Chapter 388: Let’s Forget About the Troubles
I decided to ask Mesaria-san for more details about the situation.
The incident occurred yesterday. Although it was labeled an attack, it wasn’t a sudden assault; it seemed to stem from an argument that escalated. Even though my classmates were difficult to communicate with, they apparently had a minimum level of common sense. However, the fact that they attacked the employees of Hinomaru indicates that they crossed a line.
For now, they are maintaining a stance of “I can’t disclose anything due to confidentiality.” Since the supplier is in Japan, they can’t reveal anything without it reaching us. They have offered an apology for the attack on the employees and are willing to settle by covering the medical expenses. Of course, we could escalate the situation, but if we push too hard, we might face backlash and end up getting hurt ourselves.
First, we should ensure that no products available in modern Japan are left in plain sight. As for what else we should do…
“I understand the situation, but if they’re going to behave, let’s try to keep things peaceful for now.”
“Yeah, I think we should observe for a while. I don’t want to get involved either…”
“Understood.”
It might be seen as procrastination, but if nothing happens, that’s for the best. I told Mesaria-san to inform me immediately if anything came up, and she nodded before heading back to her base.
“Haah…”
I let out a deep sigh and sank back into my chair. The feeling of unease only grew stronger.
I can’t shake the feeling that things won’t go smoothly from here on out. Perhaps I should at least think about a location for when we take those troublemakers away…? Considering the worst-case scenario is probably a good idea to avoid any rash actions.
I want to keep our apartment hidden, but if they find out about video sites, that could be troublesome. What if they demand our smartphones…?
“Guuuuuuuuuh…! This is so annoying!!!”
I couldn’t help but shout out my frustrations, causing Ivan to look at me in disbelief. When I explained to Rio, who was frowning, she grimaced and said, “That seems plausible.”
I don’t want to cause any trouble for Mr. Jinpei and the others.
“Meeting with those guys is absolutely out of the question. If they persist, I’ll have to take action without them noticing.”
“Right. We should also make sure to tell Mesaria-san not to mention our names.”
“Understood. I’ll convey that.”
As I solidified my resolve, the maid, Hannah, bowed respectfully and left the dining hall. I could have called directly, but if she’s going to handle it, I’ll leave it to her.
“Alright, let’s forget about the unpleasant things and focus on having fun!”
““Yeah!””
“Woof woof!”
“Well, a little escapism is important too.”
As the four of us and one furry friend stepped outside, I declared our intentions. Ivan was mumbling something incomprehensible, but I chose to ignore it.
“What fun things are we going to do?”
“I’m glad you asked!”
Phonia’s eyes sparkled with excitement as I placed my hands on my hips and replied with enthusiasm.
“That is… an adventure!”
“Yay!”
However, only Phonia responded with enthusiasm. Rio maintained her cheerful smile, while Ivan shrugged his shoulders.
“So, where are we going?”
Prompted by Ivan, I began to explain our plans. It had only been a few days since I released the scouting Spider TYPE, but I had already found a decent amount of ingredients. I thought we could explore those areas and snack on whatever we found.
“Is that so? But how are we getting there?”
“I’ll open a Dimensional Rift, so we’ll be there in no time.”
“You know the coordinates?”
When I answered Ivan, Rio chimed in with a magical question. Apparently, thanks to the Dungeon’s map function, I could determine distance and direction. By linking it with my own Map Skill, specifying the destination for Teleportation wouldn’t be difficult.
“That’s convenient.”
“We should make use of convenient things as much as possible. Now, let’s get going!”
I checked the surroundings to ensure there were no Monsters nearby or cliffs in the area before opening the Dimensional Rift.
“Food!”
With her insatiable appetite, Phonia dashed into the rift, drooling with excitement. We followed her, amused by her enthusiasm.
The first place we chose was an area where the fruit Beberage grew. I had no idea what to expect, but my curiosity was piqued.
“A Forest?”
We emerged in a lush area filled with dense vegetation. Trees stood about five meters tall, spaced evenly apart, but they didn’t block the sky. Large leaves sprouted directly from thick trunks, and fist-sized fruits hung from the bases of the leaves like grapes.
“It smells sweet!”
Phonia sniffed the air as she looked around. Nil was also wandering about, sniffing the scents, but when we reached the desired tree, he looked up, sniffed the fruit, and then turned back to us.
“Woof woof!”
“Haha!”
I approached Nil, who seemed delighted to have found something, and ruffled his head affectionately. Upon appraising the fruit, it indeed confirmed to be Beberage. The fruit had a pink and orange marbled color, and it seemed we could eat it raw after peeling it.
“It looks delicious.”
Rio picked one of the fruits and began to examine it, flipping it over.
“The vividly colored ones are ripe for picking.”
After sharing what I learned from the appraisal, she took out a knife and sliced it in half. The inside was pure white, with a large seed in the center.
“It’s sweet… but also sour.”
Phonia took a bite and wore a blissful expression, but soon after, she furrowed her brow.
“Sure, there’s a sour aftertaste, but this might not be so bad.”
“It’s tasty! It might be even better chilled or frozen?”
“It seems like it would be great for refreshing the palate after eating meat.”
I offered some to Nil, but it seemed he wasn’t impressed. As the three of us exchanged our thoughts, we savored our first ingredient together.