Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Seed of Fire
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the Cleaning Game, there were two ways to hire employees.
The first was to hire an employee with a high rank from the start, and the second was to hire a low-rank one and raise them up. Most players preferred hiring high-rank employees right away rather than training them.
Choosing to grow a low-rank employee instead of hiring a high-rank one had its advantages: their salary cost was much lower, the chance of events like strikes decreased, and you could keep an employee with the exact traits you wanted all the way through...
But it took a damn long time.
The problem was that training an employee took an absurdly long time. That's why most players would just fire their current employees and replace them with high-rank ones whenever they could afford it.
There were some players who stuck with the tutorial employee and raised them to the end, but...
Already?
Employee 'Rio's rank can be upgraded!
Normally, to upgrade an employee's rank, you had to make them clean for an insanely long time or have them handle high-risk contaminants... Huh, no way?
Because of those Treants?
Maybe having Rio burn those Treants counted as some kind of high-intensity cleaning task. That must've filled up her rank-up experience massively... Who knows. Good things are good, anyway.
Rank Up
This employee's rank is 1-star (★). 100p will be consumed to upgrade to 2-stars (★★).
Just 100p. Considering that hiring a 2-star employee directly cost at least 500p, this was a steal. Totally worth it.
Accept.
Employee's rank has increased to 2-stars (★★)!
The employee can now use cleaning tools up to lv.4.
[Talent] category unlocked. A random talent will be added!
The employee's cleaning performance has improved further!
Same system messages as in the game. Being able to equip up to level 4 gear didn't matter much since we lacked materials anyway. Cleaning performance growth meant better AI in the game, and the [Talent] category...
Tch. Still random, huh.
That was the second reason people preferred hiring new employees over training them. Even if you raised their rank, the talent you got was random. Sometimes players would pour effort into training, only to get a talent they hated and fire them with tears in their eyes. So, no point getting hopes up...
[Seed of Fire] talent created.
"...?"
What? A talent with a name that doesn't sound ordinary at all?
"Ugh...?"
"Rio?"
The moment the oddly named [Seed of Fire] talent was created while I was petting her head, Rio suddenly collapsed to the floor and grimaced.
What? Did upgrading her rank cause a problem?
I hurriedly checked the [Employee Management][Status] section, but Rio's status showed as 'Normal.' I scooped her up to check her condition more closely, but...
She's hot...?
It felt like I was holding a ball of fire instead of a person. No, not like a ball of fire.
—Fwoosh...
"W-What?!"
"Master? What's happening?!"
Flames began to blaze from around Rio's heart. The surging fire tried to burn me as I held her, but...
[Janitor's Clothes (lv.max)]: The janitor's outfit that dirt won't stick to!
In the game, this top-tier gear that let you dive into lava without damage blocked the flames.
"Rio? Rio!"
I desperately called her name, but Rio just lay there grimacing, as if she couldn't hear me.
—Fwoom...
After a brief moment, the flames rising from Rio's heart gradually died down. Despite the intense, scorching blaze, Rio's skin was pristine without a single scorch mark.
One thing had changed, though...
"Her hair...?"
Rio's hair, which already resembled flickering flames, now had an even deeper crimson hue.
"Mmm... Master?"
"Rio! Are you okay?"
As Rio opened her eyes, I looked down at her with worry, but she just blinked in confusion before hopping out of my arms and bouncing around excitedly.
"Whoa... I feel power overflowing from my body!"
"...Power overflowing?"
Not in pain? Even after her body was literally on fire?
"...Hmm. Master. May I take a look?"
"Uh, sure."
Erzsebet, who had been quietly watching Rio from behind, approached and grabbed Rio's wrist to check her pulse.
"Child. Might I have just one drop of your blood?"
"Huh? Oh... sure..."
With Rio's permission, Erzsebet pricked the tip of her finger with a small blade and licked the drop of blood that welled up. Wait, 'check' meant tasting it?
"Hmm... As expected..."
"Figure something out?"
"Her demonic energy has noticeably purified. And the fire aura she harbors has intensified even further. Master, did you do something to her?"
