Otherworld Company Chapter 9.1: The Scariest Part of the Job is Getting Used to It, Don’t You Think?

Jiro Tanaka: 28 years old – Single – No Girlfriend –

Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Regular Employee)

Magical Aptitude: Eight (General Class)

“Take thiiis!” (Jiro)

The Wood Puppet was split into two halves like a swallow’s tail.

“And thiiiis!!!” (Jiro)

I cut it into four corners and made sure it was dead.

“Can I move on now?” (Jiro)

I don’t feel the threat I felt in the beginning.

I was aware that I was slowly gaining strength, but my battle earlier had gone surprisingly well.

I didn’t suffer any injuries, and now I have the confidence to fight toe to toe with most monsters as long as I pay attention to my surroundings. Even though I was struggling in many of my previous battles.

If my former instructors saw me like this, they would tell me not to be too complacent.

“Tomorrow is Friday, isn’t it just perfect?” (Jiro)

But even so, I feel the urge to take on the challenge.

After many iterations, I finally got a map that looked like a proper map, and on it was the map of the first floor of the Machine King’s Dungeon.

Not all of it, save for the area behind the square, is complete.

“There must be a path leading to the bottom, no matter how you look at it.” (Jiro)

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a dungeon.

I’ve been in the dungeon for three weeks now, and I’ve seen the rankings since the first week they were posted, but of course, I’m not ranked.

The members of the group are doing better than I am.

However, strangely enough, none of the parties have been able to conquer the dungeon they are trying to conquer, in this case, the first floor of the Ogre King’s dungeon.

It’s not clear how much of a difference there is, but at least it’s not a gap I can’t catch up with.

“Maybe I should try to be bolder?” (Jiro)

If you do not enter the tiger’s cave, you will not snatch its cub.

I’m aware of the fact that I’ve been avoiding it since my first retreat, although it may not be my strongest reason.

It would be a good opportunity for me to finish mapping everything including that place.

“Should I challenge it this Friday?” (Jiro)

Then I’ll have to make preparations.

Since I have two days off a week, basically Saturdays and Sundays, I figure that even if I push myself a little too hard the next day, it won’t affect the following week, so I plan my schedule.

In the meantime, I continue to pick up the magic stones.

I already have enough magic stones in my sack to make a jingling sound.

“I’d better go back and get ready, I guess?” (Jiro)

The time has passed nicely, and I think I’ll call it a day to prepare for tomorrow.

The only things I have to do now that I’m safely out of the dungeon, aside from writing reports, include cleaning my weapons and armor and drinking.

I’m living a haphazard life, but compared to my old life where I just went home to sleep, I feel like I’m doing something right.

“Are you getting thin?” (Jiro)

And now I’m taking care of the Mineral Tree that has become my partner, and I can’t help but feel like I’m talking to someone.

I’ve been using it for three weeks now, and it’s not even a shadow of what it looked like when I first bought it.

I’ve heard that it grows, but I wondered if a decrease in size could be called growth.

“It looks like a huge kitchen knife.” (Jiro)

The knife is not as long and thin as this, but if you extend the handle and add a large, slightly thin knife blade, it could be my current weapon.

The blade, which was initially shiny and gray, is now slightly darker.

It’s not a tint of dirt, but a gradual deepening of the color, which means it’s growing.

In a similar way, it is like the surface of a fluorocarbon-polymer-coated frying pan, but I stopped polishing the blade, wishing I hadn’t used that analogy for the same cooking utensil.

The surface was clean, having been polished with a cloth made from the threads of a monster called the “magic silkworm”.

“I was told to let my magic flow, but I wonder if this is all right.” (Jiro)

From its first visage an iron plate-like longsword, it looks like it made a lot of progress.

I think it’s good because the signs of change are clearly visible, but when the growth stops, I will be left with a very blunt and expensive object.

I’m not a parent who is worried about the growth of my child, but I am still worried about the amount of money I spent on this.

“I can’t cast a spell, so I can’t send attribute magic, and I’m using the status check app to send the magic.” (Jiro)

I asked Hanz, the owner of the weapon shop, but it seems that there are almost no records left in the past about the method, so I’m really grasping at straws for what to do.

Most of the time, they give up halfway through and plant the Mineral Tree in the yard and leave it there.

I’ve heard that Mineral Trees, like people, grow at different rates, sometimes at a visible rate, sometimes over a thousand years.

“If possible, please do it while I’m still alive.” (Jiro)

As I expected, I couldn’t watch it grow for hundreds or thousands of years.

But since I bought it, I want to see it grow to its full potential.

“Should I polish you a little more?” (Jiro)

I moved my hand, which had stopped, and carefully polished it again.

I’ve already given up smoking, and now I polish them while smoking, being careful not to let the ashes fall on the weapons and armor.

