Mob
Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #94
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Episode 94: Hyacinth (2)
"Now that we've finished eating, what will we do
after this?”
Teacher put the lid
on his lunch box and asked everyone.
“Hmmm...... we could go home, or stay at a nearby
business hotel. If we only think about efficiency, it is best to stay at a
nearby hotel.......”
"But it will take more than two days and one night to
conquer this dungeon..."
If you think about
the mental burden, it is best to go home and get a good night's rest, even if
it means a little extra time to conquer the dungeon.....
Just as it seemed
that everyone was going to head home,
"No no no, what are you talking about! We're obviously
going to stay the night at school!"
Anna, with her red
horsetail swishing wildly, shouted,
“This is a rare opportunity to stay overnight at school!
Why go back home or stay in a hotel instead... that's ridiculous!"
“Eeh......? Staying at the school, you say? Why bother? On
this dusty floor?”
Oribe, who was raised
as an ojousama (rich girl), frowned, but Anna insisted firmly,
"It's only natural! Once
school starts, there won't be many opportunities to stay at school! A training camp at school! Ah,
it really feels like a club activity!"
Oribe was appalled
and Teacher laughed at Anna's enthusiasm......, but I liked this part of Anna's
personality.
When I looked around
again, I found that the night school had an indescribable extraordinary feeling.
Even though the
arrangement of desks and blackboards remained the same, the class at night,
which was illuminated by fluorescent lights, showed a completely different
image from the daytime, and there was a strange sense of exaltation.
The usually bustling
corridors were now quiet, and the darkness, illuminated only by the emergency
alarm lights, was like a natural haunted house.
Even the chirping of
insects coming from outside was the perfect background music.
The school that I
used to go to now seemed more attractive than any luxurious hotel.
It was probably
because I realized that if I missed this moment of being a high school
student...... I would not be able to find another chance no matter how much
money I paid for it.
Moreover, it is a
privilege for the Adventurer's Club only since the Astronomy Club has been
discontinued.
I am surprised at
myself for trying to throw away such a great opportunity carelessly.
Really...... Anna Jushichiya is a genius at finding
precious moments like this that you would normally overlook.
"I'm in. What about the two of you?"
"Right, let's stay at school since we're here."
"Huft... Okay, so we're staying at the school, but
what about the bath? I absolutely
hate not being able to take a bath."
“Nn, I'll see if there's a public bath or something
nearby."
“Oh, wait a minute.”
I stopped Anna as she
went to get her smartphone from her locker.
"What is it?"
Anna tilted her head
in wonder, and I said,
"I can get you a bath."
---However, within the dungeon only.
“'"Ohhh~!""”
The 11th floor. The
Adventurers' Club members cheered when they saw the Western-style house that
suddenly appeared on the grassy plains at night with a refreshing breeze.
''I can't believe Senpai has a cross-space type card.
......Is it the prize for the race?"
"Yep."
"Hmm? But didn't you say that you were going to
exchange it for Mayoiga?"
Oribe, who had heard
what I wanted beforehand, inclined her head.
Certainly, if it is a
Mayoiga, it would normally have the appearance of a traditional Japanese house.
This one in front of
me, however, is a three-story modern classic Western-style house no matter how
you look at it.
Did you exchange it
for Winchester House instead of Mayoiga? Oribe
still stared curiously and I laughed a little.
"Well, you'll find out when you go inside."
With that, I walked
toward the Western-style house.
When I got to the
entrance, the heavy double doors swung open on their own.
A maid greeted us as
we entered,
"Welcome home, Goshujin-sama1. And welcome,
Goshujin-sama’s companions. Please make yourself at home."
The one who bowed
reverently to us was a beautiful, young woman.
Her features, which
looked somewhat half-Japanese, were just perfect as if she had been born to be
a fairy.
Her black hair, which
gradually turned reddish toward the ends, was tied into a bun, and she was clad
in a traditional Japanese maid outfit reminiscent of maids' uniforms from the
Taisho period. Her posture was flawless.
Seeing her, Oribe
nodded in understanding.
"This is... I see, she's ranked up from Silky."
"Correct!”
The true identity of
this maid. It was the card formerly known as Silky, the Maid Master, that had
been ranked up to Mayoiga.
To begin with,
mayoiga cards basically had no form.
Although you cannot
see it, you can definitely feel its presence...that was the nature of the
strange phenomenon known as Mayoiga.
Therefore, the core
being was also essentially colorless and transparent.
The only time it
would appear like this would be if it underwent a rank-up or slight change from
another card.
