To conclude, while Shion's future potential was indeed tremendous, it seemed Ren would not become obsolete.
"Good. That's great, Shion."
"Yes…!"
In the house's garden.
Shion—the small fox-girl held in Ren's arms—stood a little distance away from a makeshift scarecrow, made by wrapping an old cloth around a stick, and fixed her gaze on it as Ren gave a signal.
Immediately after, a tiny streak of fire materialized in front of them.
It flew in a spiral, hit the scarecrow—their target—squarely, scorching its surface and setting the cloth on fire.
This was the Fox Spirit skill, Foxfire (Kitsunebi).
If left alone, it would eventually flare up and leave only ash, but considering the neighborhood, Ren put it out with "Water." Watching the extinguished target, Ren nodded.
"Yep. If you take your time, it looks like you can hit the target well enough. But the power is a little lacking, isn't it?"
"I am sufficiently surprised, but is your magic more powerful, Ren-sama?"
"It's hard to compare directly because the levels are totally different."
As a reference, Ren demonstrated a Mana Bolt converted to the fire attribute. The flame, shot from one hand while holding Shion in the other, hit the wet scarecrow, evaporating the moisture and causing a massive flare-up. Ren hurriedly cast "Water" multiple times to extinguish it.
The young lady, who had become a fox, murmured, "Incredible."
"Magic is truly this powerful."
"You'll be able to do all sorts of things as your level increases, Shion. Depending on how you use it, it can even be useful in daily life."
"Just as electronic devices can hurt people if misused, magic is like a tool, and it depends on how one uses it, correct?"
"Yeah. ...Somehow, I feel like Shion will be able to learn all sorts of things quickly, even without me teaching her."
"No. I feel greatly reassured by the fact that Ren-sama and everyone else has accepted me."
After the Sage left, Ren and the others further verified Shion's abilities. In doing so, they learned that while the Fox Spirit was similar to the Succubus in the sense that its abilities were "easily adaptable," it was fundamentally different.
Similarly, her magical attack power wasn't very high—in fact, it was potentially lower than the Succubus's. While she had plenty of convenient skills, like casting two spells simultaneously or targeting multiple enemies, her HP and MP were set quite low.
In short, just as her small body suggested, she was a frail species that was also difficult to manage in terms of MP conservation.
The first skill she took, Foxfire, had a modest MP consumption and power compared to Iris's Fire Bolt. The basic operational plan seemed to be to increase the number of simultaneous spells by growing more tails, then selectively firing one or two shots depending on the situation.
Whether her tails would actually grow steadily was something they wouldn't know until her level increased.
"Still, to be the only one whose appearance changed when her classmates became clerics… It would have been better if she were at least a bit more Western-style."
"I agree… Perhaps it is the influence of my father's family home, which is a large Japanese estate."
"Is that so? Then, were you feeling a bit awkward at school?"
"No, not quite. My father is the second son, and I myself am not a Buddhist. I believe I had integrated well with my classmates."
However, the situation had changed due to the summoning and the species change.
"Are you not lonely, Ren-sama?"
"In my case, I had Furi, so I wasn't lonely. I just hated being looked at strangely by the boys."
"I understand completely. …I, too, shudder at the thought of becoming a succubus myself."
It would be difficult for a young lady from an all-girls school to be courted by men. In that sense, perhaps turning into a cute animal was a good thing.
On the other hand, the possibility that the other girls would face that kind of attention could not be denied.
"I wish I could help them somehow…"
"Is your kindness due to your own experience, Ren-sama?"
"Ah. Maybe so. It's been a while since I became a woman, and as another woman, I feel like I can't just ignore them."
"…Thank you, truly. If it weren't for all of you, I believe I would be utterly lost right now."
Shion replied, "Yes," and remained silent for a while.
"We can no longer return to Japan, can we?"
"Not for now. To find a way back, we need to dive into the dungeon."
In a world where everyone celebrates the progress of the dungeon capture, how would new arrivals who refuse to fight be viewed?
--------------------
After confirming Shion's abilities firsthand, they went inside and talked about various things concerning this world.
While the Sage had provided a minimum explanation, the fine details were lacking. As Shion asked about the omitted parts, Ren and the others answered whatever came to mind, reinforcing her sense of "coming to another world." Part of the goal was also to calm her down by discussing the peaceful aspects of daily life.
"So, the standard of living seems to be around pre-war Japan, then?" Shion concluded.
