Perpetually, My Circumstances Are Incredibly Dire (1.1)

…

I, Hikigaya Hachiman, empathize with Kira Yoshikage far too much.

Or, in simpler terms for Orario’s unwashed masses bereft of the light of Jojo: Hikigaya Hachiman’s true desire is a quiet life… and I’m very much willing to go to any lengths whatsoever in order to achieve that quiet life.

Source: me.

Literally.

While Orario’s scholars, politicians, and other interested parties are looking over my madness-induced work, courtesy of my Skill, I was dealing with the aftermath.

Turns out bringing a shitty city which has functioned off of “might makes right” for its entire existence makes a person a lot of enemies. Certainly, the results of my actions speak for themselves, since they’ve continued to function even after I decided to fuck off and give it all away. However, in the pursuit of progress, there’s always those who get absolutely fucked in the process. Not only those who can’t keep up with the change, but also those who were invested in the current state of affairs lasting forever.

To be more concise, in regards to my current and likely perpetual predicament, I’ve fucked over a lot of people who were enjoying Orario being a lawless shithole. A place where lives mean nothing, results mean everything, and the only real “punishment” is being denied access to the Guild… is a place a lot fucked up bastards can use to their advantage.

The strong can gather gangs to intimidate others.

The cunning can hide in the shadows in a place where “anything goes” as long as there’s no witnesses.

The manipulative can pretend to be kind, before utterly destroying the lives of the unwary, because kindness is at a premium.

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Orario was a shitty shithole shitting into its own bed of shit for centuries upon which many kinds of vermin grew fat and happy.

And, with the implementation of equipment insurance, guides for newbies, and training centers that blare loud and clear the dangers of Orario, a lot of the vermin are dying. Some are moving along with the times, of course. Crime happens, reforms, and changes to exploit one thing or another perpetually, especially in hellholes with plenty looking to get a better life. However, if that “some” is only 10% of the criminal scum, that means hundreds and hundreds of salty, stupid losers are out to kill me for ruining their shitty exploits with my far bigger, better exploit.

So, in effect, being saved from my Skill, leaving my budding corporate-slave-system, and returning to my students and… acquaintances… has put me in a terrible position. Not only do I have to teach Cranel and whoever Loki sends my way, but I also have to clean up the waste generated by a machine that I’ll never directly benefit from again. Not only do I have to make lesson plans, wrack my brain for ways to make my students stronger, and beat up criminals for the foreseeable future, but I only benefit directly from getting a cut of whatever my students earn!

Wait a freaking minute.

Hold on a fucking second.

I’m a powerful character that had a massive organization that intended to change Orario whether it liked it or not.

A massive organization that has been “appropriated” for the “good” of Orario after my defeat, which is ultimately helping everyone.

Now, I’m training the “heroes,” and barely have time to do anything, because I’m dealing with the problems that arose from my actions.

Did… did I get turned into a filler villain for a half a season!? Not even an entire season, an OVA, or a Movie!? Zaimokuza, did you turn me into a filler villain, so that you could turn Orario into less of hellhole? You literally sacrificed my character role as the stoic mentor, so you unfuck some of your fucked, early setting features!? Now, I’m stuck being some third-rate Demon Lord repenting for his sins by helping the heroes? And, you made it so that I was beaten by a kiss, instead of actually being beaten in combat!?

Oh, wait… I guess some parts of my new character is fine.

I’m still kickass, if the entire cast can’t beat me in battle.

And, a third-rate Demon Lord is still a Demon Lord.

Still, though, I’m going to burn down your house when I get back home, you tubby bastard… and I should be getting SOMETHING from cleaning up the overflowing shit that’s threatening to run all over Orario.

Even if, technically, all the shit is overflowing because of me.

Scratch that.

They’re not my fault.

Society shouldn’t have been so shitty that so many of them should be able to exist!

Therefore, I don’t need a redemption arc.

My motives are utterly pure!

I, Hikigaya Hachiman, have nothing to apologize for whatsoever, and have no obligation to clean these criminals up!

Orario made this problem, while I just brought it to light!

I deserve all the rewards involved in a regular, normal person taking down criminals before they fuck over normal people, dammit!

…

One, two, three, and four.

Yep.

This is the fourth group of idiots that’s tried to “get even” with me while I’m fetching groceries for the black holes I’m attempting to feed, while they take care of an entire army trying to besiege Orario. Honestly, I can’t even remember their name. Rock? Reck? Rak? I didn’t have a clue. I’m sure there was a lot of terrible foreshadowing involving them coming to Orario for one reason or another, but they’re getting handled by Mr. Protagonist easily, so I focused on my own problems for the day.

How the hell is a guy supposed to haggle for eggs when the idiots trying to shank him scare off the shopkeeper!?

And, this time, the guys aren’t even carrying money, because they spent it all on “liquid courage” to have the balls to try killing me in broad daylight!

How dare you not have good drops? Don’t you know that it’s common courtesy for mobs to at least have good drops, if they’re a pain in the neck to deal with? Oh, you don’t think you’re a pain in the neck? Well, you’ve disrupted my shopping, making you terrible by default, your numbers are so low that you can’t even scratch or damage my armor, and you’re not even fun to fight! I just apply a little electricity, and viola, you’re crispy and twitching on the ground in a puddle of your own piss and vomit.

In short, you’re inconvenient, nonessential, a terrible fight, and don’t even give be a decent win animation.

0/10 mob enemy, therefore you should at least give me 10,000 Valis for defeating you.

Yet, you have none.

Therefore, you have no purpose in Hikigaya Hachiman Simulator, so please stop subscribing to existence, because you are a waste of my time and your own time.

Mostly mine.

So, you should feel even WORSE!

“Hikigaya, I see that you’re doing well.” Huh, well if it isn’t Grande. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. And, by a long time, I mean literally two days ago, because I can’t be assed to cook every meal for a house filled with teenagers who spend their days beating up professional soldiers. I swear the Hostess of Fertility is making half its earnings from the ravenous, ever-hungry horde that roams the halls of the Hestia Familia’s new home. “I thought you’d be dead.”

What.

“You killed me off in your head!?” Excuse me, I’d like to know why you’d be surprised that I’m alive. As you can clearly see, Hikigaya Hachiman is a rather capable individual who has nothing to fear from worthless mob characters. In fact, I’m sure that Hikigaya Hachiman is such an OP character that it’d take at least six episodes of a villain building up power and decimating the secondary cast for them to have a reasonable chance at killing me off. I’d like you to acknowledge the fact that I’m pretty involved in Cranel’s fantasy fulfillment adventure! “Why!?”

“Ryuu didn’t come to work this morning. Either she killed you and ran off, or killed you and ended her life.” Oi, oi, oi, those are some seriously dark thoughts to have in this Isekai fantasy world. That sort of drama’s meant for daytime television meant for Christmas Cakes who’ve lost all hope and turned into legendary Christmas Cake NEETs. Hello, Kami-sama, if you’re listening, please help Shizuka-sensei out if she’s still single, even if you can’t help me. She seriously needs a husband, y’know!? “So, since you’re alive, the two of you are finally together, huh? Is she going to still work for me, or are you going to keep her around ya all the time?”

