Yesterday I changed things up by starting my day early, and paid for it. I learned my lesson, so I woke up late today.
I yawn, and wash my face.
After gargling several times to moisten my dry throat, I take a shot of killer bee honey.
…Kui.
With my daily ritual done, I start to prepare food.
I look at the clock, and it’s already… seven in the morning.
I thought I slept until noon, but it’s still morning.
I woke up feeling pretty well, so I thought for sure I slept for half a day, but it was only six hours.
This isn’t that different from when I went to work.
I used to not have time for breakfast, so I got some bread at the convenience store and munched on it on the way.
I don’t want to go back to that, but it feels nostalgic somehow. They’re not good memories, but it’s life experience at this point.
I prepare my fried eggs and bacon. I also prepare a big salad that I put in front of Fuuma, who just woke up.
I tell it that it’s breakfast, but it doesn’t look happy. It raises a hoof and points at the plate with the eggs and bacon.
What, you want to eat this too?
You can’t, horses are vegetarian. It’s bad for you.
What? You ate meat before too?
Those were soy beans made to be like meat. Think of it that way.
You’re not convinced?
I’ll give you some bread crust then.
Wai!? You’re kidding! Don’t use magic in this small room!
I talk it down and it stops casting magic.
I thought about this when I summoned it, but it really won’t budge when it comes to food. It’s a horse, but it eats everything, even if it’s taking my food.
What a glutton, I think as I look at it with scorn, and put a lot of bread crust in front of it.
Suddenly, a gust of wind throws me out the window.
◇ ◇ ◇
The morning started off badly, but filling my stomach reset my feelings a bit.
With breakfast done, I grab Fuuma again and get on the train. I’m going to the station closest to the dungeon like always, but a girl gets on the train along the way.
She’s part of the group that tried to paint me as a criminal.
Her eyes start wandering when she notices me, and she acts suspiciously.
I put Fuuma on the floor, and walk towards her with a grin.
She looks like she wants to run, but sadly, this is the last car.,
As I approach, the girl, Matsuri Azabu, looks scared, but no one’s paying attention. Everyone’s on their smartphones.
Her scared face turns to despair, and she presses her personal alarm without saying a word.
Hey hey hey hey!? What’s this girl doing!?
You’re bothering the other passengers!!
I quickly grab it and stop it, give it back to her, and go sit back down.
Matsuri looks at me with a confused expression, like she doesn’t really understand what’s going on. The other passengers were surprised by the alarm, but soon went back to what they were doing.
I also cross my arms and plump down on the seat.
I wanted to say some things about yesterday, but I don’t want to complain to a girl that’s that scared. I wanted to make them cry because I was so pissed off yesterday, but an adult like me has to stay cool and not bully them like that.
So calm down.
My leg isn’t tapping like crazy and my eyes aren’t wide open because I’m irritated or anything.
Ah, I hope everyone here stubs their toe and is in agony.
As I sulk, a girl stands in front of me.
It’s Matsuri.
What? Is she here to make excuses because she’s scared I’ll tell her dad?
“I’m sorry about yesterday!”
She apologizes and bows deeply. And her braids land a direct hit on my wide open eyes.
Aaah~!?
I press my eyes that are in agony, and hit the seat.
Is this punishment for wishing ill on others?
Should I not have gone to work so early?
Matsuri is flustered, saying she did it again.
Again? Do you usually attack people with your hair?
Who are you, Taopaipai?
My eyes water like I got hit with tear gas, and I stay crouched until we reach the next station. The people who get in at this station are very curious about the image of a little girl making a guy cry. They get their phones and point them this way, most likely taking pictures.
I feel so awkward that I have to get off at the next station.
And Matsuri does so as well.
Apparently she didn’t plan to leave here, she did it to apologize.
Apologize for which time, I ask, and she says both. Well, the hair attack was an accident, so whatever, but I ask about yesterday.
Apparently she made a dance team with friends from middle school, and they were filming to upload to a video website.
