Chapter 2 — Diary of Tierra, the Beautiful Spirit Girl, Living in Another World!

＜Diary — Day 1＞

A serious problem has arisen.

I don't know what date it is.

For that matter, I don't know the exact coordinates of the place where Protagonist-kun first appears. I don't even know the exact month and day on which the original story begins. I don't remember the game's launch date, either.

...Could it be that I'm completely screwed?

For the time being, thanks to the usual video-game convenience, it seems that a year has the same number of days as Earth but...

I don't even really remember how many days have passed since I came to this world. I think it's been about three months, but all I've done this whole time is practice sword swings, practice healing magic, hunt, and cook, so my sense of the passage of days has completely fallen apart.

For now, I'll make sure to keep a proper diary starting today. Good thing I set a "notepad" and "pen" as my starting items.

Besides, the timeline is only "about five years before the start of the original story," which is way too vague. Back then, I was so excited because I'd managed to create Tierra's character settings so well that I didn't bother thinking things through in detail. If only Terra had noticed stuff like this and pointed it out to me...

Anyway, starting today, I'll count down 365 days × 5 (＋one extra month for a leap month?).

There's no need for me to become the first local person Protagonist-kun meets. That's the job of the Proper Heroine-chan, and it wasn't originally part of my plans anyway.

So if my first contact with Protagonist-kun is delayed by a month or two, that's within an acceptable range. If it takes any longer than that, though, there might not be enough room left for me to interfere with the main story, which could make things a little difficult...

Well, I'm sure it'll work out somehow (abandoning all thought)!

At least, my current body's settings include the ability to "sort of know where Protagonist-kun is," so shouldn't I be able to figure it out as soon as he (or she) is summoned? (Optimistic speculation.)

Don't think about how that makes me sound like a stalker with a tracking device attached to my target. There's already a yandere character. If I overlap with her character traits, I'll lose fans.

Anyway, just as originally planned, I'll devote two years to combat training. If I practice sword swings and hunt enemies every day for two years, I should become reasonably capable. Probably.

Bonus Memo — Today's Menu

■ Steamed Boar Meat Wrapped in Mystery Herb

Ingredient 1: Leaves from a plant with red stems and blue berries (extremely strong aroma)

Ingredient 2: Juice squeezed from the berries of the above plant (spicy) (Named: "Imitation Chili Pepper")

Ingredient 3: Sour yellow tree fruit (Named: "Imitation Lemon")

Ingredient 4: The usual boar

Other: Juice made from a tree fruit that looks like an apple (Named: "Imitation Apple") (sweet)

• I made the simplistic assumption that meat goes well with spicy and sour flavors. I figured combining it with a strongly scented herb would also get rid of the meat's gaminess.

• Result: An enemy was lured in by the smell and attacked. The leaves burned away during the battle, and the meat got charred.

• The result was incredibly disgusting: bitter from being burnt + the herb's overpowering smell. Damn dog-type enemy.

＜Diary — Day 2＞

I hunted a boar again today. The biggest one I've ever seen.

I wrote a lot on the first day because I was determined to keep a good diary, but I've already run out of things to write about on the second day. What a problem.

For now, I'll fill the empty space with today's menu.

■ Roasted Dog-Type Magical Beast

Ingredient 1: Dog-type magical beast

Ingredient 2: Imitation chili pepper

Ingredient 3: Imitation lemon

• Result: Absolutely disgusting. The dog meat itself was barely edible. As if interfering with my cooking wasn't enough, it had to taste awful too. It's going to make me start hating dogs. I wonder if there are any cute cats around somewhere. They might be delicious.

＜Diary — Day 10＞

Hunting boars as usual today.

My sword swings are starting to look pretty good (I think). Spirits don't change in appearance or physique from the moment they're born, so it's not like I'm gaining muscle. That must mean I've simply gotten rid of the unnecessary movements in my technique.

■ Steamed Boar Meat Wrapped in Mystery Herb II — Revenge R

Ingredient 1: Large, jagged leaves (new discovery. Smells good)

Ingredient 2: Imitation chili pepper

Ingredient 3: Imitation lemon

Ingredient 4: The usual boar

• Result: Delicious. After about two months of suffering, I've finally managed to make something resembling a decent meal.

＜Diary — Day 20＞

I can't find any boars.

Looks like I've hunted all the ones whose territories were around here. A lot of them have also fled this mountain after sensing the danger. Hmm. What should I do?

