Compensation θ ~ I might be late for reincarnation, but since I was born as the talented eldest son of a prestigious noble, I might be on the winning side.

“An unknown ceiling… I’m not even sure if there is a ceiling to begin with, because it’s so pitch dark.

When I woke up, I was sleeping in total darkness. Nothing could be seen.

I guess I wasn’t killed after all.

How long was I unconscious? It shouldn’t have been too long from when I fainted until my consciousness returned. Tatsumi rather skilled in choking techniques, whether that’s a good thing or not, I don’t know.

“Seriously, I can’t see anything.”

I couldn’t help but let out a muttered remark, because everything was submerged in darkness. This might be what they call pitch black.

“It’s frustrating, but Tatsumi’s prediction was probably right.”

As long as there were the shining gates, our figures were visible. It was quite bright back then. But now, I can’t even see the hand in front of my eyes.

No light whatsoever. In other words, the next gate hasn’t appeared. Faced with this harsh reality, I didn’t know what to do.

“Heh… It’s ridiculous. To think I planned to discuss and go through the gate together.”

I was the only one thinking that way.

While Kinesaka was forcibly pushed into the gate against her will, the other six made a different choice. In that brief moment, they prioritized themselves, decided, and acted immediately.

Never did I think that only one person could go through the gate. I was the only one who didn’t come up with such a cold-hearted question.

I had always considered caution to be one of my strengths. In fact, throughout my life, that disposition had generally served me well. But this time, it had completely backfired.

No, being thrust into this situation suddenly, those who could abandon others and move immediately were the ones who are strange.

Why did this happen?

The city of Iwasaka where our high school is located is by no means urban, but after a private railway branch line was opened, it became a popular area for young families.

As development progressed with the expansion of agricultural and residential land, numerous guardian trees and spirit stones were left behind, even though a small forest remained here and there.

For the fieldwork of the regional project, I became the equivalent of a menial task force leader. If I were to decide on the theme myself, I’d be burdened with all the troublesome tasks. Because of that, I decided to go with the proposal from Kinesaka’s group.

“Hey, I heard this place is for real… The locals never get close to it..”

“With this many people, it should be fine, right? If you’re worried, I can hold your hand.”

“Eww, that’s dangerous in a different way.”

The two teams, eight people in total, visited a shrine with a legend of disappearances. Among the selected locations, this one was particularly regarded as ‘genuine’.

Until we got to the site, while the girls were saying “It’s scary,” they were all giggling, and the boys were teasing the girls, trying to flirt with them and having fun.

Something must have happened at that shrine, but my memory of that crucial moment was missing. Someone mentioned teleportation, but if I had to guess, I was probably transferred here all of a sudden, so that might actually be accurate.

‘Reincarnation gates’ and being reborn in a different world through them. Never would I have imagined that such a situation would befall me.

However, unlike the manga I read before, there’s no goddess who would listen to my begging and grant my requests. I can’t even specify where I’ll be born, let alone ask for overpowered powers. Besides, the gates are already gone. Everything disappeared.There won’t be another gate anymore.

Amidst the darkness that feels like it’s swallowing even my breath, an uncontrollable restlessness wells up, and nausea rises within me.

How long will I be stuck in this place? I still don’t feel thirst or hunger, but will that continue indefinitely?

I don’t want to think about it, but if this space were to disappear, would I also vanish along with it?

Besides, even if I passed through the gate, it doesn’t mean that they were able to reincarnate safely.

‘It’s reincarnation, not transmigration.’ Depending on the degree of civilization of the world we go to and the conditions of our reincarnation destination, it may be difficult to even survive properly.

Returning to the original world would be the best option. If that’s not possible, then I’d prefer to move to a different place, anywhere but here.

To a world with bright sunlight, where people live.

Repeating the same thoughts over and over again, trying to be hopeful, I kept asking questions into the darkness countless times. However, there was no response at all.

Is it because the gate is gone?

‘Only the world that opened the gate to the Boundary of Isolation and Departure has a path’

I’m sure that’s what was said. Is it because the link to the different world through the opened gate has been severed, and that’s why I can’t get answers to my questions?

“Damn… why?”

A heavy lump presses down on my chest, my breathing quickens. It’s hard to breathe. I’m overwhelmed by anxiety and unease.

No matter how many times I blink, there’s only darkness as far as the eyes can see. Alone, completely alone, I’ve been left behind in this place.

“Uwaaaah!! Come on, let me out! Get me out of here! If you can take me here, let me out too! Send me back to my original world! Why do I have to go through this!? What did I do!?”

I could only writhe in misery, still in the pitiful state from being choked by Tatsumi, curling up my body and clutching my head with both hands, and all I could do was cry out.

But no matter how much I screamed, even if my throat became sore from shouting, my voice didn’t reach anyone. It was swallowed up by the all consuming darkness around me, and the situation remained unchanged. It wouldn’t change.

“…Why, why isn’t there any response? Anyone will do. Someone, please, answer me!”

I wiped away the welled-up tears, struggled to lift my heavy body, and sat down cross-legged right on the ground

Since I couldn’t even see my own form, simple movements like that felt uncertain. My eyes couldn’t see. I had always taken my vision for granted, but now that it was taken away, I realized how vague my senses had become. Sitting in a crossed-legged position, I glanced all around me.

“There’s nothing at all…”

“No matter how much I look around, in all 360, in every direction, there’s nothing but darkness.

“A gate, please, a gate for me! Please come out. If it’s salvation, then there should be one for each of us, right?”

I said with a pitiful voice, while straining my eyes as if reluctant to blink.

Slowly, I search. Over and over again. Gradually shifting my gaze while probing the darkness.

Gate, gate, gate, gate, come out, gate. Come out already!

I could only keep chanting that over and over again.