I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 68

Episode 68

(Note: Special for this chapter, dialogues from the internet and TV are in 『….』.)

I received another message from Kirishima-san: 

『In addition to this, it may also constitute a violation of the safety standards under the Explorer Act or coercion in labor environments. Minor explorers are in a position of protection beyond that of general workers. And if guardians act in a way that undermines this, they are subject to severe penalties. ……The strictness of these rules is largely due to the number of cases where people exploit minors for profit.』 

…Indeed. Upon looking into it, forcing minors with special abilities to work seems alarmingly close to child abuse. 

…Rin’s parents are completely in the wrong here. 

If what’s written applies, then everything Rin’s parents have been doing is outright illegal. 

The tricky part is the involvement of her S-Rank Explorer status. 

『However, in Kanzaki-san’s case, being an S-Rank Explorer may make it unlikely for forced labor to be considered a violation of the law. Current legislation is primarily aimed at protecting explorers in weaker positions, which could complicate things.』 

Seriously, there’s nothing good about being S-rank. 

For someone like Rin, with such high capabilities, the court might judge that she wasn’t coerced and could have resisted if she wanted to. At the very least, if it came to a trial, the opposing lawyers would definitely seize on that argument. 

In reality, if Rin were to take things seriously… she could easily take down an ordinary person like it was nothing. 

『To ensure a resolution to Kanzaki-san’s issue, gathering evidence would be the most effective. If you can prove her parents were extorting money and show how they were using it, it will likely work in your favor. It’s important to collect testimony, transaction records, Rin-san’s health condition—anything and everything relevant.』 

Kirishima-san’s message concluded with that suggestion. 

I thanked her for going out of her way to send me such detailed advice, even while at work. 

With that, I thought I had gotten the information I wanted. But then she added: 

『By the way, while this request was officially made by the Explorer Association, it seems the Public Relations Bureau is the main driving force behind it.』 

“The Public Relations Bureau…” 

The name rang a bell. It was Kana Aizawa who previously contacted me, urging me to return to my S-rank position. 

……..…Recalling her attitude back then, as well as the unreasonable requests made to Rin, only fueled my irritation. 

I’d have to take action against the Association, but Rin’s parents’ situation would depend entirely on her will. 

I should prioritize resolving her family issue first. 

It would be a nuisance to act without first finding out what Rin herself wanted. 

Looking at Rin, engrossed in her game, I slowly began to speak. 

“Rin, can we talk for a minute?” 

“Huh? What is it?” 

She paused her game and turned her gaze toward me. 

With just the two of us in the room, and the absence of the game’s background noise, silence fell heavily between us. 

…Now, how should I approach this? 

Since I have a poor opinion of her family, I had to resist the urge to let that frustration color my words. Taking a deep breath, I carefully began to speak. 

“From now on, what do you want to do about your parents?” 

Rin flinched slightly and raised her shoulders. For a while, she remained silent. 

Her hands gripped the hem of her hoodie tightly. Her hesitation was written all over her posture. 

“…That’s…” 

Her gaze fell to the table as she muttered faintly. 

“…Is it okay if I decide to stop sending them money?” 

The question seemed more like she was seeking reassurance from herself rather than from me. 

The silence stretched between us. Even so, Rin’s trembling fingers continued clutching the edge of her clothing. 

“I… I kept thinking that maybe someday, I could live with my parents like we used to…” 

I took a deep breath and carefully chose my words. I tried to sound as gentle as possible. 

“……..I think you shouldn’t send them money. No, actually, I think you mustn’t. If you really want to live with them again as a family… you need to sever the financial ties first.” 

“…But, if they don’t have money… if I stop sending it to them, those people… they might struggle…” 

Rin’s voice trembled. It was faint and fragile. 

………For Rin, that must feel like the natural order of things. 

Even if she knows her actions are wrong, she clings to a lie to justify it, to convince herself. 

I glanced at her hands. 

Her delicate fingers were gripping the edge of her clothing so tightly it seemed as though the fabric might tear. 

“I… I don’t want to see you break because of this, Rin.” 

“Break…? But, I’m not… I’m still…” 

“…During that last dungeon raid, you were on the verge of breaking… No, you had already hit your limit, hadn’t you?” 

“………” 

Back then, she was clearly at her breaking point. 

Physically and mentally, she had been pushed to the brink. 

What if I hadn’t gone to that dungeon? What if Yuna hadn’t spoken to me about it? 

If even one thing had gone wrong or been delayed….… the outcome could have been catastrophic. 

Images of the worst-case scenarios flashed through my mind. 

“Parents… their job is to protect their kids, right? Relying on the money you’ve worked for… it’s not right.” 

“…But if I abandon them… if they end up suffering because of me—” 

“That’s not because of you. If they’re struggling, it’s because of the choices they made themselves. You don’t have to bear that burden.” 

…There’s no reason Rin should feel so responsible for all of this.