Jiro Tanaka, 28, single.
Her: Suella Henderberg (Dark Elf)
Memoria Tris (Vampire)
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
Rather than expecting it, it’s more accurate to say I had a bad premonition.
The cigarette smoke doesn’t obstruct my vision, and since I haven’t been drinking, the reality in front of me isn’t a dreamlike illusion.
My head hurts, which it shouldn’t, especially since it hurt less than before. I recognize this as reality.
Ah, I know. This pain is the same one I felt along with stomach pain when I was dealing with trouble at work.
“Seriously?”
I recall the feeling of doing my job while escaping reality in my head. About 30% of it is tinged with nostalgia, and the remaining 70% feels like bitter regret. The words fall out with the ashes of my cigarette.
“I wonder if they’ll approve a request to withdraw the order.”
I know there’s no way it will be approved, but my heart clings to a sliver of hope. I want to say to the scene before me, “Please understand.”
It’s too much. This is a prime example of trying to do something heroic in reality being anything but realistic.
Goblins, Orcs, a Minotaurus. Just moments ago, those two were at the center of the chaos I was in.
“See, I did this by myself. Two of you should be able to handle it easily, right?”
That’s what they said when they challenged them earlier…
If asked if there was any ulterior motive, I’d have to admit that my words were quite sarcastic. I never expected it to be this bad, though.
In short, it’s like a scene of humans desperately resisting being swarmed by carnivores, isn’t it?
There’s a space in the center where the two people can somehow move, and around them are layered rows of Souls.
“Why are they choosing to intercept instead of evasive maneuvers? They should be scattering and taking them down one by one.”
They have roles assigned.
Himusumi is the frontliner, desperately fighting the opponents, and Nanase is healing him.
It’s a perfectly orthodox approach.
However…
“Himusumi is shielding Nanase too much, and Nanase is too focused on healing.”
Himusumi’s desire to protect them reduces the efficiency of eliminating opponents, and Nanase’s constant attention to him is making him scatterbrained.
It’s good to always consider one’s positioning, but in her case, it’s a style of guarding centered around him. It’s hard to say it’s a style suited for a dungeon, let alone this situation.
Before, Kitamiya probably played that role, bridging the gap between healing and the frontliner.
Since they started sticking so close together, Nanase has become solely a healer, and Himusumi has adopted a style of protecting her.
They’re both hindering each other.
“It looks like I’ll have to retrain them from scratch.”
It’s unavoidable that I’m being condescending, but in reality, my position is higher than theirs, and the responsibility to do something falls on me.
I can’t just do nothing.
If I let this pass without consequence, my own competence will be called into question.
I intended to watch a little longer, but it’s clearly a losing battle. I can see them being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
The oversight of assuming they could succeed because I could do it alone is unfortunate, but it is what it is.
It simply means I still have room for improvement.
With a sigh, I move away from the window and sit down at my PC.
Since I’ve decided to do this, I won’t waste time.
I quickly run the termination code, and the Souls transform back into magic power.
The feed from the surveillance camera in the corner of the PC shows Himusumi on his knees on the floor, breathing heavily.
I suppress the urge to sigh about having more work to do.
My initial plan was just to move around in the dungeon, but it turned out to be a double floor.
Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’ve been tricked; work is often like this.
I decided to be positive and think that it was fortunate I hadn’t challenged the dungeon like this yet.
Then, I put a cigarette in my mouth, light it, and get up from my seat.
It’s truly thanks to magic that I don’t have to worry about smoke-free areas in times like these.
“Now, what shall I do?”
The first thing to consider is the final objective, the endpoint of finishing the job.
In other words, I need to set a goal: how much I need to do before I can return to my original party.
Essentially, it’s about the result.
The best outcome would be for them to grow and be able to clear the dungeon together.
The next best would be for them to be able to continue challenging the current floor they are on.
The worst case would be to eliminate them without causing me any damage.
The endpoint is clear.
Then, the next step is the process.
Swaying the cigarette in my mouth, I descend the metal stairs at a leisurely pace.
With my current speed of thought, this level of thinking is child’s play.
It makes me want to cry that I can do this so casually now, when previously it took intense mental effort during my “black company” days.
As for the process, well, it’s no exaggeration to say I have a secret method that can dramatically speed things up.
It’s the “Potion Death March” I conducted.
By becoming a magic body and accelerating time, I can handle both quality and quantity. This is the only way to raise stats and improve.
However, that’s only if I can clear the previous menu.
Anything less becomes inefficient.
In short, it becomes a significant deficit.
Therefore, I’ll either have to instruct them directly or request Kio and the other instructors. However, requesting support from the instructors immediately would be best avoided.
That leaves only a few options.
I’ll have to do it myself.
“So? What are your thoughts?”
I finish descending the stairs, drop the ash from my cigarette into an ashtray, and take it away from my mouth. I raise my voice to ask, even though they’re still some distance away.
