Once again shoutout to Madara for the support. I really needed good news this week, a brother of mine died, then my laptop decided that I had to reinstall windows, there was a day-long blackout in my area after a storm.
Anyway guys, talk to your friends when you can. Mental health is severely underrated especially in the third world. Don't let it get to suicide.
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Nozomi never expected this.
After opening a treasure chest monster, two girls had actually been spat out. And one of them… was sitting on his head.
A soft, warm sensation, accompanied by a sweet fragrance, pressed against his face, making it difficult to breathe. His instincts kicked in, and he subconsciously tried to speak—but before he could get a word out…
"AHHH! The treasure chest monster licked me!"
"Fern, I'm not clean anymore!"
Under Nozomi's utterly speechless expression, the white-haired girl with twin ponytails squeezed her legs tightly together, locking his head between them.
Oh kami-sama, I'm gonna suffocate.
Though… it does smell nice.
"Mmph—mmph!" Nozomi let out a muffled noise, struggling to get his face free. He tilted his head, trying to find a gap to breathe.
The other girl—one with long, violet hair—had already stood up and was looking at the scene in front of her with an exasperated expression.
Seeing her companion, Lady Frieren, gripping a boy's head between her legs, eyes shut in a panic, Fern sighed and muttered under her breath.
"Uh… Lady Frieren, you sure that's a treasure chest monster? Looks more like a guy to me."
"Impossible! It… it licked me! It felt so weird…" Frieren's voice trembled, and her pointed elf ears twitched. "Fern, I'm not clean anymore!"
Fern sighed harder, rubbing her temples. "Milady, you're literally about to squeeze him to death. He's probably just struggling to breathe."
"H-Huh?" Frieren finally opened her eyes and looked down.
There, pinned between her thighs, was a young man gasping desperately for air. He was trying to push her legs apart, but she had an iron grip—likely without even realizing it.
Her skirt obscured his face, but his frantic movements made it clear he was fighting for his life.
"K-Kyaaaaa! I'm so sorry!" Frieren yelped, leaping off him like a startled cat. She scrambled backward, cheeks burning red.
Nozomi didn't even have time to register the softness he had just experienced—he was too busy gulping in oxygen, clutching his chest.
"Finally… I can breathe again…"
When he looked up, he saw them properly for the first time.
One was a girl with silvery-white twin ponytails and sharp, pointed ears—clearly an elf. She wore a white adventurer's outfit, totally out of place in modern Japan. The other girl, Fern, had waist-length purple hair and was dressed in a deep violet robe, exuding an air of quiet intelligence.
Nozomi let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
"Alright, first things first—this is my home, my room," he said. "My name is Hozuki Nozomi."
He eyed them both. "Also, I have no idea why my family's ancestral treasure chest just spit you out, but it made a mess everywhere, and we're all covered in this weird sticky stuff. So let's clean up first before we start asking questions."
"That's easy!" Frieren suddenly perked up, raising a delicate hand. A long staff, inlaid with a ruby gemstone, appeared in her grip.
She pointed it at the ground, and with a gentle gust of wind, all the strange mucus vanished instantly—including what was on their clothes and skin.
Nozomi scratched his chin. "Well, the floor's fine, but we still need to actually wash up properly. Come with me."
He turned and walked out, motioning for them to follow.
The two girls exchanged glances.
"Fern, let's go. He doesn't seem like a bad guy," Frieren said, her usual confidence returning.
Fern sighed but nodded, picking up a small box that had fallen from the treasure chest. Then she followed after them.
Nozomi led them to the bathroom and explained how to use the shower, the water heater, and the various bottles of shampoo and body wash.
Once the basics were covered, he left them alone and went to the third-floor bathroom to clean up himself.
Inside the bathroom, Frieren and Fern inspected the strange modern amenities.
"So this is how they bathe here?" Frieren mused, touching the showerhead with curiosity.
"Let's try it out," Fern said, turning on the water. "Oh wow, the water pressure is amazing…"
Frieren eagerly squeezed some shampoo into her hands, working up a luxurious lather. "Ooh, it's so bubbly! It smells amazing too!"
Fern chuckled. "Lady Frieren, you're way too excited about soap."
"I can't help it! It's just so much better than the stuff we had back in the adventurer's guild!" Frieren declared, fully enjoying the experience. "Oh! Fern, I'll wash your hair after mine!"
"Fine, but don't get carried away," Fern warned.
She wasn't sure why, but something about this whole situation felt… off.
She frowned. "Lady Frieren, does something feel weird to you?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Think about it. This place—there's no mana in the air."
Frieren blinked, realization dawning on her. "Oh… you're right. I just used magic, but I can't replenish my mana at all."
