Tanaka Jiro, twenty-eight years old, single, girlfriend, Suella Handelberg.　
Occupation Dungeon Tester (full-time) + Recruiter
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class)
Officer of the Year: Warrior


The day after my confession to Suela, or rather Suela .
Superintendent Evia, who came to greet me with a cold look, saying that she had enjoyed last night.
The only way to deal with her was to smile back at her with heated cheeks.
Perhaps dissatisfied with that response, the supervisor and I became even more displeased and were brought into a conference room.
We were supposed to meet up with Kaido and Minami, who had just been released from the hospital, for the first time in a few days.
It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what's going on.

"...... Ah, you guys were worried about me, right?

Are they checking to see if Kaido is really alive and not just a dream vision?
It's too sticky, and if you're going to do it, you might as well do it to your own cheek, not the other person's, there's a lot of room for doubt, but for now, this is the only thing I could think of to say to them.
I raised my right hand so that I could take it easy and feel that it was safe to do so.

Leader!

The first to react was South .
With a bang, he let go of the skin of Kaido's face and tried to run his body towards us as fast as he could, but

Za?

Instead of teasing my legs and running up to me, he did a great headslide and got to my feet.

"Oh, come on, Minami, you don't have to stretch yourself that far, do you?

I was so worried that I tried to rush over to him, but he fell down, and I was so happy that he was so worried about me that I crouched down and looked at him.

"Uh~ The leader is alive, that he is.

Minami didn't get up, but instead just woke up and asked me with his glasses still off.

"Yeah,
You're not a zombie, that's for sure.
Do I look rotten?
You haven't become a vampire, that you haven't?
I'm afraid it runs through my veins.
"You haven't been converted into a golem, that you haven't?
Superintendent, you did a decent job on me, didn't you?　It's kind of unsettling to hear the south so much, but it's the opposite.
I'm sorry, but I did my best to fix you up. If it was a little too late, I would have poured some demon blood into it.

The devil himself was very clear.
You mean I was pretty far off the edge?
Anyway, I have to make sure that there really isn't something strange embedded in my body.

That's something I could do, that I could do.
Hey, South!　You, you weren't worried about me, you were expecting me to become a new entity!
"?　If you're close to death, you'll get new powers. As promised in the comics, that is.

The South was the South .
He didn't seem to have the slightest hint of an atmosphere of worry, and now he was standing up and pointing at the supervisor as if to say that was it.
Finally, he turned his face toward me like what the hell is this guy talking about?

d*mn! This guy is too slow on the uptake! Hey, guardian! I'm crying for a serious reason here!
Uh, Jiro. I'm so glad you're okay.
Senpai, I'm relieved. I was in that position until just now. By the way... I was scolded by Minami... why haven't you modified it?

That face-to-face contact was meant to be that way .
And it was clear now that he wasn't worried when he came running over as fast as he could, but was trying to run up to me, hoping that I, and not Kaido, would be altered.

'But Gus, that guy in the south was really worried too, right?　I had mistakenly put salt in my coffee about three times, I hadn't played any games for the past three days, I had looked at the clock many times, and I was unusually early to bed and early to rise. When they asked me to go to the shrine, I had a fever or a heart mug!
Winning?　What are you talking about, that you are?　There's no way I would do that.
No, South, you're stammering so much that it's deliberate?

But Katsu revealed it rather easily.
It seems that Minami's attitude was just a way of hiding her embarrassment.
Minami's aloofness earlier had gone, and she was in a hurry to clamp down on Katsu's mouth.
At first I was expecting an air of melancholy, but that was only the beginning, and then I noticed that the air was back to normal, mixed with a jumble of things.

''That's good, Jiro-san.
Yeah, I guess that was unfounded.

To be honest, I was expecting to be quite depressed or treated as an afterthought.
But instead of the two choices that fit into Schrodinger's cat box, another choice was made.

"Uh, Leader?
What?
Thank you for protecting me.
Thank you, Jiro-san.
Oh, well, you know. It seemed like the best thing to do at the time, you know?　I mean, it's not like my body has a mind of its own, you know?