“I’d rather die than have Lyon be around me all the time. In fact, I’m sure she’d kill me, if we had to be around each other all the time. Wait, I’m sure we’d kill each other.” What’s that? Two people in a relationship are supposed to like each other all the time? Being in a romantic relationship with someone doesn’t magically turn two people into simpering idiots who can’t do anything without another. Two people remain two people with their likes and dislikes, it’s just that those likes and dislikes now have a few additions that weren’t there before. That’s all. “Lyon doesn’t always need me around, and I don’t always need her around. End of discussion.”

“Hmph, well, it’s good to know you’re not an idiot. Humans in Orario have strange ideas about relationship, I swear.” Judging me by my race, Grande? How dare you! I haven’t said a word about you being taller than most, even though you’re supposed to be a Dwarf. Just because most humans in this shithole believe in women having to cater to the needs of the man doesn’t mean that I have to believe in the same. In fact, I’m the opposite. I’d like to cater to the needs of a strong, capable woman. Don’t you know my dream is to be a househusband? I’d like to live in a peaceful world, take care of a house, and spend my free time being domestic and available. Mhmm, yes, without a doubt, I, Hikigaya Hachiman, have defeated racism. “Still, you should know where she is, yes? You should still care enough to have asked, correct?”

What’s this strange, overbearing pressure from a Level 6 coming my way, huh?

Am I seriously getting “menaced” for an answer in regards to caring for Lyon?

Well, I have nothing to fear, because I did care enough to ask.

“She said she was doing something with Flova today, and that she’ll see me later about something.” As far as answers go, it’s pretty sparse. In fact, I’m sure that some people would be displeased with it. Those people are psychos who think having a boyfriend or girlfriend means having to control every bit of their lives. Lyon has her own life, while I have my own. If she needs help with her life, I’ll give it to her without asking for anything in return. Just as she’d do for me. “You’ll have to ask her yourself if you want to know more.”

“Good answer.” I don’t need your approval, Grand. I’m simply acting like a normal man in a normal relationship. That’s what I’d like to say, but I won’t. What’s this feeling welling up deep within the black depths of my dead heart and this welling of liquid behind my eyes. Am I… am I happy that a person that I don’t dislike approves of my actions? Could this be what they call the “joy” of being a decent human being? It’s strange and I dislike it so much that I can’t bear to even talk about it. So, stop. “Syr told me that Lyon asked her for help in dealing with enslavers. You kept them in line for a while, but they’ve gone back to their old tricks now that you’re no longer breathing down their necks.”

“Tch. Assholes always try their luck when they think no one cares anymore.” My little stint as half-season mini-boss was a fugue of constant, crazed work that would’ve killed a normal human being. Needless to say, the fatigue put a haze over my vision that left “me” only capable of the singular task of progressing my little empire. Things like memory took a backseat for my brain. Still, given how I didn’t just throw bodies at the Dungeon and set up infrastructure, I’m sure that I was a pretty good Demon Lord in that I mostly fucked over worse people. Human traffickers sound like the sort of people I’d mercilessly crush. “They’re definitely in for a great surprise when Lyon shows up… it’ll be hilarious to see some fat, ugly bastards get beat up.”

Thankfully, this is a Light Novel setting where fat, ugly bastards aren’t invincible gods of NTR, so I have nothing to worry about in regards to Lyon.

Wait, did I just jinx myself like an NTR target?

Did I just set up an entire NTR scenario a single day after Lyon confessed to me?

“Hikigaya, are you going those groceries up?”

“…where are these traffickers exactly, Grand?” I am aware that I shouldn’t be paranoid. Lyon is an Adventurer who’s defeated many, many people. Not only that, but she’s not that sort of Heroine and this isn’t that sort of setting. Zaimokuza literally doesn’t have the self-esteem necessary to insert himself as the one committing NTR. In fact, I’m sure he’d cry himself to sleep if he ever saw a doujin with one of his characters getting NTR’d. Therefore, because of the author’s lack of spine and mental fortitude, this story cannot have NTR. However, as a newly-minted boyfriend, could I have my girlfriend take on organized crime ring specialized in taking downtrodden, female, and immortal Adventurers and turning them into tools of pleasure without my help? The answer is… fuck no! “C’mon, Grand, I’m just going to help Lyon out a little. There’s no need to be worried. I won’t do anything drastic. I’ll just make a few things clear with the people she’s about to fight… like how they should just

“I take it back. Both you and Lyon are the same sort of crazy when it comes to one another.” Grand sighed and shook her head, but with her overwhelming speed and strength as a Level 6, she raised her hand to… pat me on the shoulder. “That’s good. The two of you need to take care of each other, alright? This blasted place needs a few idiots doing their best to make each other happy.”

“…you didn’t answer my question.” I’m tilting my hat downward to deflect the sun. Don’t think I’m hiding anything, especially since I’m already wearing a mask. “Who’s Lyon looking to fight, so I can see them before she does?”

“Ask her yourself, Hikigaya. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”

Tch, who the hell do you think you are, Grand?

My mother?

Dammit, you’re not.

No matter how well you do or try.

I’m sorry.

Perpetually, My Circumstances Are Incredibly Dire (1.2)

…

Since she’s blacklisted by the Guild, Lyon is capable of operating with relative ease in the underbelly of Orario. Her vengeance spree against those who killed her Familia a long time ago made it so that she can’t accept quests from the Guild, or utilize any of its connections and services, but having nothing to lose in a shithole like Orario is great in its own way.

Why?

Because being blacklisted is literally the only, actual legal punishment allowed in Orario.

Might makes right is the law of the land.

The largest of Familias need to care about their public image, so that they can get good recruits, but there’s literally nothing stopping them if they all decided to kill each other in the streets. The Guild will bend all their rules, make up whole settings where they’re allowed to fight each other, before trying to stop them. The War Games literally exist so that that Familias don’t wipe each other out, fuck over the economy of the entire world, and so that the losers get absorbed by other Familias instead of dying.

Then, of course, there are those who don’t care about the law in the first place, since they have other routes of getting money and support, besides the Guild. Once you reach Level 2 or even 3, you can find work with ease. The rest of the world has Level 2’s being the norm, and even then they’re frightening creatures that countries use like deterrents. Upon reaching that point, you can abandon your Familia, since you don’t need to update your Falna anymore, and as long as your “god” exists, you can work outside the Guild’s already-loose laws.

The result are criminals who can rip the heads off of Minotaurs being the muscle for the underbelly of society all over the world.

Again, even though I’ve said it many times before, I’ll say it again: this world is a hellhole, and I’m surprised it’s gotten this far.

But, back to how Lyon’s lucky that she has nothing to lose.

She can go after these people without hesitation, since she’s a Level 4, and more than capable at killing anything in her way.

Now, I’m against vicious murder. Even at my most psychotic state, I still didn’t kill… HER. However, I’m the outlier in this world. I’m sure Cranel will kill someone who tries to kill him, instead of turning them extra crispy like me. Therefore, since Lyon has adopted the same kind of mentality, being blacklisted is in her favor.

Criminals die by her hand, cease contributing to the power of the syndicates, thus she helps and even saves people.

