Gate of Another World

After saving the images of the maids in my mind, I run deeper into the forest. 

Wow, that was quite a stimulating sight! 

I'm so blessed! 

As I walk while reminiscing about their figures, I come across an open space. 

There's a stone gate there, and inside the gate is a rainbow-colored light. 

This is the Gate of Another World, and by passing through it, I can return to my original world… supposedly.

According to the documents I found in the country, passing through this gate will take me back. 

There's someone waiting in front of the gate. 

She's a bit shorter than me. 

She has long golden hair that flows down to her waist and is looking at me. 

It's the princess of the country I stayed in—Alice. 

She's also one of my traveling companions. 

She's not wearing a dress but the comfortable outfit she wore during our travels. 

"From the looks of it, you stripped all of them naked, didn't you?" 

"H-how did you know!?" 

"You've got a nosebleed." 

It's true. When I wipe my nose, there's blood on my hand. 

Wait, it's even on my clothes! 

Will this come out in the wash…? 

"So, why are you here, Alice?" 

"What if I said I came to stop you?" 

"I'd be happy, but I'm going back. To my original world. It's better for me not to be in this world anymore. I've even been called the Hero… The hero who defeated the Demon King—it might sound good at first, but later, I'll just become a nuisance, right?" 

That's right, I'm not leaving this world just to save the Demon King's daughter. 

The influence of the hero who defeated the Demon King is immense. 

The country with the hero will have an advantage in future politics. 

That will create friction between countries, leading to another war. 

This time, it'll be a war between humans. 

Even though the war just ended, another one will start. 

Isn't that just too sad? 

That's not what I want. 

But it seems Alice already figured out my thoughts. 

Well, I don't think she's realized I've been entrusted with the Demon King's daughter, though. 

Alice looked down and said, 

"So you're really leaving…" 

"I'd like to stay with you longer, Alice." 

"W-what!? S-stop saying things like that!" 

Alice's face turned red, and she pouted, looking away. 

I smiled as I watched her. 

Then, 

"Anyway, I'm going back." 

"…We'll see each other again, right?" 

"Yeah, if anything happens, call me. I'll come running anytime!" 

"How are you going to get here?" 

"Oh, right… what should I do?" 

As Alice said, is there even a way? 

Will I just get sucked in again? 

Wait, I think that document said— 

As I put my hand on my chin and searched my memory, Alice started laughing. 

"Hehehe. Even though you've gotten stronger, you're still an idiot." 

"Shut up! I'll figure something out with sheer willpower!" 

"Well, you probably could, honestly." 

We laughed together for a while. 

It feels like it's been a long time since I laughed so genuinely with Alice. 

"…I should get going." 

"Yeah." 

"You'll probably be busy rebuilding the country, but take care of yourself, Alice." 

I said that and held out my fist. 

"I know. You take care of yourself too, Issei." 

Alice also said that and bumped her fist against mine. 

"Well, see you later." 

"Yeah, see you." 

We said that and walked in opposite directions. 

Alice headed toward the country. 

I headed toward the gate. 

As I passed through the gate, I was enveloped in a rainbow-colored light— 

---

Back in My World 

"Huh…? Where is this?" 

When I came to, there was an ecchi book in front of me. 

This is definitely the ero book I was reading before I was transported to the other world. 

Everything else—the bookshelf, the things on the floor—was the same. 

It's my nostalgic room. 

Looking at the clock on the desk, the date is the same as the day I was transported to the other world. 

"Was it all just a dream? Huh?" 

For a moment, I thought it might have been a long dream, but then I saw something next to me and realized it wasn't. 

Beside me was the large bag. 

It's definitely the one I was carrying when I passed through the gate. 

So it wasn't a dream after all. 

That means I spent three years in that world… but no time passed here? 

Could it be that only a moment passed in this world? 

If that's the case, then I'm still 15 and in my third year of middle school? 

Crap, I haven't studied for the entrance exams. 

It's still July, so maybe I can manage? 

Well, I'll worry about that later. 

I open the curtains and look outside. 

What I see is the unchanged town where I was born. 

"I'm home—Kuoh Town."