I’ll start from the conclusion: after graduating from junior high, both of my parents gave their approval on me becoming an adventurer and while also attending high school.
After making the call, it seemed I was passed over from the municipal office to the prefectural office. The person there was about to give me an explanation but then told me that “in the case of a minor registering, they must first obtain their guardian’s consent”.
Naturally, I was anxious about that precisely because I haven’t even asked for my parents’ consent back then, but the person on the line offered “if you want, we can come and explain things to them as well”.
Honestly, that got me wondering why they would do so. But then again, since they were from the prefecture and thus probably wouldn’t do anything strange, I decided to ask them to come after I had a talk with my parents.
As expected, my parents scolded me when I told them. And since I couldn’t tell them I was doing this partly to help my father get reemployed, the only answer I could when they asked why I was doing this was that I simply wanted to fulfill my dream of becoming an adventurer. That only seemed to make them angrier though.
The government officials moved with unusual speed, leaving my parents reluctantly agreeing to the meeting. And so, in what I would describe as quite the unpleasant atmosphere, the person from the prefectural office gave us an explanation on things related to being an adventurer. I had the feeling that my parents—while looking quite sorry—would be against my registration as an adventurer by the end though.
“—so, just because one is an adventurer, it doesn’t mean that their lives would be at constant risk.”
“Y-yeah.”
However, it would seem that the battle was overturned as soon as they sat down for the talk. Not that there was any winners or losers here, of course.
The person who came was an elite-looking man in a suit named Togo Miyokichi. He was apparently working for the prefecture’s dungeon countermeasure department. With a glint from his glasses, he began speaking with a bright, brisk, but also pleasing voice. Before I and my parents knew it, we were all nodding to his every word.
It was no magic or superpower as far as I could tell. It was purely due to his conversation skills.
“Additionally, about your father’s employment…”
“W-well,”
“In the adventurer’s guild, sentiments such as ‘I’m doing this for my son’ or ‘to watch over my son from somewhere nearby’ are not that uncommon.”
And then, without even me prompting him to, he led the conversation to the aforementioned employment through connection I heard from the rumors. Moreover, my dad didn’t even realized that he was getting in through that connection system. If anything, it felt like my dad was getting the idea that it was his responsibility now to become a guild staff for my sake.
Heck, even I—who was listening from the side as they talked—was feeling guilty at having my dad work at the guild. If I didn’t hear those rumors beforehand about those connected to adventurers being employed at the guild, I surely wouldn’t have realized what was going on.
Togo-san’s ability to convince my father without making him feel guilty about the hiring process was astounding.
And so, after this and that, my parents reluctantly agreed to me becoming an adventurer. My dad’s job interview at the guild was also scheduled.
If one were to look at the results alone, they could say that things proceeded exactly as I wanted it to. But it only did because of Togo-san. I was nothing but grateful.
With a gentle smile on his face, we saw him off and then we sighed to ourselves. He was easy to talk and listen to, but the affair was nonetheless tiring. We were overwhelmed from start to finish, and I couldn’t help but think that he was too far beyond for lower middle class people like us.
…which made me wonder if he was actually a prefectural office worker like he said he was. For a moment, at least. I had no grounds to doubt it, especially when his business card states that to be his place of work. To begin with, the person from the municipal office referred him to us as someone from the prefectural office.
Before I could think more on that though, my mom began her 2nd round of sermons. Unsurprisingly, doing things without consulting them first wasn’t to their liking. But then again, the majority of her sermon consisted more of her worries about me becoming an adventurer…
Incidentally, I discovered that one other advantage of being an Awakened One was that I could sit on my knees for such a long time without my legs going to sleep on me.
* * *
<<And that’s what happened.>>
<<Weren’t you the one who kept ranting that it was stupid for people to want to become adventurers?>>
<<You should have given us an advance notice at the very least, you mob face.>>
<<Look, I’m sorry, but what does my mob face have to do with anything? If anything, aren’t you guys the mob face?>>
<<Why you little…>>
<<Don’t get so riled up, old-face!>>
<<I see, so the two of you are my enemies.>>
My friends and I exchanged messages like that.
<<At any rate, we became adventurers too. Let’s do a training session or something together.>>
<<Finally, I’m an adventurer…my tentacles of destiny awaits.>>
<<Dude, chill. Besides, there’s still no guarantee you’ll have your tentacles, is there?>>
<<As long as I don’t give up hope, it will happen sooner or later. I fully believe so.>>
…are you really alright, Uoyama-kun? Were you that into this kind of thing? …but I suppose there were signs he was like this. It’s fine then, I guess.