Do something... Well, I did upgrade her employee rank. And the [Seed of Fire] talent got created.
"Gasp...! Master! Is this the power you said you'd share with the dungeon's members?"
"What?"
As Erzsebet looked at me questioningly, Rio—who'd been bouncing around—sparkled with excitement and asked.
"You said a Dungeon Master can share the dungeon core's power with the dungeon's members... the guardians! I must've received that power too!"
"Oh...? Master, you have such power?"
"...No, that's not it. I mean, I'm not even a Dungeon Master to begin with."
She'd asked if healing Rio before was Dungeon Master power too. Why bring it up again now...
"B-But I've never heard of anyone but a Dungeon Master growing another demon's power like that..."
"Hmm. I could make kin by sharing my blood, but that's sharing my power, not amplifying their innate strength like this."
"...Anyway, it's not that. Point is, no problems, right?"
I wasn't confident explaining the system or employee stuff, so I changed the subject. I was genuinely worried about Rio anyway.
"Hmm. I've confirmed it by tasting her blood myself. No issues with her body. If anything, the purified demonic energy has made her even healthier."
"Phew... Good to hear."
I'd been worried I'd accidentally roast Rio by upgrading her rank. Glad that's not the case.
As I sighed in relief, Rio kept bounding around like she couldn't contain her energy, when Erzsebet sidled up to me stealthily.
"...Ahem. Master. If you could grant me power like that too..."
"...Get outta here."
You're already 5-stars.
[Seed of Fire]: Immune to fire damage. Alters effects of certain cleaning tools.
After confirming Rio was fine, I opened the system to check the [Seed of Fire] talent's effects. No clue why it caused those changes in Rio just from this description. Hmm...
Fire damage immunity... Yeah, that's straightforward enough.
Overpowered, sure, but after seeing Erzsebet's 'physical damage immunity,' I just shrugged it off. At max-level gear, even I was immune to fire anyway.
But altering cleaning tool effects?
Something unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar. I glanced at Erzsebet, who was still cherishing the High-Pressure Cleaner I'd given her.
The one I gave Erzsebet sprayed blood.
Something like that?
...Let's test it.
Thanks to massacring the Treants, I had enough points. After a brief hesitation, I bought another High-Pressure Cleaner from the shop for 500 points. Each Treant dropped 100 points and reduced contamination, so it was affordable.
"Rio, wanna try this?"
"Ah! The staff Master and Erzsebet sis use!"
I handed the High-Pressure Cleaner to the bouncing Rio, and she took it joyfully—calling it a staff, not a cleaner.
"You know how to use it, right? Try it on that wall."
"Yes!"
Unlike the gold lich, she aimed the nozzle elsewhere and pulled the trigger like I'd seen before. Then...
—Fwoosh!
"Whoa... It's fire!"
"Oh? It spews blood for me, but fire for Rio... A fine choice, Master."
Water? No, fire burst out.
What the fuck is that.
It's called a High-Pressure Cleaner, but if it spews fire, it's not high-pressure anymore, right? Blood at least counts as liquid... That's just a flamethrower.
"I'll use it well, Master!"
".......Yeah."
It looked dangerous, so I considered taking it back, but seeing how thrilled Rio was, I couldn't bring myself to. If the system was right, she's immune to fire anyway, so it should be fine...?
".....Don't burn the garden, okay?"
".....Yes!"
Why's she always slow to answer? Still, she listens well, so no big worries. No idea why Rio changed like that even after seeing this. Maybe next rank-up will clue me in?
At least it wasn't a bad change. Lucky.
—Sizzle...
Handing Rio the flame-throw—er, High-Pressure Cleaner sped up the Treant burning. Erzsebet sprinkled the remaining black ash evenly around the giant tree roots.
The branches that kept thrusting out like they demanded more water slowly retracted.
"Well then..."
[Ladder (lv.max)]: A foldable ladder for climbing to high places to clean. Length adjustable!
Dryad or whatever, shall we go take a peek at its face?