The reason why
Mayoiga, which usually displayed a Japanese-style house, became a Western-style
house was due to the influence of the pre-evolutionary Silky.
By the way, I gave
her the name Audrey when she ranked up.
It was derived from
Audrey Hepburn, who played the role of Eliza in the movie 'My Fair Lady'.
I had a feeling that
Audrey had not yet built up enough of an emotional bond with me to accept me
naming her, but when I asked her if she wanted to be named by me, she accepted
it more readily than I had expected.
Needless to say, the
reason for this was not me, but her protégé, Eliza.
Therefore, I gave her
a name that has a connection with Eliza.
Her status is as
follows:
[Race] Mayoiga (Audrey)
[Combat Power] 420 (120 UP)
[Inborn Skills]
・Quench Your Thirst in
the Enemy's Home: Able to deploy a different space in the shape of a house, also
known as a lost house. It repels uninvited guests and grants rest and fortune
to those who are invited. It does not
receive interference from enemies who do not have cross-space skill. It is
immune to interference from enemies who lack spatial manipulation skills. The
user can provide food that grants good luck and continuous healing to allies
within the dimension. The effects last for 24 hours but weaken once the guest
leaves the space.
・High-Level House
Fairy: More like a personification of a house or a guardian deity than a
typical house fairy/spirit. This skill includes [Maid], [Advanced housekeeping]
magic, and [High-level Storage] skills.
(High-level Storage: Has an internal space for storing
things. The high-level one is as large as a gymnasium. Note that stored items
will be thrown out when you return them to the card or leave the dungeon, so be
careful.)
・Hide and Seek
[Acquired Skills]
・Maid Master
・Obedience
・Reprimand
・Intermediate
Auxiliary Magic
・Intermediate Recovery
Magic
Perhaps because she
had not used the skills much, some inborn skills were not carried over, but she
was able to carry over the acquired skills that were her main strength, so
there was no problem.
Mayoiga card itself
specializes in buffs, so she has become a perfect healer/support personnel.
The [Quench Your
Thirst in the Enemy's Home] was a cross-space type skill, but since it does not
specifically debuff the enemy, its main use would be as a post-combat recovery
aid.
"Audrey, we just want to take a bath, so please show
us the way."
"Understood. This way, please."
We followed her down
the red-carpeted, candle-lit corridor.
The endless corridor
was longer and wider than it appeared on the outside. This was because the
house was a kind of other world.
We eventually
descended the stairs to the basement and arrived at the bathing area, where
Audrey began to explain about the baths,
"We have one large bath and three single-person
baths. The single-person baths are divided into three different types: snow baths
for relieving fatigue and stress, moon baths for stiff shoulders, back pain,
and muscle aches, and flower baths for relieving sensitivity to cold,
constipation, and beautifying the skin. The large bath offers a comprehensive
experience of all three. If you prefer a higher level of efficacy, I recommend
the single baths rather than the large bath.”
""Ho~......""
Everyone was in awe
of Audrey's explanation.
As long as the space
allows, Mayoiga can be tweaked quite freely in terms of its interior structure.
Therefore, the number
of guest rooms, which are currently of little use, was reduced, and three baths
(a snow bath, a moon bath, and a flower bath) were added to the original one
large bath to be more diversified and specialized in their effects.
“Four baths ...... you put a lot of effort into your
baths, Senpai."
"Well yeah... Mayoiga is meant to be used inside the
dungeon, so I prioritized comfort."
I got Mayoiga in
preparation for the C-rank and above dungeons, which tend to take longer to conquer.
Since the most
important thing to watch out for in a prolonged dungeon attack is mistakes
caused by mental fatigue, it is only natural to focus on mental comfort.
There was a D-rank
Winchester House among the race prizes, which can also attack enemies and is
more affordable, but I chose the C-rank Mayoiga, which specializes in recovery
and assistance because of this.
"At any rate, good job! And to have unlimited access to hot springs inside the
dungeon, oh, this is a welcome surprise!”
"Snow, moon, flowers... mm, I can't decide which one
to enter.”
"Since there are both men and women, let's decide in
advance who will take which bath."
“I agree. Then, Senpai, as the owner please choose
first."
"Nn. Then I will gladly do it... Since I'm tired today,
I'm going to take the snow bath."
"Then I will choose the moon bath. I've been having
a lot of stiffness in my shoulders lately.
Anna said as she
rolled her shoulders. ...The volume of her chest is certainly enough to make
one's shoulders stiff.
“Why the sudden appeal of big breasts....... I don't care
which one you choose, but what about you, Kannadzuki-senpai?"