As an elf, Frieren had an enormous pool of mana, so it wasn't a big problem for her—yet. But for Fern…
Fern's expression darkened. "No mana at all? Then… is this some kind of anti-magic domain? A forbidden zone?"
"Who knows?" Frieren shrugged, still unconcerned. "Let's just ask that Nozomi guy later."
Despite the uncertainty, she continued enjoying the hot water, humming to herself. "By the way, this thing called a 'water heater'—what kind of magic principle does it use?"
After finishing their bath, Fern peeked out the bathroom door, wanting to retrieve the clothes from the box.
To her surprise, she found two neatly folded dresses already waiting for them on a chair outside, along with… fresh undergarments.
Her cheeks flushed a deep red. She quickly grabbed the clothes and rushed back inside, slamming the door shut.
"W-What happened?" Frieren tilted her head.
"T-This Nozomi guy… he left clothes for us. Including… you know…"
Frieren blinked, then smirked mischievously.
"Oh? He's unexpectedly considerate. I like him."
Fern buried her face in her hands.
"Thoughtful? This is underwear! Lady Frieren, you're way too easygoing about this!" Fern huffed, but deep down, she couldn't deny that Nozomi's gesture was indeed considerate.
From what they had observed, Nozomi seemed like a normal human with no magic presence. Earlier, when Frieren had accidentally trapped him between her legs, he had struggled but was unable to break free. That alone proved that he lacked any extraordinary strength. Since he posed no threat, the two girls accepted the clothing he provided without hesitation.
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A short while later, in the living room, Nozomi sat across from the two newly arrived guests, who were now properly dressed. Sayu, one of the house residents, had just served them tea and snacks. Though clearly curious about the sudden appearance of two unfamiliar and strikingly beautiful girls—one with distinctly non-human ears—she chose not to pry. Instead, she simply placed the tray down and left, allowing Nozomi to handle the conversation.
Frieren took a sip of the tea, her emerald eyes filled with curiosity and appreciation. "Mmm, delicious! My apologies for the earlier misunderstanding. My name is Frieren, as you can see, I'm an elf and also a magician."
"I am Fern, Lady Frieren's disciple. Mr. Hozuki Nozomi, may I ask where exactly we are?" Fern asked, her gaze serious.
Nozomi leaned back, crossing his arms. "This world is called Earth. As you've probably noticed, there's no magic here, only advanced technology. I don't know how you ended up here, but since you are here, you should make the best of it. For now, you can stay in my place, Sakurasou."
The two girls exchanged glances before nodding.
"Also, Lady Frieren," Nozomi continued, "since you have magic, it'd be best to conceal your ears when going outside. There are no elves or demi-humans in this world. While you could pretend it's just cosplay, attracting too much attention could cause trouble."
Hearing this, Frieren and Fern's expressions turned serious. Until now, they had assumed they were simply in an area with restricted magic flow. The reality was far more unsettling—this wasn't their world at all.
"A world without magic..." Fern murmured, frowning. "This isn't just a forbidden magic zone, this is an entirely different realm."
Frieren, however, remained composed, swirling her tea thoughtfully. "I see... This is quite the predicament. But for now, we should gather more information. By the way, Nozomi, can we see that 'ancestral treasure chest' you mentioned earlier?"
"Of course, follow me."
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Back in Nozomi's room, the two girls curiously examined their surroundings, taking note of the unfamiliar objects scattered about. Fern pointed at a device on the table. "What's this?"
"That's a computer, a highly useful tool. Most daily necessities here rely on technology rather than magic, powered by electricity," Nozomi explained with a smirk.
Frieren's eyes widened in fascination. "So you wield the power of lightning despite having no magic?"
Nozomi chuckled. "Not quite. This isn't magic—it's science."
Leading them toward the treasure chest, he continued, "This is my family's ancestral treasure chest. It has a special ability: I can place items inside three times a day, and when I reopen it, I receive something different in return. There's also a rare chance of summoning a treasure chest monster, which provides even greater rewards."
Frieren and Fern crouched down, studying the chest with great interest. Fern reached out and tried to open it, only to find it sealed shut. "It won't budge?"
"That's because it can only be used three times per day. You'll have to wait until tomorrow if you want to test it out."
Frieren clicked her tongue in disappointment. "I see... Would you be willing to lend this to us?"
Nozomi smirked. "No problem. You're trying to find a way back home, right? I don't mind helping out some lost girls. Use it as much as you want."
He then added with a playful shrug, "But the treasure chest stays here. If you want to experiment with it, you'll have to visit my room."
Fern and Frieren exchanged glances before nodding. "Understood. And... thank you."
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It's confirmed that the human, female companion is Fern.
Good day everyone!!