But, as evidenced by the fact no one’s tried to hunt her down all these years, while I’m getting murder attempts every time, I leave the house… it’s not enough.

The syndicates don’t care if they lose a little muscle, or see one of their rivals get fucked.

They only care if the entire society and market makes them entirely irrelevant.

So, knowing all of this and being the amazing boyfriend I am, I guess I’ll help Lyon do more than just irritate the criminal syndicates.

I’ll gently nudge her towards the path of getting rid of them for good.

Ain’t I amazing?

…

After quickly making lunch and dinner for several blackholes who’ll return home with intent to eat, sleep, and nothing less, I made my way towards Daedalus street. While it doesn’t cage in a monster, it does contain a lot of destitute individuals who’ll happily tear you apart for money.

Or, that’s how it used to be.

Apparently, Demon Lord Hachiman properly used the poor to his advantage by gaining their support, providing for them, and getting them the fuck out of their medieval favela. What used to be a massive slum, where buildings simply built upon one another, and where winding streets with many shadows used to be, was now a conglomeration of ruins, blocked paths, and abandoned houses, as those who didn’t accept my generous offer proceeded to loot, steal, and plunder whatever what was left behind by my former employees.

So, once again, my past-self has fucked me over, because instead of winding streets filled with opportunists, I was walking into a warzone filled with criminals. Since “I” had low standards, and plenty of menial work to give out, everyone left behind is the absolute worst of the worst.

Thankfully, even the worst of the worst can do little against an Amazon.

“Hee-hee, this is fun, Hat-kun!” Tiona had a wide on her face after “gently” pushing away another opportunistic thug who fell for our disguise. Since I didn’t want anyone knowing what I was doing, both of us wore long, ragged, and hooded robes over our regular clothes. Though she had to leave Urga behind, and use a rod of iron instead, Tiona was doing a pretty good job keeping away the wannabe thugs that were crawling out of the woodwork. “I like walking with you lots, but sometimes it gets boring!”

“Boring is good. It means nothing’s happening.” While everyone thinks they can take me on, having one of Orario’s few Level 6s is a good deterrent, especially when she’s carrying around a twin-blade staff made of adamantite like a purse. Don’t let her can-do girl attitude fool you. She can demolish buildings with a few hits, and that’s before she uses Berserk, Intense Heat, Crush, and Fist Strike. She’s a wrecking ball in a tan, energetic tomboy package. “And, it’s not walking if we’re getting attacked every few minutes. It’s being irritated, while you try to get something important done.”

Needless to say, the various Level 1s and 2s crawling out of the woodwork to try their luck were busy mimicking modern art, either sticking out of rubble, or being imprinted upon sturdier walls. Tiona was good enough to know just the right amount of force to hurt either of her possible foes, not killing them out of my request, and just batting them all away right after gauging their power with a single hit.

“Well, if you don’t want to be irritated, you should just have me around all the time, Hat-kun!” Tiona, how can you throw a blinding smile at someone, while holding up a strongman trying to crush arm with both his hands? Is there some sort of Secret Genki Girl Skill that lets can-do, peppy existences like yourself always beam with sheer joy at all times? I’m asking because I’d like to stop that skill from manifesting in anyone else. It’s terrifying and cute, but mostly terrifying. And, you’ve tossed that guy into the air, so that he can fall into your swing. That man is now embodying the “stuck in wall” tag perfectly. Not only is he bodily broken, but mentally and spiritually too. “Wouldn’t you like someone who always takes care of you, protects you, and takes you on lots of walks?”

“…you’re making me sound like a dog, instead of a human.”

“Ooh, a collar telling everyone you’re mine would keep you safe! Wouldn’t it?”

“You really are trying to turn me into a dog!”

Tiona giggled

I chuckled

She threw another man through a window.

It was a pretty great time.

…

Maria Martel is probably one of the only people in Orario who could be called normal. Since practically everyone in Orario’s come with the intent to either make money from killing, or supporting killers, normal people have greater rarity than Level 5s.

And, normal people who’ve come to Orario to try and make it better are even rarer.

Wait, does that make her some sort of seven-star Gacha unit?

What kind of hellish Gacha has seven-star units!?

Tch, no.

Comparing Maria Martel to some mouth-breather’s jpeg waifu, or legendary killers and warriors, is wrong.

Or, well, thinking of her as anything less than who she is.

She’s just a good person who’s taking care of kids who lost their parents in Orario… one that stood up to me when I was at my absolute worst. While I’d been combing through Deadalus street for supplies, looking to exploit those without protection and lives that they wanted to change, I’d locked my gaze upon the orphanage. Training the kids of Adventurers, people who were blessed and chosen by gods, had appealed to my sensibilities at that moment.

And, even with every single threat sent her way, Maria Martel stood fast, protected those under her care, and didn’t take a single step back. She resisted so well that I had to change tactics. Instead of intimidation, “I” went for the long-term route of supporting, financing, and protecting the orphanage passively, so that I could get her and the children’s favor. While she was forced to accept my help, my sources informed me that she still intended to stop the children from becoming Adventurers, and began sending messages outside of Orario to find them homes elsewhere.

Thus, she earned my respect, and so I knew she could help me discern what Syr Flova’s plans with Lyon were.

But, apparently, afternoon tea with all the children came first.

I sat in a room with many small tables meant for children. The eldest kids worked with three iron stoves they fed with actual coal, and were stirring away at pots filled with tea and sugar, while cooking simple breads on the surface of the stoves. They worked quickly, giving dried meat alongside the filling tea and bread, so that the two dozen other children in the room were fed and full until dinner. I sat at the table with the oldest children, who weren’t cooking at the moment, while waiting for Martel.

Unfortunately, the kids were normies who couldn’t shut up, instead of the ones still afraid of me.

“Woah, you’ve got your whole arm back, Hikigaya-sama! That’s amazing.” The kid sitting next to me, a boy with brown hair named Rye, didn’t understand the concept of personal space. He was also poking at my regrown arm. Oi, brat, you can’t afford to even look at my arm, let alone touch it. Do you know how much dignity and pride I lost to get this arm back? I’m still in the negatives and incurring ludicrous amounts of interest against an Elven Princess and her opportunistic apprentice for it, y’know!? “But it’s a lot less cool than the lightning one you had! That was awesome.”

You might be a brat, but you’ve got taste, so go ahead and keep poking at my arm.

Tiona, meanwhile, was tossing a Cheinthrope high in the air.

“Higher, higher!” Fina cried out, whilst clinging to my Amazon bodyguard. Kid, you’re already grazing the ceiling with each throw. Any higher and you’ll transform from blonde Kitsune into red paste, especially since you’re being thrown around by a Level 6. “This is amazing, Tiona-sama! You’re not like all those mean Amazons from the Red District, you’re one of the nice Amazons!”

“Of course, I am! Hat-kun wouldn’t hang out with any of them, after all!” Tiona had a wide grin, while she took care of the many kids who wanted a turn. I bet she could actually juggle them, if there wasn’t a high chance that the speed involved in making sure no one fell would make more than a few kids sick. Scratch that, I’m sure she’d juggle them even if they did get sick, so I’m not even going to suggest it. “Now, who’s next!”

