ch361-ch380 · 366-ch366

Chapter 366: One Boneless Chicken, Please

"You're not planning to go to the dungeon's depths alone, are you?"

I freeze.

Just as I've entered the dungeon, Kasumi-san calls me to a stop.

"Hey, I told you I'm going to visit Soushi! You're coming with me. I'm no good with Soushi's mom."

THAT attitude is exactly the problem, you know.

Believe that if you like someone, they'll come to like you back.

Believing it and acting on it—that's the first step.

Learn from Kasumi-san.

"That sounds good. I'll give you money later, so buy a get-well gift for me as well. I have the land negotiations for the airport after this, so I'll be late again today. Haruki-san, once you're home, study properly—and above all, please do not go to the dungeon's depths. I mean it."

Aww—there are so many new things I want to test out, though......

The depths, huh......

If I can't go deep, maybe I could test things around Floor 2?

(Mmm-mmm-mmm......)

'Oh, did it connect? Right on time.'

Hm?

"Isn't that going a bit easy on him? Leave him be and he'll be climbing the boss-room walls next. You'd have to bar him from the dungeon altogether to...... What? It's the truth, you know?"

Aikawa?

......No, it's not her.

Last time she seemed hurt and down, but she sounds lively today, which is a relief.

"Exams are right around the corner, so I can't very well disturb his studying. The 6th is my day off too, so a little breather going deep might be fine...... Haruki-san, is something the matter?"

"No... I felt like someone was calling me."

I look around.

Who?

We're still near the dungeon entrance, so it's crowded.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm?"

"What is it?"

Aikawa and Kasumi-san check our surroundings too, but there's only people passing by.

"No... maybe I imagined it."

'Hellloo—? Can you hear me?'

Ah, there it is again!

I definitely heard it.

This voice—where have I......

(【Scouting】)

......Doesn't look like anyone's hiding.

Too many people to tell, though.

What's going on?

'Oh, you heard me. What's a "Saku-teki"?'

(Ah—this feeling! The goddess?)

'Well, some people do call me that, but hardly anyone says it to my face. Could it be you've been calling me that in your head too, Haruki-kun? How embarrassing.'

Isn't she being awfully casual about this?

(So if she's the goddess, she can speak straight into my head from far away?)

If she were nearby, that rainbow presence would give her away—there'd be no mistaking it.

'That's right. It's 【Telepathy】. One boneless chicken, please!'

"When we get back, you're studying at the shop, Haru-kun."

"Ah, we're a weapon shop, so we don't do that sort of thing."

"The weapon shop's got nothing to do with it! Mama-san and the others will be there, so you can't escape!"

"Hm-mm?"

Aww, I blew it.

I meant to answer the goddess, but it came out of my mouth.

'Hm? Did I miss it? Oh well. So anyway—I wanted to thank you for the other day, that's why I'm reaching out today.'

She really is light about everything, isn't she.

(The thanks—for the thing at Mizuki's house?)

This time I answer in my head.

'Yes—the thanks for helping me with the 'Dungeon Gate' that appeared at my place.'

Your place?

So that IS the goddess's house?

Just as I thought......

(Hm? Helped? Huh? She's NOT the goddess?)

'Eh? I am the goddess, though? ......I'm not?'

No, you're the goddess, but also not the goddess.

"Wa—ter... I wanna drink."

That was close.

"Huh? Then drink?"

(Mizuki......?)

'Who did you think I was? Eh? The goddess is—wait, a different person?'

"Ah—I have to get going. Haruki-san, I believe in you, Haruki-san, so......"

Hearing that, there's no way I can go to the depths.

(Have a good one—!)

'WHERE!?'

I can't keep up with this at all anymore.

"Take care out there, Kasumi-san. I'll call you tonight."

"Yes, I'll be off."

I see Kasumi-san out of the dungeon.

"Aikawa's dropping her luggage off and waiting here."

"Aye-aye. I'll be right back, so don't move, okay? When I'm back I'll ask the newbie whether you moved. The water, I'll...... when was the stuff in the fridge from again......"

Today's reception duty is Shiraishi-san and the newbie from the morning.

With the staff shortage, the two of them will apparently be on until night.

No faith in us at all, huh.

But fine—this means I'm free on this side for a while.

Time to focus on the conversation with her.

(Sorry—I got tangled up with the conversation over here.)

'Oh, right. Sorry for the sudden call. Are you busy?'

(Aikawa just went to drop off her luggage, so I'm fine for a while. When she's back, we're visiting Soushi.)

Wait—if she's not the goddess, how are we even talking right now?

She said something about 【Telepathy】?

A special skill?

'Soushi-kun caught a cold, right? From getting caught in the rain?'

(More importantly—where are you right now? You're not at the Chiba branch, are you?)

Over there? What's "over there"?

Mizuki's presence color should be a light pink.

There's no reaction like that anywhere near me.

She wasn't in the line to enter the dungeon, and Mizuki doesn't have a license, so she shouldn't be able to enter any dungeon at all.

Even if this 【Telepathy】 is the skill I think it is, it shouldn't work outside a dungeon......

'Ah, the dungeon in my garden. I've got my umbrella up, so it's fine.'

"Hold on—"

The words slipped out.

(It is NOT fine! Dungeons have monsters! Get out of there right now! You can call me by phone, can't you?! I'm coming out too, so—hurry!)

'Ehh? There's nothing nearby though? ......Oh.'

(What? What is it? A monster? Are you okay?)

This is bad.

Wait.

The 'both-eye Gates' are parked in that dungeon.

Damn it—with people watching......

'It's fine, it's fine. There's something weird off in the distance. What IS that? A tower, maybe? It's like the rain's put a haze over it so I can't see it well, but it looks like some big building, maybe?'

Doesn't sound like a monster.

Come to think of it, when I entered that dungeon I didn't sense any monster presence nearby, and nothing turned up on 【Scouting】 either.

Aikawa and the others went in a while ago; there should have been noise.

And yet nothing came close—which means, maybe this is a dungeon with non-aggressive monsters, the ambush type?

No—more importantly than that.

(Could that thing be a huge tree?)

'Hmm, now that you mention it, it could look like that...... But is there any tree that big?'