Live Dungeon!

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“Are you sure that was the right call?” Ollie asked, her voice tinged with concern as they left the hospital.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Tsutomu replied, his expression hardening.

[I mean, she didn’t actually save me, so…]

Still, regardless of the outcome, it was a fact that Eunice had risked her life to try and rescue him. Tsutomu felt he should at least acknowledge that — yet, in the end, he couldn’t resist starting the conversation with his usual provocative remark.

Normally, Eunice would have snapped back immediately. Tsutomu had been ready to segue into thanking her during the inevitable argument. But this time, Eunice hadn’t taken the bait. Instead, she had been engrossed in her newspaper… which she had been holding upside down, making it clear she was pretending not to listen.

With no retort from Eunice, Tsutomu had found himself struggling to find his next words and reconsidering the necessity of thanking her. That was why he had left the ward so abruptly. Ollie, following behind, seemed to notice his slight unease.

“If you say so,” Ollie replied, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“…Umm, so, the tailor?” Tsutomu shook his head in resignation and changed the topic.

“Yes. Follow me.”

Ollie said no more and led the way, with their guards, Daryl and Diniel, following behind.

“How was Miss Hannah?”

“She’s being discharged tomorrow, apparently.”

“Wow, that’s quick! I’m glad to hear it!”

“I wanted her to stay longer. Maybe then she’d get someone to check her head…”

Amused by their contrasting reactions, Tsutomu followed Ollie, who navigated the streets with ease. He observed Ollie with admiration.

“By the way, Miss Ollie, how did you manage to gather information in this situation?”

Tsutomu narrowed his eyes as she surveyed the monster-ravaged marketplace.

Ollie took a brief look around before responding, “I’m quite familiar with the Royal Capital’s layout. Besides… If I don’t pull my weight, you’ll leave me behind next time, won’t you, Mister Tsutomu?”

“I… won’t confirm nor deny that.”

“Well, I’m just glad I could be of some help.”

It was unusual for someone responsible for Clan chores and accounting, especially someone who appeared as unassuming as Ollie, to assess battlefield conditions amidst the chaos. As offensive as it was, people often underestimated her based on her perfectly average looks.

Reflecting on how appearances could be deceiving, Tsutomu gazed at the rubble-strewn church. Outside, worshippers knelt in silent prayer, seeking solace.

Opposite the church, a vendor had set up a makeshift stall, selling hot soup. The stall looked shabby, but the food seemed as good as usual, with an enticing aroma wafting from a slightly dented pot.

“Would you like some?” Ollie asked preemptively.

“Ah… Yes, please.”

“Daryl? Diniel?”

“Yes!”

“Nah.”

“We’ll have three, then,” Ollie ordered.

“Coming right up!” the vendor responded cheerfully.

Despite the miraculous lack of casualties, the shock of the monster’s appearance in the Capital still gripped the populace. Yet, Tsutomu appreciated the resilient vendor and bought three bowls of soup. He quickly counted out 1,500 G’s worth of gold coins and handed them over.

The soup, ladled from the pot, quickly filled the bowls. Tsutomu took all three and handed them back, one by one, while grabbing a spoon to inspect the steaming broth.

Stirring gently, he saw carefully cut vegetables and chunks of meat, tender from long cooking.

“More, please!” Daryl called out.

“Dude, it hasn’t even been ten seconds…” Tsutomu remarked, already exasperated by Daryl’s quick request.

As Daryl pulled out 500 Gold from his magic bag, Tsutomu also started on his own warm bowl of soup.

Daryl’s hearty appetite and multiple helpings drew more customers to the stall. Meanwhile, Diniel bought cotton candy from another vendor and waited, nibbling contentedly.

“Thank you for the meal, sir! It was delicious!” Daryl called out to the vendor.

“Aye, thanks a bunch, boy! Come again!” the vendor replied cheerfully.

The group then followed Ollie to the tailor she had arranged beforehand. As they moved from the outskirts to the central parts of the Royal Capital, the damage lessened.

By the time Diniel finished his cotton candy, they had arrived at the tailor.

“…Well, this place sure looks inaccessible,” Tsutomu remarked.

The shop looked high-end and intimidating. Warm light filled the interior, illuminating neatly arranged clothes. Unfazed, Ollie walked in, and Tsutomu and Daryl followed quietly.

“Welcome,” the doorman greeted them.

