CH 64

Special Training

We’re greeting the second morning since we’ve come to the Lamentations of the Dead Level.

It’s gloomy as usual, but after experiencing that night, even this degree of light gives a sense of relief.

Leader Keryoil seems to have used the transfer circle to move to other levels. He had said that he was bringing the other participating members to this level. And also to search for whether or not there’s any person that seems capable of carrying me.

We won’t hope for someone like Ramis, but it would be fine if they had the power to transport me riding on a cart.

“Hakkon-sama… did you enjoy yourself last night?”

While I was pondering what we should do from now on, the Innkeeper sidled up next to me … since when were you here? I completely, absolutely didn’t realize one bit.

Even though she’s smack dab in my field of vision, she has no presence. It’s like, if you said this person was a ghost, I’d believe it.

“In this place… when it becomes night… monsters appear even within the community, so … other than those who have confidence in their abilities… you are prohibited from going outside, see…”

The mystery from yesterday has been solved, but I wish you would have told me before.

“The monsters in this place… envy the living … so they are harmless to Hakkon-sama … so I thought they wouldn’t attack you…”

So that’s why they didn’t come over to me at all and just peeked into the buildings?

“Rather than me… Hakkon-sama is … closer to them … no… do excuse me…”

I’d like you to stop saying meaningful things while leaving, though. Saying that stuff with that appearance will make me want to believe you unconditionally.

But man, what exactly did she want to say? That I’m something more like a ghost-type than a human, I guess. If that’s so, she’s not wrong. I’m something like a soul possessing a vending machine.

But I don’t know how to feel about being called more ghost-like than the Innkeeper.

“Hakkon, sorry. About yesterday.”

The one who appeared, passing by the Innkeeper, was Ramis, in low spirits.

With a downcast face she stood next to me and leaned her back onto me. Her body doesn’t seem to be trembling, but I can’t say she’s like her usual self even as lip service.

“Welcome.”

“Since I was a kid I didn’t like scary things, but even though I thought I got a little better, it was completely no good. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.”

She’s so depressed it’s like her soul is going to leak out. For me, it’s the first time I’ve seen someone faint from fear, but for the person concerned it’s a serious matter, na.

“Even though I said I’d be together with Hakkon forever, if I’m like this it’s totally impossible, ne.”

“Too bad.”

“Seriously, it’s too bad…”

Not good. In her ‘negative mode’, she’s taking my words as they are. How should I cheer her up?

“F’crying out loud, this ain’t like you. It’s Ramis to act before you think. If you’re scared, ya just gotta get over it. Right?”

So Hyurumi also came over. Unable to watch the depressed Ramis, she made a proposal with her arms crossed.

That’s right, as long you think you want it, then you’ll manage somehow. It’s simple, but there isn’t anything easier to understand than this.

“Th,that’s right! Un, if I’m not good with it, then I just need to get used to it!”

“Ya said it. Then I’m gonna give ya special training for getting over your fears.”

“Special training… un, I can’t be bad with it like this, ne. Roger, please teach me, Instructor!”

Hyurumi, seeing Ramis putting out motivated aura with her fist up in the air, smiled in satisfaction. I want to think that it’s just my imagination that she’s kind of looking at Ramis a little like she thinks it’s going to be fun.

“Then let’s first go get started by explorin’ the community.”

“Walking … around-?”

Why are you making a serious face and swallowing hard? There should have been nothing said that was difficult.

Taking a deep breath and checking 260 degrees around her, Ramis snapped to a saluting pose with her hand hitting her forehead.

“I can’t do it!”

“It be too soon to quit. Ya know, the sky’s just cloudy. Around here it’s just a little gloomy. It ain’t scary, right? Seiryu Lake had days like this, right?”

“Yeah, but the atmosphere here is different. If the Seiryu Lake Community is a frogman-demon, then here is a king-frogman-demon.”

It’s a metaphor I kind of understand, yet I kind of can’t understand.

