Happy New Year.
Thanks to all of you, we’ve reached 20,000 PV.
Please continue to treat it favorably.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single. Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee) + Recruiter.
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class).
Position: Warrior.
When people think of summer, the first word that comes to mind for working adults is probably “hot.”
Whether it’s sales, construction sites, road crews, or event staff, the summer heat has been eroding the minds of working adults.
Ideas like “beach,” “swimsuits,” and “watermelon splitting” are for students; working adults who have been in the workforce for several years don’t think of such things.
Working adults think about how to work in a comfortable environment.
“It’s summer, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“The beach, huh?”
“Actually, it seems to be inside a Dungeon.”
“Swimsuits!!!”
“Kaido, stop getting excited and hand me that parasol.”
Or at least, that’s how it was supposed to be. But in reality, I’m here on my knees in the sand, setting up a beach chair and a parasol while wearing a swimsuit.
“There’s a limit to how much you can call this ’employee benefits’!”
“Can this really be dismissed as just ’employee benefits’?”
“…It can’t, can it?”
The blue sea, white sand, and blazing sun. In the distance, I can see a water slide amusement facility, food stalls run by Goblins and Orcs, and a garden bar where an Incubus works as a bartender.
At this point, it goes beyond the level of employee benefits.
“Can you believe that all of this is part of the Dungeon’s facilities?”
“Realistically, since it’s right in front of us, we have no choice but to believe it.”
“I suppose so.”
I’ve heard of large corporations with private beaches and vacation homes, but does a company that can provide this much in the way of leisure facilities exist in this world?
What I see looks like a vast private beach adjacent to a paid leisure facility.
We, the party (Ichiketsu), are standing here as if we’re in a program introducing some large corporation’s private beach.
A pool would be understandable, but something on this scale is a different story entirely.
I seriously wonder if our employee IDs will grant us free access.
“They won’t bill us later, will they?”
“It seems like they will bill us for food and drinks.”
“What do you mean, senpai! You sound so down! This is a facility the company prepared for our relaxation, so let’s not worry and just enjoy ourselves!!”
I suppress the urge to tell him he’s being too cheerful and instead let out a sigh.
Kaido’s carefree attitude is sometimes enviable.
“Indeed, we’ve been working a lot lately.”
“That’s right, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a break here. Alright, the sheets are laid out. Time for a smoke, and… what’s up?”
“Oh, nothing, I was just thinking how well-built you are. I guess I’m the type who doesn’t gain muscle easily, so I’m honestly envious.”
“I used to do Kendo, so I had a good foundation for this build. Plus, repeating battles like that surprisingly builds muscle.”
Looking at Kaido, I feel that my petty, ordinary thoughts are absurd.
I’ve earned a decent amount, so if something happens, I’ll manage.
I take out a cigarette from my bag, place it in my mouth, and answer Katsu’s question.
“Well, it’s not like you lack strength, right?”
“That’s true but…”
Over the past few months, Katsu’s physique, as he runs around carrying loot on his back, isn’t muscular, but he’s lean and certainly looks manly. However, he seems to be bothered by his pale skin and androgynous features.
In short, he wants to change his appearance rather than its practicality.
“Ooh, amazing!”
“I knew about the design phase, but to this extent…”
“It’s understandable in a world where Heroes are summoned.”
“It’s nice to come to a place like this once in a while.”
“I think this environment has all the elements that are fatal to vampires.”
“Eh? While vampires with low magic can get burned by sunlight, regular vampires are fine as long as they have magic.”
“Magic truly is omnipotent.”
*Zus*
Some people might imagine something falling over at this sound, but Katsu and I, looking in the same direction, clearly saw what kind of sound it was.
“He’s fast.”
“He is fast.”
“I suppose it’s due to his hidden motives, but what do you think of Kaido’s physical ability, pushing himself to the very limit of what our stats allow him to see?”
“…I can’t say I respect it.”
“You agree?”
“…”
Satisfied with Katsu’s direct reaction as he slightly averted his gaze, I disposed of my cigarette before they arrived.
