Chapter 22: Tierra-sensei's Summer Lessons

『Suggestion. Wouldn't it be better for Tierra to simply remove her underwear?』

"What the hell are you saying, you perverted AI? I'll throw you into the lake."

Apparently, even if the swimsuits were going to be created with fantasy power, they still needed to take measurements. So everyone except Nanashi-kun and me was taken away by the twins.

Nanashi-kun went ahead to investigate the lake and check whether there were any dangers, such as the "Lake Guardian" the twins had told us about.

Since I had nothing else to do, I was thinking I might as well prepare lunch, when Tetoma suddenly started saying something strange.

Is this artificial intelligence evolving in the wrong direction?

『Question. I do not understand why Tierra is angry. ...I infer that there is a clear distinction between "underwear" and "swimwear." There is no relevant data regarding this matter. Tierra, please answer my question. What is the difference between underwear and swimwear?』

What an obvious question.

The materials and purposes are completely different. Underwear is worn beneath your regular clothes, while swimwear is worn for swimming. Underwear can become transparent when it gets wet, too. Swimming in swimwear is fine, but I wouldn't want to swim in underwear. That's why these two things are completely different...

...Hmm? Wait a second. What about the reverse?

Thinking about it, hmm. Indeed. The difference between swimwear and underwear, huh? When you really think about it, this might actually be a pretty profound subject.

Of course, depending on the type, both swimwear and underwear often cover almost exactly the same amount of skin.

The materials and construction are different. Their purposes are different. But...

"At its core, it might simply be a difference in perception."

『A difference in perception? Further explanation required.』

How should I explain this...?

For example, one possible answer to the question "What is the difference between swimwear and underwear?" would be the difference in materials and construction. Swimwear can be described as clothing specialized for swimming that doesn't become transparent when wet.

However...

"Being made of a material that remains fine when wet is certainly a major factor... But if that were the only thing that mattered, then it would mean there'd be nothing embarrassing about wearing underwear on the beach as long as it didn't get wet."

I realized this while thinking about Tetoma's question earlier. Suppose, for example, that underwear was made from a material that didn't become transparent when wet in the first place. Or suppose technology advanced to the point where all clothing repelled water and possessed the same functions as swimwear. In that case, would people, myself included, swim in their underwear?

Obviously, the answer would be no. If so, then the difference in suitability for water cannot be the decisive factor separating swimwear from underwear.

Then...

"Because when you go somewhere near the water, everyone else is wearing it, so it's common sense to wear swimwear when swimming. Or because underwear is something that should be kept hidden. ...It's really just that your own perception, or the perception of the people around you, is different."

That's the conclusion I've reached.

That said, I find swimwear incredibly embarrassing too. I have no idea how women in this world generally feel about it, though.

Maybe I only feel that way because my body is female while my mind is in a rather complicated state.

『Understood. I conclude that this is a matter of social norms and emotions. The latter is an area not installed within me, but the former is easy to understand. Thank you, Tierra.』

"I'm only saying this because it's me, but you shouldn't suddenly tell another woman, 'Why don't you take off your underwear?'"

Rene would probably be fine with it, though. She hasn't developed that much emotionally yet. Pahal might be fine too. She's an idiot who seems to have left her sense of shame somewhere behind.

Oh? Wait a minute~. More than half of the girls in our party might actually be okay with it?

『Is it acceptable to say it to Tierra?』

"That's not what I mean..."

This is hopeless. Talking to an AI is seriously exhausting. Somebody help me~. I want to talk to a human~.

"Tierra-dono, Tetoma-dono. I have returned."

"Oh, Nanashi-kun. Welcome back. Would you like some food? A bath? Or perhaps...?"

"Hmm...? It is far too early for either lunch or a bath. And what do you mean by 'or perhaps'?"

"No, it was just a joke. I was only messing around, so please forget I said anything."

"I do not quite understand, but if that is what you say, I shall not pry. I expect it shall be forgotten within a dozen seconds or so."

I had been crying out for help in my heart, and Nanashi-kun came back.

To thank him, I treated him to a special voice line, but it completely went over his head.

Well, I already know that Nanashi-kun's world isn't Earth because Tera told me about how this world came into existence.

I was merely role-playing under the assumption that the conceptual spirit "Tierra As" would have made this sort of comment.

Come to think of it, where did that "food, bath, or...?" three-choice joke originally come from? Was it from some TV drama or something?

