Mob Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni
Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #128
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Episode 128: The Stairs
『...I
see, so Ai and Mom are safe now, right?』
"Yeah, I managed to rescue Ai just fine,
and Mom is at the school with Anna and the others."
Inside
a room in Mayoiga. I was talking to Dad on my Card Gear with the sleeping
children by my side.
To transport the children all
at once via teleportation, I had Eliza head to the Guild ahead of us. We would
transport the children as soon as they were ready to receive them.
Right
now, I was using this waiting time to inform Dad that we were safe.
I
had already contacted Mom earlier.
『I'll
ask again, you're not hurt at all, are you?』
"Yeah."
―――― For now, anyway.
I
muttered so only in my head.
There was no need to tell my
dad, who was already maxed out on stress, the full truth.
I intended to take the fact
that I'd been cut in half by The Pied Piper of Hamelin with me to the grave,
keeping it from my parents.
『I
see, that's good... That's the only silver lining in this misfortune.』
He
said, letting out a long sigh of relief, "Haaaaahhh~~~......."
It spoke volumes about the
depth of his stress, and I gave a small, wry smile.
『But to think our family would
be separated like this... Dammit! I should have quit even if I had to fight!』
I couldn't say anything to his
bitter words.
If only Angolmois had been delayed by another
two weeks...
It
was predicted that this Angolmois would cause unprecedented damage to human
society.
My
dad's company had somehow managed to survive the previous two Angolmois and
narrowly avoided bankruptcy, but it was highly likely that this time, the
company, along with its head office building, would simply vanish.
There
likely would be no severance pay, and continuing to work in such a situation
would be too much even for a corporate slave.
And
so, soon after he heard Kudan's prophecy, Dad had started moving to quit his
job.
At
the time, the prophecy hadn't even been known yet by the public, and he should
have been able to quit without any problems before the government made an announcement...
or so I thought.
However,
it seemed my dad was highly valued by the company more than I had imagined, and
he faced fierce resistance to his resignation. Just as he finally managed to
shake them off and was in the process of handing over his work, the prophecy
was announced, leading to a flood of resignations and disappearances. This
delayed my dad's retirement again and again, and finally, the Angolmois
arrived.
Frankly,
my dad probably should have just run away like other employees instead of stubbornly
staying at the company, but the bonds of human relationships built over twenty
years of service were apparently heavier than expected.
Well, it’s precisely because he is such a
responsible person that the company trusted him and he rose so high.
As someone who had been raised
on my dad's salary, it was hard for me to complain.
Things never really go as planned.
I thought like that to
myself, sighing inwardly.
"For now, just stay put until we know
more, okay, Dad?"
『......Yeah, got it.』
In his heart, I knew he really
wanted to leave the shelter and come to us and my mom right away.
He agreed with a voice that
clearly showed his reluctance.
I was a little worried, but
even if he wanted to leave, his company probably wouldn't let him out of the
shelter, so he should be fine.
Most corporate shelters were
designed with a double-layered structure: a sturdy, thick barrier on the
outside, followed by a gap, then a wall of Cold Iron alloy to counter
Spirit-type threats, another gap, and finally, the shelter itself.
This spacing between the outer
barrier and the inner shelter is a countermeasure against mechanical
destruction by Gremlins and similar creatures.
For these corporate shelters,
the most terrifying scenario is an intrusion by mechanical destruction monsters
that could cripple internal functions. Thus, they'd want to keep entry and exit
from the shelter to an absolute minimum, as that's when the risk is highest.
Given that B-rank monsters are rampaging right
from the start, they'll probably stay holed up for at least a month.
The problem is that I'll probably have trouble
rejoining Dad, but that's something to think about after I deal with this
spatial isolation.
『Master,
the preparations are complete on this side.』
『Mm,
got it.』
"—Dad, sorry, but I'll get back to you with the details later."
『Okay.
We'll manage things here, so you just be careful.』
“Yeah, you take care too.”
Having
ended the call with my dad, I exhaled lightly.
Looks like Dad's side is going to be okay for
now.
The company Dad worked for,
Izayoi Shoji, was a legitimate large corporation listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's First Section1.