“Hm... well, since I'm here, I will use the large bath.
It's not often that I can use a large bath all by myself."
"I understand. Then I will take the flower
bath."
When each of us had
smoothly decided on the bath we wanted to use, Anna turned around to me.
“Oh, by the way, what about shampoo and stuff? If there
is none, I'll buy some at the Dungeon Mart."
“Ah, there's some travel set for that. It's just
something I bought at the Dungeon Mart. But if you have a particular
preference, you can buy it yourself next time."
"No peeking or anything, okay~?”
Anna said as if
making fun of me while receiving a small bath and shower travel set from me.
“I'm not going to
peek,” I replied with a laugh and entered the men's changing room. A thought
suddenly struck me:
...Right now, the girls from my club are naked in the
room next door.
Just thinking about
it made my heart race.
The level of our club's girls is pretty high.......
Well, that doesn't
mean I'm going to peek at them.
I certainly would like to see and look, but I would
certainly be exposed, and the risk of being found out is----!
At that moment, a
devil's flash flashed through my brain.
---- Maybe if I Link up with Audrey, I can take a peek
without being discovered......?
No, no, no, no, stop. Don't even think about it. Even if
I didn't get caught, there is no way I should do such a thing.
My conscience tried
to stop me, but...
----It's okay, as long as they don't find out, it's all
good. Don't you know? A
crime isn't a crime if you don't get caught, don't you know?
The devil whispered
more temptations to me.
R- right, as long as I don't get caught, I'll be fine. ......
No! If you think about it, Anna
and the others are adventurers. They couldn't have been unaware of the misuse
of the Link. And they trusted me. I can't betray that!
---- Are you still a man? A
man would risk his life for a woman's naked body, even if hell awaits him
afterward! Go! Take a peek! And
you can have it all, and lose it all!
Aghhhh! Shut
up! You......!
"What are you doing, Renge!"
I retorted to Renge,
who had been tempting me like a devil for a while now.
"Tch! Have you come to your senses?"
Renge's lips pursed
as if she found this conclusion boring.
"What do you want..... you even went to the trouble
of using Link to make it seem like my own thoughts?"
I almost gave in to
temptation.
“Ah well, I was just thinking that if you really went to
take a peek, I would have something to blackmail you with for a while."
"That's not funny.'
What is the point of blackmailing me, anyway? I even
usually listen to her requests for snacks and games......
When I thought of the
unreasonable things Renge might have asked of me, knowing my weakness, it sent
chills down my spine.
...... Later, after
taking a bath, I was checked by Anna's elf (Tanya) with her [Deceit Detection]
skill and I was deeply relieved that I had not succumbed to the devil's
temptation.
"Oh right, Senpai. Since we are here, I'd like to
ask you to keep me company outside for a bit.......”
I had just finished
making my bed and was about to go to sleep when Oribe suddenly said something
like that to me.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you know that a few years ago, there was a
suicide here at the observatory?"
“Huh......? What's that? I don't know anything about
that.”
It wasn't me who
answered, but Anna, whose face was pale.
"Uh-huh, I think she died in the bathroom?"
As Teacher tilted his
head, I was surprised that he knew so much considering he had only just
transferred to this school.
Maybe he'd heard
about it from a girl who liked to gossip.
"Yeah... well, I've heard stories like that."
'E- even Senpai...... please stop that.”
Anna's face grew
paler and paler.
"Hmm... Anna didn't know? Well, I'll tell you
then."
"Eh, No, no, I seriously don't want it......”
Ignoring Anna who was
shaking her head, Oribe started talking,
Well, the story itself
was quite common.
The Astronomy club
and observatory, filled with only ghost members2, had become a hangout for
delinquents. A pitiful female student who caught their attention was subjected
to severe bullying in the observatory, a place far from the teacher's watchful
eye.
“...According to a student whose sibling was a graduate,
the bullying was pretty nasty. She couldn't stand the bullying, to the point of
taking her own life in the end, you know? Some say that the bullying escalated
to the point where they killed her and made it look like a suicide.”
Oribe was talking as
if it were an actual incident, but I actually doubted the authenticity of this
story.
It was true that the
Astronomy Club was a hangout place for delinquents and that there was a girl
who was bullied a few years ago, but when I did a quick search, I could not
find any articles about suicides at this school.
Suicides at school,
even if they don't make the national news, still become major news in the local
community and will be passed around forever.
It was probably a
ghost story made up by the students at the time for fun, combining the
disbandment of the Astronomy Club and the absence of the bullied girl from the
school after she either dropped out or transferred to another school...... that
was what I thought.
