Inumaki Language Translator, five stars!

Aikawa Kaze felt that finding a way to form an "alliance" with the system had indeed been the right decision.

After all, the world consciousness was busy and could not keep an eye on him at every moment. When the system was willing to help, it not only reduced his risks, but also made many things far more negotiable during "Heroic Spirit Summoning" (trading).

As an auxiliary AI created by the world consciousness, the system had naturally been given a wealth of knowledge, common sense, and information-including details about certain items in the world consciousness's stockpile.

So, when Aikawa Kaze was struggling with how to build certain modules, a search through the system turned up "Doggie," a canine language translator that already existed in another world and was supposedly highly acclaimed.

Apparently, this device was a True Magic item created by an Apple Occultist to communicate smoothly with a friend, the Puppy Occultist, and had received a five-star review from the puppy.

Although Aikawa Kaze was very curious about how an apple had become friends with a puppy, that clearly was not the point.

Modifying an existing basic template was far easier than making something from scratch.

After finishing their first day of exorcism missions, Aikawa Kaze and Toge Inumaki went to the hotel they had booked in advance to rest.

As their main fighting force, Inumaki was so exhausted that he fell straight asleep, while Aikawa Kaze entered the mental world to consult with his teacher Emiya and learned how to analyze "Doggie" using Projection Magecraft.

Under Emiya's guidance, he successfully replaced some of its contents with the "rice ball language" he knew, while preserving the combinations responsible for analyzing emotions and behavioral patterns.

And so, when Ijichi drove them to their mission location again the next day, Toge Inumaki received a gift from his friend.

-a little device resembling a senior-friendly phone, with a screen and simple buttons, threaded onto a chain so it could hang around his neck or from his backpack.

Toge Inumaki was a little bewildered by the gift. He looked at the supremely confident Aikawa Kaze with a puzzled expression.

"Kelp?"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed his confusion."

"Salted roe!"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki was surprised by Doggie's existence."

"Tuna mayonnaise!"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki was excited and intrigued by Doggie."

As the little device produced its "translations," Toge Inumaki's purple eyes widened abruptly. He looked at the small machine in disbelief, then at Aikawa Kaze's expectant face.

"This is the translation device I mentioned wanting to make. I'm not sure how accurate it is."

"Salmon, salmon!"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki was happy and very satisfied with Doggie's translation."

"Looks like it works pretty well?"

"Salmon, salmon!"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki was delighted and very grateful for your gift."

Watching Toge Inumaki nod with sparkling eyes, Aikawa Kaze curled his lips into a satisfied smile too.

Looks like this was a pretty good gift!

No wonder Doggie got such great reviews. Both of Toge Inumaki's responses were 'Salmon, salmon,' yet it could distinguish their meanings by analyzing his tone and voiceprint. That's amazing!

It seemed to convey his meaning accurately, without much discrepancy. Simply excellent.

With the device in hand, Toge Inumaki was like a child with a new toy, fiddling with it nonstop before trying to communicate with Assistant Supervisor Ijichi.

"Kelp, kelp?"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed some confusion about the destination."

"Huh? Are you talking to me?"

Assistant Supervisor Ijichi paused, then adjusted his glasses as he looked at Toge Inumaki holding the device up in front of him.

"You have questions about today's destination?"

Toge Inumaki blinked. He had actually wanted to ask how far apart today's three mission locations were and how long the trips would take, but perhaps what he had just said was too long for it to translate?

With that thought, Toge Inumaki spoke again.

"Kelp?"

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed confusion about the time required."

"Oh, are you asking how long it'll take to finish today's missions, Inumaki?"

Ijichi ventured the question. When Toge Inumaki nodded, his gaze drifted away awkwardly.

"Well... today's schedule is just as packed as yesterday's. Even without setting aside time for lunch and exorcising cursed spirits, we won't get back to the hotel until nine or ten."

"Bonito flakes..."

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki felt disappointed and sad."

"Ahaha, sorry, Inumaki..."

"Mustard leaf."

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed forgiveness."

"You really are a good kid, Inumaki!"

Ijichi was deeply moved.

Compared with a certain inhuman asshole of a cat, these two students really were little angels!

He had originally thought Inumaki was hard to communicate with and seemed somewhat cold and intimidating, but with the translator's help, he could feel the boy's kindness and gentleness too.

Still, a mission was a mission. Even though he also felt that many assignments handed down from above exploited the students, he was a corporate grunt at the bottom of the ladder and had no way to defy those orders.

All he could do was work harder to investigate the missions' backgrounds thoroughly, book upscale hotels and tasty meals, and handle the logistics so the two young jujutsu sorcerers could be a little more comfortable.

"Ahem, but if things go smoothly today, we'll only have two locations to visit tomorrow."

Assistant Supervisor Ijichi murmured quietly.

"After three straight days of missions, there's nothing wrong with tired jujutsu sorcerers taking a little extra rest. If there's somewhere you'd like to go for fun, I can drive you."

He could also book tickets and such along the way. Whether it was sightseeing, amusement attractions, five-star hotels, Michelin restaurants, or anything else, Ijichi assured them he could find a way to get an invoice and claim reimbursement.