“Take care of me, partner.” (Jiro)

I wonder who told me that a weapon is something you trust your life with.

Tonight, I continued my polishing until I became sleepy.

Early in the morning, I went to the general store in the shopping district and packed my backpack.

“You’re buying a lot today.” (Memoria)

“Yeah, I thought I’d go a little deeper today.” (Jiro)

“Oh, so that’s why.” (Memoria)

“What is it, I don’t like what you’re implying.” (Jiro)

It’s a cold reaction as usual, well, it’s rather refreshing when you get used to it, but I don’t think it’s a good way to deal with customers when you first meet them.

I bought a recovery item it was wound medicine. I also bought a rope with a large cloth, a hand-throwing ax and a dagger, some preserved food and drinking water, and a small pot of seasonings. These were the equipment that made me feel like I was going to survive.

Well, it’s a dungeon, so there should be no mistake in my preparation.

“No, there’s no deep meaning, it’s just…” (Memoria)

“Just?” (Jiro)

Memoria, who had been welcoming me with a strangely red teacup in her hand ever since I entered the store, placed the cup on the saucer and turned her gaze to me quickly.

In this kind of situation, she can give me rather essential pieces of information.

I stopped organizing my purchases and turned to face her.

“It’s fine to be cautious, but let me just say that you should be careful not to knock down too many stone bridges.” (Memoria)

“You’re being very cryptic this time.” (Jiro)

Normally, she would have given me a little more or less information, but this time, I could tell that she was telling me to be careful, but conversely, I couldn’t understand anything more than that.

“I know you will understand what I mean by this, which is why I’m only using these few words.” (Memoria)

“Thank you for the advice, but if possible, make it a little easier to understand.” (Jiro)

“I’m a regular,” I said, and this time she sighed instead of speaking.

“If you carry this on your back, you will understand.” (Memoria)

This time she said it clearly, without looking at me as if she was giving an answer to a struggling student.

“I see.” (Jiro)

As soon as I followed her words and tried to carry the backpack, which was somewhat organized, I understood why.

“It’s hard to move.” (Jiro)

“I agree.” (Memoria)

“It’s going to be hard to fight.” (Jiro)

“I’d add that you’ll probably lose half of it without using it.” (Memoria)

The bulky luggage didn’t seem like much weight to my strengthened body, but when you factor in visibility, centrifugal force, and the noise of movement, it was much harder to move than before.

In addition, Memoria’s words made me think of all the tools I’ve used in battle, abandoning my pack and letting the golem smash it.

“… Return.” (Jiro)

“We don’t accept returns, so please don’t.” (Memoria)

Even at a supermarket, if you show the receipt, you can return purchases, but this store will not.

I didn’t want to feel the difference between the Otherworld and my world with this kind of instance.

“……it cannot be helped.” (Jiro)

Well, fortunately, they are all things that can be stored, so I should be able to consume them slowly.

Taking a glance at the organized glass case, I found a wide variety of small waist pouches.

Magic Bags. That’s it.

The prices are all high, and even the cheapest ones are over two million.

“I wonder how long it will take for me to earn more and be able to buy that.” (Jiro)

“It would take three years, although it rarely takes that long because the more you advance, the more money you make.” (Memoria)

It may seem surprising, given her appearance and personality, but she is a disciplined person.

I guess she was looking at the cheapest bag and reacted to my comment by giving me a rough estimate.

The most I earn in a day is about five thousand yen, and the least is a little more than a thousand yen.

The average is about two or three thousand yen.

If I worked five days a week from Monday to Friday, I would earn 60,000 yen a month, or 720,000 yen a year, assuming I worked 20 days a week and earned 3,000 yen.

This is also assuming that the entire amount is put into savings.

Normally, if I were to subtract miscellaneous expenses such as supplies, food, maintenance, and the reserve fund for the purchase of new equipment, there would be no money left over from my time in the dungeon.

If I were to use my base salary, I would be able to save and buy more quickly.

“So this guy will be my partner for a while, I guess?” (Jiro)

I looked down at my backpack, which I had grown accustomed to over the past few weeks, thinking that I had no choice.

“It looks good.” (Memoria)

“Sarcasm?” (Jiro)

“…?” (Memoria)

“You were serious.” (Jiro)

In a sense, Memoria’s remarks about the backpack carrier were words that carry weight since she never wastes her breath.

So I thought her words were sarcasm, but she sent me pure praise.

The reaction made me shy, and I quickly carried my baby carrier on my back to hide my embarrassment.

“I’ll be going.” (Jiro)

“Be careful.” (Memoria)

I divided the purchases into several bundles, made preparations to the extent that there were just a little more items than usual, and left the rest in my room, I gave a short reply to Memoria, and today’s dungeon challenge now begins…