Chapter 16: Applying for the Explorer Exam
“Um, Natsume-san… Where did you get this?”
When I handed her the green magic stone, Yamada-san from the Explorer Association asked with a serious expression.
“It was from that Private Dungeon… I caught a rare butterfly, and this appeared.”
I answered honestly.
“I see… Ms. Omogawa, could you come here for a moment?”
“Coming!”
A voice came from behind the partition, and Otama-chan appeared.
“Oh, Ko-chan! …I mean, Natsume-san. What’s up?”
Her tone was a bit casual, but it seemed she was trying to be polite in front of Yamada-san.
“Ms. Omogawa. I’m sorry to bother you, but could you please store this magic stone in the back?”
“Huh…?! Isn’t this a Jade Spirit Magic Stone?! No way…”
“Natsume-san brought it in. You wish to sell it, correct?”
“Yes. …Is this something rare?”
“It is. To put it simply, it’s very rare.”
“Ah, I-I’ll go put it in the safe!”
Otama-chan placed the green magic stone on a tray and hurriedly ran behind the partition.
“That magic stone is…?”
“It’s called a Jade Spirit Magic Stone. Simply put, it’s an ultra-high-purity magic stone. The purchase price is entirely based on the current market value, so I can’t give an exact estimate, but it wouldn’t be less than five million yen.”
“Seriously…?”
With just a single magic stone, I’d surpassed my previous job’s annual income.
My sense of money was starting to get seriously messed up.
According to Yamada-san, there are broadly three types of demand for magic stones.
So-called “Pebble Magic Stones,” small magic stones, are used for fuel, and their purchase price is low.
Medium to large magic stones can secure a substantial output, so they are used for magic tools that can be utilized within dungeons and for research on them.
Their purchase price ranges from tens of thousands to about one million yen.
And then…
“Out-of-spec” ones, like the magic stone this time, are used to create custom-made items.
“Jade Spirit Magic Stones are rare items that can only be obtained from high-level small monsters. I’ve only ever seen one myself.”
“Out of curiosity, Yamada-san, what kind of monster did it drop from when you got it?”
“It was from the floor boss of Shibuya Dungeon’s 20th floor, a Dullahan. How nostalgic, that was before I got married. Our party of four somehow managed to defeat it.”
…So Yamada-san used to be an Explorer in Tokyo, huh?
“Even if there are high-level monsters, they are usually large, like dragon types. Because of that, Jade Spirit Magic Stones rarely appear on the market. Furthermore, the buyers are limited to high-level Explorers or top-tier magic tool manufacturers. These are generally people who aren’t short on money, so the purchase price can easily jump by several million yen.”
“Oooh…”
The anticipated uses include batteries for super high-performance AI drones for streaming, power sources for attribute weapons, and the cores for perpetually moving automatons.
“For now, I’ll give you a preliminary estimate of five million yen, but please be aware that the amount may fluctuate.”
“Understood.”
…Hearing this amount solidified my resolve even further.
“Um, could I ask for a bit of advice? I want to get an Explorer license that allows me to enter dungeons other than my Private Dungeon…”
“The exam for general Explorers is on the 10th of every month. If you’d like, shall I process your application for the next one? Since you have a Green License, Natsume-san, you’re exempt from the preliminary lecture and can start with the practical exam on the day.”
It’s March 2nd now, so that’s about a week away.
“Thank you. Please do.”
“In that case, please place your hand here and authorize status disclosure.”
“Okay.”
Yamada-san slid a black slate in front of me.
It was the same kind of device Otama-chan had used out of curiosity to check my status.
I obediently followed her instructions.
Name: Natsume Kouichi
Level: 21
EXP: 67/1410
HP: 174
MP: 88
Attack: 84 (Bonus +18)
Defense: 64 (Bonus +4)
Speed: 137 (Bonus +15)
Wisdom: 55
Skills: 【Childlike Heart】, 【Item Drop Boost】, 【Water Resistance (Small)】, 【Sleep Skill Nullification】, 【Water Walking】, 【Slash Boost (Small)】, 【Butterfly Dance】
Special Abilities: Monster Creature Encyclopedia, Mass Assault, Monster Capture Net (Lv1), Bug Sumo (Stag Beetle)
“Huh…!?”
Yamada-san’s eyes widened as she looked at the display.
“Ex-Excuse me for a moment!”
Yamada-san placed her own hand on the black slate.
Yamada-san’s data appeared on the display.
Name: Yamada Nanako
Level: 35
EXP: 511/3781
HP: 243
MP: 193
Attack: 104
Defense: 112
Speed: 135
Wisdom: 152
Skills: 【Presence Detection】, 【Wind Magic】, 【Spatial Grasp】
Special Abilities: Wind Cutter, Air Blast, Breath Counter, Speed Up, Tempest
Whoa, Yamada-san is strong!
No wonder Otama-chan is scared of her.
Still, Yamada-san’s first name is Nanako, huh?
Looking at a woman’s stats like this somehow makes me feel like I’m doing something I shouldn’t.
As I was thinking that…
“The device doesn’t seem to be broken… Um, Natsume-san, you really did just get your Green License recently, right? You haven’t been doing any illegal exploring, have you?”
“Eh, y-yes…”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-Yes…”
I couldn’t quite follow what was happening, but was I being suspected of doing something wrong?
My life as an Explorer is…
As I dithered, Yamada-san sighed and said,
“…It’s unbelievable, but Natsume-san, even before obtaining a general Explorer license, you possess stats that are top-class in this district… and mid-tier even in Tokyo.”
“Huh…!?”
I hadn’t realized I’d gotten that strong.
“In any case, I’ll be expecting you for the exam on March 10th. Just make sure you don’t get sick, okay?”
“Y-Yes!”
“So this is the blessing of a Private Dungeon… Honestly, I’m envious. I can’t count how many times I nearly died…”
Yamada-san said, pouting.
I’d never seen this kind of expression on her face before.
“Uh, um…”
As I struggled to find the right words,
“Fufu, I’m just kidding.”
Yamada-san smiled brightly.
“But, if that’s the case, then I don’t need to hold back either, do I?”
“Eh…?”
Yamada-san glanced towards the partition.
“About those magic stones you brought in the other day, Natsume-san, the purchase price has been decided. It went up from the estimate of 698,000 yen to 780,000 yen.”
“Seriously…?”
“Yes, seriously. I worked hard on that.”
…This person is probably excellent at whatever she does.
Her bright smile was dazzling.
“And so, you said you’d treat Ms. Omogawa to a meal if the magic stones sold for a good price, didn’t you, Natsume-san?”
“W-Well, yeah…”
I vaguely remembered saying something like that since Otama-chan had helped me catch fish.
Yamada-san placed a printout of a webpage on the counter.
“This is my recommended restaurant. As it happens, Ms. Omogawa has the day off tomorrow. If you can get a reservation, please do treat her.”
Looking at the restaurant’s photo, it was a stylish place that one wouldn’t expect to find in this town full of chain restaurants.
The dinner course was 6,000 yen per person.
Around here, it was undoubtedly a high-class restaurant.
“Yamada-sa~n, I’ve put it away~”
Just then, Otama-chan came over to the counter in a carefree manner.