Chapter 7

"Wow, so this is your first time exploring a dungeon, Mr. Rokusou?"

"Yeah, sorry. I don't seem to be of much help."

"No, no, not at all. Ah, here comes the ramen."

A ramen shop a short distance from the riverbank where the dungeon is located. Rokusou and I were sitting across from each other at a four-person table.

It was just past lunchtime, so there were only a few customers. At least, it was no problem for two people to occupy a four-person table.

"Here we go♪"

"Itadakimasu."

We picked up our chopsticks and started eating the pork bone soy sauce ramen. Kotachi said, "Mmm, it's delicious!" and slurped the noodles contentedly.

The ramen was indeed delicious, but I couldn't concentrate on the taste.

Why am I eating ramen with such a beautiful lady? For a teenager whose history of not having a girlfriend equals his age, it's impossible not to be excited.

"So, how was it? Your first dungeon exploration?"

Kotachi looked at me with eyes full of curiosity. If she keeps staring at me so intently, I might fall for her, so I wish she would stop.

But I try to hide such obvious male reactions—

"It was... somehow manageable. I walked around for about four hours and reached level 3."

"Wow, that's going well."

"What level are you at now, Kotachi?"

"I'm at level 9 now. I managed to progress smoothly through the first and second floors, but the enemies became more numerous and tough from the third floor. Solo exploration means a lot of potion consumption, and at worst, it can even lead to a deficit."

Both Kotachi and I were wavering between formal and informal speech. I couldn't quite gauge the distance between us.

It's already difficult to find a balance between not being too stiff and not being rude.

"Do you use up your healing magic quickly?"

"No, no, I don't have any good healing magic. –Wait, could it be that Mr. Rokusou has healing magic?"

"Yes, I have a spell called [Earth Heal]."

"Awesome! That's a big win!"

"I'm not sure how it compares to others, but is it really that good?"

"It definitely is. Having healing magic is a sure win. I think the only healing magic you could learn at the start was [Earth Heal] or [Aqua Heal]."

"Is that so..."

"That's right. –Oh!"

Kotachi covered her mouth and looked away, as if deep in thought.

W-What's going on...?

Did I say something wrong?

As I was inwardly worried, Kotachi finally spoke up, as if making a decision.

"...Um, Mr. Rokusou. If it's not too much trouble..."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Would you consider forming a party with me?"

"..."

Party.

Party, party... party?

"Ah, um, do you understand what a party is?"

Seeing me freeze, Kotachi asked. I nodded quickly.

"That's fine. I've heard about it in the training. It means exploring the dungeon together, right?"

"Exactly. After hearing that you have healing magic, I know it's a bit presumptuous, but what do you think?"

"Ah... I never even considered it..."

Explorers don't always explore dungeons alone; sometimes they form groups to explore together. This is called "forming a party."

The deeper you go into the dungeon, the tougher the monsters become. While you might be able to clear the first floor alone, the second and third floors become increasingly challenging, as I learned in the training.

Kotachi mentioned struggling on the third floor due to the high number of enemies and the rapid consumption of potions. It makes sense that she would want to form a party with someone who can use healing magic.

On the other hand, my honest reaction was, "Eh, is that okay?"

The idea of forming a party with such a beautiful lady was exciting, regardless of the pros and cons of dungeon exploration. It's not like I had any ulterior motives, but it was still a pleasant surprise.

But saying that out loud would sound weird, so I kept quiet. Instead, I needed to discuss the practical benefits as an explorer. At least, that's how it should appear on the surface.

"But I'm only at level 3. Plus, I have a part-time job, so I'm not sure if I can fit it into my schedule. –Do you have a job, Kotachi?"

"Ah, well... I quit my previous job for personal reasons. I'm focusing on being an explorer now. But you're right. If you just became an explorer this morning, it's normal. Sorry for asking so much."

"No, no, not at all. I was happy you asked."

It seemed like the conversation about forming a party was coming to an end, and the other me inside was shouting, "You idiot!" and slapping my cheek. I had just ruined a good opportunity.

But wait, it's not too late to give up. I need to find a way to keep the chance of forming a party with Kotachi alive—just as my soul was screaming, she made this proposal.

"At the very least, would you exchange contact information? It might be useful for information sharing between new explorers."

"Sure thing! I'd be happy to!"

I jumped at the opportunity without hesitation. Kotachi looked surprised and a bit bewildered.

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