Chapter 609: Helping Out, And The Shopping District.

“It’s delicious!”

“Glad to hear it. Eat up, plenty for everyone.”

Mom stroked Linne’s head as she munched on the pizza. The pizza boxes spread out all over the table were becoming empty one after another and were being stacked up to the side. Well, there are over twenty of us, after all… Even if more than half of us, including myself, are children, eating one or two slices is normal. If eight people reach out, one box is gone just like that. Fuyuka didn’t seem hungry, or perhaps she just didn’t want to eat. As a substitute of sorts, the dependent god Blanca was partaking in the meal. Well, rather than partaking, it was more like the children were having fun feeding him. Is pizza okay for dogs…? If I recall correctly, feeding them onions causes poisoning, right? Well, he’s not a normal dog in many ways, so I think it’s fine, but…

“Man, with this many people, meals are going to be a struggle… Touya-kun, what do you plan to do for dinner?”

“Hmm, I was thinking about going to a nearby family restaurant or something…”

I thought for a moment in response to Dad’s question. We went by bicycle to the family restaurant we visited before… The kids can ride bikes, so it’s not like we can’t go, but a bicycle gang of twenty people would be conspicuous as hell. Should I go ahead alone and open a [Gate]?

“Teleportation magic… it really is a fantasy world. Can that take you anywhere?”

“I can only open a [Gate] to places I’ve been to once, but with [Teleport], I can go anywhere as long as I know the direction and distance. Though there is a possibility of coming out in a weird spot…”

As I answered Dad, I recalled the time I used [Teleport] and accidentally jumped in on Nia, the leader of the Chivalrous Thief Guild [Red Cats], while she was changing. If I want to transfer safely, [Gate] is better. Since we are here on Earth, I can easily get information and images of the destination immediately. Well, if I use [Dimensional Transfer], I can jump without anyone noticing, too.

“Then, maybe going to a tourist spot and staying at a ryokan or hotel is an option. They serve meals there, and we can do some sightseeing.”

“Ah, I see! That’s an option…”

Dad’s words were like scales falling from my eyes. I had somehow thought we had to come back to this house, but staying over somewhere else is fine too. If it’s a ryokan, they’ll provide meals. If it’s a tourist spot, we can sightsee as well.

“No, well, that’s usually what a trip is…”

Dad let out a voice that sounded exasperated. …Right, that is what a trip is… Ah, but Lu and Arcia mentioned they wanted to cook using ingredients from here. To make meals for twenty people, we are lacking cooking utensils, home appliances, and various other things. Do I need to think about that in parallel with cooking for ourselves here?

“Ah, but can we stay at a ryokan with just us…?”

I feel like it wasn’t impossible to stay, but there were various conditions. Like parental consent. Even Yae and Hilda, who look the oldest, look like minors. We might be able to get away with insisting they are adults, but if they ask for ID, we’re out. If I use [Mirage], I can deceive them with illusions, but if they say they need to make a copy, that would be bad.

“I think there won’t be a problem if we are with you. Tsudzuri-san should know a few ryokans, and we can probably manage with a little push.”

“Eh? Does that mean you’ll come with us to the travel destination?”

I unintentionally asked back at Dad’s words.

“Rely on your parents for the first time in a while. It’s no big deal, and we want to make lots of memories with our grandchildren too.”

“That’s right. We are family, so rely on us more. Don’t hold back.”

Mom, who had come up behind me before I noticed, lightly tapped my head. Both of them looked down at me with kind eyes while laughing. Their consideration is very grateful. It is grateful, but…

“But are your deadlines okay?”

“”Ugh.””

The two of them instantly averted their eyes from me. Hey. Mom doesn’t just work as a picture book author; she also has work as an illustrator. She should have detailed deadlines. Dad, for what it’s worth, has a serialization in a monthly magazine. Even if it’s not as busy as a weekly magazine, there should be a proper deadline once a month.

“I have two cut illustrations to do, but if you take care of Fuyuka, I think… I can finish by tomorrow.”

