Chapter 3 — This World Isn’t Round Like Earth Is?

Foundation Eater.

To talk about such a thing, an explanation of Celestial Foundations is necessary.

In simple terms, a Celestial Foundation is the vessel for a world, and could be considered the world in and of itself. On top of these foundations are placed the numerous things making up that world, and that is where intelligent life forms live. This is of course on a conceptual level, so, for example, in the world that Yogiri and Tomochika originally came from, one can say that space was laid on top of that foundation. In the world they are currently in, the land and sea are laid directly on top of the foundation instead. In short, the Celestial Foundation is what an observer would refer to as the base of the world.

There are countless Celestial Foundations, all floating in a space known as the "Sea." The individual foundations are like bubbles in this Sea. By the way, as we are comparing it to the ocean, the Sea also has a depth. If foundations are at the same relative depth, traveling between them is simple. Moving to a foundation at a lower depth is even easier, but moving up in the Sea is much more difficult. Doing so requires an enormous amount of energy. That is one of the reasons it is not so easy for Yogiri and Tomochika to return to their own world.

Now that you know about Celestial Foundations, let's talk about the Foundation Eaters. They are creatures inhabiting the Sea, also referred to as "Deep Sea Fish." They can move freely throughout the Sea, and feed off the foundations. In short, they are beings that eat worlds.

For some worlds with higher-level intelligences like gods, the situation is different, but in most cases the residents of those worlds have no way of perceiving the Foundation Eaters. The worlds those creatures consume are immediately destroyed, broken down, and digested all at once. For the unfortunate residents, it is like existence itself simply stops without warning.

The behavior of the Foundation Eaters is also easy enough to predict. They swim around in the Sea, and if they happen upon a foundation, they eat it. If they meet with any resistance, they will fight, but if they feel they can't win or that it's not worth the trouble, they will run away.

While that is the limit of their instincts, in the vast span of eternity, a small number of them have managed to awaken a greater level of intelligence within themselves. Once that happens, their behavior becomes much more idiosyncratic, but in the end they always try to make contact with the intelligences within the foundations themselves. For such self-aware creatures, the Sea is a place of endless boredom.

The Meld Plains that our two protagonists have just passed through housed one such Foundation Eater, hidden in the form of a person, who had grown tired of the Sea.

 ◇ ◇ ◇

Tomochika parked the truck just outside the gate to the capital. Yogiri was still asleep, so she figured she'd wait for him to wake up before heading inside.

Those foundations are enclosed within boundaries known as canopies. That is an example of the "bubbles" I mentioned in my earlier explanation of the Sea.

"You know that all sounds incredibly hard to believe, right?"

Perhaps. But if you argued by citing cosmological theory instead of saying, "Wow, I don't believe it!" then your objections would hold more merit. What do you really know about the world around you?

Hunched over the steering wheel, Tomochika was passing the time by chatting with Mokomoko. While the ghost was irritating in a lot of ways, she was at least useful for conversation when there was nothing else to do.

"But that goes against all common sense, doesn't it? And why would you know anything about it in the first place?"

As a high-level divine spirit, I have access to the upper-level layers of information. As such, I have knowledge of the whole Celestial Foundation World System.

"So, did you know worlds like this existed from the start?"

In a manner of speaking. But I never would have expected a world where the land and sea are flat, and the water just runs off the side like a waterfall.

"Wait, this world isn't round like Earth is?"

So it seems.

"If you know that much, shouldn't you have a map of the whole world in your head? Why were we stuck in that canyon for so long?"

I don't have access rights to information about this world. I'm only aware of the most basic facts about it.

"Then what about our home? That whatever-layer connects to all worlds, right? And you can, like, search through it?"

It also has region restrictions. From this place, the information I can access is limited.

"So, wait, there are region locks too?! For a high-level divine spirit, you don't seem that useful!"

For the record, "region locking" is a computer term. It's used to refer to things like games from other countries that you can't buy within Japan.

As a divine spirit of the Dannoura family and territory, once separated from that land, my true power cannot be exercised.

