kscans

Chapter 214 - If I Were to Leave the Labyrinth

Late September arrived, and the temperature began to feel like autumn.

The world was abuzz with talk of the Chief Cabinet Secretary's recent press conference: 'What will happen to adventurers now?', 'How will they deal with the mysterious dragons?', 'How will this affect the stock market?'.

A being that could blast through the walls of a dungeon was that unexpected.

We still didn't know much about those labyrinths, or the world beyond them. It had been two years and a few months since the Day of Awakening, and we had only just learned that a country called the Atlantis Empire once existed in the other world.

But people had been slowly starting to adapt. You could call it getting used to it, or perhaps a numbing of the senses.

And that had been shattered once again.

Just as we had updated our understanding, or had convinced ourselves we had, we were sucker-punched from the side.

Of course, we were just as shaken by this.

After school, I went home once before heading to Shizuku-san's workshop with Erina-san. Aika-san was with us today, too.

The reason was to have them look at the 'dragonfly-shaped amber' I had acquired the other day.

"...Somehow, it seems to have high artistic value."

Aika-san's eyes widened slightly at the amber placed on the workbench.

After looking at it from various angles, she tentatively asked me.

"Are you really going to turn this into a magic tool...?"

"Yes. If possible, I want to use it to increase my firepower."

I answered her question firmly.

Learning the market value of this drop item had dealt a major blow to my heart and my wallet, but I had already made my decision. I had no regrets about my reward from that day flying out the window, or even that my savings took a bit of a hit.

None at all.

Shizuku-san, who was also looking at the amber, scratched the back of her head.

"If you tell me to do it, I'll do it. You want me to incorporate this into the Bracelet of the Flame Horse I'm modifying?"

"Thank you. Please."

"Yeah, you'd better be damn grateful. Modifying a completed magic tool is already a tall order, but adding more materials on top of that... you could have at least told me from the start."

"S-sorry."

"Well, whatever…"

Her usual sharp, three-white-eyes looked up at me.

"But. What are you going to do with even more firepower?"

"What do you mean? For combat, of course…"

"Are you going to keep going into dungeons?"

I fell silent at Shizuku-san's question.

"You said you got this outside a dungeon, right?"

"...Yes. While searching for a gate that appeared in the mountains, I fought a monster and…"

"If you're going to be primarily operating 'outside dungeons' from now on... in places like mountains and forests where people don't go often, then excessive firepower is just dangerous. A forest fire would be a disaster. If you can't put it out right away, it would undoubtedly become a catastrophe."

"...I was thinking that if I can burn the enemy to a crisp before it spreads to the surroundings, it won't become a fire."

"If you have that much of a power advantage, you don't need to spend a lot of money to upgrade, do you? Your current output is enough."

She had a point.

"Just so you know, I'm not against it. In fact, I'm itching to mix this material with your blood and forge it into steel right now. But as a craftsman, I have to give you a warning. So, what'll it be? You're not selling this material and using it as a part for the modification?"

Shizuku-san had her usual grumpy face, but there was no wrinkle between her brows. She was genuinely concerned for me.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my muddled thoughts.

"It's a 'precaution.' I'm not sure if I'll keep going into dungeons, but I might get caught up in another stampede. I want power so that I don't die thinking, 'If only I had done this back then.'"

"I see. In that case, I accept."

Perhaps satisfied with my answer, Shizuku-san nodded.

Then, she took out a calculator from a drawer.

"Alright, let's talk price. Since we're adding material later, I'm obviously going to charge you for it."

"Right."

"Just like with Erina, I don't give discounts just because we're friends, so be prepared."

"Right…"

The number displayed on the calculator made me start to regret my decision a little.

Maybe I don't need excessive firepower after all… No, no. Considering the possibility of encountering another 'A-rank' monster, this is a necessary expense…!

You can't take anything with you to the afterlife except the toll for the ferry across the Sanzu River. This is no time to be stingy.

...It still hurts!

"You just thought 'that's too expensive,' didn't you?"

"Well, yes. But I trust your skills, Shizuku-san, so I also believe you'll make something worth the price."

"Yeah. You can count on me for that. That said, while I don't give discounts out of sentiment, I do accept trades. For example, right now, at the convenience store…"

"And stop."

Shizuku-san's red head was firmly gripped by a slender white hand.

