“Little Naofumi, I was watching myself. Little Shildina didn’t do anything like that. In fact, when we set out and the light around us started to appear around her too, she looked just as surprised as Ruft,” Sadeena explained, coming to Shildina’s defense.

“That’s true. I saw that too,” Itsuki confirmed. I was impressed they had seen so much. I’d hardly seen anything with all the light swirling around me.

“So she was just caught up in the spatial transfer?” I asked. That seemed hard to believe. There weren’t many people who could make that happen.

I looked over at Ethnobalt, but he vigorously shook his head.

“It wasn’t me. I clearly stipulated those who the accessory should transport,” he reported.

“Some mistake with your settings?” I suggested.

“I suppose we can’t rule that out,” he conceded.

“Can we just go back?” I asked. Ethnobalt just quietly shook his head. “Then we don’t seem to have much choice,” I said with a sigh. I looked at Shildina again and cautioned her while scratching my head. “I really did want you training everyone in the village, but if this was an accident, then no one is to blame. I don’t want to hear any complaints, though, no matter what happens.” I was worried about her terrible sense of direction. Even if this accident didn’t happen, there had been plenty of potential for trouble anyway.

“Okay, sweet Naofumi! I’ll prove myself more useful than Sadeena, at least!” she replied.

“Good, good for you,” I managed in reply.

We proceeded through the tunnel of light.

We completed our passage through the tunnel of light and emerged on the same grassy plains that I had seen before. These were the plains where L’Arc’s country was, close to the port town in which Kizuna made her home. Not a bad spot to have arrived in.

“Everyone, check your level and your gear. We don’t know what’s going to happen next,” I warned them. With that, I also checked my own situation. My level was the same as when I last departed from Kizuna’s world. The Barbarian Armor didn’t have any scrambled text issues, but the status had fallen a little. I should just be thankful it was even functioning. Basically, it was all thanks to the efforts of the weapon shop old guy. The gear he had supplied to Itsuki and Rishia was in a similar condition.

In terms of shields, I had a nice surprise upon discovering that the Spirit Tortoise Carapace Shield could still be used. However, my level was a little too low to be able to change to it. I’d need to make do with a stopgap shield for a while.

“I’m fine,” Filo exclaimed. I’d expected as much. Filo had checked her stats in her human state. Considering how things had worked out last time, Filo’s abilities were suited to rear support.

“S’yne is fine too,” S’yne’s familiar reported for her.

“Level 58,” she added.

“So this is a world you’ve visited before,” I said. I was a little uneasy about that number, but it sounded about right for having moved with each wave.