"I suppose so? There are differences, though, like how fish is hard to come by, but meat is reasonably available, and there are all sorts of cooking recipes."
"It'll be pretty rough at first since there are no electronics. But once you get used to it, it's reasonably comfortable."
Shion, still held by Ren, blinked several times.
"Since operating things would be difficult in this body, perhaps having nothing is less of a burden."
"It's truly inconvenient not to be in human form, isn't it? Ren, you've even been using your tail for convenience lately."
"I have inconveniences too, you know. I can't sleep on my back, the clothes I can wear are limited, and I have to be careful when leaning on chairs."
"Hehe. …Having Ren-sama here makes me feel like I am not alone."
It was a heartfelt murmur.
"For now, we need to prepare a place for Shion to sit. …Should we stack some cushions on a chair?"
"Hmm, how about it? Maybe it's easier not to use the table forcibly? We could push two chairs together and put plates on them."
Ren instinctively knew that the easiest option was "to have her eat her food on the floor." However, if they were in her position, they would definitely be angry and think, Am I being treated like a pet? so he didn't voice it.
At this point, Mei, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
"Perhaps the chairs are simply too high for Shion-san?"
"Ah, right. Shion, do you think you can climb up by yourself?" Ren asked.
"Um… I'd like to try once," Shion replied.
She tried.
She failed to jump and leap onto the chair. It felt like she might be able to do it if she could use her body effectively.
She also failed to climb using the chair legs properly. When she tried to scramble up like a person, the strange shift in weight almost tipped the chair over.
A cat would likely be able to climb smoothly, but unfortunately, no one present knew the trick.
Iris offered a helping hand to the crestfallen Shion.
"We can just lift you up when you want to get on top, can't we? Most of the time, someone should be nearby."
"Thank you, Iris-sama."
"Not at all. I want to be friends with you, Shion-san."
"Iris. I know you know this, but you are not allowed to eat Shion, okay?"
"I-I wouldn't do that! Ren-san, what do you think I am?!"
Ren's half-joking warning earned him an irritated huff. It was partly true that he was worried about the hunter's instinct running wild.
"Next is where you'll sleep. We have extra beds, but it would be hard to climb up, right? Should we make a small nest with cushions and a towel or something?" Furi asked.
"It sounds like a bed for a cat or a rabbit…" Shion muttered blankly, as if the reality was slowly sinking in.
"I hope to quickly get used to this body and be able to use human furniture, at least."
"You can do it, Shion."
This was something that depended solely on her effort. Unlike Ren, who had new organs growing on his human body, Shion's entire body shape had changed, so once the initial strangeness wore off, she should find it easy to adapt.
"…Huh? Speaking of human life…" Ren paused.
"What is it, Ren?" Furi asked.
"No, a concern just popped into my mind, and I was wondering if I should bring it up casually."
When Ren whispered the concern to his companions, Furi and Iris both made a subtle, awkward sound: "Ah…"
Mei nodded with a straight face.
"The toilet, you mean. That is indeed a difficult problem—"
"Mei, come on!"
"Mei-chan! You should be a bit more subtle about things like that…!"
"The toilet… W-Would I really be treated the same as a pet for that…!?"
"Oh, dear! Shion-san has started trembling!"
It became an uproar.
Incidentally, perhaps because she was a yokai (supernatural being) rather than just an animal, Shion didn't require that kind of action for several days. Ren was moved to have gained a new comrade, but he was also deeply relieved that he didn't need to make that strange accommodation.
Putting that matter aside, after waiting for Shion to calm down,
"I-It's alright, Shion-chan. Ren can boil water for a bath, so you can easily get clean. We can just clean you if you get dirty, right?" Furi said.
"Furi, that's not helping at all!?" Ren exclaimed.
For now, they decided to have Shion try sleeping on a cushion in the living room. Since Mei would be there, she shouldn't be lonely.
Ren added that the young lady had given their party's cleanliness her seal of approval.
--------------------
That night, Ren and Furi talked as they slipped into bed.
"But Shion-chan is really going through a lot, isn't she? There must be times she wants to be alone, so it would be better if she had her own room, right?" Furi suggested.
"Yeah… And I haven't given Mei a room either. Maybe we should move to a different house altogether."
"Wow, Ren, that's bold."
Since the population swells suddenly once a year, there were many empty houses in the city. While an entire class might be too much to ask for, they should be able to find a house "a little bigger than the current one" if they looked.
