ch421-ch440 · 435-ch435

Chapter 435: Mr. Absolutely Won't Forgive Cheating

"Miki-san, Hina-san, congratulations. I look forward to your continued success."

A delighted Hayashi-san hands the two of them their licenses back.

I could have had this done at the dungeon-side counter, but it's gotten crowded in there lately.

Better unnoticed than noticed, so I asked Hayashi-san.

The two of them and Mia-san stayed overnight in the dungeon, built up a proper alibi, and were then promoted to Double-Rank.

Incidentally, the Orc General magic-stone stockpile was nowhere to be found, so I took a little run for it.

I also had the two of them properly peek into the Orc General's boss room, so they can answer any questions about that.

"Eh?"

The vampire girl and the delinquent girl startle.

The way I address them just changed to "-san," after all.

Until just now it was Miki-chan and Hina-chan.

At Triple-Rank, it's "-sama," you know?

"Whatever you do, do NOT go to headquarters. Ah, that reminds me—Haruki-san, Endo-san says she has something to discuss with you."

Huh?

Endo-san?

"I'll go take a look then."

What could this be?

I part from the girls and head over to Endo-san.

"You are suspected of cheating."

"I haven't cheated."

The very first words out of her mouth are an accusation of infidelity.

Endo-san, as reliable as ever.

"It's not about you, Kasugano-kun...... though you do look suspicious. First I notice you whispering back and forth with Hayashi-san, and now you've got TWO girls trailing after you. With Kasumi-san away, you've certainly been spreading your wings."

I am whispering, but it's a misunderstanding.

"Anyway—what's this about?"

If it's not me, then Hiramatsu-san?

"......Let's see. We'll start with that. You know I sometimes take the dungeon-side counter, yes?"

"I do. If someone's on break, you fill in."

Endo-san's actual job is supplying water to the various buildings on Floor 1 of the dungeon.

She's a beautiful woman with an, ahem, generous figure, so she gets hit on constantly when she sits at reception—hence no fixed shift.

There are persistent types who lie in wait for those hours, you see.

I do know she only sits in at the counter when there's a staffing gap.

"The other day, during the late-night shift, Soushi-kun came in. Alone, at that."

"The late-night shift? And alone?"

What?

Secret training or something?

He did practice his charms alone back when he'd just become a fujutsushi, so it's possible.

"Don't you find that strange? Aikawa-san isn't there anymore, and it's a time when every last one of the weapon-shop staff has gone home. And when I asked the staffer seated next to him, apparently he comes often—he stays an hour or two, then leaves the dungeon in high spirits. He did it again recently, too. He looked like he was having fun. In other words—black. Guilty."

Hmm......

So he deliberately picks the hour after Mia-san and everyone has gone home.

"Setting aside the day YOU saw, Endo-san—the staffer remembered Soushi specifically?"

"Yes. After the Aikawa-san business, an order went out to stop Soushi-kun if he tried to enter at night. The first time, the staffer checked with the branch manager about letting him through—so it's certain."

I see.

What a nuisance for the branch manager, getting woken up in the middle of the night over that.

"And what do you want me to do about it?"

"I'm torn, you see. If his cheating is confirmed, I will of course tell Aikawa-san—but right now there is only suspicion. So I would like to request an investigation from you."

Why would you go that far......

Is "leave it alone" not an option?

"Clear his name, you mean? Fine, I suppose......"

I am curious what kind of training he's up to.

And he might hit us with another surprise—one of these days—so it pays to be prepared.

"I see. What a relief. If you'd refused, I was going to investigate myself. The mark enters the dungeon a little past 11 PM, day after day. So the best approach is for you to come before that and stand by. I'll inform the other staff, so hide somewhere in the back area."

Incidentally, Sato-san had already refused her, apparently.

If a Triple-Rank scout-type is doing the tailing, even I might not notice I'm being watched—so I'd better watch out myself.

