Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Handelberg.
Memoria Tris.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (full-time employee).
Magic Aptitude: 9 (Quasi Demon Lord Class).
Position: Warrior.
“I was really worried, you know!!”
“Sorry.”
Brought back to the infirmary once again, I’m now being lectured by Suella.
I never thought that at my age, I’d end up sitting in seiza on a bed.
“I rushed over here when I heard you’d been preyed upon by an Evol Eater, Lady Evia…”
She probably rushed over midway through her work.
She was dressed in the typical OL attire of a ladies’ suit and pumps, but when she entered the infirmary, it looked like she moved so fast I saw afterimages.
If I wasn’t mistaken, there were scorched marks on the floor.
And the reason this lecture had started was simple: it was all my fault.
After all, my stats had increased.
When I asked the staff permanently stationed in the infirmary to let me try lifting weights, it was so much fun to be able to lift incredibly heavy objects that I got carried away.
Suella arrived just as I was lifting three tons.
She probably imagined me in a terrible state.
With teary eyes, she yelled, “What are you doing!!”
Her expression was, perhaps indelicately, cute.
My actual injuries were healed in just a few minutes.
It’s good that with abundant magic and medicine, facilities can recover things like in a game, unless it’s a critical injury.
By the way, I’m curious how Suella would react if I told her that I had a real battle with my supervisor after the treatment, having only provided him with some deliberately omitted information. However, I should avoid anything that would pour fuel on the fire.
“Haa, I’m truly glad nothing serious happened. However, for you, Jiro-san, it seems to be becoming a regular occurrence to end up battered and bruised.”
“It’s not entirely my fault that I get battered and bruised, but I can’t deny it.”
“Then please be a bit more careful. I understand that it’s your job, but please consider us who worry about you.”
“Sorry.”
Right now, I apologize to her for worrying about me like this.
Even if the injuries were sustained because I got caught up in something, she rushed over here, abandoning her work, to worry about me.
It’s certainly appreciated.
I’ll have to check on Memoria later as well.
Well, it’s probably about time I stopped ignoring him.
“Yo! Are you done with your marital argument already!!”
We turned our faces to the gentleman who had been grinning and watching me get lectured by Suella while standing there defiantly.
Suella, who had been continuing her lecture because the scales had tilted towards worrying about me, finally calmed down.
So, I decided it was time to face the gentleman I could no longer ignore.
“It’s difficult not to be bothered when you stand there so boldly, Great Oni King.”
“Forgive me, forgive me!”
Suella’s expression was not good as she looked at Instructor Kio, who was laughing heartily.
While she respected him, due to the circumstances, she couldn’t hide her distrust.
Is it a testament to her ability to acknowledge those emotions without dismissing them, or should she scold him for being so brazen?
“…So, what business do you have with us?”
Suella chose to suppress her emotions. As a subordinate, she asked about her superior’s business.
“Yo! Since you’re taking so long, I came to invite Jiro to the post-battle feast!”
The instructor’s business was exactly as I had predicted.
“Haa, so it’s as I thought.”
And Suella was of the same opinion. While not always the case, when the instructor came with non-combat related business, it was usually an invitation for drinks. And this time, it was after a major job. Unlike modern society, where one might declare a feast and then cancel it saying they’re tired, this oni, who loves alcohol more than food, insists on holding a banquet as declared. Suella, sensing this, showed a 고민 gesture.
“Haa, please moderate yourselves.”
“I can’t guarantee that!”
But she likely decided it was useless to say anything further. With a sigh, she yielded the situation. In other words, my participation in the oni’s feast was decided. I offered no futile resistance. Experiencing a familiar strain on my neck, I took in Suella’s inexplicable smile as the scenery rapidly changed once again. However, this time, thanks to my enhanced status, I was able to catch glimpses of the expressions of several individuals who witnessed the high-speed movement of Instructor Kio. A common look on everyone’s faces was a resigned “Ah, here we go again,” as they returned to their work, as if it were a regular event. Then, we arrived at a company auditorium.
“Aah~”
“Hey, hey, you guys are having fun without me!!”
Even through the door of the place we arrived at, the raucous party was evident. Is this what you call a din, or is it because it’s an oni’s feast? Occasionally, the sounds of impact mixed with the clamor. The onis inside were undoubtedly drunk. What should I do in this atmosphere that confirmed it? Should I smile, or should I brazen it out? Or should I take a gamble on the slim possibility and run away?
“Are you guys having fun!! You lot!!”
“Could you at least give us a moment to prepare ourselves!!”
As if none of my internal struggles mattered, or rather, driven by his desire to drink alcohol quickly, the instructor, who had dropped me off, slammed open the door with a loud noise and announced his arrival at the top of his lungs, so that it echoed to everyone. In response, the onis, perhaps accustomed to this, greeted him with roars while holding bottles of alcohol. I thought I knew what a drinking party looked like, through my knowledge of parties, cherry blossom viewing, and izakayas, but the scene of the oni’s feast that unfolded before me didn’t correspond to any of them. If I had to pick one, it would be close to a cherry blossom viewing party. With a one-liter bottle of what appeared to be the local alcohol in hand, each person casually placed their favorite food on the ground, drinking sake here and drinking sake there. They laughed, punched each other, drank, sang, and danced, acting as they pleased. This wasn’t a mere gathering to appease the boss with no particular order, but rather, a manifestation of a temporary dream where they could all make noise without any reservations, regardless of their status. The sight of the onis, genuinely congratulating each other for their hard-fought battles, looked enjoyable.
“Boss!! You’re late!!”
“We’ve already started!!”
