Prologue: The Last Sea I Saw with You
The sea at the end of summer felt a little lonely.
The sky was still blue‚ and the waves were gently lapping the shore. Yet somehow‚ there was an atmosphere drifting about‚ as if it were quietly saying‚ “See you next year.”
I—Rui—was sitting on the sandy beach. Next to me was Serina.
She was my childhood friend‚ my classmate‚ and… the girl I secretly liked.
“Rui‚ you really are such an introvert‚ huh~”
Serina said with a laugh. There was no malice. Her words were always straightforward.
I didn’t reply and silently gazed at the sea. No‚ to be precise‚ I was looking at Serina’s profile.
Her hair swaying in the wind. The doodles she drew in the sand. Her smile. All of it was etched into my heart.
“But you know‚ I actually kind of like that about you.”
…Huh? What did she just say?
My heart suddenly started pounding like a drum solo.
Serina kept picking up seashells as if nothing had happened. Was she oblivious‚ or was it on purpose? No‚ probably oblivious. That’s the kind of girl she is.
I wanted to say it.
“I like you too‚ Serina.”
But I couldn’t.
Because I was cowardly‚ clumsy‚ and an introvert.
As if she could see right through my heart‚ Serina spoke.
“Hey‚ Rui. Let’s go swimming! It’s the last summer after all!”
With that‚ she ran straight toward the sea‚ still wearing her uniform.
“Wait‚ hold on! Are you an idiot?!”
I hurriedly stood up. A high school girl jumping into the sea in her uniform. And she’s totally oblivious. And the girl I like.
This was definitely an incident.
Serina’s foot was caught by a wave and she nearly fell.
In that instant‚ I ran without hesitation.
It was the first time this cowardly me had shown any courage.
“Serina!”
I grabbed her hand.
And the next instant—we were swallowed by the sea.
Underwater‚ everything was quiet.
Serina’s eyes were looking straight at me.
I didn’t let go of her hand.
“I’ll never let you go.”
The moment I thought that‚ the world was enveloped in light.
—And then‚ I woke up.
It was a forest.
An unfamiliar forest. An unfamiliar sky. Unfamiliar bird calls.
I was lying on the ground. My uniform was dry‚ and for some reason my body felt strangely light.
Next to me‚ Serina had collapsed.
I hurriedly rushed over to her.
“Serina! Hey‚ Serina!”
She blinked her eyes open.
“…A squishy slime…”
“What kind of fantasy sleep-talk is that?!”
I retorted‚ but felt relieved. She was alive. Thank goodness.
But where were we?
I looked around. Forest. Sky. Birds. …A dragon’s roar? Wait‚ a dragon?
I looked at my own hands. Something was floating there.
【Skill: Infinite Seal】【Skill: Infinite Appraisal】【Title: Observer】
…Huh? Don’t I have some insanely broken skills?
And “Observer”? I sound like Serina’s stalker!
Anyway‚ let’s calm down. I tried using the appraisal skill.
Target: Serina.
【Status: All Stats ∞】【Skill: All Magic Learned】【Title: Creator of the World / Destroyer of the World / Demon Lord】
…Yeah. This is bad.
My childhood friend can apparently destroy the world.
And a Demon Lord? An airheaded Demon Lord? That’s a brand-new genre.
I thought about it.
If things stayed like this‚ Serina might end up destroying the world. No‚ she probably doesn’t intend to‚ but she might accidentally activate her Demon Lord skills while saying something like “squishy~♡”.
So I made up my mind.
I would seal her power.
Her secret that only I knew.
The world that only I could protect for her.
I activated the Seal skill.
Serina’s status returned to that of an ordinary high school girl.
Good‚ now it’s safe—
“Hey Rui~. I’m hungry~. Do you have any snacks~?”
…Yeah. The world is peaceful today‚ too.
Chapter 1: Seal and Setting Off
When I woke up‚ I was inside a forest.
A quiet spot where sunlight filtered through the trees. I could hear birds singing and the wind rustling the leaves. It felt like a scene from a picture book. Or maybe I had actually wandered into one.
Next to me‚ Serina had collapsed. She was still in her uniform‚ sleeping peacefully with soft breaths.
I looked at her face and felt a little relieved. She was alive. Thank goodness.
But where were we? We were definitely at the sea—
The memories came flooding back.
The sea at the end of summer. Serina being swept away by the waves‚ me trying to save her—and then being enveloped in light.
…Reincarnation? Another world? No way. Except the situation right in front of me was already ridiculous enough.