"I wonder if there are any good properties. …Ah, should we just build one?"
"Do we have enough money? …Ah, I've never thought about building a house, so I have no idea how much it would cost."
It was an appealing idea, even for bedtime chitchat. Since it wouldn't hurt to gain the knowledge, Ren decided to ask a local carpenter about it soon.
"We were planning to go to the dungeon tomorrow, but will she be up for it, just a day after arriving?" Ren worried.
"It's just the first floor, so it's not dangerous, but this is a matter of her psychological state, after all…"
Even Ren and the others had struggled significantly before they could fight properly. In that regard, Ren honestly envied Takuma, who simply swung his axe and declared, "They're enemies, so of course you kill them!"
Ren fell asleep worriedly, thinking they just had to give her time. The next morning,
When Ren brought up the idea over breakfast—asking if she would like to try going to the dungeon, assuring her they would take every precaution—Shion clearly answered, "Understood."
"It is better to do it sooner, right? I humbly request your guidance."
"Ah, of course. …But are you sure? You don't have to push yourself."
"That's right. It's for our convenience that it's better sooner, so Shion-chan doesn't have to worry about us," Furi said.
Shion's quick agreement, surprisingly, made Ren and Furi panic instead.
Shion quietly replied, "No."
"I find it easier to be given an instruction like 'Do this' than to be told 'You don't have to do anything.' Please don't worry about it, and command me as you see fit."
"…Honestly. Shion-chan is too good a girl," Furi murmured in distress. Shion flattened her ears and said softly, "It's just my nature."
While Ren was worried, it would be strange not to take her when she said she would go.
"Alright. Then, let's go with the intention of just observing today. It's a familiar place for us, so you can leave the fighting to us."
"Yes, understood. Thank you."
Just as they finished their discussion, there was a knock on the door.
"Ren, Furi. Are you home?"
"Seriously, the old man again?" Ren grumbled.
What did he want now, just when Shion was getting motivated?
Ren opened the door with slight irritation, but surprisingly, the middle-aged Sage had brought someone with him again today.
It was an adult woman in neat clothing, likely what she wore during the summoning. Her upright posture was very natural and carried no sense of intimidation.
"Good morning, Sage-san. …And who is this lady?" Ren asked.
"A visitor. She's here not so much for you as for Shion."
In that case… Ren thought, shifting his gaze. The woman offered a greeting with a smile.
"Pleased to meet you, I am Aisa Shido, the homeroom teacher for Shion and the others. Following the local custom, please call me Aysha."
"Teacher?"
The surprised voice came from Shion, who had been brought over in Iris's arms.
The female teacher smiled at her student. "I'm sorry it took me so long." She lowered her eyebrows.
"I came to check on you. You must be troubled by all these unfamiliar things, right? And I also wanted to thank everyone who has taken Shion-san in."
So she came all this way for that.
The fact that she was "late" might mean she had already toured the other students' places. Upon closer inspection, a slight tiredness was visible in her expression.
She must also be bewildered by coming to another world, yet she was cutting into her rest time to look after everyone.
"Thank you, Teacher. But I am doing well like this," Shion said.
"We will protect Shion—Shion-san as much as we can. So please don't worry, Aysha-san—Teacher Aysha?" Ren corrected himself.
"You can call me whatever you like. …But I see. That's a relief," Aysha said, exhaling.
Even just from a short conversation, Ren could tell she was a good teacher. Having someone like her around would surely make the other students feel a little more at ease.
"So, are your reasons for visiting just to check on Shion-chan and greet us? Should we invite you inside to talk for a while, Ren?" Furi asked.
"Ah, yes, let's do that," Ren agreed, moving to invite Aysha inside.
However, the female teacher hesitated, saying, "No, actually…"
"I have another matter that I mentioned earlier."
"Another matter?"
"Yes. I came to meet a certain person who is supposed to be living here. Their name is—"
"…Aisa?"
"!"
Aysha, called by her real name, snapped her head up and stared at the woman who had emerged from the private room area of the house.
"Maria!"
It should have been a first meeting, yet the teacher spoke her first name and looked ecstatic, which was immediately obvious.
She didn't tell her the name, did she… Ren glared at the Sage, who put on a grimace as if to say, "I am innocent."
"I only told her the school name and age and that there was someone from the same school here. It was she who brought up Maribelle's name… Well, if they knew each other previously, it's not strange for her to figure it out."
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