kscans

Chapter 198 - Just Like Always

A few days passed after Byakuren’s test run.

It was now mid-September, and the temperature had suddenly started to drop. That said, there were still plenty of hot days.

Amidst all this, during lunch break at school. In the classroom.

"Wait, the Barometz meat is already on sale?"

"Yes. Apparently so."

We were having lunch with our desks pushed together, facing each other two-on-two.

And some surprising news came from Aika-san.

"They said it cleared the safety standards of various ministries, so it went on sale at supermarkets across the country this morning."

"Huh... I wonder which agency is in charge of inspecting that stuff."

"I’m not sure. But it seemed like five or more ministries were involved."

I remembered the sight of the goat-like creature growing on a plant.

I’d heard it tasted like crab, but to think that would finally be appearing on dinner tables...

"I saw it on the news before I left, too. But there were a lot of people saying things like, ‘Don’t make us eat dangerous stuff.’"

Shizuku-san chimed in while nibbling away at her giant onigiri.

"I can see why they’d feel that way, but if the government says it’s okay, I think it’s okay."

"I believe the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Minister of State for Special Missions were actually on TV eating it with relish. I’m sure it’s perfectly safe."

"Well, there were rumors that the Self-Defense Force guys had it in a hot pot a while back."

"What kind of rumor is that...?"

"They say they used their armor as a griddle or a pot."

"...Are we in the Middle Ages?"

Aika-san and Shizuku-san looked bewildered, their faces deadpan. And for good reason. That rumor had to be false.

"Oh, right. What happened with that plan to grow vegetables and rice inside dungeons?"

"I haven’t heard any follow-ups on TV, but the Dungeon Agency’s website said it’s progressing smoothly."

"Seriously? The Dungeon Agency really does everything."

"...I wonder when the people at the Dungeon Agency even sleep."

"...Who knows."

So it’s true that being a bureaucrat is a grueling job...

Still, being able to make use of the dungeons that have been multiplying uselessly is good news.

Both the public and private sectors had been trying to somehow recover the economic losses using skills and magical tools made from drop items.

Like trying to achieve massive cost reductions in power generation facilities using magic tools.

Or trying to revolutionize the logistics industry using spatial magic and related magic tools.

Or lending golems to shorthanded farmers to increase their work efficiency.

It’s thanks to the efforts of all these people that we can continue our daily lives like this.

...Well, the last one has the Alchemy Enthusiasts Club involved, as if it were a matter of course.

For some reason, the work golems they distributed looked like beautiful women and girls of various ages, which caused quite a stir.

Apparently, the defendants, or rather, the club, explained, "This is what happened when we combined the spare parts we had. We had no other intention." What’s really something is that, given the reason for the club’s founding, you can’t completely deny it...

Protests came from various groups, including human rights organizations, but the club has no clear base of operations other than a factory said to be in Chiba Prefecture. And that factory is apparently unreachable except through a dedicated hotline.

As a result, Walkers, famous for its strong connections, has been inundated with calls instead.

But I digress. An image of Yamashita-san letting out a strange cry with dead eyes flashed in my mind, but it was just a phantom.

Anyway. For an ordinary person like me, it’s a huge win if prices go down or logistics improve.

However, Erina-san has been unusually quiet through all this.

She’s always been the type to never talk with her mouth full, but even so, this was strange.

Wondering, I glanced next to me.

"Everyone! The local supermarket is already sold out, but I was able to buy some online! Let’s have a hot pot party at my place soon! A hot pot party!!"

"That was fast."

Smartphone in hand, she was beaming with a truly brilliant smile. Her eyes were sparkling like light fixtures.

＊　　　　　＊　　　　　＊

"So, that’s the story. I might be joining you for dinner in the near future."

"HAHAHA! You’re welcome anytime, Kyouta-kun! Naturally, I’ll cede the first bite to you, our guest!"

"Just so you know, poison and diseases don’t work on me, so I’m not suited for the role of a food taster."

"Haaah, you’re useless."

A grand sigh echoed through the earring. Good grief, this unfortunate university student.

"Feel free to have not just the first bite, but the first whole animal."

