Chapter 18

"About evil thoughts and the intentions of the System, and all that sort of thing. Putting those serious problems aside for now, I've been in a pretty good mood these past few days!

'500,000 yen per drop item, and there are six of them. The dungeon core, even though it's the smallest size, is worth 1.8 million yen...'

'Total, about 5 million!? In one day!?!'

'W-w-what!? Big Brother, I love you!'

'Kosei! You're the best son!'

'Cash! Well, it's actually cash!'

After clearing the dungeon and having tea with Mr. Goto, I asked the guild headquarters to report and cash in the drop items and the dungeon core. To my surprise, I got nearly 5 million yen in an immediate cash-out! I was speechless, and so was my family. Even the Hase family, who learned about my new skills and titles, were in an uproar.

Before things got complicated, I elegantly sidestepped the difficult adult talk, pocketed the money, and returned home gracefully. When I showed off my wealth, my family praised me enthusiastically, as mentioned above.

My father and little sister, Yuzuko, with their eyes wide open, discussing what to buy was quite heartwarming. I don't really have any specific plans for the money, so I think they should use it as they like.

However, my mother is serious, cool, and dry. She said, 'Tax declaration.'

When I looked it up, it was so complicated that my blood ran cold. According to the internet, if you suddenly get a large sum of money and spend it all, you'll face hell the next year. So, I consulted Mr. Goto about what to do. He offered to introduce me to a tax accountant, so I happily accepted. The fee? One date. Honestly, there's no downside for me. It's the best!

While we're on the topic of the best, things at school have been good, too. A few days after the entrance ceremony, it became a regular weekday, and my high school life officially began. To my surprise, I was approached casually by a group of girls!

'Hey, hey. Yamagata-kun, do you want to go karaoke with us after school?'

'Huh? Oh, sure. I'd like to.'

'Okay, it's settled! There are quite a few guys, so you can make more friends!'

'Yamagata, you know, you seem mature and stand out a bit.'

'You got that right!'

'Haha, really?'

Honestly, I've become a bit of a target for teasing, but it's fun, so it's all good!

It seems that the girls started to see me as a safe bet after I was seen walking with Mr. Goto. You know, the type of guy who has a girlfriend and is considered safe.

Mr. Goto isn't even my girlfriend or even a senior; we have a rather mad relationship, more like a cult leader (denial ongoing) and a fanatical follower (unaware?). But teenage girls love love stories, and their imaginations ran wild. As a result, we're apparently on the verge of becoming a couple. I denied it, but it didn't have much effect, and I ended up being seen as a harmless, safe guy.

Is this my青春 (youth)? It's a bit of a mixed feeling.

On the other hand, I've ended up keeping a bit of a distance from the guys in my class. It's because of Sekiguchi-kun. He seems to be spreading rumors about me, and before I knew it, I was labeled as the guy who stole his girlfriend.

Of course, his girlfriend is Mr. Goto. When I checked on social media, the denial came back instantly, so I thought it was just another one of Sekiguchi-kun's delusions. However, he's a handsome, popular explorer and a social butterfly. He's becoming an influencer not just in our class but in the entire grade, so I quickly became known as the 'suspected girlfriend stealer and low-level explorer.'

High school students aren't that gullible, but the rumor that 'there's no smoke without fire' is still prevalent. So, I'm being watched from a distance. Fortunately, a group of guys who aren't close to Sekiguchi-kun have been nice to me, so it hasn't escalated to bullying.

Sekiguchi-kun, due to his personality, apparently has quite a few enemies, especially among those who went to the same middle school as him.

I'm earning enough to be filial to my parents, and school life, while there are some stormy signs, is manageable for now. In terms of my personal life, there are no particular issues.

The problem is with my work.

Name: Yamagata Kosei, Level 15

Title: Work-Life Balancer

Skills:

- Name: Walking Through a Desert Where Not Even the Wind Blows

- Name: O Souls Seeking Salvation, the Wind Comes with Light

'Again, my title has changed...'

With a deadpan look, I stared at my status screen, which had just changed from 'Savior of Souls.'

At the time of posting this story, it's ranked 4th in the Low Fantasy Daily Rankings. Thank you very much. I appreciate your continued bookmarking and ratings."