Chương 48: Chapter 13 Knowledge Worth More Than Gold(Part 1)

Was food bought with someone else's money delicious? I'd eat more than a competitive eater if I had the chance. After stuffing myself with mountains of food at dinner and breakfast, I finally relaxed with a coffee and cigarette. Throughout the entire meal, Mochida sat there holding her stomach as she watched me eat.

"How does all that even fit inside you?"

"No idea. Want me to eat the same amount again?"

"No... I'm starting to feel sick just watching." Hmm. Takatsuki had apparently remained outside during the broadcast and somehow avoided the police. If they wanted to examine me from a medical standpoint, that was their problem.

"Anyway, how's the situation with the Gates?"

"We can only describe it as chaotic. There are many missing persons."

"As expected. What about returnees?"

"There are many of those as well. We've been interviewing them about their Classes." I had seen the list of Classes, but there was no way to tell which were S-rank or EX-rank. Information gathering was essential, and now that entire organizations were throwing manpower at the problem, a huge amount of data should be flowing in. More importantly, knowing that ordinary people had already reached at least the fifth floor was encouraging. They were probably in parties rather than solo, but still.

"I see. Ah, those weapon boxes, remember them? Make sure every one of them gets collected."

"That's fine, but is there some secret behind them?" Mochida's eyes sparkled with curiosity. Secret was too strong a word, but if those boxes could be processed, they might become something very interesting.

"You know about the Gate's Reduction-Conversion Process, right?" Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"Yes. I saw it during the broadcast. The missing people probably won't ever be found." Her expression darkened. Whether it was justice or simple compassion, she seemed like the kind of person who could genuinely mourn the deaths of strangers. Honestly, that probably made her unsuited for this line of work.

"Inside the Gate, everything disappears eventually. Except those boxes." I pulled one out of my ring and handed it to her.

"It means they can become identification tags. Dog tags." Her eyes widened.

"If that's true, then we could confirm whether someone is alive or dead?"

"Maybe. The Gate's structure is still largely unknown. Even if people enter through the same Gate, they won't emerge in the same location unless they're physically connected. Tachibana's team already reported the same thing. Even so, it might at least give families a chance to recover belongings." Sector 85264 of the Reduction-Conversion Process. That was where I had appeared. Which meant there were probably sectors above and below it. Possibly even different spawn locations within the same sector.

In other words, if you wanted to meet someone inside the Gate, you could only keep descending. Down into a garbage dump with no visible end. Still, there were safe zones. Water. Plants. Food. If someone truly wanted to survive, they could probably live there. Hell, it might even solve the refugee crisis. Whether you died to people or monsters, survival was still survival.

"I'll contact the appropriate departments immediately. Oh, and here."

"Hm? Oh!" At last. At long last. My smartphone returned to me. Not only did it have battery power—it was fully charged. Someone had thoughtfully taken care of it. When I opened it, dozens of messages appeared. Some advertisements, sure. But overwhelmingly, they were from my family. The messages started from the moment I entered the Gate and continued all the way to this morning: If you're alive, contact us.

"Yeah... I've worried them enough. Hopefully getting re-employed after being unemployed will earn me some forgiveness." After several rings, I heard a voice I'd missed terribly. It had only been a few days. Yet it felt like an eternity.

"Tsukasa! Are you okay!? You're not hurt, kidnapped, or being forced into anything perverted, are you!?"

"I'm fine, Rina. What about you? I heard you were taken into protective custody after your identity got exposed."

"We're fine. We're relaxing in a hot spring inn." Lucky them.

"The Gate opened, right? Can you come home now?"

"Not really. I got re-employed as a Gate response officer. I probably won't be coming back for a while. Are Nayuta and Haruka at school?"

"You didn't know? Since the Gates opened, today's basically a national holiday for anyone who isn't absolutely essential."

"Seriously? Then maybe I can take the day off too?"

"Not a chance. If anything, this is when you need to work the hardest. Probably. Maybe. I don't know."

"... Yeah."

"So, where are Haruka and the others?"

"They just got back. Yuuki-kun and Chihiro-chan are with them. Apparently they got jobs." Jobs? At a time like this? No. They entered the Gate. Haruka probably handled the consent forms. That girl had always been absurdly decisive. Then Nayuta and the others followed her. They were alive, so it was fine. But if even one of them had died... The thought made my stomach churn. When I saw them next, they were getting a serious lecture.

"They definitely entered the Gate."

"Huh? The Gate? Is it really that easy?"

"Getting in is easy. Surviving afterward is the problem."

"Well, I'll make sure they get a proper scolding." Then she paused.

"Oh, and Yuuki-kun said he was sorry." Probably because my family was currently enjoying a luxurious stay at a hot spring resort thanks to him. Honestly? We got lucky.

"Tell him not to worry. If you all aren't upset, then I'm not upset either."

"Got it. Stay safe. I love you."

"Yeah. I love you too." When I ended the call and looked up, Chiyoda and Mochida were standing at the doorway. Work time, apparently. And there was more than enough work waiting.