Ordinary Person × Modern Dungeon × Summer Vacation Life = Rise to Success!? 〜A Private Dungeon Was Made at the Remains of a Secret Base From Childhood〜 - Episode 35: Return Home, and Then a Visitor

Episode 35: Return Home, and Then a Visitor

(Note: Special for this chapter, chats from the livestream are written in this bracket:《……》)

“Well then, we’ll end the stream here. Thank you very much for all the support.”

《Good work!》

《Good work》

《Stream again, okay!》

《Bye bye!》

《See you again!》

《Good job〜》

《Tama-chan, make some progress before next time too》

Otama-chan turned off the drone, folded it up, and put it in her pouch.

“Alright, let’s go home, Kou-chan.”

“Yeah.”

We climbed the stairs at the entrance of the Ōta Dungeon. We headed toward the surface.

Yamada-san and the others were also on their way to the exit. They said they’d be back on the first floor in about 15 minutes.

“Once the stream ended, I suddenly felt really tired…”

I guess I was more conscious of being watched by people than I expected.

Maybe because I let my guard down and ran out of MP, my head is spinning.

“I’m tired too. But, hey…”

Otama-chan smiled happily.

“Doesn’t it feel like the kind of tired you get after a field trip?”

“You’re so carefree…”

“Ehh, but you get what I mean, right?”

“………Yeah, I do.”

I get what she’s trying to say.

Looking back on today, a lot of things happened.

There were painful and tough moments. But even more than that, we gained lots of memories and experiences.

Surely, I’ll never forget what happened today.

“I’ll never forget today. When Kou-chan came to save me, and when we defeated the Dragon together.”

“…What a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing.”

“Really?”

“—Yeah.”

…Happy memories from when I was little.

The day I caught a cicada for the first time, or the day I played in the river.

Just like those, “the day I defeated a Dragon with Otama-chan” has been etched into my heart.

As one of those shining, jewel-like beautiful memories.

And then, I finally realize—

“You can still make memories even after becoming an adult…”

Those gray days when I was denying myself.

The contradiction of days that feel endlessly long, but years that fly by in a blink.

I used to think that was just what being an adult meant.

But it wasn’t like that at all.

There are still fun things waiting for us.

Otama-chan smiled and said,

“Let’s make more memories together next time too.”

She held out her left hand with her pinky finger raised.

I…

“—Yeah, it’s a promise.”

We pinky-promised, then left the Ōta Dungeon together.

☆★☆

While resting in the waiting area of the Gunma Prefecture Explorer Association – Ōta Dungeon Branch, footsteps could be heard from the entrance.

*Clack clack clack clack…*

“Ah, Yamada-san!”

It was Yamada-san from the Association, along with Jōnuma-san and Tatara-san.

“Good work out there—!”

Otama-chan stood up and cheerfully waved big.

“Omoigawa-san…”

Then, Yamada-san rushed up to Otama-chan,

“Omoigawa-san…!!”

—And hugged her tightly.

“Wh-what’s wrong, Yamada-san…? T-this is kind of embarrassing…”

Yamada-san buried her face into Otama-chan’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry… It’s my carelessness that put you through something like that…”

“Huh? Huh? It wasn’t your fault, Yamada-san. If anything, I was the careless one, right?”

“No, I should have noticed that trap… I even have a skill for that…”

“Wait, Yamada-san, are you crying?”

“Yes… Because you’re my precious partner…”

“Yamada-san…”

“I was so worried… and I kept blaming myself… If only I had been there during the Green Dragon fight too…”

“Uuuh… hearing that makes me wanna cry too… uuuh… I’m sorry for always causing trouble for you, Yamada-san… ueeehh…”

“It’s okay, Omoigawa-san… You’ll get stronger little by little…”

Unable to say anything, I just stood silently by the sofa.

Then, the two members of the Gunma Prefecture Explorer Association came up to me.

“Natsume-kun, thanks for your help this time.”

“Thank you for saving Tamaki-san.”

“No, I just did what I wanted to do.”

“That’s admirable… Natsume-kun, even just your movement skills are amazing. But your combat ability is also high. We’d love for you to join the Gunma Association, but…”

“Heh, Tamaki-san would come storming in. Saying, ‘Don’t take my Kou-chan!’”

“Yeah, she would…”

Jōnuma-san scratched the back of his head.

“Well, if the opportunity arises, lend us a hand with our work too. You’re always welcome.”

“Please continue to get along with Tamaki-san.”

“…Got it.”

“Now, go home with Omoigawa-chan before the press gets here. How did you get here, Natsume-kun? Oh right, weren’t the gates to the dungeon area closed?”

“…Yes. We set it so that with Natsume-san’s license classification, the entrance gate wouldn’t open…”

“Then… did you fly in from outside the dungeon? But the dungeon is like another world… If that’s possible, it’s not just spatial teleportation. It’s dimensional teleportation…! That’d be a world-first skill…!!”

“If we check the access logs for both gates, we’ll know the truth…”

“U-uhm…”

So it’s that easy to get found out…

Veteran explorers’ intuition is terrifying…

I thought this was the beginning of my new life. But maybe I’m about to start another series of hectic days…

While I was thinking that—

“Natsume-san, please don’t make that face.”

“Yeah. The press will show up soon, but we’ll handle the story for them.”

“Th-thank you.”

“…But, we also have our duty as dungeon administrators. We must report things accurately to the prefectural office and the national government. Please understand. Of course, we’ll make sure the information is handled carefully.”

“…Understood.”

That much can’t be helped.

Otherwise, the Gunma Explorer Association would get in trouble.

“Okay, now that we know the situation, go home before the media gets here. The station’s close, and taxis come quick. You helped us a lot, so I’ll cover the fare.”

“Thank you.”

Now that I think about it, I didn’t even bring my wallet.

Gratefully accepting Jōnuma-san’s kindness, I decided to head home with Otama-chan.

☆★☆

“I’m home—”

When I got home, my mom was on the landline. She was talking to someone.

“I’m exhausted…”

As I walked past her to lie down in my room, I overheard the conversation.

“Yes… yes. It was a burglary. Uh-huh, the bankbook is safe, but everything in the fridge and all the food is gone… Please, just send a police car quickly, never mind the details!”

“WAH—!! We don’t need that!!”

…And so, this day ended as noisy as ever.

☆★☆

—The next day.

*Ding dong*

“Coming—”

The doorbell rang, and I headed to the entrance.

It’s probably Otama-chan.

Today, we’re supposed to report the full story of what happened in the Ōta Dungeon to the Explorer Association.

Otama-chan said she’d pick me up by car when it was time.

“I’m opening it now—”

*Click…*

When I opened the door—

“G-good morning!! Koichi-san!!”

“…Huh?”

—Standing there was a beautiful girl I didn’t know. She was dressed in a black dress-like outfit.

She had long, silky black hair. And she had big, wide double-lidded eyes.

Ignoring my confusion, she looked up at me and asked—

“Um… would you like a cute child?”