Rye, being a young boy and being given the opportunity to go very high and fast, immediately ran off and left me with alone with the last kid at the table.

Thankfully, it was just a normal, quiet half-elf named Roux of indeterminate gender who was also introverted. While Roux was one of the targets of “myself” while I’d been searching for potential, future adventurers to lead the charge into the Dungeon, since that plan didn’t pan out, the hybrid was left in the orphanage under Martel’s care.

Was it awkward to sit across from a Half-Elf my other self had planned to turn into a living weapon to throw against Floor Bosses?

Yes.

But I didn’t have to talk to her, nor even go through with the plan, so that’s where our relationship starts and ends.

One-sided awkwardness.

Please, kid, stop looking at me, if you keep it I might cry, y’know? There’s nothing but regret left in my body for my previous-self’s actions. I mean, I’m still funding this place, even though I’m no longer turning Orario into a war machine. I deserve a little forgiveness for my actions, so please stop boring a hole through my soul!

“Roux, don’t stare. It’s rude” Maria Martel, you need to teach your kids to be nicer! You’ve got the perfect caretaker vibe, so I’m sure you’re more than capable of teaching these kids to be not stare holes into the blackened hearts of Isekai’d teenagers. Children shouldn’t be allowed to weaponize their glares, since they’re already 300% effective at making bad people feel like shit! “My apologies, Hikigaya-kun, it’s been quite busy, even with all your help.”

“It’s fine.” From those words, you’d think that we were friends, and that I didn’t try to turn an orphanage into a source of elite mobs. Needless to say, I was nearly blinded by Martel’s grace and generosity, as she smiled and took a seat across from me. Are you even human, woman? Because, I’m pretty sure humans can’t forgive and forget as completely as you! “I’m the one intruding and asking for your help, so you can take your time.”

“Thank you, Hikigaya-kun. I’m glad that you understand.” Martel accepted a plate of food, just the same size as the ones given to the children. After making sure that the orphans could be fed properly, and that she won’t get hungry, she’s spent every other cent her way towards making the lives of the children better. The kids weren’t wearing the same clothes anymore, and the mending on their clothes were of the proper color. The entire orphanage was repaired, less drafty, and more comfortable than I recalled. “I’ll be more than happy to provide you with information. It is the least that I can do for your support.”

The plain-faced, brown-haired woman’s smile was motherly, but I could tell that she was choosing her words carefully, and keeping every possibility in mind.

I approved.

“Tell me about what Syr’s doing right now, and of any dangers left in Orario. I want to deal with them.” Not everyone’s going to be as straightforward as me, so Martel had to pick up a lot of habits to make sure that she could keep her orphanage safe. Even though I had a few people looking after the place, from a few of my old businesses and some of my current contacts, they won’t be able to do anything if the one in charge of the orphanage can be easily tricked and fooled. Martel, luckily, is both cautious and smart. Thus, she knows that she’ll only benefit from providing me with the information I’ve asked for. “Start with the most concerning, I like to start from the top and work my way down.”

“Because, if you can deal with the greatest danger, you can face them all… a wise decision, Hikigaya-kun.” Martel smiled another motherly smile, as though she didn’t just see through my plans. She did so while moving away the meat on Roux’s plate, as some Elves preferred to eat meat. Motherly and perceptive. Cunning and caring. Mindful and practical. Orario has incredibly high standards for caretakers. “Hmmm, tell me, do you think of yourself as a particularly lucky individual? Perhaps, lucky enough to enter Orario’s casino?”

Wow.

So, Gacha is the source of the greatest evils in Orario?

How surprising.

Not.

Perpetually, My Circumstances Are Incredibly Dire (1.3)

…

Going into a casino is the same as just throwing away money.

Logically speaking, that conclusion is perfectly obvious.

Casinos are businesses, businesses make money, and therefore all games must be in the favor of the house. Either that or the casino itself is merely takes a cut for allowing others to risk money against themselves. The interest of the casino isn’t to make others rich, it’s to make themselves rich, and to keep the money flowing incessantly through its massive halls.

Take a look at any Pachinko parlor and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

There’s no natural light, or clocks, so people with no sense of time can just spend, spend, and spend. Everything is kept meticulously clean, food is easily acquired, and perfect service is expected. Every portion of the entire act is to ensure that the gambler has no problems, can be distracted by the bright lights, and forget that the steel, ball bearings they’re using bucket and bucket of is 4 Yen per ball.

Those who make a living from Pachinko collect data, find new machines that aren’t perfectly calibrated to take as much and give as little, and game the system.

Everyone else is a loser that just goes deeper and deeper into debt, kept in place by perfect service, shiny lights, and the infinitesimal chance of hitting it big.

So, I’m going to take a page from the book of the winners, and cheat my way into winning.

How?

By using Cranel’s obscene luck, after verifying it a few dozen times, of course.

The only problem is that, since we’re both well known, improvisation is necessary in order for both of us to get in.

Hilarious, painful improvisation.

Hilarious.

But still mostly painful.

…

A bashful, white-haired idol stood before me. She wore a white sundress with wide-brimmed hat, with a pair of blue heels that matched the sash on her waist and the ribbon upon her hat. In a gloved grip, she held a white, leather purse which swayed between thin, slender legs.

“Sensei… why do I need to be a girl!?” Cranel’s voice remained male for a little bit longer, until Arde put a simple, silver necklace upon his slender neck. The transformation was complete, as Cranel-kun became Lady Crane, the mysterious, masked heiress with tons of Valis to waste and win in Orario’s city. As long as no one looked up his skirt, everything should be fine, thanks to the Otaku world’s distaste for protagonists that are too masculine. “Why do we both need to be girls!?”

“I told you already, brat. We’re both too well known to be allowed in.” Who knew regularly beating up criminals, upturning the underworld, and destroying black markets would have negative consequences? Wait, this is Orario, everything done with good intentions goes ass up no matter what. “In fact, just about everyone involved with me is too well-known, since we keep good company. So, we have to improvise… by cross dressing.”

“Stop whining, Cranel. You look good with only a little work. Look at what’s happening to Sensei.” Arde, I really appreciate you putting Cranel in his place. You’re being a truly great Senpai. However, you get minus a million points of reminding me how my situation is so incredibly terrible. Oi, is that a smirk on your face!? Give me back my praise this instant! Give it back and keep the million negative points! “Do you have something to say, Hikigaya-chan?”

“Pfft, oh, I can’t take it. This is too hilarious!” Orimoto, you might be my only evidence that I’m not crazy and that I’m really in an alternate world, but if you say hilarious one more time… I’m going to cry. That’s right. I’m going to cry. Don’t overestimate the amount of confidence I have in my looks, or how much self-esteem I have. I can guarantee that whatever amount you come up with is way, way higher than I’ll ever give. So, if you don’t want an hour of your ultra-concentrated work to be destroyed, please be nicer to me. “You look so good, Hachiman, but you hate it so much, pffthaahahah!”