I stood up and checked my own body. My uniform was dry‚ and my body felt light.
Floating before my eyes were glowing letters.
【Skill: Infinite Seal】【Skill: Infinite Appraisal】【Title: Observer】
…Yeah‚ this is ridiculous.
I have some insanely powerful skills. And “Observer”? I really do sound like Serina’s stalker!
Anyway‚ let’s calm down. I tried using the appraisal skill.
Target: Serina.
【Status: All Stats ∞】【Skill: All Magic Learned】【Title: Creator of the World / Destroyer of the World / Demon Lord】
…Yeah‚ this is even more ridiculous.
My childhood friend can apparently destroy the world.
And a Demon Lord? An airheaded Demon Lord? That’s a brand-new genre.
I thought about it.
If things stayed like this‚ Serina might end up destroying the world. No‚ she probably doesn’t intend to‚ but she might accidentally activate her Demon Lord skills while saying something like “squishy~♡”.
So I made up my mind.
I would seal her power.
Her secret that only I knew.
The world that only I could protect for her.
I activated the Seal skill.
Serina’s status returned to that of an ordinary high school girl.
Good‚ now it’s safe—
“Mm… Rui~? Where are we~?”
Serina woke up. She looked at me with sleepy eyes.
“It’s a forest. Probably another world.”
“Ehh! Another world!? Awesome! Can we use magic!? Are there squishy slimes!?”
“Your excitement level is way too high…”
I let out a sigh.
Even after coming to another world‚ she was still the same. Airheaded‚ free-spirited‚ and completely messing with my heart.
But only I knew the truth.
That her status had been “∞”.
That one of her titles had been “Destroyer of the World”.
And that I had sealed all of it.
…Yeah‚ I did good.
After that‚ we decided to explore the forest.
First‚ we needed to understand the situation. I used my appraisal skill to check our surroundings.
Grass‚ trees‚ rocks‚ bugs‚ Serina… wait‚ no‚ Serina’s already been checked. Too scary.
Then I sensed a monster’s presence in a nearby thicket.
It was a slime. Level 1. Looking very squishy. Serina would probably love it.
“Serina‚ that’s a slime.”
“Really!? So cute~♡”
She dashed off.
I panicked and tried to stop her.
“Wait! That’s an enemy!”
“But it’s squishy‚ right? Isn’t it more of a healing type?”
“Even if it’s a healing type‚ it still hurts when it bites!”
I used the Seal skill to set the slime’s attack power to zero.
Serina hugged the slime and squealed‚ “So squishy~♡”.
…Is this really the right way to use my Seal skill?
After that‚ I defeated the slime and gained experience points.
My level rose from 1 to 2‚ and I learned a new skill called “Area Search”.
Serina apparently gained a tiny bit of experience too.
“Hey Rui~. My level went up too~”
“…That’s nice‚ but hold on a second.”
My danger detection skill suddenly blared an alert.
“Extremely Dangerous Reaction: Present at Close Range”
I hurriedly appraised Serina again.
【Status: Partial Seal Released】【Skill: Unknown Magic Acquired】【Title: Destroyer of the World (Faintly Active)】
“Did you just learn something?”
“Yeah! Some sparkly magic popped into my head! The name is… um‚ ‘World Collapse’?”
“Don’t you dare use that!? Absolutely not!?”
I quickly used every bonus point left in my Seal skill to re-seal Serina’s status.
Somehow‚ she returned to “ordinary beautiful high school girl” level.
…Wait‚ what even is an “ordinary beautiful high school girl”?
“Hey Rui~. I’m hungry~. Do you have any snacks~?”
“There’s no way there’d be snacks in another world… wait‚ there are.”
I took out the “squishy jelly” that had dropped from the slime.
Serina’s eyes sparkled as she ate it.
“So delicious~♡ This other world is the best~♡”
…My life is way too busy with sealing her and providing snacks.
And so‚ we decided to leave the forest and head for the nearby town.
Using Area Search‚ I confirmed there was a small town called “Roden” nearby.
Along the way we defeated monsters‚ gathered materials‚ and strengthened our skills.
Serina kept saying “Snacks~♡” the whole time.
But I thought to myself:
In this world‚ I’m the only one who can protect her.
While sealing her power‚ I’ll also gently unravel her heart.
That’s my role.
—And only I know.
Her true form.
Her kindness.
Her loneliness.
That’s why I’ll protect her.
Even in this world.
Right by her side.
