Entering the building, a profound silence enveloped them. The interior of the mansion was adorned with wooden beams and carvings along with soft, diffused light filtered through the paper shoji screens, casting shadows on the polished wooden floor.
Botan led them to a grand room that could easily accommodate hundreds of people. The high ceiling was ornamented with elegant chandeliers as bright as burning stars. The space was vast.
Inside the room, five unconscious bodies lay on separate white beds, each draped in soft, ethereal fabric. Beside them, a blue glowing stone pulsed with a gentle light, its aura were keeping their bodies fresh and dormant until their souls returned. This stone also served as a gateway to the realm, drawing in anything placed within two meters of it—tools, clothes, and more. In short, anything they had within two meters would be taken with them. Among the bodies were three girls and two boys, each one seemingly at peace.
"These are the second-years who have transmigrated, and that glowing stone over there is the—"
"Gate!" Kenji, Sakura, and Gojin exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with understanding. They had quickly deduced its purpose without needing further explanation.
"So if it gets broken then we would be trapped inside the realm." Gojin added, almost like he had knew everything beforehand, rather he was just quick witted and smart. And he had also been gathering ideas and planning their next move once they enter the realm.
"Since you all know that much, then that's settled," Botan replied, his voice steady. "You will surely meet up with the second-years there, and they will explain the rest to you." He gestured for them to lie on the three other beds in the room, retrieving three stones from a heavily locked chest and placing them beside their beds.
Just then, Yuki, Ryu, and Taro burst in with an air of confidence, like a mafia family. A smile crept onto Gojin's face as he settled onto the bed.
"We're here to say goodbye to the three of you. Make sure you don't die inside that darned realm. You'll be surprised by a lot of things—we've been there," Yuki said, her tone was a mix of humor and warning.
"You may begin the send-off," Taro ordered Botan. He nodded and approached Kenji first. Placing his index finger on Kenji's forehead, the blue stone glowed brighter before dimming slightly. He repeated the process with Gojin and Sakura.
A few minutes later, they all fell unconscious; their souls had now transmigrated into the realm.
"Ryu, Yuki, and Denji, I want you to oversee the students to ensure those cats don't do anything foolish. At least once a day, check on them. I'll try to arrange accommodations for you in Osaka, as it's prohibited for any conscious beings to roam freely here due to the dormant cell," Taro commanded as he headed out of the mansion.
A car was waiting for him outside—the same one he, Ryu, and Yuki had arrived in. It zoomed off away from the mansion, and they were driving straight back to Kyoto.
Dormant cells are spaces where conscious beings are restricted from existing or operating for a long period of time, they're only allowed for eight hours. They are designed to prevent interference with the environment or processes occurring within, ensuring that only specific conditions or entities can exist to protect the unconscious bodies and their souls.
Regarding Kenji, two souls had transmigrated into the realm: his own and that of Kurozai.
"Ryu and Yuki! As your ex-teacher, I shall leave you to watch over them. I have a date in this beautiful, sprawling city—a pretty lady awaits me," Denji declared, striding away with an air of confidence. The three stared after him, scanning him from head to toe.
***
[Host has entered Lamentia, rather an ancient era!]
[Location of arrival: Falling into a large pond in two and a half minute!]
"What!? I knew I was going to get dumped in the water, so the beachwear wasn't just a casual outfit," Gojin thought, bracing himself.
Suddenly, cold, fresh water engulfed him, splashing over him and soaking him to the bone. He glanced around, searching for Kenji and Sakura, who had also landed in the same spot—a large pond surrounded by lush greenery and tall trees that swayed gently in the breeze.
The pond was deep, its dark waters extending far below the surface, and it stretched out wide, with lily pads dotting the edges. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting patterns on the water.
Gojin and Kenji were both confident swimmers cause they had been thought how to swim from the age of seven. They quickly assessed the situation, but panic surged as they noticed Sakura struggling.
Sakura flailed in the water, her eyes wide with fear and she was trying to let out a scream, the water rushed into her mouth. She didn't know how to swim, and the depth of the pond was overwhelming. The water reached her chin, and she was slowly sinking, her legs kicking desperately but not finding solid ground.
Gojin and Kenji instantly dove deeper into the pond, the cool water enveloping them as they propelled themselves toward Sakura. Gojin reached her first, grabbing her arm firmly, pulling her toward the surface.
Kenji swam alongside them, his strong strokes cutting through the water as he helped guide Sakura upward. With a final push, they broke through the surface, gasping for air. Gojin and Kenji hoisted Sakura between them, their hearts racing as they swam back to the edge of the pond.
As they reached the shore, the two pulled Sakura out of the water, laying her on the grass. She coughed up water, her face pale but relieved a bit.
The two of them picked themselves up off the ground, panting heavily as they scanned the bushy area. "Where the heck are we?" Gojin questioned. Sakura slowly stood, still trying to regain her composure as she looked around with them.
[Ding! Location assessment has been completed!]
[Host has arrived at the Heian Period! (794 - 1185)]
".....The what!? The Heian Era?!! We traveled back in time?!! So the realm of Lamentia is just the past world?!" Gojin blurted out, causing Kenji and Sakura to turn their gazes toward him, eyes wide with shock.