Newcomer training.
For me, it was the first physically arduous event of my life.
At first, I was beaten by Suella, and then by two instructors, so there were days of endless injuries, but looking back now, I believe I’m here today because of those experiences.
The fundamental lack of a crisis mentality that modern Japanese people possess.
My self-consciousness, which had no basis whatsoever, telling me that I would survive and be alright, was dispelled as useless common sense during that training.
Thanks to it, I gained the ability to think in a way that even in any crisis, I wouldn’t be tempted to disbelieve.
The training was appropriately rigorous, but it was also beneficial.
Even such events, when recalled, are only a year old.
What I did at that time was training to acquire basic knowledge of dungeons and combat methods.
While recalling the memories of classroom lectures being truly soothing, today I will immerse myself in that nostalgia.
After completing the reception, and figuring that the entire day would be spent on this preliminary briefing, I accompanied Kaido and sat in an empty corner seat, I listened to the morning session.
“Whoa, so this is what you guys do,” Kaido whispered.
“You were in a special program. Still, there are more people than when I was here,” I replied in a voice that wouldn’t disturb those around us.
“That special tutoring was good, you know, like a private tutor.”
This was the same lecture hall I used last year.
It’s a room like a university lecture hall. In the past, there were hardly enough people to fill the seats, but this time, it seems harder to find an empty seat.
“So many people came from overseas?”
“There are over seven billion people in the world. Even if the number of those with aptitude is small, it’s possible to gather around a hundred people.”
Even with variations in magic aptitude, it’s hard to believe that only a hundred people out of seven billion would pass the minimum standard.
The result of this is the occupancy rate of this lecture hall, with more than thirty percent of the seats occupied by non-Japanese.
Although they seem to be gathered by their country of origin, there are also those who are not.
Their hair color, skin color, and physique.
There are also groups made up of various races.
Just looking around the lecture hall, you can see many people who are clearly not Japanese.
“I’ve never been to university, so these kinds of lectures are new to me. What they’re talking about is definitely not ordinary, though.”
“You wouldn’t talk about monsters and dungeons in a normal lecture, would you?”
“Or career descriptions.”
Standing on the stage is the Dark Elf, Royce.
Dressed in a suit, he calmly explains dungeons and monsters.
Behind him, a large screen is set up, displaying what appears to be a PowerPoint presentation detailing the characteristics of monsters and the contents of dungeons.
It’s the same scene as when I was taking lectures, with some simplifications, but the content is similar.
And, as Kaido said, it’s a scene where in everyday life, things that are only discussed in games and manga are being seriously explained.
It’s only been about a year since I took the lecture, but it already feels nostalgic.
“Oh, is that the girl? Your junior sister, right?”
“Yeah.”
amidst the lecture scene, Kaido spots a girl diligently taking notes.
To an outsider, she looks like an ordinary Japanese girl with black hair, but she is an Oni from old Japanese tales.
Kaido, looking at Haruna, who is now my sister-in-law, exclaims in admiration.
“She looks like a serious student.”
“She is.”
I’ve explained to Kaido that she became my sister-in-law, but I’ve skirted around the details of how it happened.
Perhaps that’s why my response to Kaido is also lackluster.
“？ Did something happen? With your sister-in-law?”
“No, nothing.”
Perhaps sensing my atmosphere, a question mark floats above Kaido’s head, but I brush it off.
I understand that it’s difficult to explain the relationship with her.
So, I’ll let Kaido carry that doubt until the day comes when I can talk about it.
I also lightly brush off Kaido’s offer and turn my attention back to the lecture.
The lecture content progresses rapidly, leaving nothing that Kaido and I need to reconfirm; it’s all familiar information.
It’s not even a review, but given the content, even we, who are accustomed to the current environment, can enjoy it sufficiently.
“Alright, that’s all regarding dungeons. The difference between Soul and Blood, as well as the characteristics of each dungeon, must be considered when challenging exploration, which is the job of you Dungeon Testers.”
Royce’s explanation reaches its climax, and by looking at the time, it’s a little before noon.
There are about twenty minutes to spare.
“Does anyone have any questions about the content so far? If you do, I’ll take them.”
As if this time was anticipated, it transitioned into a Q&A session.
This is a time to deepen our understanding of dungeons.
As Kaido and I eagerly await the questions, a hand goes up.
“Yes!”
A woman raises her hand.
The woman, visible only from the back from my seat, is likely Japanese.
Her attire is in subdued colors, and I’m impressed that she raised her hand before the foreigners.
“You are Katagiri Sayaka, correct? Please state your question.”
“Yes! What is the least expensive profession to pursue, and which dungeon is the most profitable?!”
However, the content of that question plunges the lecture hall into…
“… …”
…a strange silence.
I myself…
I directed a gaze at her that said, “What is she talking about?”
“Ah, Katagiri-kun? If I heard you correctly, you asked about the profession that requires no financial cost and the dungeon with the highest financial efficiency, but is that not mistaken?”
“Yes! It is not mistaken!”
While Royce sometimes loses his composure when Suella is involved, he is usually a calm and collected man.
Seeing him with a twitching mouth, questioning if there had been some mistake, might be considered a rare sight.
“…I will answer your question.”
However, reality is cruel.
I had expected questions about how to use magic, how to determine one’s aptitude, or a few tips for tackling dungeons, but the first question was entirely unexpected.
Hesitant, perhaps surprised by such a question, Royce paused but maintained his composure and opened his mouth.