"...As a result of checking the surrounding area, I found no signs of any serious danger. I have determined that it is safe to rest in this vicinity. I shall inform Kizuna-dono and the others later."

"Thank you. That's reassuring."

『My search functions are incomplete, so I cannot make a definitive statement. However, I judge that there is little danger in the vicinity.』

"Thank you too, Tetoma."

Well, I doubt it matters how thoroughly we investigate. It's probably the boss character for the event. It'll likely attack us toward the end of the vacation.

...But I absolutely won't say that, because I don't want to ruin the summer event.

I happened to notice Nanashi-kun's clothes, and they were the familiar ninja outfit.

The only difference from usual was that they were wet. The color might have been slightly different too.

Apparently, they repelled water, though...

"Is that the underwater equipment you mentioned earlier? It looks almost exactly the same as what you normally wear."

"Indeed. It is underwater equipment of a dark navy color, allowing me to conceal my presence underwater. It repels water and retains sufficient warmth even underwater. In the first place, a ninja is one who conceals themselves. We are not beings who seek stylishness."

"I see."

Well, that wasn't the only reason...

...Hmm. Perhaps I should bring it up deliberately.

The information-gathering abilities of "ninjas" are no different in this world than they were in my original world.

What would happen if this ninja investigated me? It might interfere with my plans.

In that case, I'll expose one of his secrets here. And in exchange, I'll offer him some information of my own.

Sharing secrets is an effective way to prevent betrayal, after all.

"By the way, Nanashi-kun, your right ring finger... That's an artificial finger, isn't it? There are several other parts of your body like that, too... Does that have anything to do with why you immediately declined the swimsuit?"

"...So you noticed. I had trained so that I could use it just as I would my original body. I suppose this means I have not trained enough."

"No. During the battle, I used healing magic on you, and it didn't work on certain parts of your body. Your ring finger was one of them. My power only works on living things, so I suspected those parts might be artificial."

Ninety percent of that information came from Tera, though.

Still, it was true that my healing magic had reacted strangely.

"I see. That was a blind spot. It is a consequence of having not worked together with others for a long time."

"I'm sorry if I offended you. I realize that uncovering someone's secret without permission can be intrusive."

"Intrusive? Absolutely not. After all, I have been saved by Tierra-dono's magic throughout our journey thus far. How could I complain when I should instead be expressing my gratitude?"

"I'm glad to hear you say that. If you're going to continue traveling with Kizuna-kun and the others, then as the person responsible for healing, I need to know these things."

Not that I actually needed to know in order to heal him. I had known from the beginning, after all. But as part of my role-play as "Tierra As," this was perfect.

"It is not particularly something I need to hide, but some of my limbs are artificial."

『Question. Does that make you one of my kind?』

"No. It is nothing as complicated as Tetoma-dono. It would be closer to a doll, I suppose. I simply have parts of my body replaced with artificial flesh."

"So you use magic to move them."

『Understood. Updating data.』

Rather than being mechanical or clockwork in nature, it was more like certain parts of his body had been turned into dolls.

"And to answer Tierra-dono's earlier question, the condition of my body is indeed one of the reasons I declined the twins' offer. I would not wish to spoil everyone's good mood."

"One of the reasons...? The way you put that makes it sound like there are others."

"Indeed. The second is for emergencies. I have numerous weapons hidden beneath my clothes, allowing me to fight should the need arise."

I see. Nanashi-kun doesn't fight using magic like lightning or flames.

He fights with "kunai" and other ninja-like tools. Since those weapons are hidden beneath his clothes, he would be completely unarmed if he wore a swimsuit.

"And the third reason. I do not trust those twins. They appeared out of nowhere and create clothes using mysterious techniques... It is all exceedingly suspicious."

Right?

If you can write it off as a summer event, that's one thing, but if you encountered something like this in real life, you'd be suspicious too.

Kizuna-kun and the others had little experience, so they completely trusted the twins because they looked like innocent young children who didn't seem to harbor any ill will.

Padron-kun apparently had received plenty of training, but didn't seem to have much experience with long journeys either.

Pahal, on the other hand... Yeah. She's traveled extensively and has plenty of actual combat experience, but she's basically an idiot. Once some mysterious instinct tells her she can trust someone, she just completely trusts them.

Hmm.