The sand around Kaido’s feet kicked up as he reacted to the direction of the voice, as if he were leaving afterimages, making a small hole.
Not to be outdone, I also look in that direction.
“Kaido, do you need a tissue for now?”
“I’m alright. It hasn’t started yet.”
Hasn’t started yet. Aren’t we on the clock?
It was amusing that the first thing I saw was Kaido hitting the back of his neck with the edge of his hand, but even so, it wasn’t difficult to spot the group that had captured the eyes of the other testers.
I wave back faintly at Suella, who is waving at me, and welcome the glamorous group.
“The murderous intent from jealousy is intense.”
“Yeah, as a man, I can understand the reason, so I agree.”
I’ve heard that you need to pay an equivalent price to gain something, but it seems that welcoming various beautiful women comes with a barrage of envious gazes from men.
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve become more sensitive to hostility from training in Dungeons, or if they’ve trained themselves to be able to project this dark emotion, but for a moment, I wish I had the ability of a dense Protagonist, because the emotions are so obvious.
“We’re here.”
“No, if I can see Suella’s swimsuit, then…”
My next action has nothing to do with that.
I admit that my line might sound a bit cheesy and intentional, but it’s my principle to fully enjoy the perks of my position.
“That swimsuit suits you. You look beautiful.”
“Um, thank you.”
This is the best I can do with my awkward self, but it seems I’ve earned a passing grade.
Suella, in a bikini with a pale purple base and a sarong around her waist, has a Dark Elf’s unique allure that Japanese people lack.
When I praise her directly like this, she gets a little shy.
If I can feel a warmth that has nothing to do with the ambient temperature, I don’t care about the gazes of those around me.
“Hey~, are you only praising Suella?”
“What’s wrong with praising her? Besides, Keiri-san is probably being praised by Kaido or someone like him.”
Even though I praised her sincerely, I’m met with groans from the other women. I don’t know if they’re serious, but just in case, I give a non-committal reply.
If Kaido, who reacted first, were to..
“He’s over there.”
Looking in the direction Keiri, wearing an orange fringe bikini, pointed with her thumb…
“I have no regrets in my life!”
“For now, please stay still while I treat you.”
I want to retort that he sounds like a grade schooler.
He’s lying on his back, bleeding from the nose, and Katsu is healing him.
Nosebleeds can occur from cuts inside the nasal cavity or from blood vessels bursting due to increased blood flow from excitement, but they can be healed with treatment magic.
“See?”
“See?” I don’t think that’s right.
Is it unusual for a woman to ask for praise after showing such a scene, especially to a man who already has a girlfriend? Or is it just my lack of experience?
“Ah, well, it suits you.”
“You’re being so vague~.”
No, it can’t be helped. If I praised her wholeheartedly here, I’d definitely displease Suella.
It’s not discrimination, but there’s a need for distinction in this situation.
But with this…
“Then, how about me?”
Brutus, you too?
I thought it was over, but the next assassin has arrived.
What is this situation? Is it my “harem period”? Is this the moment they say comes three times in a person’s life?
If so, I wish it had come when I was younger. As I am now, I don’t have the energy to pursue multiple women.
But since she asked, I have to answer.
I want to sigh, but that would be rude.
Silently, I take Memoria into my field of vision.
A one-piece swimsuit with a black base. Compared to the previous two, she’s more slender (important), and her skin is pale. The colors match well, and there’s no dissonance.
In fact, it suits her.
“It suits you. You’ve changed your hairstyle too.”
“…”
“Why are you looking at me then?”
It’s true that looking at Keiri-san without saying anything to me, after I complimented her, is incomprehensible.
Well, she doesn’t seem angry, so that’s fine. As for the others…
“Hey, what do you think, Masaru~? I’ve been exercising recently, so my physique has gotten much better, you know~, hey, hey~.”
“Don’t hug me so tight!? You’re touching me!!”
“I am touching you?”
This is unfolding like a certain romantic comedy.
“T-Humans aren’t equal!”
“Don’t talk about humanity while shedding bloody tears.”
