ch301-ch320 · 319-ch319

Chapter 319: The Receptionist Is a Losing Flag 【Watanabe Kasumi】 Part 11

SIDE: Watanabe Kasumi (Haruki's Girlfriend)

"Watanabe Kasumi—take it from me, you'd better break up with Haruki."

The very first thing that little brat says to me.

"What have you been filling her head with?"

I round on the 【Saint】 who guided me to this room.

This girl must have been badmouthing Haruki-san to her.

"I-It wasn't me! Mia-chan! Mia-chan was the one saying it!"

"As if Mia-san would ever say such a thing."

"She said it, I tell you! That Haruki is some kind of unbelievable guy!"

As for the Mia-san in question......

"Oi, 'Blue Shadow'! If you're gonna scout me, bring better booze! Where's the snacks? Soushi could make way better stuff! YOU make it and bring it yourself!"

She is lecturing a big blue cat plushie.

"You gave her alcohol?"

"Dwarves and liquor, right? I put some out and she pounced."

That little brat seems to have convinced herself Mia-san is an otherworlder, and kidnapped her all the way here to bring her into her party.

"Hey there—first time since the Umemoto incident. Glad to see you again. Could I ask you to hear me out a little before you take her home?"

Kinoshita Ao......

"I hear you have been working hard recruiting companions lately. If you expect anything of me, give it up. I have no reason to cooperate with the likes of you."

"Sheesh, I'm hated, huh. Is it 'Blue Ocean' you can't stand? Or is it me?"

"That little brat, isn't it. After the rude words I just heard, do I even need to explain? You, on the other hand—I respect you. You always enter the dungeon on meticulously made plans. I have thought for a long time now: if only every adventurer were like you. Someone like you could surely conquer Floor 50. Do your best. ......Mia-san, we are leaving."

"Nooo! More booze—! Oi, 'Blue Shadow'! You drinking or what? You're not, are you! Can't handle MY liquor, huh! Kasumi-san, make him drink!"

That is a plushie.

What a bind.

Perhaps it would be easier to let her drink a little more, put her to sleep, and then carry her out.

"Hold it, hold it. At least hear me out. It's about Chiharu's dream. Chiharu says she's been dreaming of Floor 50 in the dungeon. That story—not interested?"

"I am not. As I said, I have no reason to aim for Floor 50...... Excuse me—a phone call. ......One moment."

'Rrring. Rrring.'—the caller is Shiraishi-san.

I take the call and step out into the corridor.

'It's an emergency! Come back right now!'

"Shiraishi-san, no parfaits. Kindly reflect on yourself a little."

Apparently Mia-san was kidnapped on her way back from withdrawing money at a convenience store.

What am I to do with this woman.

I shall have to reimburse the food budget from my side as well.

Fortunately my savings are astonishingly ample, so no problem there.

For the honeymoon I'd love a round-the-world trip, but this body is already Triple-Rank.

I can no longer move freely from country to country.

A trip around Japan will have to do......

'That's not it! The little boy won't wake up!'

Haruki-san?

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. I told him not to sleep, didn't I?"

The goddess dream again?

Does he want to see the goddess dream that badly?

Even though I'm right here?

THIS I cannot forgive!

It's infidelity!

What even IS that goddess!

She shows up in people's far too easily......

'It's not that! He passed out! He blew blood and collapsed! It looks like overuse of that skill. I cast 【Heal】 and had him taken to Dr. Amamiya's hospital, but he won't wake up. Anyway, hurry back. I'll contact Harue-san from here—hurry, now!'

"Eh?"

Blew blood?

He'd seemed in such good shape lately—something enough to make him faint?

Had the poison left something behind?

No—in any case, hurry back.

"Ah, back already. May I continue, then?"

"There is no time for that! Miyuki—I have urgent business and am going home. I am leaving Mia-san behind. Please put her up for tonight. I am counting on you!"

Carrying Mia-san home in this state would take a miracle.

Time is precious—I'll leave the rest to Miyuki.

"Eh? You're leaving? Even her? What did you even come for?"

I leave the room and head for the elevator.

A taxi? No—the station is right there, and at this hour the train is faster!

'No! This one isn't leaving until she forges me an orichalcum sword!'

'Ah-hah-hah—! Bring me mithril, or hihi'irokane—! No—liquor first, liquor—! Oi, where's my snacks? Huh? There's two of them!? The Shadow Clone Jutsu? Wahahahaha—!'

︙

︙

"Where is Haruki-san?"

I rush into Dr. Amamiya's hospital.

"Oh my—slow, for you. Well, as you can see. Sleeping."

In the hospital room, only Haruki-san, laid out in the bed, and Dr. Amamiya.

Natsukawa-san and Aikawa-san are outside the room.

Shiraishi-san seems to be handling his mother on the surface.

"He's just sleeping? You said he won't wake up? What state is he in?"

The questions pour out of me.

"Embarrassing to admit, but I don't know. By the time they brought him in, Shiraishi had already treated him with 【Heal】. It looks like skill overuse, but I can't tell what got broken where. This hospital has tested everything it can test. All I can say is there's nothing abnormal anywhere right now. ......And yet he won't wake up. That's the state of it."

I circle around the bed and take the hand without the IV line.

His color isn't bad.

He truly looks like he's only sleeping.

"And the drip?"

"Nutrients. I hear he lost quite a lot of blood, so just in case."

I recall Haruki-san once saying that even driving in a needle for an injection requires a skill, for him.

"Do you know what the situation was?"

"I hear he was practicing a remote-control skill. Mid-practice, blood started coming from his eyes—then he blew blood and collapsed, apparently. Better ask those two outside for the details. He wouldn't say what skill he was using—told them he'd talk when you arrived."

Remote control......

The new skill that moves the armor, the one I saw yesterday, presumably.

It was no problem yesterday, though......

"When will he wake up?"

"That's the problem, you see. Honestly, once he does wake, you can take him straight home. Brain waves and heartbeat are those of a sleeping person. But he doesn't respond. He didn't wake even when slapped, you know. There are conditions where one doesn't come to until one wakes on one's own—it may be something like that. If he's up in two or three days, fine; if it goes past that, I suspect it will drag. Well—listen to those two outside, and if you learn anything, tell me."

"I under...... stand......"

Drag......

I can't bring myself to ask how long......

I want to hear from those two, but there may be things that can't be said in there.

Time to change the venue......

――――――――――

'Outside the Dungeon, Adventurers Are Just Ordinary People'

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There's a theory that nobody reads the status notes, so let me talk a little about the status note here.

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How on earth do I get them to Floor 50...... (;^ω^)