Chapter 14: Area 11 and the Family Meeting

"I know, I repeat myself every time I arrive in a new place, but... wow! This is completely crazy!" exclaimed Ryouma, once again fascinated by this world.

“Heh heh! I told you this was one of the most beautiful places in Eldrath,” Sia snickered, amused by his reaction.

“The least we can say is that this place lives up to its name… the Crystal Plain.”

TermRod displayed the hologram map of the area. Area 11, located in the southeast: the Crystal Plain. The name, simple as it was, perfectly described the landscape that stretched out before Ryouma's amazed eyes.

The entire environment seemed carved from pure crystal that shimmered under the starlight of a cloudless night sky. The ground itself wasn't made of earth, but of a translucent, shiny material, like walking on an ice floe... except here the ice had been replaced by crystal. Ryouma could clearly see his reflection beneath his feet.

The trees, too, seemed to be carved from this sparkling material. From their branches hung gems and precious stones that glowed softly, like natural lanterns. Further on, a field of crystals bloomed like flowers frozen in eternal radiance. And, in the distance, one could admire a vast valley framed by two mountains made entirely of crystal, rising like shining walls against the horizon.

These crystals possessed a fascinating peculiarity. When a light source passed through them, their internal structure diffracted and refracted the rays differently depending on the angle of incidence. Each crystal fragment would then begin to project a distinct color from the light spectrum—blue, green, red, sometimes even rarer hues, such as deep purple or pale gold.

Their composition and crystalline structure reminded Ryouma of the quartz he knew on Earth, but with one fundamental difference. This crystal seemed to have been shaped to transform light itself, as if the material had an artistic consciousness.

This spectacle of moving and colorful light, this infinite field of perfectly cut crystals, formed a vision of almost unreal beauty. Ryouma was speechless, certain that this image would remain etched in his memory forever.

Ryouma absolutely wanted to preserve this image in his own memory gallery. To do this, he activated his amulet and made a smartphone appear.

The function he called "inventory" was definitely very practical. It allowed him to take whatever he wanted from one world to another, whether everyday objects or small personal treasures. Holding his phone in hand, he launched the camera and captured the panoramic landscape, trying to capture all the magnificence of the shimmering crystal plain.

A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about the moment he would show these pictures to his family. He could already imagine their reaction, torn between wonder and disbelief. Most likely, they would believe that these were just computer-generated images... and perhaps that was for the best.

"And you ain't seen nothing yet. The best is yet to come," Sia said with a small, mysterious smile.

The world of Eldrath had definitely not finished surprising Ryouma. Every time he thought he had reached the pinnacle of the incredible, a new discovery came along to shake his certainties. He wondered what could be "even more incredible" than this crystal plain.

"Now that I think about it... it said 'high magic density area' on the map, right? What does that mean exactly?" he asked, consulting his TermiRod, which was still projecting information from Zone 11.

"As you know, magic is omnipresent on Eldrath. But some places have a much stronger concentration... and this inevitably has effects on the environment." Sia explained patiently.

"Okay, but what kind of effects? What does it actually change?" Ryouma persisted, intrigued.

Sia simply crossed her arms, an enigmatic smile playing on the corners of her lips.

"You'll find out soon enough. And trust me, it won't be long."

Ryouma scanned his surroundings carefully, his eyes moving from left to right so as not to miss anything.

The problem is, in this world, everything is already out of the ordinary... What am I supposed to be looking for, exactly? Maybe... something "too" abnormal? He thought, frowning.

For her part, Sia watched the scene with a mischievous smile.

He's in for a big surprise. It might scare him a little... but it'll be so fun to see his reaction.

Without any warning, an entire section of crystalline ground located a few meters from Ryouma suddenly began to rise into the air.

"Waaaah!"

Ryouma's scream echoed, a mixture of shock and panic. He didn't have time to recover from this first shock when, suddenly, the crystal earth beneath his feet also began to rise into the air.

“W-What’s going on!? The ground… it’s floating in the sky!” he cried, his eyes wide, completely stunned.