Oh, they’re glaring at me even while trying to catch their breath.
“I don’t even need to ask; it’s a definite failure without even looking.”
“There’s no way we can do something like this—”
“The person standing in front of you did it by themselves, you know?”
This is bad. Saying everything is impossible, or dismissing things as impossible, without providing reasoned evidence won’t convince superiors.
“I can list countless flaws in your approach, but that’s not the main issue here. Nanase, why didn’t you use attack magic? You can’t use it, can you?”
“That’s…”
She seems surprised to be asked, showing a brief moment of contemplation.
From my perspective, that’s a “doubt.”
That gesture suggests she was acting without thinking.
“I thought I needed to prioritize Touku’s healing.”
“Okay, healing is important. But that doesn’t mean you can neglect everything else. While you were solely focused on healing, how many roles did Himusumi fulfill?”
“Um…”
“Attacker, defender, and mage—three roles.”
Is this a typical case of someone thinking they just need to do what they’re told, rather than thinking ahead?
I raise my finger to explain, intending to move the conversation forward rather than letting it stall.
“In contrast, you only fulfilled the role of healer. Do you understand what that means?”
“That’s my role, and not hers.”
“Idiot, do you think you’re protecting her by doing that? Don’t assume you can do everything yourself. There are very few jobs that can be done alone.”
If Nanase had used magic and defended herself while fighting earlier, there would have been a significant difference.
At least Himusumi’s role would have been reduced by one or two responsibilities.
Unlike in RPGs, the sweet reality of only having to fulfill one role doesn’t exist here.
“So? If you’re going to do everything yourself, is Nanase’s role just a cumbersome healing kit?”
“!! Apologize to Miki!! Those words are too rude!”
“What are you saying, the one who put us in this situation? Are you an idiot?”
“What?”
“Someone who does nothing but heal moves around. To maintain that, of course, more work is generated. And this is despite her being able to take on other roles. Isn’t that unfair?”
“Still, I can’t put her in danger.”
“Doubtful. If that’s how you feel, then quit this job. The moment you’re working together, your statement is utterly foolish.”
What is he even saying? Does he want me to sympathize and say, “Oh, I see, then it can’t be helped”?
If so, I want to shout, “Don’t mess with me!”
When arguing professionally, one must not show emotion.
One must be logical and focus on efficiency and profit.
What is the meaning of a mere healer who does nothing but get protected?
I would assign other roles to her instead of letting her specialize in healing.
Katsu handles the roles of load carrier and has some combat power for self-defense, and is also the mapmaker, in addition to being a healer.
The important thing here is her ability to defend herself.
She can buy us time until we arrive.
In other words, it expands the operational range of the combat members other than Katsu.
It’s still about protecting Katsu.
She’s the lifeline of our party.
It would be wrong not to protect her.
However, Himusumi misunderstands how to protect her.
Is Nanase some princess from a certain country? If so, I’d say she shouldn’t be doing this kind of work.
“……”
“Hey, hey, aren’t you thinking at all? …Jeez.”
“Ah, um!!”
“Hm?”
“What should I do?”
Himusumi falls silent, and the atmosphere becomes terrible. I think I messed up, but if I don’t say anything, the work won’t progress.
The best approach is… it’s starting to feel difficult, but okay, I might need to re-evaluate things slightly.
If she had remained silent and done nothing, I would have lowered my assessment, Nanase.
If you don’t know, ask. That’s the basic principle for new employees in society.
“…Well, first, self-defense.”
“Self-defense, you say?”
“From what I’ve seen, if the enemy gets close to Nanase, Himusumi shields her. Because of that style, Himusumi’s combat efficiency is drastically reduced. To improve that, Nanase should also be able to fight in close combat.”
“Are you saying I should fight on the front lines?”
“That’s one option, but not this time. We need to increase our options. Karate, Kendo, Aikido, Naginata, Staff techniques—anything is fine. It will give Himusumi some breathing room.”
“Breathing room?”
“Ah, it’s better to show than to tell. Stand there.”
Despite her questioning look, Nanase silently stands up.
“Himusumi, stand in front of Nanase. About two meters in front, that is.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“It’s faster to experience it than to explain it verbally.”
When I tell her to do it, she acts with a doubtful expression.
I then move about five meters away.
“Alright, I’m going to punch Nanase now. Defend me properly.”
“What—”
My declaration, accompanied by the motion of stretching my shoulders, probably sounded sudden. Himusumi shouts in confusion, but I don’t let her finish.
Accelerating forward, I slam into her like a shout of “I told you so!”
She hesitates to react, but she can’t stop me with a half-hearted stance. I easily get past her with just one feint.
Then, I swing my fist towards Nanase, who watches in stunned silence, as if piercing the wind.
“Miki!?”
“Relax, it was a touch. But in a real fight, there’s no such thing as a touch.”
