Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

All that was there were a few chairs, a table, and the kitchen fixtures—just the bare minimum of furniture. The other rooms were probably the same. At least now, being able to get clean water safely and easily would make a huge difference in our situation.

“Once… body better… I’ll… look more.”
“Got it! But don’t push yourself!”
“No need to rush, nya. Is this place really safe?”
“As long as… you enter… from the door… with the key….”
“…That sounds really suspicious, nya!?”

To enter from that world, you’d need to use the key either way, so it should be fine.

Even if the water source nearby was accessible, they’d had no proper containers and it had been a pain to fetch, so the running water was welcomed with open arms. They did scold me for not telling them sooner, but I’d been delirious with fever, so hopefully they’d forgive me.

The door still needed to be watched in case it broke down at any time, but for now, we’d secured a safe zone. Once I recovered, we could even move and still use it.

All that was left was to rest.

■■■

“You’re not picking mushrooms, nya?”
“Alice’s still sleeping, and I’m not confident about mushrooms.”

The living room glowed under the setting sun. On the dusty floor, Sufi and the others chatted quietly. Half-conscious, I listened—then the deafening roar of a motorcycle tore past outside.

Startled, I sat up. The three of them, who’d been sitting on the floor, froze in each other’s arms, tails puffed up in fright.

“I-it’s out there again, nya, it came out again!”
“A-Alice, it’s okay, big sis is here!”

Breaking free from the panicking Noche, Sufi dashed toward me.

“Gof—”

She came in too hard, her elbow hitting my ribs with a crunching sound—but since nothing broke, I let it slide.

I patted Sufi’s trembling back and looked out the window. Beyond the skyline, a plane flew across the sky.

…It still looked like an ordinary city. Even though I’d been confined in the Containment Chamber of Sector 0, we could see live footage of the outside world—streets, buildings, and such. So I had a rough idea that this was Tokyo.

That day, the day I probably died, I still couldn’t remember what had happened then. The only thing I knew was that Earth had apparently survived.

I still had the Master Key, so things should be fine, but if the Pandora Institution noticed we were here, things would turn sour.

“The outside looks interesting.”
“But we can’t go out, nya.”
“?”

It was hard not to feel drawn to the scenery I’d long admired—the streets of Japan. Even knowing it was dangerous, the yearning wouldn’t go away.

Just as I was thinking that, Noche’s slightly trembling voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Nya, I tried opening that clear window once—to go outside, nya.”
“Y-yeah, but there was like an invisible wall or something. The weirdly dressed people out there didn’t even seem to notice us.”
“I see…”

So while I was unconscious, they had tried to go out onto the balcony, only to be stopped by some invisible barrier. Spooked, they’d given up exploring the rest of the apartment.

…Right, when you entered with the Master Key, you couldn’t leave except through the front door, and the locals couldn’t perceive the interior either.

It was convenient in that it required no concealment—but being unable to go outside felt a bit disappointing.

While I was lost in thought, another motorcycle roared past with a thunderous noise. What were those called again—*biker gangs*? I’d heard they were a nuisance, but experiencing it firsthand really drove the point home.

“Eeeek, there it is again!”
“T-they can’t come inside from out there, right, nya?”

To Sufi and the others, who had no idea what a motorcycle was, the explosive noise from outside must’ve sounded terrifying. Filia dove under the table with her head in her arms, while Noche stood frozen, tail bristling.

“I-if a monster comes, big sis will protect you again, okay!”
“Sufi, it’s… fine, really…”

The “big sister” holding me only squeezed tighter. My ribs started creaking, but eventually Sufi calmed down, and I exhaled in relief.

“That sound. It’s a vehicle. People here ride those, and some of them make that kind of loud noise.”

Still, this might be a good chance. I needed to explain how to use things in this room properly. I’d been putting it off, but it was time.

“Where’d you even learn that, nya?”
“…In a dream. A dream I saw before I became me.”

I glanced at Sufi, then at the serious-faced Noche, and answered.

It wasn’t really a lie, but not the full truth either. Even if I said “my past life,” they might not understand—and I couldn’t even say for sure that was the case. Maybe this whole situation was just some effect of an Unknown.

Saying I’d seen it in a dream seemed safest.

“For a while now, I’ve been dreaming about a boy who grew up in a place called Japan, on Earth. From his point of view, like I *was* him. That’s where I saw all this—this room, those gun— *cough*, strange tools, all kinds of knowledge.”

It wasn’t a lie. Explaining that phenomenon naturally came out like that. Maybe I was just convinced they were memories of a past life, when really I’d just relived someone else’s dream.

“…………”

Noche, trying to decide what to make of that, fell silent—when Sufi suddenly clapped her hands.

“…Ah! I know that dream! Sufi’s seen it too!”
“…………Eh?”

A curveball from the most unexpected direction. I froze, unable to react at all.