ch261-ch280 · 262-ch262

Chapter 262: The Makings of a Wicked Woman

"Let's be clear about this. I'd like you to take 【Healer Mage】. 【Patissier】 or 【Head Chef】 are out of the question, okay?"

"Maaan. I know, I know. 【Healer Mage】. Yes, yes."

Shiraishi-san has hit Level 30, so we're heading for Floor 30 now.

All four of us are in full gear—and Shiraishi-san, for once, is wearing a full suit of armor too.

One borrowed from Mia-san's shop.

She could actually have reached Level 30 sometime last week, but she was busy collecting the Orc General armors to put out in Mia-san's shop, so it slipped a week.

"I don't imagine it will, but there's a nonzero chance 【Saint】 appears, so honestly, it might be best for you to come back home once, you know?"

【Healer Mage】 is the upper-rank of 【Healer】—a magic job that can use 【Heal・High】.

【Saint】, on the other hand, can use 【Heal・Extreme】, but stat-wise it's a general-class job apart from Magic.

With 【Healer Mage】, she could still work as an adventurer if she took a magic job with attack spells as her sub—but Shiraishi-san's sub is 【Chef】, after all.

Either way, my thinking was that if 【Saint】 shows up, 【Saint】 is the one to take, so I offered the suggestion.

"In Shiraishi-san's case, there's a real chance she'd refuse to go a second time......"

Well, better she takes it on the spot, then......

"Eh? There's nothing scary, right?"

"......"

"......Right?"

"......"

I checked with Kasumi-san, but getting no reply, she turns to us.

But what are we even supposed to answer......

"I'm not going after all!"

"Nothing dangerous happens, okay? All of us will protect you, Shiraishi-san. Though if you ask whether it's not scary at all...... quite a lot of monsters come charging at you......"

Maybe I shouldn't have said that......

The Forest Ogres' roars after the Ogre King goes down would startle anyone.

And then they ALL come surging in at once.

"In Shiraishi-san's case, a fair number of upper-rank jobs may well appear. Even if she reads them out and I memorize them on the spot, I expect a few of the Ogres will close in on us. Naturally the four of us will protect her, so there is no danger whatsoever—but she may find it a little frightening. Which is why I thought it better to simply settle on 【Healer Mage】 from the start......"

And it's all because I went and said something unnecessary......

"I'm not going!"

Well, this is a problem.

"......Pardon me. We're going. Haruki-san, if you would."

"Hyaah! H-hey, that's cheating!"

Kasumi-san tucks Shiraishi-san under her arm and urges us to get ready.

Shiraishi-san flails about, but Kasumi-san doesn't budge an inch.

Kasumi-san hit Level 39 over this weekend, and I've reached 40 myself.

Sorry, Shiraishi-san—we're departing as is.

"【Gate】【Scouting】....... All clear. Here we go."

"Le-let-gooo. Ugh, my head......"

Looking at the 'Right Hand Gate' seems to have triggered Shiraishi-san's trauma-induced headache—but that trauma is all in her head too, apparently.

All of us moved to Floor 30.

"Haru-kun, what about the dance?"

"I think...... we're fine?"

I'll have the shield-side super mode running too—hyper mode means it's over in an instant, so she shouldn't need it.

Afterward we're only running back up to Floor 39 dodging golems, so there's no need to conserve MP either.

Besides, stacking the upper-rank job's enhancement buffs on top of hyper mode—honestly, I have no idea what would happen......

"Enhancement magic too?"

"I'm fine. Shiraishi-san, please cast it on me."

If something went wrong, that'd be bad.

Soushi and Aikawa take positions flanking Kasumi-san, Shiraishi-san tucked under her arm, from either side, and I set up at the Ogre King's spawn point.

"Shiraishi-san, if it's frightening, please keep your eyes closed. It will be over in a moment...... when the job selection screen appears, read the jobs aloud from the top, all right?"

Shiraishi-san covers both eyes with her hands and nods along.

We could probably set her down already, but Kasumi-san seems set on carrying her as is.

"Soushi, dance time."

Placing her trust in the two on her left and right, maybe?

Almost the instant the two of them strike their poses, the Ogre King spawns—but the fight is already over.

My jumonji spear pierces the Ogre King through the back and shatters its magic stone.

Incidentally, we collected the Ogre King's magic stone when we first arrived on Floor 30, so Shiraishi-san's promotion is in no danger.

"GOOOOH!!!"

"Eh? What? What? Ah—it's up! The jobs are up!"

The Forest Ogres enter a frenzy and let out their roars.

"Keep reading!"

"Here we go—【Enhanced Warrior】, 【Sage】, 【Alchemist】, 【Healer Mage】—oh, it says 【Healing King】 here. Should I take this one?"

A KING!

Japan's number one in healing revenue isn't just for show, huh......

"Keep going, please!"

Kasumi-san urges her on.

If there's a King, then there's hope for 【Saint】 too—whoa.

Contact.

A nearby Forest Ogre comes at us, and I, Soushi, and Aikawa meet it.

I engage the spear-side super mode and sweep them aside.

"Hiee. U-um, 【Enchanter】, 【Detector】, 【Magic Medic】, 【Patissier】! The 【Patissier】 came up!"

"Is that all of them?"

Patissier is out.

If she wants to be one, that's Floor 40.

"Um, the last one...... 【Wicked Woman】?"

"Huh?"

Akujo? A 【Wicked Woman】?

The opposite of 【Saint】?

Breaking news: Shiraishi-san was a bad woman all along......

Ah, wait, is that too far?

"'Aiming'!"

Two had come at Soushi, so I threw my spear at one.

No wait, could he have handled it?

"Wah-wah-wah......"

"We're retreating. I'll collect the spear, so Haruki-san, wait here!"

Kasumi-san tosses Shiraishi-san into the 'Left Hand Gate' and runs for the spear.

"Guess that throw wasn't needed?"

"Nah, I'd let my guard down. Saved me."

I did properly take down the other one myself, after all.

"Honestly, what are you doing! 'Beast Transformation・Full Body'!"

Aikawa transforms into a beast before our eyes.

Lately, her 【Partial Beast Transformation】 has become usable on her whole body.

What appears is a slender panda in armor, though.

Honestly, I think it's cute and perfectly fine.

Aikawa starts on her panda rampage, so I can't afford to lose either.

No spear? Then I'll just engage the shield super mode!

"'Shield Shock'!"

I dodge the incoming Forest Ogre's attack and drive 【Charge・Shield・Shield Shock】 into it.

Hm—my counter landed square in its chest, so the magic stone cracked, huh.

Guess the Shield Shock wasn't needed......

(Still, though......)

What even IS a 【Wicked Woman】......