[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Eriri, since things on your side are almost resolved, when will you come over here?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): No need to rush. In a few days, I'll make a trip back, and then I'll bring Eu to your side.]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): That's good!]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): If I hadn't stayed in Orario for more than a month, I really would have lost my patience and attacked that vampire ninja.]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Who told you to go back so early? If you had just stayed in Orario until Eriri returned, you could've avoided this.]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Look at Nini—she's still staying here even now.]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Who would have thought that after not seeing her for over a month, she still wouldn't give up? By the time I returned, she had already settled in like it was her own home. Frustrated.jpg]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Kyoko-chan, Kyoko-chan, why don't you come play at my place for a few days? My family will definitely welcome you~]
[Moeha Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): That's right, Kyoko-oneechan, you're welcome to come play too~]
[Kaguya Shinomiya (Level 7, Stage 2): Ai and I also welcome you to visit us.]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Forget it. I don't want to keep avoiding her. It makes it seem like I'm scared of her.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Alright then, good luck!]
[Moeha Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): What a pity~ I wanted to get closer to Kyoko-oneechan~]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): There will be plenty of chances in the future. Moeha, you can come play at my place too.]
[Moeha Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): I want to, but I have school these days.]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Then there's no helping it.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Speaking of which, more than two months have passed again. Counting the previous three months, it's already been half a year. Why hasn't the chat group gotten any new members yet?]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Eriri, why don't you pull in some newcomers to join the fun~]
[Moeha Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Eh? Doesn't me and Toyomi-neesan count as newcomers to the group?]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): You two don't count.]
Another two months had passed, and naturally the chat group refreshed with two new designated invitations.
This time, Chika Fujiwara's luck turned around. She hit the jackpot two months in a row, drawing both invitations consecutively.
As a result, her two sisters, Moeha Fujiwara and Toyomi Fujiwara, both joined the chat group one after the other.
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Fine. It's about time we brought in a new batch of members.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Little Skirt, arrange it!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Yay!]
The moment Eriri sent her message, the chat group finally welcomed its twelfth batch of new members.
...
[Dustiness Ford Lalatina has joined the group chat.]
[Victoria Samanark has joined the group chat.]
[Frieren has joined the group chat.]
[Natsuki Minamiya has joined the group chat.]
In an instant, the four notifications made all the members in the group perk up. Even those who hadn't been paying attention to the chat came out to speak.
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Welcome newcomers! Remember to read the group introduction~]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Welcome newcomers! Flower petals.jpg]
[Kanae Kocho (Level 7, Stage 2): So we have new members, welcome, welcome.]
[Shinobu Kocho (Level 7, Stage 1): Welcome newcomers!]
[Yuuki Asuna (Level 7, Stage 2): Welcome newcomers!]
[Adele (Level 7, Stage 1): Finally, new members! Let me check out their profiles.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 2): By the way, when was the last time we welcomed new members?]
[Arche (Level 7, Stage 2): Welcome newcomers!]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Welcome newcomers!]
[...]
One welcome after another quickly filled the chat. Unlike at the very beginning, the chat group now had more than fifty members. Even with only about half of them speaking, the chat had already become lively and bustling.
As the group members warmly welcomed the newcomers, the new arrivals each reacted differently to the sudden appearance of the chat group in their minds.
On Itogami Island, in the Demon District, twenty-one-year-old Natsuki Minamiya wore a grave expression as she observed the chat group that had suddenly appeared in her mind.
As an active professional Attack Mage, Natsuki was naturally highly vigilant against things beyond her control—especially since her existence was tied to the Prison Barrier.
If something unexpected happened to her main body because of this bizarre chat group, then the criminals she had imprisoned in the barrier would surely escape and wreak unimaginable havoc upon the outside world.
Yet, no matter what methods she tried, she couldn't dispel the chat group from her mind. Thus, she decided to bide her time, watch the conversations unfolding, and gather as much information as she could before deciding on her next move.
Because of how quickly the chat messages scrolled, Natsuki didn't notice Arifureta's welcome message and therefore didn't read the group introduction.
Unlike Natsuki, Darkness—who had just recently become an adventurer—smiled with excitement when she saw the flood of welcome messages directed at her.
Having always been without friends, Darkness had chosen to become an adventurer in hopes of meeting companions.
But ever since she became one, her situation hadn't changed. She was still as lonely as before.
In order to achieve her wish, she had gone every day to the Church of Goddess Eris to pray for adventuring companions. And now, having just left the church, she subconsciously took the chat group as a gift from the goddess herself in answer to her prayers.
Thus, without hesitation, she immediately sent her first message.
