After returning from the world of Natsume's Book of Friends, Emiya reappeared in his own room.
The short trip made him aware of the limitations of his transmigration ability. He didn't give up. After a few minutes of rest, he initiated his second transmigration.
Before doing so, Emiya once again used his psychic power to form a spherical barrier around himself. Only after that did he activate the ability.
The next second, he vanished.
Just like before, his vision blurred, and he arrived in a new world. This time, however, he didn't appear in a bathroom.
He appeared in a luxurious bathhouse.
With a splash, Emiya fell into the water again. The psychic sphere pushed the surrounding water away, leaving a clear space around him.
He glanced around. The bathhouse looked like part of a private villa or an upscale hotel. The décor was refined, high-end, and unmistakably Japanese in style.
Is there something wrong with my transmigration ability?
Last time it was a bathroom. This time it's a bathhouse.
What's the logic here?
As for whether the problem was his own, Emiya didn't even consider it. He wasn't that kind of person.
"Who... who are you?"
A timid voice came from behind him.
Emiya froze, then turned around.
A blonde woman was soaking in the bathtub behind him. She was submerged from the neck down, her face hazy through the steam rising from the water.
He couldn't see her clearly, but the fear in her posture was obvious. Anyone would panic if a stranger suddenly appeared in their bath.
If it were him, he wouldn't feel comfortable either.
Emiya immediately turned back around, jumped out of the tub, and landed on the side.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "Can you tell me where this is?"
The woman didn't answer right away. After nearly half a minute of silence, she finally spoke.
"This is Totsuki Resort."
Totsuki Resort?
Emiya paused. The blonde hair clicked into place in his mind.
He asked cautiously, "Then... you're Erina Nakiri? And this is the Totsuki Friendship and Liaison Training Camp?"
Silence.
She didn't respond, but Emiya already had his answer.
"Don't worry," he said calmly. "I don't have any ill intentions. I'll step outside first. We can talk after you finish bathing and get dressed."
With that, he opened the bathhouse door, passed through the changing room, and walked outside.
Fortunately, no one was nearby. No one saw him walk out of the women's bathhouse in broad daylight.
Emiya let out a quiet breath.
At least he wouldn't be mistaken for a pervert.
What he hadn't expected was that his second transmigration had landed him in Totsuki Resort. He'd been aiming for the world of Toriko.
Instead, he ended up in Food Wars.
At this point, Emiya was basically certain that his transmigration was completely random and not under his control.
Still, since he was here, should he bring a few chefs back to cook for him?
The thought crossed his mind.
Not long after, the blonde woman walked out of the bathhouse, now fully dressed.
Emiya looked over. She was wearing the Totsuki uniform, and the face beneath the blonde hair matched his expectations perfectly.
It was Erina Nakiri.
"Who exactly are you?" she asked.
Now that she was dressed, she seemed to have put on armor. Her expression was guarded, her voice sharp and intimidating.
Still, Emiya could hear the faint weakness underneath.
She's not as strong as she looks.
He softened his tone. "If you don't mind, can we talk in your room?"
Erina instinctively stepped back, her voice trembling despite herself. "What do you... want to do?"
Seeing her reaction, Emiya shook his head. "Never mind. It looks like you're not ready. We can talk after you've prepared yourself."
He turned and walked away.
He was interested in Erina Nakiri, but she wasn't his only option. This world had plenty of outstanding female chefs.
Megumi Tadokoro. Rindo Kobayashi. Momo Akanegakubo. The other Elite Ten graduates-Fuyumi Mizuhara, Takumi Kaki, Konoka Kikusaki.
Even Alice Nakiri was an option.
Erina's wariness made sense. He had called out her name immediately. She assumed he was targeting her.
What she didn't expect was for him to leave so cleanly.
For a moment, she was stunned. She had even wondered if he was just playing hard to get.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms was popular in their country, after all.
But when she saw Emiya walking out of her sight without looking back, she clenched her teeth and ran after him.
"Please wait."
She liked reading manga. And she was curious.
The way Emiya had appeared was far too strange. Her intuition told her this man wasn't simple.
Either way, talking first was better.
Hearing her call, Emiya stopped and turned. "So, you're ready now?"
Erina nodded. "I'm willing to talk."
"Then let's go to your room."
"What about the restaurant?" she asked instead. Compared to her empty room, the restaurant felt safer. If he tried anything, she could scream.
Emiya didn't think much about it. "That works too."
"Then follow me."
She relaxed slightly. At least now, she believed he probably didn't have malicious intentions.
Under Erina's lead, Emiya headed toward the Totsuki Resort restaurant. On the way, they ran into her trusted aide.
"Lady Erina."
Hisako Arato had just finished her duties and was on her way to find her. She hadn't expected to meet her here.
What she definitely hadn't expected was the unfamiliar boy beside her.
Hisako discreetly sized Emiya up, wondering who this person was that Lady Erina was personally accompanying.
"Hisako..." Erina wasn't surprised. Once Hisako finished her tasks, she always came looking for her. It was an understanding built over years.
She turned to Emiya. "She's my most trusted person. Is it okay if she joins us?"
Hisako's face flushed red.
My... most trusted person?
She straightened unconsciously.
I won't disappoint Lady Erina.
Emiya nodded. "Of course."
He had no reason to refuse. Hisako's cooking was solid, and she specialized in medicinal cuisine.
A two-for-one deal wasn't bad.
The group of two became three.
At the restaurant, they chose a secluded table near the edge.
Once seated, Erina looked straight at Emiya. "Now, can you tell me what you want to talk about?"
He considered for a moment. "Before that, I should introduce myself. My name is Emiya. I'm a superpower user and a traveler."
"A traveler?" Erina frowned.
"A superpower user?" Hisako was stunned.
They were focused on completely different things.
Erina wasn't surprised by the superpower part. She had seen him appear out of thin air. That wasn't something a normal person could do.
But she hadn't expected him to call himself a traveler.
Meanwhile, Hisako found the whole thing unbelievable.
Does someone actually say that out loud?
Is this chuunibyou?
Erina rubbed her temples. "The traveler you're talking about... is it the kind I'm thinking of?"
Hisako blinked.
That's what Lady Erina is worried about?
Emiya nodded. "Yes. But I don't travel the world. I travel between worlds. Your world. A world with yokai. Other worlds as well."
"What are you talking about?"
"How could that be possible?"
Both of them were shocked.
Erina slammed her hand on the table as she shouted, instantly drawing attention.
"Isn't that the Nakiri family's young lady?"
"That's right. God's Tongue."
"Looks like she's arguing with that guy. Who is he?"
"No idea."
Emiya felt helpless.
Erina's face was flushed, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Traveling between worlds?
That was too much for a normal person to accept.
How could something that absurd exist in reality?