I am back – Chapter 49

The floor of the apartment I lived in was considerably higher than that of an ordinary apartment. There were only three floors, but those three buildings shot up high enough to overlook Seoul.

Of course, there were tall buildings in Irrelaysia as well. The height of the Magic Tower where Dana was located was not particularly low when compared to the structures in this world. Although it was shorter than the apartments that covered downtown Seoul, it was still so high that it was hard to imagine without seeing it, with a tower that looked like it was carved out of a giant rock.

However, compared to these super high-rise apartments, its top was still quite a bit lower.

“So, all of this was constructed without magic?”

Dana said while looking down at the city through the window.

Thanks to the crimson sky, the view of the city was truly beautiful. The light reflected off the Han River glimmered so enticingly that I could watch it forever without getting bored.

Honestly, I was experiencing firsthand why living in a place like this was expensive. Compared to the semi-basement house I lived in during my childhood… it was hard to believe it was in the same city.

“Maybe it’s actually because there’s no magic that it ended up like this… No, I think if there hadn’t been a Demon King, Irrelaysia could have turned out this way.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that’s entirely true.”

Kalia replied as she looked down from next to Dana.

Our party of four had been lined up at the window, gazing outside. This apartment wasn’t the tallest building in Seoul, and we weren’t at the top, but we were still likely higher up than most places in the kingdom.

To find a height like this in Irrelaysia, the only way would be to climb the World Tree.

“Even if there was a Demon King, there were peaceful periods in between that lasted decades or even centuries. I don’t think the idea that there was never war on this land is accurate. However, it wouldn’t have taken hundreds of years to build a mere residence for people either.”

Kalia’s words were spot on. This country, too, had experienced horrific wars that turned much of the land into ruins at one point, and this building… well, I couldn’t say for sure, but it probably didn’t take more than ten years to build. As far as I knew, even the tallest building in Seoul didn’t take that long.

“It seems a bit too much to completely blame it on the Demon King.”

That was Kalia’s conclusion.

But I thought Kalia’s conclusion was only partially correct. Even if the scale was larger here, the Capital City was still an impressive city in its own right.

Built as a meticulously planned city, it was a fortified stronghold dedicated to protecting humanity. Even now, the kingdom was gradually implementing careful plans considering future developments and expansions over the coming centuries. Particularly, the central area with the castle was perfectly symmetrical, possessing an artistic quality that would overwhelm you when viewed from the middle of the road.

“I think Siyun is right. Since there was no magic, the outcomes would have been different compared to us, who depend heavily on magical progress. It probably led them to madly develop various methods.”

“Still, there are considerable advantages to magic, like the existence of teleportation portals which don’t exist in this world.”

Sure, there were various restrictions, but the ability for people to instantly travel to different regions with just the right conditions was a monumental advantage. To be honest, I thought that Irrelaysia’s logistics system was overwhelmingly superior to this world.

Although the production levels were low due to absolute shortages, the sight of them furiously clearing paths and establishing supply routes at a frightening speed behind us was something to behold.

If you think of it like a delivery company, they send items directly to the destinations without any logistics centers in between, and they managed to keep the complex movements of logistics well organized in their own system. Of course, I didn’t know the technical details.

So, clearly, beyond the surface, there were distinct pros and cons.

“…But, everyone.”

While I was absentmindedly gazing at the sunset, Pia spoke up as if she suddenly remembered.

“When are we going to keep standing here staring outside? We have a lot to talk about with Siyun, you know.”

“…….”

At Pia’s words, Kalia, Arna, and Dana flinched slightly and then hesitantly turned to look at me.

The three who met my gaze smiled awkwardly.

Yeah, it seems they still hadn’t fully adjusted to me.

…Well, I guess that’s understandable. I hadn’t just changed in appearance but had also swapped genders entirely. Even I was surprised at my reflection in the mirror after coming to this world over a considerable amount of time.

I placed the tray I was holding onto the table. The tray was filled with various fruits.

“Alright, let’s sit down and start talking. I’m curious about how you all have been.”

As I smiled and pointed to the living room sofa, everyone nodded their heads.

*

Even with five of us in the house, the living room was spacious enough not to feel cramped.

Still, I thought it was fortunate that I had periodically cleaned the once-empty sofa. There wouldn’t have been much to do at home anyway, so I had tidied up all the other rooms, so thankfully, I wouldn’t be panicking today about not having a place to sleep.

…Well, in truth, I had only kept the habit of cleaning up when I noticed a mess while wandering around at midnight.

“So you mean to say that the request to make me appear as ‘an appearance that no one absolutely wouldn’t recognize’ has resulted in this appearance?”

Kalia nodded.

“Exactly. If my gender has completely changed, then no one would recognize me… The Goddess certainly granted my request perfectly.”

When I nodded in agreement to Kalia, Dana then asked.

“So, how’s it been? What’s it like being a woman? Is it a lot different from living as a man?”

It sounded a bit teasing at first… but looking at Dana’s expression, she seemed genuinely serious. Since it was a completely new experience for her, her inquisitive nature was responding naturally.

“Honestly, the discomfort isn’t as pronounced as I thought. The fact that I’ve gotten shorter is a bit hard to adjust to, though.”

“So, does that mean that despite the physical differences, the soul is able to integrate without much problem?”

“…Wouldn’t it be quicker just to ask the Goddess about that?”

“That certainly is a topic worth exploring. The concept of the soul is fundamental in theology.”

“Oh, speaking of which, I heard that the Goddess had once descended into a saint’s body. That might mean that the soul isn’t significantly affected by outward appearance. But then what about consciousness…?”

Looking at Dana as she immediately jumped to another area of inquiry sparked by Pia’s statement, I let out a bitter smile. Pia’s attentiveness was impressive as she nodded along to Dana’s words.

The two had frequently clashed at first, but… now, all signs of that were completely gone. Whether it was theology or magic, it ultimately delved into the essence of humanity. In a sense, it was inevitable that they would converge on similar truths.

“Arna, don’t you have something to say?”

I cut a piece of apple with my fork and spoke.

“…You’re right.”

It was only after hearing Kalia’s words that Arna, who had been lost in thought, slowly opened her mouth.

“Siyun.”

“Yeah?”

Responding cheerfully to Arna calling my name, she flashed me a smile and asked.

“Did you lie to me?”

“……Huh?”

At Arna’s words, my hand, which had been bringing the apple to my mouth like Kalia’s, suddenly stopped midway. Pia and Dana, who had been sharing their thoughts, also paused mid-sentence to listen, and even Kalia, who was about to take a bite, halted her movements and slowly lowered her hand.

“Lying about what?”

I suddenly felt flustered by the serious gazes of the four.

“The oracle said he’d send you back to your original world, didn’t he? You told us that.”

“…So?”

Actually, I did come back to my original world like this.

“But what he promised you was to grant your wish, not to send you back to your original world, right?”

“…….”

I had nothing to say.

Um… well, I suppose that’s accurate…

“And it seems there’s something missing in your explanation. Is the reason your body became like that solely based on that wish? Could there be other reasons? No matter how much of a Goddess she is, it wouldn’t be easy to create a body from nothing and anchor a soul to it.”

Now, Arna’s gaze felt almost physically pressing against me.

“…….”

Um… I have a bad feeling about this. I think I’m going to get a serious scolding from Arna.