Chapter 46: A Nerve-Wracking Invitation
Since he was planning a group trip, of course, the first step was to talk to his potential companions.
Even though there was still some time before the summer vacation officially started, Hikigaya decided to act quickly.
After buying groceries and ignoring the overly excited Tamamo-no-Mae who had dashed into the kitchen, and Hazazi who was watching a racing program, Hikigaya greeted Komachi and headed out again.
He went straight to where the Yukinoshita sisters lived.
After the last incident, Hikigaya had arranged for the organization to find a new place for the Yukinoshita family.
However, recently, with some assets being returned and thanks to Yukinoshita Haruno's management, their family had escaped their previously awkward situation and now seemed to be back on stable ground.
Haruno had purchased a new villa and moved the whole family in.
When Hikigaya arrived at the villa, the family was just having dinner.
Don't ask how he knew that—he didn't have a dog's nose, okay?
He went up and rang the doorbell. Soon, footsteps approached from inside.
"Hachiman?"
The door opened to reveal Haruno, surprised but visibly pleased.
Well, after all, they hadn't seen each other since the last incident.
Hikigaya, being a forgetful guy, often acted on impulse and quickly moved on, sometimes forgetting things altogether.
Since becoming a God Slayer, this trait had only become more apparent.
Perhaps because he now had the freedom and capability to live however he wanted, his environment had influenced him—for better or worse.
"Come on in. You've seemed so busy lately that I didn't want to disturb you," Haruno said warmly, grabbing his arm.
This made Hikigaya feel a little embarrassed.
Haruno, of course, noticed this and quickly felt a flash of joy inside.
'That heartless bastard… I thought he really didn't care…'
She was pleased, but also secretly frustrated with herself. She never used to be like this.
It's all that jerk's fault! Took off after doing that and didn't even contact me! And now I'm the one getting all anxious? Seriously?
"Hahaha… I've actually not been that busy," Hikigaya said awkwardly as Haruno suddenly gave him a resentful look, making him feel very uncomfortable under her gaze.
At least he was finally inside.
Past the entrance was the dining room.
At the table sat the Yukinoshita mother and Yukino, and the dishes looked quite lavish.
Upon seeing Hikigaya enter, the mother stood up and gave a slight bow, while Yukino simply nodded, seemingly in a good mood.
Hikigaya figured of course she'd be in a good mood—he'd gone to great lengths to make that charm for her…
Actually, he really should make two more. It would be weird to give only one member of a three-person family a charm.
Maybe he could get Hazazi to do the carving this time—his own hands were killing him.
Yeah, the more he thought about it, the better that idea sounded.
After exchanging greetings, Hikigaya sat down at the table—though he tried to refuse at first, he couldn't win against Haruno's verbal tactics. After a few exchanges, he was helpless.
"Thank you for what you did before, Hikigaya-san," said the Yukinoshita mother earnestly. She looked genuinely grateful, but Hikigaya couldn't help but doubt whether she really felt that way.
After all, if we're talking about "what happened before," wasn't the most recent event him kissing with her daughter? And then leaving almost immediately afterward?
Yeah… not a great subject to bring up.
"You're too kind. Sorry for disturbing you so late," Hikigaya replied with a polite smile.
"If there's anything we can help with, please don't hesitate to let us know. We may not be as capable as your subordinates, but we'll do what we can," she continued with a solemn look, though there was a hint of some unreadable expectation that made Hikigaya sweat a little.
What's with that expression? PMS?
He was starting to feel the pressure. Better get to the point and get out—their whole vibe tonight felt off.
He swallowed hard. His throat felt dry.
That shouldn't even be possible—ever since he killed Osiris, he hadn't felt thirst at all.
"Ah, it's nothing that serious. I just wanted to ask if you'd like to go on a trip during the summer vacation. You've all been under a lot of stress lately—some fresh air might be nice," he said a bit stiffly.
"Oh, I see. I misunderstood," the Yukinoshita mother replied with a smile, a bit embarrassed. "I hope you don't mind."
Yukino, meanwhile, gave him a questioning look.
"Is it absolutely necessary to go?" she asked.