And a clear distinction between winners and losers has been established.
“You wouldn’t understand, senpai! You’re in the winning side, so you wouldn’t understand my feelings!”
“No, my girlfriend is only Suella.”
I can’t have this misunderstanding.
This is Japan. Unlike some fantasy novels, a harem is nothing but kindling for a knife fight.
“Oh? The Demon Lord’s Army practices polygamy, so there’s no problem. You just need to establish a clear order.”
“…”
“…”
Damn it, my opponents are inhabitants of a fantasy world.
“Yes, it might not be common here, but in our world, it’s quite a common practice. There are income issues, but even among commoners, those who are polygamous aren’t rare.”
I asked with my eyes, “Are you serious?” but Suella answered as if it were common knowledge.
“Incidentally, is this related to our species?”
“Either way, polygamy is not an issue for Dark Elves.”
“Vampires also have no problem.”
“If my memory serves me correctly, there shouldn’t be any species that have a problem.”
I’ve heard that common sense varies from country to country, but in an异世界 (otherworld), it goes without saying.
That’s why there’s no point in Kaido getting so worked up and hitting the sand, is there?
“I’m in despair! Not only in this world but even in the otherworld, there’s inequality. I’m in despair.”
Should I point out that this is still Japan?
Well, it’s meaningless because Kaido probably can’t hear me right now. He’s gotten terribly sulky.
“It’s not that I dislike you, Kaido-kun. It’s just that we naturally prefer stronger males.”
“Senpai, a match!”
He recovers quickly.
And Keiri-san, you’re dragging me into this, aren’t you?
I can see Keiri-san smiling as if her plan is going according to plan, behind Kaido, who challenges me by pointing his finger.
“If you show off here, I might fall for you, big brother!”
“Woooooooooooh!!!! I’ll do it! I’ll do it!!”
Have I ever seen Kaido this motivated since I met him? No, I haven’t.
I find myself using rhetorical questions because of how full of motivation Kaido is right now.
“Ah, alright, alright. I’ll play with you until you’re satisfied. But…”
If it were someone unimportant, I wouldn’t have bothered, but he’s a cute kouhai (junior) after all.
There’s no problem with playing along.
“…Why beach volleyball?”
“You idiot, who wants to fight on the beach?”
However, I’m on vacation right now.
Why should I have to work?
So, to keep things peaceful, I chose beach volleyball.
The two of us are facing each other across a beach volleyball court that was set up in a corner of the beach.
It’s quite professionally made, perhaps due to the quality of the reference materials.
“No, we were just dragged into this! Besides, why aren’t I on the leader’s team? This is a sure sign of defeat!”
“The balance of power makes this the most suitable arrangement.”
“Leader, please finish this quickly. I need to do some prep work on the ingredients.”
“Katsu, you’re being your usual calm self.”
And the two who were dragged in, especially Minami, who isn’t good at sports, are complaining.
I originally wanted to play with Suella and the others, but unfortunately, they didn’t know the rules.
That was an oversight.
“It’s fine with beach flags too, you know?”
“That’s your certain victory, senpai!? Fine! Let’s settle this!”
“Oh, first to ten points, self-judged, okay?”
“Alright!!”
“Good luck~”
“Please don’t get injured.”
“I can’t hold the ball, can I?”
The three spectators seem very interested and plan to watch this match.
It’s irrelevant, but I’ve recently become able to change my hand in rock-paper-scissors during the game.
So far, I’ve changed my hand four times before throwing it, and Kaido has done it twice.
“It’s fine if I serve, right?”
“Kuh, your body is too much of a cheat, senpai.”
“Even so, I’m weaker than her, you know?”
I glance at Suella and our eyes meet. She waves at me. I wave back, then return to the court, motivated.
“Katsu, have you played volleyball before?”
“Only in gym class at school. I haven’t played beach volleyball, though.”
“Same here. Well, let’s just enjoy it.”
“Yes.”
After all is said and done, this is just playing. It’s not a life-or-death battle like in a Dungeon.