Should I leave the mountain before the originally planned two years are up, or not? I suppose it's time to start thinking about it.

■ Sashimi from a Giant Fish & Giant Fish Broth Soup

Ingredient 1: Giant fish

• Result: I want soy sauce and wasabi.

＜Diary — Day 40＞

Several days have passed since I decided to leave the mountain.

I've finished my preparations, so tomorrow I'll leave the mountain I've grown so accustomed to. Farewell, nameless mountain.

■ Farewell, Mountain! Full-Course Feast

Ingredient 1: Boar (I went all the way to the neighboring mountain for this)

Ingredient 2: Giant fish

Ingredient 3: Imitation chili pepper

Ingredient 4: Imitation lemon

Ingredient 5: Imitation apple

Ingredient 6: Fragrant leaves

• Impression: Delicious. Come to think of it, I wonder if giant fish and boar can be sold in towns and such.

＜Diary — Day 70＞

While traveling, I saw what appeared to be a war from a distance.

This world really is chaos.

That said, watching humans slash at each other and spill each other's blood wasn't exactly pleasant.

Though I can't say I felt strongly enough to risk my life trying to stop them. In that respect, Protagonist-kun really is amazing. Crap, my heart is being drawn to Protagonist-kun again, and my body is heating up.

Dangerous.

■ Roasted Alligator-Like Magical Beast

Ingredient 1: Crocodile-like magical beast

• I had no choice. All the ingredients I'd brought from the mountain had run out.

＜Diary — Day 90＞

I am experiencing an absolutely tremendous shock.

The civilization of this world is far more advanced than I imagined.

Not only salt, but even spices are available in a variety and quality practically indistinguishable from those on Earth.

What was the point of living like a wild child all this time...? What were all those hardships for...?

Let's change gears.

At least this means I can put the things I learned and experienced back on Earth to good use. I'll work on improving my cooking skills.

The problem is, I don't have any money to begin with. What am I supposed to do?

■ Roasted Bird-Type Magical Beast

Ingredient 1: Large bird-type magical beast (It was pretty strong, but I won. Proof that my training is paying off.)

• Without money, I can't even buy ingredients for cooking. Life is tough.

＜Diary — Day 400＞

It's been quite a while since I started making a name for myself as a mercenary.

These days, I've gotten pretty used to taking down humans such as bandits and brigands, too.

I still remember how, back when I was starting out, I hesitated to deliver the killing blow and ended up causing trouble for my female mercenary senior, Liz-senpai (SR rarity).

Come to think of it, apparently I've become somewhat popular in certain circles lately as the mysterious, beautiful black-robed mercenary.

■ Hayashi Rice in a Chaos World

• My cooking skills have finally reached this level. No one can stop me anymore. It's a little sad that bread, rather than rice, is the staple food here, though... Rice isn't commonly distributed around this area because it's culturally unfamiliar, but apparently it's perfectly ordinary in places where it is available. Someday, I want to eat rice again.

Postscript:

As expected, Liz-senpai came by again today to eat my cooking.

I knew that she had originally been a noblewoman from a prestigious family, but after a strange twist of fate, she had ended up working as a female mercenary. I also knew that she had once enjoyed delicious, lavish meals, but couldn't do so anymore.

I was the one who deliberately tried to win her over with my cooking so we'd have an opportunity to trigger her special dialogue...

But I don't want her to discover my true identity, so getting any closer to her would be troublesome. What should I do? Well, I certainly don't mind being complimented on my cooking.

＜Diary — Day 420＞

I heard a story about a rampaging Spirit who indiscriminately attacked people and villages several years ago.

Wooooow, I wonder who on earth that could have been~ (deadpan)

Spirits are also beings worshipped by many people, so apparently they couldn't simply be killed without consequences, and a lot of people had their hands full dealing with this one.

What a troublesome Spirit that must have been. (Dead-eyed.)

Come to think of it, even if Liz-senpai finds out I'm a Spirit, I'll still be a mysterious character as long as she doesn't go around telling people. Besides, it will be quite a while before she joins up with Protagonist-kun. In that case, hiding it is just a hassle, so I'll tell her my true identity.

■ Otherworldly Oyakodon

• The meat and eggs came from a large bird-type magical beast. A subjugation request was posted because they'd built a nest along the highway and were attacking merchant caravans. It was quite a formidable opponent. Maybe you could call it the desperation of a parent protecting its offspring...? Seeing how desperately they fought made me realize that these creatures were struggling just as hard to survive, and it left me with complicated feelings.