“As for me… I still have quite a bit of background work left… I was thinking of asking Tsudzuri-san for help…”

Huh? For backgrounds, shouldn’t you just ask an assistant? Come to think of it, wasn’t my classmate Himura-kun working as Dad’s assistant?

“Himura-kun started his own serialization three months ago and became independent. His debut one-shot was turned directly into a series.”

“Eh!?”

Seriously!? Himura-kun is still eighteen, right!? No, nineteen? But I guess that’s not rare in the manga world… is it? He used to turn our exploits that he saw in his dreams into storyboards and show them to Dad, but it seems the work that got serialized isn’t that one. Apparently, it’s a youth ensemble drama about boys and girls with mysterious abilities set in the countryside. …Wait, I’ve read that. It’s the one that started serialization recently in the same magazine as Dad… That was Himura-kun’s manga…? It was interesting, though.

“They said he was second in this month’s survey. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Since you’ve been surpassed by your disciple, Touya-ichiro-san should look a bit more frustrated.”

Mom looked exasperatedly at Dad, who was laughing “Hahaha”. Well, it seems the genre is different from the manga Dad draws. If anything, Dad’s is a heartwarming type. When I asked in detail, it seems he’s slightly above the middle in the surveys, so it probably won’t be canceled for now. However, no assistant who can draw backgrounds, huh. Apparently, after Himura-kun, he hired a new assistant, but that person got a job at a design company or something a few days ago and quit quickly. I guess not everyone who comes to be a manga assistant aims to be a manga artist…

“If you like, I can…”

“No, that’s impossible for you, Touya-kun. You are a ‘Gahaku’, after all.”

The term ‘Gahaku’ used here is a word used to tease someone whose art isn’t good, or rather, is so bad it’s incomprehensible in a way, drawing with a style that is too unique. Certainly, I’m not good. But I think my art has a certain flavor to it.

“Where…? The landscape painting you drew was nothing but ‘The Creeping Chaos’.”

“Ah, that one looked like my Sanity Points were going to drop.”

How rude. That’s because you guys were looking at it upside down. Also, it only looked like that because the paint dripped a little. Having been given a notice of being out of the force by my parents, I sulked and looked away. Then, my gaze clicked with someone who was there.

“Linze, a moment.”

” What is it?”

I called Linze over, took out a single sketchbook from [Storage], and handed it to Dad and Mom.

“This is something she drew, but…”

“Wait, where did you just get that from…!”

“Oh, this is good!”

Mom was surprised that I took a sketchbook out of empty space, and Dad was surprised by the illustration of the children dressed as Magical Girls drawn in the sketchbook. Originally, it started when the wives transformed into protective suits to prevent the Demonic Divinity Poison (Weak), and the children said they wanted to transform too. Taking the idea of a transformed appearance, Linze got carried away and designed Magical Girl outfits for everyone. (Excluding Kuon). Even to an amateur’s eye, I think her drawing ability is at a considerable level. If anything, I think she’s better than Dad. I won’t say that because he’ll get depressed.

“Linze, you can draw backgrounds and such too, right?”

“Backgrounds, is it?”

“I mean scenery, the views drawn behind the manga characters.”

“Ah. Yes. It is difficult to draw things I have never seen at all, but if there are actual reference materials, I can manage.”

She can do it.

“Actually, I want you to help finish Dad’s manga. I think you’ll mostly be drawing backgrounds…”

“Eh! Is it okay for me to draw!?”

“It would be a huge help if you could. Of course, I’ll pay the assistant fee…”

As soon as Dad opened his mouth, Linze replied eagerly.

“I’ll do it! I wanted to see how manga is drawn at least once! Please let me do it!”

“Hahaha, I don’t know if my manuscript will be of any reference.”

Come to think of it, Linze was interested in manga too. During our honeymoon, she bought not only novels but also several manga. Manga might spread in the other world through Linze’s hands. …………It’s a bit late to ask, but is it okay to let Linze draw manga…? I’m worried it might end up being only manga of a specific genre… Maybe it’s better to raise other manga artists too… Should I just ask Dad? If we use the internet, we can publish in the other world too. We can’t exchange emails, but if I transfer the manga Dad uploads to the net onto paper using my [Drawing], other people can read it without any problems. I think Dad’s art style would be accepted by many people over there too. Though I can only pay the manuscript fee when I come back home… Anyway, let’s ask Linze to assist Dad for one night. Mom should be able to jump in and help Dad once her own work is done.