"So what's the rest of the story?”
I asked Oribe as I
looked at Anna, who had started shaking like a poor little animal.
"Mm. The observatory where the girl committed
suicide and the bathroom where the bullying mainly took place are said to be
haunted by the spirit of the girl. I was wondering if Senpai, a psychic, could
confirm if this is true.”
"Eh? Can you see spirits, Maro?"
Teacher looked at me
as if he was surprised. I shook my head.
"No, no, no, I'm not a psychic."
“But you were able to see clearly when we were working on
the Hound Master case, weren't you?"
"Hoo~! There's
something like that......."
"No, that was just that one time, I mean......"
The ability to see
residual thoughts, which was present during the investigation, disappeared
around the time of Renge's resurrection.
It was probably
because of some kind of disturbance from Renge, who was in soul card form.
Well, I didn't
particularly want to see anything like that either, so I am happy that it
disappeared...
“I mean, I've never seen anything like that in all the
time I've been going to this school......"
"Isn't it different during the day and at
night?"
"It was already dark when we left the dungeon,
right?"
Oribe looked
disappointed when I said that but seemed to understand.
"Hmm... well, I see..."
“So, then, rumors are just that, rumors, right?”
In contrast, Anna's
face brightened up.
"That, I did some quick search and found the
bullying was real, but I couldn't find any news about anyone committing
suicide."
"What the, you have already done some checking....?
No wonder you are not biting it."
Oribe seemed to have
lost all interest in this ghost story and went into her tent, looking bored.
...By the way, the
reason we set up tents in the classroom was because the floor was dusty.
Anna argued that
tents are not tasteful, but the classrooms, which no longer get cleaned by
students due to the summer vacation, were dustier than expected and were in no
condition to be slept on with sleeping bags.
On the other hand,
the adventurer's tent we were using was fully air-conditioned and equipped with
an automatic purification system, so it was much more comfortable than staying
in a cheap lodging/hotel.
I did agree with Anna
that it lacked charm, but with another expedition tomorrow, we could not let
style take precedence.
"Well, we have to get up early tomorrow... let's go
to bed now."
"Good night~."
"See you tomorrow."
The lights in the
classroom were turned off and we went to sleep in our respective tents.
“...... pai. Senpai.”
"N......?”
I
was shaken awake by someone.
I
opened my sleepy eyes and saw Anna's face in the darkness.
"What is it.....? Is
it morning already? Eh, It's still dark......."
"I- I'm sorry, ...... could you please go to the
restroom with me?”
"Ha?"
What
is this guy saying?
Under
my gaze, Anna's face blushed enough to be noticeable even in the dark.
"You should ask Sayo about that sort of thing, not a
boy..."
"That's true, but ......! But
Sayo is the kind who will scare me."
“Oh.......”
Right.
Oribe is the type who would do something like that.
"Then, Teacher? He is more of a gentleman than me.'
"I agree with that, but... I think a psychic would
be more reliable in a situation like this."
"I'm not a psychic. ...... Oh, well, fine. I'll go
with you.”
I
got up because I was too lazy to explain.
Anna
looked relieved.
"I'm sorry, thank you."
"Nn--.”
I
replied perfunctorily and we both headed to the restroom.
But,
『Wait,
Utamaro.』
I
was just about to go to the restroom when Renge suddenly stopped me.
I
stopped in my tracks without thinking.
"W- what's wrong, Senpai?"
Anna
looked back at me with an anxious look as I stopped abruptly.
“No, wait a moment.”
I
said that much and asked Renge,
『What's
wrong?』
『Don't
go into that restroom.』
『......Why?』
『Just
don't.』
Renge
was acting more strong-willed than usual, and I swallowed hard.
O- oioi, what's the matter... if you say that, I'm
starting to get scared too.
I
decided to follow Renge's advice obediently.
"...Let's not use this one."
"Eh, wh, wh, wh... why?"
I
was not sure how to answer.
"Just don't."
I
followed Renge's example and just force it through.
Anna
swallowed hard and nodded silently.
I
looked at her, took Daitoren card out from my card holder, and materialized it.
Anna
was startled to see me suddenly pull out a sword.
“Wh-Wh-Wh-Why do you need a weapon ......?”
"Well, just to be safe..."
Among
the skills that Doitoren grants to its users is the ability to exorcise
spirits.
Although
I, as a human, cannot draw out the abilities of the Doitoren, I decided to hold
on to it in the hope that it would have even the slightest effect of expelling
spirits.
