NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5 - A Financial Plan Has Been Made
“W-why do you know that?!”
“Sorry, I saw a message on your smartphone screen.”
(Actually, I pressed your fingerprint and opened it, but I’ll keep quiet about that)
“I-I see. But don’t worry, I haven’t done anything?”
This is probably true.
Because in the message I saw yesterday, it didn’t seem like things had progressed yet.
“You don’t need to sacrifice yourself for the family…”
“B-but that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice yourself either, big brother! H-how about something like a hostess club? Would that be okay?”
“There’s no way a high school student could work in a place like that. You need to study hard, that’s your job.”
“But we don’t have money! There’s no point in studying if we can’t go to university!”
Nana slams both hands on the table.
She leans forward, trying to make her point.
At that, Kenya takes off the Knight’s Gauntlet he was wearing and places it on the table.
“Look at this.”
“C-could this be from the Knight series!? Where did we get money for this… M-more importantly, did you become an explorer again, big brother?”
A year ago, Kenya became an explorer as soon as he entered high school.
He was active for about half a year, but was expelled for having a useless job…
“That’s right, your brother has become capable enough to obtain this Knight series.”
“This equipment is worth about three months’ rent, right… We could eat beef bowls for a month, and with extra broth…”
Nana looks at the gauntlet while drooling.
Stop it, that’s a gauntlet, not a beef bowl.
And extra broth is free, you know.
Feeling a sure blood connection with his sister, Kenya continues the conversation.
“In other words, I think we’ll have some financial leeway… So don’t sacrifice yourself, especially not with compensated dating…”
“I got it! I got it! I won’t do compensated dating! It’s really unpleasant to hear about such things from my brother…”
Anyone would hate to hear sexual talk from a close relative.
I hate it too.
“If you understand, that’s good. It’ll be tough, but big brother will do his best.”
“Yeah… I’ll do my best with my part-time job too!”
And that day, they were unusually able to sleep side by side with a satisfied feeling.
Though there’s only space to sleep side by side…
And the next morning.
Kenya stands before the dungeon again.
And goes to the busty… no, to Ai.
“Good morning, Kenya! Remember, only up to the second floor today, okay?”
“Yes! I’m planning to collect the Soldier series for a while! With the mindset of picking up an iron sword too if I can find one!”
“Alright, do your best. Is the schedule… the same as yesterday, 5 PM? I’ll send out a rescue request after that, okay?”
“Yes!”
And Kenya enters the central red gate as usual.
There are other gates, but he can’t use those.
They’re gates to safe zones on the 10th floor, 20th floor, and so on.
I can’t use them yet.
And he teleports to the 2nd floor.
From the 2nd to 9th floor, it’s a labyrinth surrounded by rugged stones.
But since it’s all been cleared, maps are circulating so you won’t get lost.
There are signposts here and there, which helps even more.
“Alright! Let’s do our best!”
And he goes around the dungeon as usual.
And defeats goblins.
“Gyaa!”
Amazing, this is the power of the Knight series…
Kenya was fighting with ease against goblins that he used to struggle with.
Goblins are easy to beat even in their base state, but it gets tough when there are many of them.
However, they were no match for Kenya wearing the Knight series now.
And he picks up a Soldier’s Gauntlet dropped by a goblin.
There’s the same thing in the treasure chest further in.
He runs around until evening and collects twenty gauntlets.
“Now, what you’ve been waiting for. It’s alchemy time.”
Level up♪ Soldier’s Gauntlet Lv2
Level up♪ Soldier’s Gauntlet Lv3
・
・
Level up♪ Soldier’s Gauntlet Lv9
Evolution♪ Knight’s Gauntlet Lv1
“This is all I can do today. Being limited to ten times a day is a bottleneck.”
With one Knight’s Gauntlet and 10 Soldier’s Gauntlets, he left the dungeon for the day.
…
“Welcome back! You kept to the time today, good job, good job.”
As Ai sitting in front of me pats my head, I close my eyes contentedly.
Ah, I feel like a baby.
(Oh my, what an adorable creature♥)
Ai Nakano liked younger guys.
This cute-faced high school student who lets her pat him as she pleases was quite her type.
“Ah! Ai!”
“Hyai!?”
A strange voice comes out as she’s suddenly spoken to while having weird fantasies.
“Hyai? Well, whatever. I want to exchange for money today.”
“E-exchange? OK OK! No problem! Soldier’s Gauntlets? Let me see!”
And Kenya, looking somewhat reluctant, takes out the Knight’s Gauntlet.
Just for today.
Just for today, I want to let her eat something delicious.
I want to go eat yakiniku with my sister who hasn’t eaten out in a while, and I want to buy her clothes too.
So…
“This…”
And Kenya placed the Knight’s Gauntlet on the desk.
“Yes, a Soldier’s Gaunt… Eeeeeeh!?!?”