I think this is a good point to share secrets.

I'll keep the fact that I'm a spirit hidden, while positioning myself as someone who "has some kind of deep connection with spirits."

"Nanashi-kun, those twins are 'spirits'... More specifically, they're ancient 'conceptual spirits' who have lived for an extremely long time."

"Is that truly so!? I have heard that 'spirits' possessing special and powerful abilities give off such a distinct presence that they can be identified at a glance."

Exactly. That's why I need this black robe too.

Honestly, without the black robe, I'd be instantly exposed, followed by an incredible amount of trouble. Specifically, trouble involving the Eight Knights and the Spirit Faith.

"They are probably able to do so because the two of them are actually one. By splitting their concept into two, I believe they also divide the presence of the spirit between them. On top of that, they were wearing clothing that distorts other people's perception of them... Specialized magical equipment. It is no wonder you failed to notice."

I was able to recognize the trick behind their presence because I'm a spirit myself. I could infer the effect of their clothing because I knew of a black robe with a similar effect.

"Good heavens...! In that case, there was no need for such excessive caution. Surely spirits would never consider harming us out of malice."

There it is again.

That inexplicable trust in spirits.

Even people who aren't believers of the Spirit Faith regard spirits as special beings in this "Chaos."

Their mysterious births, appearing suddenly from nothing. The unique powers each of them possesses, which cannot be reproduced through magic, though their output varies from individual to individual. The fact that some have lived for so long that they have been spoken of in legends since ancient times. And above all, the narrative of spending their entire extraordinarily long lives devoted to a "mission."

...Given all these qualities, it's only natural that spirits would be regarded as sacred. Worship of "spirits" exists throughout the entirety of "Chaos." The fact that the "Spirit Faith" is one of only two world religions in "Chaos," a collection of countless worlds, makes that abundantly clear.

And so, the people of "Chaos" tend to trust spirits unconditionally.

As someone who is, technically speaking, a spirit myself and knows how this world came into existence, I can only say that it's an absurd way of thinking.

Spirits aren't nearly as pure and noble as people think.

"Nanashi-kun. You shouldn't readily trust anything associated with spirits."

"What do you mean by that...? Spirits are beings who devote everything they have to the missions assigned to them by the world. I am not a follower of the Spirit Faith, but I do hold great respect for the way they live."

That's it.

That's where he's fundamentally mistaken.

"Spirits aren't devoting themselves to their missions. It's the opposite. Their missions are trapped within human form. To put it more simply, a 'spirit' is a mission that walks."

"A mission that walks...?"

If you only heard that they devoted everything to their mission, you might think they were noble, earnest, devoted, and tragic beings. They would attract sympathy, draw people's interest, and eventually inspire faith.

But there's no need to pity them in the first place. Spirits don't consider their own existence pitiful in the slightest. On the contrary, they don't possess even a shred of pride in it either.

They merely choose a humanoid form because it is the optimal shape for their "mission" to act through. That's why they don't have any command in their arsenal other than "carry out the mission." To put it to the extreme, they aren't even attached to their own lives.

For example, the little Sword Saint... Sword Saint Espera Espada cut down the "Conceptual Spirit of the Sword," but the "Conceptual Spirit of the Sword" who was cut apart simply praised Espera, the person who had killed it, and burst out laughing. After various events, it still lives on as the sword Espera-chan possesses, but even if it had simply died and vanished then and there, it wouldn't have held even the slightest grudge.

Pitying such a spirit is pointless. It's like humans arbitrarily pitying a creature whose very nature drives it to cannibalize its own kind.

"Spirits are fundamentally different from humans. They're completely different creatures that only happen to have the same shape... Seeking mutual understanding is a waste of time. ...Though there are exceptions to everything. There are spirits who have nurtured love that hasn't faded even after hundreds of years."

...Spirits are supposed to be like that, but there was one exceptional case.

"Could you perhaps mean the story of 'The Magician and the Death Spirit'?"

"Oh? You know about it?"

"It is an exceedingly famous tale. The love story between Necroa, the Conceptual Spirit of 'Death,' and a human magician named Telua. The custom of giving a ring to one's ring finger as a token of engagement has now become common knowledge throughout the world."

She herself was incredibly embarrassed about that, though.

Necroa-san, who governed the concept of "Death," possessed a power that drained the lives of everything around her simply by being present.

