Chapter 45: How to Spend Money, and a Phone Call with Shi-chan
The day after the Private Dungeon investigation.
Pikon!
“A deposit has been made to your account.”
A message popped up on my smartphone, so I opened my local bank’s app.
And then.
“…Huh?”
“Transfer: TOCHIGI EXPLORER ASSOCIATION 16,474,222 yen”
Some kind of outrageous sum had been transferred.
One, ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand…
“Sixteen million yen…!”
That’s like four to five years’ worth of my previous job’s annual salary.
This is…
As I stared at the numbers for a while, I got a call from the Tochigi Explorer Association.
“Good morning. This is Yamada from the Southern Branch of the Tochigi Explorer Association. Am I speaking with Natsume-san?”
“Yes, that’s right. Yamada-san, about that large sum that was just transferred…”
“So you’ve seen it. It’s a bit late, but the auction for the Jade Spirit Magic Stone you brought in previously has concluded. The estimate was five million yen, but we found a buyer for about four times that amount.”
“That much…? Um, what kind of person…?”
“We don’t know the specific buyer either. However, considering the pre-tax bid was 22,222,222 yen, it must be someone for whom ten or twenty million yen is pocket change.”
“Seriously…?”
“We’ll also be auctioning off the other magic stones you’ve brought in, one by one. We appreciate your continued cooperation.”
And with that, the call ended.
“…Seriously?”
I said it again.
I mean, it’s sixteen million yen.
If I save up a little more, I could build a house, as long as it’s not in the middle of the city.
With the original twenty million, I could probably build a regular Home.
“Man, taxes are high… Oh, right.”
I remember hearing about it when I first got my license.
If you show your Explorer license when buying exploration tools, they can be treated as expenses and deducted from income tax.
“If it’s just going to be taken in taxes, maybe I should buy some exploration tools…”
When I wondered what to buy, one thing immediately came to mind.
A car.
“It’s essential for country living, huh?”
I can manage with a bicycle within the city, but if I’m going to expand my activities to Utsunomiya, Nasu, and outside the prefecture, it’ll be absolutely necessary.
It’s also a problem not having one for transporting drop items.
It feels bad to always have Otama-chan drive me around whenever I go out, like when we went to that fancy restaurant.
“…Alright, I’ll buy one.”
Thinking about the money I had on hand suddenly made me feel bold.
I think there was a dealer near Eeyon, where the Explorer Association is, that handles cars for Explorers.
Should I go check it out right away?
…I don’t have my parents’ car, so I’ll have to go by bicycle, though.
☆★☆
“Whoa…”
Entering the dealership building, a gleaming black SUV was on display.
Since many Explorers are young, the designs are also unique.
The car’s name was “Bahamut,” and the price was…
“…Ten million yen.”
I could buy it with cash, but it’s terrifyingly expensive.
I thought cars were around two million yen.
But, thinking the chuunibyou-esque name was cool, I stared at the black car for a while.
“Welcome. Are you looking for something?”
“Ah, y-yes.”
Being spoken to by a female sales assistant made me flustered.
Then, the female sales assistant stared intently at me.
Did I look out of place…?
Then.
“Um, could you possibly be… Ko-chan-san?”
“Yes, I am, but…”
“I knew it! Um, please come this way, to this room!”
“Eh, eh…?”
I was led to what looked like a luxurious reception room.
“Manager—!!”
Outside the door, the woman was shouting loudly.
What’s going on…?
After a short while, a man in his fifties came out.
“Welcome. I am Tanimura, the manager.”
“N-Nice to meet you. My name is Natsume.”
I haven’t shoplifted or anything…
Then, the manager said.
“We also handle vehicles for the Explorer Association, and we’re indebted to Omogawa-san from the branch office.”
“So you know Omogawa-san.”
“Yes, she sometimes forgets the inspection procedures… N-No, it’s nothing. We often speak on the phone, so I’ve come to feel like Omogawa-san is one of us…”
“I see…”
I still don’t quite get what’s going on.
Why was I brought here?
Perhaps seeing my expression, the manager continued.
