Haruka, who had been smiling while getting closer to the five people, suddenly blinked, as if realizing something, and asked Martina, who was still staring intently at her student handbook.
“By the way, why can I speak the language of this world?”
“I think it’s because it was incorporated into the summoning magic circle. The most commonly spoken language on this continent is called Reel, and if the summoning succeeds, you’d be able to speak it like your native language. Looks like it worked out fine for you.”
“Wow, magic circles are amazing.”
After murmuring this, Haruka fell into deep thought with a serious expression, but then suddenly spoke words that made no sense.
“Hey, how does this sound?”
The five people looked up at the incomprehensible words, and Martina, realizing the reason right away, asked excitedly.
“Could it be, a language from another world?”
“You’re speaking it clearly. It seems like you can speak in Japanese if you focus. Oh, Japanese is the language of the country I came from.”
“That was an extremely interesting sound. Could you speak a bit more?”
Just like Martina, who was excited that she could read her student handbook once she learned Japanese, Sofian, a diplomat, leaned forward, eager to hear the new language.
“Of course. I wonder what Japanese sounds like in this world. Are there any languages that sound similar?”
“Wow, I can’t understand any of it at all.”
Sofian’s expression was bright despite what he said.
“Can you tell me what you just said?”
“Of course… the first thing I said was just like this. And then the next part was—”
After that, Haruka started explaining Japanese, and Martina, who was listening seriously, leaned forward.
“Haruka, can you teach me more? If you teach me a few sentences, I think I could speak quite a bit. Also, I want to read this little book, so if possible, could you teach me how to read and write?”
“I can teach you, but… I think it will be quite difficult. Japanese is pretty complex.”
“Is that so? But I think I’ll be fine. I’m confident in my memory.”
Seeing Martina casually say this, Haruka tried to brush it off, but Sylvan intervened.
“Haruka, her memory isn’t just good, it’s beyond human ability. She has perfect recall. So, she’ll probably learn Japanese very quickly.”
“Martina can remember every word from the books she reads.”
“Moreover, she’s incredibly talented at retrieving information she’s memorized.”
Words praising Martina’s abilities continued, and Haruka, though skeptical, nodded. She then started teaching Japanese using commonly used example sentences and simple grammar.
Haruka’s Japanese lesson continued for a while, and when she paused to take a breath, Martina, with a serious expression, spoke.
“I… speak Japanese… am I doing it right?”
“Eh, how are you speaking?!”
“There are still a lot of words I don’t know, but with what you’ve taught me…”
“Wow… Martina, you’re amazing! Wait, do people in this world all speak like this?”
“Sorry, there are a few words I don’t know.”
When Martina asked for clarification in Reel, Haruka excitedly continued explaining Japanese. She fully understood Martina’s unique ability to never forget anything she had been taught.
“Martina, you’re incredible… None of the others have memory like yours, right?”
“Yeah, she’s the only one like that. I was pretty shocked when I first found out.”
At Roland’s words, with a slight smile, Haruka stared at Martina in astonishment. But gradually, her cheeks turned red, and she grabbed Martina’s hand firmly.
“Hey, Martina, if you don’t mind, could you memorize Japanese perfectly? I wouldn’t want to forget Japanese when I go back to Japan, and sometimes I’d like to have conversations in Japanese.”
“Of course, I’d want that too.”
“Really? Then I’ll do my best to teach you Japanese.”
“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”
Just as the two made that promise, Sofian, who had been checking the time, spoke up.
“Haruka, it’s getting pretty late, and I think we can move on to something more important. I’ll have to teach you more about this world next time.”
“Oh, has it really been that long? Of course, I don’t mind. Do you have something to talk to me about?”
At that question, Sofian straightened up and changed his expression to a serious one.
“First, I’d like to talk about tomorrow’s schedule. Tomorrow, representatives from various countries will gather for a meeting, and I’d like you to attend. During that meeting, we’ll be asking for your cooperation in eliminating the poison fog, and I’d be happy if you’re willing to accept.”
“I understand. I’ll accept.”
Haruka, also straightening up, nodded firmly. Sofian, seeing this, softened his expression a little and continued.
“Thank you. After that, I’m not sure what will happen, but we may move on to talking about your future. If that happens, feel free to tell me your desires without holding back.”
“I understand… Um, does this mean I’ll be the Saintess of the Raksaria Kingdom?”
“Ah, I forgot to explain that. The Saintess summoning was a joint effort between several countries on this continent. So, Haruka, you won’t belong to just one country, but rather be the Saintess of the entire continent. However, not all countries will have authority over you, so to avoid complications, a few countries that contributed the most to the summoning will take care of you.”
This was something decided during the meeting before the summoning. Everyone wanted authority over the Saintess, and the discussions had been heated, but in the end, it was settled by contribution level.
Raksaria Kingdom, which led the revival of the Saintess summoning, had a huge contribution, with Martina playing a major role, so it was ranked first.
“Raksaria Kingdom is one of those countries, so don’t worry. I’ll be acting as your close attendant, and you’ll also have maids and guards.”
“I see. If you and everyone else are going to be with me, then I’ll feel secure. Sofian, I’m counting on you from now on.”
Seeing Haruka smile with a relaxed expression, Martina and the others were reassured. However, in order for Haruka to fully understand the danger, Martina decided to tell her about the positions of each country.
“Haruka, what I’m about to tell you might not be pleasant, but I need you to listen.”
Then, Martina explained the responses of various countries—some wanted to forcibly make Haruka comply, others were trying to win her over—and when Haruka heard this, she clenched her fists with a serious expression.
“Thank you for telling me. I’m glad to know this now, but it’s a bit scary…”
Haruka, expressing her true feelings, was reassured by Sofian.
“We will take full responsibility for your safety, so don’t worry. However, I don’t think it will be easy to eliminate the poison fog without any fear. I’m sorry, but I’d be grateful if you could prepare yourself for that.”
Sofian, who didn’t hide the dangers, was met with Haruka’s trusting gaze.
“—I understand. I’ll do my best.”
After that, they discussed the details of tomorrow’s meeting, and Martina and the others left Haruka’s room. Compared to when they first entered, the five people now had a much lighter, happier expression.