The hand didn't seem big enough, but it was gripping her with enough force to make a creaking sound.

"Nuoooooo…!?"

"I felt like a maiden was about to say something she shouldn't, so I stopped her. Seriously, you're going to get sued for sexual harassment one of these days, you know?"

"K-Kyouta wouldn't sue me…! In the worst case, I can just seduce him…!"

That's a terrible way to see me. But I can't deny it.

Well, the not suing part, I mean. It's because we're friends, you know? It's definitely not because 'if a short, busty, beautiful girl tried to tempt me, I'd probably forgive most things.'

I swear on this orichalcum will of mine, absolutely not!!

"Honestly... That said, um, just to be sure... yes, just to be sure, I'm asking! Which is more efficient for mana, blood or, um, s-se... that stuff?"

"Hmm? I can't hear you~? Se? What about se?"

"I won't know unless you say it properly, A-chan! What's 'se'? Back fat?!"

"You're definitely pretending not to understand! And Erina-san, you should be eating a cookie or something!"

"Mmph?!"

With practiced movements, Aika-san tore open a cookie wrapper she'd pulled from her bag and shoved the contents into Erina-san's mouth.

Without a glance at the self-proclaimed ninja who was now chewing silently, Shizuku-san shrugged as her ally was silenced.

Hey, maybe pay attention. The moment Erina-san had the cookie shoved in her mouth, she used some brilliant body movement to make sure neither of them got hurt.

What a pointlessly flawless, pointless martial art… You know, maybe it's fine not to pay attention.

"Honestly, it probably doesn't make a difference. According to the documents published by the Alchemy Enthusiasts Club, blood and semen have almost the same magical value. However, they have different strengths and weaknesses."

"That club really does everything, doesn't it…"

"By the way, the human material with the highest magical value is, by a huge margin, the heart. Next is the skull. Third place is a tie between blood and semen."

"Wait a minute. Third place aside, why is there data on the heart and skull…?"

Did that group of perverts finally cross the line…!

I knew they would one day…!

"It had the preface 'theoretically.' I was suspicious at first, too, to be honest."

Oh, good. It seems they haven't strayed that far from the path after all.

They're just building their own road in a different direction.

"If they have different strengths and weaknesses, which is more efficient for forging into steel?"

"Blood."

"You—!"

"Hey, wait, wait! Calm down!?"

Aika-san, who had moved behind Shizuku-san, pressed her knuckles into her temples and ground them in.

Looking at their height difference, they look like sisters. Though their looks and figures are completely different.

"I'm not demanding his semen out of lust! Don't lump me in with Miyoshi-san!"

"Hmph. Let's hear it. Are you really not the same as Miyoshi-san?"

The slander against Mia-san is getting out of hand…

It's not like she's harmful to anyone but Aira-san and Erina-san. Especially not me; I'm probably not the target of her desires.

"It's a craftsman's intellectual curiosity and ambition! The more I use materials mined from a mountain like Kyouta, the better my skills will get. ...I think."

"Even so, you should have a little more modesty…"

"No. Before that, could you please stop referring to me as a mountain?"

"I refuse."

She replied with a straight face. What is with that unwavering determination?

"So, what'll it be? Aika will help you mine it right now."

"I'll bring a pickaxe down on your head!?"

"No, um, handing that stuff over to a female classmate is a bit…"

"Tch. So it's no good after all."

I have a sense of shame, too. If providing blood is enough, I'd rather do that.

Please be more considerate of a high school boy's delicate heart, seriously. If you're too careless about that sort of thing, I'll become a shut-in.

"By the way…"

Erina-san, who had apparently swallowed her cookie, tilted her head, her twin tails swaying.

"Kyo-chan is still thinking about whether to go back to the dungeons, right? What about you, Shī-chan and Ā-chan?"

"Us? Well, we plan on going."

"We need to level up…"

I was a little surprised by their choice. Especially Aika-san; I thought she would have prioritized safety and kept her distance.

"Um, are you sure? There might be a situation where the rank is a lie…"

"Even so, we were leveling up for self-defense in the first place. When I consider the possibility that only the Awakened who are involved in criminal activities will get stronger while I stand still, I have no choice but to go, fully aware of the risks."

"In my case, there's also securing drop items. With the Chief Cabinet Secretary's press conference, my work and the supply of dungeon-sourced metals might decrease. If I can go get them myself, I have to."

