Episode 07: An Unexpected Visitor and Fantasy Through a Monitor
I mixed the freshly delivered chikuwa with mayonnaise and savored the moment of pure bliss.
On my phone, my favorite streamer was passionately reviewing a newly released game.
“…This is the life. This is what humans were meant to do.”
Internet, electricity, gas, water.
And ultra‑fast delivery.
Even if this place was next to a fortress city or in a monster‑infested forest, nothing could breach my “walled 4LDK with a yard.”
At least, that’s what I thought—
—Ding‑dong.
The doorbell rang for the second time today.
It was the high‑tech gate intercom Lumina had installed “for safety,” without asking me.
“…Huh? Oh, did I order udon too?”
I stood up from the sofa without a hint of suspicion.
I didn’t notice Tama at my feet, ears sharp and eyes fixed on the gate.
“Meow. (…I knew it. That delivery weakened the barrier a little.)”
“Tama, excited again? Maybe it’s udon this time.”
I leaned toward the indoor monitor.
The multifunction intercom Lumina had proudly added that day.
Originally—
This house was supposed to be invisible from the outside thanks to “perception blocking.”
Lumina had said:
*“Don’t worry! To normal people, it’ll just look like an empty patch of forest!”*
But the monitor showed—
“…Huh?”
A dull silver gleam.
A group of knights in full plate armor.
Five or six of them.
The man in front had a chiseled face and the aura of a classic fantasy knight.
They were staring up at my house.
“…What is this, cosplay? No, the texture looks too real…”
“Meow. (They’re real. And… there’s an elf with them.)”
Tama covered her face with a paw.
Looking closely, a slender figure in a hood stood behind the knights.
A pointed ear peeked out.
“Meow. (That elf… dispelled the perception block. That’s why they can see the house.)”
Tama slapped her tail against the floor.
One knight nervously pressed the intercom.
—Ding‑dong.
『…It made a sound.』
『A magic device, perhaps? But this manor… it is far too white. Spotless. And its architecture resembles neither the Holy Nation nor the Empire.』
Their whispers leaked through the monitor’s speaker.
“…Tama. If I’m not mistaken, this isn’t a normal neighborly visit, right?”
“Meow. (Obviously. They came to investigate the ‘mysterious mansion’ that suddenly appeared in the forest.)”
“Right, neighborhood committees really work hard.”
Tama let out a long, exhausted sigh.
The man who seemed to be the captain stepped forward and raised his voice.
『We know someone is inside! We are the First Knight Order of Felsen Fortress City!
State your reason for occupying this land without permission!
If you refuse, we shall treat this as unlawful occupation and take you into custody!』
Unlawful occupation.
For the first time in my six months in this world, I heard a legal term.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
“…Wait. I’ve only lived here for three days. Was I supposed to file a change‑of‑address form at the local fantasy city hall?”
A knight knocked on the gate.
The barrier reacted, releasing a flash of pale blue light.
『A barrier!? Who owns this manor…!?』
“Tama… what do I do?”
“Meow. (If it comes to it, I’ll take care of everything. Don’t worry.)”
“…Right. In times like this, pretending not to be home is the best move. If I answer, they’ll try to ‘recruit’ me or something.”
Tama sighed so loudly it almost shook the room.
I quietly turned the intercom volume to minimum and switched off the living room lights.
In the dark, Tama and I held our breath.
Outside the window, the evening bells of the fortress city echoed through the sky.
All I could do was tremble and pray the knights would get bored and leave.
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