Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Glitch Technique?
An old man I happened to save had two granddaughters.
One was a little girl whose illness was cured by the so-called Elixir I had.
The other was a high school girl.
She is a high schooler, but she does not go to school.
She says she works a part-time job to support her family, but she wants to become an adventurer.
Since she cannot support her family with just a part-time job, she intends to become an adventurer who can earn money.
I cannot recommend such dangerous work to a girl, but her livelihood is at stake.
She has already made up her mind, and I cannot interfere.
I led the way into the dungeon and defeated the monsters, and then her status appeared.
She has learned magic as well, so her life as a mage begins.
It seems she wants to form a party with me.
Before I knew it, she had become a level 49 adventurer, but she is not a hardcore clearing specialist.
Having a girl in a dark dungeon adds moisture.
Besides, I cannot throw such a young and cute girl into a group of other adventurers.
Isn't that like putting a sheep into a pack of wolves?
The old man asked me to look after his granddaughters, so I had no choice.
There is such a thing as adult responsibility.
I talk with Sana in the inn room.
"Hmm, in that case, it's not a party... I'll make a guild, so why don't you join it?"
"Is that okay?"
"Of course."
"Thank you very much!" "I will!"
Seeing Sana bow her head, Mio imitated her.
"Well, I'm thinking of renting this room to be the guild headquarters. Is that okay?"
"Yes."
"Sorry, I don't have much money either."
"A, um..."
"What is it?"
"Can we stay here too?"
"No~ I don't mind... but I am a man, after all..."
"Daisuke-san said it would be fine..."
What exactly is fine?
I'm happy to be trusted, and I wouldn't touch someone my own child's age, but...
Anyway, since the matter is settled, I went down to the first floor and spoke to the Oba-chan at the counter.
"The old man has gone, but are those kids staying?"
Oba-chan looked sharply at Sana and the others.
Afraid, Mio quickly hid behind her older sister.
"My sister is going to become an adventurer."
"Haa~"
Oba-chan sighed.
It seems she doesn't have good feelings about young kids doing this business as adventurers.
"These kids... my sister has to earn the family's living expenses in the dungeon."
Hearing my words, Oba-chan reacted slightly.
"Haa... the world is coming to an end..."
"My younger sister was sick, and we used potions in the dungeon to treat her."
Actually, it was an Elixir.
But I don't think she would believe me if I said that, so potions are fine.
"So, is she cured?"
"She seems to be doing well... right, Mio-chan?"
"Nod nod."
The girl who was hiding behind her sister nodded slightly.
"That room where I'm staying... how about renting it out exclusively for 15,000 yen a day?"
"...Well, I guess... wait, are you sharing the room?"
"It's fine."
Sana answered, looking at Oba-chan.
Seeing her face, which had already made up her mind, Oba-chan seemed unable to say anything.
"Alright..."
"Good, we did it."
"Thank you." "..."
Sana thanked Oba-chan.
Climbing the creaking stairs, we returned to that room with mortar on all four sides.
"...Even so, there's nothing here."
"That's right. But it's the cheapest here, so it can't be helped."
"Yes."
Hmm, if we are going to act together, I should tell them.
If I keep it hidden, I can't do anything.
Of course, about the Item Box.
"...Sana, we are in this together, right? Ah, do you understand? In this together."
"I don't understand..."
"I see... well, simply put, it means we are friends now, right?"
"Yes."
"We have to share secrets we can't tell anyone."
"...I understand."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Well, since she seems ready, let's proceed with the talk.
"My secret is this."
I took out an air mat from the Item Box.
"Something came out!"
Mio, who had been silent, reacted to the suddenly appearing object.
I also take out a blanket.
"Do you know what this is?"
"...Could it be... the Item Box?"
"That's right... I don't want people to know, so never talk about it."
"Nod nod."
She nodded silently.
"Mio-chan too... don't say things like 'the old man took something out of nowhere!'"
"I understand!"
Do you really understand?
"Sana, how was the curry? It was all potatoes, right?"
"It was delicious."
"We grow potatoes at home, so we really have plenty of them."
"Did you grow these potatoes, Daisuke-san?"
"Yes, yes. It's not a very big field, but I plow it myself and harvest it myself. I was just growing enough for my own food."
"Unlimited potatoes..."
Mio, who had been listening, whispered.
"I grew sweet potatoes too, but it was potatoes every day... there was no food, so it couldn't be helped."
"But, better than being starving..."
"Haha, that's right... alright!"
There is nothing else to do after this.
A sudden impulse is a good day.
I'll go register for the guild.
"What's wrong?"