“Then, we will take care of Fuyuka?”

“That’s right. If you could do that, I can concentrate on work. Fuyuka seems attached to her big sisters too.”

Mom said that while looking at Fuyuka, who was happily frolicking on Yae’s lap. She really is a child who isn’t afraid of strangers. Or does she remember meeting them when she was a baby? She seems to completely trust them and is attached. The children also seem very interested in their younger aunt. Then, I’ll have the two of them and Linze transfer to my parents’ house and get to work. When I used divine energy to open a [Gate] to my parents’ house, Dad and Mom stopped moving with dumbfounded expressions. It’s a little funny. Linze, looking used to it, lightly went through the [Gate] first. Following her, Mom jumped in looking fearful, and then Dad went in. The moment I closed the [Gate], I heard Mom scream, ‘What is this! It’s amazing!’, and I laughed a little.

“Mama? Papa?”

Fuyuka looked around restlessly for her parents who had suddenly disappeared. Ah, this is bad. Will she cry?

“The two of them are working, so Fuyuka, wait with your big sisters, okay?”

“Ai.”

When I patted Fuyuka’s head as she sat on Yae’s lap, she nodded as if to say she understood. Did she really understand? This is crazy, isn’t my little sister a genius!?

“How should I put it, she is a child with guts, degozaru.”

“Ideally. She is calm, or perhaps I should say she is unmoved by things… I sense the glimpse of a great vessel.”

Yae and Hilda’s evaluations are also high. Hmmm, I wonder if this composed personality resembles Dad, or maybe Mom. It feels like adding them together and dividing by two. But then, I’m pretty much the same… Maybe my childhood was like this too. Now then, what to do about dinner in the end… Having pizza again is a bit… Should I buy bento or something from a convenience store or supermarket…? As I was worrying, sususu, Lu and Arcia approached me.

“If we are going shopping, going in a large group stands out, so let’s go with just the three of us. If we have Touya-sama’s [Storage], bringing things back won’t be difficult.” “Exactly. As long as we buy ingredients, we can manage somehow. We can even cook all day long!”

I understand what the two are trying to say, but I can’t help but think Arcia just wants to cook. Since we have mountains of ingredients and dishes in [Storage], we won’t starve, but since we came here, I want to let them eat things they can only eat here. Even the pizza from earlier probably tastes different from the ones made with vegetables and wheat from the other world. If I cook rice multiple times starting now, can I secure enough for dinner? If I put it in [Storage], it stays freshly cooked anytime. At worst, buying just the cooked white rice at a supermarket or bento shop is an option.

“Then, shall the three of us go for a grocery run?”

“Ehh—! We want to go too!”

It was Linne and Steph who showed dissatisfied faces. If everyone comes along now, things will get out of hand, so I managed to soothe them. When I told them Fuyuka is house-sitting too, they seemed to stop being selfish in front of their younger aunt.

“Yumina, call me if anything happens.”

“Yes. Have a safe trip.”

I used [Dimensional Transfer] to instantly transfer to the back alley of the shopping district at the bottom of the hill. There are no eyes or surveillance cameras here. I immediately opened a [Gate] and invited Lu and Arcia into the back alley. I took out a large backpack from [Storage] and had Lu carry it. In public, we will pretend to put things in here, but actually put them directly into my [Storage]. Of course, we only put in the amount that would fit. If we move to another shop, we can put things in again without worrying about being watched. When the three of us exited the back alley, we came out to a slightly old-fashioned arcade street. It hasn’t changed much from when I came a long time ago. Well, it hasn’t been decades, so that’s natural. It’s undeniable that it feels a bit desolate, pushed out by the shopping center I went to before. But I think this place is safer since there aren’t that many surveillance cameras. Since it’s a weekday afternoon, people are sparse. With this, Lu and Arcia, who look like foreigners, shouldn’t stand out that much.

