I Came Back but the World is Still a Fantasy!?

Libraries are really convenient places.

Especially, the ones in Japan, since they’re free for the public to use. Even the old newspaper articles and computers are free.

Borrowing would require one to go through a process, but if it’s just to read, then depending on the place, one could just grab one and read.

Libraries were places that Shinichi frequented to gather information even back at Falandia.

But they weren’t as well-versed as Earth when it came to making books, so they were a lot stricter with their books.

Not that that ever stopped mattered, though, since Shinichi would just sneak in.

The reason he came here today wasn’t just to be be bait.

In order to gather materials on various fields and gather information from past and present news, the services provided by Japan’s library was best.

But even libraries have changed much in the way books are searched and stored due to the influence of otherworld technology.

Although there are still books made out of paper, many have already been digitized, and the space alloted for books and computers is about equal.

But the ‘computers’ being spoken of here aren’t your traditional computers. Instead, they use a small camera to project the display on air.

If not for the small USB ports and disk drive, Shinichi would have never been able to tell that those devices were computers. That’s how far technology has changed.

Anyhow, there was a comment in the notice for the computer area that read: ‘Old Computers’.

Unlike the computers in the rest of the computer area, the computers in that area looked and worked just like the old ones.

As for why Shinichi chose to use those computers instead, it’s because he didn’t know how to use the other computers.

He didn’t even know how to begin using a computer that didn’t have a mouse or keyboard.

Odds were that the reason computers turned out like this was once because of Garesto’s influence rather than Earth’s own trend.

—The engineers must have cried when this was presented to them just like that.

There are many scholars whose research lost meaning after the otherworld was revealed to the public

Shinichi frowned when he remembered what Agatsuma said when he threatened him.

That was probably not limited to just scholars.

Shinichi pushed those thoughts to the corner of his thoughts and started gathering information in the library.

It wasn’t as if Shinichi was trespassing illegally, so he brazenly rocketed through the shelves.

With his quick reading abilities, his memory, and selection of documents, he was quickly able to process information.

Unfortunately, he was only a middle school student.

His understanding in regards to fields that required specialized knowledge was average at best.

Shinichi was aware of that, so he only investigated the big events that occurred the last 8 years.

He also confirmed the various things that he’s heard about.

Finally, he investigated how society has changed from the influence of the otherworld.

In fact, although Shinichi was at the bookstore previously to cause panic among his pursuers, he was also there to study how society has changed.

After looking at the headlines of the books and magazines, Shinichi felt like the merits of interacting with the otherworld was being emphasized.

A more luxurious and safer life brought by the advancement of technology.

Energy with no pollution, the solution to many problems.

As for the articles that were against interacting with another world…

They used extreme words, were unresearched, didn’t even have an interview, and had nothing but shallow content.

Because of how blunt the negative articles were, it appeared as if there were no demerits to interacting with another world.

Of course that wasn’t true, but it was evident that the idea was being presented to be appealing.

It really felt like they were trying to minimize the demerits of any interaction.

Shinichi could guess why they would want to do that.

It has only been 8 years, so it was only natural that the authorities would want to remove any negative thoughts on interacting with the otherworlds.

Right now, what they want is for the humans of this world to ‘accept’ the otherworlders.

As for the other problems, they must want to postpone that for now.

After all, this was an interaction with another world. We already fight so much among ourselves; hence, it only stood to reason that a problem would most likely arise when the other side was a world with a completely different framework.

So for now, the government probably wants to confirm what the other side ‘has’.

As Shinichi thought that, he took the newspaper published on the day he fell into the dimensional hole as well as the newspaper published the day after.

On the front-page of the newspaper was written that a shocking revelation would be announced worldwide simultaneously.

The announcement would be made in the afternoon in Japan.

Reading the newspapers along with the book titled, On the day the existence of the otherworld was revealed, shows that all sorts of speculations were thrown in the internet.

“Is the world finally going to end!?”

“Is a giant meteor going to hit us!?”

“Is a world government going to be established!?”

“First contact with aliens!?”

Just the announcement that the news would be revealed simultaneously worldwide was more than enough information to get people’s imaginations to run wild.

Some of the speculation were so absurd they even made one laugh.

Of course, what would be announced was none other than the existence of Garesto and that the world has secretly been in contact with them.

A world with advanced technology but scarce resources, making it possible to trade fuel for the their technology.

But the world could no longer continue the trade while keeping everything a secret, so they decided to reveal everything to the public.

The first one to make a move was Japan. After all, Japan was a country that could accept many cultures.

Or at least, that was the reason given, but Shinichi felt there was more to it.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any materials that pursued the issue, so there was nothing to investigate.

As expected, there must be restrictions placed on what could be pursued.

Two days later, the existence of Garesto and its technology was revealed.

A look at the TV schedule would show that the channels were full of special programs where proof of Garesto’s existence would be given and certain people would make an appearance.

On the front-page of the newspaper was a huge picture of Garestonians donned in armor that couldn’t be mistaken for cosplay and an all-purpose heavy machinery they made that looked like a doll.

To dispel any notions of the images being photoshopped or CG, an event where they would be able to touch them would be held in various parts of Japan.

The reactions of the people were recorded in various books and articles.

“Issekais exist!? Seriously!?”

“Isn’t this way too sudden!?”

“It’s one month too early for Aprils Fools. This is a joke, right?”

“Aliens would be a lot easier to understand!”

Most of the reactions were that of confusion.