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Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 91
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Chapter 91 : A Difficulty Overcome 1
“Phew…”
After descending to the ground, I took a breath and drank an MP potion created by my Water Magic.
By the time I landed back on the floor of the original layer, the giant tree had completely disappeared, leaving only something like a theater wrapped in that red mist around the area.
And even that mist was almost entirely clearing.
With this, searching for the control panel needed to escape the labyrinth shouldn’t be too difficult.
(…No sign of enemies. The people whose energy was drained by the bindings seem to be safe as well.)
But before anything else, I have to finish what needs to be done.
I looked down at Ibara, whose body was tied up and immobilized by manacles and shackles created by Water Magic, and whose bleeding had been stopped by Healing Magic and Ice Magic.
“…You didn’t finish me off. Did you intend to show mercy?”
“First, I want to ask some questions. I’ll decide what to do with you after that.”
“Is that so? Fine, ask whatever you want. Whether I answer honestly is another matter though.”
Despite everything, she still kept a confident, unshaken attitude.
Is she bluffing, or does she still have a trump card hidden somewhere?
Either way, I have to be cautious dealing with her.
“First question: Who wrote that invitation?”
“Didn’t you check the sender? It was definitely none other than Kuon Sougen-sama himself.”
“You seriously think that decrepit old man wrote that letter?”
“If he’s feeling well, perhaps he could.”
She refuses to answer honestly.
After dealing her this much damage, I expected at least some honesty.
“Next question: Are you affiliated with any organization?”
“It’s nothing grand like an organization, but there are people I serve.”
This answer is hard to interpret.
She says she serves someone, but judging by how she speaks, it doesn’t seem like the kind of manipulation Kuon Sougen used…
Also, who could possibly command a monster like her?
…Well, I can probably assume this incident wasn’t the work of a lone culprit.
“Third question: The monster that was in the attic of the Kuon mansion—did you summon it?”
“I will only say that I helped with that.”
She helped summon it.
That means whoever she serves, or someone closely related, was the one who actually called it forth.
“I see. Then last question.”
“Oh my, I was hoping to talk with you a bit more.”
“Sorry, I’m not in the mood. Straight to the point: Are you human? Or are you one of those monsters’ allies?”
“Neither. I am a doll made to resemble a human.”
Still smiling, Ibara looked me in the eye and answered straightforwardly—as if it was the most natural thing.
Unlike her previous evasive answers, this blunt confession caught me off guard, and I struggled to respond.
“Is ‘doll’ a metaphor or something?”
“I mean it literally. Like the shikigami in that mansion, I was created by humans and given a mission to infiltrate the Kuon family.”
“What mission?”
“To deliver the Ibaraki-Dōji’s arm you took to my master.”
Her sudden honesty made me think deeply.
Is this all a lie, or is it information safe for her to reveal?
Damn it, if only I could use Appraisal — I wouldn’t have to worry so much.
Anyway, there’s nothing more to ask her, or rather nothing she can tell me.
Besides, according to the drone’s location data, Kyori should be arriving soon.
I should shift focus from interrogation to neutralization.
“Are you done answering questions?”
“Yeah. I’ve asked everything I wanted. Whether I’m convinced is another matter though.”
“I see… Well, it’s a pity, but this is goodbye.”
At those words, lightning-like energy shot from Ibara’s body.
She clearly had no intention of going quietly.
“Then, Iori-sama. Until we meet again somewhere.”
“No, our relationship ends here.”
Her lightning scorched the restraints, but I spat out those words with disdain.
At the same time, the manacles binding her limbs transformed into ice chains that absorbed heat upon contact, gradually enveloping her entire body.
“What’s this…? I see, something to freeze my body. But this level of trickery won’t—”
“Yeah, this alone won’t seal you. That’s why I set a trap.”
“…A trap, I see.”
Understanding the cause of this sudden change to her body—my trap—Ibara placed a hand on her chest and muttered, exhaling cold breath and frozen blood.
“You implanted these ice chains inside my body as well.”
“Correct. You’re frozen from both inside and out, stripped of all freedom.”
When I used Ice Magic to stop her bleeding earlier, I secretly drove in an invisible tiny wedge inside her body.