"Sana, are we going to register for the guild now?"
"Yes!"
The difference between a guild and a party... a party is just forming a group of members.
Even if something happens, it's just a verbal promise, with no obligations.
In contrast... a guild has the obligation to protect comrades, take care of them, and distribute shares.
Parties are formed on the spot and disbanded when leaving the dungeon, but a guild is not like that.
We must go to the government office and register the members.
I went to the office immediately with Sana.
There was the same female clerk who registered me, so I headed to her window.
"Um, I would like to register for a guild..."
"Yes, members... is it just that woman over there?"
"Yes."
"..."
As expected, I feel the clerk's eyes are cold.
Are they looking at me like I'm dragging around a high school girl?
Well, from the outside, that is exactly what it looks like.
Can't be helped.
"She has officially become an adventurer, so there is no problem, right?"
"Yes, well..."
I submitted my and Sana's adventurer cards.
"Please write the guild name here."
The clerk handed me a tablet.
"Oh!"
Now that I think about it, I haven't decided.
I had completely forgotten.
"Sana, what should we name the guild?"
"Daisuke-san can decide."
"If you underestimate an old man's taste, terrible things will happen."
"It's fine."
"Really?"
She is smiling, but it seems she doesn't take it seriously.
"..."
The female clerk's eyes are cold.
Anyway, what should I do?
Since I am level 49, should I call it Forty-Niner?
"Well, let's go with Forty-Niner."
After waiting about 5 minutes, my name was called.
"Niwa-san~"
"Yes."
"With this, the guild registration is complete."
"Thank you."
"Because you are registered, transaction fees will go into the guild's account."
"So you want me to distribute from there?"
"That is correct. Also, a monthly savings fund will be deducted, so please do not let it go to zero."
If there is a delay in withdrawal, it will be considered impossible to sustain, and the guild qualification will be revoked.
The savings fund is said to be used for compensation if a member dies in the dungeon.
I see.
"Also, depending on the number of years the guild has operated, a lump sum will be paid when you resign."
"Wow, thanks. I'll make sure not to let the account go to zero."
"Please do not let such a girl end up on the streets."
"Hahaha."
"Daisuke-san is amazing! He won't do such a thing!"
"...Ugh."
The woman did not seem to expect a counterattack from Sana.
She is flustered.
Anyway, the procedure is finished, so we left the office.
"Hmph! Rude."
Sana, who had just left the office, is indignant.
"Well, from the outside, it looks like an old man dragging around a girl, so it can't be helped."
"There are many other girls besides me."
"Well, there are, but... a combination of an old man and a young girl is not good, haha..."
I can only give a bitter smile.
We bought dinner on the way and ate in the evening.
It seems Mio can eat a normal meal without any problems.
The Elixir is truly a supernatural item.
How much would it fetch at an auction?
If there were a wealthy person with an incurable disease, they would pay any amount to get it.
You cannot buy health with money.
"If you are full, go to the Oba-chan on the first floor and take a shower together?"
"!"
Sana is sniffing her own arms.
No, you just bought these clothes today.
"You still have the money I gave you this afternoon, right?"
"...Yes."
"Girls need to stay clean~"
She probably wanted to take a bath or shower even without me saying anything.
It seems to be 2,000 yen per time, so it can't be helped.
I want to take a shower too, but I have to save money.
If I go back to the countryside, I can take as many as I want.
I put new towels, shampoo, and body soap from the Item Box into a basket.
I let the two of them carry it and sent them to the shower.
I want to level up Sana quickly and have her learn high-level magic.
It would be great if she learns a cleaning magic.
Just that alone can earn money.
Since it is getting dark, I took out a battery-powered fluorescent light from the Item Box.
LEDs are all out, and the era of fluorescent lights has come again...
Once you get used to convenience, it is hard to go back to inconvenience, but maybe magic stones can replace semiconductors and become substitutes for LEDs?
Actually, such research seems to be underway.
I put the light on the floor and investigate magic... about cleaning.
It seems you can become clean with magic even if you are covered in blood and mud.
It seems you won't even need to take a bath.
No, a bath is not just for washing the body...
While I was looking at my smartphone, the two of them returned with towels wrapped around their heads.
"Light."
Sana used magic.
A small ball of light floats in the room.
"Magic works here too, huh?"
"Yes, somehow."
"But it's darker than in the dungeon."
"It seems magic becomes less effective when you are away from the dungeon."
"So, when you cast cleaning magic, it's better to be in front of the dungeon or something?"
"Yes, that's right."
They were holding juice in their hands.
"Did you get ripped off?"