Its
market capitalization was approximately 7 trillion yen before the prophecy
announcement, with sales around 5 trillion yen. The number of its employees
exceeded five thousand, and its headquarters' shelter can accommodate up to ten
thousand people. As a general trading company, it also handles cards and magic items,
and the company possessed not-for-sale B-rank cards for defense and
otherworld-class cross-space cards.
The
number of adventurers it employed was unknown, but every company was actively
scouting Three-Star and higher-ranked adventurers after the prophecy was announced.
A large corporation like Izayoi Shoji likely had a good number of adventurers
on staff. There was also a high possibility of professional adventurers being
in the shelter, given that they sponsor MonColo.
In
terms of defenses, they are highly reliable. Honestly, it's even safer than the
school, especially with me not there.
...Well,
that's why I prioritized rescuing Mom and Ai (and Maru) and put Dad on the back
burner.
『Master,
the gate is about to open.』
『Okay
―――― Athena, return.』
Just as the teleportation gate
of the Hamelin's Flute was about to open, I returned Athena to her card.
I had kept her maintaining the
pseudo-safe zone just in case, but it would be troublesome if Guild staff saw
her.
At
the same time as Athena's return, the gate opened, and Shigeno-san and other
Guild staff appeared.
"Kitagawa-san! I'm glad you're
saf...--?!"
Shigeno-san, who called out to
me with a beaming smile, choked mid-sentence.
He must have guessed the intensity of the
battle from my torn, blood-stained uniform... No, that's not quite right.
That might be part of it, but
his gaze was primarily fixed on my face.
Come to think of it, Shigeno-san had seen my
aged appearance when he handed over Artemis, huh?
Has he realized that I possess rejuvenation
abilities?
Well, I guess it can't be helped. ...I couldn't
have avoided facing him in this situation.
Thinking calmly, I realize I
could have had Suzuka transform into my aged self and deal with him, or
something, but after such an intense battle, my mind wasn't working that
quickly, so it couldn't be helped.
"..............."
"...Shigeno-san? Is something the
matter?"
" ! No, nothing at all. Please proceed with the
children's transfer immediately."
Shigeno-san,
who had been staring at me for a while, snapped back to his senses when a Guild
staff member spoke to him, and he briskly gave instructions before coming over
to me.
"Kitagawa-san, you... well, it's hard to
say you’re ‘unharmed’, but I'm truly glad you're alive. And on behalf of the
Guild, thank you for saving the children."
Saying that, Shigeno-san bowed
deeply first, and I returned the gesture, expressing my gratitude.
"No, it is I who should thank you. Thank
you for the card support. Without that, I couldn't have defeated the Pied Piper
of Hamelin..."
"Mhmm... For now, let's move somewhere
more comfortable and have a proper talk slowly."
"Huh? Ah, yes."
Prompted
Shigeno-san, I teleported to the Guild ahead of the staff members who were busily
working to secure the children.
The
transfer destination was a large room, about the size of a school gymnasium.
The metallic, metal-clad room
contained only simple cardboard beds lined up in
rows. It was clear that only beds had been brought into this spacious area,
prepared to accommodate the children.
Doors were spaced evenly along
the walls, and I was guided into one of them. It turned out to be a small room,
about six tatami mats2 in size, with white
wallpaper, a table, chairs, and a bunk bed.
Hmm, it's like a room in a dormitory or
something...
I thought like that as I sat
on a chair, urged by Shigeno-san. He left the room and returned shortly with
two steaming paper cups.
"My apologies, we only have something
simple like this."
"No, no, thank you very much. I'll have
some."
Taking
a sip of the warm green tea, I felt my body visibly
relax.
"Now, where should we begin..."
Shigeno-san
pondered for a few seconds.
"Right, let's start with this then.
Kitagawa-san, could you please briefly tell me the events from when the
children were abducted to how you defeated the Pied Piper of Hamelin?"
"Alright..."
I
began to explain the sequence of events to Shigeno-san.
I tried my best to conceal
certain details, such as Renge's Fate Manipulation ability and the distortion
of the law of causality, my extended lifespan due to True Skill and Perfect
Link side effects, the release of Athena's [Juvenile] skill, and Eliza's Irregular
Encounter transformation.
I explained it all carefully
to avoid contradictions.