But, well, yeah, it’s not just dark here; the air is heavy and the humidity is tough. There’s condition on my body after all.

“N, then, are you giving up? Hurry up and go back to Seiryu Lake; Hakkon and us are gonna explore together, so ya gonna have to wait a while.”

“I don’t want that!”

“Then ya gonna have to work hard, na. An’ so, right smack dab in front of us is a general goods store, so first let’s go there and by recovery potions.”

“U,un. Then, let’s go, Hakkon.”

So saying, Ramis squatted down to put me on her back as usual, but what was placed on her back was Hyurumi’s hand.

“By yourself. Go by yourself.”

“Y,you’re kidding…”

“Nope. If ya can’t even do this, ya won’t be able to go outside of the community together.”

“I,I can do it. L,leab it to me. I’m not a kid amymore, piece of cake.”

Like always, you can tell from Ramis’ tone that she’s trembling. Here is the main street so there’s a decent amount of foot traffic, so even if she’s scared she should be fine.

“U,un. If it’s me, I can do it. Here I go, leave it ta’ me.”

Is she going to be fine? … She’s clenching her fists and muttering to herself, though.

Having made up her mind, Ramis stood up heroically, stared fixedly straight ahead, and proceeded forward with a dignified gait – about ten steps.

There, she glanced backwards over to here. When Hyurumi, while smiling widely, waved her hand, she gave a tense smile and gave her hand a small wave, once again beginning to walk.

Watching her proceed with timid steps, I suddenly thought of it. When parents send their children off on their first errand, is this the kind of mental state they’re having?

She proceeded another few steps, but when people passed her, she rocked backwards in exaggerated surprise. Even so, her feet don’t stop walking. You can do it, Ramis.

A-, the door of a residence close by opened with a large sound. She jumped close to 2 meters upwards on the spot, spun around and looked back towards us, and came running back at full power.

“Hakoooooooon! I caaaaaaan’t!”

AaAa, isn’t she about to cry? Even though it took her several minutes to go forward, the time it took coming back was around five seconds. She flew and clung to me while trembling violently.

There there, it was scary, na? Here, it’s fine to drink this hot corn soup, so calm down. Would a sweet juice be better? Then I’ll drop both and you can drink whichever you prefer.

“Ramis … Hakkon too, don’t baby her…”

With her hand to her forehead, Hyurumi heaved a huge sigh. My bad, I am aware I was babying her.

But you know, if she’s this terrified, then it would be better for her to withdraw without pushing it. If she wants to get stronger as a Hunter, she’ll have to overcome it some day, but right now it can’t be helped that she has to do it gradually.

“Givin’ up and going back already?”1

“I think if I’m carrying Hakkon I can make it. Un, definitely, I’ll make it! L,look, my job is to carry Hakkon, so it’s no good if I’m not carrying Hakkon, I think!”

Ramis is frantic. I’m happy she wants me, but it’s going to be completely as a guardian.

“Then, it’s fine while carryin’ Hakkon, so get going.”

“Un. If I’m with Hakkon, it will be fine. Ne, Hakkon?”

It would be nice if that was true, though. But, well, it’s completely different when you enter a haunted house alone compared to when you enter it while carrying a vending machine on your back, so … I’ve never seen anyone enter a haunted house carrying vending machine, na.

“Hakkon, are you still there!? You’re still there on my back!?”

“Welcome.”

“R,really!? You’re really there, right!?”

“Welcome.”

“You can’t leave me back, okay!? Definitely can’t, okay!?”

“Wel – – come.”

as my main, with music as an addition in an emergency.

Maa, Ramis calmed down with the musical performance, but the odd looks from our surroundings aren’t at all subtle, so I hope that she doesn’t realize THAT.

It was probably unnecessary, but when I typed out the lit “Going back already?” my knee-jerk reaction was, “Back where?”, so I added the giving up part that’s already more/less implied. Purely because I’m THAT type of smartass.