“Wha–”

Startled, Tsutomu bowed awkwardly and entered. Ollie, noticing that, took over in exchanging greetings with the smiling clerk. The three were then promptly shown to the back for measurements.

“All right, now for the last measurement…”

“Yes, please.”

While Tsutomu and Diniel finished quickly, Daryl’s measurement took a little longer.

“May I touch your tail?” the clerk asked.

“Y-yes… Hyah–!?”

“I’m sorry. Just a little longer…”

From the measuring room came sounds of discomfort, and Ollie looked regretful. Daryl’s face was flushed, while the clerk smiled slyly. Apparently, the clerk was an acquaintance of Ollie’s. As Ollie glared, the clerk leaned in and whispered with a chuckle.

“You know, Dungeon City sounds like a nice place. Maybe I should move there.”

“Please don’t.”

Ollie dismissed the clerk’s whisper, while Daryl, still blushing, tried to hide behind Tsutomu, creating an awkward scene due to Daryl’s larger size.

Despite the delay in measurements, the styling of the outfits was quick as Ollie and the clerk handled it efficiently. Since the other Clan members had already been measured, Tsutomu checked with Ollie before paying.

“I’ll pay for all eleven of us in advance,” he said.

“Thank you.”

Tsutomu handed over several special gold coins worth 10,000,000 G each. Despite the inflated numbers compared to Japan, an eight-figure sum in this world was enormous enough to astonish most people.

Still, despite feeling intimidated by the upscale shop, Tsutomu handled the gold coins carelessly. This stemmed from his perception of this world’s money as mere game currency.

In the game, an eight-figure sum was pocket change at his level. In fact, currency shifted entirely in the Secret Dungeon, so Tsutomu didn’t place much value on G. Thus, he didn’t mind spending such a sum on tailored clothes.

The shop clerk, initially surprised by Tsutomu’s rural demeanor, noted his nonchalance in spending millions of G without hesitation. However, the clerk’s expression remained unchanged as they completed the transaction. While verifying the gold coins, Daryl tugged at Tsutomu’s sleeve.

“S-Sir Tsutomu… maybe I should chip in as well?”

Daryl, frozen by the sight of the unusual gold coins, nervously reached into his Magic Bag. Finding Daryl’s reaction amusing, Tsutomu waved him off with a smile.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. This is a Clan expense. Save your money for yourself. I know — why not treat yourself to a tour of the high-end restaurants in Dungeon City next time?”

“A-are you sure? …Ah! Then, how about we go together? My treat!”

“Maybe you should invite Miss Ollie instead. Gotta show how much you appreciate her, you know?”

Tsutomu’s suggestion, clearly audible to all, made Ollie clear her throat awkwardly while Daryl looked uncertain.

“W-well, I do appreciate everything she’s done for us, of course… But you see, I joined this Clan because of you and Sir Garm. I’ve even managed to save up some money. So, as a thank you, let’s all go out for a nice meal.”

“Hmm…”

Tsutomu’s days off from exploring God’s Dungeon were packed with related tasks. He surveyed the market for Magic Stone prices, checked for new gear developments, and visited the Dorren Workshop weekly. Observing other parties on the Monitors was his favorite pastime.

Consequently, he hadn’t yet delivered on his promise to spend half a day with Amy. Thus, he wasn’t keen on Daryl’s invitation.

However, he hesitated to flatly reject Daryl, who seemed apprehensive about being turned down. Tsutomu hadn’t been particularly close with his juniors back in school and college either, so he wasn’t used to this sort of invitation.

“…All right. I’ll free up some time once we get back to Dungeon City.”

Upon hearing this, Daryl’s eyes widened, and his black-furred tail wagged energetically. Tsutomu looked away, feeling awkward. He rarely encountered such open admiration, except from Stephanie. In Live Dungeon, players with female avatars frequently invited him to hang out, but most were men in real life and didn’t count in his book.

[…Man, I’ve been out of it these days… Damn it.]

Tsutomu had felt his emotions running somewhat wild ever since he had been saved by Eunice and the Undine. He was embarrassed by his outburst, especially since he had genuinely feared the prospect of Eunice dying as a result of her reckless stunt. He couldn’t afford to let this go on.

“We’ve verified everything. No issues,” the clerk confirmed.

“A-ah, yes. Thank you,” Tsutomu replied, closing his eyes briefly to regain composure.

He then left the shop with Daryl, whose tail was still wagging, Diniel, who was staring at Daryl’s tail, and Ollie, who wore a faintly amused smile.

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