In my explanation, I had
defeated the Pied Piper of Hamelin after a fierce battle with a team of seven
cards across four slots: Renge (Kisshouten) and Kokuanten as a Dual Deity, Eliza,
Yuki, Mea (Spiritual Recurrence - Hecate), and Suzuka (Hashihime), and Dress
(Dullahan), with Eliza, Yuki, and Mea (as Hecate) making up the Trinity of Moon
Goddesses.
I omitted Athena and the
Celtic Trinity Deities to conceal the pseudo-safe zone and Renge's Fate
Manipulation.
As for Selene, one of the
Trinity of Moon Goddesses essential for defeating the Pied Piper of Hamelin, I
claimed that I had traded her with a card dealer I knew for Kimaris, along with
Kisshouten and Kokuanten.
Even though Kimaris's value
had significantly increased after the prophecy announcement, Selene plus
Kisshouten and Kokuanten still wouldn't normally be a fair trade. However,
perhaps Shigeno-san assumed there was some sort of negative skill involved, as
he didn't raise any questions.
"Hmm... First of all, thank you for being
honest,"
After listening to my story,
Shigeno-san bowed his head.
...It sounded like he subtly emphasized
‘honest’. Is he aware of the contradictions in my story, or was he implying
that even if he noticed, he wouldn't pursue it?
Either way, I was relieved he
didn't press too hard.
"However... what a horrifying story,"
I tilted my head at Shigeno's
quiet murmur.
"Horrifying?"
"Yes. Kidnapping children unrelated to
Kitagawa-san's family just to lure you out, and choosing a low-rank dungeon, a
field advantageous to him... The fact that an A-rank Irregular Encounter, who
should have been in perfect condition, did this... it is truly horrifying..."
At
Shigeno-san's words, I silently nodded, thinking,
Indeed.
Even with a full twelve cards
summoned, an A-rank Irregular Encounter is a formidable foe.
Even if I could have summoned
my full team for the fight against the Pied Piper of Hamelin, I don't think it
would have made it much easier.
What was truly crucial was whether
or not I had the subordinate sealing skill. If I hadn't received Artemis from
Shigeno-san and hadn't managed to pull Selene, I would likely have been
defeated.
An Irregular Encounter that
already had an absolute advantage still didn't let its guard down, chose an
advantageous battlefield, and then manipulated the situation to force me to
fight there...
Yes, indeed, it's a horrifying story.
Actually, his fixation on 'the place where he
first fought me' was probably the main reason, but objectively, it must look
like he chose an advantageous location.
"What's most terrifying is that it was Kitagawa-san's
father who made the call."
That it was Dad who called was the most
terrifying thing...?
Seeing
my puzzled expression, Shigeno-san explained with a serious look,
"If Kitagawa-san possessed a card with a [Deceit
Detection] skill, there's a possibility that if the Pied Piper of Hamelin tried
to deceive you directly, you would have seen through it. If that happened, you
would likely stick close to your mother and sister, making them difficult to
abduct. Of course, even then, if he had teleportation abilities, abduction
would still be possible, but that would bring Kitagawa-san too close to the
dungeon where Pied Piper of Hamelin waited. Perhaps that would make it
difficult to pit you against Urashima Taro, considering the dungeon where that
one appeared. Therefore, he first deceived Kitagawa-san's father, thereby
indirectly deceiving you, Kitagawa-san..."
Shigeno-san continued,
groaning,
"It's truly meticulous. Unlike dungeon
monsters, which even high-ranking deities only direct a kind of animalistic,
pure malice, Irregular Encounters possess a human-like malice... It can only be
described as horrifying."
A heavy silence fell in the
room.
I thought I knew well that
Irregular Encounters were the greatest threat during Angolmois, having been
taught it repeatedly since childhood.
This was because the tragedies
wrought by those Grim Reapers in the past were truly immense and heartbreaking.
However, after fighting the actual
thing in the dungeon, and dealing with Grim Reapers whose power and actions
were restricted, we adventurers may have unknowingly developed a sense of arrogance.
Battles against Grim Reapers
in peacetime were, after all, like practice matches.
The threat of Grim Reapers in
peacetime, whose powers were limited and who could only lie in wait for prey,
was only so great.
It is only in Angolmois, where they can move
freely and unleash their malice to their heart's content, that Grim Reapers
truly become Grim Reapers...
I understood that now,
belatedly.