“…I was deeply moved watching the broadcast footage from Ota Dungeon. It’s not our place to say, but thank you for saving Omogawa-san. As a branch of a corporation, we can’t give you a car for free, but we will offer you the maximum possible discount. It seemed you were looking at the display car earlier…”
“Ah, yes. But I thought it was a bit expensive…”
“No… For an Explorer of Natsume-san’s caliber, something of that level is necessary, I believe. It’s a magic stone hybrid, so refueling is basically unnecessary, it can transport spears and long materials, and it’s a reinforced model using dungeon-sourced materials.”
“Reinforced model?”
“Yes, Explorers often transport valuable materials. It’s necessary for self-defense and peace of mind.”
“Self-defense, huh…”
True, if I’m going to be transporting magic stones worth over twenty million yen, it might be necessary.
Maybe I should build a Home with top-notch security too…
When I calm down and think about it, there are still so many things I lack…
“If Natsume-san intends to continue as an Explorer, the purchase price can be claimed as an expense annually, and more importantly, in a few years, regular vehicles probably won’t cut it anymore. The basic model is the ‘Bahamut’; if you prioritize comfort, then perhaps the ‘Sleipnir’ or ‘Titania’…”
And so, I bought the Explorer-spec SUV “Bahamut” in a lump sum cash payment.
One way or another, the purchase price dropped to six million yen.
Apparently, it will be delivered as soon as the legal procedures are complete.
…Manager, I wonder if he’ll get chewed out by headquarters later?
☆★☆
“I actually bought it…”
As I stepped outside the dealership, feeling the sense of exhaustion that comes after completing a major task.
Brrrring, brrrring…
My smartphone was ringing.
I looked at the screen.
“Shi-chan…?”
What’s this? It’s not a LINK call.
“Hello, Natsume speaking.”
When I answered the phone.
“N-Natsume-gun… I’m sorry, I… I might have said something I shouldn’t have…” Shi-chan’s voice was thick with unshed tears.
“Shi-chan, what’s wrong!?”
Shi-chan started speaking, her voice choked with sobs.
I listened to her for a while.
“I see…”
I understood the situation.
That there were moves to separate me and Otama-chan, under the pretext of strengthening and protecting me.
That depending on how the Labyrinth Exploration Law is applied, Otama-chan’s, and possibly even my, license could be revoked.
That to counter these moves, she had declared that everyone in Team Secret Base would become an A-Rank Party.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… If Natsume-gun had just said no, this whole thing might have been over… I gave them an unnecessary excuse…”
“No…”
Of course, I don’t want to join some A-Rank Party I don’t know.
I’ve had enough of being bossed around and given quotas by higher-ups.
“There were other ways… like getting Natsume-gun and Tama-chan into the same A-Rank Party… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
“Shi-chan.”
I stated firmly.
“You’re not to blame, Shi-chan.”
“Eh…”
“You were trying to protect us, right?”
“N-Natsume-gun…”
“I don’t want to team up with strangers. But I can’t just keep saying ‘no, no’ when Otama-chan might get into trouble. Besides, I understand what the higher-ups are saying. This whole self-defense thing was a problem that would have come up eventually.”
“Th-Then…”
“Let’s do it. Let’s become an A-Rank Party. We’ll shut them up with our skills. What kind of levels do we need?”
“…Everyone needs to be level 40 or higher. It would be easier to explain to the higher-ups if Natsume-kun is close to level 50… And then, if we can all clear the 20th floor of Utsunomiya Dungeon together…”
“By the way, can I ask what your level is, Shi-chan?”
“…I’m level 37. I need to work a little harder.”
“I see…”
Even stronger than Yamada-san from the Tochigi Explorer Association, and still not enough, huh…
But.
“Alright. I’ll figure something out. Let me think about it.”
“N-Natsume-gun…”
“Hey, don’t cry. It’ll be okay. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“…Okay.”
And then, the call ended.
“…Hmm.”
This is a pretty tough situation.
Me getting stronger is probably possible.
But can Otama-chan and Manamin get that strong?
Manamin, especially, still only has a Green License.
Her level is probably 1.
If I alone become overwhelmingly strong, maybe I can somehow argue my way through it…
Thinking about such things, I returned to the bicycle parking area.
Then, this time.
Pikon!
“Hm…?”
There was a message in the “Secret Base’s Four Good Friends” group LINK.
Manami: Ko-chin, sorry, but I let myself into the Secret Base. I just stepped outside again.
Manami: There’s something I want to show you, so I want you to come.
Manami: I figured out how to use my 【Transformation Craving】 skill.