As the conversation fell into a lull, Tomochika sighed. "Man...are we ever going to be able to go home?"

Their objective had been to get back to their own world, but they had yet to find any concrete clues towards that end. According to Mokomoko's explanation, this world existed at the bottom of the "Sea," so returning to their world would require an enormous amount of energy. At worst, they might have to come to terms with living in this world forever.

What would I even do here? Tomochika wondered. Living expenses didn't seem like they would be an issue. The investments they had made through the concierge would continue to make them money, and the cash and valuables they had on them now would be sufficient to sustain them for a while. There were cities developed enough to present no issues to someone from modern Japan, so daily life theoretically wouldn't be an issue for them, either. But even so, it seemed doubtful they could live too comfortably in this world.

The biggest issue here was public order. The number of people with a few too many screws loose couldn't be understated. To them, human life was about as valuable as trash, so they lived with reckless abandon, wielding their various powers as they pleased. No matter how modestly she and Yogiri tried to live, the moment someone like that appeared, it would all be for nothing.

Honestly, if it hadn't been for Yogiri, she would have been totally helpless. Tomochika glanced over at him, where he sat still asleep in the passenger seat. He looked so innocent, it was hard to believe he could kill anyone and everyone.

Why not just live with him?

"Wait, what? Are you reading my mind or something?!" Tomochika jumped, surprised at Mokomoko bringing up the same topic she had just been thinking about.

Unfortunately, I don't possess such a convenient power. All I need is my own insight. Haven't you realized that you're like an open book?

"Well, sorry for being so easy to read," she said, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. She had indeed been thinking she might just live out the rest of her days with Yogiri if it came to that.

Well, he isn't so bad. At least he looks attractive enough. He seems plenty worthy to join the Dannoura bloodline.

"What are you talking about?!"

Is it that much of a leap? If you can't go back, then all that remains is to rebuild the Dannoura line in this world. Or, what, is there some other man you've taken a liking to?

"No, there's no one like that, but...Takatou has to make his own choice, right?" She felt like she was falling too much into his debt. With no other options available, a relationship between them seemed far too practical to have any sense of romance to it. Or at least, that was her impression.

I'm sure he's been feeling the same way, though. And look, he's awake. Why not ask him yourself?

"That whole conversation is a secret, okay?!"

"What is?" Yogiri asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat back up.

"Nothing! Anyway, we're at the capital, so what next?"

Still half asleep, her companion began to look around, prompting Tomochika to follow suit. The first thing that jumped out at them was the massive castle wall. It seemed far larger than necessary, being at least fifty meters tall. The gates were also similarly large, wide enough that five of their trucks could probably pass through side by side.

"Can we just drive in?"

"I don't see why not. It looks like people are going straight through the gates."

Every once in a while, carriages and other vehicles passed by and into the city. It didn't seem the entrance was being guarded, so getting in wouldn't be a problem.

"Speaking of which, there are some pretty normal-looking cars here." Though there were a wide array of different vehicles around them, they looked rather simple compared to the armored truck the duo was currently sitting in.

By the way, did you notice we're surrounded?

Tomochika snapped out of her thoughts. At some point, people wearing military uniforms had taken up positions around them.

"It doesn't seem like they plan on attacking us...I guess it's normal for them to come out and check out a suspicious vehicle that's stopped outside the gates."

If even Yogiri hadn't noticed, that must have meant the soldiers had no intention of harming them. But given the way the guards were pointing their staves at the truck, it was clear they were prepared for a fight. No doubt they would attack if they saw any questionable movements from them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought we didn't have to sneak around anymore!" Tomochika said sarcastically. She hadn't expected the city to be this well-guarded, but they were driving a vehicle developed by those working for the Sages. It was possible that there was a hostile relationship between the country and their "guardians." That had never crossed her mind. "And you didn't notice until they'd already surrounded us either, Mokomoko?"

It appears they used some sort of technique for hiding their presence. It seems to only function from a distance, though.

"They look different from the guys we saw on the plains. If these are the soldiers from the capital, I wonder who those others were?"