"Ahem! My apologies, I've strayed from the
topic."
Shigeno-san
cleared his throat, as if to dispel the heavy atmosphere in the room.
"You mentioned defeating Urashima Taro and
the Pied Piper of Hamelin, do you have their Magic Stones?"
"Ah, yes. Here they are."
I
took the Irregular Encounter Magic Stones out of my Magic Stone Pouch.
*Thump!*
With such a sound, two red Magic Stones... well, more like rocks/boulders3 than stones, appeared on the table.
One
was the Pied Piper of Hamelin Magic Stone, about 40 centimeters in diameter. The
Urashima Taro one was slightly smaller.
B-rank Magic Stones are
usually around 10 cm in diameter, so these were several times larger.
Their size alone made it clear
at a glance that they were A-rank.
Then,
I remembered that there was one more item that served as proof of defeating an
Irregular Encounter.
"Excuse me, and there is also this. Do you
know what its effect is?"
"This is...!"
When
I showed Shigeno-san the Tamatebako that Urashima Taro had dropped, his eyes
widened, showing how startled he was.
"So, Urashima Taro dropped an item, I see…"
Shigeno-san's voice, as he
murmured while looking at the Tamatebako, seemed to hold a complex emotion.
Urashima Taro was his archenemy,
the one who stole his youth and forced his retirement from the Self-Defense
Forces.
He must still harbor feelings about it.
"No, my apologies. We were talking about
the Tamatebako's effect, weren't we? The Tamatebako is... to put it simply, a timeless
workspace, perhaps?"
"A workspace?"
"Yes. Inside the box is an alternate
dimension. While you spend time in there, time doesn't pass outside, and you
don’t age, just like the fairy tale Urashima Taro."
Hooh~, if that's true, that's amazing.
Effectively,
I’d be freed from the constraints of time.
But, just like the fairy tale Urashima Taro,
huh?
"But there's a drawback, isn't that
right?"
When I asked with a Tibetan sand fox-like expression, and Shigeno-san
replied with a wry smile,
"Well, as you guessed. The moment you exit
the Tamatebako, you'll be afflicted with 'aging' corresponding to the number of
days you spent inside. What's more, it comes with interest."
According to Shigeno-san, the
Tamatebako's interest is calculated by squaring the number of days spent
inside.
If you spend 2 days (more than
24 hours but less than 48 hours), you'll age by 4 days' worth; 30 days would be
900 days' worth; and a year would be 365 years' worth of aging.
If you exit within 1 day, no
interest is applied, but you can only enter the Tamatebako once per day.
"Therefore, if you spend a long time
inside the Tamatebako, to an outside observer, you'll appear to age rapidly the
moment you open it... just like the fairy tale Urashima Taro."
“Hmmm......... I see.”
Having
heard the Tamatebako's effect, I couldn't help but nod while groaning.
A magic item that lets you experience a longer
day than others, but in return, you age at an accelerated rate, huh...
Compared
to the Hamelin's Flute, which had no apparent drawbacks, the Tamatebako, with
its significant benefits, also carries a heavy drawback, making it feel like a
cursed item, akin to The Monkey's Paw4...
However,
this drawback of 'aging'… For me, it's not something to worry about that much.
Having an extended lifespan
and with the rejuvenation from [True Rain of Amrita], while a year would be
tough, I could probably spend about half a year inside without issues.
Even if I spend half a year inside, the 'aging'
would only be about 90 years—roughly nine uses of [True Rain of Amrita].
...In fact, there's even a benefit: by
adjusting my apparent age, I can deceive those who know I encountered Urashima
Taro.
Since I can only use it once a day, it means it
can only be used once for emergency escape during combat, but if I consider it
as a powerful recovery item that can fully restore everything, including skill
uses, during a tough battle, even just once, it's incredibly powerful.
For me, it had no significant
drawbacks, making it an item worthy of an Irregular Encounter's drop.
"Can you bring other people into the
Tamatebako?"
"No, only the owner. However, I've heard
you can bring cards and items."
So, it really is a workspace for one person.
Then,
Shigeno-san's eyes gleamed as he asked,
"By the way, Kitagawa-san, would you be
willing to sell even just one of these Magic Stones to the Guild...?"
"Ah, no, I'm sorry, that's..."
