Spreading the Word and Reporting

Spreading the Word and Reporting

"That was rough, you two."

When we headed to Cafe 'Alf' to report in, the Master greeted us with her brows drawn together in an 'eight' shape.

The relieved smile around her mouth made it clear that she had genuinely been worried about us.

"You can turn in the report tomorrow, so take it easy today. I'll go brew some coffee now."

"Ah, yes. Thank you. But we'll submit the magic stones first..."

"Oh, right, right. Sorry."

The Master, who had started hurrying toward the other side of the counter, quickly came back.

As a rule, adventurers headed to their clan after visiting a dungeon and submitted their magic stones along with a report. They were also required to write a report at that time.

It was only one sheet of paper, technically. Even so, I wanted to put it off today.

"Man, I'm just glad you two are safe. Grandma and I were worried sick, gangsta."

"Thanks... Wait, wasn't that less gyaru-speak and more an old man's joke?"

"Don't, Otaku-kun. That one really hurts."

Riko-senpai stared vaguely into the distance for a moment, then cleared her throat theatrically.

"Ahem! Well, I really am relieved you're safe. You two sure are unlucky, running into a boss monster when they're so rare."

"Well... yes."

"Is the chance of encountering a boss monster really that low?"

Takanashi-san tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"Huh? Who knows... I heard at the seminar that you don't run into them so easily."

"Same here. Even Grandma said that in her one year as an adventurer, she'd only seen one."

"I see."

Takanashi-san nodded with an expression that was neither fully convinced nor unconvinced.

Were boss monsters common enough to be walking around out in the open in the future? It was a truly terrifying world.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'll leave the milk and sugar here, too."

"Ah, thank you."

"Thank you. I'll have some, Master."

"Yes. Enjoy."

I thanked the Master, who was smiling gently, and added sugar and milk. Takanashi-san had wisely refrained from turning it into 'coffee-flavored sugar' like last time.

Even so, she put in quite a lot of sugar.

"And, Miyu, this is from me!"

For some reason wearing a smug expression, Riko-senpai placed a paper bag in front of Takanashi-san.

"Heh heh heh. The goods are here. How far along are you with it...?"

She wasn't a gyaru; she was a gangster. Her character was all over the place.

...Though she changed character every time we met, perhaps that meant she was consistent after all.

"I've currently watched Kamen R●der K●ga through episode twenty-six."

"Heh, already at the halfway point... There isn't a single boring part, Miyu. I knew you had it in you."

"Thank you. I'll return them after I finish watching everything."

"You got it. A●ito is in that bag. Start it after you finish watching Kuu●...!"

"Are you seriously proselytizing to her?"

I couldn't help giving Riko-senpai a sidelong look. She placed a finger against her chin, and her eyes flashed.

"No, no. This is just my kindness, trying to add some color to Miyu's life. Kind-ness. K-i-n-d-n-e-s-s. I wondered if something was up when you said you didn't even know Dora●mon... But not having watched Kamen R●der means you've lost ninety percent of your life."

"How many people's lives have you just invalidated?"

"Don't you sass me! Kuu● is basic education for any man!"

"You're a woman, and so is Takanashi-san..."

"I'm talking about the heart's d●ck, you girl-bro!"

"Riko."

"Afuun!"

With a plop, the Master placed a tray on Riko-senpai's head.

"You can't say things like that in the shop. And calling people 'girl-bro' is rude, too. Apologize properly."

"Kay. Sorry."

The Master, her cheeks slightly flushed, hurried back behind the counter.

"...Riko-senpai. Don't tell me you're losing to the Master in maidenliness...?"

"M-maidenliness isn't something you win or lose, Otaku-kun. No problemo, no problemo. I'm a born gyaru. I'm practicing in the bath for whenever I eventually go to a night pool."

"Ah, so you've never actually been?"

"We're the same age, after all. Minors really shouldn't go to places like that."

"That's true."

I nodded with a straight face at Riko-senpai, who had just delivered a perfectly reasonable statement with an equally serious expression.

Was this eccentric person serious or not? I couldn't tell.

"Anyway, back to Kamen R●der. Of all of them, ●uga is my absolute favorite! Miyu, savor the feeling of the ordinary gradually being invaded by the extraordinary, and witness the brilliance of the human heart!"

"Yes. I think it's a very good series."

"Heh... I've awakened yet another lost little lamb...!"

"That was pure proselytizing. Are you really just an otaku who thinks she's a gyaru?"

"No, I'm not! I'm a gyaru! No matter what anyone says, I'm a gyaru! No matter what!"

"What do you mean, 'no matter what'?"

"And hey, Otaku-kun! Try a little harder to let me be nice to you! You've been treating me like a stranger this whole time! We're the same age, so at least drop the formal speech, hey!?"