“Yo, yo, is that the human who fought with the boss!”
“Come over here!! Let’s drink together!!”
“You fought well for someone so small!!”
“Don’t talk, you Goblin!”
“That’s right!!”
It seems race doesn’t matter here; if you fought together, you’re comrades. Even if we’re enemies tomorrow, it doesn’t matter here, as invitations to drink poured in from all directions as they waved enthusiastically. It could be called broad-minded, or perhaps thoughtless. Despite such a feeling, I felt myself naturally relax in the pleasant atmosphere. My body, tense and ready for anything, was taught by the first impression that there was no need to overthink, and the tension naturally left me.
“Truly outside of common sense.”
Perhaps the thought “it can’t be helped” is off the mark, but no other words come to mind. By my standards, I rarely felt relaxed at such first-time drinking gatherings. More often than not, I felt intimidated and couldn’t even get properly drunk. But why is it like this? Here, I honestly feel like I’m enjoying myself.
“Here you go, Jiro! A toast to start!”
“That’s too big!”
Before me, who had been standing, the instructor presented a giant sake cup that a sumo wrestler might drink from during New Year’s. It’s a bit much for me to accept it with a wry smile, but it’s even more so for the instructor to pour sake not just to the brim, but to fill the cup entirely. Even though I knew it wasn’t the amount for a first drink, I felt like I could naturally drink it, and I downed it all.
” ” ” ” ” ” ” UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! ” ” ” ” ” ” ”
Perhaps it was my attitude, but the onis cheered at how I drank.
“Alright!! You guys!! Let’s drink!!”
” ” ” ” ” OU!!!! ” ” ” ”
The atmosphere here was already lively, but with the instructor’s words, it became even more heated. I also felt a bit warm, perhaps due to drinking alcohol since daytime.
“Hey human!! Come drink with us here!!”
“No, come have a drinking contest with me over here!”
“A drinking contest before that!”
” ” Boss, that’s unfair!! ” ”
Experiencing the welcome from the onis, I took a step forward into the feast.
“I’ll take it all!!”
From then on, I lost track of time and partied. I drank sake and ate food. When some hot-headed oni approached me, with a nod to the oni next to me, I said, “Hakke-yoi, nokotta!!” and engaged in a test of strength without slapping. “ORAaaaaaaa!!!!” As my opponent stumbled from our grappling, I took advantage of the opening, got behind him, and executed a German suplex. The sake had mixed with sumo and pro-wrestling, but I have no regrets. Despite slamming him headfirst, the crowd cheered even louder from various parts of the venue, and the one who was slammed laughed and admitted defeat, looking perfectly fine while drinking sake. Well, I was also excited from drinking and, emboldened by my victory, I provoked other onis, “Come at me!!!” A makeshift ring was created, and I tossed aside challenger after challenger, drinking sake each time. It wasn’t always a win, however. Sometimes I would lose and move to the spectator’s side, or become a challenger myself, enjoying myself all the while. These makeshift rings eventually transformed into a stage for the remaining fighters.
“Whew.”
Now, I’m watching from the sidelines, as if taking a short break. This was a drinking party with no formalities, just pure revelry. As someone experiencing such a place for the first time, I didn’t know my limits and got a bit carried away, so I’m a little tired.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“Instructor.”
The instructor, who had been drinking with another oni, sat down next to me with a thud, crossing his legs.
“Here.”
“Thank you.”
Normally, I should have poured him sake before he poured for me, but such things don’t seem to matter here. The instructor, after pouring for me, took a drink directly from the sake bottle. Having drunk together like this several times, I’ve gotten used to his appearance and no longer fear him just by his looks.
“…”
“…”
However, it was unusual for the instructor, who normally starts talking immediately, to have such a quiet start. Without our eyes meeting, we silently watched a Scegrob, who usually buys coffee in front of a vending machine, throw an Ogre more than three times his size. I, too, leisurely drank the sake poured into my cup.
“Jiro.”
“Yes?”
The moment of quiet time amidst the surrounding noise, however, didn’t last as long as I expected. But, with a quiet opening, the instructor spoke to me.
“Shall we do it too?”
“No.”
However, he wasn’t suddenly being modest. He was just itching for a wrestling match with me. I answered immediately, but I’m sure it’s the right decision. Hearing my reply, he looked dejected, as if to say, “You’re not going to?”, but I still won’t do it. For a moment, the drunken feeling vanished. I’m still too weak to have a strength contest with you, and it’s clear I’ll lose if we clash. At least…
“Let’s do it when I think I can win.”
“Hah! Then get stronger quickly.”
“I will endeavor to do so.”
“Can’t be helped. Then I’ll wait.”
It was a promise made with an oni. A promise made by me, who fought a supervisor, learned that there are always stronger individuals, and realized I still need to get stronger. It’s a promise I probably won’t forget for the rest of my life. The wall I need to overcome is high, and it will likely take time and effort. I might have similar experiences in the future. Perhaps there will come a day when I regret this promise. But it’s a promise I will never forget.
“Onis keep their promises, I won’t forget those words.”
“Yes, I will certainly keep them while I am alive.”
Along with the taste of the sake offered by this oni, who showed a childlike enjoyment.
“Then, shall we try experiencing the deep layers of another dungeon next time?”
“I want to take it easy for a while, please spare me.”
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Handelberg.
Memoria Tris.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (full-time employee).
Magic Aptitude: 9 (Quasi Demon Lord Class).
Position: Warrior.
Today’s Word: A new goal has been added.
This chapter concludes here. The New Chapter Starts from the next issue. We look forward to your continued support of this work.
