A High School Girl fell from the sky.
It’s been two years since I started as a Cleaner.
I thought I was used to rough stuff, but seeing a girl fall from the sky was a first outside of movies.
I considered the possibility of a surprise attack by a High School Girl-type Monster, but it seemed unlikely.
There weren’t any Monsters like that in the LAW.
“Are you alright? Forgive my bluntness, but I don’t understand at all why you fell from the sky. Would you mind if I asked you about it?”
The uniform was from a local high school I recognized.
Without excessive accessories or makeup, the girl with the serious-looking framed glasses was, conversely, a rare sight these days.
I was surprised she suddenly fell, but… well, there’s a reason for everything.
When Kageichi asked calmly, she let out a small “Ah…”
She hugged herself tightly, her teeth chattering slightly—and then she collapsed to the ground with a plop.
“Ugh… Ugh…!”
“Excuse me. Perhaps we should take a break for now?”
Was I being inconsiderate? The motive is unknown, but she was exposed to the danger of losing her life.
There’s no way she wouldn’t be scared.
Kageichi took out a white gem from his Inventory.
When he crushed it and scattered it on the ground, a circular white light spread around, enveloping them.
It was a Barrier Stone, an item that temporarily prevents Monster attacks.
Well then, Kageichi sat down against a nearby wall and decided to wait for the girl to calm down.
After some time, she introduced herself as Kiraboshi and bowed politely.
“I’m sorry. Thank you so much for saving me… I didn’t even say thank you, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I just happened to be passing by. Still, it’s puzzling to find a student of your age in a wild Dungeon.”
When I implicitly asked for the reason, the girl looked down again.
It seems there are unpleasant circumstances, but what to do… well, for now.
“Then, please answer just one question. Did you enter the Dungeon of your own volition?”
“Eh?”
“By ‘of your own volition,’ I mean did you enter willingly, with a lighthearted feeling like out of curiosity? Conversely, if someone forced you to come here, please answer that way.”
“…………”
The girl closed her mouth, but soon, while hanging her head.
“…I entered on my own.”
“Are you aware that it’s a criminal act?”
“…Yes.”
“By yourself? Or with companions?”
“…A friend invited me to go… I couldn’t refuse.”
“I see. Were you at the front of the party?”
The girl nodded.
Most likely, she fell into a Pitfall. The one who falls is usually at the front of the party.
Which means…
“In summary, you were bullied and forced to enter the Dungeon, and then you fell?”
“Eh? Eh???”
“People who can’t refuse to go along usually don’t walk at the front of the party. Besides, as someone in the industry, I’ve heard stories about Dungeon bullying.”
Perhaps… she says she fell into a Pitfall, but she might have been pushed.
Well, let’s think about that later.
What should I do now—as Kageichi was pondering, she frantically took out her Smartphone.
“Um, excuse me! In situations like this, should I call the emergency number for Dungeons?”
“You can call if you want, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“…Why is that?”
“Using Dungeon rescue services is very expensive. After all, they’re entering while Monsters are present, so it’s not the same as a regular ambulance.”
The public was in an uproar about that for a while.
Is it necessary to use taxes and risk the lives of rescue teams to save people who selfishly enter Dungeons?
As a result, the government changed its policy and started charging high fees.
“Of course, if you’re a legitimate Hunter like me, insurance will cover it. But naturally, Kiraboshi-san, you’re not insured.”
“Yes…”
“To add to that, this Dungeon is a wild one, not a public one. That means Kiraboshi-san’s current position is that of a civilian who entered the Dungeon without permission and selfishly got into trouble. The Labyrinth Agency will have a very bad impression, and you’ll also face criticism from your school and parents. By the way, uninsured Labyrinth rescue costs at least 100,000.”
“Ugh…!”
“Of course, if you’re truly in a life-threatening situation, it’s wise to call without hesitation. You only have one life… With that understanding—”
Kageichi hesitated for a moment whether to say the next line, but… he switched gears, thinking it would be fine.
“I’ll secretly return you to the surface, within the scope that it doesn’t interfere with my work. In the meantime, I promise to protect your life.”
Of course, Kageichi has no obligation to protect her.
Not getting involved in things unrelated to his work is Kageichi’s basic policy.
However—Kageichi’s principles are safety, security, and no stress.
Non-stress means being able to sleep soundly in bed without any unpleasant feelings lingering in his mind.
Having the fact that he saved a passing girl as part of that is not a bad thing.
“…Is it okay for me to ask…?”
Kageichi smiled faintly at Kiraboshi, who blinked her eyelids.
“It’s fine. However, well… I would appreciate it if you understood that this is not an act of kindness.”
“Huh?”
“I’m a very selfish person. You could say I’m self-indulgent and wicked, and I have a policy of not doing things I don’t want to do. With that in mind… well, for example, let’s say a cat was abandoned on the side of the road. Of course, I’d ignore it, but if that cat was found dead in a cardboard box the next morning on my usual commute, I’d feel bad, right?”
“Y-yes.”
“That would be a minor stress for me, and it would interfere with my sleep.”
That would undoubtedly have a negative impact on Kageichi Futsuu’s life.
If the other party has obvious negligence or malice, I will politely send them to heaven, but on the other hand, if the other party is in trouble due to goodwill or unavoidable circumstances, I will be considerate.
Not for the sake of the other person, but for my own sake.
For Kageichi, murder and good deeds are the same thing.
Both are merely processes to make his private life more comfortable.
“So, no thanks are necessary. I decided to help you based on my own selfishness… Ah. Just one thing. I’m currently on a Dungeon cleaning job. Would it be alright if I took Kiraboshi-san to the surface after the cleaning is complete?”
He will protect Kiraboshi’s safety.
Kageichi basically doesn’t break promises.
On the other hand, Kageichi’s main job is a Cleaner.
No matter how troubled a passing girl is, he doesn’t feel like prioritizing her over his original job.
“That’s my claim. Do you have any questions or doubts so far?”
I think I’ve become a bit businesslike myself, but… is there a problem?
As I asked with a little worry, she bowed her head.
“…Thank you, very much. I’m really grateful.”
“No thanks are necessary. This is my selfishness.”
“Even so, I want to express my gratitude as I feel…”
She’s a very obedient child, Kageichi narrowed his eyes.
She’s probably the type who is liked by teachers at school.
However, I think being too serious isn’t good in life…
At that moment, when I had such an unusual thought—
A bothersome buzzing sound reached Kageichi’s ears.
When I searched the surrounding Magical Power, I grasped that multiple Magical Power masses that seemed to be Monsters were approaching from the back of the hall on the second floor of the Dungeon… a number that couldn’t be counted as just ten.
Opening his Inventory, Kageichi stood ready, and what appeared before them was…
Monsters flying in a group, making a busy buzzing sound.
A swarm of small bees—however, all of them were a force of giants about the size of cats—Killer Bees discovered them, and countless compound eyes gleamed red.
With Kiraboshi screaming behind him, Kageichi smiled faintly as he slowly stood ready.
There were some unexpected things, but… from here on, let’s continue today’s work as usual.
A High School Girl falling from the sky is unexpected, but Monster extermination is the usual thing.
It’s the beginning of the peaceful daily life that Kageichi loves so much.