“Mother! There are lots of vegetables over there! It’s a greengrocer!”

“Arcia, not Mother, but Lu-san. Or Big Sister is fine too.”

Lu admonished Arcia, whose tension skyrocketed upon finding the greengrocer. Well, they don’t look like parent and child no matter how you look at it.

“Hey, welcome. Running an errand? That’s admirable.”

The shopkeeper welcomed Arcia with a smile, though slightly surprised, as she joyfully charged into the greengrocer. Well, if a child looking like a foreigner suddenly jumped in, anyone would be surprised.

“Daikon, carrots, cabbage, onions… the vegetables around here look almost the same as the ones in the other world.”

“The tomatoes and potatoes are slightly different in shape. What is this…? It’s a vegetable I’ve never seen.”

Arcia and Lu, who were looking at the vegetables lined up at the storefront, turned their gaze to a green, stick-shaped vegetable with rugged bumps.

“That’s Goya. It’s a bit bitter, but if you stir-fry it with tofu and pork to make Goya Champuru, it’s tasty.”

“Goya Champuru! I’ve read about it in a book!”

“So this is Goya!”

“Oh, ohh.”

The bearded shopkeeper was a bit taken aback by the two who suddenly started getting excited. Sorry. The two of them dumped many Goya into the basket that was placed there. They tossed various other vegetables that caught their eye into the basket one after another.

“Oy oy, you buying that much?”

“W-We are a large family…”

I answered the shopkeeper’s doubt like an excuse. Or rather, I can’t think of any other reason…

“Can you carry it back? It’ll be evening, but if you don’t mind, I can deliver it?”

Delivery? I see, so there is that kind of system. The shopping district is thinking of various ways not to lose to the shopping center. But this helps. I gave a bitter smile while watching the mother and daughter getting vegetables one after another.

“Then, could we ask you to do that?”

“Sure thing. Then please write the address and phone number here.”

The shopkeeper tore off a memo paper hanging on the pillar and handed it to me along with a ballpoint pen. Grandpa’s house address is fine, but what about contact info… Dad’s mobile number should be fine. I’ll email him later. Once they found out delivery was possible, the Lu and Arcia mother-daughter duo got an even bigger boost. Saying this and that, they ended up buying almost every type of vegetable in the store. If I left them alone, they might have bought out everything, so I stopped them. Naturally, that would be a nuisance to other customers.

“No, well, I’m grateful, but… Is it really okay? You should check with your parents…”

“It’s fine. Please calculate the bill.”

I took out several ten-thousand yen bills and handed them to the greengrocer. The shopkeeper typed the product amount into the register, and I received the receipt and change.

“Thank you for your business. Then, I’ll deliver it in the evening.”

“Thank you very much. We’re counting on you.”

I left the greengrocer with Lu and Arcia, who looked satisfied after buying as much as they wanted.

“Ah, it’s a butcher shop!”

“There’s a fishmonger over there too!”

“Wait, one at a time!?”

I chased after the two running through the arcade who had found their next targets. How many more times do I have to repeat this…? After that, we went around the butcher shop, fresh fish shop, rice shop, bakery, and even entered a supermarket to buy side dishes, bento, sweets, ice cream, and so on. What took the most time was, as expected, the shop selling kitchen supplies and household goods; the two’s tension skyrocketed at the cooking utensils they had never seen before. They wanted to buy this and that, and while I was worrying about what to do, this shop also did a delivery service if you bought over a certain amount, so we decided to ask for it. No matter how you think about it, it’s impossible for children to carry back clay pots and dutch ovens. But just because of that, buying indiscriminately is questionable, though. Do we need an egg cutter? I can make something like that myself if I have the materials. I can make a hot sand maker without buying one too. or is there meaning in buying it locally? Aside from that, we bought a large rice cooker, a non-fryer, a hand mixer, and things like that at the electronics store. They also did delivery, which saved us… I didn’t want to stand out, but I feel like we stood out quite a bit… Even if it becomes a rumor, I hope it ends at the level of ‘Mochizuki’s relatives went on a shopping spree’…