Hikigaya was puzzled. Did he sound like he was ordering them around? He was just inviting them...
"A trip sounds fun," Haruno said, still holding onto his arm. She leaned even closer, and her softness pressed more tightly against him. "Where did you want to go, Hachiman?"
"How about Egypt? It's a great tourist destination."
Yeah, just a bit of archaeology. Totally safe. Calling it a vacation wasn't even misleading.
He hadn't been to Egypt in his previous life, after all.
"Egypt, huh? That does sound nice," Haruno nodded and turned to her mother and sister. "Mom, Yukino, let's all go together. It's been a while since we traveled as a family."
"You and Yukino go. I'll stay home," the mother said with a smile that made her eyes crinkle. Her smile was identical to Haruno's—clearly a family trait.
"But won't you get lonely staying home alone?" Hikigaya tried to persuade her. "It might be nice to relax and recharge."
"No need to worry, Hikigaya-san. Before my husband's accident, I used to travel all the time. Having peace and quiet now is actually a welcome change. Just take care of my daughters, please."
"Ahaha, of course! Not a problem at all! We're all friends here, hahaha…"
Hikigaya could already feel his hair falling out from the stress...
"Well then, I won't intrude any longer. I'll be heading back."
"Huh? Leaving already? Why not stay for dinner?" Haruno tightened her grip on his arm. "Mother's cooking tonight, and she's really good."
"No thanks. I actually have a guest at home, so I need to get back," Hikigaya replied, now fully convinced that he was a dumbass—this whole thing could've been a phone call.
At least Yukino was acting normal. She was still eating ribs.
"Haruno, don't be rude. I'm sure Hikigaya-san has important things to attend to," the mother scolded gently.
"Aww…" Haruno pouted, her flirtatious eyes now brimming with moisture, making Hikigaya even more flustered.
Goddamn—had she reset her personality or something during their time apart?
Just as Hikigaya was at a loss for words, salvation arrived—his phone rang.
"Excuse me…" He gave an apologetic smile, withdrew his arm from Haruno's grip, and stepped aside to answer the call.
After a short conversation, he hung up and turned back to the group.
"Sorry, my sister called. I need to head back. If you decide to come, I'll arrange someone to pick you up."
"No problem. Take care of your business," said the mother, though she looked slightly disappointed. Then she turned to Haruno. "Haruno, don't just sit there—go walk Hikigaya-san out."
"No need, I can see myself out," Hikigaya said quickly.
This woman's courtesy was downright terrifying.
He said goodbye to everyone and made a hasty retreat.
Chapter 47: Hikigaya Embarks on a Journey
Time passed swiftly—more than half a month had flown by in the blink of an eye.
By the time Hikigaya realized it, summer vacation had arrived.
As planned, having already made the necessary preparations, he began his trip.
Although Komachi was a little dissatisfied about being left home alone again, when she heard that Hikigaya was going to Egypt to tour ancient ruins, she unexpectedly gave him a look of understanding.
"I get it, I get it. Go and enjoy yourself, Onii-chan." The little girl stood on tiptoe and patted Hikigaya on the shoulder with a worldly air. "I knew this day would come. Don't worry, Komachi isn't the least bit concerned."
Hikigaya, on the other hand, couldn't make sense of what she meant.
Confused, he left home.
Then, together with Hazazi and the Yukinoshita sisters, he boarded a plane.
Their first stop was Cairo.
This city, which spans the Nile River, was called Ra in ancient times—the land of the gods of ancient Egypt.
Nowadays, the most common buildings seen in the city are mosques and minarets.
However, the Cairo airport where Hikigaya and the others landed wasn't located in the downtown area.
Hikigaya's impression of Egypt was of endless yellow sand and ancient buildings, but upon arriving at the airport, he found that wasn't the case at all.
Cairo Airport was tall, spacious, and brightly lit, fully equipped with escalators, elevators, and all the expected facilities.
The baggage claim areas were neatly arranged, and the staff were enthusiastic and proactive.
Unconsciously, it left a very favorable impression on visitors to Egypt.
The lobby was filled with a variety of people—many wore white robes and black veils, giving off a strong Arabic vibe.
Hikigaya also saw many children.
