I wake up early, and start cooking with the ingredients I bought yesterday. I’m planning to stay in the dungeon for three days, so I need to have enough with me.
I can’t imagine I’ll be taking it easy having three meals a day, but I want to at the very least have quiet dinners. That’s why I want to get Honto monster repellent too.
I feel like Honto has a good reputation in the seeker world, and a lot of fans. It’s a community based business, so it uses the strengths of the dungeon to its advantage. There are other businesses like it, but judging by their item division, they seem to be a cut above.
There are more seekers nowadays, so their business is going to keep growing. It’s a really good business, because it’s not going bankrupt as long as the dungeon is here.
Their homepage says they employ a lot of people too.
We’re living in good economic times, I think as I turn off my smartphone’s screen and put the food I just made in the Storage Space.
◇ ◇ ◇
I arrive at the dungeon, take my magic mirror armor from my Storage Space, and put it on.
I’d rather wear it from home, but it would attract attention. And I’ve learned my lesson, I don’t want to cause unnecessary trouble with people who notice it’s valuable.
Then I grab my battleaxe and I’m ready to go.
I bought potions and monster repellent yesterday, so that combined with what I already had means I won’t run out.
I make use of the portal, and jump to the twentieth floor.
◇ ◇ ◇
The twenty-fourth floor.
I use my battleaxe and match the movements of a silent condor attacking me from above, cutting one of its wings. It can’t control its trajectory anymore, so he crashes into the ground and feathers fly everywhere.
A club is swung from behind me, but I manifest a shield by infusing my gauntlet with magic energy and swing it behind my head, blocking the attack from the orc. I swing my battleaxe with a half turn, and stab it into its head.
The orc falls, and doesn’t get back up.
A ball of fire hits me and covers me in flames, but that goes away in a second too.
I shoot an earth bullet at the imp that hit me with the fire ball, canceling its next shot. Then I shoot another, and then another, and the frail imp is torn apart.
I wanted to test the magic mirror armor’s resistance to magic attacks, but an imp’s magic is nothing.
I want to test it against stronger magic, but there aren’t any other field monsters here that use magic, so the armor can’t display its full potential yet.
With the battle over, I take a deep breath.
I intend to spend the night by the river on the twenty-third floor. I’m exploring the next one, but I don’t have the time to really get into it, so I’ll do it tomorrow.
I’m calling it for today, so I’m going back to the river.
I was attacked by a lot of monsters the last time I was there, so today I’m going a bit far away from that spot.
I take out and set the tent, and then get naked and dive into the river to wash away the sweat and dust. It feels nice and cool, and cleaner than the cleanest water on the surface.
Thinking about dirtying such a beautiful river makes me feel a little guilty.
…I wonder if anyone drinks this water.
And perhaps as punishment for these weird ideas, when I get out of the river, I see green slimes swarming the tent.
And they’ve digested half of it, to the point where it’s not usable anymore.
“…Limit Break.”
I take the greatsword of fortitude out of my Storage Space, and fall on them fully naked.
◇ ◇ ◇
…Kuh, my tent…
What did I do? All I did was stain the river with my dirt!
Dammit it all! Is the riverside a cursed spot!? Can I not camp here!?
This unreasonable dungeon makes me want to cry.
I sit and face down to not show my tears, and gasp when I see something rough.
I’m about to get clothes out of my Storage Space to get dressed, when I notice my stuff is all over the place.
I wanted to take out clothes, and everything came out.
My clothes, my food, many monster materials I haven’t sold… A giant spider, orcs with their blood drained, weapons held by kobolds and skeletons, wings of imps and silent condor, all jumbled together. And important items, along with things I bought while drunk like ice cream and candy. I’m now noticing that I haven’t been sorting this stuff at all.
I start putting it all back in the Storage Space while eating the ice cream.
I really need to separate this stuff, or the same thing is going to happen again when I want to take something out. And declutter too.
Everything goes in, except some clothes and food, and then I notice a presence approaching me.
I grab my tyrant battleaxe thinking it might be another monster, but then I see seekers from the gaps between the trees.
I’m nervous. The seeker party is looking at me with weapons at hand, ready to fight at any moment.
We look at each other, and both lower our weapons upon realizing we’re not hostile.
Then the person I assume is their leader approaches with a friendly hand gesture, and I do the same to show I’m not an enemy.
Hello, are you here to camp?
I was going to camp here, but my tent got destroyed… Yes, by monsters.
A loud noise?
No, I don’t know about that. I’ve been here, but I didn’t hear anything.
I didn’t see anyone else either, so are you sure you have the right place?
Hm? I should hide that fine thing?
What?
Ah!!
Sorry, I should put my weapon away.
No? Clothes?
…Excuse me.
I rush to put on some underwear, and then the defensive equipment and the magic mirror armor and divine bird boots.
I can’t believe I was standing here naked and didn’t feel like anything was wrong. No wonder the two girls in that party were looking away.