“Indeed, Hikigaya-dono, you look incredible, so I see no reason for your distress.” Mikoto, I see that you’re looking straight at Cranel and drooling. First, it’s obvious that you don’t know how I look, but are rather doing your best to make sure this happens again. I can’t blame you for wanting to see your fetish happen again, so you can enjoy the sight of Cranel-chan, but I can blame you for a half-assed attempt to make me feel better. If you’re going to make me feel better for your own, twisted desires, at least put some effort into it! Someone, anyone, please be nice to me! “You look the very image of a seasoned, female Adventurer from exotic lands.”

“Miach-sama would look better in this outfit.” Erisuis, I know that you’re annoyed that I’ve taken you away from love nest, where you have a housewife god tending to your every need, but can you be a little nicer—ow, ow, ow! The corset is too tight, dammit! Can you not hear my screams of pain!? “Sensei simply looks like a middle-aged woman trying too hard.”

I can’t even just be a regular middle-aged woman!? We were aiming for an extravagantly attractive middle-aged woman, like Hiratsuka-sensei, but we’ve only reached “try hard” level? Wait, why do I feel like karmic judgement is heading my way? Don’t tell me even calling her middle-aged is grounds for cosmic retribution, even when I said she’s super-top tier in that category!?

“I’m sorry for being a lanky mess, so please just finish the job. I want to do what I need to do, so I can cry myself to sleep as soon as possible, dammit!” There was giggling, and with Arde being finished with Cranel, I had three sets of capable hands on me, ridding me of any of my pride, so that I can defeat the evils of gambling. Yes, Hachiman, just think of the all the terrible people you’re going to drive out of business and out of Orario… wait a minute, most of Orario hates you, so you’re literally only just doing this because you’re afraid of getting NTR’d! My attempt to make myself feel better has only made me more depressed! “Is it done? I feel less people enjoying themselves with my body, so I think it’s done.”

There was silence for a moment, as I kept my eyes closed, while the last pieces of the ensemble was put over my head, upon my body, and applied to my face.

Then, the most horrifying sound reached my ears.

“…pfhahahh, he does look like a middle-aged woman trying too hard! Hilarious, it’s too hilarious! I’m sorry, Hachiman, but I can’t stop pfthaahahahah!”

“Crane, I need you to kill me, and bury me in an unmarked grave.”

“Sensei, no!”

“CRANEL, I KILL ME!”

“No, Sensei!”

“Dammit, brat, after everything I’ve done for you, you can’t end my suffering!?”

“We can suffer together, Sensei!”

“You’re not suffering! You’re pretty, daammmmiiitttt!!!”

I desire being expelled from existence.

…

Wig, lipstick, and makeup to hide facial features. A corset to get the proper figure, as well as allow for padding to be applied. Then, a method to cover the legs as much as possible, while also putting on clothes that would hide the rest of my frame. Finally, at the end of it all, a choker to hide both my neck and change my neck.

I have gone above and beyond, yet the results are indeed “a middle-aged woman trying too hard.”

“I look like an office lady who’s lost the will to live.” The “woman” in the mirror is neither slender nor big. Average and inconspicuous is the name of the game, especially since I’m working as a bodyguard, and dressed for the occasion too. I didn’t know where the idea of suits came to be in this world, at least without blaming lazy mangaka’s, so I simply accepted the look of a tall, lady bodyguard. “Can I least be a little more threatening?”

“Sensei, it’s a bit late to complain about that now, ahah.” Cranel scratched his cheek, which drew the attention, passion, and lust of all who looked upon him. Why? Because the action was already cute before his transformation, therefore it is now a weapon of mass destruction unmatched. Yes, you fools, look and be attracted to Cranel, fall to the pits of despair, and know that by being swayed by him you’ll never understand the truth of Totsuka. “How about we just finish this quickly? I… I would really like to stop looking like this.”

Well, if you feel that way, it can’t be helped.

“You’re right, brat. Let’s get this over with.” I turned away from the mirror on the wall and looked forward. The long hall towards the casino was as tacky as expected. A massive, red carpet starched over a marble floor, with busts of women lining the walls, filled the mind with desire of wealth and love. In other, greed and lust, two things all of humanity had trouble not fucking themselves over with, including me. “Stand less straight. Act weak. I’m your aggravated protector and you’re the bait.”

“Right, Sensei, let’s do our best to save the girls being forced to work here.” Our plan is simple, but effective. Enter the casino as new customers with lots of money to lose on the initial day. Make ourselves known as a disinterested Adventurer looking over a hapless princess who’s terrible at gambling. Let rumors spread, then the next day, cast the line again, so Cranel can be “abducted” while I get “drunk.” Once Cranel finds the locations of the girls, he’ll fire off one of his magics, and I’ll unleash hell, take on what I can, and be pursued while he gets everyone he can out. “Eh, is that Syr-san and Ryuu-san!?”

Naturally, of course, the plan is immediately destroyed when Cranel spots the people we intended to help by destroying the entire scenario.

Dammit, Lyon, just how aggressive are you when it comes to justice!? It’s barely been a day since we last saw each other, and you’re already infiltrating a place to rescue a single girl!?

“Sensei, this was supposed to just be—

“I know, brat. Obviously, we need to make contact with them now, without drawing suspicion.” Tch, I thought asking Orimoto for a favor to get into this place, through her connections in Under Resort without getting noticed, was the most complicated thing we’ll be doing tonight. It was supposed to just be me being depressed, which isn’t particularly difficult, while Cranel acted cute. Again, not difficult. “We’re changing plans. You’re going to use your luck and get as much as money as possible, and divert as much attention to yourself as possible.”

Both Flova and Lyon were disguised as nobility and currently attempting to garner funds. How they managed to acquire an invitation was a mystery, but I favored handling the now instead worrying about the past. I can ask about their mysterious ability to attain invitations to criminal casinos later, but now I needed to act, since they seemed incredibly low in chips. Skilled, capable, and strong Lyon might be, but being an Adventurer incapable of taking requests from the Guild doesn’t allow for much money to be spared. Waitressing doesn’t allow someone to match the wallets of foreign nobles who want the exotic tastes offered my Orario’s underground.

So, Cranel needs to use his absurd luck to make money and get it to them, but that sort of handoff can’t happen in the current environment.

From the entrance of the casino, there were thugs and former Adventurers aplenty, and they weren’t small fry. Shaking down the criminal organizations, taking away their primary food source by helping out the poor and unfortunate, has resulted only in the leanest, meanest, and most capable criminals remaining in Orario. In essence, I was dealing with the cream of the crop of magically-capable criminals and they were scanning the room, patrolling, looking for disturbances, and incredibly interested in keeping their very lucrative, current profession functioning.

A distraction is necessary.

In other words, I’m going to be using all the money I’ve got and go truly become a tryhard, middle-aged woman by being reckless, buying tons of drinks for everyone, and doing my best to be liked by others out of sheer lack of confidence.

Huh, why do I feel defeated when I realize I can manage to do all of that no problem?

Questions for later. Time to act now.

“You take the right quarter of the room. Focus on the roulette and games of chance. Avoid anything that involves skill or experience. I’ll be doing the opposite.”

Cranel took a single breath, before nodding, and transforming before my very eyes. Gone was the hesitant young woman, only to be replaced by a dazzling, ephermeal creature that giggled and smiled without hesitation. My faith in the True Path weakened in for a second, but Totsuka’s smile managed to fortify the barriers in my heart. However, while I withstood the attack, all eyes upon my white-haired, masked, and pretty student did not. Blushes were aplenty upon all, as Cranel spoke loudly in “her” voice in the most spirited way possible.

