kscans

Chapter 60 - A Known Existence

Going to a girl's house.

Phrased like that, it sounds so simple.

But when it comes to actually doing it, the path feels far too treacherous. Just thinking about it gives me a headache, nausea, and even a bout of dizziness.

I should find the courage to decline. Having made that decision, I sent a message to Erina-san: 'A girl's house is just too much for me...!'

"Eh? But I don't think you'll get how to disassemble 'Mok-chan' and stuff from just the manual, you know? Wouldn't it be better to do a demonstration at Shī-chan's place?"

She shot back with a punch of flawless logic that left me utterly speechless.

While I don't 'sell' my golems because 'I can't take responsibility for them,' I have no intention of being completely irresponsible, either. If I'm going to make a deal, I plan to provide at least a minimum level of support.

Simply handing over dungeon equipment with an instruction manual and calling it a day is a recipe for disaster. At worst, it could be a matter of life and death.

Besides, what the heck is 'Mok-chan'? Isn't that a little confusing as a nickname for 'Mokuren'?

In any case, under these circumstances, I had no choice but to go with them.

Yagawa Kyouta, time to kick into overtime mode...! Not that I've ever worked overtime. I'm a first-year high school student, after all.

"And then! And then! The croissants at the coffee shop in front of the exam station were super delicious!"

"Oh, my. We couldn't go on the day of the exam, but perhaps we should all go together sometime!"

"I'd rather have meat, though."

"I think they had hamburgers and stuff, too! Right, Kyou-chan?"

"Yeah..."

But please, spare me from being dragged into your girls' talk on the bus. I'm going to die.

*

After an eternity that felt like my soul was being ground down with a file, I got off the bus.

That was so long... I was on the verge of tears...

I never thought the air outside a bus could taste so sweet.

"What's up, Kyou-chan? Taking deep breaths all of a sudden."

"It's nothing, Warden... I mean, Rinzaki-san."

"Why do I feel such a distance between us?! Also, didn't you almost call me a warden?! I am ninja!!"

"Hahaha. Nice joke."

"Pyee..."

Even I can tell. There's no laughter in my eyes right now.

When your mental capacity is constantly overloaded, you start to just... let things go. I suppose you could call it desperation.

I was barely clinging to my work mode. Otherwise, I would have collapsed on the spot.

"Is Kyou-chan... mad about something?"

"I'm not mad. Just tired, that's all."

Right, I'm not mad. I'm really not.

What Erina-san said was perfectly logical, and it was a point I had to concede. More than anything, I could see she was trying to act as a bridge between me and Busujima-san's group.

I keep calling it 'work mode,' but when I actually think of it as a 'job,' the connections I'm making with them are incredibly valuable.

I'm the one who's wrong here. I'm just overreacting and self-destructing.

It's a pathetic situation, even by my own standards.

"...Um. If it's really too much for you, it's okay to go home, you know? I can walk you back."

"No, it's fine. I can do this."

"You sure...? Sorry, Kyou-chan. Sometimes I just don't get 'that kind of thing.'"

"...?"

That kind of thing? What kind of thing is that?

I tilted my head, but I couldn't keep Busujima-san and the others waiting for too long. Seemingly reading the mood, the two of them were watching us from a short distance away.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's head to Ooyama-san's house."

"Right. This way."

Guided by Ooyama-san, we walked for about ten minutes.

We arrived at what looked like a slightly large town factory.

"My house is around the back, but I use a corner of this place as my personal workshop. I want you to put Mokuren in there."

"Aiyo!"

Ooyama-san unlocked a door on the side of the factory and went inside.

"Excuse me..."

I timidly followed her and looked around.

It was Sunday, so there was no one around. I didn't recognize the names of the machines, but there were several of them, and I could see something that looked like a conveyor belt.

It's not every day I get to see the inside of a factory, so it was a little refreshing.

"Don't touch anything around here. My old man will get pissed."

"Ah, right."

I nodded at Ooyama-san's warning and followed her.

"This is my workspace."

It was a partition made of nothing more than a thick curtain on a stand. The space, about twenty square meters and illuminated by the sunlight pouring in from a window, was filled with various tools like an anvil, hammers, and a grinder.

I didn't see a furnace, but she probably borrowed the factory's machinery for that kind of work.

"Put it down around here."

"Okey-dokey."

