Chapter 28: Aftermath

This is what happened afterwards.

Yuto heard a rumor that after he entered the Instant Dungeon, the “Thousand Blades” Kratos took action.

From the rumors, Yuto found himself agreeing on why Kratos did what he did.

Much of what adventurers do is not written down anywhere and resides on a mountain of unspoken rules and customs.

Without these rules, no one would be able to join parties easily.

The sight of the adventurers recruiting and scouting members in front of the Temple would vanish.

That would be a very sad sight.

Adventurers all have various reasons for going into a dungeon.

Some want fame. Some want to fight strong monsters. Some want rare equipment, and some want an enormous amount of wealth.

But that is not all to Dungeon exploring.

If you enter the Dungeon with different team members, you may have different discoveries even if you enter the same location.

That is all part of being an adventurer.

Becoming a true adventurer himself now, Yuto realized these things.

The sun was up. The main streets were full with workers.

During that time, Yuto visited the Weapons and Armor Shop Pluto’s.

Mari: “I see~~~. So after you got the ever living SNOT knocked out of you while getting MASHED INTO A PULP BY A MITHRIL GOLEM, you’ve awakened to the BRILLIANT REALIZATION that MAYBE, JUST MAYBE you should have better armor equipment so you don’t come SO CLOSE TO DYING NEXT TIME...AM I HEARING YOU RIGHT? DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY, MR. ADVENTURER? And MAYBE, JUST MAYBE YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS MORE SERIOUSLY BEFORE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THESE KINDS OF SITUATION, DONTCHA THINK, MR. YUTO, HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…?!?!?!?!??”

Yuto: “Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

Yuto explained to Mari what happened with the Mithril Golem incident, and got an earful as soon as he finished.

If Yuto had on proper armor, Eliz would not have had to work herself to the brink of death.

Everything Mari is saying is true.

Eliz: “B—but! Mr. Yuto came back alive so… um… you don’t have to get so mad at him….”

Mari: “......HMMMMMMM…?!?!”

Mari locked her sight on Eliz who was standing beside Yuto, and her eyes were that of a snake just about to strike at its prey.

Eliz: “EEK?!?!”

Feeling dangerous vibes, Eliz immediately shrunk and hid in Yuto’s shadows.

Mari: “Yuto, you seem to be pretty close to that girl.”

Yuto: “Hahaha…...she’s actually a member of my party now.”

Mari: “WHAT?!? You didn’t tell me anything about this!!”

Mari slams both her hands on the counter.

But Yuto cocks his head to the side as he wonders why he should have to report this to Mari.

Mari: “Haven’t I been your CHILDHOOD FRIEND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS?!?! Wouldn’t it be just common courtesy to let me know these things?!??”

There was a really unnatural amount of emphasis placed on “childhood friend,” but besides that, Yuto could see her point.

Yuto owes Mari a lot.

Especially in the aspect of his weapon and being fed at Gold Rock, Yuto will be forever indebted to her.

Should he have talked to her about his new party member?

It was right then that Yuto was about to speak.

Eliz: “Yes, hello. I’m Eliz. I’ll be spending a VERY LONG TIME inside the Dungeon with Mr. Yuto. It’s a pleasure meeting you, yes.”

Eliz takes Yuto’s arms into her own as she looks back at Mari.

Yuto didn’t know why so much unnatural emphasis was put on the length of time inside the dungeon.

Yes, you will spend time in a Dungeon if you’re in the same party, but there is no reason you have to articulate it that way.

Mari and Eliz smiled at one another and locked eyes.

Both are what you call beautiful girls, but watching both girls freeze and smile at one another brought Yuto chills down his back.

Yuto: (Wait….what’s wrong with this atmosphere…?)

The temperature of the store dropped below freezing all of a sudden.

Yuto: “OH! You know what? I totally forgot to do something. Okay, see you…”

Mari: “HOLD IT, YUTO!!”

Eliz: “MR. YUTO, WAIT!!”

Yuto has both shoulders grabbed, and cold sweat trickles down his back.

Yuto: (What do they want me to do?)

Like a severely rusted robot, Yuto’s neck creeks strangely as he slowly turns around with a strained smile plastered on his face.

Mari: “You haven’t chosen your armor.”

Eliz: “Exactly. Mr. Yuto, today I’ll help you choose armor for you.”

Mari: “Ha, and what would you know about armor? You should just leave the job to a professional. It’s my job to pick out an armor for Yuto.”

Eliz: “I’m his party member, so I should help choose. I’m in charge of the party’s budget, so I have a right to choose for him.”

Mari: “And why would you be in charge of all the money?!”

Eliz: “It’s my duty as the Healer of the party to also manage our current finances!”

Mari: “That has nothing to do with each other!!”

The debate escalated as both sides raise their voices.

Yuto: (Wow, they get along better than I thought.)

Yuto tries to hide inside his own fantasy world to mask over reality, but fate would not allow him such luxuries.

Mari: “YUTO!!”

Eliz: “MR. YUTO!!”

Mari: “I can choose the armor for you, RIGHT?!??”

Eliz: “You’ll let me choose, RIGHT, Mr. Yuto?!”

It’s clear with two sets of fiery eyes dead set on him that saying “no” would not be an option for either.

Yuto raises a white flag of surrender inside his heart and wonders what he could possibly do to get out of this.