"You're called Yoru Machi? What a strange name. But that isn't important. Can you answer my earlier question first?"
The Elf Maiden was genuinely curious about the "magic" Yoru Machi had used earlier. She was fairly well-traveled, yet she had never seen any of the magic he had used.
Even her own mana barrier had been corroded by the Poisonous Demon Dragon's toxic mist, yet Yoru Machi's magic had defended against it perfectly... No, only now did the Elf Maiden realize that even without using magic to defend himself, Yoru Machi seemed completely unaffected while standing in the toxic mist!
"The magic I use... is probably a rather unusual kind of magic. You can call it 'Kidō.'
"So far, I should be the only person in this world who has mastered this system of magic. You can think of it as some sort of secret technique.
"As for why the Poisonous Demon Dragon's toxic mist doesn't affect me, it's because I have the ability 'Magic Immunity.'
"No matter how potent the Poisonous Demon Dragon's toxic mist is, it's still formed from mana, right? So it's only natural that it can't affect me."
When she heard that Yoru Machi possessed a bug-like ability such as 'Magic Immunity,' the Elf Maiden did not believe him at first. After all, most people in this world used magic.
If what Yoru Machi said was true, then with Magic Immunity, wouldn't he be practically invincible in this world?
"Stop lying. When you faced the Poisonous Demon Dragon's toxic breath earlier, you clearly used that secret-technique-like magic of yours to defend yourself."
The scene the Elf Maiden was referring to was when Yoru Machi had faced the Poisonous Demon Dragon's toxic breath at close range and used the Kidō spell 'Dankū' to defend himself.
"Oh, that? My body can completely resist the effects of mana, but my clothes can't.
"That Poisonous Demon Dragon's breath was highly corrosive. If it had hit me from close range, I'd probably be in roughly the same state as you are now."
When Yoru Machi brought that up again, the Elf Maiden's face reddened all the way to her ears once more.
Yet just as she was about to say something else, a so-called third party suddenly appeared!
This was supposed to be a remote wilderness, and with the Poisonous Demon Dragon living here, the people from the surrounding villages had long designated this place a forbidden zone. No one else should have come here at a time like this.
However, when Yoru Machi and the Elf Maiden watched the figure within the toxic mist gradually become clearer, the wary expressions on their faces eventually changed into entirely different ones.
Yoru Machi: Shimada Yousuke?
Elf Maiden: A half-beastman?
That was right. The person who had suddenly emerged from the toxic mist and appeared here was none other than Shimada Yousuke, another transmigrator from the New World who had separated from Yoru Machi more than a week ago.
He was now dressed in tattered white casual clothes, with a strip of red rag wrapped around his neck like a scarf.
But why did Yoru Machi address Shimada Yousuke with such uncertainty after they had only been apart for a little over a week? It was because in just over a week, the changes in Shimada Yousuke were fucking enormous in Yoru Machi's eyes!
The original Shimada Yousuke had been rather unremarkable in this New World, where handsome men and beautiful women were everywhere, but he had at least looked average.
But now? Not only was he skin and bones, his cheekbones were sunken, making him look at least twenty years older than before!
If Yoru Machi had not remembered Shimada Yousuke so clearly, he probably would not have recognized him as that previously ordinary-looking boy from another world.
"Yoru Machi! You're here too? Then it looks like you got to that BOSS first.
"And this lady is... Sorry, it seems I've interrupted you two. I'll be leaving now."
Seeing Yoru Machi again after ten days, Shimada Yousuke had initially been quite happy. After all, as fellow visitors from another world, Yoru Machi was practically a fellow countryman.
Shimada Yousuke had wanted to catch up with Yoru Machi and show off how he had survived during this time and successfully gotten off to a good start.
However, when he saw the golden triangular crystal standing in the toxic mist, along with the raggedly dressed Elf Maiden within it, Shimada Yousuke immediately wore an understanding expression before turning to leave.
He did not know much about such matters, but he was still a healthy young man, so naturally he understood what was happening.
Moreover, Shimada Yousuke thought this scene was perfectly normal, like the ending sequence after clearing a game.
After the player went through countless hardships to defeat the dragon and rescue the princess, they would naturally marry the princess and live happily ever after.
Sega had games of this sort too, so Shimada Yousuke did not find it strange at all.
"Wait a minute! I think you've definitely misunderstood something! I have absolutely nothing to do with this guy!"
"Yousuke, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I was planning to head back to the city and see how you were doing after finishing this mission.
"But looking at you now, you seem to have changed quite a bit compared to ten days ago... ah."
The first remark had been shouted by the Elf Maiden, because she felt that if she did not clear up the misunderstanding, her innocence would practically be ruined.
As for the latter remark, spoken in an unconcerned tone, that was naturally Yoru Machi. In his view, nothing had happened in the first place, so there was no need to explain anything. Besides, he figured a complete game-obsessed shut-in like Shimada Yousuke probably would not care about such things.
After quickly pulling out clothes from her storage space and changing into them, the Elf Maiden walked up to Shimada Yousuke again. She pointed at him and emphasized, "Half-beastman, let me tell you this: I have absolutely nothing to do with this money-grubber.
"It's true that he saved me, but nothing happened between us like what you're imagining.
"And that guy is greedy and snobbish. Although he is indeed handsome and strong, I would never like someone like him."
Instead of showing understanding after hearing the Elf Maiden's explanation, Shimada Yousuke looked at her with obvious displeasure and said, "Miss, I think you're going too far.
"No matter what, Yoru Machi saved your life, didn't he? Even if you truly don't like him, you shouldn't call him greedy and snobbish.
"In games, clearing a stage earns rewards, and completing quests earns money or equipment. Isn't that perfectly normal?
"Besides, I think Yoru Machi is a good person. He saved me once before too, and even gave me half of the little money he had."
The Elf Maiden was clearly a tsundere, but although Shimada Yousuke had come from a modern society as well, the tsundere archetype had apparently not yet become popular in his era. Thus, he naturally found the Elf Maiden somewhat unreasonable.
Before you continue