Erina-san took Mokuren out of her [Item Box] and placed it where Ooyama-san had pointed.

Ooyama-san stared intently at the armored golem as it was set down with a thud.

"...Alchemy's a real mystery, ain't it? No hammer marks, no signs of bending. It just reshapes metal with some kinda weird power. Can't believe you made this from some random iron plates."

"Uh..."

Even if she says that, I don't know what hammer marks are supposed to look like in the first place, so I don't really get it.

"Whatever. Yagawa. The 'golem equipment' I'm giving you in exchange for Mokuren—is the same design as this armor fine with you?"

"Ah, yes. But I'll leave the fine details to you. Like I said before, I'm a complete amateur when it comes to armor-making. Please feel free to make improvements based on your judgment."

"...Not like I'm an armor pro, either. Fine. I'll show you something I've already made later. Use that as a reference."

"Thank you."

"Right, how to take Mokuren apart... I'll do it myself first, so just watch from over there."

"Understood."

On the bus, she had been reading the instruction manual while talking with the other two.

Ooyama-san smoothly detached Mokuren's limbs and then reattached them. Then, when she channeled mana into it for activation, the golem began to move normally.

"...Look okay?"

"Yes. It's fine."

...Wait, was there any point in me coming here?

No. I needed to confirm she could disassemble and reassemble it properly. Let's just tell myself there was a point in coming.

"However... Hmm."

Just as I thought Ooyama-san had muttered something, she started observing Mokuren from various angles.

Her usual scowl was in place, but her eyes were serious. She just kept inspecting the golem in complete silence.

"Um..."

"It's alright. She isn't doing that because she's unhappy with it."

As I began to worry that I'd done something wrong, Busujima-san smiled beside me.

"She has a habit of neglecting everything else when she gets absorbed in something. Please, don't mind her."

"I-I see."

Apparently, she was a craftsman by nature, even before becoming a dwarf.

"...I think Shizuku-san is trying her best, too."

Eh? At what?

As Busujima-san suddenly started talking, I gave a small nod for the time being.

"Her family has been running this factory since her grandfather's generation, but they were hit hard by the recession. Then the dungeons appeared on the 'Day of Awakening.' It affected their clients, and the factory's business began to decline even further."

"...I see."

"But there was hope. Shizuku-san is a production-class skill user, and she has two of them at that: 'Mana Enchantment: Iron' and 'Magitech Arts.'"

"...That's a pretty rare set of talents."

"Yes."

Production skill users are rare enough, but to have two? And a combination with such great synergy, at that. If I recall, one skill 'lets you enchant iron with mana' and the other 'lets you process objects without losing the mana imbued within'... or something like that.

When I heard that during our contract negotiations, I found myself doubting it. Why would someone like that be knocking around as a freelancer, even if she is a high school student?

She was the kind of talent that a major corporation or the government would undoubtedly secure. Any of them would have offered to hire her for a large sum of money.

"She's planning to use her skills to rebuild this factory. She was always very close to her grandfather."

"...I can hear you."

Ooyama-san shot a glare at Busujima-san.

"Oh my. So you're actually listening today."

"...Shut up. I hate sob stories. If I can make good stuff, that's all that matters, right?"

"That might be fine for a craftsman, but you'll have a hard time when you take over the factory in the future. A manager can't get by just by 'making good stuff.'"

"I'll hire someone who can. That's all."

Looking sullen, Ooyama-san returned to observing Mokuren.

Busujima-san gave a wry smile at the scene and continued.

"She's an awkward girl, as you can see. Please, I hope you'll continue to get along with her."

"Uh..."

She says 'continue to,' but it's not like we're on good terms right now.

However, she really is a valuable artisan, someone I want to maintain a connection with.

I'm fine with my current equipment, but it's a different story for Byakuren and Erina-san. Even if I make a custom body for Byakuren, there's a limit to its performance. I'll need the equipment she makes to reinforce it.

As for Erina-san, she's been saying things like 'I don't have enough attack power! I want a special move!!' I plan to supplement that with new equipment this time. That's why I provided the materials.

"Um... It's a pleasure to be working with you, too."

"...Right."

Ooyama-san glanced my way and gave a curt reply.

She doesn't hate me... right? Probably.

"I've got a handle on this one's equipment. Next is your gear. Come on."

"Yay! I've been waiting for this!"