Still, as the one who hunted them, I have to eat every last bit. I suppose that's what it means to live. Living really is a sad thing...

• It was unbelievably delicious. I definitely want to hunt them again.

＜Diary — Day 430＞

Lately, I've noticed that the way Liz-senpai looks at me has been... strange.

It became especially noticeable after I revealed my true identity and, in return, Liz-senpai told me about her own past.

Am I just being self-conscious? No, but the current me was meticulously designed to be beautiful enough to captivate both female and male users.

Looking back, I think the physical contact between us may have been a little excessive, too. Every time we met, she would grope my chest, lower abdomen, and so on. I'd assumed that this was just normal between two women...

This could be dangerous. Stay alert.

■ Otherworldly Meat Sauce Pasta

• I remember how shocked I was when I first discovered the existence of noodles. Now I've gotten good enough to reproduce dishes from the other world. The noodles themselves are quite different—they aren't even long and thin—but the taste is remarkably similar.

• Apparently, some regions do have long, thin noodles, though. As always, Liz-senpai is incredibly knowledgeable. She invited me to leave this city and travel around the various regions together as a pair, but there are still things I need to accomplish on my own. More importantly, I mustn't forget my primary objective: returning to my original world. I politely turned her down, telling her that there were things I had to accomplish.

She looked so, so sad. I think that might have been the first time, including my life in the previous world, that I had directly made someone that sad. I feel terribly guilty about it. Even so, my resolve hasn't changed.

However, besides the sadness in her eyes, I also sensed some kind of intense determination. I wonder what that was about?

＜Diary — Day 431＞

Liz-senpai almost assaulted me (sexually). I don't get it.

■ Name: Liz (Real Name: Elizabeth Io Belleford)

■ Rarity: SR (Normal) / SSR (Halloween Style — Dullahan)

■ Race: Human

■ Gender: Female

■ Aptitude: Melee　■ Attributes: Wood / Dark

■ Weapon: Wind Demon Sword — Strom

■ Ultimate: 『Loyalty Becomes a Storm of Vengeance』

Ultimate Description: Mounting her beloved horse Tempest, whom she summoned as an undead through forbidden means, she charges forward cloaked in blades of wind like a raging storm. Deals massive damage to the enemy front row while increasing all of her own abilities (2 turns). Grants herself the Counter status (2 turns).

■ Character Details

A noblewoman from the prestigious Belleford family, a renowned knightly house of the Yupiteria Empire.

A tall, beautiful woman with fair skin and striking short blonde hair. She once wore her hair long, as befitted a noblewoman, but cut it all off when she severed ties with her former self. She is always clad in combat armor designed to be light and highly maneuverable, particularly for mounted combat.

The Belleford family was a prestigious noble house renowned for its unrivaled human-and-horse-in-one combat tactics, and they also devoted considerable effort to breeding warhorses.

But one day, she suddenly lost everything. The Belleford family was investigated for numerous crimes they had never committed. Worse, evidence that seemed impossible to refute was uncovered. By the time she realized that someone had framed them, it was already too late. She could no longer prevent the family from being stripped of its title and property, nor could she stop her parents from being executed.

She was separated from her brothers and sisters, abandoned by those she had believed were friends, and before she knew it, there was no one left around her. Lady Elizabeth lost everything without ever being given the chance to learn the reason behind it all.

Covered in despair and humiliation, Elizabeth abandoned her name and became nothing more than "Liz." While working as a mercenary, she continues to gather information about whoever brought down her family, having sworn that one day, she will make them pay.

—Even now, a storm of vengeance rages within her heart.

【Trivia】

★ How a certain Spirit treats Liz

• Stayed by her side when she was at her lowest, unable to find any information about the person who destroyed her family. (Pure coincidence.)

• Innocently looks up to her, going "Senpai, senpai♪" (Because she knows Liz is a powerful character + to establish the senior/junior character dynamic.)

• Eats delicious meals together with her. (Partly to trigger special dialogue, partly to practice cooking.)

• Kindly doesn't pry too deeply even when she has questions. (Because she already knows the answers.)

• Reveals the secret she'd kept hidden beneath a garment meant to conceal her identity. (Because hiding it became a hassle + there was nothing to lose by revealing it.)

• Maintains the same attitude even after Liz reveals her own circumstances. (Because she already knew.)

• Casually accepts Liz's excessive physical affection. (Because, having originally been male, she lacks the typical female sense of sexual modesty.)