<<For real though, someone from the prefecture came to explain things to you? Nothing like that happened to me.>>
<<In my case, I went with my parents to a briefing session in the municipal office. Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter if it’s at the municipal office or prefectural office. Still though, they bothered to do all that?>>
<<Really? When I called, it felt like it’s normal for them to direct you to the prefectural office.>>
The state was managing the adventurer’s guild, so I just thought that those at the prefecture level were the ones dealing with things like this.
<<Kyotarou’s probably marked, isn’t he? As a suspicious person, I mean.>>
<<Makes sense.>>
<<Hey, how dare you say that to an irreproachable model student like me?>>
Although I replied jokingly like that, I also wondered if the government had their eyes on me.
This was ultimately just rumors found on the internet, but according to them, Awakened Ones in Japan have a stat average of about C. Kumai-kun and Uoyama-kun’s stats also averaged at around that, though their stat spread differed a bit.
Meanwhile, my stats averaged at a B+. Moreover, I also had [Guardian Spirit], a supposedly rare superpower. That superpower basically gave a person the fighting strength of 2 people.
…regarding my distinctive superpower—which kinda gave me amazing self-healing powers—I kept it a secret when I registered as an Awakened One in the municipal office. In fact, I also kept it a secret from my friends and family.
I was quite anxious about it being exposed, but according to Layla, even if there was somehow an appraisal-type mage to examine me, it would be hard for them to see completely through my status page. Needless to say, I placed my trust on her words.
But it would seem that even taking my [Silver Apple] out of the equation, my perceived status page was enough to earn me some kind of special treatment. While it did make me feel superior somewhat, it also scared me.
<<Anyway, once we get into high school, let’s be adventurers together, alright?>>
<<If we all get in the same school, sure.>>
<<Stop that, you idiot.>>
<<For heaven’s sake, don’t say something so ominous. You’re scaring me.>>
It’ll all be alright, yeah? We’ll all go to the same school, yeah?
Now that they said those things, I got extremely anxious. I had decided to become an adventurer, but I didn’t think that alone was enough to get me through life. An educational background was still important.
I wasn’t at all aiming to get into a high-performing high school, but that didn’t mean I wanted to get into a poorly performing one either. My guidance counselor told me my academic abilities were acceptable, but even then, I would have to study with all seriousness until the actual entrance exams.
No, this shaking is just from excitement.
I told myself so and let out a sigh.
Kumai-kun and I kept sending messages, asking Uoyama-kun to tell us it would all be fine.
Damn it, only one of us has good grades, so why are we acting like all three of us do!?
And with that thought, I put down my phone and began studying…well, before that…there was one more person I should have consulted with and gotten the consent from before applying to become an adventurer.
“Layla.”
“Here! What can I do for you?”
I had brought a chair in front of my bed and then sat on that bed. That way, when I called for Layla, she appeared sitting in the chair in front of me. I did my best not to let my eyes stare at the ensemble of beautiful legs, her mini-skirt, and the skin left exposed by her knee-high socks.
I have to put a serious expression now.
After a short pause, I said something to the smiling girl in front of me.
“Layla, I’ve become an adventurer.”
“I know of it, yes.”
“Sorry for doing it without even consulting you. I was so preoccupied with things that the thought of consulting you didn’t even cross my mind.”
I was apparently more depressed I thought. Due to aspirations and fear about becoming an adventurer, due to my father losing his job, and due to my upcoming exams. It was all a bit too much for me.
“No need to feel sorry. The final decision will always be yours to make, my master. I will do my utmost for your continued survival and good health, but it is you who who determines how to live that life.”
“Thanks…so, you don’t, ahm, object to it?”
“No objections! I don’t think it’s a bad decision.”
Layla, with a smile just like always, answered so.
“You might now be delving into dungeons, but that doesn’t mean you have to fight enemies as strong or stronger than you. If you could fight only those weaker than you, then you’d be able to earn combat experience in relative safety, which in turn should improve your survivability even more down the line!”
Togo-san had told something like that to my parents as well. According to him, there was no longer any place in modern day Japan that was completely free from the dangers of the dungeons. As such, it was only beneficial for any youth to get used to dealing with monsters.
He also said in passing that although Awakened Ones and adventurers were being seen with prejudice at the moment, with the passage of time, they would be accepted by society and even likely have an advantage when it came to job hunting.
“Since you will be able to secure financial stability while also gaining combat experience, I have no reason at all to object.”
“That’s great…ah, about combat. I won’t be summoning you too often in dungeons, so don’t worry about that, alright?”
“……”
I breathed out a sigh of relief while looking down at my hands. I was so worried she would object to me becoming an adventurer. So, when she gave me that answer, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, which allowed for a wave of exhaustion to rush into me.
“I decided to become an adventurer all on my own, so I’d at least spare you from danger as much as possible. Now, I know that if I die, my guardian spirit would go with me, but still—”
I didn’t want a girl close to me be put in the line of danger. I had been training for quite a while now, and I wanted her see that I was now capable of dealing with things all by myself.