Anna
looked like she wanted to ask me something very badly, but in the end, she
seemed to have chosen to follow me without saying a word.
The
two of us headed to the restroom on the first-floor.
"Haa... haa...!"
Anna's
ragged breathing echoed in the dark hallway lit only by the light of her phone.
It
was not due to exhaustion, but definitely due to fear, and even my nerves were
heightened by the girl's fearful breathing.
As
if I were in a dungeon, my senses became more acute, and I could feel my
surroundings through my skin.
I
had not felt such tension since I became an adventurer.
Before
I knew it, we walked hand in hand, clasping each other's hands tightly.
The
other's warmth in my hand was the only reassurance I felt amidst the fear of
not knowing what to expect.
...... her hand is so tiny and soft.
Just
when I was thinking such an inappropriate thought,
----BANG!
"Huh?!" "Hyii..."
Suddenly,
the window shook as if it had been hit.
"Wh-w-w-what... was that?"
"The ...... wind must have knocked on the
window."
“Oh, ah ...... wind? So it was that, huh?"
“.........................”
I
glanced at the leaves of the trees visible from the window, which wasn't
swaying at all, then I pulled Anna's hand and continued walking.
Eventually,
we reached the first-floor restroom.
“Oh, um, well, please wait here for me.”
"Yeah."
I
replied, looking around.
"...Um, if possible, please cover your ears..."
“You should just play some music with your phone......”
"Oh, ah, ......That's true.”
Anna
grimaced, whipped out her phone, and went into the restroom.
......
and came right out.
“......What's wrong?”
“Th, th, that... the floor is flooded, inside...”
"Eh.....?”
A school restroom during summer vacation is ......? That
can't be. Is it a leak?
I
cautiously walk into the restroom....
"......Nothing's wet."
"Eh?! No
way!"
Anna,
who had been hiding behind my back and closing her eyes, raised her voice in
surprise.
But
what spread out before her eyes was an ordinary sight of a plain restroom.
I
asked Anna, who was aghast,
“What do you want to do......?”
“...No, if possible, I'd like to go to a different
restroom .......”
"Okay."
Now
we head to the third-floor.
......
Anna fidgeted a lot.
She
must have been pretty hesitant when she woke me up, and since she'd been put
off twice since then and moved slowly, she seemed to be nearing her limit.
When
we finally arrived at the third floor restroom, Anna said to me in a whispered
voice,
“...... Come to think of it, Senpai. What grade was the
student who was being bullied in?”
"That's .......”
I
glanced at the... third-grade restroom on the third floor.
Anna
saw it and squatted down, half-laughing,
"It's over......."
"No, no, there's still the staff restroom."
"The first floor is the first floor, right? I
can't ...... last that long.”
For real?
I
looked up to the ceiling and suddenly realized.
“Oh right, what about Dungeon Mart restroom?”
“No no no! That's just impossible!"
No, but the Dungeon Mart itself is new, no?"
"That's ...... right, but...”
Anna
struggled for a moment, but in the end, her maiden pride won over and she
decided to go up to the rooftop.
I
ascended the stairs cautiously and opened the door to the rooftop.
The
sky was cloudless and filled with stars, and we forgot our fears for a brief
moment.
"Then, I'll be off for a bit."
As
we approached, the Dungeon Mart's lights switched on, and Anna, finally free of
all her fears, ran into the restroom with a relieved look.
After
I saw her off, I called out to the void,
『You
did it, didn't you...?』
The
reply came immediately,
『S-Sorry...
I couldn't control my zashiki-warashi nature3. To be honest, it was a lot of
fun. 』
I knew it!
I
let out a deep sigh.
It
was around the time the first floor restroom was flooded that I realized that
this whole sequence of events was a prank by Renge.
When
Anna saw it, it was flooded, but when I saw it, the water was gone, so unless
it was a true psychic phenomenon, it could only have been magic.
And
it was definitely the latter that was more likely.
『You...
this is no laughing matter...』
『...But
it was a bit of a gain, wasn't it?』
Renge
said this without any sign of remorse, and I was speechless for a while...
『Well,
a little.......』
That
was how I answered.
————The
next morning, when Oribe heard about this story, she literally stomped her feet
in regret, and after this, Anna did not ask to stay at school anymore.
***
Notes:
1 Not sure if it had been mentioned before, but Audrey calls Maro ‘Goshujin-sama’, it means Master. Used mainly by maids.↩
2 Gost members: Members who are only in name and do not actively participate ↩
3 Zashiki-warashi nature: They like to prank ↩
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