She once decided to abandon her mission and die, but then she had a fateful encounter with a certain man. In the end, she wound up taking the life of the person she loved as well, but he didn't resent Necroa-san. Instead, he gave her a gift just before he died.

It was a ring-shaped magical artifact that the magician had poured everything he had into creating in time. The ring's power suppressed Necroa-san's constantly active ability.

After his death, Necroa-san built his grave herself. Borrowing the name of the man she loved along with his ring, she began calling herself "Necroa Telua" and continued traveling with his grave on her back. Her original mission had been to indiscriminately spread death, but it had now changed into giving peaceful deaths to lives reaching their final moments on the battlefield. And that was how the initially implemented SSR character "Necroa Telua, Peaceful Gravekeeper" came into existence.

Her story was spread throughout "Chaos" by traveling bards under the title "The Magician and the Death Spirit." In some regions, it had apparently even been turned into a children's picture book.

Apparently, a friend who occasionally visited the magician and Necroa told an acquaintance about it after the magician's death, who then told someone else, and the story continued spreading from person to person.

By the time Necroa realized what had happened, around fifty years after her lover's death, it was already too late. Her story had spread throughout all of "Chaos."

Oops, I've gotten sidetracked.

Anyway, she's an exception.

Necroa-san, who abandoned her mission and attempted to die, was an extraordinarily abnormal spirit, and the magician who gave Necroa-san the will to live and changed the shape of her mission was even more exceptional.

The other spirits aren't nearly so full of human sentiment.

"Anyway. You shouldn't trust 'spirits' themselves, or beings who have a deep connection with 'spirits.' Regardless of good or evil, their fundamental values... their very way of perceiving the world are different from ours."

"I see. I am grateful for the lesson. ...By the way, Tierra-dono, you seem to know an extraordinary amount about spirits."

"Yes. A lot happened in the past. I have quite a connection with spirits."

"My word. A connection with spirits... If a follower of the Spirit Faith heard that, they would probably cry tears of joy."

"Ah, and this absolutely has to stay a secret. I don't want to get accosted by devout followers of the Spirit Faith."

For now, that should be enough information to offer as part of our secret-sharing arrangement. Something happened in the past that left me deeply connected to spirits... and, for good measure, I don't exactly have particularly positive feelings toward them either.

Never mind that I myself am a spirit.

But I'm not revealing my true identity at this stage. Of course, part of the reason is that I want to become a subject of speculation and attract attention, but there's another reason too.

Once people discover that my true identity is a "spirit," the followers of the "Tyrant King" and the "Knight King" come after me.

They swarm around me like insects gathering around a streetlamp. Honestly, they're such a pain.

『Question. Are Kizuna and the others, who are currently with the twin spirits, not in danger?』

"Well... They shouldn't be in any 'danger' of the kind Tetoma is worried about. The concepts those twins govern are probably things like 'clothing,' 'sewing,' and 'dyeing.' It's difficult to imagine Kizuna-kun and the others getting hurt because of them."

"The way you phrased that implies there is another kind of 'danger'?"

"Well, I'm not sure whether you can really call this danger..."

...I take a pair of glasses out of my pocket. Along with them, I pull out a long, thin stick and some kind of book, equipping all three.

Ta-da! Female Teacher Tierra is complete!

User-san! Here's a new character illustration!

"Why did you suddenly put on glasses...?"

"It's just a matter of mood. Don't worry about it."

Who would have thought I'd pull off a double feature in a single event: yukata AND female teacher?!

The glasses are just fake glasses I bought in a town along the way, and since there isn't even a blackboard, the stick has no purpose either. Oh, and the book is actually a cookbook.

Fake glasses + pointless stick + completely unrelated book... It's all just for appearances.

"Ahem. Tetoma, Nanashi-kun. What do you think about the concept of 'clothing'?"

『Answer. Something humans wear on their bodies. It is used for purposes such as protecting the body, adorning oneself, demonstrating membership in a group, and so forth.』

"Excellent, Tetoma. That's the model answer. ...Then let's narrow the scope a little. What is 'swimwear worn in summer' for?"

『Answer. For swimming, and for adorning oneself.』

"Exactly. If you were to summarize those things in a single word, what would it be?"

"...For having fun?"

"Exactly right, Nanashi-kun. We swim because it's fun. We dress up because it's fun. Therefore, 'summer swimwear' exists from beginning to end for the purpose of 'having fun.'"

