Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 73

 Chapter 73 – A Formal Invitation to the Mansion (Part 1)

A slightly larger-than-average convenience store parking lot near a highway on the outskirts of town.

I’d been summoned to this unusually quiet location—especially for a long weekend—and now stood there, utterly overwhelmed by something that felt completely out of place.

Early morning, the start of the holiday break. I had followed the map that appeared after I’d dripped a bit of blood on that mysterious letter, and the location it led me to… well, it came with quite a surprise.

Waiting there was a woman-shaped shikigami, dressed exactly like the one who had delivered that letter before. And parked beside her was something no ordinary person would ever dream of riding in—a snow-white limousine that screamed wealth and pedigree.

“You must be Iori Osamu-sama. We are deeply grateful that you accepted our sudden invitation on such short notice.”

Despite the lingering summer heat, the shikigami bowed deeply, unfazed by the thick black kimono she wore or the scorching outdoor temperature.

“Oh, no, no, thank you for the invitation. Really, I’m honored. Also, uh, this is just a small token of appreciation… nothing special, but it keeps well, so feel free to toss it anywhere.”

“Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated. I’m sure my master will be delighted.”

With that, she accepted the paper bag without even the slightest hint of suspicion, then gracefully opened the limousine’s door and gestured for me to step inside.

(Whoa… this is something else.)

The moment I entered, the words “luxurious beyond reason” flashed through my head.

The inside of the limousine was practically palatial. Thanks to the large side windows, it didn’t feel cramped at all. A long sofa ran along one side, and there was a small fridge, a television, a table, even a rack of wine glasses—despite all the furnishings, the space still felt generous.

It was hard to believe I was actually inside a car.

Sure, I had figured it’d be a nice ride. Kuon lived in a pretty fancy apartment, after all. And the message that had appeared alongside the map said they’d send a car to pick me up. I had mentally prepped for something classy.

But this… this was way beyond anything I could’ve imagined.

As I stood there slightly dazed by the sheer luxury, the shikigami retrieved an expensive-looking bottle and poured some liquid into an equally expensive-looking wine glass.

“Please, help yourself. It’s just water, of course.”

“No complaints here. I was dying of thirst on the way over, so I really appreciate it.”

I gave her a sheepish smile and took a sip from the offered glass.

“I will be at the driver’s seat. If you require anything, please press the buzzer on the table. Oh, and I should mention—our estimated arrival time at the Kuon family’s main residence is an hour and a half from now.”

“Got it.”

With that, she stepped out of the passenger area and disappeared behind a partition, heading toward the driver’s seat.

…Now it was just me back here.

I stretched out along the ridiculously long sofa and glanced around again. It didn’t look like anyone else was going to be joining me. For the next hour or so, I had the whole place to myself.

May as well use the time wisely.

As I was thinking that, a soft alarm tone chimed from somewhere nearby.

Right, guess it’s time. I’ve done all I need to on this end for now. Might as well switch back to the other body.

I closed my eyes and let all the tension drain from my limbs.

And then—

(Sensory Link: Off)

The moment I deactivated the Skill, a familiar ceiling came into view.

Sunlight peeked in through the curtain slats, and I could hear birds chirping faintly outside the window.

No doubt about it. I was back in my own room.

(Looks like the switch was a success...)

Savoring that small feeling of accomplishment, I sat up from bed and reached for my phone on the bedside table. At the top of the notifications was a message from Kana:

“Locked the door.” That was it.

Right—she mentioned she was going to be away on a kendo training camp over the holiday. Which meant… I had the house all to myself.

As I walked over to my desk, the silence in the house felt almost unnerving. Still, I had a pile of extra homework assigned for the break, so I figured I’d knock some of it out.

I got to work in silence.

Then—

Guuuuurrrggghh…

My stomach let out a loud complaint.

…Right. I hadn’t eaten a thing all day.

When Kana’s around, she always makes sure there’s at least something resembling a real meal, but left to my own devices, I can’t even be bothered to dig out the pans.

No one else is going to be here today, tomorrow, or the day after. May as well eat something quick and get back to the other me.

I pulled a nutrition gel pack and a snack bar from the fridge, tossed them back, then returned to my room and checked the time.

Just over an hour had passed since deactivating the Skill. No sign of the decoy being discovered. The failsafe system I’d set up hadn’t triggered either. So far, so good.

Feeling reassured, I placed a bottle of sports drink and another of mineral water beside my bed, then flopped back down in a spread-eagle position.

(Sensory Link)

In the blink of an eye, my senses were once again tied to the body lying in the limousine.

Sitting up, the first thing I did was check that body’s condition.

(…Good. Doesn’t look like anything happened.)

No signs of tampering. No indication anyone had figured out the truth. No time discrepancy either.

Yeah, I think it’s safe to relax.

Relieved, I took a closer look at my arm.

At a glance, the skin tone, texture, and even temperature were indistinguishable from that of a real human. And thanks to the Perception Disruption Magic I’d layered on top, no one who looked at it would even feel anything was off.

That’s right—the body riding in this limo wasn’t the real me.

It was a replica, created using a combination of Water Magic, Ice Magic, Wind Magic, and Perception Disruption. A false body, modeled to closely resemble a human being.

By using the Skill Sensory Link, I could control it remotely, speak through it, and essentially make it indistinguishable from a living person. That way, even from the safety of my own home, I could infiltrate enemy territory without putting myself in danger.

This… was my trump card.

My ace-in-the-hole for sneaking into the Kuon family estate.

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