ch101-ch120 · 115-ch115

Chapter 115: The Main Topic

Today's menu is, apparently, hamburger steak.

Now there's a dish even a child can eat.

Did she pick it to suit Mia-san?

"Shiraishi-san told me this is the sort of thing boys love, so..."

Oh—it was for me...

"Well, Haruki's a brat anyway, so it's just right. Want me to stick a little flag in it?"

Grrrgh.

Being treated like a kid by the kid shop manager...

"Was it not to your liking?"

"I love it!"

If Kasumi-san made it, then of course I love whatever it is.

"Fufufu, I'm so glad."

"Come, come, let's eat. Though shouldn't we have a toast first?"

We take our seats at the rectangular table: Kasumi-san with me, Mia-san with Shiraishi-san.

Shiraishi-san sits across from me.

"Mia-san, no alcohol today. Haruki-san is with us, and there is something I'd like to discuss afterward."

Apparently Mia-san gets ugly when she drinks.

Well, Kasumi-san wrapped it up nice and polite and said she "can't hold her liquor"...

But she apparently loves the stuff all the same.

The kid-shop-manager-is-secretly-a-dwarf theory is gaining credibility.

"Hey, even I know that much."

"Eh? You're giving a child alcohol?"

"I'm 23."

"Thirteen? Then absolutely not. Did you come here from abroad? In Japan, no drinking until you're twenty."

And there goes Shiraishi-san's signature bit...

Mia-san's actual age is 23.

She IS short enough to pass for thirteen at a glance, with a young face to match.

Right after the dungeons opened to the public, on the very day she turned 18—same as me—she apparently dove headfirst into the adventurer's world.

Five years since, and choosing 【Blacksmith】 as her main job has been one hardship after another.

"Twen. Ty. Three."

"Reeeally?"

"Now, now, let's have that toast. Kasumi-san, congratulations on your Triple-Rank promotion. CHEEERS!"

This could drag on forever, so I cut the exchange short and declare the toast.

I want to eat Kasumi-san's home cooking already.

Everyone already has their drink poured.

"Cheers!"

Glasses clink lightly. Cheers.

"Now then—time for the hamburger steak."

"Here, dig in."

Cut a bite-sized piece, and in it goes.

"Mmf—it's amazing!"

Meat juices flood out the instant it touches my tongue.

The taste of pure happiness.

"This is the best hamburger steak I've ever had. No—the best thing I have ever eaten, period."

"Fufufu, you flatter me. Now, have some rice, and do try the other dishes too."

The sides—potatoes, green beans, carrots—are all seasoned to perfection.

"Lovey-dovey much. You called us here just to show off? ...Oh. Huh. This really is good. Nice sauce, too."

"My, how delicious. Cooking really is all about love. Now I have high hopes for dessert."

"Eh? De...ssert?"

"Eh? Par...fait...?"

Apparently, no dessert had been prepared.

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"Ah, this is it. The thing you ordered. Congrats on Triple-Rank, too. When everyone heard you'd been caught up in the incident, they were worried sick. But when did you even become Triple?"

Once the meal is done and everyone has settled, Mia-san hands Kasumi-san a gift-wrapped box.

Smaller than a tissue box.

"Thank you. I'll give it a try tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Isn't it for Haruki? Weren't you banned from the dungeon? And didn't the tests go badly?"

For me? What is it?

Hey, the tests did NOT go badly—same as always, if anything...

"The branch has mostly settled down, so weekdays should be fine now. Haruki-san, you're welcome back at the Chiba branch starting tomorrow."

Ohh, yes!

Starting tomorrow, I get to see Kasumi-san every single day.

"It was quite the ordeal~ Dojo crashers came swarming in, all 'Bring out Watanabe-saaan!'~"

Shiraishi-san is eating ice cream.

The single leftover cup of the pricey brand Kasumi-san had bought for herself from the start.

Offering that up just now was the only thing that smoothed the moment over.

"Wait, what? Like in the video—she drilled the whole crowd?"

"Goodness, no. We would never make Watanabe-san do such a thing. Hiramatsu-san was the great hero on the surface. Tearing them apart and tossing them, tearing and tossing. Thanks to that I was run off my feet, and Hayashi-san was all smiles."

