“So? If I’m not mistaken, you’re asking me to take you on as a disciple?”
It was early March, still a bit chilly, in the afternoon.
At a café that served as a gathering place for housewives, Kageichi faced Kiraboshi while sipping his cocoa.
Conducting the exchange in front of her house felt improper.
But inviting her to his room seemed like it would invite misunderstandings, so he decided to change locations.
“…I know it’s an unreasonable request.”
Kiraboshi, on the other hand, repeated the same claim while taking small sips of her iced coffee.
Please make me your disciple.
“Kiraboshi-san. Does being a disciple mean you want to work in a dungeon-related job? If so, I think it would be faster to study dungeonology at a specialized school.”
“I considered that too… but I want you to teach me, Kageichi-san. …I don’t have much, but I’ll pay you.”
“Hmm,” Kageichi tilted his cup.
“I’m not saying I’ll accept, but could you tell me the reason first? …Why me? There are plenty of other Cleaners, and there are specialized schools. There are even schools for Streamers, and the Hunter business with Public Safety.”
“That’s…”
Kiraboshi closed her lips.
As Kageichi waited, she shook her head as if to dispel her hesitation,
“Because I want to get stronger.”
“If you continue exploring dungeons, you will naturally get stronger. That’s the same for other Cleaners, Streamers, and Hunters.”
“It’s not just about dungeon skills. I want to become mentally stronger. …The Kageichi-san I saw, how should I put it? He didn’t seem swayed by his surroundings and seemed to have a firm core.”
“I see,” Kageichi nodded in agreement with the expected answer.
He guessed that she was not being treated well at school.
The story of being pushed down in the dungeon was too extreme, even for bullying.
Disgusted with herself.
Or perhaps seeking salvation, she relied on Kageichi… or so he thought?
“Please. …I know it’s an unreasonable request. But I… I still think I can’t stay like this,”
“What if I refuse?”
“Ah…!”
“It’s your freedom to expect things from me, Kiraboshi-san. But there’s no merit for me to accept that story right now. Rather, it would be a disadvantage as a Cleaner. You can imagine how a Suit Man with a teenage girl would be seen in society, right?”
Certainly, Kageichi had helped her.
But that was just something that happened, and there was no need to take responsibility for her life after that, and the Cleaner’s job didn’t need a disciple.
As if to coldly reject her, Kageichi deliberately crossed his arms and observed her again.
Although he verbally denied it, in reality, taking her on as a disciple was not a complete disadvantage for Kageichi.
Kageichi preferred solo activities and disliked communication so much that he tended to be cold to visitors, but some jobs could not be done alone.
In that respect, having Kiraboshi become a future asset would be a good idea considering her potential.
Also, if he were to consider fighting “that” in the future, he would need collaborators eventually.
Thinking about it again, it wasn’t a bad story, but…
While plotting in his heart, he continued to deny it with his words.
“I’ll ask you, Kiraboshi-san. What will you provide me as compensation for becoming a disciple?”
“Eh, well… money, or something?”
“I don’t think a high school student’s allowance can provide something that matches my income.”
“Then, helping with work… I’ll do anything, even chores.”
“Recently, the paperwork related to dungeons has been done by a professional called a Labyrinth Clerk. Besides, what I want is not an office worker, but a fighting force in the dungeon.”
“That’s…”
Kiraboshi finally looked down and trembled.
Of course, she had nothing to offer Kageichi.
It was a clear difference between a working adult and a high school student.
If it were to overturn that, what would the compensation be…?
Kiraboshi looked down.
Her expression turned slightly red, and she bit her lip tightly.
As if forcibly squeezing out something stuck in the back of her throat, she looked at him.
“…I, I’m not very cute. And my chest isn’t very big either… but if Kageichi-san wants that, my… body…”
“That way of thinking is a fundamental mistake. If you want to be my disciple, you must understand that first and foremost.”
“…Eh?”
No good.
The current answer was completely wrong.
It was the opposite path from Kageichi’s ideal of a safe, secure, and stress-free life.
It was nothing more than choosing a stressful life of being dominated, exploited, and enslaved by others.
“If you think about it a little, you should understand. Using your body to seduce someone because things aren’t going well. Do you think such a relationship will last? You see plenty of stories about being hugged by a stupid man for one night and then being abandoned.”
“That’s… but Kageichi-san is a person who keeps his promises.”
“Don’t trust verbal promises. No, don’t trust promises even if they’re written down. Is that clear? I am indeed a contractualist, but I am still human. Humans are creatures that lie, and I am no exception. Believing in that without any basis is just blind faith. It’s just a convenient wish for you.”
He understood Kiraboshi’s feelings of wanting to rely on others.
But what awaited her beyond that was a life of being exploited by others.
Simply following the other person’s orders, unable to voice her dissatisfaction, and only harboring frustration…
Kageichi did not want a way of life that reminded him of his days as a corporate slave.
“Kiraboshi-san. What you should overcome first is that mentality. That base slave mentality of sacrificing yourself and enduring when trouble arises. Change that way of thinking first.”
“Ugh…”
“Don’t entrust your right to live to others. Take responsibility for your own problems. Unless you have that spirit, no matter how strong you become in the dungeon, nothing will change. …Isn’t that why you came to me, because you wanted to change that kind of self?”
She was essentially a good girl.
She always told the truth and acted with sincerity, and when problems arose, she apologized even if it wasn’t her fault, trying not to offend the other person.
He didn’t deny that way of thinking itself, but…
A good relationship should be equal.
“You said that you were pushed down in the dungeon the other day. I can’t empathize with the pain in your heart, but I understand it. …But if you had properly refused to enter the dungeon at school, saying it was illegal, that kind of thing wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s… yes.”
“Of course, it’s difficult to get your opinion across in the dynamics of a school. I also had a lot of trouble in my previous life as a corporate slave. …But even so, you must decide on a minimum line that you will not compromise on. If your heart can’t fight first, no matter how much you train your body, true salvation will not come.”
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
Kageichi could support her, but taking the last step was up to her.
It was a harsh story for a girl her age.
But in order to live life, she would have to overcome a wall somewhere, or she would end up living a life of relying on others for the rest of her life.
“With that in mind, I’ll ask you again. Kiraboshi-san. What can you offer as compensation for taking you on as a disciple?”
“…That’s…”
As the ice in the cup rattled, Kiraboshi averted her eyes as if at a loss.
Her head must be in a chaotic mess right now, but…
If she wanted to become a disciple, he wanted her to understand.
“…I have nothing. I have nothing to offer Kageichi-san…”
“No. You have something sufficient to offer.”
“Huh?”
Kageichi smiled faintly at her dumbfounded expression and offered an answer.
“What you have is your future. In other words, your potential.”
It’s never the case that you have nothing.
If you said you wouldn’t hire someone without ability, you wouldn’t be able to hire new graduates.
Although he spoke in a demanding way, Kageichi had understood from the beginning the reason why he could hire her.