ch221-ch240 · 235-ch235

Chapter 235: The Chikuzen-ni I Saw in a Dream

"Welcome back. I'm just glad you're safe."

I went to the Association facility to report first—and Kasumi-san was there too.

She'd apparently been waiting.

"We're back. Mission complete."

"Fuyutsuki-san, did you bring the magic stone back properly?"

Kasumi-san confirms with the newbie.

"Perfect condition, ssu!"

The newbie produces the Orc General's magic stone and holds it up.

We ran the boss fight perfectly TWICE!

Facing Kasumi-san's omniscience, the rest of us can't help wry smiles.

"Congratulations, newbie."

"Congrats, kiddo. Though a rank-up alone doesn't get you far."

Akane-san, aka the black gyaru, and Hiramatsu-san, nominally my spear master, call over to the newbie from the counter.

"A Single talking sour grapes, ssu. From now on, add the -san when you call me, ssu."

"Sure, sure—newbie-san, newbie-san."

"Put the -san on my NAME and call me Fuyutsuki-san, ssu! Ooh, that's it—a match, ssu! I wouldn't lose NOW, ssu!"

"Akane-chan, indulge her, would you?"

"My my—a direct request?"

"N-n-no it isn't, ssu! It's Hiramatsu-san, ssu!"

Hiramatsu-san may be a spear expert, but that's a surface-world thing; as an adventurer he's Single-Rank.

Akane-san is Double-Rank, and supposedly the second-strongest at the Chiba branch after Kasumi-san.

"Thank you for your hard work as well, Anego-san. And truly—thank you for this time. Thanks to you, we can send that girl off with her head held high."

"Nah, I invited myself along. And all I did was tag along—didn't do a thing."

"That's not true at all. Just having a higher-rank adventurer around changes how safe everything feels. The reason the camp went so smoothly with the other parties was because Anego-san was there. Thank you."

—says Soushi.

Anego-san seems to have taken a liking to Soushi, and having soaked up all sorts of advice, Soushi seems rather attached to her too.

"Well, every once in a while—different dungeon, different crew—it's not bad. Oh, right, about Haruki......"

"One moment. Haruki-san, it's nearly six. Change and go straight home. Your mother will worry."

Just as Anego-san tried to cut into her real topic, Kasumi-san ships me home.

To be fair, I stayed the night yesterday—I should get back early.

And I did have that strange dream......

"I'll go change, then. Thank you for everything, Anego-san."

"You have a curfew? Don't tell me you're secretly some rich family's boy? Eh, whatever. See you around."

For the record, that curfew was set by Kasumi-san.

Come to think of it, I believe Kasumi-san mentioned her father was strict about curfews too......

A parent and child cut from the same cloth, those two.

Aikawa tells me to come home early as well, you know.

"Waiting all alone for someone who's gone into the dungeon is rough," she says.

Bear Ossan, apparently, used to come home late.

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"I'm hooome."

"Welcome back. Dinner's ready. Eat now?"

I left the request-completion paperwork to Kasumi-san and Aikawa and came home.

"Eating."

Turns out I'm pretty hungry.

Lunch was that not-so-tasty field ration stuff, after all.

Long-keeping cookie-like things, so the bad taste is only natural......

Snacks?

During the night watch, I used them to stop the newbie's tears.

There was only 300 yen's worth, after all.

Next time, more......

Next time, huh.

I had plenty of "from next time on" thoughts, but I doubt we'll be camping again.

Because with 【Gate】, we can just head home and sleep in the warehouse or Mia-san's shop......

Hot food would be easy too, and with nothing needing to be carried—forget snacks, we could keep ice cream IN a fridge in there, honestly.

Though camping was kind of fun, actually......

"About yesterday—be sure to thank Kasumi-san properly. And she said to come visit anytime, so."

Huh? Yesterday? Visit?......

......To where?

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh? You didn't hear? Yesterday, Kasumi-san came over and stayed for dinner, you know?"

First I'm hearing of this?

Huh?

Somehow, I feel like I remember......

"Was she making something like simmered bamboo shoots?"

"Yes, Chikuzen-ni. She said she wanted to learn your favorite dishes, so we made it together. Nobody in this house cooks, so it was a first, and fun. —Wait, so you HAD heard?"

That's the exact scene from my dream......

A prophetic dream?

No, wait—by the time I fell asleep, dinner would have been long over......

But it doesn't quite feel like a "dream of the past" either?

Because it's a scene I never laid eyes on.

I'm getting a little curious about that 'precognitive-dreams board' now.

More pressing than that, though......

"Why Chikuzen-ni, though? Did I ever say I liked it?"

"You don't have any dislikes, do you. But if someone asks you to teach them cooking, you can't exactly serve them a plate of raw vegetables, can you? You'd want to teach a dish that takes a little effort."

"So because of that pride of hers, my favorite dish is now officially Chikuzen-ni......"

I'd have much preferred nikujaga, or something that would actually make me happy......

"Keep your stories straight, you two. Well, the 'teach me cooking' bit was probably a front—I think she was being considerate, figuring I'd been lonely. Kasumi-san really is a lovely person. We talked up a storm, you know? It was fun~. Shiraishi-san is nice too, but if you're going to marry someone, it's Kasumi-san. She knows how to put me first."

No, seriously—what exactly did you two talk about?

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"So you'll be helping Anego-san, then?"

'That's what I wanted to discuss. What Haruki-san thinks...... no, not just Haruki-san. I'd like to hear Natsukawa-san's and Aikawa-san's opinions as well.'

I'm on the phone with Kasumi-san, nighttime.

It's about Anego-san—or rather, about the Triple-Rank promotion request from the women adventurers working freelance.

Apparently, while we were away on the request, she talked it over with Mia-san.

Mia-san's position: better to help than to have them overreaching where she can't keep an eye on them.

Anego-san is supposedly a famous adventurer, but judging by her movements on this job, Kasumi-san is the stronger of the two right now.

Even one addition like Kasumi-san would change the danger level completely.

Maybe Anego-san understood that too, and that's why she came asking.

"My opinion? Ah—this trip, with the camping and all, was a lot of fun. But if you asked what was the MOST fun, it was everyone eating together at the campsite. And that got me thinking......"