arc3 · 136-ch136

Chapter 136: Let's Go Get Combat Training

So, after dismissing Hayate and Shiden yesterday, I'd been more worn out than I realized, so I turned in early. Looking back, it was an incredibly fulfilling weekend, but starting today I want to throw myself into things with a fresh mindset.

"Onii-chan, you've seemed really happy since yesterday."

While we were eating breakfast together, Umi looked over at me and came out with that. Wait, was I sitting here grinning to myself while I ate!?

"Oh, yeah. Something good happened, just a little. Ah — at work, I mean."

The moment I told her something good had happened, Umi's face clouded over, so I reflexively added "at work." I have no idea why I said that myself, but judging by how she brightened right back up, that had been the right call.

"Onii-chan, this weekend is parent observation day, okay! Make sure you wear that suit we bought the other day!"

Right, right — this Friday is Umi's parent observation day. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.

"Of course I remember. Hey, how about after observation day ends, we head home together and do some shopping on the way?"

I floated the plan I'd been mulling over to Umi.

"Huh!? Really!? Yes! Shopping with Onii-chan — I'm absolutely going!"

Hmm, she seemed even more thrilled than I'd expected. In the kitchen, Mom was watching us with a warm smile too. Come to think of it, Mom has a checkup at the hospital that day. Judging by how she's been lately she seems fine, but it's definitely more reassuring to have her properly checked out.

After seeing Umi off out of the house, I headed back to my room for a moment. Then I booted up Asahi and summoned Hayate. I'd sent a message this morning saying I had something to hand over, so Arihara-san should be coming up to the rooftop shortly. Or so I thought — he was already there waiting in front of Asahi.

"Good morning. Sorry to call you out this early."

"Not at all. We clock in even earlier than this, so it's no trouble at all. So, what is it you wanted to hand over?"

As expected of a real adult. I've really got to learn from him.

"Um, it's this. I don't have any use for it, so I was hoping you could sell it off on your end for me."

With that, I pulled the Magic Stone and the Blue Sapphire that Terror's Symbol had dropped out of Hayate's Storage.

"Th-this is..."

Arihara-san froze for a moment at the sight of them. Looks like they're worth even more than I'd thought.

"Forgive me. It's my first time seeing a Magic Stone this large. And this one here... is a Blue Sapphire. I've never seen one of these before either."

Yep, even at Arihara-san's level it was apparently a Magic Stone of a size he'd never laid eyes on. The Blue Sapphire is a rarity you don't come across often, either. Makes sense that he was handling it so carefully.

"Let's unload the Magic Stone through the Association. SS-san, you're already tax-exempt, so they should buy it from you at a high price. And this Blue Sapphire — how about we put it up for auction? It would fetch many times what an ordinary sale would bring. I'll handle all the paperwork on this end. What do you think?"

Ooh, I'd heard of that. There was supposedly an auction site that specialized in dungeon drop items, or something like that. I'd never actually seen it, but maybe I'll take a peek now that I've got the chance. Anyway, having him handle all the paperwork is a huge help. I'll just leave it all to Arihara-san.

"Thank you. Please go ahead with that plan. And make sure you take a proper handling fee, alright?"

"Hahaha, don't worry. I draw a salary for this too. I'm being paid more than enough already."

"Is that so. Then I suppose that's fine... Oh, by the way — thank you for working to set things up so I could receive all these various benefits. Thanks to you, it sounds like there are some good offers on the table beyond just the tax exemption."

I hadn't been able to thank him during the livestream the other day, but I'd noticed that Arihara-san had been lobbying people like the Association President, pressuring the government to improve my treatment.

After that, the government side had told me that our entire family would be tax-exempt without needing to hand over Magic Stones, that I'd be able to buy potions cheaply through the Association, that they'd give me the qualification needed for the dungeon-related work I'd been studying toward at university, and that I'd receive various forms of support once I became an explorer.

They were all generous offers, so I'd accepted. As a result, I no longer had any real reason to keep attending university, so once I'd picked up the knowledge I needed, I was thinking of quitting. Come to think of it, the government had probably green-lit that because they wanted me to do more work in the dungeons in exchange.

Wrapping things up with Arihara-san, I got ready to head to university and left the house wearing, per Sasaki-san's advice, a hat, glasses, and a mask.

I exchanged greetings with the ladies of the building — whose ability to see right through my hat-and-glasses-and-mask combo remains total magic — and stepped out of the condo. I walked to the station and caught the train. This is usually the part where it gets packed, but today seemed fine. I really owe Sasaki-san for this.

In good spirits from the rare luxury of a roomy commute, I headed toward university with a light step. Actually, it wasn't just my mood — my physical abilities have gone up, so my step is literally, physically lighter.

I made sure not to walk too fast, but I still got to university earlier than usual.

▽▽▽

(Alright, it's my first time in the training room, so I'm a little nervous.)

I'd changed into a tracksuit in the changing room just outside the training room. After taking a deep breath, I stepped out and went in.

(There are quite a few people here.)

The training room was about the size of a school gymnasium, and there were around twenty students inside. Each of them was holding a training weapon made of wood. They were stuck into boxes in the corner of the room, sorted by type — so I guess I just borrow one of those?

The instructor didn't seem to be here yet, so maybe I'll grab a wooden sword and try out some practice swings. With that in mind, I headed over to the box to pick up a wooden sword — but I felt an odd number of eyes on me. Is it because I stashed my hat, glasses, and mask in a locker? Is this foreign-looking face standing out? Oh — could this be Himehana's fault!? I drew a lot of attention back then, after all.

Well, no point dwelling on it now. I pretended not to notice and picked up a wooden sword. If I remember right, the one I asked Arihara-san to get me is a katana too, so this works out. Let me trace through the basic forms I saw in a video on the train this morning.

I gripped the wooden sword in both hands, settled into a middle guard, and repeated the motions exactly as in the video: a strike straight down from overhead, diagonal strikes from the upper left and right, horizontal strikes from the left and right, diagonal strikes from the lower left and right, and finally a thrust.

My swings were clumsy at first, but after a few repetitions they started to feel halfway decent. Probably just my imagination, though. As I was working through those swings, the instructor showed up and called in a loud voice for everyone to gather around.