Senpai, are you embarrassed?
Yuck!

There are consequences to the actions you take.
Actions then lead to now.
So it looks like the struggle was worth it.

Well, I'm glad you guys are okay.
I'm delirious, that I am!
Who's delirious?

Can't the south of the country move forward without making a joke out of everything?
Anyway, we just have to talk about the future.

That's right. Jiro-san's only temper tantrum is in front of me, right?
'Suela!　A.

I shouted back in a fit of flirtation, but I soon realized that I had failed.

"Senpai, call me by my name now,
Hmm.

Kaido was surprised at the change in terminology and the supervisor's mood took a further downward turn.

'Nuh-uh, that is.'
Is that even worth it?　Um, congratulations.

Minami looked at me and laughed, and Katsura kind of figured it out and celebrated normally.

''Oh, well, that's how it is.
Yes, sir.

I'll just have to reopen it now that I've come this far .
I didn't think I'd ever get a dark elf girlfriend, but Suela was happy to lean into me as I held her by the shoulders.
Not bad.
No, I'm just happy to be here.

''Senpai!　What happened yesterday?
You know that's what you're asking me, right?
I'm interested in it too, that I am!
You need to learn to weigh yourself down for now!

There are minors in here.
Please use those words.
For now, I'm just going to swing a chop on Minami's forehead to shut her up and regroup.

Aside from your personal business, there's something else I need to talk to you about.
What is it?　Is it Suella and your senior's wedding?
I told you it wasn't private, a**h*le.

Minami, who is about to take on Kaido, continues to speak before he joins the conversation.

'Guys, seriously answer the question.

If I'm being serious, and I'm not, these guys are gonna listen to me.
I'll flip the switch and they'll focus on me.

This almost killed me and Kaido. Minami and Masaru saw that.

It's not long enough to forget.
How could I forget what that iron sword felt like when it went through my stomach?

When you go into a dungeon, you won't die, but you'll experience something close to it. I haven't died in a dungeon yet, but I've nearly died many times. And some of the guys who have actually tried dungeons have quit because they were so traumatized by death and returning.

That's how dangerous this job is, and that's how risky it is.
What you're describing is an explanation of the danger.
I'm talking about the inevitable.
I'm telling you that now is the time to quit.

"Well, but still, let's just formally ask, are you guys okay to 'keep going'?

The sentence may be meaningless.

"I hate losing all the time. And with a beautiful woman from another world, there's no reason for me to leave my job!
I don't want to quit while I'm losing, that I do. And I don't think I can work anywhere else, that I don't think I can work anywhere else.
'I feel like I'd lose if the South said they were going to do it and I just quit, so the other goal for me right now is to see the South return to society.
What?　Winning!

Kaido, who should have been almost dead, answered with an air of inevitability, but he still showed his will to continue with his honest reason.
It could be traumatic, but Minami, who passed through the line of death, shows his will with his eyes and his words.
The only thing that is different from the other people around you is that Katsu is the only one with a different look on his face, but his expression is as good as the previous two.
This confirmation might not have been necessary for those guys.

''OK, we understand each of their intentions. I'll let you know the schedule later. For now, let's go grab a bite to celebrate our release from the hospital. On me, naturally.

So let's change today's plans and eat first to nourish our spirits for a fresh start.

"Oh!
Otherworldly food, that is.
Are you sure?
Oh, eat up, eat up, don't worry about your wallet. Anyone left out is my full-swinging a**h*le.

It's fine to take the edge off, but I'll keep it on point.
Kaido and Minami are still jubilant, and my guess is that one of them is going to get the ass-butt, but we'll see.

"How about you and Suela and Supervisor?
I appreciate the invitation, but I had to leave early yesterday.



As expected, it was impossible for me to rest after leaving early yesterday.
I do the math in my head to see if I can make it to dinner, and I look at the supervisor.

"I'm going if you're willing to take over my workload?

