arc03 · 050-ep44

Episode 44: Apparently I've Got a Personal Supporter

After that I explored another three hours or so, then decided to call it a day.

The clock reads 11 p.m. Even with the teleport circle, once I factor in the trip back, it'll be a respectable hour by the time I reach home.

I head back along the ground I've covered.

Even this much runs me into monsters, so there's no hurrying home. There is, as it happens, a return-type magic item—the 【Return Stone】—but at 200,000 yen a use, single-use only, it's not something I reach for easily. I could afford it, technically. Honestly, though? Don't need one yet. Supposedly it's a must-carry for adventurers exploring Floor 11 and beyond, in fact. If you've used the teleport circle at least once, this item sends you back to the Floor 1 entrance circle. One stone brings everyone near the user back too, so for a party, even money-wise, a 【Return Stone】 might come out ahead. In my case, moving plenty is better for leveling 【Movement Arts】. Still—for emergencies, I'll pick one up anyway.

So there I was, working my way back.

Just today, I got to fight a solid variety of monsters.

For instance, the shadow wolf.

A wolf that hides in shadows and comes at you in packs. Individually, their attack power is nothing special—but they toy with you with teamwork, quick strikes, and being hard to see, grinding you down into a slow, brutal death. To me, though, they're not particularly fast, and they can't sense my presence—droppable in one punch each. Tasty opponents, experience-wise. They do use magic, actually, but it's all shadow clones and shadow-diving—nothing that feeds attack power. Troublesome, I'll grant. For me, who puts them down before they get the chance—no problem whatsoever.

But 【Shadow Magic】 does look nice. It'd fit my style to a T. Want it.

I spotted some others, too—a Mamono Dokutake and a Poison Fairy.

Honestly? Gave those two a hard pass.

It's not like I could get anywhere near them.

These two always show up as a set, and their sheer viciousness makes them the most famous of Floor 11's monsters. C-rank-and-up intel is thin on the ground, but the genuinely dangerous monsters do get publicized—and these two fall squarely in that category.

The names alone tell you: both are poison-type monsters.

And they come with a trait: constantly spraying each other's poison into the surroundings, and healing off that very poison. The poison itself is potent—not the mild stuff like the Floor 4 spider's, but a nasty compound blend: paralysis, damage-over-time, corrosion. Breathe it in and leave it for three minutes, they say, and you die. Normal gas masks, for the record, supposedly don't stop it. Make it make sense.

Granted, the purple smoke makes them easy to spot and dodge—but they're spraying nonstop while on the move, so this is a monster I'd rather not meet anywhere cramped. If I had a ranged option it'd be nice, but right now throwing rocks and plundered weapons is about all I've got. A rough matchup for melee types. Oh, and hit them with fire magic and the whole area explodes—supposedly plenty of people have died that way. Absolutely the worst.

And so, playing about with shadow wolves and rock golems on the way, I made it back in about an hour.

◇

Back at the guild, Sakurai-san was still at her post.

"Huh? Good work out there. Weren't you only on until 10 p.m.?"

"...I'm just relieved you're safe. Please don't mind me. I only happened to be working late."

"Oh, I see. Then, since you're here, Sakurai-san—I'll leave reception to you."

"Of course."

So the guild does get busy, huh. I'd just assumed weeknights were quiet, what with so few adventurers around.

"Let's see—today's magic stones and drop items. This part's going to an alchemist I know, so no selling it. And then this, here—could I get it appraised?"

While I'm cashing in, I ask for an appraisal of the ring from the monster-house chest.

If the effect is good, I'll use it myself. If it's nothing much, selling it off is fine too.

"Something out of a treasure chest, was it? A ring on Floor 11 will likely be a 【Poison Resistance】 piece... ah, yes, there it is. An accessory with a 【Poison Resistance】 effect."

"Oh, nice. Then I'll be keeping it for myself—no buyback."

"Of course. I'll begin processing the sale—one moment, please."

With that, Sakurai-san disappeared into the back of the reception counter.

Does Sakurai-san hold 【Item Appraisal】, I wonder? If there's some other method of appraisal, I'd love to know it. I knew the guild does appraisals—just never knew how.

I was mid-musing when a voice spoke up behind me.

"Good work out there, Takeru-kun. You were diving until this hour?"

"Hm? Oh, Aizawa. Well, this is business as usual for me... wait, you were working this late too?"

"True... I'm hardly in a position to say anything, am I... I just got absorbed in the work."

Ehehe. Scratching her head, Aizawa deflects.

And I did tell her to watch the clock since she's a girl, too. Well, the timing worked out today, so walking her home works fine. Wait—can she even make the last train? Come to think of it, I don't even know which direction her place is in.

"Oh? A friend? ...You're both guild-affiliated, so no one will be hauling you in, but wandering about this late still doesn't earn my approval... and, setting the lecture aside, the sale is finished—please confirm the amount here."

"Ah, thanks. ...Yep, all correct. C-rank really does bring in quite a bit on magic stones alone, huh."

"Indeed... no, normally a party splits this by headcount, so as a day's earnings it shouldn't be all that startling yet... but you're earning this much solo, Takeru-san. To speak plainly, this already puts you at the upper tier of C-rank income."

"Huh? Ah, right. Hmmmmm... my sense of money's going to get warped at this rate, huh."

"Do be careful with the shopping—and various other things."

"Will do."

Business done—time to head home.

Ah, since we're here, might as well hand over her materials first——I turn around, and there's Aizawa wearing a strangely troubled look.

"What's up?"

"Ah, no, it's just—you're close with the receptionist, aren't you."

"Huh? Am... I?"

"...You are... aren't you?"

"…………"

Wh-what is with this silence.

"U-um—I'm Aizawa, Takeru-kun's personal supporter. An alchemist with the production guild. P-pleased to meet you."

"—Yes. I'm Sakurai, Takeru-san's dedicated contact. The pleasure is mine. Takeru-san does seem to push himself rather hard in the dungeon, so I'll be counting on your support, Aizawa-san."

"Oh, um, y-yes! I'm still very green, but I'll work hard making all sorts of things so I can be of use, s-so if anything comes up, p-please feel free to speak to me anytime!"

"Yes. I'm generally here whenever you two visit the guild, so please call on me anytime."

"Y-yes! Thank you very much!"

For a moment the air turned into something I couldn't read, but apparently nothing's actually going on.

Still, for whatever reason, Aizawa is unusually forward today. Working on conquering her shyness, maybe? Well, if it's growth, growth is good. Nice.

Hold on, though—Sakurai-san, since when were you my dedicated contact? Nobody told me anything about that.

Well, if those two look likely to get along, good enough for now.