When
I declined with a vague smile, Shigeno-san also withdrew with a wry smile,
saying, "I figured as much..."
The
reward for defeating an A-rank Irregular Encounter was 10 billion yen. However,
looking at the devastation outside, I doubt whether 10 billion has that much
value anymore.
It
could very well be worth less than toilet paper.
But
even if currency maintained its pre-Angolmois value, I likely still wouldn't
have sold these Magic Stones.
―――― Irregular Encounter Magic
Stones had unique property: never running out, no matter how much they're used.
While the amount of energy
they can generate per day was the same as Magic Stones dropped by monsters of
the same rank, unlike other Magic Stones that vanished after one use, the
energy contained within Irregular Encounter Magic Stones regenerated over time.
Even Magic Stones dropped by
F-rank monsters could generate enough electricity for a typical household for a
month. In other words, even the lowest-rank Magic Stones can supply 30 to 50
households per day.
The energy output of Magic
Stones increased exponentially with rank; a B-rank Magic Stone was said to be
over a thousand times more powerful than an F-rank one, capable of covering the
daily electricity consumption of tens of thousands of households. An A-rank Magic
Stone should easily be twenty to thirty times that amount, at the very least.
In
other words, with just one of these, the Guild would no longer have to worry
about running out of electricity in the future.
Furthermore,
in Angolmois, Magic Stones had value beyond just being a source of energy.
Cross-space
type cards like Mayoiga and Hesperides can increase their resources up to twofold
by consuming Magic Stones, and some divine-attribute cards can even create life
itself through their authority.
Artemis, which I received from
Shigeno-san, was one such card.
Artemis was a goddess with
multiple myths of transforming others into beasts.
When
the nymph Callisto, who had sworn chastity to her, lost her purity (tricked by
Zeus), Artemis transformed her into a female bear. When the hunter Actaeon
accidentally saw Artemis bathing during a hunt, she turned him into a stag and
had him attacked by his own dogs.
While there was a theory that
Zeus or his wife Hera was responsible for Callisto's transformation, the
Actaeon incident alone confirmed that Artemis possessed the power to transform
others into beasts.
This was the Authority of Beasts, the power to transform oneself or
others into animal forms.
Authorities
that are activated through a medium, like the Authority of Beasts, can be
substituted with Magic Stones.
I've heard that the life forms created this way
don't live very long, but since they're for meat, it's not a problem.
The amount of Magic Stones required to produce
one livestock animal varies by lifespan, but I've heard one D-rank Magic Stone
can create one chicken.
A pig requires about 40 times that, meaning 40
D-rank Magic Stones or 5 C-rank Magic Stones, and cattle is approximately 6
times that of a pig.
With the energy from an A-rank Irregular
Encounter Magic Stone, over four thousand chickens or nearly twenty cattle can
be generated per day. This calculates to supplying enough meat for over ten
thousand people daily.
I don't know how much processed meat you get
from one pig, but a chicken is about 1 kg, and cattle is about 40% of its body
weight, so—a 750 kg cow should yield about 300 kg of meat.
Given that Magic Stones serve as both an energy
and food source, no one would be foolish enough to exchange Irregular Encounter
Magic Stones for currency that's practically worthless paper.
Even if it were for cards or some magic items
instead of money, what could be so urgently desired that can justify letting go
of an Irregular Encounter Magic Stone――――……?
"........................"
"Kitagawa-san? Is something the
matter?"
Shigeno-san looked at me with
a doubtful look as I suddenly fell into thought.
"…If it's for cards or magic items instead
of money, I might consider it."
"Really!?"
I nodded to Shigeno-san, who
leaned forward eagerly.
"For now, could you show me a list of
cards and magic items that this Guild has and would be willing to trade?"
"We don't have one right now, but I'll
have a list ready by tomorrow."
"Thank you."
Alright, if this goes well, I might be able to
solve the issue with the distortion of the law and causality.
There is a good chance that the Guild have more
than ten Vouivre Diamonds in stock.
If I put forward B-rank cards and expensive
magic items as the ‘main’ trade and request Vouivre Diamonds as a way to
balance it, my real target won't be obvious.
I have been worried about what to do since I
have to protect Ai, yet I myself am like a bomb. I'm glad I've found a way to
acquire Vouivre Diamonds from the Guild in a natural way.
