Since this was our first real hint that this world was in another dimension, I gathered everyone in the living room and shared the note.
[A dimension that cannot be exited unless everyone □□.]
"A dimension where you can't escape unless everyone □□,"
Aunt flipped the note over and sighed before finally placing it on the living room table.
I guess that was because nobody could interpret what □□ meant.
Everyone else was in the same boat.
Mei Senpai tilted her head as she examined the note Aunt had placed down.
"I've never seen these symbols before. I never thought I'd encounter such an ancient script when we're supposed to be using the global common language," Mei Senpai said.
"It doesn't look like just an archaic language. At first glance, these characters seem more like geometric symbols," my wife said.
"Bronie, even with your Truth power, can't you figure this out?"
At that, my wife's eyes shifted focus.
She had been examining it by unleashing her Yulja power, but she shook her head and turned to Mei Senpai.
"Yes, Mei Unni. Even with the power of Truth, there's no record of these characters ever being used. At least these symbols aren't from any script in the world we knew. If it's not that—"
"If not?"
"It's highly likely a cipher artificially created by someone," she said.
"Hmm, you're right. That actually sounds more plausible," Mei Senpai said, nodding.
Watching the two of them nod, Black Jere grumbled.
[Hmph, that just makes it all the more likely we'll never leave this place.]
"…Jere."
[See, Jere? If Bronie can't even crack it…]
"Jere?"
At that moment, Black Jere locked eyes with me and stared with an odd expression.
I gave her a casual smile, as if to say 'what's up?' but she only looked more suspiciously at me.
Jere approached in her spirit form, stroked her chin thoughtfully, and then gave me a crooked grin.
[Well, hmm~ if we just wait, it'll sort itself out.]
"Your tune changed all of a sudden?"
[Come to think of it, we have our esteemed Captain here, right? You'll crack that code in no time, won't you, Captain?]
"Oh, for sure—if it's our Captain," she said.
It must have been those words that lit a spark in Jere's eyes as she looked at me.
When people realized Jere was talking to Black Jere all by herself, their gazes turned to me as well.
But I couldn't blame them for looking at me expectantly.
After all, every time some incident broke out, it was my information and analysis that helped us fight and win against the Honkai.
But that was only possible because I had the cheat of knowing the original story's knowledge, after all.
That was why I even planned on retiring as soon as the original story ended.
Now that this is reality and not just a story, my knowledge isn't all that useful anymore.
What if I truly didn't know what these characters meant?
Well, I'm smarter now than I was in my past life, so if I'd had the time, I could have deciphered them.
But since I didn't know, even if I deciphered it later, I still wouldn't be able to tell anyone what □□ was.
"...For now, it's difficult for me to interpret this without any conditions," I said.
So all I could do was ask for more time.
After Mei Senpai left, I was meditating to pass the time when a sound made me slowly open my eyes.
"…What are you doing?"
"I'm… watching you."
"No, I know you're watching me."
I said that while closing my eyes and stifling a sigh.
When I slowly opened my eyes again and stared into those unrelenting pupils, I pressed a finger to the other person's forehead and gently pushed them back.
"You're staring too intently; it's overwhelming."
"Well, since you're keeping your eyes closed even though we're this close, I was wondering at what distance you'd open them."
"Who in their right mind would put their face this close just to test that?"
If either of us had moved by mistake, our lips could have collided in a catastrophic mishap.
You really have no sense of caution.
"So why did you come, Kiana?"
"Mei Senpai told me to call you because dinner was ready."
"Okay."
I relaxed my posture and rose to my feet at her words.
Brushing the dirt off my bottom, I walked to the kitchen with Kiana and saw today's duty crew bustling about, setting the table.
"We'll help too."
"Thanks. Could you set out the utensils?"
Watching them, I asked Mei Senpai, who was leading things, and Kiana and I arranged spoons and bowls at each place setting.
Soon enough, each member returned and took their seats, and the moment Mei Senpai sat down last, everyone's gaze locked on me.
For some reason, I spoke for all of us, saying "Let's eat," and everyone began their meal.
"Mmm, it's delicious again today."
"Thanks."
I had enjoyed the miso soup this morning too, so I smiled and said to Mei Senpai,
Mei Senpai smiled brightly in response, grateful.
Everyone else also praised the side dishes before finishing their meal and complimenting Mei Senpai.
"By the way, why did something like this happen?"
"Kiana?"
"When I think about it, doesn't it feel like something was meddling rather than just two people bumping into each other?"
I'm not sure of the details, though.
I said that as I watched Kiana pop one of the dessert apples into her mouth, lost in thought.
Something intervened, huh.
"But why are you saying that only now?"
"I wasn't sure back then. I only felt it for certain after we'd settled into life here," she replied.
So she became certain over time?
"Thanks, Kiana."
"Huh? I didn't really do anything," she said.
"Then I'll get up first," I said.
But in a way, that was a big clue.
If someone really did intervene… then the note was true, and this situation was artificially created.
That would let us pinpoint who orchestrated it.
However, that raises even more questions.
"Each and every one of us here is the strongest in our own universe… so someone deceived all of us and intervened from the outside?"
Honestly, I'd sooner believe my daughter suddenly became a Super Saiyan God.
Then perhaps the culprit is one of us?
But that doesn't make sense either; if someone here were powerful enough to pull this off, everyone would have noticed right away.
This was an intervention in a battle between two beings with god-level combat strength, yet nobody around detected it as it happened—it just can't be.
That would mean fooling everyone's gut instincts.
"Ideally, I'd like to resolve this barrier rather than take the note at face value," I said.
"I knew it," Jere said.
"?!"
Just then, someone placed a hand on my shoulder from behind.
Startled by the sudden presence, I turned around to find Jere standing there with a mischievous smile.
No, it wasn't exactly Jere.
This was another Jere, empowered by Jere's ability to move on its own now.
"I'd like you to explain your last statement, Captain," the Jere said.
It was 『Jere』.