arc1 · 027-ch27

Episode 27: Mockery

Beep beep beep beep.

"Hmm? Morning? Ah no, it's time to go to a different university."

I'd stayed up all night editing work, so I'd fallen asleep around dawn. It's noon now. Guess I got about four hours of sleep.

I crawled out of bed, washed my face, ate lunch, got changed, and left the house.

Today's lecture was definitely "Dungeon Basics," right? A lecture where you can learn basic knowledge about dungeons, and it only started opening now due to the professor's schedule. The rest are all ones you can't take until the second semester, so I'm grateful.

I rode the train for about an hour and arrived at the university.

▽▽▽

(I feel like someone's staring at me.)

I entered the lecture hall ten minutes before the start time, but for some reason I feel like the others are watching me. Is my outfit weird?

"Who's that? Never seen him before?"

"Were there people like that?"

"He wasn't at the entrance ceremony, was he?"

Ah, I see. Listening to the whispers around me, I understand. Since this lecture is essential for becoming an explorer, most people take it during their first year. That's why I, who became a hikikomori and ended up a second-year student, am unknown to them and they're on guard.

I realized I'm out of place here, but I don't have the option of not taking this lecture. I want to get my qualification as soon as possible and get a job related to dungeons.

Hmm? Now that I think about it, when I entered university, my goal was to become an explorer or get a dungeon-related job, but aren't I already doing a dungeon-related job now? I seem to have enough income to get by without graduating from this university...

No no, wrong, wrong. I want to properly graduate from this university and put Mom's mind at ease. Besides, while I can work as a cameraman now, I don't know when regulations might change to make it so you're "not recognized as a cameraman without a qualification."

To avoid losing my job when that happens, I need to make whatever preparations I can now.

Ignoring the many gazes and whispers, I waited for a few minutes, and finally the professor came in and the lecture began. First, it was about when and for what purpose dungeons were born.

Dungeons were created about twenty years ago. No one knows who created them or for what purpose. The professor joked that if we knew that, we could win a Nobel Prize.

Then the discussion moved to the characteristics of dungeons.

Thanks to having studied quite a bit about dungeons back when I was a high school student aiming to be an explorer, I could follow the professor's lecture. It was a ninety-minute lecture, but for me who had experienced the inside of a dungeon, I could listen from a different perspective than before, which was interesting.

Because the lecture was unexpectedly enjoyable, I got a bit excited and forgot this was away territory.

"Huh? Isn't that Sota? Been a while."

As I was walking toward the entrance, I was suddenly called out to from behind. It was a guy from the same year I enrolled with. He remembered me even though we only spent one month together.

"You were definitely unawakened, right? Why are you in a place like this?"

That's right. I had convinced myself my skill was useless, so I pretended to be unawakened. But when that gets said in a loud voice...

"Ehh, that guy was unawakened? Seriously no point in being here, right?"

"There are some unawakened people who can't give up on becoming explorers, aren't there? Clinging to dreams when you have no talent is lame, isn't it?"

"He's a second-year student. I wonder what he intends to do coming to university at this point. No job and all."

See, the other students started making a commotion, mainly in a bad direction.

"Ah, you were definitely... who were you again?"

We only spent one month together, and I was treated almost like an outcast, so I don't remember the guys who enrolled with me. Though come to think of it, it's amazing he remembered me.

"Hey, don't get cocky, unawakened guy. My name is Satoru Ohsaki. Job is One-Handed Swordsman, rank is F. Remember that."

The man in front of me proudly tells me his information. Ah, I see. So he wants to put me down and promote himself.

"Amazing! Still a student and already F rank!"

"One-Handed Swordsman, envious of a pure combat job."

"Second-year Satoru-san! You're so cool! Could you be friends with me?"

Sigh, this place is still an awakened-supremacy environment, I see. When I think these guys are future explorers, it's deplorable. Having just been with Kokushi Musou, who were strong and excellent people, makes me feel that way even more.

Come to think of it, Himehana quit university midway too. She said she quit because she awakened to a job, but maybe she got sick of this awakened-supremacy environment.

"Ah, sorry I forgot your name. It's been a year, so no ill intent."

I act humble for now and see how it goes. With this type of guy, if you pick a fight he'll just fight back. Acting humble and letting him have his moment will make things end faster.

"Tch, dealing with a weakling is a waste of time. I greeted him because I hadn't seen him in a while, and it's a total letdown."

As expected, he didn't pursue it any further than that. But this way my existence has been revealed, though as the unawakened person with false information. Well, that might be more convenient for me.

It makes things uncomfortable, but I don't want people to know I have the Drone Pilot job, and I absolutely don't want it to get out that I'm working as an SS dungeon cameraman.

Thinking about it, it seems better to not interact with people much, take only necessary lectures, and graduate.

Feeling grateful that this situation happened, I hurriedly went home.