That performance in the shopping mall wasn’t their first time, and since they did it several times before, they thought it was okay.
They were about to leave after filming, when they were surrounded by security guards and panicked. And their leader lied in the spur of the moment.
I guess it can’t be helped if she panicked. Is what I would never think, as my blood pressure is rising a little.
I point out that they probably had their eye on them because they were filming before, and she looks surprised like it didn’t occur to her.
The store owners probably don’t want the interior of their stores being filmed either, and people watching might copy them.
Also, if there’s an incident or an accident, the store owners who allowed it might be liable, and might suffer from harmful rumors. That’s why they need the girls to stop.
I tell her to do it where they won’t bother others, but apparently they talked about that and decided to film in the dungeon.
I see… By the way, have you been listening?
Matsuri nods.
I guess she has, she just thinks the dungeon is a place where she won’t bother anyone.
I press my head and think.
Dancing in the dungeon won’t bother others?
Well, I guess not. You’re free to dance.
You’ll attract monsters, but that’s not a problem if you can defend yourself.
But can they?
…No way.
After reaching that conclusion, I tell Matsuri to hold on and sit on a bench at the station.
I start to calmly explain how dangerous the dungeon is. Monsters attack people, and even the pill bugs on the first floor can be a threat if they gather. Not to mention that seekers are even more dangerous. I tell her about the mortal dangers with my experiences.
I tell her to ask Master Azabu if she doesn’t get it, because her father’s my master.
Matsuri looks confused and asks if I know her father.
Don’t you remember me?
Well, we only talked once, and it wasn’t even a conversation. I tell her about how we went to the mall, and she starts to remember.
But whatever, I stop that idea of dancing in the dungeon, and get on the next train.
I get off on the station near the dungeon, have Fuuma pretend to be an ornament, and tell it to wait near a pillar.
Perpetual spring scarf
Keeps the temperature of the wearer and a diameter of fifty centimeters around it suitable for the wearer. Temperature can be regulated by using magic energy, and it can deploy a weak barrier. It is sturdy and can be used as defensive equipment.
Purchase price: Eight million yen
Rising dragon chakram
A chakram controllable with magic energy. Infusing it with magic energy increases its power. However, the appropriate magic energy is spent. Can be thrown, but its power is reduced.
*Hard to control, requires a long time training.
Purchase price: Five million yen
This is what I see after appraising them in the guild. The perpetual spring scarf seems pretty good. It maintains an environment suitable for the wearer no matter what, and that alone feels overpowered. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Isn’t that just the best?
The rising dragon chakrams on the other hand, don’t seem that good despite their name.
It’s nice that their power can be increased with magic, but I’d have to stop to do it. That loss of time is fatal in a fight.
I want to sell them, but I equip both the rising dragon chakrams and the perpetual spring scarf.
Fuuma, who was pretending to be an ornament, flips out when it sees me.
Is it mad about me leaving it on the train? Because I completely forgot about it? Regardless, it bites my arm and won’t let go.
Thanks for the smashed bones. With my arm and heart shattered, I tell it I’ll give it what it wants, and tearfully ask that it forgive me, and it finally lets go.
I figure one manga will make it happy, and that’s cheap, but the moment Fuuma hears the results of the appraisal, it takes away the items and equips them.
It puts a tip of the perpetual spring scarf in its mouth, and fluidly wraps it around itself before I can stop it.
Also, the rising dragon chakrams that supposedly need training are being levitated remotely by Fuuma as it extends its magic energy.
No no, give them back. I try to take them away, but it bares its teeth to threaten me.
It doesn’t look like I can appease it.
The materials I got from monsters in my end of the year and start of the year exploration got me a good amount of money, so it’s fine… No, it isn’t. The rising dragon chakrams are one thing, but I argue with Fuuma for it to return the perpetual spring scarf.
What fat guy would hand over a scarf that provides the ideal environment no matter what? Summer is hell.
Fat, fat…
I look at Fuuma again, and it’s fat too.
…I guess we can share it.
I propose it, and it silently nods.
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