The crystal platform vibrated and shook constantly, making every step uncertain. Ryouma tried as best he could to keep his balance, but his body tilted abruptly and he ended up falling heavily onto his back.

“Ouch…”

He sat up, sitting on the unstable ground, his breath still ragged from adrenaline. When he looked up, his breath caught in his throat.

What he saw was beyond human comprehension: dozens... no, hundreds... perhaps even thousands of crystal cubes were levitating in the air. Each one shimmered with colorful reflections, interweaving in a luminous ballet that seemed both chaotic and strangely harmonious.

And while Ryouma tried to understand this unreal spectacle, the earth beneath him rose up in turn.

Ryouma stood in the center of the cube's surface, arms slightly outstretched, trying to keep his balance as best he could to avoid repeating his fall. This time he managed to stay standing, gasping for breath, and dared to look down.

The view from above was completely different from the one he had on the ground. From where he stood, he saw the crystal floor fragment into countless floating cubes, leaving behind huge square voids where they had been.

And it wasn't just the ground. The mountains themselves, majestic just moments earlier, were disassembling into cubic figures, just like the crystal fields that were bursting into sparkling mosaics. It was as if the entire landscape had transformed into a gigantic puzzle floating in the sky.

"So, surprised, right? You didn't expect something like this, did you?"

On a crystal cube floating a little further away, Sia stood perfectly straight, as if she were simply walking on a sidewalk. Nothing to do with Ryouma, who struggled to keep his balance, his arms flailing.

“This is called spatial recomposition. To put it simply, this area reorganizes its configuration every half day. This means that the topography is constantly changing. Where you once had a mountain, you may find a valley, a crevasse, or even a ravine. And the best part? It's completely random. You can't predict what will appear," she explained with a smile.

Before their eyes, the crystal blocks moved closer together, fitting together as they descended like giant Lego pieces, until they formed new, still unstable structures.

Sia leaps smoothly from one cube to another, her light body seeming to float with the scenery, instinctively dodging the moving pieces.

Ryouma took a deep breath and took a leap. But with each jump, his legs trembled, and he staggered from square to square as if walking a tightrope.

"What do you think?" Sia asked, perched on a cube a few blocks away.

"Huh?" Ryouma raised his head, taken aback.

"Doesn't that make you want to see more…?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"I..."

But he couldn't finish.

A strange disturbance rippled through the air, distorting the sound around him. His voice was lost, muffled as if it had dissolved into space.

Ryouma's eyes widened. In the distance, the entire horizon seemed to warp, undulating like the surface of a lake disturbed by a stone.

"We have to leave right now!" Sia alarmed, leaping from cube to cube to reach Ryouma. He too quickened his pace, out of breath, feeling the survival instinct pulling him forward.

"Is there... something approaching? A scourge?" he asked, panicked.

"No!" she cried.

“It’s a dimensional distortion! An abnormal phenomenon caused by a scourge. The whole space alternates between compression and expansion... and everything that enters its field of action is immediately... crushed!

Ryouma shuddered. Behind them, the distorted horizon was expanding at a frightening speed. Floating cubes that entered the warp zone instantly disintegrated, reduced to shimmering dust before they even hit the ground.

Sia and Ryouma found themselves on the same unstable block. She reached for her amulet to initiate the teleportation, but he was faster. Ryouma grabbed her wrist and activated his own.

A blinding light enveloped them, sending them back to Earth just in time to escape the catastrophe as distortion devoured the skies behind them.

"Sorry..." Ryouma said, catching his breath.

"It was your job to handle the teleportation, but I acted on reflex."

Sia stared at him for a moment, before giving a small smile.

“You did well. It’s that kind of reflex, the one that pushes you to make a decision in a split second, that can save your life.”

"I'd especially like to know... where did we end up?"

"It's my room," he replied.

