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 36: The Secret Base of the Four ①

Chapter 2: The Secret Base of the Four

Episode 36: The Secret Base of the Four ①

“A-a child…?”

“Yes… If you don’t hate me…”

The beautiful woman with black hair touched her lips with her index finger. She was looking up at me.

“Eh, eh…?”

“How about it…? I want to be with you, Koichi-san… Is it really no good…?”

My head can’t keep up.

Who is this person? What on earth is she talking about? Is she some new kind of scammer?

Ignoring my confusion, the woman stared at me.

Her eyes were large, like they could suck me in. They were directed straight into mine.

Unable to bear it, I looked away. And my gaze was met with her large chest, like two rubber balls.

Honestly, I didn’t know where to look.

As I hesitated, the black-haired beauty’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I knew it… Someone like me isn’t good enough… My personality is gloomy, and I don’t have the kind of value that someone would cherish… Koichi-san thinks so too, right…”

She began to cry.

“Ah, no, um…”

“I’m sorry, for someone like me to get close to you… I’ll go home… Thanks to you, Koichi-san, I’ve confirmed again that someone like me has no charm… From now on, I’ll live alone so as not to trouble anyone…”

While crying, she gave a weak smile.

“Uh, um…”

“Starting tomorrow, I have to try my best to live on my own again… I wonder if I can do it… No, I have to… Because it’s my fault for having no charm…”

Unable to bear it, I ended up speaking.

“That… it’s not true that you have no charm…”

“Really!?”

She leaned in, almost interrupting. And she wrapped both hands around my right hand.

Then, at a distance so close I could feel her breath, she looked into my eyes.

“Koichi-san, do you think… that I’m at least a little bit cute…?”

“A-ah…”

…This is bad.

I’m starting to get drawn in by this person.

“Then, please… as a form of kindness, hug me tightly… Just words aren’t enough for me to believe it… And then… please come inside the house…”

“I-inside the house?”

“Sign this document…”

“Aaah! Kou-chan, who is that woman!?”

“Otama-chan!?”

At that moment, Otama-chan got out of the Explorer Association’s car.

“…Tch.”

Huh…? Did that beautiful woman just click her tongue…?

“We were about to go to the Association, and you’re doing this at the front door… Wait, huh?”

Otama-chan stared at the black-haired beauty.

The beauty turned her face away from Otama-chan.

Otama-chan peeked at her face from the side.

“No way………”

“No way?”

Otama-chan’s face lit up brightly.

“Manamin! It’s Manamin, right!!”

She grabbed the black-haired beauty’s hands.

“Wow, it’s been so long!!”

“Manamin? You mean *that* Manamin!?”

I still couldn’t process it.

She was one of the members who used to play with us in the secret base.

Shy, not good at talking much. But she occasionally blurted out sharp, biting remarks.

Loved the anime Prettya, and always carried merchandise around.

That’s how Miyano Manami—Manamin—was.

But her forwardness now was completely different from back then…

“Uh, um, who are you…? You’re kind of scary…”

“Ahaha, don’t try to play it off. Even with full makeup, I can tell it’s you~”

“…Tch, fine then.”

Then, the black-haired beauty messed up her hair.

“If I’ve been found out, then there’s no helping it… Long time no see, Kou-chin, Tamatama.”

She gave a mischievous grin, like she was up to something.

“Manamiiiin!”

Otama-chan hugged Manamin.

“U-ugh, stop… My chest pads will shift…”

“It’s been so long! Have you been well!? You’ve become so beautiful! What do you want with Kou-chan!?”

“H-hey, get off me. You’ll crease the important paper.”

“Important paper? What’s this?”

“Don’t look without permission. Tamatama will fill it out later too, but you still have something to do first.”

“Something to do first?”

“Yeah. First, marry Kou-chin.”

“Ha, huh!?”

“Next, make a baby.”

“H-huhhh!?”

“I’ll teach you how.”

“H-huhhhhhh!? Manamin, what are you saying from this early in the morning…?”

“Adoption form? What is this document?”

I peeked at the form Manamin had been hiding.

Except for the signature part, most of it was already filled out.

“Tch… No helping it if you saw it.”

“Manamin, are you adopting someone?”

“Of course not. Use your common sense.”

“E-eh?”

I can’t keep up.

Common sense? Of what?

“Kou-chin and Tamatama, you two are going to be the parents.”

“W-we are?”

“Of who…?”

“I’ve been saying it from the start.”

Then, Manamin wriggled a little and looked up at me with a flirtatious gaze.

“…Please make me your child. Pa-pa.”

“Uwah…”

Even though I was on guard, she stole my attention in an instant.

What is this destructive power…?

“Huhhhh!? But we’re classmates, right? What are you talking about!? Also, what’s with that way of speaking!?”

Without Otama-chan’s calm retort, this could’ve been dangerous.

Manamin laughed like her prank had been exposed.

“It’s an act. I was imitating a fake cutesy girl. It’s a strong skill that works well on good-natured guys. I picked it up working as a fake profile on dating sites. Though maybe this kind works better on Tamatama.”

Suddenly, Manamin’s face turned serious.

“—According to Civil Code Article 793: ‘A lineal ascendant or elder may not be adopted.’ In reverse, that means since I was born in February, the following year, Omoigawa-san born in May and Natsume-san born in August are obligated to adopt me. Do you understand so far?”

“Y-yes! I see…”

“As a respectable working adult, Omoigawa-san should understand. Now, please sign this document…”

“Yes!”

“…Wait a second.”

“Tch…”

Otama-chan snatched the pen away.

“Huh…! What was I just…?”

“Looks like you got confused by the complicated words… Also, why is Manamin so multi-talented? Is it because of your friends’ influence?”

“…Hey, you just said something you shouldn’t have.”

Manamin spoke bitterly.

“You think I’ve got any friends besides you guys? These skills are just camouflage to blend in with the world’s dumb girls and scummy guys. It’s mimicry. Mimicry.”

“Manamin, you’re so funny though. You don’t have friends? I really like you.”

“Tamatama… You’re still the only one who can be my mama.”

“I-I’m not becoming your parent!”

“Well, I’ll ask again sometime. It was fun being able to be myself again after so long. Oh yeah, I watched your last stream. Glad you got back safely. Made it worth commenting.”

“You were watching too, huh?”

“Yeah. Kou-chin, you better accept an offer for a few million yen a year soon. When money overflows from your wallet, I’ll be right there.”

“…You sound like a creepy monster.”

At that moment, Otama-chan clapped her hands.

“Ah! Right, I forgot to say! For today’s interview investigation of the Ōta Dungeon, a national Investigator wants to join too!”

“The country?”

The situation got even bigger.

“Even the government’s interested, huh…”

It’s a lot of pressure.

“So, guess who the Investigator is?”

“How should I know…..”

I don’t know anyone from the government.

“That person is…”

Otama-chan raised her index finger proudly.

Just then, an orange SUV slowly rolled in front of my house.

It had a roof carrier designed for explorers.

“…Huh?”

The person in the driver’s seat was—

“Huh… Why is everyone here…?”

“Shi-chan!”

It was our childhood friend, Sasarabashi Shiho.