The capital uniforms were nothing like those of their earlier attackers. While a difference in allegiance would lead them to expect different uniforms, these were unalike even in their fundamental design. It seemed to Yogiri that the soldiers on the plains had been entirely unrelated to the kingdom.

After a few moments, a representative stepped forward, facing them just in front of the truck.

"They are totally staring us down."

"It doesn't seem like they'll leave, even if we don't do anything."

The representative met Tomochika's eyes before beginning to speak. She lowered the side window in order to hear him properly.

"My apologies, but could you please step out of the vehicle?" he asked.

"We might as well do what they say," Yogiri shrugged. "At least they don't seem to be criminals."

"Well...okay, for now I guess we can talk to them. As long as they don't try to arrest us."

"If they try to restrain us in any way, we'll just resist."

"Yeah...resist..."

If Yogiri "resisted," that would mean a new mountain of corpses. Tomochika wanted to avoid that as much as possible, but if they couldn't settle things peacefully, there wasn't much she could do about it. Keeping that possibility in mind, she calmly stepped out of the truck.

"Hello, miss. My name is Torques, and I am in charge of security for the south gate. After hearing reports of a strange vehicle parked outside, we came to investigate. If memory serves, I believe this vehicle belongs to the Immortal Corps?"

"Ah, now that you mention it, I guess they were using it, weren't they?" Considering the insane actions of that group, it wasn't surprising that their vehicles were infamous.

"We aren't part of the Immortal Corps," Yogiri stated. "We were given this truck by Ryouta, the lord of Hanabusa."

"Is that so?" said Torques, narrowing his eyes.

"Takatou! He totally doesn't believe you!" Tomochika whispered.

"Either way," the guard continued, "that makes you connected to Sage Lain, is that correct?" The area around Hanabusa had indeed been Lain's jurisdiction. On top of that, the Immortal Corps were her subordinates, so it wasn't a difficult connection to make. "I'm sure you are aware, but the area around the Kingdom of Manii's capital is now under the control of Sir Santarou. He has warned us to be wary of incursions by the Immortal Corps into his territory, so we have been keeping a close watch. We have been instructed to repel them by force, if necessary."

All at once, the gathered soldiers began to grow tense.

"Well, that's an issue," Yogiri replied. "As I said, we're not connected to the Immortal Corps at all — oh, that's right! We're Sage candidates summoned by Sage Sion. We came here for the trials that she's set out for us."

"We did receive word from Lady Sion, and a group of candidates did already reach the city...but I was never told that any additional candidates would be arriving late." Torques's suspicion was growing ever deeper.

"Man, this is just getting annoying!"

"If you are truly Sage candidates, then you have received the Gift, have you not? May I inspect you?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you sure?" Tomochika whispered again, confused by how fast Yogiri had agreed.

"It's fine. Let's just trust in Celestina."

Hearing that, Tomochika remembered that, thanks to the concierge Celestina, they had items to help them fake their Statuses.

At Torques's beckoning, a mage emerged from the encircling guards and immediately made his report. Apparently, he could tell with a single look.

"I see. It certainly appears that you are Sage candidates. But such a thing is easy to fake, so it serves as a secondary confirmation at best."

"Now what are we supposed to do?!"

They couldn't kill ordinary guards just to get into the city, and at this rate they'd have plenty of problems inside, anyway. As Tomochika tried to think of a way for them to escape, Yogiri began fishing around in his pocket.

"Now that I think about it, Rick did give me something in case we had trouble getting in."

He pulled out two pendants. The head of each was a circle engraved with an intricate pattern. The guards immediately dropped to their knees upon seeing them.

"Uh, what are those?" Tomochika asked.

"I got them from Rick. Oh, this one is for you. I forgot to hand it over earlier."

Tomochika took the pendant from Yogiri. Rick was the swordsman they had met in the canyon. A number of things had happened there, and in the end, he had become a Swordmaster. Although Tomochika hadn't been around at the time, he'd apparently had a discussion with Yogiri before they parted ways.

"Wait, who exactly is Rick, really?!"

With nothing more than a glimpse of these two small pendants, the guards surrounding them had completely changed their tunes.