Chapter 30: An Ordinary Summer Vacation

With the reward money from defeating the Undead King, the Isshiki family was able to get everything they needed in an amazing speed.

I bought chairs for the whole family to sit and eat together, baseball equipment for Mitsuru, a desk and workbook for Nina, and new clothes for each of them. The refrigerator was still usable, so I left it as it was, but instead I bought a rice cooker and a microwave. Nina and I also decided to have our own smartphones for communication.

The whole family watched, shivering. Mutsumi was the only one who looked dumbfounded.

To be honest, I was shaking too. I asked Kirishima-san to accompany me when I bought my own smartphone, but when I bought Nina’s I acted cool. I was just trying to maintain my dignity as her older brother.

Anyway, it is now August and students are on summer vacation.
I’ve been going to dungeons less frequently and spending more time with my family.

In the morning, I send Mitsuru off to club activities and take Sena, Seika, and Mutsumi to radio calisthenics. I say hello to the parents in the neighborhood and chat with them. They are surprised when I tell them I’m an adventurer, but by the end, the conversation usually ends up about cooking.

When I get home, I check her homework for a while and then I study. If Nina has any questions, I answer them, and recently Mutsumi has shown interest in math, so we do it together.

In the afternoon, Seika and Sena often go to friends’ houses, so I pack them some snacks and juice. When their friends live far, I might be overprotective, but I escort them there.

When I take Mutsuki to the park, he makes friends there and starts playing.

When Mitsuru joins us after club activities, he usually has two gloves. I play catch with the worn-out one, which he said he received as a hand-me-down. The ball Mitsuru throws is much faster than mine and makes a sharp roaring sound.

When Mutsuki wants to go home, Mitsuru goes out for a run.

Around 5pm, we start taking baths and preparing dinner. After that, we do our homework and chat together as usual.

Mitsuru, who has started waking up earlier, sleeps with Mutsuki and the others. When the four of them go to the bedroom, it is completely quiet and it is time for him to talk with Nina.

“Good work. How are you today?”
“Today, the history lesson was really good. Especially the Edo Shogunate.”

“And the culture of the Bunka era?”

It was a slightly mean question, but Nina kept her relaxed smile on her face.

“Of course. I’ll explain, so listen.”
“Yeah. Anytime is fine.”

With her workbooks and textbooks closed, Nina begins to speak fluently. She explains the history of the event, including the culture, from the Battle of Sekigahara to the Sonno Joi Movement.

[T/N: The Edo Shogunate was Japan’s last traditional government, ruling peacefully from 1603 to 1868. The Bunka Era (1804-1818) was a time when urban culture became very popular. Battle of Sekigahara (1600) started the traditional government, while the Sonno Joi Movement in the 1800s helped end it.]

Once she had finished, Nina smiled with satisfaction.

“How’s that? sounds easy, right?”
“Perfect. That was easy to understand.”

Study by explaining it to someone.

This is a study method that the Isshiki family has been using ever since my middle school teacher taught it to me. At first, I was a bit flustered, but once I got used to it, I was able to get the hang of it.

This method seemed to work particularly well for Nina, and she was now able to solve essay problems, which had been a challenge for her up until then.

Her dream school is the best preparatory school in the area. She wants to study hard there and go to a good university. Isshiki Itsuki supports her efforts.

“As expected, having Itsuki-nii here makes me feel safe.”
“I also feel relieved when I’m at home.”

“Take a rest until September.”
“I will.”

My day ends when Nina goes to bed.

◇

I go to the dungeon twice a week.

I’ll earn about 10,000 yen by collecting Makka fruits in the Forest, and practice so that my magic doesn’t get dull. That’s all I’ll do, so it won’t take much time.

The equipment Kirishima-san and Shiraishi-san gave me fit surprisingly well to my body. I can move freely because I can flow mana through it, and I don’t feel its weight at all. It’s just as easy to use as the previous polyester-senpai, and I can move around without any discomfort.

Then, thankfully, I started getting invited to parties.

Apparently, defeating the Undead King is highly regarded, and I’ve been approached by places like Area 6. Attractive rewards and conditions have been offered, but the deeper I go, the harder it is to return home. I’ve heard that it’s not uncommon for people to not return home for a month or two, so I’m currently declining the offers.

Apparently some people call me a “foreign helper.” Even though I’m a Japanese who isn’t helping out.

It was one of those days that I happened to meet Toda-san.

“Hello comrade. How have you been?”
“That strange way of addressing someone, Toda-san.”

“I told you to call me Shige. Well, I think being serious is also a good thing about a comrade. How about we join for lunch now?”
“Can I just take a shower?”

“Of course. I’ll be waiting around here.”

I bowed and went to the changing room, took a shower, and got changed.

I met up with Toda-san and went to a restaurant, where I ordered a large portion of curry. Kirishima-san’s teachings were still alive and well. I ate a lot of food.

Toda-san ordered the seasonal chilled tantanmen.

“At this time every year, I come here just to eat chilled tantan.”
“The food here is delicious.”

“I guess my comrade understand after all! They’re not like Mitsui and Genzo.”
“Are you two different?”

Toda-san raised his hands and sighed in frustration.

“Mitsui said, ‘I hate going out just for lunch,’ and Genzo said, ‘I can’t go to restaurants. I can’t drink alcohol.’ Ha. If they don’t understand the good points of chilled tantan, I worry about what’s to come.”
“It’s so delicious! I’ll try that next time.”

Toda must really like these noodles if he’s going to say this to his friends.

“Comrade, there is something.”

Toda-san drinks some water and looks at me.

“By the way, I heard you defeated the Undead King. Congratulations.”
“Thank you very much….Um, including for recommending me.”

“It’s okay. There was no point in us doing that.”

Toda closes his eyes and slowly opens them.

He recommended me, and now I understand what he meant.

Even if the Undead King had been defeated without their knowledge, it would not have had any impact on Kirishima-san or Shiraishi-san. Because they had defeated him in battle, they were able to choose to retire with a smile on their faces.

Because it was me, the two of them fought alongside me.
If it had been the stronger, more proven “Monthly,” things wouldn’t have turned out that way.

“I think they were saved because they were comrades. I was a bit scared when the instructor was at the cash exchange office.”
“Even Toda-san is scared of his instructor.”

“The time period when we were in school is when the instructors were said to be the strictest. The trauma is deep.”
“……..”

Good thing I wasn’t born into that generation.

We finished our meal, horrified by the hellish instructor stories that Toda-san recounted.

There was no attempt to do anything afterwards or talk any more.

“See you again, comrade. Perhaps next time in the dungeon.”
“Yes. Next time I see you, I’ll tell you what I think of the chilled Tantan.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

After parting ways with Toda-san, I head home.

I was on the train and when I checked my smartphone I saw a message.
In the chatroom where the three of us – me, Kirishima-san, and Shiraishi-san – can talk, several messages fly back and forth every day. Both of us seem to have plenty of time on our hands, recharging for our next job.

The topic now is travel.

I started making plans around the beginning of August, and my head exploded, so I decided to consult with the two of them. Nina voiced her opinions along the way, and after a lot of back and forth, it was decided that Kirishima-san and Shiraishi-san would participate.

Really, the events that followed after Nina barged in were incredible.

“Thank you for always looking after my brother.”

She completely covered my mouth with her hand. We both showed great interest, me who was rendered powerless in an instant, and Nina on the other end of the line. The conversation quickly gained momentum, and just like that, it was decided that I would join, since, well, why not?

So, this huge trip with a total of eight people was completed.

…Good thing Toda-san didn’t find out.