“Hai, hai, Lady Joanna! I’ll be sure to be safe have loottsss of fun~!” The words alone were devastating, but I was thorough in my training Cranel in the art of the idol, so they were accompanied by the killer technique known as the “peace-sign lean forward.” Dazzling. Too dazzling. My Totsuka Barrier is at risk of being overwhelmed. Most of the servers are dizzy, the guards are shaken, and every gambling man in the room has audibly gulped. “Hey, everyone, can someone teach me a which game are fun to play?”

To say there was a rush of activity would be an understatement, especially when Cranel reached her hand out, and I handed her one of the cases of chips I was carrying. The criminals acting as security acted first, but not as criminals. Instead they formed a cordon around Cranel, protecting “her” from the rush of slobbering, thirsty nobles wanting Cranel’s attention. Some of the servers and staff manning the tables and games had to stop themselves from leaving their post, biting their lips, and likely forcing themselves to imagine painful punishments to stop themselves from getting an idol to play at their station.

Do I… do I even need to make a scene?

I waited a second, contemplating my plans and evaluating the situation, before making my decision and just walking over to Flova and Lyon.

Cranel has this in the bag.

The two dressed like nobles didn’t recognize me, and were distracted by the ensuing situation, so I deactivated the collar after seeing that the nearest staff member was distracted. Since she was perfectly pulling off the disguise of a male elf in a suit, with slicked back hair and half her face hidden behind a mask, I hesitated to speak.

“Lyon… it’s me. I’m here to help you.”

Why?

Because, again, she was pulling off her nobleman disguise, while I the only woman I could be was tall, domineering, and scary.

The only response I expected was laughter and derision.

Instead I received an expression I’d only seen once before on her face.

Dammit, woman, first kabedons and now the love-interest crossdressing?!

Are all Elves weak to Shoujo romantic tropes or what!?

Perpetually, My Circumstances Are Incredibly Dire (1.4)

…

Between Cranel and Lyon, the casino was hemorrhaging money.

Flova and I acted as middlemen of sorts, funneling money to whomever needed it the most, which tended to by Lyon. Those left at the games of skill, where gamblers played against one another, were few, determined, and skilled, therefore even with her skill in gambling with a Level 5’s stats and bonuses, she was only slowly making money.

Between that and Cranel having to go against his gut to purposefully lose a few times, in order to not get noticed, the waitress of the Hostess of Fertility and myself were practically by ourselves transferring chips without being caught, being distractions when necessary, and otherwise smoothing over the process.

However, once the point arrived where we were simply waiting for the two to garner the attention of the owner, both of us were able to simply act as additional gamblers uninvolved with the madness that surrounded the other two.

Since I didn’t have a taste for gambling, I went to the bar and ordered tea… and to my surprise, Flova followed me.

She was wearing a very elegant dress, which left her shoulders, neck, and arms bare. A vivid necklace adorned her neck with a shining amethyst set in silver, which fit melded well with the blue hues of her dress. Her grayish hair was held by a silver pin at the back, something that can help her if someone got too touchy, as long as they weren’t an Adventurer, of course. The rest of the women in the room were wearing things closer to ballgowns, which were difficult to run in. The regular, human girl picked her choice of attire well, even if it wouldn’t do much against even a decently-trained Level 1.

I still had to give her credit for trying to stay safe though.

And, of course, who was I to judge her outfit when I was barely pulling off mine.

“Good evening, Hikigaya-kun.” I would’ve been surprised by Flova’s words, if not for the fact the bar’s attendant’s eyes were locked on Cranel’s cleave and engraving it to his memory, whilst polishing a tumbler to a mirror shine. My apologies for doing a good job, random opportunistic Bartender, but I had to train him to be the absolute best. If it’s any consolation, you’ll never know the truth and have your dreams and lonely nights ruined. “I see you’re still going out of your way to atone. I approve.”

Apparently, I was wrong.

Flova’s not normal, and definitely has some sort of Confuse ability, because with a gigawatt smile and a single sentence, she’s confused the hell out of me.

“What are you on about?” I wasn’t used to my “voice” still. It was still me, since all it did was soften and lighten my speech, but it felt like a distorted, high pitched echo in my ears. I could only hope that it wasn’t as terrible to everyone else listening. “Atone?”

“Is that not what you’re doing? You’re helping Bell-kun and his familia with everything. You’re assisting Loki-sama with training her Familia. And, now, you’re helping Lyon-chan.” Flova’s blinding smile didn’t waver in the slightest, while she spoke to me calmly. If I wasn’t so perceptive, I wouldn’t have noticed her hands trembling, and how her eyes glanced towards all the thugs lining the walls. She was nervous, but she was hiding it very well. “What else could that be, besides atoning, Hikigaya-kun? Aren’t you looking to be forgiven for what you did?”

Atonement.

To seek forgiveness via action.

To always be there for Cranel and Arde, since they’ll be without a mentor if I’m gone, which I was.

To be always available to help Lyon, Crozzo, and Riveria with their dangerous tasks, because they may lose their lives if I don’t, but I did.

To not rock the boat, and make a bad situation worse, by changing everything at the cost of lives—

I grit my teeth and took a deep breath through my teeth, so that I could stop the sudden rush of logic courtesy of Conscienta Strenuissium. Typically, now, I had it in check. I knocked myself out every evening with a magical artifact to “reset” my Mind to zero, giving myself rest, time, and the ability to recuperate. However, if an idea is large enough, it gains momentum quickly, and invades my mind like a bull that I could barely push against, so that I could get a moment to think for myself.

Or, rather, against myself.

“Hikigaya-kun are you okay, did I say something wrong?” Yes, she did. However, unless Flova knew how my Skill worked, and knew me like the back of her hand, it wasn’t on purpose. I barely shared the truth behind my Skill with anyone, and among the few that I did, only one could purposefully do such a thing: Hecate. She also happened to be a goddess with decades of experience guiding Adventurers, seeing them grow, and helping them overcome their mistakes. “Do you need help—

“No. I can help myself. This just needs to be finished.” I could feel the thought growing bigger. It’s an unresolved issue, and one that’s linked to my recent past, which in turn was the reason for my present, so it was rapidly getting out of hand. I haven’t atoned enough for abandoning everyone, I’ve let people endanger themselves when I could’ve helped, and this place exists as it does because of me. Like a long, steel chain racing through my mind, it was interlacing and locking onto anything vaguely similar to it, and gaining momentum. And, the longer the thought lasted, the more it mixed with my newest skill Firmum Momentum. It grew swiftly in the recesses of my mind, even as my own will to resist it tried to keep up. “How are they doing, Flova?”

I stood up, and strangely, I felt more normal than I did before I sat down.

And, I felt a familiar feeling well up inside me, as I looked at the entire casino.

