chapter4 · 074-ep74

Episode 74: Dungeon Training Camp!

After returning from the dungeon, I went straight to the living room and brought it up with my parents.

"Remember how I said the government called me in?"

Mom looked at me.

"Oh, the other day?"

"Yeah. About that."

I'd told them the government had summoned me, but not what I'd done there.

"I got picked to be an Awakener Incident Special Cooperation Officer."

"What's that?"

"Someone who helps when they need extra people to deal with incidents caused by Awakeners."

"Like the police?"

"No, I don't think it goes that far. And apparently I don't have to go out every single time."

I briefly explained what Kujō-san had told me.

Incidents involving Awakeners were increasing, and the government couldn't handle them all by itself.

So they were recruiting Awakeners from the Development Program who'd be willing to cooperate.

I'd been called in as a candidate and assessed for suitability.

"And I passed."

"Oh. That's good, then."

"Yeah. So, apparently it'll be kind of like a job."

"A job?"

"They'll pay me every month too."

"How much?"

"Five hundred thousand yen."

"Five hundred thousand?"

Mom's voice got a little louder at that.

Dad looked over too.

"Per month?"

"Yeah. As a fixed payment. There are extra allowances if I'm deployed, too, apparently."

"That's impressive," Dad said, plainly impressed.

"Five hundred thousand a month while you're still in high school."

"That's what I thought."

"Then make sure you save it," Mom said.

"That's your reaction? I thought five hundred thousand would make you more suspicious."

"Huh? You've been in the Development Program all this time, right? If your hard work's been recognized and it's becoming a job, that's great."

She was taking it more lightly than I'd expected.

Well, they'd already accepted that I'd be active as an Awakener when they let me join the Development Program.

From Mom's point of view, getting paid by the government now might actually make it look more legitimate.

"Still, even if it's government work, I'd like to hear about it from someone involved at least once," Dad said.

Fair enough.

Of course my parents needed the details of this mysterious job their son was taking.

"That's covered. Since I'm a minor, they want to explain it to my guardians too."

"Explain it?"

"Someone from the government. They sent a few possible dates."

I took out my phone and opened the email.

"When can you make it?"

"Let me see."

I handed Mom my phone, and Dad peered at the screen beside her.

They talked it over for a bit, then told me which date worked best.

"This one works."

"Got it."

I opened the application form on the spot and selected their preferred date.

After checking the names and other required fields, I submitted it.

【Submission complete】

"That's done."

"Let us know when the date's confirmed."

"Yeah."

That had gone more easily than expected.

The real problem started now.

"Oh, there's one more thing."

"What?"

"There's a training camp for about a week connected to all this."

"A training camp?"

"Yeah."

"When does it start?"

"Tomorrow."

"That's sudden."

"I only found out today."

It wasn't a complete lie.

It was Awakener-related, and I really would be spending a week shut in a dungeon.

Calling it a training camp was questionable, but judging by what I'd be doing, it wasn't all that inaccurate... probably.

"The whole week?"

"Probably. That's about how long they said to allow."

"What about school?"

"I'll contact them myself."

"All right, then."

That went through easily too.

I'd expected a lot more questions, so it almost threw me off.

The Development Program had done me a favor there.

Without it, I had a feeling my announcing that their first-year high school son would be leaving tomorrow for a weeklong Awakener training camp would've caused a lot more trouble.

"Do you have what you need?"

"I'll get it myself."

"Do you have enough money?"

"Yeah."

"Don't forget anything."

"Yes, yes."

Home was taken care of.

Now for school.

The next morning.

I got up a little earlier than usual and contacted my homeroom teacher first.

I'd considered calling in sick for a week, but that seemed likely to turn into a hassle.

If the school checked with home, my parents would think I was away at training camp.

Might as well get our stories straight from the start.

『I'll be absent from school for a few days starting today due to Awakener-related activities.』

That ought to do.

I hadn't said the government was running it, or even called it a training camp.

But they really were Awakener-related activities.

I had to say, what a delicately chosen line.

A little later, my teacher replied.

『All right. Have you told your parents?』

『Yes.』

『Then that's fine. Let me know when you have a better idea of how many days you'll be away.』

『I will.』

"Okay."

School was sorted too.

Instead of my uniform, I changed into clothes for going out.

I went downstairs with a slightly large bag and a backpack. Rin was eating breakfast.

I should at least say goodbye.

"I'll be gone for about a week starting today."

"...Uh-huh."

Rin answered around a bite of bread and glanced my way.

"Huh? What's with that reaction?"

"Nothing. You're going to training camp, right?"

"Yeah."

"The whole week?"

"Probably."

"Uh-huh."

"Gonna miss me?"

"Huh?"

"Your big brother won't be here for a whole week."

"I'm glad it'll be quieter."

"You had to go that far?"

"Why not make it a month?"

"That's a bit long."

Rin waved a hand like she was shooing me off and went back to her breakfast.

I was an idiot for asking her.

"Well, I'm off."

"Yeah, yeah."

As I started to walk away, her voice came from behind me.

"...Just make sure you don't die."

I stopped and turned back.

Rin was eating her bread without looking at me.

"See? If you're going to miss me, just say so."

Sheesh. What a cute little sister.

"Huh? Who said that?"

"Well, just now you—"

"Get going already, stupid Aniki."

"Yeah, yeah."

She even waved me away, so I laughed and finally left.

"See you."

"Mm."

I took my bag and went out of the house.

Then I walked away from the station and headed out to buy supplies first.

"A week's worth, huh..."

It was too much for a convenience store, so I went into a somewhat larger shop.

I'd never gone a whole week without going outside before.

I could just buy whatever for food, but once water was involved, the load got heavy fast.

There was no guarantee of drinkable water in the dungeon.

I wouldn't be able to come out and buy more if I ran short, so a little extra was probably about right.

But as I loaded up the cart, the amount started to get ridiculous.

"...Am I carrying all this home?"

The water alone weighed a fair bit.

Then I added food that kept well and things I could eat right away.

I had a few days' worth of clothes and other small items at home. I only needed to buy the rest.

I also looked for something to sleep on.

I really didn't want to sleep directly on the dungeon floor.

By the time I'd gathered everything and paid, spending a week inside had suddenly started to feel real.

"...Wait, my backpack's stuffed full!!!!"

And it wasn't just the backpack.

My big carry bag was full too.

Well, better too much than too little.

I convinced myself of that and carried it all home.

"I'm back."

Naturally, no one answered.

Dad and Mom were at work.

Rin was at school.

The house was quiet.

I set everything down in the entryway, then carried it upstairs.

"Phew..."

I checked my phone. Classes would have started by now.

Everyone else would be in their classrooms.

I was in my room, surrounded by a week's supply of food and water.

And what I was about to do was spend nearly all the next week in a dungeon, as much as I liked.

"..."

Thinking about it again, didn't this sound ridiculously fun?

Of course, I was doing it for Achievements.

I had a thousand monsters to kill, and couldn't use combat Skills.

I wanted to make progress on my Personal Achievement and go for a few Battle-Armored Enchanter Achievements too.

I didn't even know how many days it'd take.

Even so, I could skip school and spend all day, every day in a dungeon.

I could level up, chase Achievements, and test things I'd never had the chance to try before, as much as I wanted.

"Man..."

The more I thought about it, the more excited I got.

I stepped over to the big poster on the wall, grabbed a corner, and lifted it.

"All right!"

I didn't need anyone's permission now.

"Starting today, it's a week of dungeon training camp!"

In high spirits, I jumped through the Gate.