“There is no single profession that can be definitively said to be so. Regardless of the scale, expenses will mount due to equipment and consumables needed to maintain combat power. If forced to choose, the professions that ultimately incur the least financial cost in terms of equipment are front-liners, such as martial artists, wrestlers, and fighters who utilize their bodies. Their ultimate goal is to train their bodies to surpass all manner of weapons and armor. If by financial cost you mean equipment, then in a sense, professions that ultimately fight only with their own bodies are the cheapest. On the other hand, by their very nature, training the body to its limits is essential. The hardships involved in reaching that level are beyond my comprehension.”
Royce’s mention of the ultimate form probably refers to Instructor Kio.
That man is an embodiment of the saying that his own body is the strongest. I’ve had opportunities to witness his full power, and indeed, compared to other professions, the financial cost would be lower. However, for an ordinary person to reach that level would require an effort so immense that the word “unparalleled” would seem inadequate; they would have to bleed so much while striving that it would be like a bloody inferno. Personally, I respect Instructor Kio and find him cool, but I wouldn’t aim for that style. I certainly wouldn’t choose it for financial reasons alone. Because I understand that if I chose it for such reasons, I wouldn’t have enough lives to spare.
“As for the dungeon that yields the most profit, that’s also difficult to say definitively. The choice of dungeon changes depending on whether you prioritize quantity or quality. Adding your own abilities and the level of danger makes it even more challenging to choose. I don’t know why you’re asking this question, but if I had to recommend one dungeon, it would be the Dragon King’s Dungeon. That dungeon is a place where a vast amount of very rare materials exist. You can expect a commensurate reward. Of course, this is assuming you disregard factors like danger.”
And then, regarding the request from Katagiri-san. If asked which dungeon yields the most money, meaning the highest buyback value for drop items, the Dragon King’s Dungeon would indeed be the answer, as Royce stated. Dragon materials have numerous applications. While they can be used directly for weapons and armor, materials like scales, bones, fangs, and livers are also valuable for medicine. Dragons are truly a resource with no waste. Due to their versatility, demand is high. However, on the other hand, the strength of each individual dragon is significantly higher than that of monsters in other dungeons. In the fantasy world, dragons are synonymous with ultimate power. My party has challenged the Dragon King’s Dungeon several times, but the income earned relative to the effort involved in defeating them has been low, which left a strong impression. Furthermore, the number of individuals is not that high. If it’s worth it, maybe specializing in dragons would be an option? It’s at that level. In my personal opinion, it’s a dungeon where specializing in combat power is the most efficient way to proceed, with a high difficulty level. In terms of making money, I don’t think it’s suitable.
“Is that all? Was it helpful?”
“Yes! Thank you!!”
What an energetic voice. I wonder if she’s actually planning to challenge the Dragon King’s Dungeon as a novice? Moreover, with her bare hands? If there were any front-line trainees present, I silently resolved to stop her, quietly observing the lecture that had settled into a peculiar atmosphere. I worried that no more questions would arise, but fortunately, after her question, a few more questions were raised. Royce was initially wary of the number of hands raised, but since the content was about dungeons and magic, he answered them normally. As the end of the lecture time approached…
“May I ask a question?”
“You are Kawasaki Midori. Go ahead.”
“Yes, we are novices when it comes to dungeon攻略. We’ve heard that newcomer training is also provided, but we have no actual combat experience. Therefore, to compensate for this lack of experience, is it possible for us to join a party of first-term students? Or perhaps request support?”
Kawasaki raised her hand and asked her question. Hearing this, I felt a jolt of surprise. While it’s unlikely she’d join our party, you never know what might happen with our company. There’s no reason to miss this question.
“Both are possible. However, joining a party depends on the first-term students’ parties recruiting or scouting you. There are currently four active parties. Please be aware that not everyone can join these parties. Regarding support requests, it also depends on the parties’ convenience and would be cooperation within the scope that does not hinder their main duties.”
“Are there opportunities to join by making an appeal? Or is it okay to voluntarily ask to join?”
“Our company plans to distribute appeal sheets on a voluntary basis upon joining. Your abilities are still unknown. At that stage, it would be impossible for the dungeon testers of the currently operating parties to select and scout you. Since we cannot assess your current abilities or future potential, scouting is impossible. Therefore, after the training concludes, we will make these appeal sheets public on the company intranet, establishing a platform for party formation and scouting. While the company will not prevent the latter, there is a possibility of penalties if complaints arise from the parties, so do not have excessive expectations.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Hearing Kawasaki’s statement, I felt a little uneasy. Her previous remarks suggest she wants to join one of the currently active parties. However, unlike the first woman’s question, Kawasaki’s question seemed to be of interest to the other second-term students as well. It’s natural, of course. If you can act with experienced individuals, it’s better to do so. With experienced people, the danger is significantly reduced. The mere possibility being confirmed makes her question valuable. In fact, a trend is emerging among the first-term students, excluding our party, to welcome second-term students. Being the only one excluded from this trend would be unwelcome.
“Well, that’s all for now. This afternoon, we will have a mock combat demonstration. Lunch will be served in the company cafeteria, and you are free to eat there or here. Please do not be late for the afternoon session. That is all, dismissed.”
As I was thinking these thoughts, the bell rang, signaling the lunch break. With Royce’s closing remarks, the lecture concluded, and a murmur arose in the lecture hall. Watching this scene unfold…
“Just spare me from any trouble.”
I felt uneasy about the future, with the influx of newcomers who turned out to be surprisingly eccentric.
Today’s Word: A rather colorful cast has assembled.
That’s all for this installment.
Thank you, as always, for pointing out typos and for your feedback.
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*The first volume of the novel is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on “Shōsetsuka ni Narō,” and includes unpublished interlude chapters. Please consider purchasing the new releases!*
*The manga adaptation of this work by Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third” was published in issue 9. We hope you enjoy that as well.*
*We appreciate your continued support of this work.*
