Chapter 7
The day after I started playing real-life 〈Dan-Katsu〉.
Today was the day I set out for the academy.
Basking in the refreshing morning sunlight, I looked up at the protagonist's house, familiar from my days playing the game.
The protagonist of 〈Dan-Katsu〉 has no parents.
This house apparently belonged to the village chief, who was my guarantor. Now that I was leaving to strike out on my own, all the household goods would be returned to him.
I hadn't realized it, but it seemed I'd been relying on the village chief quite a bit. I should thank him properly later.
I'd already finished packing.
The luggage contained everyday necessities whose details had never been given in the game. When I got home yesterday, it had all been neatly gathered by the entrance.
For the record, I hurriedly checked what was inside this morning. I wanted to know what I'd be taking with me, after all.
Since I was all ready, I figured I'd head over to Hannah's and say goodbye. Just then, the very person I'd been thinking about came walking toward me.
What a coincidence.
But why was Hannah carrying so much luggage?
“G-Good morning, Zephyrus-kun.”
“Hey. Good morning, Hannah. Glad to see you're doing well. That's quite a load... Are you going somewhere?”
“Um, well, I'm going to the academy today, too. So I thought we could go together.”
“Huh?!”
The academy.
It was where boys and girls who had turned sixteen (by Japanese reckoning) enrolled to acquire Jobs, study them, and learn how to use them.
In other words—
“Wait, does that mean you're sixteen, Hannah?! Even though you're so tiny?”
“So what if I'm tiny?! Why didn't you know? We're childhood friends, aren't we?!”
How should I know?
Anyway, you were self-conscious about being short? Sorry.
But I don't mind petite girls, either. Yeah.
In 〈Dan-Katsu〉, I remembered setting out with a few other kids from the village who were the same age as me, but I hadn't paid that much attention to them.
And since no one who looked like Hannah showed up at the academy, I'd assumed she was just a character unique to that quest.
Who knew we were childhood friends and the same age? If that had been part of her backstory, they should've featured it more in the game. What a waste.
Wait, maybe this was something unique to real life? Maybe the fact that this was real was what added the childhood-friend backstory?
As I pondered that, Hannah spoke up, looking a little worried.
“Why'd you go quiet? Did I maybe say too much?”
“...No. Sorry. And I don't mind petite girls, either.”
“W-Wha?! I-I didn't ask you that... Geez, come on, Zephyrus-kun. We have to go to the village chief's, right?”
“Sure. Let's go together.”
Hannah blushed when I tried to reassure her.
That was pretty cute, too.
I fell into step beside Hannah, who was urging me along, and we headed to the village chief's house.
A carriage bound for the academy was already waiting in front of the village chief's house.
I thanked the village chief for everything he'd done for me and bowed deeply.
All the village chief said was, “Enjoy yourself.”
Oh, I planned to enjoy myself to the fullest.
Hannah and I climbed into the carriage, and we set off.
Hannah and I were the only passengers from the village.
For some reason, Hannah sat beside me the whole time.
Apparently, she found talking with me interesting.
I relaxed, occasionally looking out at the scenery.
Yeah, not bad.
Come to think of it, I'd forgotten to ask how long it would take us to get there.
In the game, that scene took less than thirty seconds.
But this was real-life 〈Dan-Katsu〉, so things could be different from the game.
“Hey, how long does it take to get to the academy?”
“Huh? Um, let's see... I think I heard it takes about ten days.”
Wait, ten days? You're kidding, right? Seriously?
This was bad. I'd seriously underestimated it. Ten days just to travel?
That's so long!
Please, give me a smartphone! A game console!
I'm begging you!
Ten days had passed since we left the village.
Being stuck without a smartphone for ten days was rough for a modern person.
Rougher than I expected.
I couldn't be more grateful to Hannah for talking to me and helping pass the time.
“It's all right now, Zephyrus-kun. The academy's in sight. Just a little longer.”
Hannah must have thought I was in such a bad state that she ended up speaking politely to me.
“Yeah, the hell is finally going to be over.”
My spirits had already sunk to dangerous levels, so her words were a godsend.
From the outside, I probably looked like an idiot being nursed by a little girl, but it couldn't be helped.
People say boredom kills modern people, and they're right.
I seriously thought boredom was going to kill me.
Someone, please give me a skip button!
“Hahaha! I'm back—!!!!!”
The instant I arrived at the academy and stepped down from the carriage, I let out a wild laugh and shout.
〈National Dungeon Exploration Support Academy—Main Campus〉, commonly known as Labyrinth Academy.
The moment I saw the school building, I recovered completely.
I'd finally made it to the main setting of 〈Dan-Katsu〉, a place I'd only ever seen on a game screen!
“Zephyrus-kun, don't shout. It's embarrassing. If you're feeling better, let's go. We have to unpack in the dorms first.”
But Hannah couldn't share my overwhelming excitement, and she dragged me off with her.
Grr, how frustrating.
I wanted to savor this feeling a little longer.
But Hannah had taken care of me during the carriage ride, so I had no choice but to go along and head to the dorms.