"I... see."

They had both thought it through and come to that conclusion.

In that case, it wasn't my place to stop them, but…

"Then, if you see a monster that isn't supposed to be in that dungeon, please run away immediately, okay? Don't even think about fighting."

"...I don't know if I should ask, but the reason you lost Byakuren was because of…"

"Yes. The 'white dragon' the Chief Cabinet Secretary mentioned. We encountered it, and Byakuren served as the rear guard to let us escape."

Shizuku-san probably knows the performance of that Golem well.

A monster so powerful that Byakuren couldn't return. Frankly, they, who are just average adventurers in terms of combat, wouldn't even be able to put up a fight.

Even if that white dragon didn't move directly, the Wyverns and white soldiers alone would literally kill them in seconds.

"I thought that might be it, but... an opponent even Byakuren couldn't handle, huh."

"Yes. If we had decided to fight it head-on back then, we would have died there with Byakuren."

"Thank you for the warning. We'll take it to heart."

It seemed my seriousness got through to Aika-san, as she nodded with a solemn expression.

Though it seems she still intends to go to the dungeons.

"Oh, right, Shī-chan, Ā-chan!"

"Huh?"

"Yes?"

"If Kyo-chan and Senpai decide not to go to the dungeons, let's form a party, the three of us!"

Her words were spoken so casually, as if she were inviting them to hang out on the weekend. For a moment, I couldn't understand what she was saying.

Erina-san... forming a party with other people, leaving me behind? Not temporarily, but formally?

Huh?

"Our ranks will be fine! I'll be sure to support your leveling!"

"...You know…"

"Um, Kyouta-kun. Erina-san doesn't mean anything by it, so please don't misunderstand."

"Huh?"

Shizuku-san looked completely taken aback, and Aika-san turned to me with a panicked expression. And then there was the self-proclaimed ninja, looking completely carefree.

I took a small, deep breath and somehow managed to maintain my composure.

"It's fine. I'm well aware that this self-proclaimed ninja is a self-proclaimed ninja."

"You're using it as a verb?! And I'm not self-proclaimed! I'm certified!"

"By who?"

"Me!"

"So you are self-proclaimed."

The self-proclaimed ninja placed her hands on her magnificent chest and struck a smug pose with a 'hmph!'

Seeing her acting as usual, I pressed my forehead and sighed.

...I hope I managed to hide my eyes naturally.

After a few more words, we headed home. Erina-san teleported me to my front door, and I gave a small bow.

"Thanks for seeing me home. Well then, see you tomorrow."

"Yep! See you tomorrow! Oh, but before that, Kyo-chan!"

"Yes?"

I tried to act as normal as possible as I turned to face her.

"Senpai said we should play games after dinner! A three-person racing game! We're not letting you sleep tonight!"

I made a face at the beaming ninja.

"I accept your challenge, but I refuse to pull an all-nighter. Don't come crying to me when the professor gets mad at you again."

"Okay. Well, I'll let you know when we're ready to play!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be waiting."

"Alright, bye-bye! Adios!"

Erina-san waved her hands wildly before disappearing in a flash of teleportation.

After seeing her off, I leaned back against my front door, drained of energy.

"Haa…"

A sigh escaped me naturally.

Apparently, I was a much more troublesome man than I thought. To get this down just from hearing that my companion might form a team with other friends.

No, wait. If your friend formed a group that excluded you, anyone would be shocked, right? Maybe it's not so strange.

I told myself that, but another sigh escaped.

...'Because my friends are going.' I probably shouldn't come to my 'answer' for a reason like that.

Erina-san probably has the attitude of 'friends are friends, regardless of the dungeon!' After all, she doesn't usually go adventuring with Aika-san and the others, but she's still friends with them.

That's right. Even if I quit being an adventurer, my relationship with them will continue.

It's just that we might not be able to fight together anymore.

"...Hm?"

Just then, my phone chimed.

I took it out of my pocket and saw that I had a message from Mia-san.

I unlocked the screen and checked the contents.

'If you're free on our next day off, would you like to go for a drive, just the two of us?'

Excluding the greetings at the beginning and end, that was what it said.

An invitation from someone who, like me, was hesitating about whether to continue being an adventurer. What could her intentions be?

As I wondered that, I sent a reply accepting her offer.