Golden Knight – Part 2
“Don’t worry,” Auri said.
Easy for him to say.
In this situation, worry was the only thing I could do.
I stood frozen, unable to speak.
Auri let out a small sigh—an oddly human gesture for a humanoid.
“You may not realize it, but thanks to you, this planet might survive.”
P‑planet?
He paused.
“…Ah. I may have said too much. But it’s fine. Without your cooperation, we cannot resolve this.
Right now, this dimension is in a near‑critical state.
To put it simply: multiple dimensions are interfering with each other simultaneously, and the adjustment between them is failing.
The resulting distortion is about to affect this world.”
“…What does that even mean?”
It was all I could manage.
Auri folded his hands behind his back.
“You experienced the ‘Calamity’ twenty years ago, correct?
Imagine something far larger.
Let us call it the ‘Great Calamity.’
If the Great Calamity occurs here, simulations show catastrophic effects across other dimensions as well.
I tried to explain it simply. Does that help?”
Not at all.
The only thing I understood was:
The Calamity might happen again.
“…If I help… we can stop it?”
“Not alone. You will need allies.
Speaking of which—since we are already here, let us begin recruiting.”
Recruiting…?
Auri walked briskly toward the elevator.
I followed, replaying his words in my head.
He pressed the button for the 10th floor.
Huh?
The doors closed.
A moment later, they opened again.
10th Floor — A Jungle
A humid, tropical jungle stretched out before us.
Inside a department store.
Auri walked forward without hesitation.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What the hell is going on?! Dimensions? Calamities? Why is there a jungle on the tenth floor?!”
“We will discuss details back at the office.
Ah—look. It seems one has appeared.”
Rustle.
Something wrapped around my ankles.
“Wha—?!”
Vines shot upward, yanking me off the ground.
I dangled helplessly, screaming.
Auri was also caught—
but due to his weight, the vines couldn’t lift him.
He remained standing calmly, as if this were routine.
Then she appeared.
A girl with pink hair, stepping lightly out of the foliage.
Cute—at first glance.
But behind her, a long tail swayed.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my. The door opened for the first time in ages, so I came to look…
And what a cute little human we have here.”
She snapped her fingers.
The vines tightened and flung me against a nearby tree, binding me in place.
I couldn’t move.
She ignored Auri completely, her eyes locked on me.
“Clothes… are in the way.”
The vines shredded my outfit in an instant.
And that’s when I remembered.
The cafeteria rumor.
About something that eats humans.
Oh god.
I’m going to be eaten.
