Back at the rented room.
The incandescent light bathed every corner of the space. Aurel sat in a chair, studying the tiny Dora standing on the tabletop.
Aside from color and size, it was almost the same as the Doraemon in his memory—the most important detail being the semicircular pocket on its clean white belly.
"Do-ra-la!"
The little Dora leaned on the window, curiously peeking at the street outside, lively as could be.
"Do you have gadgets in your four-dimensional pocket?"
Aurel poked its little forehead and voiced the doubt in his heart.
His memory was a bit hazy, but he still clearly remembered that the Mini-Dora's four-dimensional pocket held quite a few gadgets.
They were all mini versions with reduced power—but that didn't mean the little Dora's tools were useless.
If it had a causality-type gadget like the What-If Phone Booth, even if a human couldn't use it due to size, Aurel could still have the little Dora change the very nature of this world.
For example, turn a world of magic into one of technology, make the black dragon Acnologia never appear, perhaps even Zeref…
"Do—ra!"
As if understanding Aurel's words, the little Dora stuck out its tongue cutely and fished a square flashlight out of the pocket on its belly with both hands.
"A Shrink Light, or an Enlarge Light?"
Aurel pinched his chin and leaned forward to look at the gadget it was holding up. "Do you have anything else? If you can, take them all out so I can see."
"Do-ra-la?"
The little Dora scratched its head. Though unsure what he wanted to do, it still obediently took the gadgets out one by one.
A Bamboo-Copter, an Anywhere Door, a flashlight that either shrinks or enlarges, an Air Cannon, Momotaro Rice Balls, and a box of unknown candy…
Seven or eight scattered gadgets lay on the table, leaving Aurel momentarily speechless.
"Is this all you've got?"
He turned his head and couldn't help asking.
"Do-ra, do-ra."
Hands on its hips, the little Dora nodded.
That's… really not much…
He let out the faintest sigh, but didn't show disappointment. From the moment he saw the quest, he'd already prepared himself.
Besides, paired with the Shrink Light, these gadgets weren't unusable.
"But… can the Anywhere Door work in this world?"
Aurel picked up the palm-sized red door, murmuring to himself in thought.
The thing could be used on Earth and across space mainly because it carried built-in maps, with a distance cap of ten light-years.
And where he was now and his previous life's Earth—never mind the same universe—they were two completely unrelated worlds.
"Destination: Fairy Tail guild."
Aurel spoke the destination, then pushed the red door with his finger.
In the next moment, the scene inside the guild appeared on the other side of the door— the familiar pub was pitch-black, and the empty hall felt utterly quiet.
It really works?
Aurel froze for a second, then broke into a delighted smile.
"In that case… next, let's head to the girls' dorm and find Levy."
After a moment's thought, he decided it would be better to run more tests—at the very least, figure out the Anywhere Door's operating method and range.
As his voice fell and he pushed the door again, a wave of steaming heat poured into the room, and a familiar voice drifted in.
"Ah… the hot spring feels so nice."
Levy lay on the smooth, wet bath stone, letting out a cute, lazy sigh.
Through the hazy mist, Aurel could clearly see the girl's fair back. He coughed lightly and, without thinking, shut the door.
Can't look. If he keeps looking, he won't sleep a wink tonight.
After a few more tries, Aurel had a basic handle on how to use the Anywhere Door.
Its performance didn't differ much from the anime: whether it was countries he'd never visited or even the moon hanging in the night sky—no problem.
But certain special places still wouldn't work, like the Celestial Spirit World or Edolas…
What a pity. He'd wanted to visit the parallel-world Fairy Tail.
Aurel thought with a twinge of regret.
"Do-ra~"
Just then, the little Dora tugged pitifully at his sleeve, sounding out its words one by one.
"Lan… Lan… hungry!"
It couldn't form full sentences yet, but Aurel understood.
"Didn't expect you to talk."
He gave it a surprised look, then spread a Gourmet Tablecloth across the table and smiled. "You know how to use this, right? Order whatever you want."
"Do-ra-la—"
"Oh, right—you're not used to speaking. How about dorayaki for dinner?"
"Do-ra, do-ra!"
——
Early the next morning, a light mist hung over the streets. Dew gathered on green leaves and then fell in silence.
After finishing breakfast, Aurel stepped outside. The red little Dora sat on his shoulder hugging a dorayaki, wearing a blissful expression.
"Good morning, Aurel."
A gentle, soothing voice came from behind. Aurel turned to see Mirajane smiling at him.
"Morning," Aurel replied with a smile. "Also, Mira-nee looks especially beautiful today."
The white-haired girl wore a black dress, a gem necklace glimmering at her pale neck, her silky hair draping softly down her back.
"Ara, you really know how to talk." Mirajane pressed a finger to her moist lips and tilted her head playfully. "Aurel, you must have sweet-talked plenty of girls while traveling, right?"
"Nope. I've only said things like that to you, Mira-nee."
Aurel answered in an easy tone.
"Do-ra-la!"
The little Dora took a bite of dorayaki and watched them curiously.
"And this is…?" Mirajane blinked, unable to hold back her question.
"A companion I met on my travels. It got separated from me not long ago—found me again today."
"I see. Speaking of which—" Though she wanted to pat the adorable little thing, Mirajane restrained the impolite urge and continued, "Today's your first day taking on a job, right?"
She remembered Levy had registered a request yesterday to disperse a bandit group, with a fee of only 120,000 J.
Compared to the strength Aurel had shown, that was pathetically low.
Still—rather than 'dispersing bandits,' wasn't this actually a travel date?
Mirajane thought, a knowing look in her eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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