"Don't be so loud, you're annoying."

With that, Ooyama-san and Erina-san ducked through the curtain and disappeared somewhere.

Uh, what about us?

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should follow, but Busujima-san didn't move, so I stopped, unsure of what to do.

As a result, I was left alone with her.

...Ah, I'm a dead man.

"Yagawa-san."

"Y-Yes!"

Busujima-san looked at me with an unusually serious expression.

The moment we were alone, the atmosphere changed slightly. Uh, what? What is this?

Don't tell me, now that Erina-san's gone, she's going to lay into me? 'Don't get cocky, you piece of trash. You creepy loner.'

N-No. Surely not... right? But I'm incredibly anxious...!

"I, too, would like to continue our association as fellow adventurers. On that note, there is something I must ask you, however sudden it may be."

"Y-Yes. What is it...?"

"Are you, too..."

For a split second, Busujima-san paused.

Or rather, she was forced to a stop. She must have been about to say something and hesitated.

I freeze up like this all the time, so I know the feeling well.

"Are you... afraid... of me?"

"Huh?"

I didn't understand the question. As I stood there confused, Busujima-san looked down.

"...Please, give me your honest opinion."

"Uh, um... A little, scary... maybe?"

I just followed her request and blurted out my true feelings.

...Wait, was this a situation where I should have paid a compliment and said, 'You're not scary at all'!?

Crap, I messed up. Somebody, bring me a time machine...!

"I see..."

When Busujima-san lifted her head, she wore a forced smile.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

There's no doubt about it. She's angry. Or hurt. Either way, I've failed.

"So even from the perspective of someone as skilled as you, my 'skill' is still an unsettling thing."

"Eh, what was that...?"

My skill? Not her as a person?

...Ah, I get it now.

I wish she'd use proper subjects and predicates. It's confusing. But I'm safe! I can still salvage this...!

"Um, Busujima-san."

"Yes. What is it? Ah, we can go and join Erina-san and the others now if you'd like."

"No, um... Your skill isn't scary at all..."

"...What do you mean by that?"

This time, Busujima-san tilted her head in suspicion.

"Well, um. I assume you're talking about your [Cursed Poison Magic], but I don't really have any particular feelings about that magic... Ah, though I do think it's a little dangerous. But that's true of any skill."

She must have had someone say something like, 'That girl uses curses! She's dangerous!' to her before.

Rumor has it that skill-based curses can even be activated from a distance if the conditions are met, so it's not wrong to be wary. Though, I think saying it to her face is another matter.

"Like I said in the dungeon, I'm sturdy, so curses and poisons don't work on me."

[Sage's Nucleus].

As long as I have this unique skill, spells of that nature are completely meaningless against me. If someone tried to curse me, it would either have no effect or fail to activate in the first place.

Even before that, I could just rip it off with [Concept Interference].

"However, regardless of your specific skill, Busujima-san, most skills are dangerous, so I think it's necessary to be cautious when using them..."

Frankly, you don't need to use something like a curse to kill someone.

If I used my [Mana Conversion] to throw a nearby rock, it would definitely kill a non-Awakened person in one hit. Erina-san could commit the perfect crime whenever she wanted.

Skills are supernatural powers, so they must be used with care. This was something they drilled into our heads during the adventurer training course.

Well, people die whether skills are involved or not.

"It's not that any specific skill is dangerous. So, you don't need to worry about it... Actually, no, you do. If you use it improperly or on other people, it could lead to terrible consequences."

A knife is a useful tool, but you have to remember it can also be a weapon. It's the same principle.

I felt a sense of relief seeing the surprised look on Busujima-san's face.

I see, so this person is...

...the 'I'm a dangerous being, so yes, I am †solitary†...' type of chuuni.

There are times like that, aren't there? I get it. I've seen a fair number of people on the online forums for Awakened Persons manufacturing their own cringey histories in the same way.

Well, it's possible she was labeled a dangerous person just because of her skill, and it made her cynical. But the fact that she'd bring it up with someone like me means she's definitely got a case of it.

Thank goodness. This person isn't an unidentified lifeform. She's a pathetic lifeform (a known existence).

Thinking that, my heart felt considerably lighter.

"Um, I have a feeling you're thinking something incredibly rude right now."

"It's fine. Everyone goes through that kind of phase."