“Opinion: I disagree with that suggestion.”
“Huh?”
I reflexively lifted my head up and looked straight at her when she said those words in an awfully detached and mechanical tone. There, I saw Layla as emotionless as a doll.
“Huh? Wha?”
“My survival is based on your continued survival. Your death is my death as well. It is no exaggeration to say that I exist completely for your sake.”
“But…”
I had been getting used to her blue and golden eyes, but at this moment, they still overpowered me.
“In situations where combat is expected—as is the case when delving into dungeons—refraining from summoning me will only needlessly lower your chances of survival. And even if I die in the course of battle, it is possible for me to be revived after some time as long as you survive. There is simply no good reason for you to refrain from summoning me.”
“L-Layla?”
“Again, the decision is yours, master. However, for the reasons I’ve stated, I genuinely think your suggestion to not let me participate in battles is the wrong choice.”
After saying all that, Layla closed her mouth and simply stared at me.
She still looked emotionless, I should add. Up until now, she always had a smile or something like it on her face, so what was happening right now was just unthinkable for me.
“Master, please reconsider.”
“A-alright. Please help me out in dungeons as well…”
“Understood! You can count on me!”
And just like that, a smile was on her face again. The usual bright, beautiful, reassuring smile of hers was back.
“Even if it costs me my life, I promise I’ll protect you, master. That is my reason for being, as a guardian spirit. My highest priority in everything I do is your well-being, in both body and mind!”
With her hands in her supple chest, she declared so.
And before I knew it, I was retreating, sliding my bottom against my not-at-all large bed.
“Master? Are you unwell?”
“Ahh, no, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
Suddenly, a thought popped in my mind: just what kind of beings are guardian spirits?
“If you have any concerns, please feel free to tell me whatever it might be. I am your guardian, after all!”
She said so—a smile still on her face—as she approached and embraced me, her chest against my face. She was clothed, yet I could feel just how soft her breasts were.
She’s so cute and sexy!!!
I thought so as my face was buried between her voluptuous breasts. If anyone were to think of me as pathetic, I would like to remind them that I was a boy in junior high. I was definitely not the only one who was so simple-minded.
Was my earlier concern of any importance at this point? No, I didn’t think so. All that mattered now was this big-breasted girl who liked me. In the first place, nobody fully understood what goes on in another’s mind or anything like that. I mean, if they were worried for me, that was a good thing, right?
“I-I’ll call on you again later!”
“Yes, understood!”
At any rate, since both of my parents were at home, I chose to behave myself.
But man, boobs are so magnificent!
* * *
POV: Togo Miyokichi
“Yes…yes…I have successfully and safely recruited Okawa Kyotarou. It was quite unexpected to have him to apply of his accord, but as we suspected, it’s related to his father’s unemployment.”
I was currently at the business hotel I was staying in. After confirming the absence of any bugging devices, I reported to my superior.
“Yes. Just as our prior investigation indicated, he’s your average junior high student. His situation at home is also nothing worthy of any note.”
While loosening my tie, I continued with my report through the phone.
Man…that was nerve-wracking.
[Prefectural office employee Togo Miyokichi———Public Security Officer Saionji Yasuo]
Our investigations had already revealed that the subject had the mindset of an ordinary civilian. Even so, meeting face to face with what could be regarded as a tactical weapon in human form was unbearably daunting, I must say.
Between being trained as a cop and donning this identity, I was convinced I had been through my fair share of trouble. But all that experience only made me feel how truly different we were as living creatures.
Still, I found it wonderful that we were able to talk and negotiate like normal. There were some Awakened Ones who, in their delusion of being the heroes or even the villain of a manga-like story, would make us follow all of their demands. There were even some we couldn’t even have a conversation with. And it was those with the stronger superpowers who tended to act this way.
But sending those people, even just a few of them, into the dungeons was my current job. It was all for the sake of the country.
“Yes. That’s all I have to report.”
I ended the call, and sighed.
“Oh how the world has changed.”
I was looking up at the ceiling as I said those words.
Tomorrow, I would have to lead another youth into the dungeons. For the sake of Japan and the over 120 million people living here, civilians who were supposed to be protected as well were being sent into dungeons.
This world was full of foreign powers that appraised these youths like they were merchandise, in addition to officials who exploited those youths into danger for their own advantage. I was, of course, a part of that circle.
…man, what a rotten adult I’ve become. Geez, makes me want to smoke.
Unfortunately, I had to hold myself back. In these modern times, just being a smoker made my “work” a whole lot harder. Even if I could find a smoking area, the smell of smoke that would cling onto me was enough to make me stand out.
At that, a faint smile formed on my lips.
“These are dire times indeed.”
This one at least, I could blame the world with all honesty.
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