Understanding what he meant, Aikawa Kaze and Toge Inumaki lit up and exchanged a glance, suddenly feeling even more motivated.

This Assistant Supervisor was great. He was worth befriending!

They all began viewing one another through rose-colored glasses, and work became more enjoyable too.

Given the stench of the cursed spirits born from resentment toward millipedes, the other two, who disliked wearing masks, eventually followed Aikawa Kaze's example and put on the most airtight N95 Masks.

Toge Inumaki had originally intended to endure it without a mask. After all, his Cursed Speech had to travel through sound, so even if he wore the tightest mask, he would still have to lift it when exorcising cursed spirits.

However, Aikawa Kaze made another trip to the mall to address that and thrust a portable voice amplifier into Inumaki's hands under his astonished gaze.

He remembered that Yuta Okkotsu had once tried amplifying Cursed Speech with a loudspeaker. Surely Inumaki himself could do it too?

If he remembered correctly, Inumaki's voice could put people to sleep even over a phone.

And so, Toge Inumaki readily accepted the suggestion, positioning a tiny microphone near his mouth and slinging a small speaker over his body.

Aikawa Kaze thumped his chest and guaranteed that if Toge Inumaki found it cumbersome to move around with, his trusty trench coat could help store the equipment.

However, Toge Inumaki clearly did not want to increase his companion's burden and chose to carry it himself.

After all, it was an amplifier for his ability!

Of course, amplifying his voice this way could not increase its power. The outcome still fundamentally depended on the relative strength of Toge Inumaki and the cursed spirit. Without question, though, the amplifier could extend Inumaki's attack range and make attacking easier.

Even with a mask on, Toge Inumaki's voice could now attack cursed spirits.

After discovering how useful this equipment was, Toge Inumaki decided to include the portable voice amplifier among his essential gear, alongside his throat medicine.

Not only that, at Aikawa Kaze's suggestion, he also purchased the necessary spare batteries and a spare speaker, storing them all in Aikawa Kaze's trench coat pockets.

Toge Inumaki: "Kelp?" (How does your trench coat fit so much stuff?)

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed confusion about your trench coat."

Aikawa Kaze blinked, thought back for a moment, and explained, "I bought my trench coat at Uniqlo. It's stain-resistant and hard-wearing. Highly recommended."

Toge Inumaki: "Kelp, kelp?" (I'm asking why your trench coat can hold so much when it barely looks bulgy at all.)

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed confusion about your trench coat's capacity and appearance."

"Appearance? Does it mean the style? Capacity? It probably means the quantity! Looks like some of Doggie's translations still don't quite get the meaning across!"

Aikawa Kaze pondered for a moment, considering the style and quantity, and felt he understood what Toge Inumaki meant.

"I get what you mean, but it's not that I never change my clothes. They look the same because Uniqlo had a sale-twenty percent off two items and thirty percent off three. So I bought three identical coats at once. That's why they look the same."

Toge Inumaki: "Kelp, kelp, kelp!" (No, I'm asking why your trench coat can hold so much stuff! It doesn't even have zippers, so why aren't you worried about things falling out? Come to think of it, did you sew buttons on yours too?)

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki?MBiantrench coatHGuaibin?Ebuttons客投资æ-"

Aikawa Kaze: "..."

He seemed to have only caught things like "trench coat" and "buttons."

Aikawa Kaze felt his trench coat pockets. They really did not have zippers, but he kept all his important things in his Four-Dimensional Pocket!

That seemed a little difficult to explain...

Oh well, I'll sew some inner buttons onto my trench coat later too!

Toge Inumaki: "Bonito flakes." (Looks like the translator can't translate anything too complicated. There's still a lot to improve, or some things will come out wrong.)

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed anticipation for upgrades to Doggie's functions."

"Is that so? Thanks so much for your trust, Inumaki. I'll find a way to update its functions."

"..."

Toge Inumaki felt that was not quite what he had meant, but seeing how happy and proud Aikawa Kaze looked, he blinked and said nothing.

This is pretty nice too. Doggie still gets five stars!

And so, after their missions were finished that day, Aikawa Kaze bought a needle, thread, and buttons under the shocked gazes of the Assistant Supervisor and Toge Inumaki, then carefully sewed buttons onto his trench coat pockets. His stitches were close and neat, countless times better than Toge Inumaki's messy handiwork.

-Thank goodness for elementary school craft classes in the Flower Planting Country!

Aikawa Kaze felt that he really had already taken all the classes that turned out to be useful.

"Speaking of which, since I've already bought the supplies, how about I reinforce yours too?"

Remembering the miserable stitches and crooked knots on Toge Inumaki's fasteners, Aikawa Kaze could not help making the suggestion.

Then, under Inumaki's touched gaze, he deftly picked up the needle and thread and took the other boy's top.

Toge Inumaki: "Salmon, salmon!" (You're way too nice! Thank you!)

Doggie: "Toge Inumaki expressed gratitude and praise for you."

"You're welcome."

Watching Aikawa Kaze diligently reinforce his fasteners, Toge Inumaki recalled his whispered conversation with Panda and nodded emphatically. Kaze really did think outside the box. He was a great guy!

No wonder he had specifically asked to join Gojo Sensei's "Secret High School Boy Kiss-Kiss Affection UPUP Operation"!