New chapter of Ordinary Person is out! (3/3 chapters)

Chapter 12

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While I trembled at the harshness of the real world, the high school entrance orientation had ended, and my uniform had arrived. To avoid placing any more burden on Tou-san, I got a secondhand uniform from a graduate through a local buy-and-sell service at a cheap price. It was a bit too big for me and hung loosely, but I couldn’t be picky in this situation. Normally it would cost around 15,000 to 20,000 yen, but I got it for just 1,500 yen.

I’d be cursed if I dare to complain about that!

I had continued going to the dungeon every single day, aiming to take down at least one goblin per day. But with only three days left until the entrance ceremony, time was running out. It was about time I experience a level-up at least once. Once school started, I would only be able to enter the dungeon after school and on weekends. Before that happened, I really wanted to feel at least a little sense of accomplishment…

By the way, I had been seeing the pretty Onee-san from the guild quite often lately, but as for the trio I met in the dungeon on my first day, I had only caught glimpses of them from afar since then. I hadn’t had a chance to talk with them again.

Well, I guess that’s just how it is. It’s a bit disappointing, but I’m not bitter about it. Seriously, I’m not. Anyway, personally, that Onee-san with the bouncy assets is just…! Ahem ahem… forget I said anything.

“Two of them, huh. I could probably take them… but what should I do?” (Kouta)

One had a knife, and the other didn’t seem to be carrying any weapon.

Sometimes in the first floor, there were goblins like that. It was not particularly strong in hand-to-hand combat, just individuals that simply didn’t even have a weapon. Honestly, they were prime targets, and that made me unable to let go of the opportunity. From behind the silver grass, I peeked out and kept a sharp eye on the goblins, waiting for them to show an opening.

What would happen if I attacked the one with the knife first? Or maybe I should leap at the unarmed one instead?

I ran simulation after simulation in my head. In the end, I judged that the risk of injury was over 50% and reluctantly chose to retreat.

Well, my simulation is rough and imprecise, so I’m not sure if the probability is accurate, but… when I’m not confident, it’s better to pull back. After all, my life is on the line here…

“…?” (Kouta)

Hmm?

I heard something.

I immediately stopped moving and lowered my head so the goblins wouldn’t notice me.

“Even if you say that… …!” (???)

“Come on, don’t get so heated…” (???)

It was a woman’s voice. It seemed like they were slowly getting closer. I anxiously checked the goblins’ position and the direction the voices were coming from.

Conveniently, the voice isn’t coming straight toward me. It’s moving parallel to both me and the goblins. If I play it right, I could attack the goblins from behind when they get distracted by the voice. It’s a perfect opportunity.

I suppressed the joy bubbling up inside me and focused intensely on both the approaching voices and the goblins’ movements. The goblins seemed to have noticed the voices too. The one with the knife gestured something toward the unarmed goblin. I had never seen this before that goblins trying to coordinate with each other.

I didn’t understand what the goblins were saying, but from their movement, I could tell that they were aiming for a pincer attack. The knife-wielder would attack from the side, while the unarmed one would circle around to the back.

I silently trailed behind the unarmed goblin.

“School’s starting soon. I’m a bit nervous about fitting in with my classmates.” (???)

“Someone as sociable as you, Sofia, has nothing to worry about. Besides, we’ve got this to help with communication, right? More importantly, what should we do for lunch today? Shall we go to a ramen restaurant?” (???)

“Ramen again? Emilia, how obsessed are you?” (Sofia)

“Last time was tonkotsu ramen, right? Today I wanna try some Jiro-style!” (Emilia)

Tonkotsu and Jiro-style, huh. These girls are pretty hardcore.

Personally, I kinda feel like scarfing down a bowl of soupless Jiro-style ramen myself today. Extra strong flavor, extra garlic, please. Oops, I could see the back of the voice’s owner now. It’s about time… to strike!

I couldn’t help but grin, and swiftly closed in on the unarmed goblin from behind.

…To finish it in one go!!

“Ggh… gruh… ahh.” (Goblin)

It wasn’t exactly a clean one-hit kill, but I managed to take it down one-sidedly without giving it a chance to run or fight back. I brought it down exactly how I had imagined. For me, this was a solid success. I hadn’t been able to defeat both of them, but I was satisfied. Up ahead, the women, whose the source of the voices, were now locked in an intense battle with the knife-wielding goblin.

 

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