I am very sorry to hear your words, but I'll abandon it this time.

All right, guys, get ready, and get moving if you don't want your mountain of food to turn into a mountain of paperwork.

I invited them to join me, but it didn't seem to be a good time.
Unfortunately, we can't just turn a pile of rice into a pile of paper.

Jiro-san.
Hmm?　

Just a gentle touch before you move.

I'll see you at dinner.

She seemed to know what I was thinking.
That's the only thing she said with a smile, and then she went to work.

I said deal with it, but what are you going to do?
I'll have a last resort ready for you.
"Huh?

Since this morning, the grumpy supervisor has been holding me accountable for my actions as Suela continues to improve.
I'm a human and she's a dark elf, we're both from other worlds, and through a sequence of events stranger and more miraculous than winning the first prize in a lottery, we ended up where we are.
Then men are surprisingly well prepared.

Come on up. You'll get a chair for you.
I'm going to take my time.

I'm sure the supervisor knows what he's going to do.
Finally, she put on a satisfied face and went to work.

"Sir!　Aren't you going to go?
'Sheng, does dragon meat taste good, that it does?
I'm interested in .......

The day will come when they will make a decision, but for now, we'll just let their bellies grow.



It's been two weeks since then.
I took advantage of the training in the time-space dimension special training room to build up my strength as soon as possible.
Kaido and I have regained our lowered status, but just to be on the lookout for anything like that doesn't mean it won't happen again.
Whether man-made or accidental, trouble can happen.
So we had to hasten the training so that we could take measures.
Well, I was worried about how the three of you would react when I told you that you were getting mentally old.

"...... not much has changed, that it hasn't.
Why do you look at me and say that?

In a good way, it was judged that there was no problem with the idea that a mature Katsura would not age any more, and the go-ahead was easily given and shrugged off as to its use.
Rather.

"It's finally here, that it is. A fantasy facility, that it's the beginning of my greatest legend.
"You will practice elementary granting magic repeatedly and peruse the medical books.
"...... I knew it was coming, that I knew it!　I knew there was a punchline, that I knew it!'
''The South's granting magic affects your body, it's only natural. I'm sure it's not a surprise. Don't give it to Katsumi either, the medical book, it may be difficult, but good luck, I'll be ransacking the place with Kaidou thoroughly afterwards, so we should be able to have a good number of actual battles.
"Yes.
"I thought I just heard a very disturbing word.
Don't worry, your ears are fine.
"I wish I'd listened to you.

To be honest, I thought I wouldn't get a decent, heroic response, but it's even more refreshing to hear words this far off.
This is where the training begins.

"Strength Muscle!

"At first, I've heard it's only going to change enough to hold a spoon, Sheng, but we'll start by healing the cut. It's not the image of cells dividing and plugging up, but rather the image of cells coming back to life like a reverse regeneration video.''
Difficult to do, but I'll do it.

This has evolved over time.

"Mighty Body!
'Oh!　My abdominal muscles are nicely split into six pieces!
"I don't want to lick the imagination of gamers, that I do.
But it's kind of gross, isn't it?
"The reference material is a BL book for my brother's specifications, that it is.
"Hey!　It's rotten!'
You're getting better at stopping the bleeding.
''It's because of what Jiro-san and Kaido-san put me through. Well, it's also because of the scrapes Minami has made here and there.''

I think I've reached a decent level of status in two weeks.
Once you've acquired a minimum level of skill, it's a waste of time to train endlessly.
Then it's time to move on to the real thing, the dungeon.
So I've come to do the preparatory work I promised you.

"Whoa!
Victory, take the south end of the line.
Yes, sir.
'Senpai is amazing!　I wouldn't be a man if I didn't get off on this!
Sorry, captain, they're real loud.
Ha-ha-ha, that's all right. It's been a long time since we dealt with a big ticket item. We can make a little noise, I won't complain.



