17. Reflection and the High School Girl
The next morning—no, it was already well past noon.
I was properly tucked into bed.
As I sat up, Fam noticed and rushed over.
"Master, you wouldn't wake up at all... I..."
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
"Sorry. Goddess Summon drains all my mana."
"Same with Lady Rakushel, but you should've warned me first."
Fam was a little angry.
"Right, Rakushel's panties..."
"I'm wearing them now."
She blushed, saying it like some comedian's punchline.
"Good, glad to hear it."
I pulled Fam close and kissed her.
"That's not 'good' at all, and the timing's way off!"
"I'm starving. You eat yet, Fam?"
"No, I stayed by your side 'cause I was worried. But I got some bread."
Fam grabbed the bread from the table. We sat on the bed's edge and ate together.
"Master, I need to talk."
Her sudden low tone sent a chill through me.
"W-what is it?"
"Tell me all the women you're into right now."
"Ugh, c'mon, out of nowhere like that...?"
"If you won't answer, I'll sit on the floor and cut open my belly in an X. Then I'll line up my organs on the bed."
"For real? Seppuku? That serious?"
"Yes. I know it'll seem like a hassle, but last night was too shocking. My whole worldview's crumbling. I don't know how to process it."
"Fine... I'll be honest. Just don't laugh, okay?"
"I won't."
"I told you before—in my old world, women hated me. So any girl who talked to me, I'd fall for hard..."
I figured lying would backfire. Somehow, by the end, I was speaking all polite-like.
"..."
A long silence stretched out.
"I don't get why women hated you, Master."
"C'mon, take a good look. I'm gross, right?"
"Not at all. My opinion, but others must think like me. So if it's true, there's gotta be another reason. Like your personality. Or staring at boobs with that pervy face all the time."
"Guh! But say I wasn't crashing in your village—say I passed by as a traveler. You wouldn't even talk to me. That's how I get filtered out before personality or boob-staring kicks in."
"True enough."
"Wait, I wanted you to deny it at least! That really hurt!"
"S-sorry! But, um, yeah—Dad said not to go with strangers."
She was mad at me, but still forcing excuses for me.
"Okay, maybe 'hated by all women' was an exaggeration."
"So some girls did like you, huh?"
Fam looked relieved.
"Yeah. My sister had a daughter—my niece. She was super clingy every time we met. Last saw her two years ago, when she was seven."
She'd probably hate me now if she's hitting puberty.
"Um, Master... nieces usually don't count... Wait, no—your niece was a fine girl too. I get it now, what you're saying is true."
I tried proving I wasn't hated by women, and somehow it backfired as proof I was. Fam went quiet, deep in thought. Another long silence.
"Ah, we got sidetracked. Back on topic."
Whew, released. That was brutal.
"Me, Mizuki, Lady Rakushel, Myra, and the guild receptionist. You see us all on the same level?"
Fam's nose was scary sharp—I shuddered. She pretended to lump them together, but it matched my mental ranking perfectly. Not that I ranked 'em consciously. Fam was number one, no question. Next was Rakushel, who'd indulge my lust... but nah, Mizuki. Annoying bitch, but I kinda liked her type. High school girl appeal was huge too. And she nailed the guild receptionist, even though we barely talked—terrifying.
"Hold on, Fam's different. You're special... But yeah, I wanna do naughty stuff with the others too."
"..."
Another heavy silence. Fam finally sighed.
"We're so different, you and me. But I'll accept it. Just remember—no one gets inside me but you. Not even other women."
Under her pressure, I just nodded. Was I forgiven?
"...Doing naughty stuff with Lady Rakushel was kinda fun, though."
We hit the dungeon again today.
Past noon. Just scouting.
The shrine had a few parties milling about.
Some apparently hooked up here to dive together. Teaming with strangers? No way—I'd bail. Luckily, they'd want strong partners anyway, so no one bugged us.
Lost in that thought, I spotted Mizuki. No Wind's Blade crew. Solo.
"Alone? Where's the rest?"
Our inn talk had me hyper-aware. And damn, that body was still lewd as hell. Wanted to ogle, but didn't wanna trigger Fam.
"Probably diving somewhere."
"Huh." No room for chit-chat, so I nodded.
"What's your plan today?"
"As you see, we're heading in. But just a quick look-see, then back."
"...Hey, mind if I tag along?"
I glanced at Fam. Wanted her take, but she said nothing—just watched me, like testing. Mizuki bugged me though—not lewdly. Her face was shadowed, kinda gloomy. Homesick? Or some real problem?
"We're training teamwork to take down foes right now. You'd just watch. We're hitting floor 2. And FYI—we're weak."