My two students are far too competent. This lesson is progressing incredibly smoothly.

"And spirits are concepts themselves. Naturally, the 'clothing' created by a Conceptual Spirit of 'Clothing' is different from ordinary 'clothing.' It becomes 'clothing' that has taken the concept to its absolute extreme."

In other words, clothing that exists for the purpose of having fun is being created by a Conceptual Spirit of "Clothing."

"Swimwear that has perfected the concept of 'having fun with summer swimwear'... What do you suppose would happen if you wore something like that?"

"Blue skies! White clouds! The blazing sun!"

"It's summer! It's the ocean! It's time to go swimminggg!!"

That's a lake. Not the ocean.

...Believe it or not, those lines were spoken by Padron-kun and Kizuna-kun, both wearing swimsuits.

The former was Padron-kun, and the latter was Kizuna-kun.

The boy who had been completely consumed by aristocratic ideals and the abnormal person who had lost his memories and devoted himself entirely to his mission had both disappeared somewhere. The two standing here were simply a pair of idiots enjoying summer.

"Meow. Summer is the season of competition. This summer cat will never let its prey escape, nya. I'll make them completely lovestruck, nya."

And this one was a female cat in full heat.

I thought cats went into heat in spring, though. How strange.

I'm worried that Kizuna-kun might get "eaten" in a way that has nothing to do with predation. Don't go and cause a shotgun wedding or something, okay? That would completely derail the scenario.

"It's summerrr! I'm gonna enjoy it to the fullest! ...For starters, all I have to do is 'reverse-pick-up,' right?"

And then there was Pahal. What happened to you? What is with that plunging neckline?

Seriously, isn't it too much? Wasn't an archer supposed to have a problem if she had such a large chest?

...And stop confidently showing off half-understood information.

Well, I don't mind if you try to pick someone up, but the only people around are some elderly men and women from the nearby villages out for a stroll.

"Summer is a season of liberation... Both one's feelings and one's clothing become more liberated. Is that the concept embedded within these clothes?"

"That's almost right!"

"You're amazing, you're amazing!"

When I directed the question toward the twins, who had been standing there with their arms folded and nodding with satisfaction, they gave me energetic answers.

"There's one more thing!"

"The most important thing!"

"Summer is a fun season—"

"So we put the heart of having fun—"

"Into them!"

"Hehehe!"

"Ehehe!"

Even though I had expected it, it turned out that these two really were the root of all evil.

"Do you understand now, Nanashi-kun, Tetoma? It's not malicious. But it's not benevolent either. This is simply how 'spirits' are."

This isn't a matter of benevolence or malice. This was simply the result of them faithfully creating clothes according to their mission.

"I see. Nevertheless, they do not seem harmful, and it should make for a pleasant way to relax."

"I'm worried about you, Nanashi-kun. You'll be like the only sober person surrounded by drunk people. Can you match their energy?"

"I have never had alcohol on Earth, but I've had opportunities to drink occasionally here. Apparently, a spirit's body has a strong resistance to alcohol as well, so I don't get drunk very easily.

It was difficult dealing with people who were drunk and had thrown off all their inhibitions while I remained in that state.

"Hahaha, I see. But there is no need to worry. I am a ninja. Controlling my mind and body to match those around me is child's play for me."

That's impressive. As expected of a ninja.

"That's good to hear. Then I'll prepare lunch. Everyone will be tired from swimming and get hungry."

"In that case, I shall help you."

"No, I'm planning to have everyone make lunch themselves today, barbecue-style, so the preparations won't take long. Don't worry about it and enjoy yourself. ...Actually, I'd like you to keep an eye on Kizuna-kun and the others. Judging by their current state, I have no idea what they might get up to."

"Understood. ...Thank you for always preparing such delicious meals for us, Tierra-dono."

With that, Nanashi-kun headed toward the lake.

Well, he should make a good enough chaperone.

Now then. Yukata are meant for nighttime. That's just how things are.

The real battle is tonight. Until then, I'll focus on working behind the scenes.

Huh? Come to think of it, where did Rene go?

I can't find the biggest troublemaker. This could be bad.

Come to think of it, Liz is missing too.

Feeling uneasy, I looked around, but couldn't find either of them.

And then, moments later, with a deafening roar, a GIGANTIC HOLE opened up in the lake.