Chapter 2: The Town of Roden and Our First Inn
It had been less than a day since we were transported to this other world.
I had only just finished sealing Serina’s “Demon Lord-level status‚” so mentally and physically my HP was at zero.
The place we finally reached was the town of Roden. Stone-paved streets‚ wooden houses‚ and the somehow nostalgic scent of fresh bread.
It definitely felt like another world‚ but Serina’s energy level was that of a total tourist.
“Rui~! This town smells like bread~♡”
“Do you have Demon Lord-level sense of smell?”
Serina was hopping along beside me like a little bunny.
She looked less like the witch who created the world and more like a completely ordinary bread-loving airhead girl.
Passing merchants smiled and said‚ “Miss‚ you sure are energetic‚” and children pointed‚ “It’s a fluffy person!”
She was already drawing the whole town’s attention.
First‚ we decided to look for an inn.
Looking at the town’s notice board‚ I chose the “Adventurer’s Inn: Windfeather Pavilion.”
The price was three silver coins. Breakfast included. Bath available.
Serina was delighted: “Feather means a fluffy bed‚ right~♡”
When we entered the inn‚ the woman at the reception greeted us with a smile.
“Welcome. Are you two… a married couple?”
“No‚ we’re not.”
“Ehehe~♡ We’re still not even dating yet~”
“Stop that. The misunderstanding is accelerating.”
The receptionist smiled warmly as she handed us the key.
We were shown to a corner room on the second floor.
Wooden floors‚ light streaming through the windows‚ and two beds that looked wonderfully fluffy.
“Waa~♡ The beds are so fluffy~!”
“You’re way too obsessed with fluffiness.”
Serina dove straight onto the bed.
In that instant—
BOOM!
“…Huh?”
“Rui~! The bed exploded~♡”
“No‚ don’t laugh! Why is the bed exploding from magic?!”
The inn staff came rushing over in a panic.
“Wh-what happened!? That explosion…!”
“Sorry‚ our magic-heavy companion tried to make the bed a little fluffier…”
“Make the bed… fluffier…?”
The innkeeper was silent for a moment‚ then let out a deep sigh.
“Again…? Lately we’ve been getting more travelers with magic hypersensitivity. Beds disappear about three times a month.”
“They explode that often!?”
That night‚ I ended up sleeping on the floor.
Serina apologized‚ “Sorry~♡ My magic went a tiny bit wild~”.
No‚ “a tiny bit” doesn’t normally make furniture vanish.
The next morning‚ Serina charged into the bakery.
She tried to cast magic on the bread while shouting‚ “This bread has such high fluffiness~♡”‚ so I hurriedly activated my Seal skill.
“Seal: Fluffy Magic!”
“Ehh~! I can’t cast magic on bread~?”
“Bread is made from wheat‚ not magic!”
The bakery owner gave a wry smile at Serina’s airheadedness and handed her some fresh-baked bread.
“Miss‚ bread is baked with the heart. If you use magic‚ the soul gets burnt.”
“Waa~♡ I want to bake bread that makes the soul fluffy~!”
“That’s why I said it gets burnt!”
Later‚ Serina ran around the town square shouting “Fluffy Search Squad~♡”‚ which gathered a crowd of children asking “What’s fluffy?” and caused a small commotion.
A passing guard grew suspicious—“Signs of magic rampage?”—so I hurriedly explained the situation.
“Sorry‚ she’s just a bread lover. She’s Demon Lord-class‚ but fully sealed.”
“Demon Lord-class… bread lover…?”
“Yes. It’s contradictory‚ but it’s the truth.”
That afternoon‚ while eating dinner in the inn’s dining hall‚ Serina suddenly murmured:
“Hey Rui. This other world might actually be a little fun.”
“‘A little’ while beds are exploding.”
“Ehehe~♡ But I feel safe because you’re here.”
I couldn’t say anything.
Just being beside her was everything to me.
That night‚ the innkeeper quietly spoke to me.
“That young lady has incredible magic… but I’ve never seen anyone smile so brightly over bread before.”
“…Yeah. Me neither.”
And so‚ our first day in the other world became a chaotic‚ laughter-filled beginning filled with bed explosions‚ bread magic‚ couple misunderstandings‚ floor sleeping‚ and town uproar.
Seals and magic and fluffiness and misunderstandings.
That was our “First Inn Stay Record.”
Chapter 3: Guild Registration and Certificate Chaos
It was the second day since arriving in the town of Roden.
We decided to head to the guild to take our first step as adventurers.