I never intended to hit her.
However, she should understand the necessity now.
If she couldn’t understand that, it would trouble me.
Nanase, who crumples to the floor, is rushed to by Himusumi.
“Did you understand? Even frontliners aren’t omnipotent. They can be defeated and broken through. But if Nanase had been able to defend there, Himusumi would have made it in time.”
The surprise attack worked well. The effect is clearly visible in Nanase’s reaction.
Frankly, a one-man team like a Hero’s party, where everyone thinks “I’m fine as long as I’m here,” looks strong on the outside but is like a ship supported by a single thick pillar.
If that pillar breaks, it will quickly self-destruct.
It’s not much different from a sinking ship.
It needs to be supported by multiple pillars reinforcing a thick pillar.
That’s how you increase its strength.
A party is meant to be like that.
It’s certainly not meant to lean on a pillar.
Watching Nanase, who has collapsed on the floor and is silently nodding, I start thinking about what to do next.
Self-defense can take many forms.
For example, Nanase could also intercept with magic, which she has some proficiency in.
However, I don’t think that’s sufficient.
My intuition, which is still vague, tells me that a specialized approach will hit a wall when trying to conquer this dungeon.
The goal is versatility. I’ll eventually have to develop my magic too.
But right now, it’s about these two in front of me.
With just Nanase’s improvement, this party might just make it.
I feel relief that the end of the job is in sight, but now I have a mountain of tasks piled on my desk. I need to handle them.
“So, Nanase, have you ever done any sports?”
“N-no, I’m not good at sports or anything.”
“Ah, so that’s why you’re a mage.”
Compared to all other professions, a mage who can attack from the rear might indeed have lower physical exertion.
However, it’s not unnecessary.
A sniper in a special forces unit is a good example.
Snipers spend long periods stationary but often move immediately after firing a shot.
This is partly because they are in isolated locations, but more importantly, it’s to avoid revealing their position.
Mages are similar. They always need to secure their line of sight and must escape enemies attacking them, just like earlier.
They are by no means a stationary profession.
In our party, Minami was forced to start marathon training from the very beginning due to her lack of stamina.
In addition, she is learning staff techniques for self-defense.
Now, this is a problem.
People who are not good at sports generally have no connection to martial arts.
Is it appropriate to suddenly give such a person a weapon?
Himusumi, perhaps knowing this, chose to have Nanase focus on healing, increasing his own burden.
So, what do I do?
Large weapons are likely out. Edged weapons can also be ruled out.
Then, the first thing that comes to mind is staff techniques, but…
“Can you stand, Nanase?”
“Y-yes.”
“What are you doing now?”
“I won’t do anything this time. Just, please try swinging this staff from top to bottom.”
“Is just swinging it down enough?”
“Yes, but with all your might.”
“Yes! …Hah!”
“…I have to ask, were you serious?”
“S-sorry!!”
“No, well, if that’s your all-out effort, then it’s fine.”
Yeah, this isn’t going to work.
If she’s going to master this, it will take a considerable amount of time.
The result of slamming a wooden staff with all her might is just a light clank on the floor.
The upward swing is also slow and not smooth.
This problem is more difficult than I anticipated.
At this rate, it might be faster to drag Himusumi into the Potion Death March.
“…Ah.”
“…”
“Don’t be so wary.”
Perhaps it’s the effect of the surprise attack earlier, but I feel like they’re on alert with every action I take.
Serves me right, I suppose. Even I would be wary if I were suddenly attacked.
There’s nothing I can do about it, no matter how much I worry.
“Nanase, have you ever considered holding a shield?”
“A shield, you say?”
“Yes.”
“But aren’t shields heavy? A small one?”
“No, a large one.”
“Then my movements will become slow. Miki can’t do that.”
“Don’t just say it’s impossible, impossible. I’m not asking you to carry a block of iron.”
If weapons won’t work, how about armor? With a shield, I can defend myself and even attack just by moving it into my line of sight and attacking.
Also, if that item I saw at the shop where I bought the Ore Tree is still available, it could improve this party’s combat power.
“For today, you can rest. You must both be exhausted physically. I’ll prepare a few things by tomorrow.”
I can’t do any more physically right now, and without the item, it’s just wishful thinking.
Work begins from the preparation stage.
I need to go prepare.
“Are you plotting something again?”
“Don’t worry, it’s a plot that will benefit you.”
Seeing them grow more wary of my denial, I extract their plans and leave the training room, promising to see them tomorrow.
Now, I’ll just get this unpleasant job over with.
My feet head not towards my room, but directly towards the underground mall.
Jiro Tanaka, 28, single.
Her: Suella Henderberg (Dark Elf)
Memoria Tris (Vampire)
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
Today’s Quote:
“Since I have to do the job anyway, I’ll do it my way!!”
Huh? Did the characters change? That’s just your imagination!!
That is all.
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