Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer

Chapter 36

"Hey, Tenji. Are you free after this?"

It was Aika Asagiri who approached Tenji.

Unlike in the dungeon, Aika's chestnut hair was slicked down at school. Because of this, a soft floral scent blew into Tenji's nose.

Turning back, just behind Aika, were several eyes looking at Tenji. Tenji guessed that Aika came to talk on behalf of everyone, or something like that.

[I know it's hard for you to talk to me, but... I've been coming to school without missing a day for the past month.]

Tenji, still distant from his classmates, thought about that.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes, we were talking about going to the dungeon in Yokohama to look at weapons and suits with the rest of the class after this. Tenji-Kun knows more about it than the rest of us, so I was hoping you could give some advice or come with us... No?"

Seeing Aika tilting her head cutely, Tenji thought, "Ka, cute..." but at the same time, he felt a little pain.

Yokohama's Dungeon Street was famous for having the best selection of weapons and items in Japan. He wanted to go there so much, but unfortunately, Tenji had something he couldn't miss.

With a truly apologetic look on his face, Tenji spoke back.

"I'm sorry, but I have something I can't miss today. I'll talk to you about it next time if you want."

"Well, I don't feel the best about it but I understand. So can you give me your contact number?"

"Mine?"

"I'm not going to be able to talk to you about it if I don't have your contact number. From tomorrow starts the summer vacation, so I won't be able to see you at school... No?"

There was no way Tenji could refuse Aika's request, who tilted her head cutely.

"I'm not sure if I'm the right person for the job. But Here you go."

"Thank you!"

Tenji exchanged the contact information with Aika, although he knew it was too late for that.

Even though Tenji was poor, he only had a smartphone, which was essential for him to attend to his luggage-carrying job. He couldn't even get a part-time job if he did not have one. But that didn't change the fact that the phone's monthly bill was a painful expense.

Aika's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the names of professional Explorers lined up in Tenji's contact.

"Wow! That's amazing!"

"Huh?"

"It's amazing that you know the contact information for so many famous explorers that I would even know."

"...Well, most of them can't be reached anymore."

"Oh, is that so?"

Tenji's distant look made Aika realize that she shouldn't have asked that.

Still, Tenji was not hiding anything from her, so he tells her the gist of the story.

"'No, I'm not going to work with a luggage carrier who can't fight at all!' I was scolded like this many times, haha. But Godo-san kept nominating me, even though I'm like this, you know?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that was possible. Sorry, I asked a strange question."

"No, it's fine. It's a common thing with luggage carriers, and even more so with useless luggage carriers. Still, I'm grateful for the one time I've been partnered with them because without them I wouldn't even have that part-time job."

"Still, it's terrible. No one should do such a thing. I am also in Godou-san's camp."

"We really can't thank you enough, can we, Mr. Godou? Ah, it might be bad if I don't go soon."

"I'm sorry I stopped you while you were out running errands! Are you working part-time as a Luggage carrier again?"

"No, I have an appointment to meet someone today. See you later, Asagiri-san."

"Yes, I will be in touch!"

Tenji looked at the clock on his phone and got up in a hurry.

He kept his bag on his back and said "Well, see you later," to Aika. He then left the school. Tenji walked out the front door passing by uniforms that looked the same but were of various colors.

The nearest station to the High School is Jiyugaoka in Tokyo, and Tenji heads for the train, clutching his commuter pass.

On the way there, he pulled out his phone, thinking he should call ahead.

The contact was labeled "Mr. Kaido". He then dialed it.

"Hi~, I'm Kaido. Is this Tenji-Kun?"

"Yes, this is Amagi. I've just finished school and I'm on my way to you now. The nearest station is Yutenji, is that correct?"

"That's right... Oh, sorry, I was taking a little nap."

"No, it's fine. Shall we cancel today then?"

"No no no no no... I've been wanting to meet Tenji for a long time. I'm really sorry, okay? Suddenly Leon also starts saying he's going to Spain."

"You're being pushed around by Mr. Leon, aren't you?"

"Did you think I was lying? Haha, this is Leon. As you wish, freely, non-interference, this is his motto, you know. That's why I'm allowed to take naps."

"Haha, I'll be on my way now."

"Yes, I'll be waiting."

Tenji thought he was crazy when he heard Kaido's disengaged, sleepy voice.

[I had promised to meet Kaido in person when I was in the hospital, but he had to leave for Spain on short notice, so our plans were extended and we were finally going to meet today.]

With such an important person to meet, it was no wonder that Tenji had refused Aika's invitation.

It is three stops from Jiyugaoka to Yutenji.

Three stations in Tokyo are just a few minutes train ride away.

[As I left the station through the ticket gate, I found a quiet residential area near Yutenji station.]

[It's smaller than I thought it would be. Is it a three-story building? I wonder if no one knows that this is the office of that zero-grade explorer.]

The office building was a stylish building with a distinctive glass wall.