"No, that Oba-san gave it to us."
"Eh? For free?"
"Yes."
So, she looked like a greedy landlord, but she is a decent person after all?
Mio is also drinking juice and staring at my smartphone.
"Mio, no."
"Un."
Well, since she is a child, she probably wants to play with the smartphone.
She can play games too.
"Your sister can earn money and buy you a smartphone."
"A smartphone is too early."
"It's not!"
Mio is countering, but... I had forgotten something.
"If you are healthy now, what about Mio-chan's school? Did you not attend?"
"She has been resting for about half a year because her health was bad."
"Well, judging by that appearance, going to school must have been tough."
"Yes."
"But if you are healthy now, I think school is necessary."
Japan is a mess, but compulsory education for elementary and middle school still exists.
"..."
"If you go to school, your sister can be at peace while she is diving into the dungeon, and you will get free meals."
I searched and found that there are schools within the Special District.
That's because there are people diving into dungeons while raising children.
When I investigated the schools, the reputation was not bad.
Although the Special District has some extraterritorial characteristics, the school security seems to be maintained.
Well, if they don't, they would be worried and unable to work in the dungeon.
The country must be thinking about that.
"Um... if Mio transfers schools, do we have to move our residence registration?"
"Originally yes, but this is the Special District... many people are probably working as adventurers temporarily, so there might be people who haven't moved their registration. Why don't you go to the office and ask? You can also go directly to the school and ask."
"I understand."
"If you are worried, I will go with you..."
"It's fine."
I decided to store the fluorescent light that was still on.
It's a waste with magical light.
"Store."
The fluorescent light disappeared before my eyes, but I thought of something.
The dungeon in this Special District has a game-like mechanism.
This Item Box is too.
Games always have bugs... which means...
Could a bug occur by putting things in and taking them out of the Item Box?
Bugs happen when equipping and unequipping items at high speed in games.
For example, could an item duplicate and increase infinitely?
If I could do that, I would be rich in no time.
Whether it is a precious item or not, I can increase it as much as I want.
If that happens, I won't have to do the dangerous business of being an adventurer.
Anyway, I have a personality that I must try things I think of, so I will try it.
"--But before that."
I took out toys from the Item Box.
A toy where a ball rolls through a maze in a transparent box, and a toy where a ring floats in a case filled with water.
The strongest analog that can be enjoyed without batteries.
"Mio-chan, you can't have a smartphone, but I'll lend you this."
"Nod nod!"
The sisters started playing with the toys I handed them.
It's a simple toy, but it's quite fun.
Rather than that.
Let's try the specifications of the Item Box.
Putting the fluorescent light in and out before my eyes, and spamming the buttons on the status screen.
"Oraaa!"
While taking items in and out at high speed, a strange occurrence happened.
The fluorescent light stopped in mid-air.
Moreover, on the status screen, it is stored... it's a bug.
I tried to touch it, but I missed.
It's like a ghost.
This is interesting.
The fluorescent light is stored with the switch on, so it is glowing.
From past experience, time stops or flows slowly inside the Item Box.
If it is glowing, is it consuming batteries?
"Hmm."
I think for a while.
Battery consumption is not a problem.
Can I bring this glowing state into the dungeon?
The dungeon bends physical phenomena.
Furthermore, can I exploit the back of the dungeon with the Item Box, which ignores physics?
If I can use electrical appliances in the dungeon while they are still in the Item Box, dreams will expand.
It is not just a lighting problem.
For example, I might be able to take photos inside the dungeon.
If I can record videos, I can earn money on video sites.
I have a feeling of making a big profit.
Anyway, this is an experiment to see if electrical appliances can be used in another space using this trick.
I took out the fluorescent light and stored it again, then I took out potatoes from the Item Box.
They are raw potatoes with the skin on.
I take out a plastic bowl and select about 10 of them.
"Potatoes!"
Mio reacts to the potatoes appearing before her eyes.
"What, are potatoes rare?"
"Un."
Mio peers into the potatoes.
Well, if her health was bad, she probably didn't help in the kitchen.
Anyway, with the distribution system destroyed now, raw vegetables are expensive.
Thinking about it, I wonder what people in Tokyo usually eat.
Anyway, it seems the sisters got juice from the owner here, so I will be a burden for a while.
I should try to curry favor a bit.
I took the potatoes and headed to the counter.
"What do you want? A shower?"
"No, I was thinking about the potatoes."
"What, are you trying to force-sell them?"
"No, they are free. You gave the girls juice, right?"
"In that case, I'll take them."
Oba-chan took the potatoes and checked each one.
"Well, since I grew them, they are all over the place."
"Hee~"
"The taste is so-so."
"...Um, will you take proper care of the girls?"
She glared at me sharply.
"Of course."
"I see..."
Oba-chan seems to be thinking about something.
"What's wrong? Don't you trust me that much?"
"No... I had a child..."
"Past tense?"
"Yes, when the world stopped."
According to her story, her child was sick at the time.
At that time, there was no electricity or fuel.
There were no medicines either.
It was not a disease that would kill someone in the past, but there was nothing they could do.
"In my hometown too, the elderly died like crazy."
"That's right..."
"Well, surviving is like a miracle."
"That's right."
"Anyway, let's leave the dark talk aside. While my sister earns money in the dungeon, my younger sister will go to school, so please rely on me until the income increases."
"As long as you pay us, we have no problem."
"Haha, thank you."
The matter is settled.
It is grateful that she understands our situation.
There are people who don't care about other people's circumstances at all... they really exist.
"Just to confirm one more time, are you okay?"
Oba-chan glared at me sharply.
She thinks I might touch the children.
"I'm fine."
"I see."
It seems she doesn't trust me much, but as long as she rents me the room, it's fine.
When I returned to the room, I gave the air mat and blanket to the girls.
"Is that okay?"
"I have a sleeping bag."
Still, I should buy an extra air mat.
I have to go on the boat again to buy supplies.
No, before that, I have to check if the Item Box trick really works.
--Night fell, so I sleep.
Since I am an old man, I tried to dress up a bit, but sleeping on the mortar floor with a sleeping bag hurt my body.
Even if it costs a little more, it's a waste of time to go back and forth on the boat, so I should look for an air mat in the Special District.
--The day after starting to live with the sisters with a reason.
In the morning, we all had bread and canned coffee.
I collected food for one person, but it seems to run out quickly like this.
"Munch munch..."
Mio is eating bread deliciously, so the old man is relieved.
I have to go to Haneda again to get food, but I cannot cook in a place like this.
I do have a cassette stove and a gas burner, but I am told not to use fire.
The owner here understands our situation, so maybe she will lend us a place if I ask?
Moving to another inn and explaining everything from the beginning is troublesome.
I also talk with Sana, who is having breakfast with me.
"Are you going to Mio-chan's school today?"
"Yes."
After all, it is bad if I don't go to elementary and middle school.
"I see. I will go to the dungeon and try something."
"I understand."
Anyway, when I check the Harpy video I uploaded...
"Oh?!"
Surprisingly, it has 1 million views.
I might be able to monetize it soon.
I need to collect more videos.
The reason it is trending seems to be that the people who tried to mug me were raging in the video comments.
As expected, the guild they belong to seems to have expressed their feelings, so the trolling has subsided.
"Facing the difficulty of dungeon clearing, adventurers need to stand together. To do that, adventurers need to help each other across guild lines." --Something like that is written, but people who say such nice things often do not contribute to such things.
As expected, comments like "Is 'helping each other' a code for mugging? lol" are pouring in.
Additional fuel has been dropped, so it is trending even more.
The person involved, me, is completely out of the loop.
Still, it is grateful that it is trending.
If it goes well, I can monetize it, and guild wars have nothing to do with me.
After breakfast, the sisters said they would go to the office and the elementary school.
I immediately went into the dungeon to experiment.
Passing through the automatic ticket gate at the entrance, I immediately entered the dungeon.
Melting into the darkness, I took out a bicycle from the Item Box.
It is pitch black, so it is dangerous as is, but I can see in the dark, so it is no problem.
The first floor is crowded, so I go down to the second floor and enter a deserted alley.
If I go too deep, I might get lost, so I have to be careful.
"Well, let's try it..."
I started taking the fluorescent light in and out of the Item Box at high speed.
The device power is on while stored, but it is off when it appears in the dungeon.
This is due to the characteristics of this dungeon.
After trying it a few times, the fluorescent light stopped in mid-air.
As I expected, it is glowing... success.
"Yay!"
I did a victory pose.
The lighting is still in the Item Box, so it must be outside the laws of the dungeon.
However, since it is floating in the air, I cannot grab it.
It follows my movements, but it is impossible to change the direction of the lighting only.
Still, the dungeon walls are illuminated properly.
If I can't grab it, is it emitting photons?
What kind of logic is this... no, it's useless to think about it.
After all, magic and levels are "what the heck" things anyway.
"This is amazing!"
For me, who can see in the dark, lighting is nothing special.
If the lighting moves, electronic devices will move too.
It means I might be able to move a camera and record videos.
This might be a quick way to make money.