Chapter 6

"Then, I'll give up on deleting the video. Can't you think of a way to make this situation as small as possible?"

"Hey, what are you talking about, Tanaka?"

Adachi deliberately sighed loudly.

"Why would you throw away your newfound fame? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you know?"

"But what are you talking about? I'm not a streamer or an influencer; I'm just a salaryman. There's nothing good about being famous. I'll just get snide comments from the boss."

The moment he said the word "boss," his stomach started to ache.

My stomach, which had survived even the acid slime that could melt iron, seemed to be weak against stress.

"You've really been brainwashed by the company, Tanaka. Listen, you should just quit. I saw your video; your dark circles are terrible. You're probably still being overworked by Suda for a low salary, right?"

"...I can't deny that."

The person Adachi mentioned, "Suda," is the president of the company I work for.

Suda, Adachi, and I are classmates and used to play together a lot when we were in elementary and middle school. We're childhood friends.

"But the boss... Suda has done a lot for me. I can't just quit suddenly..."

"That's because he lent you money when your parents were sick, right? You've already paid it back and worked off the favor. It's time you started living for yourself."

"Living for myself..."

When he said that, I felt a weight lift from my heart.

I had been too busy to even think about such things.

So, I can live for myself, huh?

"Suda would probably say, 'If you quit here, you won't find another job!'"

"...He did."

"Heh, he's really become a typical evil boss. Tanaka, don't take his words seriously. There are plenty of guilds that would want you. Plus, you can always become a freelancer."

"But as a freelancer, I can't make money. I don't have the qualifications to cash in, you know?"

Items obtained in the dungeon can't be directly converted into yen.

They have to be converted into a special currency called 'G' first.

Then, 'G' is converted into yen, but to do that, you need a qualification, which is usually held by companies, not individuals.

It's a complicated system, but apparently, it's necessary to prevent the economy from collapsing easily.

Items from the dungeon are that valuable.

But Adachi should know this basic fact.

"I'm not saying you should become a freelance explorer. I'm saying you should become a dungeon streamer."

"A dungeon streamer... huh."

A dungeon streamer, as the name suggests, streams their dungeon exploration.

It's true that the famous ones seem to be making money, but can I do that?

"Well, I'm not saying you have to. If you do, I'll support you with all my might."

"That's reassuring. I'll count on you."

Adachi smiled happily when I said that.

Adachi works for a company that supports explorers and should be familiar with dungeon streaming.

He's a braggart, but he's been reliable since we were kids.

"...But me quitting my job, huh. I can't really imagine it."

When I think about it, I hesitate.

The word "unemployed" is too heavy for someone my age.

As if sensing my hesitation, Adachi spoke to me.

"I don't want to say this, but... I used to look up to you."

"Eh? You looked up to me?"

I was taken aback by his sudden words.

What does he mean?

"I used to dream of being an explorer, diving into dungeons and making a name for myself. But when I saw you fight, I thought, 'If there's someone as amazing as you, I don't need to dive in.'"

"Adachi..."

I didn't know he thought that way. It's a strange feeling.

"That's why I got a job supporting explorers, to support someone someday."

"Huh? Who? Someone I know?"

"...You've always been slow, haven't you?"

Adachi sighed in exasperation. What a rude guy.

"Anyway, if your current job is tough, you should quit. How about I hire you as a tea server at my company?"

"...If that sounds appealing, I must be in bad shape."

I joked, and Adachi laughed, saying, "Yeah, you're in bad shape."

Talking to him has calmed me down a lot. Now I can make a decision calmly.

"You can beat a Tyrant Dragon. Don't lose to Suda."

"Thanks. I'll call you again."

We exchanged these brief words and hung up.

Looking at the clock, it was already time to go to work. The other employees would be arriving soon.

As I was thinking this, the company door suddenly opened with a loud bang.

The person who entered glared at me as soon as he saw me.

"...Tanaka, are you ready?"

Kuroken Guild's president and my childhood friend, Suda Akihiro, said this with a menacing tone.

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