chapter01 · 017-ep16

Episode 16: My Sister Knew From the Start

From there on, the katana made things a lot easier. Three more Orc Soldiers showed up, and every one of them went down the moment I slipped the blade into an armor seam.

The borrowed sword, I kept holding in my left hand. So I could say "I used it" when returning it — just in case.

Only one of them gave me a bit of trouble. That was when the passage widened into a low-ceilinged hall.

One of the gray rocks on the floor gave a squirm. ......Huh, is that not a rock?

A lizard. Count the tail and it's about the size of a compact car, its entire back covered in thick, tile-like scales. Yellow eyes swiveled my way with a glare.

Huge! And also, kinda cool.

Shibasaki-san's hand stopped over her tablet. My sister, arms still crossed, shifted a little to a spot where she could see both me and the lizard. Both of them are going to watch this one properly.

The lizard came crawling across the floor. Fast. Belly dragging, body writhing side to side, it closed the distance in a single rush.

I swayed aside and dropped the katana on its back as we crossed. With a screech, the blade skated across the scales.

Hard. A different kind of hard from Orc Soldier armor. The scales overlap layer on layer, so the blade gets deflected without catching anywhere. It nearly dragged my whole wrist off to the side with it.

The lizard twisted where it lay, and the tail came. Low, whipping through at ankle height.

I jumped, and the tail passed a hair under my soles. The missed swing cracked against the hall wall, and the heavy sound rolled all the way down to my feet.

On landing, I studied it. The back's out — scales too thick. So where can I get through?

Even the hard ones should have a seam somewhere. Same as that armor just now.

Drawing its tail back in, the lizard raised its head. Mouth open, coming in for a bite.

The instant its head rose, I saw under its throat. The big back scales end right there, switching to fine scales at the base of the neck. That's the spot. That seam.

I slipped half a step off the bite. Its jaws snapped shut on empty air, teeth cracking together right by my ear.

Into the fully stretched neck, I drove the katana. The blade that had skated off its back so easily sank to the hilt in the seam between scales.

The lizard's body gave a single twitch. Its tail thumped the floor once and never moved again.

Where it crumbled into sand, a single scale was left behind. Is this one of those okay-to-take-home things?

Even with the katana lowered, my fingertips were still faintly numb from the shock of that first cut. But that one was actually kind of fun.

When I looked back, my sister was standing right where she'd been. Saying nothing — but on top of her crossed arms, one finger gave a single tap. ......Wait, did that count as praise?

"How was that just now?"

"Not with words either. Examination in progress."

So it doesn't. Then what was that finger tap about, huh?

Just short of the stairs down at the back of Floor 3, Shibasaki-san stopped.

"This will be far enough."

"Huh?"

"Arrival at Floor 3 confirmed. That concludes the examination."

Apparently, done. It ended so abruptly that I stopped walking instead.

"That's it?"

"Yes. Reaching the designated floor is the condition."

Shibasaki-san closed her tablet and, for the first time, let her expression move a little. So her face CAN move. Honestly, that startled me more than the lizard did.

"To speak frankly: you were steadier than projected."

"Really? What a relief."

"Yes. Your movement is practiced for a Lv 68. Have you trained at a dojo or the like?"

"Yes. All three years of middle school."

"I see. I will note it in the record."

That one I can answer honestly. The things I don't have to hide, I could count on one hand these days.

Back on the surface, we returned the equipment at the branch reception. Here it comes — "I used it." Fully rehearsed. I set the sword on the counter and drew a breath.

"Um, this one — I made sure to use—"

Before I could finish, the receptionist took the sword without a word and carried it off to the back.

......At least let me finish the word. Why did I hold it in my left hand the whole way, then.

"The record will be brought back to headquarters and confirmed by the examination department. We will contact you with the results within three business days."

Shibasaki-san bowed at a crisply measured angle.

"Thank you for your efforts today. And to Ichinose Rinka-sama as well — thank you for your cooperation."

"No, thank you."

My sister straightened her posture and returned it properly. There's apparently some adult-to-adult — or explorer-to-explorer — etiquette to all this.

Shibasaki-san took a taxi straight back toward headquarters, so from here it was just the two of us.

Chikusa's station area had a fair crowd even on a weekday after noon, with explorers fresh from the dungeon walking into the convenience store still in full gear.

"...It's over, huh."

"It's ooover."

All the tension drained out at once, and my shoulders went suddenly heavy.

I glanced over, and my sister was looking at me. ......What?

"Hey, Saku."

"Hm?"

"Got plans after this?"

"Nope, nope. Go home, sleep, done."

"I see."

My sister resettled her bag on her shoulder.

"Then keep me company."

I had no reason to refuse — and even if I had one, I doubt I could have.

She took me to a shopping building by the station. Still in full gear, she rode the escalator like it was the most natural thing in the world. Others are shopping in explorer gear too, so nobody bats an eye. I mean, in Nagoya this is just normal.

"First, clothes."

"Clothes?"

"For Seina. Her birthday's next month."

Got it. On her days off, this person regularly drags Seina out, and the two of them come home from a shopping run. Every single time they're out so long I wonder what on earth there is to look at for that many hours.

"Saku, which one do you think?"

Even with two outfits held up side by side, honestly, I can't tell the difference.

"Uhh... the right one?"

"Why?"

"Just a feeling. The right one looks stronger."

"Rejected."

In the end, she bought the left one.

"......You'd already decided on the left one, hadn't you."

"Yep."

Then why did you ASK?!

After that, a stop at a variety-goods shop, then a café.

She ordered a parfait. Someone in full gear tearing down an enormous parfait — and everyone around politely pretends not to see.

"Today."

She says, spoon still in her mouth. What.

"You were cool."

The iced coffee caught in my throat and I choked, hard. Huh, what was that? My big sister just said I was — cool?

"W-what was?"

"The Orc Soldiers. The armor seams. That's not a move that comes out of you just because someone taught it."

"That was luck. Pure luck."

"You don't hit that spot on luck."

Being told that while she's digging through the bottom of the parfait leaves me even less room to run.

"Your level curve is off. The way you pull out equipment is off. And keeping a straight face in front of the examiner — nicely done."

Bad. Every one of those is a question I can't answer. The chanting, the katana, all of it.

"Well. I won't ask today."

"Huh?"

"Tell me when you feel like it. Until then, I won't ask."

She won't ask. And here I was certain this was going to be a full interrogation.

"But."

"Okay."

"If you're going to do something dangerous, tell me first. I'll come."

When my sister lifted her face, she was wearing the same expression as when she comes down the stairs at home in her hoodie.

"Got it. When that time comes, I'll tell you."

"Mm. Eat half the parfait. I ordered too much."

"You're the one who ordered it."

Saying that, I still took my half. Delicious.

All told, I got dragged around for about two hours that day.

Waiting for the train on the platform home, my sister suddenly spoke up.

"Saku. The entrance ceremony's almost here."

Right — the entrance ceremony. Only four days left.

The local news ran across all three Tokai prefectures, and the world-first Job 【Chuunibyou】 even made it onto the official site. How many people in my new class are going to know who I am, I wonder. ...I don't want to think about it.

The exam wrapped up safe and sound, I got my half of the parfait — today was such a good day, you knowwww. Springing the entrance ceremony on me at the very last second is cheating, big sis.