What IS this person......

︙

︙

"Kasugano-san, he's here. Just came in now."

Akane-san calls to me from beyond the back-area wall.

11:30 PM—right on the tip-off's schedule......

I'd already sensed Soushi enter the dungeon with 【Presence Detection】.

And I'd sensed him leave this facility just now, too.

"Thank you. I'm off."

'Ninja Spring Shadow' deploys.

If 'Summer Shadow' has fallen to the dark side, I must bury him with these hands......

"Yes, yes. Go easy on him, okay?"

Sent off by Akane-san, I trail Soushi.

【Presence Detection】's range is about fifty meters.

Unless he suddenly breaks into a run, I won't lose him.

(Hm? That way......)

Soushi walks in the opposite direction from the 'Gate to Floor 2.'

Not toward the new place, the shrine, or Mia-san's shop either.

Suspicious......

"!?"

Ah, crap.

Did I close in too much? Soushi suddenly spins around.

My footsteps?

I thought I was being careful, but past Level 40, Soushi's ears have gotten sharp too.

I'll need a skill to bluff this.

And since he turned so abruptly, I made noise ducking into cover.

(Ugh, he's coming back)

It's the middle of the night and nobody's around, after all.

Of course he'd get suspicious if he heard footsteps going the same direction he is.

He comes straight toward the building shadow I'm hiding in.

Even running, my footsteps would give me away......

"......Was that my imagination?"

Soushi tilts his head, staring at the spot I was just in.

I'm looking down at him from the roof of the building across the way.

(Nin-nin.)

Ninjutsu: the 【Gate】 Escape Jutsu.

Might as well use 【Gate】 and chase him from the rooftops—too risky otherwise.

(Now then, where's he headed......)

This side is an area with barely any visitors.

The production-job ladies mostly don't live here either.

And yet one house has its lights on.

Soushi drifts toward that light as if being sucked in, and knocks on its door.

This place is......

(Robo-ko Labs!)

"Yes~! Soushi-kun, right on time. Come in, come in."

The one who opens the door is Robo-ko-san herself.

Right on time, huh......

Soushi-kun, you're OUT.

(But Robo-ko-san, of all people......)

Currently, every new dungeon in the Chiba area except the ant dungeon has been cleared through Floor 30.

That is, excluding the World Tree dungeon and the airport dungeon, which we can't enter.

The airport one will probably fall to the SDF, and the World Tree one will take a while yet—so Anego-san's crowd is focusing everything on the ant dungeon.

But ant monsters are powerful and the corridors narrow, so they can't all conquer it together—Mia-san and several other production-job holders have come back to the Chiba branch and resumed work.

Robo-ko-san is one of them.

I heard her robot got melted by an ant's acid attack, and she's been a shut-in ever since......

(More investigation needed, then)

I drop down and approach Robo-ko Labs.

I could probably catch voices even through the wall, but if I'm going this far, might as well catch them in the act......

Well—depending on what I hear, it's not like I couldn't keep it a secret.

Getting past Endo-san looks like it'll be a pain, though......

(Glass, huh...... Can I do it?)

I approach a window of the unlit room.

Through the gap beside the curtain, I can see the wall.

And there......

(【Gate】)

There it is.

I knew I could place a 'Gate' anywhere I can SEE, but apparently I can put one out the other side even through glass.

Seems like it'd work through a door gap too, so long as I can see through to the other side.

But rest assured.

This only works inside the dungeon.

Nin-nin.

(Infiltration successful)

Now, where are the two of them......

Moving forward with every care not to make a sound.

If they spot me, I can escape in an instant with 【Gate】—so no worries there either.

My heart's starting to pound.

The two of them are in a big workshop-like room.

Happily, there's no door.

Now, what are they......

(Th-this is......)

I have just witnessed something outrageous.

R-Robo-ko-san is amaaaazing......

No wonder Soushi's obsessed.