Chapter-01 · EP-031
Episode 31: What's Wrong With a Wooden Sword?
After defeating the Huge Slime, we headed back to the dungeon entrance with Hikaru Kujo and Mei Kisaragi, whom we had rescued.
I was very interested in the stairs leading to the second floor that appeared after defeating the Floor Boss, the Huge Slime. But I couldn't just go to the second floor without the school's permission, so I left the Floor Boss's room with a pang of regret.
On the way back, Yuno was fully displaying her social skills, chatting amiably with Hikaru Kujo and Mei Kisaragi. I glanced at them in amazement but walked in silence.
"Oh, so that Mochizuki guy is a real piece of work."
"That's right."
"Mei! Hayasaka-san, please don't blame Mochizuki-san too much."
"Hikaru-sama is too kind."
"She really is."
Yuno was hearing the story of how the young ladies ended up in the Floor Boss's room. We listened in from the side and roughly gathered what had happened.
Iori, who got to fight the Huge Slime again today, looked satisfied, and the peaceful Maika was all smiles.
As long as everyone returned safely, I figured there was no particular problem.
"Still, all of you are in D-Class, right?"
"That's right."
"I was very surprised by how excellent you all are. Hayasaka-san's Healing Magic was wonderful, I was amazed that Momota-san could use Water Magic so many times, and I was captivated by Takigawa-san and Ichinose-san's fighting."
"We're pretty good, aren't we?"
Yuno didn't downplay Hikaru's compliment. Shouldn't she have said "not really"? "We're pretty good" indeed...
"A-Class can't afford to lose either. Mei, let's do our best so we don't lose to Hayasaka-san and the others."
"Yes, Hikaru-sama."
The two of them were fired up after seeing how we fought.
"Anyway, Hikaru-san, even though you're a noble, you're easy to talk to."
"I'm glad you feel that way. My father is a commoner supporter, so I think I've been influenced by him."
"Commoner supporter?"
"Yes. In the House of Peers, there are those called the noble faction, who prioritize nobles above all else, and commoner supporter legislators like my father who say we should listen to the opinions of commoners."
"Does that mean Hikaru-san's father is a legislator?"
"Yes, that's right."
Listening to the young lady's words, I felt again that we lived in different worlds. We exited the dungeon. Waiting for us in the lobby at the entrance were the student named Mochizuki, who had run back to get help for Hikaru, and the teachers who had been about to go rescue them.
"Hikaru-san!"
One of the students spotted us and ran over.
"You're safe!"
"Yes, I'm sorry for worrying you."
This was probably the A-Class student, Mochizuki, who had run off on his own and entered the Floor Boss's room.
The teachers then approached us.
"Kujo-san, I'm glad you're safe. Are your injuries alright?"
"I'm sorry for worrying you. Hayasaka-san here healed my injuries."
"That's good. I'm glad you managed to escape."
"No, Ichinose-san and Takigawa-san defeated the Floor Boss for us."
"Huh?"
The teacher froze at the young lady's explanation, then stared at us.
"Aren't you first-years?"
"Yeah, that's right. Shirou Ichinose from Class 1-D. The other three are in the same class."
At my words, Yuno, Iori, and Maika nodded.
"How can you, being from D-Class…?"
"What do you mean, 'being from D-Class'?"
"Ah, no. How did you defeat it? It doesn't look like you have any special weapons."
"How? With this."
I held up my wooden sword to the teacher.
He looked puzzled. Just then, someone ran into the hall.
"Hikaru! You're safe!"
"Brother!"
It was Hikaru Kujo's older brother, the student council president, Kazuma Kujo. He was holding a sword that looked quite powerful. He was still in his school uniform.
The vice president was following behind him.
"Thank goodness…"
Kazuma looked relieved to see his sister's face. A teacher began explaining why he had come.
"I contacted him. If it were an ordinary student, maybe not, but since Kujo-san was in trouble, it's a serious matter."
There was a casual discriminatory remark, but basically, they had contacted the young lady's brother immediately to avoid being scolded for a delayed report.
After that, the young lady gave the student council president a detailed explanation of what had happened.
The student council president listened silently, then the teacher asked me a question.
"Did you really defeat the Huge Slime?"
"I have proof."
I showed them the Magic Gem dropped by the Huge Slime.
The teacher stared at it in surprise.
Then Kazuma Kujo asked me a question.
"How did you defeat it? You don't seem to have a spear or a bow. Can you use Fire Magic?"
"Huh? Like I said, I defeated it with this wooden sword."
I held up the wooden sword again.
"What do you mean? To defeat a Huge Slime, you should need to pierce its core with a spear or arrow, or burn it to death with Fire Magic."
So that's how it worked! I finally understood how to defeat a Huge Slime. I thought it was awfully difficult with a sword. Shaving it away bit by bit was really tedious. Since I didn't have any companions who could use Fire Magic, I should have aimed for the core with a long-reaching spear or bow and arrow.
"Th-that's right! There's no way you could defeat it with a wooden sword! Don't lie!"
Huh? The teacher didn't seem to believe we defeated the Huge Slime.
"No, like I said, I just shaved away its surface with my wooden sword, made it smaller bit by bit, then aimed for the core."
"Huh? I've never heard of such a method!"
They wouldn't believe me even after I explained. But then the young lady backed me up.
"Teacher, it's true. He really defeated the Huge Slime in the way he just described."
"Th-that can't be…"
Not only the teacher, but the student council president also seemed a bit doubtful.
"However, I think it would be a bit much without reaching level 2 first…"
"Ah, if that's the case, I'm level 2!"
"Huh?"
Everyone except my classmates gasped.
Oh, hadn't I mentioned that? That I defeated an Acid Slime and reached level 2.
After I explained, everyone looked dumbfounded.
"I see, I understand the situation. This year's D-Class will be interesting to watch."
Only the student council president praised us like that; the teachers still seemed unconvinced.
"Oh, by the way, sensei. I've reached level 2 and defeated the first-floor boss. So I can go explore the second floor now, right?"
"O-of course not!"
"Huh? Why?"
"The rule is you can't explore the second floor until the second semester!"
Having defeated the first-floor boss right after enrollment, still in April, I was at a loss for what I could look forward to until the second semester…
This concludes Chapter 1.
Thank you for following Shirou's growth so far.
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