As
I was inwardly relieved, Shigeno-san suddenly straightened up his posture.
Sensing an unpleasant
premonition, I also straightened up, and Shigeno-san asked with a serious face,
"...By the way, I've been meaning to ask
you something. Your appearance, Kitagawa-san, seems a little different compared
to before you fought the Pied Piper of Hamelin."
As expected, it's finally here.
Now, what should I say?
Since he's seen my aged form, trying to mislead
him poorly would be a bad move.
But...
"The use of disguise-type magic items or
skills is prohibited by law. I understand the desire to conceal your aged body,
but as the Guild, we have to issue a warning. Considering this is the first
time, we'll limit it to a stern warning, but please be aware that subsequent
instances will be subject to punishment."
"......?"
Has he, not noticed? ...No.
I
realized that Shigeno-san's gaze was fixed on the Tamatebako.
I see, he's implying, "Let's just use
this to explain it away."
Shigeno-san probably realizes that I possess
some means of rejuvenation.
He likely also knows that it’s not through consumables
like Amrita.
But he understands that if that were known, it
wouldn't be good for me, so he's turning a blind eye to it for now.
Deep down, I'm sure Shigeno-san would like to regain
his youth too......
For
a moment, I was overcome with the urge to tell Shigeno-san the truth, but I
barely managed to hold back.
When I conveyed my gratitude
with my eyes, Shigeno-san returned a gentle smile and a nod.
A
somewhat warm atmosphere flowed through the room―at that moment,
“――――Why
isn't my child here!?”
A furious roar, sharp enough
to cut through the air, reached our ears from beyond the wall.
This is...
"The other children came back! Why didn't
you save only my child!?"
"!"
"Please, stop!"
Shigeno-san grabbed my arm
firmly, stopping me as I instinctively started to stand up.
"What do you intend to say if you go over
there?"
"Just a word of apology..."
"There's no need to apologize,"
Shigeno-san interjected
sharply, cutting off my words.
"You merely rescued children abducted by
an Irregular Encounter. The Irregular Encounter killed the children, not you.
That is the fact."
"....................."
"Yet, if you apologize, it will imply you
were at fault. If that happens, it will paradoxically cause them more
suffering..."
"Paradoxically, cause suffering?"
"Yes,"
Shigeno-san
nodded with a serious expression.
"If it's the fault of an Irregular Encounter,
they'll eventually come to terms with it over time, since those beings are like
a natural disaster. However, if the culprit is a human, it's not that simple.
The desire to make the other party atone, the urge for revenge, will cling to
their minds. It will continue to torment them. I'll ask, just in case...
Kitagawa-san, are you prepared to give up everything for atonement?"
"That is..."
I,
couldn't say anything in return
I had wanted to make some
form of amends, given that the children who died were caught in the crossfire
of my conflict with the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
But
if that atonement meant "hand over all your cards" or "atone
with your death," I couldn't do it.
If I did, I would not be able to protect Ai...
my family and friends.
What truly mattered was my
family and friends. That was my honest feeling.
"If you're not prepared, then don't.
There's no reason or need for you to go that far, and an apology from you in
such a situation would only give them a mistaken perception and cause them more
pain."
"I... I understand."
As I slumped back into my
chair, clutching my head with one hand, Shigeno-san spoke to me gently,
"Kitagawa-san, do you know the official name of Angolmois?"
"Large-Scale,
Dungeon Disaster..."
"Exactly. Angolmois is, quite literally, a
large-scale disaster."
Looking at Shigeno-san with a
puzzled expression, wondering what he was getting at, he began to explain what
that meant.
In typical disasters like
typhoons or earthquakes, liability for damages hinges on whether ‘normal safety
measures were in place’.
In essence, if certain
precautions were taken, even if a large-scale disaster beyond normal
expectations causes damage, there's no liability for compensation.
On the other hand, Angolmois, as
its name implied (‘Large-Scale’ at the beginning), was predicated on being a
disaster far exceeding normal scale.
This meant there was no law
that assigned responsibility for damages during Angolmois.
If there were any liability,
it would likely be in cases where private dungeons were poorly managed and
triggered an Angolmois. Even then, it would be impossible for an individual to
compensate, and proving that the dungeon was the trigger would be difficult.