"Fine by me. I'm in."
"You sure?" I checked with Fam.
"I'm a slave, Master. I just follow." She touched her light blue arm covers.
Mizuki joined the party. She seemed down. Fam was terrifyingly scary.
Stepping on the black circle, numbers popped up: "1, 2, 39, 40, 41."
You could go to any floor a party member's hit before. No adventurers? Stuck at 1.
I picked 2—right where we left off yesterday.
Pulled the floor map from Storage. Fam snatched it like it was hers.
"Head for the area guarder's room?"
"Yeah. But no straight boss rush—that's risky. If no mobs on the way, we'll hunt some."
Fam nodded and led. Me and Mizuki side-by-side behind.
"You've hit 41?"
"Yeah, but not my power."
Even for her, low-level clears seemed impossible. Meant their party's stacked. Her Super Save probably pulled weight too.
Fam halted, drew sword. We followed suit.
Mizuki had shield and one-hander.
A 2-meter serpent. Serpent. Like wolves, monster and beast types—monster one's way bigger.
I flanked Fam to pinch it. Mizuki hung back, watching.
Fam feinted a swing. As it turned, I lopped its head from behind. Left snake skin, then poof.
"Piece of cake. But poison, so watch it."
Floor 2 seemed fine too.
"Where'd you get that katana?"
Mizuki asked.
"Oh, remember Aidan? Dwarf guy."
"Yeah."
She nodded. Good memory—I forgot.
"Alchemist. He made this, gave it to me."
"Gave?"
"Yup."
"Huh, you're actually talking to people."
"Shut it. Don't underestimate salarymen."
She was right—I was a comms-deadbeat office drone—but I protested anyway.
"Great sword. Enchant boosts sharpness with mana. Her knife too."
"You can tell?"
Made sense now. Sharpness shifted 'cause I unconsciously fed it mana—not my form. No need to brag sword skills.
"Switched to swordfighter. Got weapon appraisal."
"Rakushel's crying!" Fam's shoulder twitched. I froze. Landmine words too?
"? She's not that scary. Lead was an adventurer, so different jobs balanced the party better."
I feared Fam's wrath—Mizuki misread it.
"Know where Aidan's at?"
"Fam, remember?"
"North dwarf district, I think. Blacksmith guild would know."
Fam was on it. (I didn't.)
"Fam, right? I'm Mizuki Yamase—Mizuki's fine."
"Yes, pleased to meet you."
She bowed politely, then eyed me weird.
"Master, I've always thought 'Mash' was off. Tell me your real name."
What was wrong with Mash? This world's naming weird? Unclear.
"Drop the 'Master' thing, and I'll whisper it later."
"Ugh, lemme think."
That big a deal?
"Hey, tell me too!"
"Nope. Not you, Mizuki."
"Hmph, bet it's one letter off some celeb, and kids teased you!"
Why are girls' hunches so spot-on? Mystery.
After a few fights, we hit the area guarder door. Big like floor 1.
Fam memorized the map—no wrong turns.
"Beat it and head back?"
"Yes." Fam replied.
"Hey, can I join the fight?"
Mizuki sat out so far. Just surround-and-smash anyway. I nodded, opened the door.
Door slammed shut. We waited for boss—nothing.
"?"
Glanced at Fam and Mizuki. Mizuki looked puzzled too.
"Master, the ceiling."
Looked up—ceiling crawling with wriggling black masses.
They dropped right at us.
"Gyaahhh! Snaaaakes!"
Pure hellscape of screams. Chills everywhere, goosebumps max. I flailed my katana mindlessly. Fam and Mizuki too. No teamwork—just panic.
Luckily, mobs despawned on death. Dodged corpse pile nightmare.
About 10 minutes. Exhausted, back door opened.
"Never coming back to this floor."
"...Yeah." I panted back to Fam.
Two mana seeds amid the snake skin piles. Handed one to Mizuki.
"Guild lowballs—take to merchants. No connections? Mateo Merchant Company."
"'Introduce a merchant'..."
Just casual advice, but she pegged me as old man.
Fam stifled a laugh. I whispered to her, "Shōkai, shō ka na kai?"
We pushed to 3, then back to shrine.
"Tomorrow too?"
Mizuki asked.
"Hm? Sure, but what about Wind's Blade?"
"Eh, later. What time?"
Fam tensed visibly. Afternoon might spark rage.
"Morning. Cool, Fam?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"Got it. See ya tomorrow?"
High-school-girl style, Mizuki waved bye. (She is one.)
Hit me with nostalgic, bittersweet youth vibes from way back. Nah—who waved at me back then? The dude behind.
We headed to the inn.
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