If she acts hostile against me, the wedge will rapidly freeze her from the inside out.
Its effect was just as powerful as it was in tests against water dolls mimicking human bodies.
Ibara’s body was frozen solid, and her movements visibly slowed.
“Hahaha, it seems this time I am defeated.”
“…If you surrender quietly, I’ll spare your life. What do you say?”
“A foolish question. A failed doll who can’t fulfill her mission has no reason to exist… Besides—”
Despite being covered in ice, Ibara smiled serenely at me.
“Dolls don’t feel pain or fear, you know?”
Right after saying that, her body froze completely as if time itself had stopped.
Translator’s Notes
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Ibara (茨) — The character’s name literally means “thorn” or “briar,” which fits her role as a dangerous, thorny antagonist.
-
Kuon Sougen (久遠宗玄) — A key figure referenced as the supposed author of the invitation letter. “Kuon” (久遠) means “eternity” or “everlasting,” often used in fantasy for characters with deep history or power.
-
Invitation Letter (招待状) — This mysterious letter summoned the protagonist and others into the labyrinth and events. Its origin is a crucial plot point.
-
“Doll” (人形) — Here, Ibara’s claim that she is a doll is literal rather than metaphorical. In Japanese fantasy, “ningyō” can mean a puppet, automaton, or magically created humanoid—often a created being with a mission.
-
Shikigami (式神) — Spirit familiars or summoned entities controlled by magic users in Japanese folklore and fantasy. Ibara compares herself to the shikigami hidden in the mansion, implying she’s similarly created and controlled.
-
Ibaraki-Dōji’s Arm (茨木童子の腕) — Ibaraki-Dōji is a famous oni (demon) from Japanese mythology, often depicted as a powerful and fearsome figure. The severed arm is a significant magical artifact in the story.
-
Ice Chains (氷の鎖) — These magical restraints absorb heat and freeze the target, effectively immobilizing and suppressing magical abilities.
-
Trap (仕掛け) — Refers to a hidden magical or physical mechanism the protagonist prepared in advance, a contingency against Ibara’s escape or counterattack.
-
Water Dolls (水人形) — Magical constructs made of water used to test effects like freezing. This analogy helps explain how the freezing trap affects a living body.
-
The concept of dolls not feeling pain or fear — This line underlines the tragic or unsettling nature of Ibara as a created being, raising questions about sentience, emotion, and purpose.
Ibara (茨) — The character’s name literally means “thorn” or “briar,” which fits her role as a dangerous, thorny antagonist.
Kuon Sougen (久遠宗玄) — A key figure referenced as the supposed author of the invitation letter. “Kuon” (久遠) means “eternity” or “everlasting,” often used in fantasy for characters with deep history or power.
Invitation Letter (招待状) — This mysterious letter summoned the protagonist and others into the labyrinth and events. Its origin is a crucial plot point.
“Doll” (人形) — Here, Ibara’s claim that she is a doll is literal rather than metaphorical. In Japanese fantasy, “ningyō” can mean a puppet, automaton, or magically created humanoid—often a created being with a mission.
Shikigami (式神) — Spirit familiars or summoned entities controlled by magic users in Japanese folklore and fantasy. Ibara compares herself to the shikigami hidden in the mansion, implying she’s similarly created and controlled.
Ibaraki-Dōji’s Arm (茨木童子の腕) — Ibaraki-Dōji is a famous oni (demon) from Japanese mythology, often depicted as a powerful and fearsome figure. The severed arm is a significant magical artifact in the story.
Ice Chains (氷の鎖) — These magical restraints absorb heat and freeze the target, effectively immobilizing and suppressing magical abilities.
Trap (仕掛け) — Refers to a hidden magical or physical mechanism the protagonist prepared in advance, a contingency against Ibara’s escape or counterattack.
Water Dolls (水人形) — Magical constructs made of water used to test effects like freezing. This analogy helps explain how the freezing trap affects a living body.
The concept of dolls not feeling pain or fear — This line underlines the tragic or unsettling nature of Ibara as a created being, raising questions about sentience, emotion, and purpose.
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