The walls were covered with anime posters, and colorful LEDs illuminated the figurines and manga on the shelves. His desk, cluttered with consoles, controllers and a screen, sat in the center with a mechanical keyboard and an RGB mouse. A few cushions and a retro rug completed the ensemble, creating a cozy space perfect for playing or immersing yourself in manga. Ryouma's room reflected his passion as an otaku and gamer.

Ryouma was lying on his back on his bed while Sia, who had stumbled upon him upon their arrival on Earth, was now straddling his waist. A very suggestive position.

"Can you get up from me?" Ryouma said, wanting to avoid any misunderstanding.

"What? Are you afraid someone will see us in this position and there will be misunderstandings about us?" she replied teasingly, a mischievous smile on her lips.

"That's exactly it. You read my mind."

Sia finally sat down on the edge of the bed and began to observe the decoration of the room.

"So this is your room… It's exactly as I imagined it. You like video games."

"Yeah, it's a hobby, nothing very productive."

"I'm not judging you. Everyone has their own passion in life. It doesn't have to be important or productive. Sometimes it's just the little pleasures that count."

"I completely agree with you."

Ryouma jumped out of bed and walked over to the door, opening it just enough to stick his head in and check the hallway.

"Nothing to report!" he murmured, beckoning Sia to join him.

I have to sneak her out before anyone sees us... The hallway is empty, perfect. But we must avoid running into the family, especially Mom. And quickly, make her leave through the door. he thought.

With the plan in place, Ryouma signaled Sia to be quiet. She nodded and pretended to zip her mouth shut.

As they cautiously stepped out, they came face to face with Haruna, smartphone in hand.

Damn! How unlucky can I be… he screamed inwardly.

The smartphone slipped from Haruna's hands as she looked stunned, mouth wide open.

"Mom... Dad!! Ryouma brought a girl back to his room!!" she shouted loud enough for everyone in the house to hear.

"Shut up! Stop yelling!" Ryouma tried to interrupt, but it was too late.

""What?""

Two indignant voices rose from the ground floor.

"This is going to end badly!" Ryouma grimaced through gritted teeth, while Sia remained relaxed.

                              ***

The plan had completely gone awry due to bad luck, and the worst happened and Ryouma and Sia were summoned to the living room by the parents.

Sitting side by side on the sofa, they faced Ayaka and Touma Kirishima. The atmosphere was heavy. The mother stared at her son with a dark, severe, almost chilling look, while the father, He had a small, proud smile on his face, which he tried to hide so as not to incur his wife's wrath.

"What does that mean, Ryouma Kirishima?" Ayaka growled, arms crossed, her piercing gaze fixed on him.

"Can I ask why you're bringing a girl home, without telling anyone, and into your room no less?"

Leaning casually against the armrest of the sofa, Haruna snickered.

"So you had a 'plan' planned for tonight, huh? Is she a foreigner? She's very beautiful."

"Shut up! We didn't ring you!" Ryouma retorted.

"You know very well that I don't like this kind of behavior! I will never tolerate the slightest inappropriate action taking place under my roof," his mother continued, raising her voice.

What do I do... Do I tell them the truth? No... impossible. They won't believe me. They'll think I'm making fun of them. Ah... this is exactly like last time, except this time I can't hide behind a misunderstanding. I have to find something else...

Ryouma felt the pressure mounting. Similar misunderstandings had led to him being held accountable in the past, and he knew this time would be no different.

Everyone was watching him, each reacting in their own way. His mother, furious, stared at him with fiery eyes. His father, despite everything, seemed amused by the situation, a wry smile betraying his discreet amusement. His older sister, Haruna, tilted her head, curious to know what her brother's relationship was to this young girl. As for his little brother, Haru, he remained apart, absorbed in a puzzle game, indifferent to the family chaos.

"May I?" Sia said.

The tension in the room eased slightly at Sia's calm tone. All eyes turned to her.

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. and Mr. Kirishima, and you must be his big sister,” she continued, bowing elegantly.

“My name is Sia Ashraf, and I’m Ryouma’s colleague. We’re both in the same class for the Legacy Tech group.” Her genuine smile seemed to calm the atmosphere.

