Chapter 10

I drink the tea that has been brought to me.

...It's Aero's dried tea.

It's something Buru secretly took during work and dried under the bed, and he gave it to me.

The seniors are also lenient about it.

Wow... In a cafe, this kind of thing would be traded for a good price.

"So, how about Fujihira?"

Then Fujihira puffed out his chest in a very self-important manner, as if to say, "Look at this equipment!"

"Can't you see? You can get equipment, money, and strength without becoming an adventurer. The stronger you are, the easier treasure hunting becomes."

...Treasure hunting, what a way to put it.

Unauthorized treasure hunting is considered grave robbing.

He must have gathered equipment he found somewhere, defeated monsters, and leveled up.

It would be easy to report him, but I don't want to invite unnecessary resentment.

Maybe the country is lenient with us interdimensional beings?

"Compared to you, what are you? Trying so hard to be a lackey of the state power, you just look stupid."

Aren't you drunk on the idea that you're cool for not bowing to authority?

This is such a hassle...

I'll just nod along.

Ah, these cookies made with herbs are delicious.

The ingredients should be available at the training school. I'll try making them myself later.

"Anyway, I have a cheat skill that you guys don't have. So, you should recognize my strength early on—"

"Yeah, yeah, you're strong. Wait, are you talking about the Number Skill?"

It's the mysterious skill we named before parting ways.

"At least everyone had it. Didn't you know?"

Fujihira's face quickly twisted into an unpleasant expression.

After all, you left before checking your status, didn't you?

You didn't think it was a special ability only you had, did you?

No, Fujihira probably did.

I'm sure of it.

"Of course! That's obvious!"

He shouted again.

It seems I hit a nerve.

"What are you getting so cocky about!"

He loves to yell.

"I'm not being cocky. I just thought that's what you were talking about."

Fujihira really has a low boiling point...

"Well, whatever. So, Usagi, what's your level?"

"6"

"Hmph... Still just that, huh?"

His mood suddenly improves.

It's hard to understand why he thinks he's on his own path when he's so competitive.

He's still bound by others' levels.

"You're being lazy. You won't become great unless you get stronger."

I don't really understand how strength leads to greatness, but if I provoke him, he'll just yell again.

I'll just let it slide.

After that, he continued to boast and exaggerate his experiences.

After parting ways with us, he went outside the city to fight monsters and gain strength, and he awakened his power during that time.

Terminal figured it out the next day when he touched it out of curiosity.

Once he could easily overpower monsters with his skills, he went everywhere he could, then infiltrated a dungeon where the guards couldn't see him and succeeded.

Of course, this is a summarized version of the story, but I can tell he's embellishing it.

After a while of grave robbing, he realized that the Labyrinth Field, which he had heard about, was more efficient for treasure hunting.

He learned about it in class.

Although he hasn't experienced it yet, there's a dungeon in a twisted field that resembles a maze.

This dungeon can also serve as a convenient warp device, allowing shortcuts on the map if you navigate the surface layer well.

Sometimes it's connected to a dungeon, or the field itself is a dungeon.

In any case, because of its location, it's hard to set up guards, making it suitable for grave robbing... or treasure hunting.

To put it simply, it's like a mysterious labyrinth.

However, large-scale dungeons are similar.

In such a place, it's unlikely to find dangerous monsters sealed away... but still, is grave robbing really okay?

But Fujihira... you've been talking about yourself this whole time.

You could have talked to anyone, as long as you could boast.

"So, Usagi, that's how much of a difference there is between us. Don't come up to me so casually from now on."

"Huh?"

I was speechless, and Fujihira stood up and left.

What the hell... You were the one who came up to me casually.

After finishing the tea and pecking at the remaining sweets...

"Hey, is that Usagi?"

"Huh? Hino?"

Hino, who became an apprentice adventurer, is coming over in leather armor.

"Meeting you here is quite a coincidence."

"Yeah. How's the military service?"

"Pretty tough. But the reasons for the training make sense. The food is the problem, though."

"Hmm... Helping adventurers is tough too. I have to clean weapons and manage equipment."

"We did that kind of training."

"Also, I have to fight monsters every day like I'm on the brink of death. It's subtly exhausting. They try to match me with opponents I can handle, but my level isn't catching up... I feel bad about it."

Ah... It's like getting power-leveling in an online game.

Or maybe, like being taught various tasks by a boss at work while gaining practical experience.

However, after talking to Fujihira, just having a normal conversation with Hino is almost touching.

This is what a conversation is like.

"It was tough when I got hit by a monster's arrow! I thought I was going to die. But I was healed with magic and healing potions."

"Ah, yeah..."

I also found it tough when I was injured.

Buru helped me out.

"Still, there was a sense of accomplishment when I completed a quest, and I want to keep going."

"That's great. I haven't had any particularly bad experiences... yet."

"That's good. Honestly, I wanted to talk to you about whether military service or being an apprentice adventurer is better."

We talked and exchanged information for a while.

Apparently, it's best to prioritize skills like Owl Eye to see through monster attacks.

It's hard to learn them on your own, so it's not much of a loss.

It's like how some people in Africa have good eyesight because they grew up in an environment where they had to develop it.

Just as the conversation was getting lively with Hino...

"Sir, may I have the bill, please?"

"Huh?"

Isn't this a place where you pay in advance?

"That 'guy' insisted on paying later... The previous customer paid half, so it should be fine... Um, I'm sorry!"

I checked the bill.

Fujihira only paid for the tea he drank.

Huh?

Weren't the cookies an additional order?

He was eating them like crazy while boasting.

Regardless of my tea, he didn't pay for the cookies!

What a jerk, what do you mean by "treating"?

Introducing the shop = treating!?

"That jerk!"

Who does he think he is!

You were the one who said not to come up to you casually!

I wouldn't even talk to you if you didn't treat me!

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"It's Fujihira."

"Ah... We encountered him during a quest. He ran away when we warned him."

Of course, Hino's boss is a proper adventurer.

Fujihira is developing a sense of thievery and is probably in the process of class-changing to a thief.

"What are you going to do? I don't have much money, so it's tough for me to pay..."

"I have more money because I'm in the military... Don't worry about it."

Hino is an apprentice adventurer.

The money he has reflects his strength.

A single potion in a pinch can make a big difference.

"But..."

I can't let someone like Hino pay for Fujihira's ridiculous tab.

"Don't worry. In return, help me find Fujihira."

"Got it. I'll make him pay."

"I'm really sorry! The bill is—"

"It's fine. It's his fault, so I'll pay for it."

The waiter was profusely apologizing.

How much trouble does he have to cause to feel satisfied?

I had no choice but to pay for the cookies Fujihira ate.

After that, Hino and I searched for Fujihira until just before sunset, but we couldn't find him!

He's a thief, all right. His speed and escape skills are top-notch.

I'll bill him when I see him next!

"Phew... If you see Fujihira, let him know. Should I collect the money for you?"

"No, I'll refuse if Hino pays for it. I won't be satisfied unless I get it directly from him."

"You're so principled. Well, if anything happens, find me. I'll try to help."

"Thanks. See you around."

"See you."

After parting ways with Hino, I headed home.

...The delicious meal lingers in my mind.

Those cookies were so good.

They disappear quickly when bought, so I want to make them myself since I want more.