To live in this other world‚ we first needed to get “jobs.”
I was a “Sealer‚” and Serina was a “Mage (Sealed).”
…That “Sealed” title already felt ominous.
“Rui~! Can the guild register bread makers too~?”
“Probably‚ but… you’re a mage‚ right?”
“But I’m really good at bread magic~♡”
“That’s not magic‚ that’s cooking.”
The guild was a stone building in the center of town.
Inside‚ the receptionist greeted us with a smile.
The place was full of energy as adventurers took requests and received rewards.
“Welcome. Are you two… a married couple?”
“No‚ we’re not.”
“Ehehe~♡ We’re still not even dating yet~”
“That same line again…!”
The adventurers around us grinned and whispered‚ “Oh‚ how fresh‚” and “They look like they might explode any second.”
I ignored the stares and headed to the counter.
“Please register us for the guild.”
“Certainly. I’ll copy your status onto magic paper. Please place your hand on it one at a time.”
I confirmed my own status with Infinite Appraisal and copied it without issue.
Sealer – Level 12 – Skills: Seal‚ Appraisal‚ Retort (?).
That last skill was definitely because of Serina.
Then it was Serina’s turn.
The receptionist held out the magic paper.
“Please place your hand here.”
“Okaaay♡ Just a tiny bit of magic is enough‚ right~?”
In that instant—
BOOM!
“…Again?”
“Rui~! The paper burned up~♡”
“A ‘tiny bit’ of magic shouldn’t turn paper into ash!”
The receptionist’s eyes widened.
The adventurers around us erupted into commotion—“Was that magic just now?” “What the heck is that girl?”
“Th-this is… a Demon Lord-class magic reaction…”
“No it’s not! She’s just a bread lover!”
“Ehehe~♡ I want to become a bread maker~”
I hurriedly activated my Seal skill.
I re-sealed Serina’s magic and rewrote her status to “Ordinary Person (Hobby: Bread).”
The magic paper barely survived.
The receptionist spoke‚ looking confused.
“So… your occupation will be Apprentice Bread Maker‚ is that all right?”
“Yes♡”
“No! That’s falsification!”
And so‚ Serina’s guild card was officially marked “Apprentice Bread Maker.”
My Seal skill‚ meant to protect the world‚ had been used to forge a bakery résumé.
Later‚ the guild staff in the back were whispering among themselves.
“A Demon Lord-class magic reaction appeared for just a second…”
“Nah‚ she’s apparently a bread maker.”
“Are bread makers really that powerful…?”
Serina was happily staring at her guild card.
“Rui~! Now I can become a baker~♡”
“No. This is ‘Demon Lord camouflage work.’”
After that‚ the guild staff gave us job-specific guidance.
Warriors to the training ground‚ mages to the magic room‚ bread makers to… the kitchen.
“Serina‚ please head to the kitchen over here.”
“Yaaay♡ I can bake bread~!”
“No‚ wait. You’re supposed to be a mage!”
In the kitchen‚ Serina was using magic to levitate the dough and spin it around while shouting “Magic Bread Spin Bake~♡”‚ astonishing the bakers.
I was stuck performing the mysterious task of using my Seal skill to safely land the flying bread.
One of the kitchen staff quietly told me:
“…That girl looks all fluffy‚ but her technique is amazing. The dough fermentation is perfect.”
“Eh? Really?”
“She’s adjusting the temperature with magic—perfectly even. That’s professional-level skill.”
I watched Serina from the corner of the kitchen.
She was baking bread with a serious expression.
It was different from her usual fluffy smile—it was a look of pure concentration.
When the bread came out of the oven‚ she struck a proud little pose.
“Rui~! Look‚ look~! The fluffiness level is the highest ever~♡”
“…Damn‚ I’m a little jealous.”
That night‚ back at the inn‚ Serina gazed at her guild card and said:
“Hey Rui. They called me a bread maker‚ but… I think I want to try a little harder as a mage too.”
“…That’s a good thing. If you become conscious of your magic‚ my sealing work will get easier.”
“But because you seal it for me‚ I can relax and be fluffy~♡”
“…Your ‘fluffiness’ is shaving years off my life.”
And so‚ we completed our guild registration.
The next step was our first quest—slime extermination.
But I already had a feeling.
Fighting alongside this airheaded Demon Lord would require more than just my Seal skill.
My Retort skill was also going to be essential for survival.
Seals and magic and bread and certificates and burnt paper.
That was our “Guild Registration Record.”
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