These people are here to enjoy themselves off of the suffering of those who live in Orario. The thugs and criminals who’ve found their way here have been hired because they have experience beating people down, and stealing away young women in the dead of night. The staff all need to know what they’re doing, so they no they’re facilitating the sale of women, liquor, and exotic experiences to people from abroad who haven’t suffered a fraction of anyone else in Orario. Finally, there are the customers, the true owners of this place, who allows this all to function through their influence, money, and power.

And, I can get rid of them all with ease, while rescuing who they’ve kidnapped, because no one can stop me—

If I wasn’t trying to be different, trying to be better than myself, and just doing what I can without falling back into the pit.

But I want to save the victims of this place, punish those involved, and make them hurt so much that they’ll never consider this again.

I want that.

But I need to be better for everyone.

Without hesitation, with the next thought I could control and muster with my own will, I slowly, methodically dislocated my left index finger to shock my mind and system with pain, and used it to focus.

“Hikigaya!?” There was panic in Flova’s voice, but it felt so far away. And, when I looked at the casino again, parts and pieces of it were ceasing to matter. Cranel, Flova, and Lyon were allies. The rest were enemies. Somewhere, in this building, and not part of the customers, staff, or thugs, are people who need to be saved. How is it getting this bad this quickly? What have I been doing wrong? Haven’t I been doing everything right!? “Why are you hurting yourself—”

“Shut up.” Through even the voice changer, I could tell that I changed, and wasn’t completely in control anymore. Breathing steadily, distracting myself, and even pain isn’t working. There’s no option besides to ride this out as best as I possibly could, while making sure this entire place never returned to Orario again. “Answer my question, Flova.”

I’ll apologize later, but at this moment, there wasn’t time.

The person I tried leave behind has caught up with me, and with everything I know and what I’m looking at, I could barely, simply stay standing, even as I tried to recall every reason to stop.

The Casinos exist as sources of revenue for the entire city. They pay in order to exist; thus, they allow the nobles of the world to support Orario. This is a system, with many more Casinos hidden away so that Adventurers wouldn’t lash out against those exploiting them, and destroying one will result in Orario potentially losing them all. Fighting this system, not just saving Anna Claes and the other girls, and leaving it intact… will have immense ramifications for Orario, to the point where I and everyone around me would be blacklisted.

But to permit it to exist, is to permit the trafficking of women out of Orario, into immortal lives of servitude. If they’re not all dismantled, then someone else will just pick up the pieces, and continue to validate people being stolen from their families and sold for the sake of keeping the world safe. If I don’t send a message, if I don’t utterly destroy this, and if I don’t do what I need to do to make sure it doesn’t happen again, then won’t it be the same as giving this entire, fucked up system my consent?

And, with those counterarguments, the past I was trying to leave behind caught up to me and walked past who I was trying to be. The someone who cared, who could be there for others, and who could be laughed at, began to be the lesser, more important idea.

At that very moment, Flova’s voice faintly reached me.

“That’s… Cervantes!”

I looked at the Dwarf pointed at by a trembling figure, and saw a target instead of a person.

That’s when I knew, as I strode forward, that I was once again walking on a path that I thought I left.

Yet, even as I wondered how I fell back on old habits so easily, I couldn’t deny the relief, joy, and even satisfaction I felt as my disguise fell away, and fear filled the eyes of all in the room except for my allies.

Something is wrong with me, yet I cannot deny the fact that I didn’t want to let it go.

…

Carriages trundled away in the night, horses pulling away the nobility of foreign lands, whilst the road was illuminated by jumping streetlights. The shadows of stagecoach riders fearing for the journey ahead, into the lands beyond Orario, swam through in a sea of pale orange light as the first motes of ash began to fall from the sky.

The casino was burning, along with much of the wealth left in the Casino, and I made sure that it’ll burn long and hot enough that no response can save it, and that there’d be nothing left.

As far as a declaration of war went, it was a pretty good one, since I scattered all the eyewitnesses across the world, and didn’t call upon any lightning.

I had, what many would call, plausible deniability.

Though, as I expected, my actions worried both Cranel and Ryuu immensely, even while I was busy healing what I could of the young women forced into sexual slavery.

“Are you sure it’s gone, Hachiman?” Ryuu removed her mask, but still wore her suit. She also ceased speaking in a more masculine manner, most likely breaking the hearts of a few of the women she’d saved, including Claes. The Level 5 Elf had a frown on her face, while she looked upon me with worry, even though I managed to get myself somewhat in control. “Are you truly feeling better?”

“Yeah, I told you. It was a… a lapse in control. The whole situation just pissed me off so much that I couldn’t think properly.” After handing the trafficking Dwarf his ass, and making him run with his Adventurers in tow, my anger cooled considerably. Enough for me to be content with just sending a message by burning down one casino, instead of spending the night going after the rest, and making sure the eviction notice was handed out. I’m sure Fels, or even the Guild, will have words with me, even if they can’t confirm that I did it. But, at this point, what happens will just have to happen. “I’m fine now. I’m not going off burning anymore casinos for the night.”

“…Sensei did seem more like his old self, before senpai passed away, instead of what he become after.” Cranel gave his two cents. I gave him the jacket that came with my shitty disguise, so he looked less like a cute girl. It might have been a mistake, since he was now casually exuding “girl-wearing-her-boyfriend’s-t-shirt” vibes… and I wasn’t sure if he was still wearing the voice changer or not. And, I didn’t want to check. “I think that’s fine, no? Sensei’s always been very thorough in dealing with dangers. If he went back to being mad, he’d have taken this place over and made it better instead, right?”

“Even, so, we should be more careful. If this can happen and return you to one state of mind, then it can return you to another state of mind, as well.” Ryuu placed a hand on my shoulder, and it was difficult to not flinch away. Still, I managed, while taking a stand and letting of the last, young woman’s hand. They were all covered in blankets and the dresses they were forced to wear were discarded. None of them wanted anything to do with what happened to them in there. Tch. I need to keep that thought away, unless I wanted this night to get longer. “I’m happy that you’re okay, Hachiman.”

“Thanks, Lyon.” Ryuu gave a small smile at my words, but I only managed a nod in return. I looked over the ensemble of women, nearly thirty in number, and soon enough Claes stood. She led the rest of them out the moment the door where they were held was broken. I knew that I could rely on her, especially with how wary her eyes were of me, and how she did her best to put Ryuu between me and her. She’s smart. “Do you know where these girls live?”

“Only a few… and they don’t want to go back.” Claes wiped her tears and stood tall. “Please, I know it’s asking for a lot, but don’t force them to go back!”

Cranel was at a loss of words when a few girls sobbed, while more simply nodded or stayed silent. I’d told him how targets were picked and chosen. Some were truly kidnapped, but others were sold, or simply had nowhere else to go. The unfortunate truth of Orario, that I’d ignored trying desperately to better myself, was that it was a place where both extremes of people existed. Where victims and heroes existed.

“Not a chance. There’s room, work, and board in Orario. And, if you don’t want that, I’ll give you Valis and get out.” However, without a doubt, there’s a thousand victims for every hero, and the latter are busy risking their lives and dying while gods watch and laugh. “Is that fine?”

“Yes. T-thank you!”

I pushed Ryuu towards her, and the gazes of the rest of the women followed her.

“Thank her. She found you all.” I gave Ryuu the credit she deserved, even though she had to refuse getting touched and hugged, and felt a little satisfaction from the sight.