As usual, there were no customers in the deserted arms and armor shopping district, which would have required closing down the shop if it wasn't protected by the MAO corporation.
If you make noise in such a space, you'll naturally stand out.
The South, with a sniffle, staring at the glass case.
In the background, Katsu Katsu is always available and ready to respond, but glances at his or her interesting weapons.
Kaido moving here and there like a child brought to the toy department .
Me, Suela and Cainz laughed over the counter as they watched the three of us like guardians.

'We do have a budget, though.
''Don't worry. Due to the recent incident, we've used this month's salaries of all the employees in the development department, more than half of which was used to cover the cost of this equipment, so we have quite a bit of leeway.
But still, we can't afford to over-equip them.
Yes.

Superintendent Evier's plan to cover the costs was decided about three days ago.
When Suera told me that about 60% of my department's employees' salaries will be used to pay for our party's equipment, I almost refused to accept the amount because it was too much.
There's no need to spend all of it, but even so, if I'm told it's part of the apology, I can't not accept it.
Then I decided not to accept the cash itself, but to purchase it through Suera.
Then Kaylee told me about Suera who was mercilessly going to gouge out the wounds, but I let it slide as I deserved.

''As a rough guide, I'd say Kaido's twin swords here, Katsu and South's staff .
That's true. Mr. Masaru and Ms. Minami will have to choose between metal and wood, but I think the light and strong wooden one would be better for the first time.
Well, a wooden cane with a carving on it would be just fine for that young lady and her boy.
Where are Kaido's twin swords?
She's a wizard, isn't she?　I know a guy who took a steel base and reinforced it with magic silver (mithril). If we can match that guy's hilt to it, there shouldn't be a problem.

That's a professional.
They've been very considerate of my needs.

You know, you don't need that magic sword, okay?
Hey, it's our new release.　If you've got the money, how about a bottle for a souvenir?
Yeah, and how does it work, by the way?

Maybe it's a characteristic of giants, or maybe it's their nature, or maybe they just don't feel good about themselves if they don't throw in some goodies.
I'd like to make a comment on the mischievous magic sword that is mixed in with the products that I have been given a chance to check out.
From the size, it's likely to be held by Kaido.

listen to this! It's an item that can easily lift a huge rock and shatter it with your bare hands!　How about a price of five million for a big loss!
Holy shit. And the flaws?
"They are in a constant state of excitement in your hand, and the effect lasts for an hour after you let go of it, and when the battle is over, they will attack any man, woman, dog or monkey, without a care in the world.
So do something about that fatal flaw.

I'm not going to ask you to choose your gender at this point.
But let's at least choose whether we're human or not... I don't like it when Kaido comes at us s*xually after a battle.
I cut him off as quickly as I can.

"So, are you there, Kaido?
What do you say, sweetheart, now you've got the power that everyone else has to envy?
No, thanks!

I'll ask Kaido, who had noticed me on the way, but, well, of course he'll say no.
A berserk with full-on s*xual desire, it's a situation that every modern man wants to avoid.

You guys, choose one of these for now.
Well, I'd like that wand in the glass case, that I would.
'Look at the price and tell me, if you want, you can have a hundred toy canes, too.
Starting with a wooden cane is the way to go for beginners, that it is.
I'm sorry.
'Don't worry about it, Katsura, something about the way he's been handling the South lately.

You have to look at the items lined up on the counter and confront the reality to fit in with the slightly joking south.
You can't really buy equipment that Zero will grind to a halt.
Well, this is still South's way of playing around.
she'll be selfish and ask for a little discipline and she'll flip out as usual.
It's just a playful exchange of ideas to lead him around like this.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. If you're going to use magic as your main tool, this is one way to do it.
Leather gloves?
Some of them don't like it and make glove-type medium equipment out of magic and compatible demon skins and magical stones.

As if he recalled, the owner additionally held out on the counter a pair of leather gloves made for punching.
As far as the description goes, they were designed to be used primarily for fighting or using other tools to free up both hands.

Maybe this one's better.
Are you planning to become a monk, that you are?

Katsu was curious about it and took it in his hand to see how it felt.
Although it's called a leather glove, it's actually a combination of a metal and leather glove, with magic stones embedded in the back of the hand that can catch blades.
Of course, it can also be used to strike, and as Minami says, the position of monk is also an option if you have a recovery job and are looking at fighting.

''No, I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable holding on to something all the time, or I feel like it's safer to keep my hands free.

I don't think Katsura chose this equipment because he was sure of it.
It's just a gut feeling, a thought that it would be better this way.

If that's what you think, that's fine. You know, I'm not too experienced to say that. You just try and fail and try again.
Jiro.
There are plenty of rearguards who are good at fighting. I can use some of them too, you know?
Don't worry too much about Suela's little or no level of blowing me off, your style is going to be set in stone.



I'll just add at the end that you can choose what you like.

"Then I'll be the one in this case.
I have that case.
You can have this one and this one. OK?
Yes, that we do.　Sir!

I'll hand things over to those who are ready to listen to me and shut them up.
I grab the hilt of the miner's tree that I wear on my back and squint a little.
Kaido's twin swords and Minami's staff have their own peculiarities, but they were chosen by a trustworthy shopkeeper who is a connoisseur in his own right and that's why I won't complain.
It may be a little more deadly and magical, but it's only a little cold wind blowing through these guys now.
You finish paying the bill with these guys standing erect and bowing respectfully at your side.

Jiro-san, where to next?
The plan is at the armor shop. I'll need to replace my equipment, too.
I'll have to buy some more sturdy armor next time.
Suela is more into this than I am.
Of course. I understand and agree that this is a dangerous job, but it's a risk that can be lowered when it can be lowered, and that's what keeps you safe.

I write down the amount of money on the form and hand it over to the owner, I hand the goods I received to Kaido and the others.
It's not a good idea to leave the accounting to Suera as a man, but in this case it's inevitable since it's paid for by the company.
It's refreshing to talk to Suera without the honorific title.
You don't feel embarrassed, but you do feel an itchy sensation.
You'll find that her tone of voice doesn't seem to change for anyone, so it's a bit disappointing that it remains the same, but I feel that this is what happiness is all about.
You want to enjoy this time, but unfortunately, your time is limited.
Let's talk about it on foot.
The armor shop is just a few minutes' walk from here and if you take everyone into the shop, it's deserted here too.

"Oh, here comes the golden tree.
You still can't tell a lie, can you?
That's me. So that's their armor today?

As soon as you enter the store, the female clerk seems to be the same as always, starting off in a way that you wouldn't expect from a clerk.
It was very pleasant to listen to her frank and cheerful tone of voice.
I like the fact that she understands what I'm trying to say without any unnecessary talk.

Oh, and my armor, too.
What's wrong with it?
Yeah, I got smashed up pretty good, and my armor's all scratched up, so I thought I'd buy some new gear.
'As cheap and sturdy as possible, please, Meir.
What, you're starting a relationship with Suela now that she's here?
Why would that be?
Dark elves are that special when it comes to romantic feelings. Are you saying you're so close to them that you're not?
...... It's the same.

Apparently, this female shopkeeper, Meir and Suela know each other and are familiar with the dark elves, but it is indeed embarrassing to be suddenly inserted like this.
I don't want to hide my embarrassment in front of Suela, so I scratched my head in the affirmative, and she came out from the counter with a grin on her face.

You're a good sport!　I can't believe I'm dropping Suela, who is even a bet on whether or not I can marry her!

She'll stand next to you on the opposite side of the room and pat you on the back.
What happens there is the difference between reality and fantasy.
What would normally sound like a thud should be a thud, but a heavy thud echoes from her palm.
If she hadn't been trained with the magic crest, she would have broken her bones for sure.
But even such an action is not stopped by Suela, who is next to you, who shyly puts her hand to her cheek, but does not seem to be happy and does not seem to stop doing so.

I'm going to pick out some armor for you, too, since I've heard such congratulations!
'You don't give discounts, do you?'
Well, that's just what I do. I'm in the business myself.

