I’m Back in the Other World? Isekai ni Demodori Shimashita? Chapter 8

The things I had with me when I fell into the hole.
My textbooks and notebooks, and a bag with stationery in it. My lunchbox and the cookies left over from lunch.
The dougi that I’m wearing now, and the bag that it had been left in. My bokuto. The clothing I had been wearing.
That’s all.
According to the knowledge I have of Alselia, everything besides the bokuto and cookies are impossible to obtain here. Even if it’s just a bag, the sewing technology is completely different after all, and even my clothing is the same. As for the bokuto, there shouldn’t be any weapons shaped like that in this world, and as for the cookies they should only have things that are more dried out.
In other words, no matter which of these I bring, they should prove that I am from another world.
Something easy to understand… like my mobile phone, was out of batteries. Well, even if it’s out of batteries I do believe that it would still be enough, but it would be difficult to prove its capabilities. I’ll just keep this as a back-up.
My watch… If I remember correctly, this world shouldn’t have clocks yet. Then I will go with this, and…
As for my lunchbox, ah, thank goodness, maybe I should wash it even if a little. I can probably show this too.
And finally, something easy to understand…
After thinking for a little, I decided to bring the bag with my study materials as well.

“I’ve kept you waiting.”

I returned to the room with Prince Sedrim and and Squad Captain Raias.

“I believe that these will serve as proof. They cannot be obtain in Alselia after all.”

While saying this, I brought out my notebook, stationery, lunchbox and watch, and left them atop the table.
After lining them up, I began explaining them to the two men who were watching them with great interest.
First I will show them the notebook and the stationery. I’ll trymy best to choose one of the newer notebooks, and as for the stationery, would the mechanical pencil, ballpoint pen and permanent marker do? Perhaps I should show the rubber as well.

“This is a notebook used for the sake of recording things, and stationery used to write.”

While holding the notebook and stationery up, I explained to the two.

“This notebook is a bound stack of “paper”, produced from plants using technology from my old world. Using this you record what you believe is necessary so that you do not forget later. Like this…”

I opened the notebook to the last page, and wrote “Second Prince Sedrim Al Sobure” and “Knight Squad Captain Raias Or Olford” so that they could see it.

“Oh? You can write letters even without ink? Moreover, this paper seems so smooth. I didn’t get the feeling that your pen got caught on it either.”

The prince began speaking in an admiring tone.

“Yes. The “mechanical pencil” that I just used has something in it called “lead” in place of ink. Once this lead has run out, it becomes unable to write. As for the paper, I think you’ll understand it better if you touch it later, but because it’s smooth, I do believe that your pen would essentially never get caught. And as for the things that you have written, if you do this…”

Whilst explaining, this time I used the rubber to erase “Second Prince” and “Knight Squad Captain” as a demonstration.

“What I used just now is called a “rubber” and can remove the things I wrote earlier using the “mechanical pencil” from atop the paper. You can think of it as a tool used for removing and amending errors.”

Saying that, I  picked up the notebook, the rubber, and the mechanical pencil to show them.
While gazing at them in admiration, the Prince said,

“How amazing. They did a good job thinking up something like that. Certainly with this you wouldn’t need to needlessly waste high quality paper, and you wouldn’t need to carry around ink with you either. How convenient. But hearing your explanation about the “rubber” just now, does that mean that it only works with the mechanical pencil? Does it mean that the other tools you left on the table are different?”

Prince, you’re sharp aren’t you?
Did he notice from the explanation just now that there are other types of pens too?

“Yes, exactly right. Please think of the “mechanical pencil” and the “rubber” as a set to be used together. There are other types of stationery as well, but the words written using them can not be erased by the “rubber”.”

Whilst explaining, I placed the notebook and mechanical pencil I was holding on the desk, and took the ballpoint pen and permanent marker in their place.

“The ones I am holding right now are the “ballpoint pen” and “permanent marker”. This “ballpoint pen” is a stationery tool used for writing on paper, and you can think of it as a quill and ink in one. There is ink stored inside the handle of the “ballpoint pen”. And, the words written by this “ballpoint pen” can not be erased by the “rubber”.”

Raising the ballpoint pen a little, I explained it to them.
While I’m at it, let’s explain the permanent marker as well.

“And this “permanent marker” can write on almost every surface. However, if the surface is dirty then the “permanent marker” will lose its function, so care is required. It can even write on the surfaces of swords and armour. Also, the things written can last through rain and filth, and in my world it was primarily used to mark your name on your possessions. The words written by the “permanent marker” and the “ballpoint pen” from earlier can not be erased by the “rubber”. I think it would be fine for you to think of the difference as being the ink inside them.”

In fact, when there are differences in construction or metal, the rubber can’t erase it, but explaining that much would be annoying, and to begin with reproducing these in this world is probably impossible, so there’s no problem even if I don’t explain it.
I put down the pens I was holding on the desk, and switched to explaining the lunchbox.

“This is called a “lunch box” and is a tool used for putting food inside and bringing out with you. Primarily, cooking is done in the morning and the food is eaten as lunch.”

Alselia uses baskets and the like in place of the lunchbox, but this lunchbox is made of plastic; in other words, a material that can’t be found in this world.

“This “lunchbox” is made from a material called plastic in my world. It’s light and st.u.r.dy, so it is used for things that are carried. I believe this is also something that can’t be found in Alselia.”

Whilst saying that, I opened the lid of the lunchbox and placed it atop the table.
The two men who had heard my explanation gazed at it, seemingly wanting to touch it. But, my explanation comes first. Let us ignore them.
There is also the thermos with tea inside, but this can be subst.i.tuted with magic, and explaining it would be annoying. So I didn’t take it out. It’s definitely not because I don’t know how to explain it, you know? I’m telling the truth, you know?
Next is the watch.

“This is called a “wrist.w.a.tch” and is a tool for telling the time. When this short hand makes a full revolution, it has been half a day, and this half-day is divided into 12 portions. The long hand represents an hour per revolution, which is half a koku[tl: 刻, equiv to a Chinese s.h.i.+chen]. With this, no matter where you are, you can accurately know the time.”

Both of their eyes are sparkling. When I warned them not to touch them, they looked at me like dogs waiting for their meal. Even if you look at me like that… It would be troubling if we skipped the explanation and went to “touching time”, you know.
Pulling myself together, finally the last thing are the cookies left over from lunch. I don’t know how different they are from the things in this period, but I’m also feeling a little hungry. I want to eat cookies while drinking tea.

“Finally is the “cookie”. This is a major sweet from my world. There are similar things in this world, so as long as the ingredients are right, it should be possible to create the same thing.”

I held up the cookie bag a little, and looked at the two to signify that this was the end.

“Now then, I think this should be proof that I came from another world. Since it seems that the two of you are interested, it is fine to touch them. However, please don’t treat them too violently, all right? I will go prepare some tea, so until I return, please do as you’d like.”

After leaving those words behind, I headed downstairs to the dining room to grab the tools I needed for tea.