If this happened on the surface I’d be arrested.
With that done, I turn to that party again, and one of the girls raises her voice with surprise while pointing at me.
I look at her wondering what’s up with her, and realize it’s that beautiful woman from yesterday.
Hey, we meet again. How have you been? I ask, but she looks grossed out and asks ‘why are you…’.
All I did was say hello. And she reacts even more badly when I take a step closer.
Her partners ask if we know each other, and she says no.
That’s awful, I think as I step in front of her and her face twitches.
I’m the pearls before swine guy, remember? You tried to buy my armor for thirty thousand yen.
What’s wrong? Was that supposed to be a secret?
Everyone stares daggers at her once they hear that number. Looks like I opened a can of worms.
They all start talking, saying things like again, and that she hasn’t learned, and she gets teary-eyed.
Sounds like she bought equipment with the party’s money without consulting the others before. She’s not even the leader or in charge of their money, but she jumps in to buy something when she sees something she likes.
I listen without much interest, and she looks at me with a hostile expression.
“Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut!?”
That’s not fair. And it looks like the others think so too, but they scold her even harder.
I turn around, thinking I don’t have to hang around them anymore, but then my stomach growls, signaling it’s time to eat.
I need to get dinner ready, so I take out a pot, start a fire, and the smell of beef stew fills the air.
I also get a frying pan to prepare a steak. It cost quite a bit, so I’m sure it’s good.
And with the bread and salad ready, it’s all done.
That party also starts preparing their food, like the smell of the stew and steak reminded them to eat.
Their dinner is boil-in-the-bag food, along with soup and a side dish.
It’s not like it’s bad, but I can feel them peeking over here.
I let out a big sigh, turn to them, and start eating like I’m showing off.
It’s good, so good!!
Ah, excuse me, this meat is just so juicy.
Hmmmm this stew is like a drink.
Hn? What’s with those faces?
I was trying to show off, but they’re creeped out for some reason.
They were quietly eating, but the looks on their faces changed.
I get it. They want my food. It makes sense because the steak and stew used such high quality ingredients.
Geez, I’ll share if you ask, but use your words instead of asking with your eyes like kids.
I should leave them, but I’m a big man, so I take what’s left of the stew and steak to them.
Here, it’s too much for me, so eat up.
…You don’t want any?
No, come on, don’t be modest.
Still no…
It’s okay, I didn’t poison it or anything. It’s really good.
No, because of the dirty way you eat?
Don’t mind that, I’m sure you’re very graceful… Probably.
That’s not it?
Eh? The way I eat…?
“…Ah, I’ll have it.”
The one who looks like their leader suddenly raises his hand and says he’ll eat.
I give him the stew and steak, and he looks at it like he’s readying himself for some reason.
The words it’s good escape from his mouth.
Yes, yes. It’s the result of a guy living alone and cooking for himself. Then again, the ingredients were good to begin with, and that freshly cooked meat would be good anyway.
Actually, my cooking skills played no part.
After seeing the leader’s reaction, the others are served too.
The stew pot is empty, and the steak is gone.
Looks like they like it.
As they eat, they talk to me. The beautiful lady is still hostile to me, but the others are nice. It’s true that people get closer when they eat together.
This party was formed three years ago. Their leader is Kaname Toufu and the others are his friends and two of their siblings.
Their leader, Kaname Toufu, is a magic knight.
Takeshi Asano is a tough warrior who uses a tower shield.
Hajime Shirabe is a scout who prioritizes speed with light equipment.
Naito Asano is a slender swordsman who uses a longsword.
Ruri Nijou is a powerful mage who commands two elements.
Chisato Shirabe is a magic gunslinger who fires magic energy bullets.
In total, there were six party members.
I’m guessing the ones with the same last name are the siblings, and I’m told both older brothers invited their younger siblings.
By the way, the one who called my armor pearls before swine is Chisato Shirabe.
I say I’m Tanaka, and we keep talking.
The first thing they ask is if I strayed from the other members of my party and got lost.
No, I’m here alone.
I’m twenty-four. Yes, lately I’ve been told I look younger.
I couldn’t even enter one of those places the last time I was there.
What places? I can’t just say that…
Eh? You’re twenty-three?
So you’re younger, I see.
No, keep talking like that.
Ah, I’m okay. I just get nervous around multiple people I don’t know. Don’t mind me.
So four of them are twenty-three, and Naito and Chisato are twenty.
Then we keep talking and getting more friendly.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever talked so much with people I’m meeting for the first time. We might be compatible.
I have coffee while watching green slime jump into the river.
Monsters don’t tend to attack at night on this floor, but those expectations were betrayed last time, so we’re taking turns keeping watch.
I look up, and see many shines like they’re stars.
Is there a space in the dungeon? Is there some other light in its place? Will some curious person look into that? I kind of want to know too.
As I think that, Naito comes to take over, and I go to sleep.
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Yup this guy is on the spectrum
Thanks for the treat.