Chapter 77

I changed into my clothes in the locker room and came up to the ground.

Come to think of it, I came out from next to the toilet.

I can see the great torii gate in the distance.

Tourists coming from Keihan Fushimi Inari Station go to the main hall via the back path, while those coming from JR Inari Station go via the front path.

If I had time, I would have liked to tour the area, but with Ayame in such a state, I can't really enjoy myself.

I was spacing out for a while, but then I remembered that I was supposed to go to the PD.

I need to retrieve the PD, so I might as well go now.

Just as I was about to head to where I set up the PD, Ayame came out of the dungeon.

"Ayame, are you okay now?"

"Yes, I feel much better after resting a bit. I really caused you trouble."

"That's good... I'm really glad. What about Milk and Hime?"

"They're changing. I was already changed, so I came out first to let you know I'm okay. They said they wanted to get some fresh air."

"Fresh air, huh? You mean the toilet?"

"Hehe, that's right."

Yeah, that's the usual Ayame.

I'm glad.

Yeah, I feel relieved.

Since she just recovered, we'll have to go sightseeing another time.

I need to go to the PD before Hime and the others come.

"Now that I feel better, I kind of need to use the toilet."

"Ah, me too—"

Is Ayame going too? I turned around, but she wasn't there.

Huh?

"Ayame?"

Did she already go to the toilet?

I'll go to the PD now.

I checked my surroundings, hid my phone behind a rock, and went down the stairs of the PD I had set up under a nearby tree.

"Hey, Danpon, I'm here... huh?"

Is someone here?

Someone other than me is in the PD—what's going on?

"Hey, Ichino, I've been waiting for you."

"Aoki!?"

It was Aoki.

He called out to me as if we had made plans to go to a game center and he was waiting for me in front of the classroom.

Why is he here! That's strange.

Aoki is supposed to be in the dungeon with Hibi.

Besides, only I should be able to enter the PD.

And—

"Are you really Aoki?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you weren't dressed like that earlier. You said you only dress up on Wednesdays, right?"

Aoki was dressed in his cross-dressing outfit.

Then, Aoki looked down at himself and smiled slyly.

"A beautiful body. I like to transform into beautiful forms, human."

Suddenly, animal ears appeared on Aoki's head.

Then, he transformed into a black-haired, bob-cut, shrine maiden girl.

Who is this guy?

"Tyra, you're here. I've been waiting for you."

Danpon came from the back.

"Danpon, who is this?"

"It's Miko."

"Miko?"

I don't recognize the name, but calling her with a 'chan' suffix means you're close, right?

Is this the friend Danpon mentioned?

"My name is Miko. I am called a holy beast."

"A holy beast!? And fox ears and fox eyes... Are you, no, are you Inari-sama!?"

Are you a divine messenger!?

I didn't realize I was talking to such an important person. I was about to apologize, but—

"No, no, that's not it."

It's not. That's a relief.

"Not entirely, though."

Which is it?

However, because he first appeared as Aoki, I lost most of my respect and don't need to use polite language.

Danpon said he would introduce her as a friend.

"So, is a holy beast a monster?"

"It can be called a monster, but it can also not be called a monster."

"So which is it?"

"First of all, do you know what a monster is?"

Miko looked into my eyes.

A monster in the dungeon that attacks people.

Since it was created by Danpon and Dampul, who came from another world, it must be an extraterrestrial being, right?

When you defeat them, they drop D Coins and items, and you gain experience points and level up.

Something like that?

"18 points, a failing grade."

"Don't use the word 'failing' with a test-taker. What's wrong with it?"

"Almost everything. Especially 'extraterrestrial being'? That doesn't make sense. Danpon and Dampul are enough. Don't you think it's strange? The monsters in the dungeon are all within your common knowledge. If they were from another world, there could be monsters with a hundred eyes, right?"

That does sound like a Japanese monster or yokai.

But as Miko said, the monsters in the dungeon are often based on familiar animals, enemies from games, or familiar objects like Haniwa or Maneki-neko, which don't seem otherworldly.

"So what are monsters, then?"

I asked because I couldn't figure it out.

"Monsters are creatures born from the memory of this world and the core of power flowing from another world."