Especially
regarding Irregular Encounters, since their principles of behavior were beyond
human comprehension, and their actions were unpredictable. Therefore, any
damage they caused was treated as being from a 'direct hit of a disaster'.
"An Irregular Encounter is, so to speak, a
disaster with a will. You should be praised for saving others from it, not feel
the need to atone for those you couldn't save... If anyone needs to atone for
this incident, it's not you, but us, the Guild."
――――A humble adventurer shouldn’t infringe upon the
Guild’s duties.
To Shigeno-san, who gently
told me this with stern words, I could only bow my head in silent gratitude.
" ...Well, that ended up sounding a bit
like a lecture, but that's all from me. You've truly worked hard. Please use
this room to rest today. I'll guide your sister here later."
Shigeno-san's tone returned to
a gentle one, and he stood up.
Then he bowed deeply.
"Finally, thank you so much, truly. Thanks
to you defeating two Irregular Encounters so quickly, many people around the
world were spared from harm. On behalf of the Guild, I offer my sincere
gratitude."
At his earnest words, I felt a
strange warmth well up in my chest.
As I remained speechless,
Shigeno-san smiled and left the room.
"Looks like you got saved,"
Renge
said, appearing with a soft flutter.
"Yeah, I really got off easy..."
"'A humble adventurer shouldn't
infringe upon the Guild’s duties...' he said."
I
gave a wry smile at Renge, who said this in a teasing way.
Yeah, that got me...
Is that what a true adult is like?
" Well, it's still too early for the likes
of Utamaro to act like an adult, I guess."
"Yeah, I guess so..."
As I nodded profoundly, Renge
unexpectedly hugged me from behind.
"Don't try to grow up too fast,
okay?"
She
whispered softly in my ear, tickling my earlobe.
"If you become
an adult, you won't be able to see Zashiki-warashi anymore5..."
For some reason, I couldn't
retort, "You're not a Zashiki-warashi anymore, you're a Kisshouten,"
as I usually would.
As I sat there, bewildered, my
Card Gear suddenly signaled an incoming call.
Glad for the distraction, I
checked and saw that it was from Anna.
『――――Hello,
Senpai, are you free right now?』
"Ah, yeah... What's up?"
『No,
I just wanted to contact you since we've finished a quick survey of the surrounding
area here.』
With
that, my focus switched.
Feeling
Renge smoothly detach from my back, I asked Anna,
"I see, how was it?"
『To conclude, we've also
confirmed that space is isolated here, starting from Tachikawa Station.』
"I see..."
So, it's not just here, but other areas too...
『And
then, well...』
Unusually,
Anna hesitated.
"What's wrong?"
『While sending out cards to
find out the extent of the isolated area, I discovered something strange...』
Something strange...?
『Um,
it's like―――― a dungeon staircase.』
"...Wha- t?"
I felt a chill ran down my
spine.
『Kh! Renge!』
『Ok!』
Renge and I immediately
Synchronized, activating Clairvoyance magic.
This magic was essential for dungeon
exploration, but on the surface, it should have been useless, only showing
general topography.
Yet, on the map forming in my
mind, there was indeed a light indicating the stairs of a dungeon.
As I stared in shock, Anna's
anxious voice came through,
『――――Could this mean... the
surface is becoming a dungeon...?』
[Tips] Irregular Encounter Magic Stones
The
red Magic Stones dropped by Irregular Encounters possess a unique property: never
running out, no matter how much they're used.
While the energy they generate
per day is the same as regular Magic Stones of the same size, this regenerative
quality allows Irregular Encounter Magic Stones, even low-rank ones, to serve
as a clean energy source, supporting (or having supported) power generation in
various countries.
***
Notes:
1 It includes mainly large companies↩
2 Approximately 3.64 meters (11.9 feet) wide and 2.73 meters (8.9 feet) long. This also means it's about 9.72 square meters (103.7 square feet) ↩
4 Refer to the mummy monkey's paw in 'The Monkey's Paw' classic horror story by British novelist W. W. Jacobs. It tells the story of the White family who acquire a mystical monkey's paw said to grant three wishes. They make wishes that bring tragic and unexpected outcomes, highlighting the consequences of tampering with fate. ↩
5 The myth said that adults can’t see them ↩
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