NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2.2
Chapter 2.2. Earth With Dungeon
[Kuh, I’m sure I have sad memories. What kind of memory is this?]
A kick came from the shadows, and I rolled over, blown away.
[That’s good! I also want to talk to you, old man! You must act hard-boiled, dandy old man to everyone. But to Shizuku, you must act taciturn!]
I, with my dandyish-ness gone, held my cheeks and acted like I was going to break down and cry. It was an unnecessary act.
[I understand. Please be considerate this time. My heart, which is as wide as the sea, will accept it.]
[That’s a way to prevent telepathy. You’re just trying to pass on my thoughts!]
I complained but quickly shook my head and got back on my feet. I don’t have time for this. It’s time for me, who lives in the dark to be active. I, a dandy old man suffering from auditory hallucinations, with a hard-boiled, raw-egg spirit, am ready for action.
[Shadow Magic]
With a serious expression, I gather magical power and use it. Shadow magic is magic that creates black clothes on your body. I could choose the clothes’ shape, and with this spell, I no longer needs to wear clothes. However, if this old man gets attacked by an attack that dissipates my magic power, the clothes will disappear, so I will be naked if I don’t wear clothes underneath. In that case, the world reason will tell me that the act is forbidden to broadcast, and I will be sent to another dimension and disappear.
I’ll wear a baggy robe, a hood, and a mask so that only my eyes will remain. If others saw me, they’d report me as an assassin, but I liked it.
“Well, let’s go kill the goblins~.”
I let out a listless voice and went down the stairs. On the way down the stairs, a black cat was sitting there, motionless and still. It was shadow magic created by me. It could share what it senses, and I could give it simple commands.
The command to the black cat is simple. I ordered it to tell me if anyone tried to pass through there. I, call it ‘Alarm Cat’ because it is a substitute for an alarm. One cat in a conspicuous place. One in a hidden place, out of sight. Many barricades are attached to the walls, and I have written warnings on walls to stop anyone who passes through, but few people climb them.
If bandits come, there will be no mercy. The black cats are a little more aggressive than they appear. Anyone who climbs up will be severely damaged. Unlike in movies and video games, guns are rarely available in this country. Since guns are more precious than food, no one will attack you with guns, so even a black cat can fight well enough.
I walked down the building. I’m calling myself an idiot for living on the top floor of such a building.
When I finally got off the building, I saw a group of boys and girls at the entrance, their hair shaggy, dandruff-covered, and greasy, clothes so black I didn’t even know when they had washed them. They noticed me and approached me fearfully. The first boy rubbed his nose and spoke to us.
“Hehehe. Good evening, Sakimori-san.”
“…… Ah.”
Children who have been flattered, no, actually flattered. Trying to stay strong, I straightened my back and started talking to him. As usual, I nodded silently without even showing the slightest bit of stupidity from earlier.
If you show your stupid appearance, some people think it’s an opening and attack you. It’s not just my hobby. I can’t help it because I don’t have the power to return it. I’ll play a hard-boiled old man disguise even if I have the power to beat my attacker.
“Are you working?”
The kid dares to ask me. Even though I know the kid knows.
“Yes, today is a good day to hunt monsters.”
I laugh. A good day to hunt monsters, I made a tsukkomi for the kid’s question about what I’ll do today.
“We’ll stay here and keep watch until Sakimori-san comes back. We’ll take care of it.”
The boy thumps his skinny chest. The children behind him nodded in agreement. I also set up a black cat here, so it’s safe, but the children know that. If things go wrong, they’ll run away. It’s just like a gathering. But.
“Well, let me ask you for a favor. Here, here’s your reward.”
I took out two ration coupons and handed them over. There are six boys and six girls. They are a small number, but they receive the tickets with joy as if they were jumping up and down.
“Leave it to me! We’ll do our best.”
I begin to walk away, ignoring the smiles and bows from everyone.
[Isn’t that sweet? I think it would be better for them to fight in the dungeon to improve their skills than to gather here]
I chuckle at the voice that sounds directly into my brain. They indeed have a better future that way. But the environment no longer allows it.
[It’s impossible. When I started training, food was not that scarce, and I could get enough food to live on if I had a day job. By the time I got to skill 1, the world had changed, and they had built the walls, but as you know, at level 1, I could still hit monsters effectively, and food was available if I used my skills].
I glance back at the building and see the gut-punching happy children.
[Now, they can’t just dive into the dungeon and do whatever they want to earn food. The only people who can do that are the ones on the inner wall. And they don’t have to worry about money or food.]
I was just lucky. There is no room for children to live in a dungeon attack in a ruined city today. As it stands now.
[That is this world. It’s a world that’s slowly dying.]
This time I don’t turn around but continue to walk. I have to work. To stay alive.
“That is this world. A world where people live in harmony with dungeons. It’s a world called Earth with Dungeons.”
With this muttering, I walked down the dark path.