"Kuh, to say such a thing to a frail girl like me... wait, isn’t a whole animal a bit much?! The edible portion is about the same as a normal goat, right?!"

"Tch..."

"Don’t just casually try to make someone’s stomach explode...! And don’t push the straight-man role onto me. That’s your job."

"It’s not my job."

I chatted with Aira-san while waiting for Erina-san and the others at the Dungeon Store.

To kill time, I was looking at a nearby bulletin board, where flyers for Barometz meat and ‘pickled mandrake’ were posted.

...You can pickle and eat mandrakes?

"Also, Shizuku-san and the others will probably be coming too, so be prepared."

"Hmph... I’m scheduled to have a stomachache that day, so you all have fun without me."

"Rest assured. I can heal you even if you suffer an injury so severe your entire stomach is blown away."

"Damn it, you’re annoyingly capable!"

"I’m honored."

"That wasn’t a compliment!!"

I’ve already been open about the Sage’s Nucleus, so as long as no one else is around to hear, I can say things like this freely.

My, my. It feels good to have fewer secrets.

"Sorry for the wait! What were you guys talking about?"

"About how Aira-san is going to eat Barometz meat and pickled mandrake."

"Mandrake? Wait, pickled mandrake? ...You can eat pickled mandrake...?"

"Whoa! As expected of Paisen! Mad respect!!"

"R-Really? I suppose so! It’s me, after all!!"

"All hail! The future president, or maybe a governor!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! It may be true, but don’t praise me so much!"

"Isn’t that a demotion?"

Well, she seems happy, so I guess it’s fine.

"Barometz... crab... seafood... my sister as a nude sushi platter?!"

"Calm down, you idiot."

"Ah, my apologies. I just... did you just call me an idiot?"

"You’re imagining things."

I deflected the gaze of Unfortunate University Student #2, whose train of thought had gone completely off the rails, and turned my eyes to the gate room.

"Well then, shall we go?"

"Wait! I’m gonna order the pickled mandrake first!"

"Wait, thinking about it calmly, why do I have to eat such a mysterious thing?!"

"You can’t take back what you’ve said, Aira-san."

"My sister’s... saliva...?!"

"Are you a middle schooler, Unfortunate University Student #2?"

My head was starting to hurt as I looked at the pitiful, wide-eyed creature.

Why... why did she turn out like this?

Perhaps it was her mother’s betrayal, the emotional distance from her family. Maybe that environment created this tragic monster.

Though, with a sister like hers, it’s possible she’s just a natural-born disappointment.

"Okay, reservation made! Look forward to it, Paisen!"

"Ahem... On that day, I have to study at my cram school, you see! If you’ll excuse me!"

"Huh? If my sister was the type to go to cram school, I wouldn’t have turned out this messed up."

"Uh, sorry about that..."

So she’s aware that she’s messed up...

I averted my eyes from Mia-san, whose tone had instantly become dead serious, and finally headed for the gate room.

"Somehow, I feel tired before we’ve even started exploring."

"What’s wrong, Kyouta-chan? Lack of sleep?"

"What’s the matter, Kyouta-kun? Were you up late generating power? You pervert."

"I’ll be sure to tell the professor about the cram school thing."

"Wait?!"

"Kyouta-kun’s... secret power generation...?!"

"Is this disappointment of a person completely shameless?"

"Huh? Kyouta-chan, you can generate electricity?"

"Uh, well... if I try."

"That’s amazing, Kyouta-chan! You’re a human power plant!"

Erina-san’s innocent eyes are painful to look at...!

What a defiled creature I am. Not as bad as these unfortunate sisters, perhaps, but I’ve started to feel like an embarrassing existence.

With these thoughts, I passed the reception and stood before the white gate.

Mia-san and the others seemed to have finally switched gears and began their preparations as usual.

Yes, it was just like always.

Just like always, I went to school. Just like always, I had idle chats with my friends.

Just like always, I talked nonsense with my companions. Just like always, I began a dungeon exploration.

Just like always, I made a promise for the ‘future’.

———That something like that would happen on this day.

In the moment I stepped through the white door, I never would have imagined it.