NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54 - Episode 054: Full of Energy, Departure
**Episode 054: Full of Energy, Departure**
After returning home.
“It stopped after all…”
“Yeah, it did…”
We confirmed that the gas and water were shut off, as we’d already figured from the internet being down.
However, since we were well-prepared, we managed to take a bath and clean ourselves without any issues.
It feels like the time has finally come.
“I’m sorry, but please use this for today.”
“Got it.”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Until now, it had been all guys, so we hadn’t noticed, but now there are two girls living here. They likely needed more things than the guys. However, today we were all exhausted, so I let them use my spare tracksuits to get by.
After explaining various things to them, we were so tired that we fell asleep without eating dinner.
The next day, we headed to town to gather supplies mainly needed by the girls.
Without Yuna and Kana, we wouldn’t have known what supplies were needed for girls, so we took them along.
Due to the second wave, many people in the town had died. It’s a miracle they weren’t killed.
The Shadows of the second wave seemed to kill rather than eat, and when we went to get supplies, there were many corpses lying around.
“Ugh…”
“Gah…”
During the first wave, we didn’t see much, but now it was daylight, and we had to be cautious, so we couldn’t help but see it. It made us nauseous as we gathered the necessary supplies.
That day, we wanted to avoid fighting Shadows as much as possible, so we followed Enjyu’s lead to areas where they weren’t likely to be. We managed to gather supplies and return home without encountering any Shadows.
We didn’t meet any survivors either.
I realize now that combining my luck with Enjyu’s is an incredible cheat. Looking back, if I had been with Enjyu, the giant might have appeared somewhere else.
Though it would have saved us trouble, we gained valuable experience through our struggles, so there’s no point in complaining.
After gathering supplies, thanks to the Crafter’s rank up, we upgraded all our equipment to +10 with one shot, powered by my and Enju’s luck.
When we finished making various tools using the Crafter’s upgraded skills, the two of them spoke to me.
“Hey, it looks safe here now, so we’re leaving tomorrow.”
“We’re worried if we don’t go soon.”
As they had said before, they were leaving to rescue their families.
“I see. Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?”
“Yeah, thanks to your job skills, we’re well-equipped. We’ll be fine unless something extreme happens.”
“Right. As long as we protect our faces, the second wave Shadows’ attacks won’t get through. It’s practically a cheat.”
I did my best to enhance Shuji and Satoshi’s equipment, but I was still worried. There might be another giant.
However, their faces said, “You have your own role to play.”
Indeed, I had a mission to protect this shrine and a responsibility to Yuna and Kana. So, it was hard to leave here.
We all understood that.
“Got it. Then let’s celebrate your departure tonight!”
The best thing I could do for their strong determination was to send them off with a grand celebration.
“Sounds great!”
“I’m excited.”
“That’s nice.”
“Yeah, it’s better to leave with smiles.”
“Yes!”
Everyone agreed as they looked at each other. That day, we prepared a lavish meal using our treasured meat and fish. Even though there was no alcohol, we had a great time and eventually passed out from the excitement.
“By the way, I just remembered something.”
“Hey, what is it? We’re about to leave.”
The next day, as we finished preparations and saw them off, I remembered something.
“Yeah, I thought of it too. It concerns you guys, so I wanted to mention it while you’re here.”
“What is it?”
“Yeah, it’s about the treasure chest we got from that Furu Furu monster.”
“Oh, right. I completely forgot about that.”
“Yeah, it’s not like we need it right now.”
It seemed they had forgotten about it too and weren’t particularly interested.
Indeed, if it were just an ordinary treasure chest, I could understand, but this time, it’s a rainbow chest—a rare and high-quality chest obtained from what seemed like a boss. There’s a chance something incredible is inside.
“Hey, it’s a rainbow chest! There might be something amazing inside!”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“I suppose.”
My words seemed to spark some interest, and the two of them paused their departure and turned fully towards me.
“So let’s open it before you leave.”
“Got it.”
“Understood.”
With their permission, I placed the treasure chest in front of everyone. There had to be something fantastic inside.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Go ahead.”
“Here we go.”
We slowly opened the treasure chest.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Seriously?”
“What?”
“Really?”
Each of us reacted differently, but everyone seemed disappointed.
“Hey, don’t you realize the value of this five-piece bodysuit set?!”
I couldn’t believe their reactions. The treasure chest contained bodysuits of even higher quality than what I had given the two of them. It was evident just by looking at them.
But these guys!
“Well, I’m going now.”
“Me too. See ya.”
“Hey, wait up, you two!”
Before I could say anything, Satoshi and Shuji suddenly said goodbye and started descending the shrine steps. I chased them for a bit, but they ran away so desperately that I didn’t pursue further.
“Good grief… You better come back safely…”
I muttered softly, watching their backs as they left, praying for their survival.
“Now then, what should I do today…”
We had achieved a relatively comfortable living situation. From now on, there were various tasks like leveling up Yuna and Kana, home renovations, and farming.
But taking it easy for a bit wouldn’t be bad either.
“What’s the matter?”
While I was lost in thought, I suddenly felt a pleasant sensation on both arms. It was the softness of Yuna and Kana’s motherly warmth.
They were hugging my arms. Surprised, I asked why they suddenly did this.
“You promised, remember?”
“Huh? You mean training?”
I tilted my head at Kana’s words.
“No, not that.”
“I don’t recall making any other promises…”
Yuna denied it, but I couldn’t think of anything else.
“We said that if we survived and returned, we’d do something amazing for you.”
“Wait, you weren’t serious about that, right?”
Kana whispered in my ear, making me remember the promise. My face felt like it was on fire.
But I thought it was just a motivational lie…
“Of course we were serious. Let’s go.”
Yuna denied it with conviction.
I didn’t think they meant it…
Yuna and Kana started pulling me towards the house.
“W-Where are we going?”
“Isn’t it obvious? To the bed.”
I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“N-No, I’m not in that kind of relationship with you two. It’s still morning, and besides, I can’t—”
“Just shut up and come with us.”
“Okay.”
Wanting to avoid being unfaithful to two ideal girls, I tried to make excuses, hesitating to follow them. Kana forcefully turned my face towards hers and glared at me with intense eyes, leaving me no choice but to obey.
I was led inside the house by the two of them. Enjyu, sensing the atmosphere, retreated to her own room.
“Aaah!”
That day, my voice echoed through the shrine grounds.
Dear Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, today, I climbed the stairs to adulthood!
***
“Huh?”
When I woke up, it was already dark. Two beautiful girls were sleeping on either side of me, confirming that what happened was not a dream.
“I need to use the bathroom…”
I got up to go to the toilet.
—Rattle rattle.
“Even this part wasn’t a dream…”
Opening the sliding door to the toilet, I saw the forest spreading out before me, just like before.
***
Author’s afterword:
Thank you very much for always reading.
With this, “Rokkomon” is complete.