Haruna blurted out, surprised.

"So it wasn't bullshit... you really got hired by that big company!"

"I told you so," Ryouma replied, relieved.

"But I thought you were just bragging... That's unfair," Haruna retorted, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean, unfair?"

"Ahem!"

Coughing violently, the mother interrupted Ryouma and Haruna, glancing at Sia, who was still intent on what she wanted to say.

"Your son is a very resourceful person. He writes everything down in the notebook I asked him to keep. We went up to get it and I didn't see you at the entrance, otherwise I would have greeted you properly," Sia said calmly.

"You think I'll believe you that easily?" Ayaka retorted, uncompromising.

"Please give me the benefit of the doubt, Mrs. Kirishima. I would never do anything to dishonor your family.

Ayaka frowned, scrutinizing Sia as if to detect the slightest trace of a lie. But the young girl met her gaze without flinching, her genuine smile illuminating her face. She seemed perfectly honest.

The purity of her gaze and the sincerity of her smile had an immediate effect. The mother, the father, and even Haruna found themselves captivated, forced to believe Sia's words as if by magic.

"My little Sia!" said her mother, a broad smile lighting up her face.

"Can you leave us alone for a moment? We need to talk about something with Ryu."

"Of course!" Sia replied, standing up. She bowed slightly in respect and walked to a corner of the room, leaving Ryouma and his parents alone.

Her eyes fell on Haru, who was playing alone.

"Hello, you! What's your name?" Sia asked softly.

Haru didn't answer, absorbed in his bamboo puzzle. But that didn't seem to bother Sia, who approached him with a patient smile.

“Oh, it’s a bamboo puzzle, right? Can I try?”

"Tsk... Here! If you think it's that easy," he grunted, handing her the toy over his shoulder, visibly frustrated at not being able to solve it.

Meanwhile, the family council was closing in on Ryouma, forming a small circle around him.

"Ryu, where did you find this girl? Where is she from?" his mother asked, her gaze piercing.

“She’s a great girl,” the father said with a smile, lightening the mood a little.

"I didn't find anything," Ryouma replied with a shrug. "She already explained to me that she was my colleague."

"I think you're gay," Haruna suddenly said, her gaze mischievous.

"Where did this come from again?" Ryouma exclaimed, red with confusion.

"Well, it's true. I've never seen you interested in girls, and there aren't even any dirty magazines under the bed. Your history is all clean, well... you see..."

"What? And why are you saying that now, and why is putting these kinds of magazines under the bed not very subtle... and finally, why did you search my history?!"

"Stop talking for the sake of talking. Listen to me, Ryouma, you have to do everything to make this work between you two. You understand me perfectly."

What's wrong with them? Just a minute ago, my mother was glaring at her, and now they're all so charming...

"Mom's right, Ryouma. You can't screw this up. This is the one," Haruna said with an encouraging smile.

"They're right, son. You have to go for it, youth doesn't wait," added the father, complicity in his eyes.

Even Dad is getting involved… Ryouma thought, half-stunned.

The whole family seemed to have accepted Sia as a full-fledged member, and they now placed their hopes in him. Under the weight of these overwhelming expectations, Ryouma felt he had been entrusted with a mission of unexpected importance.

While they were cheering on Ryouma, Sia, for her part, had just finished the puzzle.

"There, I'm done!" she announced, handing the wooden toy to Haru.

"It's not really... already!" he stammered, surprised.

For the first time, Haru looked up at her. He was instantly dazzled by her beauty, and her smile made his heart race so fast that he froze in place.

"Is everything okay?" Sia asked, worried to see him motionless.

"Uh... I... Haru. My name is Haru Kirishima," he stammered, awkwardly adjusting his glasses.

"Ooh! You're so cute! Nice to meet you, Haru, I'm Sia!" she said, gently stroking the young boy's head, making him blush instantly.

The family discussion seemed to be over. Sia continued talking with Haru when Ryouma arrived.