"Er... no, that's embarrassing..."

"We've been tossing around such sloppy banter, so why are you shy about that...?"

Because I'd had plenty of experience playing the straight man to jokes by middle school, but absolutely none interacting with girls.

My conversations with Takanashi-san and Riko-senpai had probably already exceeded the total amount of time I'd spent talking to girls my age over my entire life.

No matter how hard I tried to remember, I couldn't recall ever having an enjoyable conversation with one of the girls in my class.

I've already been treated kindly enough by you, Riko-senpai...

"What a sad look this guy has... He looks like a child soldier who grew up without ever knowing joy..."

"............"

"And this girl is staring at the BD package like a child soldier who found happiness in a peaceful country..."

She kept grazing weirdly close to the truth.

Indeed, Takanashi-san was silently peeking into the paper bag as if she couldn't wait. Her expression remained almost unchanged as always, but her cheeks were slightly flushed and her eyes were sparkling.

Perhaps Takanashi-san noticed us looking at her, because she hurriedly straightened her back.

Please don't move so suddenly. Your boobs are bouncing all over the place.

"I-I apologize. Is something the matter?"

"It's okay... It's okay, Miyu. I'm looking forward to seeing what your future holds..."

Riko-senpai folded her arms beneath her chest and nodded with deep emotion.

I forced my eyes away from the emphasized, rather generous curves of her chest and drank my coffee.

It was delicious. I also liked a fair amount of sugar in my coffee, though not as much as Takanashi-san. The aroma of coffee and the sweetness spreading through my mouth felt as though they were bringing happiness with them.

"Grandma's coffee is good, isn't it?"

Was she reading my expression, or had I let out a sigh without realizing it...?

Riko-senpai gazed at me with a proud smile.

"It's famous around the neighborhood. Well, becoming Gifted did reduce the number of customers a little. Even so, she's my pride."

"...I see. Somehow, I think I understand."

"Right? Personally, espresso is my favorite. The stovetop kind. I like it without milk, but with extra sugar instead. Great aroma, great taste. I love sipping it slowly."

She wore a loose, carefree smile.

As the granddaughter spoke with that expression, the Master twitched her reddened ears at the edge of my vision.

I already knew it, but these two were really close, grandmother and granddaughter.

"Oh! By the way, the idea that espresso has less caffeine is a myth. It has plenty, just like normal coffee. But maybe that's what gives you a boost. Though really, I like the taste best, and I also kind of like watching it being made."

"Riko, come help me wash the dishes."

"Whoops, my bad. See you two! Take your time!"

Perhaps unable to endure the embarrassment any longer, the Master called for Riko-senpai with a slight stammer.

I couldn't help following her with my eyes as she hurried to the counter, her maid uniform's skirt fluttering lightly.

...Yeah.

If Riko-senpai ever stopped playing at being a gyaru, I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to hold a normal conversation with her.

How should I put it? Her feminine charm... no, her maidenly charm...? In any case, her 'attractive member of the opposite sex' factor increased, making it harder for me to speak out of nervousness.

She might have been approaching the ultimate form of the 'gyaru who's kind to otaku': maintaining an easygoing distance while still being an attractive member of the opposite sex.

Riko-senpai... What a terrifying woman...!

"By the way, Master."

Ignoring my private terror, Takanashi-san called out to the Master.

She rose from her chair and straightened her back.

"What is it, Takanashi-chan? More coffee?"

"No. You said the report could wait until tomorrow, but there is something I would like to tell you first."

After pausing for a beat, Takanashi-san puffed out her chest.

"In the battle immediately before we sensed the boss monster approaching, my Spirit Rank increased."

"Oh, really? Congratulations!"

The Master beamed at Takanashi-san, who looked a little proud.

I see. Now that she mentioned it, I did feel as though her magic capacity had increased slightly.

"Oh, congrats."

"Congratulations, Takanashi-san."

"Yes. Thank you."

"Still, your first level-up was kinda late. Otaku-kun's was early, so I started wondering if he had a supernatural ability that sucked up other people's experience points."

"No, I don't have any supernatural ability like that."

Riko-senpai laughed heartily and said she was joking. Supernatural abilities could do anything, so it didn't sound like a joke. This was a completely outrageous false accusation.

Even so, hearing her say it made me a little uneasy. Takanashi-san fought using the scrolls I'd provided. Maybe that had caused more of the magic released when a monster was defeated to flow into me...

That shouldn't have been possible in theory, but the possibility wasn't zero. Unable to think of any other reason for her unusually slow Spirit Rank growth, I felt a cold sweat run down my back.

"Yahiro-san has nothing to do with it."

However, Takanashi-san firmly denied our suspicions.

And then.

"I know the cause. There is no problem."

For just an instant, I thought her eyes wavered.