arc03 · 063-ep57

Episode 57: Good Job

Sunday.

May begins today.

It's gotten properly warm—hot, honestly—but the dungeon stays a touch cool year-round, which makes it surprisingly pleasant, all things considered.

Today, like yesterday, was mainly Floor 11 exploring—nothing new to report there—and I wrapped up with the map about 70% filled, I'd say.

No changes to level or skills.

Other than that, I did learn one small thing about the Floor 10 boss's treasure chest.

Sure enough, it seems that when you defeat the boss by plundering its weapon first, the chest ends up holding something other than a weapon.

And what the chest held this time was, sadly, not 【Star Spirit Silver】.

"……An ingot, huh. Doesn't have mithril's sheen, and by weight it's plain old magic iron, I'd say."

A total dud of a pull. But hold on—what if it's actually complete random?

In that case, this is basically a free item-gacha pull once a week, right there.

Just to be thorough, next week I'll try taking it down without plundering the weapon first.

Being allowed a boss fight only once a week means verification crawls along. Frustrating spot to be in.

◇

"Takeru-san, tomorrow is my day off, so my supervisor will be handling things in my place."

"Ah, gotcha."

Next to Sakurai-san stands a man in his thirties or forties—big frame, looks seriously well-trained, smile bright enough to tan. So this is who's covering for her.

"The name's Miyashita. The whole guild has high hopes for you, Kobayakawa-san, so please don't hesitate to call on any of us, not just Sakurai. From here on out, on days Sakurai is off, I will be the one answering the 【Comm Stone】."

"Appreciate it. Looking forward to working with you."

A firm handshake with Miyashita-san, and today's exploring was a wrap. I did tuck the magic iron ingot out of sight as a precaution, so it's off to Aizawa too.

◇

The next day. A weekday, so school.

Everyone's a little out of it—classic days-inside-Golden-Week syndrome.

Midterms are creeping close, too—whoever grinds it out from here is the one who ends up on top, I'd bet.

Not that it has much to do with me. I'll just coast along as always.

Or so I thought————

"Kobayan, Kobayan—clubs go on break starting next week for test prep, so everyone's talking about doing a group study session~ You in too, Kobayan?"

"Another new nickname…… Hmm, lemme think. Two hours or so after school, and I'm in. Couldn't care less about the studying part, though."

"Oh? Surprising! A change of heart, maybe?"

"Nah, nothing like that. It's just—stick to your loner guns and you end up the odd one out when the sports fest and the culture fest roll around, y'know. I want to live quietly, just enough not to stand out."

"Dunno what you're on about—no way YOU'D be the odd one out, Kobayan. Well, if you're coming, the more the merrier! I'll hit you up once things are settled."

"Ooh, cool, sounds good~"

One of the boys from that walk home the other day caught me during break, and just like that, I'd joined the study session. This way there's next to no chance I tank my tests, and I'll have more classmates I can actually talk to, too.

Otherwise, nothing eventful, and lunch break came around.

As always, I spent it in the club room, eating bento with Aizawa and the president.

"'Sup. Feels kinda like it's been a while. Go anywhere over the three-day weekend?"

"Let's see…… my brother was home for a visit, so we went out together, mostly. One of his friends joined us too—we bowled, threw darts, that sort of thing."

"Ooh, you're close with your brother, huh."

"Pretty much~ He's a brother to brag about."

"Huh~…… What about you, Aizawa?"

"I went camping with my family. Dad suddenly decided on it, like always, so it was a bit of a scramble—but it was fun."

"Look at you two, living it up."

"You were in the dungeon as ever, I take it, Takeru-kun?"

"Yep. Same as always, every single day. It's fun, the dungeon."

"Ahh, I think I'll pass."

"Ahaha, relax—I wasn't planning to drag you in."

Three people, three very different long weekends, apparently.

Still, both of them are really close with their families, huh…… Maybe I ought to head home and see my parents and my little brother sometime, too? I'm earning real money these days—I'd like to tell them I can cover my own living costs and school fees now. Yeah. I'll drop in soon.

"Oh, right—I handed you the 【Star Spirit Silver】 from the boss drop last week, yeah? Figured another might turn up, so I went boss hunting yesterday, but this time it was a magic iron ingot."

"Here ya go." And with that, I hand it over to Aizawa.

"It certainly does look like a magic iron ingot. Um—is this one for me as well?"

"Yep. Got no use for it myself."

"I see…… Well, magic iron is within even my ability to work, so that's fine. Is there anything you'd like me to make?"

"Hmm…… I want a ranged attack, so throwing knives—or kunai, something in that family. If it came home to my hand on its own, or had an accuracy correction—effects like that would be the dream."

"Th-that's quite the unreasonable request…… I'll think about it, all the same. Just don't expect too much, okay?"

"Oh, and one more—look, I get that this one's probably impossible, but could you make a magic item of 【Status Appraisal】?"

"Impossible."

"Yeah, figures."

"Is that even something that can be made, in the first place? If I remember right, it's a magic item that only turns up in deep-floor treasure chests, and then only very rarely……"

"Word is even the guilds only have one apiece."

"That is remarkably rare……"

So finding one in the dungeon is the only way, apparently. Here's hoping for the weekly gacha, then?

"So the guild doesn't verify people's status, then?"

"Basically, nothing beyond level. Level shows with an item called the 【appraisal orb】, and that's how they confirm you meet promotion requirements. Personal-information protection, plus 【Status Appraisal】 being so rare—I'd guess that's how it came to be this way."

Honestly, I owe that setup more than a little.

If status appraisal were mandatory, my 【Plunder】 would have come out, and there'd have been an uproar—people hating me for it. I could probably still dive, but having everyone around me permanently on guard would make life a lot less workable.

"Hmhm…… so that 【appraisal orb】 can't read stats, huh."

"The orb, though, seems fairly easy to get ahold of."

"Here's my thought—couldn't you make something new from that 【appraisal orb】 and the 【Star Spirit Silver】?"

"…………"

"Wh-what's the matter, you two? You've gone quiet on me."

"President!! That's it! THAT! Hey, Aizawa—this might actually work, no!?"

"Wait, please, wait…… um. With just those two I can't specify the target—so if I employed some material that already carries the effect, then perhaps…… no, but even then it would drift somewhat from the original effect, so…… no, but————"

The president's flash of insight sent Aizawa sinking beneath the sea of thought.

But her thinking this hard means the possibility isn't quite zero, I'd say.

"President."

"Hm?"

"Good job."