Just a little.

Not nearly as much as I felt looking at the flaming wreckage everyone else was trying to ignore.

As expected, I have more problems than I thought.

Interlude: The Apprentice

…

Arde frowned while we walked together to gather supplies.

“So, Sensei is only pretending to be okay?” As always, my Senpai was able to summarize my feelings with ease. I’d told her everything that happened last night, about my concerns, and how Sensei had acted. However, even though I couldn’t put my concern into words, she easily did. “Is that it, Cranel?”

“Yes. That’s it.” I confirmed my words, just as we reached Erisuis-senpai’s workplace. Miach-sama was at the front desk, getting lots of attention from girls as usual, only to be scared off by the Chienthrope when she returned. She was very protective of her god. “I think Sensei is trying to fix everything by himself.”

“Well, he’s been doing a good job, because I haven’t noticed anything. He really likes trying to do everything himself.” Arde-senpai sighed and shook her head the same way that Sensei did. It was much cuter than how he did it, but it didn’t make me forget that I was talking to my Senpai. In a fight, without a doubt, she could still defeat me eight times out of ten. No matter how cute or small she was. “So, what are you planning to do about it? What help do you need from me and the others?”

“…I don’t know.” I knew that the question would come the moment I confirmed my feelings. Arde-senpai believed in me enough to act on my words right away, especially when it came to other people. Hikigaya-sensei said that I had a knack for “reading” others, and even though I didn’t know exactly what he meant, everyone else agreed with him. Thus, if I had a feeling regarding people and their motives, my senpais listened… but I usually didn’t know how to use what I knew to my advantage. “I thought that I should just talk to him, and ask him to let me help him in whatever he’s doing, so he doesn’t overwork himself.”

While everyone else probably had a cool, intricate plan, all I wanted to do was help Sensei.

I was sure that Arde would laugh at me, yet her response was the opposite.

“That sounds good. Straightforward and direct always works against Sensei.” Arde and I walked into the alley next to the shop and entered the backdoor with a spare key, after waving at Erisuis-senpai. After getting through another locked door, we were in the storage area of the Miach store. We were surrounded by shelves of general use weapons, items, and high-grade Elixirs. As one, we put the payment on the table, recorded the amount on the ledger for our use, and began gathering supplies. “You go first and the rest of us will follow. Maybe, you should do it in your new dress to guarantee your success?”

“Senpai!”

“What? You know it’s true. Sensei is weak to cute people doing cute things.” Arde-senpai chuckled beneath her breath like Sensei did at my yell, while she began to fill her pockets. Shelves of weapons disappeared into her clothes, as she used her Skill Artel Assist to carry more than I ever hoped to. When she transformed, she retained her weight and unhindered speed, so her regular attacks were devastating. I could only strike harder than her under certain conditions. “And, you’re cute, you know?”

“…I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad that I can help Sensei by being cute.”

“You should be sad, but with pride. Being happy about it would put you straight in the middle of Sensei’s romantic life… which is hell.”

“I-I see.”

Arde-senpai laughed a little at my response, and I took the time to stock up on as many Mind Potions and Elixirs as I could afford.

Compared to everyone else, my specialty lies in defeating single, strong individuals, whether they’re Adventurers or Monsters. Just like everyone else, I can attack from afar and evade, but the strategy behind my skills and abilities is to harass and harm my opponent to the point where I can defeat them by unleashing all my skills at once. It’s not a very elegant way of fighting, but it very effective.

The Rakia Familia and the Adventurer guards last night are defeated even before I unleash all of my strength, so the strategy also makes sure that I don’t forget how to fight against regular foes. If I were focused on fighting only monsters, or defeating Monster Rexes, I’m sure that I’d have difficulty against the Adventurers I now faced or, worse, accidentally kill someone by misjudging what it takes to defeat them.

Unlike Arde, I take hits when necessary, cast Firebolt regularly, and show my skills against my opponents in protracted battles, so Elixirs and Mind Potions are incredibly important for me in combat.

Arde was more the type to either end fights decisively in a single blow, or hit and run once her weapons have been expended, though she could hold her own in a fight if necessary.

“Well, that’s it for me here. So, you want to tag along with me against Rakia today, or do you have another date?” Arde-senpai’s words brought me back to the world, after I filled the last of my pockets. I carried at least twenty vials of both Mind Potions and Elixirs. Tens of thousands of Valis, even with Miach’s generous discount. “You know that if you spend too much time leering at the Sword Princess, you’re going to end up losing, right?”

Even though I ignored Arde-senpai’s ribbing, I felt my face go red as I answered her.

“I-I’ll be training with Wallenstein today. I’m close to learning how to using my sword.”

“Oh ho? Which one?”

“Arde-senpai!”

“Tee-hee.”

…

Like she always did, Wallenstein laid down beside me.

And, just like always, she remained a pristine, beautiful girl after two hours of sparring.

And, I was a wreck, despite everything I’ve done.

My entire body felt numb, sweat drenched my entire body, while air refused to stay within my lungs. The edges of my vision were tinged with encroaching darkness, even as I did my best to keep consciousness. Even thinking of getting up was tiring, let alone actually trying to commit to the action itself.

However, when Wallenstein spoke… her voice was filled with pride and amazement.

“You improve every time we meet. It’s amazing. I feel your growing strength and need to match it more and more each time.” Her words made my heart quicken, even though it was already desperately pushing blood through my entire body to keep me conscious. It didn’t help that her face was right next to mine, and I could see her amazing smile from the corner of my eye. “I feel like I’m learning from fighting you, while I’m just showing you your limits.”

“Th-that’s fine. It’s perfect act-actually.” I didn’t know whether I stammered due to embarrassment, or because I was tired. No. that’s a lie. I was definitely stammering because I was embarrassed. I only hoped that the girl next to me wouldn’t notice. “You… you’re keeping me safe by making sure I know what I can’t do!”

Knowing your limits is important, Sensei said, because you can’t always rely on miracles or other people. As an Adventurer, I had to be responsible for my life and existence, therefore I couldn’t leave things to chance, let alone have other people risk their lives for me. It’s good to have people that would do that for me, but its better if they never have to.

“I’m glad to know that.” With just those five, whispered words, I felt my heart nearly stop because of Aiz Wallenstein. Not only because she was happy to help me, but because she turned away to hide her blush and smile, while clutching her hands together. “I…I’m happy to know that I’m keeping you safe, Bell-kun.”

Sensei…. Sensei… thank you so much for teaching me! If I didn’t know how to explain your teachings, or train as you’ve taught me to train, I wouldn’t be seeing this wonderful sight! Aiz Wallenstein definitely wouldn’t be blushing right next to me, while we lay down together! You’re the best Sensei ever, Hikigaya-sensei!

Ah.

I didn’t focus enough on staying awake because of all my praising.

I’m actually going to fall asleep before I make any more progress!?

NOO—

…

“And, I felt asleep, before I could compliment her back, Welf-san! It was terrible!”

“Man, that’s rough kid. You should work on your stamina, so you can actually cuddle afterwar—

“We were training! N-not doing anything l-lewd!”

“Really? