Chapter 143: Information released
Kaede! What’s going on? What are you doing here?
“I just came by after work. I come here a lot.”
I was surprised to be accosted so suddenly. But we live in the same neighborhood, so it’s not surprising that we ran into each other.
Kaede stood in front of me wearing a gray suit and black pumps.
She must have come straight from the office. She looks much more mature than in her usual clothes.
–I wear plain clothes after work. It’s no different.
D-Minor’s free and open company culture didn’t feel like a proper company at all. I guess other dungeon-related companies are different.
“Did you come to buy something, Yuma?”
“What? Uh, yeah. Well, you know. I got paid, so I thought I’d give my parents a present.
“Really? But didn’t you already get your starting salary?”
“Well… I didn’t buy anything last month because I didn’t get paid enough. I got a lot this month, so I thought I’d buy…”
“Oh, that’s great! I’m sure your aunts and uncles would love it too.”
Well, I hope so.
So, have you decided what you’re going to buy?
That’s what I’m trying to figure out.
“Well, I’ll help you choose!”
Kaede said it cheerfully, so my cheeks naturally relaxed. But I can’t say I’m happy, so I reply sullenly, “Well, it doesn’t matter…” I reply sullenly.
After that, they went to the shops together and decided to buy a tie and a necktie pin for his father and flowers and some fancy sweets for his mother.
After we finish shopping, Kaede says, “Let’s take a rest.” So we went into the food court. We paid for the drink bar, and took a coke and a cup of oolong tea and sat down.
“You said you get paid more this month, does it vary that much from month to month?”
Kaede asks curiously. If you don’t know the inner workings of the company, you’d probably think it’s an unusual salary structure.
“You’ll get hazard pay and rewards for your efforts. We dived some dangerous dungeons and killed a lot of demons.
I’m going to brag a little. I glanced at Kaede to see if she’d be more interested in it.
“Oh, yeah… You have such a dangerous job. I’m a little worried about you.”
Hearing those words, Yuma thought, “This is bad!” He thought.
“Dangerous” is just that! I’m just a rookie. I’m way in the back. So… The older guys will take care of the dangerous fights. Anyway, it’s not as dangerous as you think!”
I’m so upset… I don’t know why I don’t want to make Kaede worry, even though it’s okay for her to think I’m dangerous.
“Hmm, I see.”
Kaede twirls the straw in her drink. The ice clanks.
I saw Louis in Ibaraki! He looked good too.
“… Yeah, Louis said that in a text message. I saw Yuma and he looks tougher than before.”
“Oh… You were saying that?”
You gulp down your Coke and chew on the ice that’s in your mouth. As I crunch the ice, I think to myself, “I guess we’re still texting. I think to myself again.
“By the way, if you get paid so much, buy me a drink too! Most office workers don’t get a huge increase in pay.
“Oh! That’s good, man. I can really afford it. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll buy you whatever you want.”
“Yay! You’re so fat~ mister!”
Kaede smiles innocently. When I see her smile, I feel relieved.
“But if Yuma’s making that much money, I’m sure Louis is making a lot of money too.”
“He’s making more money than me. I mean, by a few orders of magnitude, right?”
“Then let’s ask Louis to buy you a drink sometime.”
“That’s great! Let’s all three of us go somewhere and make Louis pay for everything!”
Louis will buy you a drink with a wry smile on his face. Kaede and I laughed as we talked about this.
I’m sure the three of us will always be close.
Yuma was optimistic about the future. Just then, he hears a news report from a large television set in the food court.
‘We have urgent, extraordinary news to tell you.’
Yuma and Kaede raised their gaze.
‘The Japanese government has held a press conference to release more information about the recent massive disaster in Ibaraki’s ‶Explorer’s Town‶.’
Kaede nods her head.
“Ibaraki is where Yuma and Louis went, right? I heard there was some trouble there.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Yuma answers vaguely. It’s because he was told by the Dungeon Association that the events that happened in the Red Dungeon must not be divulged without permission.
I had heard that there would be a formal announcement at some point, but I didn’t know it was today.
‘According to the Cabinet Office, demons have escaped from the Red Dungeon and rampaged above ground. Most of the demons were exterminated by the Seeker Seekers and the SDF, but one of them broke through the siege and escaped from the city.”
There’s a buzz around here. This is the first time a monster has come to earth.
Even if they had actually been there, they’d been treated as a secret. Yuma was also fighting in the City of Explorers, but he didn’t know that the demons had escaped.
–Another flaming dogcatcher on the loose? I don’t know what the SDF and higher ranking Seekers are doing…
‘Images of the escaped demon have been released. Here it is–”
The image of his muscular body, his black armor and horns, and his mouth full of fangs… It’s clearly a metallized Yuma.
“What?”
I spit out my Coke I was about to drink.
“Oh, my God! That’s disgusting!”
“Oh, sorry…”
I wipe the Coke that flew near Maple with a napkin. I was so surprised, I couldn’t think straight. –What’s going on?
Yuma looks at the TV again.
”This monster is extremely dangerous and has been designated as a disaster level monster by the International Dungeon Research Organization. The Ministry of Defense has been doing their best to track it down, but as of now they have been unable to find it, so they have made a painful decision to make it public. If you have seen it, please contact the nearest police or public office…”
The news is making me feel faint.
I’ve defeated a red ogre, so I can be forgiven for thinking “A good ogre defeated a bad ogre!” I’m sure I’ll be tolerated. I had such a naive idea…
Not even close. He’s being hunted as a full-blown monster.
“Hey, was there a scary looking demon like that?”
Kaede asks worriedly.
“Oh, no… I didn’t see him. I was in the back, so…”
So, has Louis been seeing you?
“Well… I don’t know. I don’t know.
My heart was pounding in my chest. Louis slashed at me with all his might.
I’m not even seeing him.
Yuma got up in a panic and said “Hey, I’ve got some urgent business!” He left the shop leaving a confused Kaede behind.