Let them spar, heal them, charge for it.

Apparently Hayashi-san has hit upon a whole new business...

"Right, the staff guy who beat the snot out of you? Wait—Haruki, I saw the video. You're way too weak. Aren't you supposed to be the rising-star adventurer?"

"The other challengers were about the same as our little boy, you know. On the surface, adventurers aren't much of anything."

No, Hiramatsu-san is just plain strong, that's all.

And the fact that he drew blood means he couldn't afford to hold back.

The adventurers who came to challenge her came for Kasumi-san, so they must have been Triple-Ranks.

Triple-Ranks pay well—no wonder Hayashi-san was all smiles.

"Haruki-san is strong. Far stronger than I am... And that is the true reason I invited the two of you here today."

Far stronger than you? I don't think so?

I can't lay a finger on her in our mock battles, and even with every skill blazing, I'd maybe, possibly win.

"True reason? Stronger than Triple-Rank Kasumi—on the surface? So the big secret is that the staff guy's a monster?"

"Ah—it's the bit about keeping our little boy's strength under wraps."

"Eh? You're hiding it? That makes zero sense. Oh—so THAT'S why he looked so pathetic in the video?"

Pathetic...? That's unnecessarily harsh.

On the surface, that WAS my best.

Well, yes, we are hiding that I hold a high-rank job—but there's something even bigger we're hiding...

After talking it over with Kasumi-san beforehand, we decided to tell these two about my special skill.

That was on the condition that Mia-san promises to keep the skill secret—but Kasumi-san said it would be fine.

There's one other condition, too. I'll leave this part to Kasumi-san.

"Mia-san, won't you open a shop in Chiba? I would like you to transfer here from headquarters. If you will transfer, we can make you a Triple-Rank right away."

"—! I see. So there ARE people who made Kasumi Triple-Rank? Branch people, then. And if I transfer, they'll take the job on?"

Mia-san shoots to her feet.

Mia-san transferring to Chiba and lending us her strength.

That is the other condition.

"Please don't misunderstand. Even if you refuse, I will personally see your Triple-Rank promotion through, Mia-san. Everyone else's as well, of course. But in that case, it would have to wait until Haruki-san finishes school... roughly a year from now. Also—this is not a paid request. We have no intention of taking any money from you. As for your opening capital, we'll do everything in our power to help with that as well."

There's no real need to use 【Gate】 for Triple-Rank promotions.

If she turns down the transfer, we'll simply break through Floor 30 the ordinary way—though my own promotion to Triple won't come until after entrance exams.

After that, the plan is to promote others in need besides Mia-san, one by one, in the form of proper paid requests.

"An offer this sweet is scary... Do I have to decide on the spot? Even a shop like mine has regulars, y'know. My main channel's online sales, so business itself would be fine? No wait—if I'm Triple, then... Hey, this isn't you hiring me onto the Chiba branch staff, right? Strictly 'open your own shop in the Chiba Dungeon'—I can run it however I like?"

"The branch has nothing to do with this. It is strictly a personal matter between Mia-san and myself. There is no deadline—but I want you in the Chiba Dungeon as soon as you can manage, to help me and Haruki-san."

"Now I understand it even less. This 'support'—don't tell me it's coming out of Kasumi's own pocket?"

"The money would be from Haruki-san and me. Beyond that, there is a great deal I can arrange within the bounds of my authority as an employee. That's about all I can say for now."

I wonder how much it costs to open a shop at the branch?

She'd need forging facilities and such too, right?

The real problem is that earning too flashily draws attention.

I'd love to go hunting for a gold golem and strike it rich in one stroke, but the cover story of Kasumi-san hunting the 30s floors all by herself is... not going to fly.

Maybe endless Forest Ogre runs in the 20s floors would be better?

That way, Double-Rank me is helping too, so even a mountain of magic stones stays within believable range.

"I'd become Triple—a high-rank job holder, right? And right away, at that. Then I've got no reason to refuse. If Kasumi's in trouble, I'll be there tomorrow. And forget the 'support'—I don't need money. You're not charging me a request fee either, right? I always meant to open a proper shop of my own once I hit Triple. Got savings for that much, at least."

"Thank you. It's all right—it truly will be soon..."