The memory of this world and the core of power from another world?

This is getting confusing.

"Right. Let's use electricity as an analogy for the core of power flowing from another world. By itself, it's not very useful, right? To use electricity efficiently, you need electrical appliances. In this case, the memory of this world serves as those appliances."

"I don't understand what you mean by the memory of this world."

"Can we say the concepts of the people living in this world? Slimes are weak. Dragons breathe fire. Goblins are cunning, and if you look at Medusa, you turn to stone. These are the concepts people in this world have."

That's true.

Especially the idea that slimes are weak is common knowledge—

"Absolutely, slimes were supposed to be troublesome monsters in D&D. How did they become such common enemies... Men of the world, try harder. You can't see the lewd scenes covered in slime."

"Miko, what are you saying?"

"Oops, sorry, sorry. Anyway, the true nature of the power flowing from another world is this."

"D Coins?"

What Miko held was the black D Coin I often see.

"Do you know what D Coins stand for?"

"Of course, Dungeon Coins, right?"

"No. Dimension Coins."

Dimension... dimensions?

"In other words, it indirectly indicated that it was the source of power from a different dimensional world."

"Is that so..."

"Anyway, my true identity—wait a moment. I sense something strange."

"What's wrong?"

"Danpon, don't you feel it? It's an intruder."

An intruder?

No, no, no one else should be able to enter the PD.

We have a presence detection system, so we would know if a monster entered.

"Taiga, show me your back."

"My back?"

I don't understand, but I showed Miko my back.

"I found it—really, bringing such a strange thing... You, show yourself!"

Is something attached to my back?

Am I cursed by something strange?

Wait, what?

"Nothing's happening."

"Hmm... It seems this thing is also confused. I see, it can't return to its original form. It hasn't mastered the skill. Taiga, take off your clothes."

"Take off my clothes?"

"Yes. That will solve it."

I did as I was told and took off my clothes.

Then, Miko held the collar of my clothes and shook it.

Then—

"Kyaa!"

A voice suddenly rang out.

And—

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Ayame appeared in front of me.

Why is Ayame here?

Is it another fox transformation?

~if If we had all toured the Fushimi Inari path together ③~

"Was it okay for me to come along? I shouldn't be here, really."

Suzuno, who was supposed to be in Osaka playing Pokémon, said.

"Sure, why not? It's an if scenario."

What a meta comment.

I was walking down Mount Inari with Suzuno.

The view from Mount Inari was quite beautiful.

I could see Ritsumeikan University, one of the representative private universities in Kyoto, which reminded me that we were test-takers.

"The number of foreign tourists decreased as we got closer to the summit."

"Yeah, probably because their tour time is limited, so they don't have time to come this way. If I were here, I'd feel like it would be a waste not to climb to the top."

"That's true."

They say 'waste' is a Japanese word, but I think it's especially strong in Osaka.

It's a waste to leave a buffet with your stomach only 80% full, to leave gaps in a free-for-all filling, or to not take free items.

It would be a waste not to go to the summit since we came all the way to Fushimi Inari.

The transportation costs aren't free, after all.

"Look, there's a cat."

"Really?"

It didn't have a collar, so it might be a stray.

However, its fur was beautiful, and it didn't run away when Suzuno approached. Instead, it lay on its back, inviting her to pet it.

"So cute—okay, squishy squishy."

Suzuno pet the cat's belly with a unique voice.

Then, another cat came over and also showed its belly to Suzuno.

I later found out that a nearby souvenir shop sells cat photos, and the proceeds go to feeding the cats, spaying/neutering, and medical expenses.

They are more like community cats than strays.

"So cute... Hey, Ichino-kun."

"What is it?"

"Is it okay for us to just admire the cats? Shouldn't we teach them how to catch fish?"

"Sure, why not? Sometimes it's nice to have a side story without a mountain, valley, or punchline. Also, I don't know how you catch fish, but it might be too difficult for cats."

"Okay. Then I'll keep petting the cats. Squishy squishy."

We're always getting involved in various incidents or strange situations.

It's nice to have a moment like this, just the two of us, petting cats.

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So, the if Fushimi Inari series is over.

This way, I can claim the research expenses.