I casually pick up the ball and walk to the edge of the court. Unlike regular volleyball, there is no firm footing.
Thanks to my magic crest, I probably won’t get injured even if I’m barefoot, but there’s a good chance I’ll trip.
I can see Kaido and Minami in their respective positions.
“I think I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
I haven’t felt that way since I got my magic crest, but I say it anyway, just in case.
Then, I slowly toss the ball into the air.
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
I jump too.
“Hmph!!”
And I spike it with all my might.
“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!?”
And Kaido and Minami brilliantly “dodge.”
*Baaan!!!*
The ball I hit goes straight through the middle, between Kaido and Minami, who dive to the side.
The beach explodes, and a volleyball, struck by human power, makes an impossible sound.
“OOOH!”
“It’s not ‘OOOH’!?”
“Are you trying to kill us?!”
As I return from mid-air, I can only stare at the result.
I hear the words thrown at me from the two who dove into the sand, and I see the outcome of the ball I hit.
By my estimation, the ball I hit was moving at an incredible speed, like a bullet, resisting the air. Kaido and the others facing me probably saw it even faster.
“No, you’d normally hit it, right? With all your might.”
“You’re not remorseful at all?!”
“Senpai! Change! Let’s switch servers! Now it’s our turn to serve, the b-ball is buried.”
“More importantly, it’s amazing that it’s still intact after taking that impact.”
The ball, dug out from the sand, is shedding beautiful grains of sand, but there are no visible problems.
As expected of “Made in Otherworld,” the craftsmanship of the Giants.
“What do you say? Still want to play?”
“Khh, seeing your smug expression, I can’t back down! This time, it’s all-out war! Minami-chan, let’s use magic too!”
“Understood! I’ll show you that superior buffers determine the decisive difference in strength!”
I wanted to go easy on them, but that killer serve just lit a fire in them.
“Well, if I don’t have to go easy, then that’s fine too.”
“Um, Leader, I can’t receive that either, you know.”
“Ah, Katsu, you focus on setting and spiking. I’ll handle the receiving.”
“Understood.”
Minami’s magic aptitude is one level below mine.
In terms of magic power alone, she’s almost my equal.
Furthermore, thanks to her innate fantasy background, when it comes to magic, Minami is the party’s top-tier existence.
“Here I go!! Muscle enhancement!!”
“Ooooh!”
Kaido, who received the benefit, leaps higher than I did.
His muscles are pumped up, and the potential of Kaido’s serve is indeed fast.
The angle is also quite sharp, coming from a high position.
“Well, this much is… Katsu!”
“Yes!”
“You’re lying?!”
But this is considerably slower than Instructor Kio’s right straight.
I can quickly get underneath it and handle the receive without issue.
“Leader!”
“Yeah!!”
“This is bad! Kaido-senpai!”
“He’s falling!”
“Useless!”
He was literally aiming for a one-hit kill.
His jump serve, which didn’t consider the aftermath, gives me a clear opening with its brief hang time.
Minami tries to use magic to get into a receiving stance, but since Kaido can’t fly, she can’t move.
Moreover, the timing…
“Take this!!”
“This is the second time?!”
“Wh-What!? Minami-chan, I can’t dodge this!”
It’s just that the timing when Kaido is falling down… is also the timing for me to spike.
Minami makes a full-force jump to the side.
Kaido is seconds away from landing.
And I can feel the familiar touch of the ball Katsu tossed to me.
Well, after shouting “Take this”…
“Abarofuss?!”
“Kaido-senpai! Medic, medic!!”
I swing with all my might, but the ball hits him in the body rather than the face, sending him sliding across the sand. Minami freaks out seeing Kaido slide across the sand.
“Ooh, that looks like a fun sport!”
“I see. A ball game where you don’t let the ball hit the ground and you strike down your opponent. It’s intriguing.”
“I’ve memorized it.”
It seems the rules of volleyball have been strangely transmitted to the otherworld.
How do I correct this?
“I’ll go treat Kaido-senpai.”
“Yeah, please do.”
First, treatment.
“That was fun.”
