New chapter of Ordinary Person is out! (1/3 chapters)

 

 

Chapter 176

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

(POV switch – Mira)

The shock of Kouta’s words left Haruka visibly unsettled. Shouting at him would have been the worst possible approach. Even if it seemed to calm him outwardly, it would only accelerate his inner anxiety. That is the kind of method often used by incompetent teachers and supervisors. Now then, I wondered how Kouta would handle this situation.

“Wah!” (Kouta)

“Wah!? Geez, don’t scare me like that!” (Haruka)

“Sorry, sorry.” (Kouta)

Good grief. With just that single, unexpected shout, Kouta managed to calm Haruka down.

It was not only that he made a sound, but that he drew one out from Haruka, and most importantly, that he made him voice his dissatisfaction. That must have been the reason Haruka managed to regain his composure. Perhaps he was not entirely back to his usual self, but at least calm enough to listen and think clearly. It was impressive, though their mutual trust certainly played a part.
Kouta had truly begun to look the part of a leader.

He apologized to Haruka with a gentle, genuine smile.

“Let’s get back to the topic.” (Kouta)

Everyone straightened up at once, ready to listen.

“Even though there’s still a difference in our levels, I think the two of you have started to surpass my base stats by now. Especially in the attributes needed for the vanguard. The only thing I probably still beat you in is dexterity.” (Kouta)

“…Uh.” (Emilia)

“No matter what you say, I can’t imagine myself ever beating you, Kouta.” (Emilia)

“I agree with Emilia. I don’t feel like I could win at all.” (Haruka)

Yes, I understand that. Even I could not picture Emilia or Haruka performing better than Kouta.

“Well, for now, that’s true. But I think when stronger enemies start appearing, your growth will become essential.” (Kouta)

Kouta paused for a moment to check their expressions.

Both of them look good, really good. With faces that attractive, they could easily captivate anyone, man or woman alike.

Naturally, the surroundings had become quite noisy.

“Mmm, though, Master is the kind of maniac who wipes out entire goblin settlements alone when he’s bored! You must work hard to surpass him!” (Muze)

Hey, Kouta, what exactly does it mean to be an “ace”?

Everyone’s faces stiffened, and I could hardly blame them.

“Master’s level went up again, and he gained a new skill that made him stronger! So he went and crushed a conveniently placed goblin settlement just to test his power. But it paid off big time!” (Muze)

Muze, stop it. You are shattering the resolve those two just built up.

“Both of you had perfect reactions! This footage will be great! This time, the scene belongs to Muze!” (Muze)

“No, Muze, we’re not recording right now. Even though those two have their heads on the desk, the camera isn’t running.” (Kouta)

“What!? You didn’t record Muze’s finest moment? To think such perfect material would end in vain. The path of performance is so cruel!” (Muze)

The two victims of Muze’s antics had yet to recover. Adelaide looked like she was about to start praying, while Sofia only gaped in innocent astonishment. I could already feel a headache coming on.

“Um, is everyone okay?” (Kouta)

“Don’t you dare play innocent, you source of all evil.” (Mira)

“Mira, your glare feels like a death beam.” (Kouta)

“I don’t care! So, did you really do it?” (Mira)

“Yeah. The drop was great! We couldn’t just leave it, so we went ahead and took care of it along with the main item. The goblin settlement was just a bonus! That’s the quality of Master!” (Kouta and Muze)

The impact of that statement almost made me collapse face-first onto the table myself.

“Hey, Muze! Let me talk too! I’ll tickle you for that! Take this, and this, and this!” (Kouta)

“Kyahaha! Ahaha! Ahaha, stop! Ahaha! Kyahaha!” (Muze)

Kouta pulled Muze down from his head and began tickling her.
Both of them looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Muze gave him a pleading look, as if begging for more, but since Emilia and Haruka had recovered by then, Kouta settled for holding and patting her head gently instead.
He really had the aura of a new father now.

“I don’t intend for the two of you to do something like that. Besides, once a goblin settlement is destroyed, I’ve never heard of it regenerating.” (Kouta)

That was true. There had been no reports of a destroyed goblin settlement reappearing.
We still didn’t know whether they were one-time monsters, whether they would reappear naturally, or whether some other condition was needed. When it came to dungeons, there was still so much we did not understand.

“Then, does that mean the settlements on the third floor are finished? Maybe they’ll just use the ruins from now on?” (Mira)

“I’m not sure.” (Kouta)

It is said that stronger goblins tended to appear near the ruins, and that has already been confirmed in dungeons like Tokyo’s. It was almost certainly true. Some people even used the ruins as resting or relay points. After all, even a dilapidated structure is still a structure. It would be wasteful not to make use of facilities within a dungeon.

By now, the military and the Self-Defense Forces were probably deep in discussion about how to proceed. If they left about half the area accessible to regular explorers, it might be a good balance, useful yet unlikely to cause dissatisfaction. Well, there has been so many complications before, so it is understandable that they were being cautious this time. I hope their efforts would go well.

“And so, I saved the items I gathered so that we could all use them together.” (Kouta)

Ah, that is just like him.

“Tadaaa!” (Kouta)

“Now be amazed! This is, hey, Master!? Stop tickling me! Ahaha! It’s Muze’s turn to speak! I still have lines to say!” (Muze)

He was playing with Muze again.

“Master should handle showing the items! Muze will do the commentary. Let’s divide the roles properly!” (Muze)

Goblin King’s Sword

A sword carried by the leader of the goblin race as proof of authority.

Attack Power 24

Weapon Skill “Indomitable One” usable

 

Mantle of Perseverance

A cloak imbued with the spirit of never giving up.

DEF 6

MDEF 6

Vitality +3

 

Robe of the Full Moon

A garment woven with jellyfish threads, completely opaque.

DEF 6

MDEF 4

Resistance to heat and cold

 

“That’s how it is!” (Muze)

“The rest are the usual two Rasha Shirts and one appraisal item.” (Kouta)

“That’s everything!” (Muze)

Wait, did he just try to skip over that?

“Hold on, Kouta. Did you just say appraisal item like it was nothing?” (Mira)

“We’ve been found out!” (Muze)

“Mew? Should Muze explain? Oh, fine, Master can’t help himself. He opened a treasure chest, and it just popped out. You can’t blame him, it’s Master after all!” (Muze)

Kouta’s luck truly defies logic. Items like Adelaide’s ring or collar are one thing, but this definitely needed to be written down somewhere.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)