These kids had innocent expressions, small faces, long eyelashes, and especially large eyes. Their features still bore a strong resemblance to ancient Egyptians, which surprised Hikigaya.
He had always thought that with the fall of ancient Egyptian civilization, the ethnic lineage had long since disappeared due to waves of foreign conquest.
In the blending of different ethnicities, the dominant group not only overrides the features of the weaker one, but also its cultural identity.
For example this had occurred many times in ancient China.
But now it seemed that, at least in appearance, the bloodline of ancient Egyptians had not completely vanished.
"Such cute children," said Haruno, who was standing beside Hikigaya, clearly excited as she looked at the fearless Egyptian children. "I'm going to take some pictures of them."
Before Hikigaya could stop her, she had already dashed off.
Soon after, he saw that she had easily persuaded the children's parents and was cheerfully taking photos with her camera.
Damn, her mouth game really is MAX level.
But could she be a little more restrained…? In some places, this behavior could get her mistaken for a child trafficker.
Also, why had she suddenly become so fond of kids? She wasn't like this back in Japan.
Hikigaya turned to Yukino to ask, only to find that the younger sister was scanning anyone who approached with a sharp, scrutinizing gaze, making them self-conscious as if something were on their face.
Several women wearing veils were even prompted to touch their faces, disturbed by Yukino's stare…
These two sisters had different approaches, but the effects were oddly similar.
"Lord Hikigaya."
Suddenly, Hazazi emerged from the crowd. He had gone to make contact with some associates and now had several men in black robes following him.
In this place, such attire was surprisingly normal.
"We're ready to go," he said respectfully.
Don't be mistaken—this wasn't his usual attitude.
When no one else was around, Hikigaya didn't feel like a godslayer at all…
Of course, such moments typically occurred in private. From that perspective, Hazazi's intelligence was still intact.
It was also part of the reason why Hikigaya enjoyed joking around with him—unlike others, Hazazi was fun and not dull.
"Alright, let's go."
Hikigaya nodded, stepped forward, and pulled the still photo-happy Haruno along.
Then they followed Hazazi and his companions.
Soon, they boarded a jet-propelled airport shuttle bus headed toward their hotel.
Egypt's international airport is located about 25 kilometers northeast of Cairo.
After about a half-hour ride, they entered the city.
As they went deeper in, they finally saw the Nile River flowing through the city.
For anyone with even a passing interest in geography, the Nile needs no introduction.
This ancient river is the longest in the world. It's existed for approximately 65 million years, originating from the Kagera River in Burundi, stretching about 6,800 kilometers.
Its drainage basin spans 3.3 million square kilometers, about one-tenth of Africa's landmass, with water resources primarily concentrated in modern-day Egypt and Sudan—especially Egypt.
Without the Nile, the brilliant civilization of ancient Egypt would never have existed.
Around ten thousand years ago, North Africa had a humid and temperate climate with abundant rainfall. At that time, the region was not covered in sand but lush with grasslands.
However, between 20,000 BC and 4,000 BC, North Africa experienced two major periods of climate drought. As a result, habitable areas in northeastern Africa shrank to the Nile River Valley, its delta, and a few oases.
The increase in population and food demand forced the inhabitants to turn from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture, leading to the birth of early agrarian civilization.
During the era of the pharaohs, ancient Egyptians referred to the fertile land around the Nile as "black land," while desert areas were called "red land."
The Mediterranean Sea to the north was "the great green," and the Nile itself was worshipped as a deity. The main god associated with it was Hapi—the god of the inundation.
The Nile also served as a vital transportation route.
Before the New Kingdom era, Egypt had no overland transportation to speak of. Donkeys were the only land transport. Most commercial transport and travel relied heavily on the Nile.
Even though the ancient Egyptian civilization has long disappeared, the Nile continues to flow, nurturing this fertile land. However, with the construction of the Aswan Dam and other hydraulic projects, the flooding of the Nile has all but ceased in modern times. This is a shame, as Egypt, like the Mesopotamian region before it, is now facing soil salinization due to the loss of natural irrigation.
And now, the youngest godslayer in the world has set foot on this ancient land.