I nodded my head, sure that was a very public and private statement.

I'm going to get you measured, you three in the back, I've measured your size, so you and Suela can look at the merchandise over there.

The behavior is also divided between public and private, and when I take out a measuring tape from my apron pocket, Kaido and the others beckon me to take a quick measurement.

''Let's go, Jiro-san,''
Yeah.

I think that should be no problem, so I'll just go and look for my own armor.

I suppose we should go in with more gear.
Doesn't that slow things down for you?
''The right armor in the right places, then I think Jiro-san's current status will allow him to move without problems.

The only metal parts on my last equipment were my cage and shin guards to catch attacks.
That's why I fell behind the loose character golem.
I'd grown stronger and stronger, so I let my guard down and let my guard down.

At least the shoulders and abdomen, as well as the head, should be fitted with a helmet instead of a plaque.
You're the vanguard, at least.

Last time it happened because of budget constraints and equipment that was designed to work solo, but from now on it's going to be more of a party main activity .
As expected, it's no good if the guy guarding the front is paper armor.

"What about this metal armor?
''Defensive strength is not a problem, but that would make you vulnerable to extreme heat and low temperatures, so this surface would be better with a metal-lined armor made of earth dragon skin.
That's the problem.
We'll take our time, but we'll think it through.
Yeah.

This store is surprisingly large.
It's about half the size of a home improvement store, but the shelves are high enough to carry a lot of items.
I spent a lot of time looking through them, and Suela and I narrowed it down to two pieces of armor that fit our budget.
The equipment on the mannequins are both designed to provide similar protection.
The only difference is whether it's Western or Japanese armor.


These five items include a clawed hand, shin guards, body, shoulders, helmet and masks, and an inner garment made from the demon spider.
In terms of color, the Western version is based on white with blue and gold in places, while the Japanese version is based on black with red and yellow, giving a clear picture of right and wrong.

Although both perform the same function.
Well, come on, then.
I like it better, too.
That's good.

I've chosen Japanese-style armor.
If there's not much difference in performance, then it's just a matter of taste.
Partly because I like the color, but also because I didn't like the Japanese armor, which at first glance looks like a young warrior, while the Western one looks somewhat like a brave man.

''Well, I've finished mine, but are those guys serious about their choices?
'I'm sure you've chosen it because of Mair, but if you ask me if I'm serious.
Of course you do.

I guess I'm still uneasy.
The last part of Suella's speech was choppy.

Let's go see.
Yes, sir.

I walked faster than I came, and if I accompanied Suella to where the counter was .
For a shop that had been crying out in the desert, you could hear a lively voice .

''We'll see, that's true, Katsu!　This is the legendary Bikinia armor, that it is!　I didn't know they were real!
You're not really going to wear that, are you?
Even I wouldn't dare to wear it, that I wouldn't dare. It's dangerous in many ways.
'Mmmmmm, that's sweet!　You don't think my work is going to end up being that half-hearted! It's properly worth the price!　It is lavishly made of magical stones and water dragon's skin, which of course increases the defense power by granting magic. It also has a charm effect on the opposite s*x, insect bite protection, a skin shield to protect the surface of the forest from abrasions, temperature control around the wearer, sun and frost protection, and magical protection!
'I didn't expect this to be a high-performance armor in inverse proportion to the area of cloth, that it is!　You're only hiding the important stuff, that I'm sure, you bikini armor!　Don't tell me there's a theory here that the more you take off, the stronger you become, that is!　I'll have to buy this one, that I have to!
Hey!　Don't buy all that fancy equipment!　Even you are regretting your impulse purchase of mail order items!　
'Ugh, but my gamer spirit is screaming at me to buy this, that it is.
"Yes, yes, clerk, please have some serious equipment.
Okay, I'm ready for you to say that.

Thanks to you, we didn't have to worry about one of our party members becoming a lascivious b*tc*.
They won't have to worry about shopping.