"Why do I feel like your gaze has become lukewarm...?"

Come to think of it, this person is Erina-san's friend. Birds of a feather flock together, as they say.

Hm, does that mean I'm one of them, too? ...Nah, I'm not as bad as them.

"...Well, I suppose it's fine. If you can interact with me normally, nothing could be better."

"Of course. It's fine, you know...?"

"Why do you keep repeating that it's 'fine'? And... in that case, what did you mean when you first said you were 'scared'...?"

"Ah."

At Busujima-san's question, my eyes darted around involuntarily.

Now that I understood she wasn't so different from me, I had let my guard down and gotten carried away. A cold sweat ran down my back.

Even if she is a chuunibyou patient, she's still a high school girl I'm not close with. I had forgotten that I couldn't afford to say the wrong thing.

"Well... your presence..."

"My presence!? Um, why?"

"I haven't... really talked to the opposite sex much, so... sorry."

"...I heard you often hang out with Erina-san and her cousin, Aira-san."

"Well... they're more like work colleagues. Or comrades-in-arms..."

I instinctively backed away from Busujima-san, who had unknowingly gotten closer.

Then, for some reason, she stepped forward. Why?!

"So, it's a matter of getting used to it, I see?"

"G-Getting used to it?"

"I wish to maintain my relationship with you as a fellow adventurer in the future, Yagawa-san. Do you feel the same way?"

"Well, um... yes."

"Then, let us become friends."

With that, Busujima-san gently extended her right hand toward me.

"Just like Erina-san, I want to become someone you can trust. As an adventurer, as an Awakened Person, I desire a relationship where we can help each other."

Whoa, she's really coming on strong.

An aggressive chuunibyou. Scary.

However, she is also a precious 'Awakened Person of the same grade.' There might come a time when I need her help, and it's true that I want some kind of connection.

I timidly took her hand. She shook it firmly.

"I look forward to working with you, Yagawa-san."

"Y-Yes..."

A bright smile appeared on her face.

I tried my best to return the smile, but I could tell it was nothing more than a strained twitch.

Also, the feeling of a girl's soft hand in my palm was making me restless. Thump, thump. I hope my hands aren't sweaty.

"Hey!"

A familiar loud voice suddenly echoed through the room.

"Kyou-chan and Ā-chan are flirting! Let me join in!!"

"F-Flirting...!?"

"Hehe. We just became friends, Erina-san."

"Huh? Weren't we friends since we ate together?"

What kind of theory is that, one that only normies are allowed to use?

As I let go of Busujima-san's hand, I stared into the distance. It's not that easy to make friends. Don't underestimate social anxiety.

"Oh well! More importantly, look, look, Kyou-chan! This is my new ninja tool!!"

Looking full of energy, Erina-san pulled something out of her [Item Box].

It was an absurdly large shuriken.

Centering on a ring large enough to fit a head through, four sixty-centimeter blades were attached like a propeller.

"This is my new ninja tool... the 'Ninja-Big Shuriken'!!"

"So laaaaa... me."

I have to wonder about this person's naming sense.

Erina-san struck a kabuki-like pose with a smug look on her face. Ooyama-san, who had come up from behind, furrowed her brow.

"Hey. It's not finished yet. I still have to forge the Yagawa materials into it. Give it back."

I get what you're saying, but can we stop with the 'Yagawa materials'? It makes me feel like I'm going to be physically plucked for parts in the future, which is kind of scary.

"Wait, Shī-chan! We have to come up with a name for my special move together!"

"Leave me and that weapon out of it. Do it yourself."

"Aww."

After watching the free-spirited self-proclaimed ninja, I glanced over at Busujima-san.

Is that really the kind of person you want to become...?

When I looked at her with that question in my eyes, she quietly turned her face away.

Yeah, thought so.

"Maybe I'll put Kyou-chan's name in it and call it 'Great Spinning Kyou-chan Slash'! What do you think, Kyou-chan!!"

"Please don't...!"

"You're right. I need to put Shī-chan's name in it, too, and we can't leave out Ā-chan...!"

"Hey, don't include me in this."

"Erina-san, please stop that."

"Ehh?"

After that, the three of us teamed up to stop Erina-san from coming up with any more mysterious special move names.

I feel like our sense of unity has grown stronger than when we were seriously grinding levels in the dungeon, and I hope I'm mistaken.