Onsen Discovery

The onsen I was told about was on the 2nd Underground Floor, so going there would be dangerous.

I decided to take all possible precautions by using the shop's products.

Even if Minerva, Merle and Mira were with me, I at least wanted to be able to protect myself.

I didn't want to look like a fool in front of everyone.

Dagashi shopowner I may be, even I want to look cool.

My four remaining monster cards are C-card Giant Crow, R-card Zombie Knight, SR-card Turtle Ninja, and R-card Stone Golem.

I have some relatively strong cards left, so I'd like to use them to deal with the situation.

I also drew a scratch card on my way out.

After my fourth draw, I finally got a winning card.

I got a line-up of swords, increasing my strength.

Whoa, I really feel like I've gotten strong.

I wonder how heavy the dumbbells I can lift now?

After that, I ate two anzu-bout to increase my courage!

I also stuff my pockets with large round candies that boost my agility and Morocco Yogul.

I waited at the entrance of the dungeon, and soon, Mira and Merle arrived.

[Good morning, Yuusuke. Is Minerva-san not here yet?]

[Yeah, he's quite strict when it comes to time, but he's late today.]

When we meet up, Minerva is usually the one who comes to our meeting spot even before me.

There are also lots of times when we run into each other at unexpected places.

When that happens, he would show up saying things like "How unexpected" or "What a coincidence".

Sometimes though, I feel as if he had been staking out the place in anticipation of my arrival.

But today, Minerva is late.

Yesterday, he said he had something important to do, so I wonder if he was busy.

After waiting for a while, Minerva emerged from the dungeon.

[I'm sorry to keep you waiting.]

[No, it's nothing serious, but are you alright? Your voice sounded like you're tired.]

[I'm just a little sleep-deprived, that's all. Don't worry about it.]

He doesn't even look like he can walk properly, but is he really alright?

[They say there are no monsters in the onsen, so you might as well take a nap.]

[No, I can't sleep. I have to keep an eye on those two to make sure they do anything indecent...]

He's still saying stuff like that...

Minerva looked tired, but only his eyes seemed to be blazing with eagerness.

◇

I had seen the stairs leading to the 2nd Underground Floor, but this was my first time actually going down.

There were several frightening stone statues, making the place even more eerie than the 1st Underground Floor.

[Poh, poh, poh.]

As we went deeper, I heard a bird-like cry.

[What is that? Are there monsters nearby?]

I grabbed my Giant Crow card and braced myself.

Meanwhile, both Merle and Mira looked around with worried faces.

[I've never heard such a cry before. Is that a new kind of monster?]

[Poh, poh, poh.]

[The rhythm of its cry seemed to be similar to that of a Flower Sonobug, but this is a bird's call... This is the first time I've heard of them.]

The three of us were alarmed, but as to be expected, Minerva was calm.

[Don't worry about it. That's probably just a pigeon that wandered into the dungeon.]

[A pigeon?]

[I can hear more than one cooing though...]

[Then they wandered in as a flock! Enough with the needless worry, let's get going already.]

Minerva snatched the map from me and moved ahead at a brisk pace.

We encountered a few monsters along the way, but Minerva killed them all in seconds.

I had heard that he was an amazing guy, but he seemed to be a world apart from the other adventurers.

Even Merle and Mira seemed to be overwhelmed.

Eventually, we passed through a narrow alleyway that was barely wide enough for one person to pass, and arrived at a slightly open dead end.

[We're here.]

Minerva handed the map back to me.

[Here, we will just have to recite the chant the Gnomes taught us.]

I knelt down and knocked my fist on the floor.

[Do not miss it, my knock, open the secret door and lead us to the room with the warm spring.]

When I finished reciting the chant, the wall in front of me slid to the side, revealing a path leading to the back.

[No signs of monsters. Let's keep going.]

With Minerva leading the way in, we found ourselves in a room that looked like a rest area, with a door leading to the back.

Beyond that door should be the onsen, right?

Boldly opening the door, I was greeted by a cloud of steam.

Unlike the fog that appears when a monster appears, it smells like the odor of onsen water.

When the steam faded, I saw a large, beautiful bath in front of me.

The bathtub was as large or even larger than the famous communal bath I saw in onsen resorts.

Hot water was gushing out of the bathtub and flowing toward the edge of the bathtub.

It's that so-called free-flowing onsen huh.

[Ohh, this looks nice. The bottom of the bathtub is blanketed with gravel.]

[The water feels soothing!]

Mira seemed delighted as she put her hand in the bath.

[Alright, let's get right in. You girls go in first. I'll wait in the room over there.]

[In that case, don't mind if I do!]

[I'm looking forward to it.]

I was about to leave, but for some reason, Minerva didn't move.

Seriously, playing this joke now...

[Hey, don't you try secretly staying behind here!]

[Eh?]

[You're a man!]

When I threw my tsukkomi, Minerva looked flustered.

[T- That's right. Sorry, sorry.]

[There are always people like you who play that joke when they go to an onsen.]

[No, I didn't mean to...]

[Anyway, you girls go in first.]

[Yeeeeees.]

Minerva and I returned to the waiting room in front of the onsen.

The room was empty and deserted, but it was safe from monsters.

Since my shop comes with chairs, I decided to set up shop here and take a break.

[Open.]

And it seems that my Unique Job has leveled up again.

[Ohhh...]

Realizing the appearance of something I had been waiting for, I was shaking with excitement.