Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 74

Chapter 74 – A Formal Invitation to the Mansion (Part 2)

“““Welcome. On behalf of the entire Kuon household, we extend our warmest greetings to you, Iori-sama.”””

(Whoa… This is seriously next-level.)

The moment I stepped out of the car, having arrived at what looked like a traditional inn in a tourist hotspot, a group of people—presumably the Kuon family’s servants—bowed in unison.

While I stood there overwhelmed and confused, a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties approached me.

“You must be tired from your long journey. Your room is ready—I’ll guide you there.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

With that, the woman turned and began leading me deeper into the mansion.

But before that—

(Appraise.)

――――
Target: Servant-Type Shikigami
Effect: A crowd-type shikigami designed for full domestic utility. Possesses limited self-defense capabilities and shared intelligence across the unit.
Status: Skill Level 10/10
Note: Manifested through a large-scale spell formation pre-installed within the Kuon family estate. Current assignment: attending to Iori Osamu.
――――

I had a hunch, but yeah—these people are shikigami too.

That said, from the results of Appraise, it doesn’t seem like their bodies are just human-shaped puppets. At least for now, they don’t seem hostile toward me.

Still, I couldn’t say they were completely harmless. Compared to me, this fake body is significantly weaker.

So I’ll need to stay on my guard—just in case.

As I was thinking that, the shikigami stopped in front of a door.

“This will be your room during your stay, Iori-sama.”

“Whoa…”

When the door opened, it revealed an extravagant guest room with an all-tatami floor.

From the large glass windows, I could see a majestic mountain view—and there was even an open-air bath attached.

“We may come to call on you again later, but until then, please take your time and relax. Also, if you head out and take the corridor to your left, you’ll find a large bath. Feel free to use it whenever you like.”

Oh? A large public bath too? They really went all out.

Well, I guess it makes sense if all the family members are gathering here. They’d want decent accommodations.

“Then, I’ll take my leave for now. If you need anything, simply ring the bell on the desk. Now then, please excuse me.”

After bowing once more to me, the shikigami exited the room.

…Finally. Some peace and quiet.

(First, I need to figure out the layout of this mansion—and where Kuon is.)

With that in mind, I liquefied my fake body’s left hand and split it into dozens of miniature drones, scattering them throughout the building.

(Sensory Link with the drones is working fine. Next up…)

Once I confirmed that the drones were functioning properly, I directed the fake body toward the open-air bath and turned on the water.

After confirming no one else was nearby, I brought the left wrist close to the water.

As if jumping in of its own will, the water was absorbed into the severed wrist, and in the blink of an eye, a new left hand formed.

(…Man, this really does look like something out of a horror movie.)

I would’ve liked the regeneration to be a bit less grotesque, but that’s just personal preference—not something to dwell on right now.

Now, about this fake body…

It’s built around a humanoid frame made from ice created with Ice Magic, embedded with sensory organs using Design and Blacksmithing Technique. The body is modeled after my own appearance, its structure maintained with Wind Magic and Water Magic to keep it from melting, and is layered with full Perception Obstruction Magic so it won’t be mistaken for a fake.

This fake body has three key advantages:

1. It can regenerate minor damage by absorbing surrounding water.

2. It has high modularity—since the surface is water, it can reshape its parts into different forms if preconfigured.

3. Even if destroyed, it leaves behind only water or vapor, making it ideal for erasing evidence or deceiving enemies.

…That said, it has its fair share of downsides too.

First off, with my current Blacksmithing Technique level, crafting just one fake body takes several days.

Then there’s its weak combat ability. Since it’s a separate entity, it doesn’t have its own level or stats. The only Skills it can use are the ones I preloaded, and even its shape-shifting is controlled through Sensory Link by feeding it MP.

And its biggest flaw—this fake body is utterly dependent on my Sensory Link.

If someone uses a spell or ability that severs that link, the fake becomes completely useless.

Which means I have to operate it very carefully.

Anyway—

Once the damaged area had regenerated, I moved the fake body to sit down and conserve energy. Just then, information from one of the miniature drones projected onto my vision.

(Ahh… Yeah, no way I’m finding Kuon just by wandering around this place.)

I figured this exorcist mansion wouldn’t be normal, but the drone feed showed a structure that far exceeded even my wildest expectations.

First of all, the mansion’s interior is clearly warped using some kind of spatial manipulation—it's way bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.

What’s more, the place is laced with teleportation arrays, and the footage shows the servant-type shikigami using them freely to get around.

And then, most concerning of all—there are scattered rooms and staircases that are unnaturally dim, which the shikigami pointedly avoid entering.

I tried sending drones into those areas too, but all I got back was pitch-black footage—like peering into the abyss.

Maybe it’s a trap for intruders… or maybe they’re hiding something important to the Kuon family. Either way, I don’t have enough intel yet. Better not risk going near those places for now.

Anyway, I’ve got a rough grasp of the mansion’s layout. Now all that’s left is—

Just then, a soft knock came at the door, followed by the same voice as the shikigami that had shown me to my room.

“Iori-sama, the head of the household has expressed a strong desire to meet you. I apologize for disturbing your rest, but could you please come to the grand hall?”

Oh boy. The Kuon family’s head is summoning me already?

I doubt they’ve figured out what I’m doing here—my link with the drones is still intact—but still, we’re talking about the leader of Japan’s exorcist world. I’d rather not get on their bad side.

Actually… if I think about it, this is a golden opportunity to check on Kuon’s safety.

All the more reason to accept.

“Understood! I’ll head there right away!”

Alright then—time to meet the provisional final boss.

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