As I spend some quiet time with Aira, I try looking for presences around us, and notice the others are in the tent. It’s almost lunch time, so we leave the house to head to the tent, and notice an intense light.
“Ah! That’s right, it’s been two days since we planted them.”
“I also forgot because I was too focused on your training.”
Even Aira forgot. But they’re behind the house, somewhere we don’t usually go to, so it makes sense to forget.
“…Oh? But it is strange. Last time, the regular ones took 24 hours, and the large ones 48 hours to mature, correct?”
“…Oh? You’re right. Is it because we’re in a dungeon?”
“That is possible. In that case, there might be an effect on what is harvested.”
“Let’s check it out right away. Aira, do you have sunglasses for Kasumi and the others?”
“Yes. I brought them because of treasure chests, but I am glad they will be used.”
“Then call them and explain it. We’ll need Enki and the others to harvest too.”
“Very well.”
I’m trying to start the harvest, but… It’s too bright, I can’t see anything.
“…This is terrible.”
We planted 270 golden seeds. I reach out like a zombie, and after groping around, a ripe fruit appears before me. I can see the one close to me because of the sunglasses, but I still can’t see the rest. How many fruits are shining anyway?
What’s scary is that there isn’t a maximum of three fruits per seed, there are four. Simple math means 270×4=1080. It would be hell if I had to collect them all.
‘Gogo!’
‘Popo!’
‘Pururun!’
‘~~♪’
But now I have helpers.
Let’s do it!
Despite having more helpers, there are too many. And I can’t see them.
Still, it’s lucky it only takes half an hour. And what changed wasn’t just the number of fruits, but also the items that come out of them.
Last time, it was stat boosting items that were +2 or +3. But these are all +5.
Physical Strength +5: 178
Dexterity +5: 178
Constitution +5: 181
Agility +5: 182
Magic Energy +5: 178
Intelligence +5: 183
“Ahh…”
“Good work, master.”
“But I didn’t expect this result. Maybe being in the dungeon dulls their growth, increases the results, or makes nice things come out.”
“That is possible. But there really are a lot.”
“1080 growth items…”
“What are you gonna do with this, Shouta?”
“Last time, Aira and I took them, so will you two take them this time?”
Even we don’t know what to do when faced with this many. Kasumi and the others are seeing it for the first time, and are frozen.
“B-big brother, are all of these real?”
“Hn? Yes, they are.”
“What would happen if they were all used?”
“A boost of about 900 to all stats.”
“Fue…”
“…This is amazing! If someone specialized in Luck used them, wouldn’t their stats become proper?”
The other girls are startled by what Izumi says.
“Ah, putting all SP into Luck? Yes, that has a negative effect on growth compensation.”
If a normal adventurer without gacha specializes in Luck, the other stats stop growing, so although they have to deliver the final blow, they won’t have the power to do so. To avoid that, they’d have to do something drastic like hold off on using SP for dozens of levels, and then pour it all into Luck. Izumi is the perfect example of that.
“You definitely need Luck to get skills and good items. It hasn’t gotten that much attention, but I wonder if this will serve to save people who specialized in Luck and never came back from that.”
“I suppose so. But spreading this information recklessly might forcibly change the direction of this dungeon, so we need to be careful.”
“Yes. Let’s keep it to ourselves for now. And let my mother-in-law and the others handle it.”
I say, and they all nod.
This is too much for us to handle.
“So about distributing them… There are still the large golden fruits.”
Those are going to increase in number and have something different in them, right?
If we assume it takes twice as long for them to mature, they should be ready the morning of the day after tomorrow.
“Let’s hold off on it for now.”
That concludes the event behind the camp.
We then have lunch. The impact from before means Kasumi and the others are still in a daze, and not talking much. I should come up with a topic… Ah, I know. I’ll say what I thought while spending some quiet time with Aira.
“I know this is sudden, but how about I go on a date with each one of you individually once this dungeon is done?”
‘!!?’
Everyone seems happy. And two of them smile awkwardly.
What?
“Older brother, that is called a flag.☆”
“A death flag. Well, I don’t think that’s gonna count for you, Shouta.”
“You know those ‘once the fighting is over’ ones? Don’t they say it loses its effect once you acknowledge it’s a flag? Well, let’s just keep being careful. Don’t look so worried, Maki.”
“…Yes, of course. We will protect you!”
“Yes, I’m counting on you.”
I hold Maki, who is sitting next me, we smile at each other, and Renka raises her hand.
“Hey hey, bro, can my date be with Irina?”
“Hn? Sure.”
“Yay!”
“That’s nice. We connected, but I still feel awkward alone with him.”
“Right.”
That’s right, Renka and Irina had a relationship even before they met me. They confessed when we were doing it yesterday, but people are free to love who they want. It actually just made me feel uneasy about being included, but apparently their idea of me changed when I beat the Wenkamui and my aura became stronger.
That said, they’re still ‘friendly’, and that relationship will continue, but apparently I’ve been added as an exceptional exception.
I heard I had an aura even below level 100, but should I lament that at level 362 it can influence people, or be surprised that it takes until then to have an effect?
“What about you, Aki and Maki? Are you coming alone?”
“Yes, that’s right. Up until now it would have been good together, but…”
“Yes. Separate is okay.”
“Got it. You too, Ayane and Aira?”
“Y-yes!”
“Leave the scheduling to me.”
…It looks like everyone is on board, I’m glad I proposed it. They’ve been following my convenience a lot so far. It’s time to pay them back a little.
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