The wavy steel plates were used on the facade, a tasteful design that showed that it was probably ordered and made by someone other than Leon.

The scale of the place was quite small, and it was the kind of place that can accommodate a large number of people. He would be convinced if he were told that it is really just a luxurious house.

As Tenji quickly entered the premises, he grabbed the folded snacks he had bought in advance and pressed the button.

A ping-pong sound was heard, followed immediately by a clattering sound through the screen.

"Yes, Tenji, is that you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hey, wait, I'll open it."

Almost as soon as he said that he heard the front door open.

Tenji opens the surprisingly large door and walks into the office.

Tenji's mouth dropped open involuntarily when he saw the interior.

The entrance hallway, a three-story stairwell, was spread out, and Tenji was welcomed by stylish paintings and plants.

The ceiling and walls were white and the latest appliances were visible in places.

The basic structure of this place was like a dream house to live in, and it did not feel like an office.

"Oh, you think it's more of a house? Haha, I get that a lot."

Kaido appeared from the corner of the narrow passage in the doorway.

He was dressed in a ratty, fashionable top-and-bottom set-up, and his hair was dyed silver with a modern mash.

Tenji was surprised to see how handsome he was, which he couldn't imagine from his voice.

"Ah, it's Tenji!"

"Ha-ha-ha, don't be nervous. Come on, don't just stand there, come over here."

"Yes, yes! Oh, this is a trifle."

[TLN: Trifle: a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream.]

"Oh, thanks for coming out here."

Tenji handed the snack to Kaido and, without prompting, began to walk through the house and into an office that looked like a living room.

There were four stylish work desks set up there, as well as a sofa and a TV.

It was already arranged to make you feel at home.

On the sofa, a woman was sleeping on her stomach.

The white camisole and red-hot pants are skinned at a very high level, and when looked at from a different angle, it was a sleeping figure that could be seen in a variety of ways.

[The full breasts that I have never seen before, and a glimpse of white skin from her tight waist.]

Her face was Japanese, but her hair was pure white.

Her appearance was too intense for an adolescent high school student in many ways, and Tenji couldn't help but stare at the woman.

"Oh, don't worry about her, she usually sleeps here."

"Who is she?"

"Shiroushi Chigo, she's the only explorer belonging to the Busy Guild besides Leon. Leon was the first one to recruit her because he fell in love with her talent. She is really strong, did you know?"

Tenji was speechless at Kaido's explanation.

The first woman to be scouted by a Zero level explorer, one of only four in the world.

Plus, the fact that she was said to be as strong as that Zero-level explorer.

Instantly, the woman's presence seemed larger than ever.

"It's so awesome, I don't know what to say..."

"Hahaha... Then maybe you'll be disappointed when you hear why she joined."

"Why did she join?"

"Well, just sit there for now. Can I get you a cup of coffee? Or would you prefer tea or something?"

Kaito said so-and-so and avoided Tenji's question, urging him to sit on the facing sofa that had been set up by the window.

It seems to be a place for reception, and various small things have been organized there.

Tenji does as he's told and takes a seat.

"Thank you for going to the trouble. I would drink coffee."

"Oh, you can drink coffee in high school? Whatever you have will do it."

Kaido jokes and heads towards the kitchen, taking what appears to be a pack of tea from the shelf and placing it in a cup.

"Phew, tea after a good night's sleep is good for you."

"Yes, it's delicious."

Tenji was enjoying the delicious tea.

Of course, the poor Amagi family did not have the custom of drinking tea, and they had spent their lives in a style where water was insufficient.

"Ah, that reminds me, we were talking about Chigo-chan."

"Yes. Is it a shame why she joined or what?"

"Oh yeah, she's got this so-called "I don't want to work" disease. That's why she's always sleeping here. When she wakes up, she just plays games or eats dinner."

"She's an explorer, isn't she?"

"That's right, even that one, Chigo, is a second-grade explorer. She's as strong as a demon with a pretty face."

"I'm ashamed to say that I've never heard of her before."

"Chigo hasn't been to the dungeon by herself for years. But she's three years older than Tenji."

"Three years older than me, that means she's just 19 years old!"

"Oh yeah, Chigo-chan has a distorted background and strength. Oh, and if you ever get a chance to talk to Chigo, don't ask her if she's an albino. Chigo-chan isn't an albino, her hair color is like that because of her calling."

"Wow, okay. I'll keep that in mind."

"Yeah, well then... It's time to get down to business. About your calling, Tenji."

Tenji gulped and swallowed his spit.

[I've already made a distinction between what to talk about and what not to talk about in the past month. How much can I pull out of Kaido's knowledge? It would be difficult; I mean he works for the smart explorer Leon.]

This was where Tenji's power was to be shown.

The secret would remain secret, and only information that he was willing to disclose would be used to achieve maximum results.

Tenji began to talk about his calling in public for the first time.

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