“Yeah, a new sport has been born, so to speak.”
Despite what happened, Kaido’s durability has increased considerably, and while his fall was spectacular, he was uninjured and returned safely.
The match resumed, ending with a score of ten to one.
The one point was Kaido’s service error.
After that, Suella and the others joined in for beach volleyball, but it was tough to compete against them, given their high stats.
We might win at first, but as we got used to it, our chances dwindled.
Minami and Katsu eventually just dodged, but Kaido took them head-on, and I could barely receive them.
Eventually, Minami used magic to block, triggering a parade of skills and magic from everyone, creating a different sport called volleyball.
After that, we each went our separate ways.
Kaido went out to try and pick up women, Katsu started preparing for a barbecue, and Minami and Memoria were making some kind of object on the beach.
If my eyes aren’t deceiving me, both are larger than human-sized, with one looking like a Japanese castle and the other like a Western-style castle.
Keiri-san found the sea unusual and created a ball of air with magic before diving into the sea.
Suella and I, the only ones left, were leisurely cruising on the sea on an air mattress we borrowed.
Suella sat on the mattress, and I held onto the side. I was essentially the propulsion.
“Was it good that you came?”
“Yes, thank you for inviting me.”
It all started when Kaido agreed with Minami, who exclaimed that it was strange to be working during the summer. But I also feel like I’m playing with all my might for the first time in a while.
“We Dark Elves live in forests, so this is our first time seeing the sea.”
“It’s not exactly the sea, though,” Suella said with a smile, stroking the water.
“Indeed. In my knowledge, Elves and Dark Elves are imagined to live in forests.”
“Yes, there are rivers, so it’s not like we can’t swim.”
“I see. If you couldn’t swim, I would have wanted to teach you.”
“Fufu, too bad for you.”
Just gently swaying on the waves, she tells me about the Dark Elves.
It’s just that, but it feels wonderfully comfortable.
“Hya!”
“Oh! You got me.”
“Kyaa♪”
Occasionally, we playfully splash each other with water.
We frolic like children.
“Whoa!”
“I’ll shake it!”
“Hahaha! I’ll fall off!”
We enjoyed that time.
“Yo! Mr. Popular! It’s lunch time!”
That enjoyable time seems to be over.
Kaido’s voice, undoubtedly from the bottom of his heart, echoes from the shore.
“Looks like it’s time for lunch.”
“Yes, it appears so.”
I wrapped the cord around my wrist, so the air mattress isn’t drifting away, but no one is on it.
Suella, who was on it, is now floating in the sea with me.
“Shall we head back?”
“Yes, Jiro-san.”
“Hm?”
“Here!”
“Whoa, almost.”
“I’m a little tired, so please pull me to the shore.”
“Understood, Princess.”
Suella is now clinging to my back.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, and all I have to do is pull to swim.
She’s tired, but she can probably swim.
Smiling at her indirect request, I slowly start swimming.
“What will you do after lunch?”
“Hmm, maybe we can try beach flags, which we couldn’t do in the morning?”
“I was curious about that. I’m looking forward to it.”
There’s still time left after lunch.
The time might pass by in a flash, but let’s enjoy it.
“Suella, have you ever had a barbecue?”
“It’s like the cooking we make during camping, right?”
“That seems to be the origin, but this is a bit more extravagant… ‘You’re so loud!! I’m done!!'”
“???”
Just as we were about to reach the shore, a familiar voice sounded.
Wondering what was going on, Suella and I looked in that direction and saw someone trying to hold back a woman.
Seeing that, my intuition told me: Trouble has arrived.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single.
Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee) + Recruiter.
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class).
Position: Warrior.
Today’s word:
They say resting is also work, but I doubt anyone actually thinks that.
Also, not like Minami, but…
I don’t want to work on my days off!!
This concludes today’s entry.
The composition ended up a bit long, so this is a two-part story.
And although it’s called “daytime,” the next part comes later.
I’ll prepare the “nighttime” part separately.
Please continue to support “Let’s Make a Dungeon That Heroes Can’t Conquer!!”
