, then it must be one of those dating apps, like Tinder or what’s its name. Well, I’ll go outside for a while, so feel free to have fun. But remember one thing, use contraception.”

“G-grandma! Don’t say such weird things!”

Imai-san hurriedly covers her grandmother’s mouth.

Although she seemed like a typical countryside grandma, her personality was completely different.

She’s quite a mischievous old lady.

“S-sorry, Amachi-san. My grandma loves to joke around.”

Imai-san apologizes to me.

Behind her, the grandmother cheerfully makes a peace sign and grins, showing her dentures. She’s an incredibly energetic and lively old lady.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Amachi. I’m a clearer called here by Imai… I mean, Nagisa-san.”

“I see, I see, welcome. Let’s have a meal then. Thank you for coming all this way. It’s not much of a place, but please make yourself comfortable.”

“Yes, thank you for having me.”

I then step inside the house and head to the living room as guided.

Wow, an irori hearth, this is my first time seeing one.

I sat down cross-legged in the room I was shown to.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, no, you’re our guest, just sit and relax. Nagisa, let’s make hot pot today. Let’s use that meat.”

“…Understood…”

As I sat in the room, the preparations for the hot pot progressed quickly. What kind of meat is this? It doesn’t seem to be beef or pork, but it looks delicious.

The irori hearth was lit, and the pot was hung over it.

Wild vegetables and meat were added one after another, filling the room with a delicious aroma.

“Well, let’s eat.”

“Let’s dig in!”

I thoroughly enjoyed the hot pot. The rice was also incredibly delicious, as expected from a countryside filled with rice paddies.

“How is it? Tastes good, right?”

“Yes, it’s amazing! What kind of meat is this?”

“It’s human flesh.”

“Wh-what?”

“Well, the medicine should start taking effect soon…”

Certainly, the grandmother looked at me laughed.