What about Kaido's guy?
I think he's in there.
A brave man named Chu is born!
""......"

The problem is that Kaido is invisible, but I searched for magic and Suela found Kaido.
I was sure Kaido was there under Suela's guidance, but the golden armor that Kaido saw on the mirror was so impressive that Suela and I could not help but be amazed.
I'm not sure if there's a narcissist in her, but Kaido, entranced in her own world, is worse than Minami, who tried to wear the bikini armor.

''Ah, senpai, what do you think of this equipment!　Isn't it cool?

But you can't just leave it like this .
The shape is magnificent, as it was made by Giant's craftsmen, but the Kaido wearing it is out of proportion.
It looks more like he's being forced to wear it than wearing it, and it looks like he's wearing a suit of armor that was made by a wealthy aristocrat.
Simply put, it looked like a death flag walking around with the equipment on.

''Give it back.
'What?　What's that?　It's so cool.
"I'll tell you one more time, Kaido, if you don't want to die, give it back to me.
Is that what you're saying?
'Mr. Kaido, that equipment is a bit ......
'You're here too, Suela?

I'm talking for you, I say, putting my hands on your shoulders so you can understand .
Suela also gives you a sympathetic look as she tries to convince you to stop wearing that equipment.

'I think it's cool,'
"Give up the idea that you're not up to par.
I'm sorry.

He looks away from Kaido as he regretfully takes off his golden armor and goes to return it to its original position.

'That was close.'
'We can't buy that equipment, indeed.
Was it that expensive?
Yes, gold is good with magic, so with the performance of granting magic as well, it's roughly this amount.
I can't go to .......
As expected, the price is two hundred times the budget we've set aside: ......

I stopped it as a death flag, but Suela seems to have made a budgetary screw up.
The armor Kaido brought was priced at an odd number of zeros.
I couldn't buy it anyway, but I shudder to think that I would have broken it.

Huh, let's take a look at Kaido's equipment.
Let me help you.
I'm sorry.
No, I don't follow you into the dungeon, so let me at least do this. And no, don't apologize.


Yeah, thanks.
Yes, sir.

Accompanied by Suela, who smiled at me as if to say it was the right answer, I arranged Kaido's equipment with the three of us.
By the time I returned to the counter with Kaido, Katsu's equipment was already selected.

We'll finish the sizing tomorrow, so come back for them around noon the day after tomorrow.
Can you do it that fast?
'As you can see, I'm not busy!　If you want to keep me busy, you need to show up more.
If I'd had more money to spend.

You can't say the same day as the armor, but you need to adjust its size.
It's a goodbye to the quiet bird that has become a part of our lives, and we say our goodbyes to Maille, who doesn't seem bothered by it and is laughing cheerfully.

It took longer than I expected.
But it was fun, that it was!　The variety of equipment makes you suddenly more motivated for dungeons, that it does!
Don't get too excited. You can't sleep when you're too excited.
Then I could use some hot milk, that I do!
All right, all right, a lot of honey.

The three of them cavorting outside the store.

It'll be okay. I'm sure Jiro-san can handle the dungeon with them.
Was it in his face?
No, I'm just wondering. A woman's intuition?

Seeing that, I think my anxiety about whether this would really work or if there were more things I could do to prepare for it was evident.
Seeing this, she gently grasps my hand and encourages me.

'Yeah, that's for sure.
Yes, so you can be confident that you will.

I haven't tried any dungeons lately.
That's what happened.
Even though we've had mock battles that served as rehabilitation, I can't get rid of my anxiety.
This equipment upgrade was planned in order to dispel that anxiety, but the anxiety born of the experience of defeat still remains.
She gently wiped those feelings away.

"Thank you.
Yes, good luck with that.

Tanaka Jiro, twenty-eight years old, single, girlfriend, Suella Handelberg.　
Occupation Dungeon Tester (full-time) + Recruiter
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class)
Officer of the Year: Warrior

Word of the Day.
Let's get fired up and make up for the delay in work to answer her cheers.