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Hello, nice to meet you all!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Oooh, finally, a newcomer spoke up.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Nice to meet you, welcome to our big family~]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 4, Stage 7): Hello, Lalatina-nee.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Welcome, Lalatina. Smile.jpg]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Welcome, Lalatina. Smile.jpg]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Ahhh, please don't call me that name! Just call me Darkness, I beg you!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Alright, Lalatina. Smile.jpg]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Nooo!]
[Fumino Furuhashi (Level 7, Stage 2): Eh? Why can't we call you Lalatina? That's such a pretty name. Curious.jpg]
[Honami Ichinose (Level 7, Stage 1): I think it's a lovely name too, Lalatina.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 2): Indeed, Lalatina sounds much nicer than Darkness.]
[Reina (Level 7, Stage 1): Is it like Meiru, not wanting enemies to recognize her real name, so she uses another?]
[Reina (Level 7, Stage 1): Don't worry, this is the chat group. We're not from your world, so you don't have to fear your enemies finding you. You can safely use your real name—Lalatina!]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): …]
Looking at these new friends repeatedly calling her "Lalatina," Darkness wished she could dig a hole in the ground and bury herself. Unfortunately, the chat group was in her mind, and no matter what she did, she couldn't escape the messages.
Her embarrassment was so overwhelming that she didn't even notice the other important information hidden in Reina's words.
However, the other three newcomers certainly did—especially Natsuki Minamiya, who was paying close attention to the chat group.
Though she didn't immediately accept the statement as truth, her wariness of the group eased slightly.
Meanwhile, Frieren, who had been living alone in the forest for centuries, initially felt indifferent toward the chat group. But after seeing the conversation with Darkness, she suddenly felt the urge to participate. The phrase "not from your world" piqued her curiosity.
At the same time, Victoria Samanark, the princess of the Samanark Principality, who had been quietly researching magic in her room, was also drawn in by those same words.
Though Victoria Samanark already knew a bit about other dimensions—after all, the restaurant she visited every seven days seemed to exist in another world—she still couldn't help but feel curious.
Meanwhile, the group chat conversation showed no signs of slowing down.
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Ara, Lalatina, why did you stop talking, Lalatina?]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Yeah, Lalatina, no need to be shy.]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Please don't call me that! I beg you, it's way too embarrassing!!!]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 3, Stage 8): Lalatina-nee, your name is really pretty. Why would you feel embarrassed?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Even if it's embarrassing, you must be feeling good right now, aren't you, Lalatina?]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Exactly. She's probably writhing around somewhere at this very moment!]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 2): ?]
[Elaina (Level 7, Stage 2): ?]
[Azusa (Level 7, Stage 1): ?]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): ?]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): ?]
[Kyoko (Level 5, Stage 2): Are newcomers these days always such perverts?]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Absolutely not!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Eriri, Yue-chan, why are you saying that about Lalatina? Is there some shameful secret here?]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Come on, tell us, tell us! Excited.jpg]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): It's nothing much. It's just that this one has extreme masochistic tendencies—in other words, she's a super M.]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): …]
Hearing Arifureta's words, whether from the modern world like Chika Fujiwara or from other worlds like Elaina, everyone began to understand why Eriri and Arifureta had said such things.
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): If you want to really understand, I'll just let you see directly!]
[Lefiya (Level 7, Stage 1): Lady Eriri, are you about to upload Lalatina's memory footage? Curious.jpg]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): That's right.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Since you're uploading, why not also upload the other three newcomers' memory footage while you're at it?]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): Wait, what's memory footage?]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): It's information about your past and future. Didn't I tell you newcomers to read the group introduction when you first joined? If you did, you'd understand.]
[Lalatina (Level 2, Stage 4): ???]
Seeing this message, not only Darkness, but also the silent observers—Natsuki Minamiya, Frieren, and Victoria—all reacted strongly.
[Frieren (Level 2, Stage 8): Future?]
[Natsuki Minamiya (Level 2, Stage 7): Information about the future? Are you serious?]
[Victoria Samanark (Level 2, Stage 5): …]
As the three of them spoke up for the first time, Eriri uploaded the memory footage for all four newcomers.
[Ding, Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9) has uploaded memory footage: KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! "Dustiness Ford Lalatina."]
[Ding, Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9) has uploaded memory footage: Restaurant to Another World "Victoria Samanark."]
[Ding, Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9) has uploaded memory footage: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End "Frieren."]
[Ding, Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9) has uploaded memory footage: Strike the Blood "Natsuki Minamiya."]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Alright, I've uploaded the past and future of all four newcomers. You can go watch now.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Oh, Yue-chan, you should check it out too. It'll give you a whole new experience.]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 3 / Group Leader): Okay~]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): So the other three newcomers finally spoke up. Looks like information about the future is pretty tempting.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): But this time the titles of the memory footage are different. Weren't they always listed by season before?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): I made some adjustments to how the memory footage is uploaded. It's no longer in the old anime-season format.]
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven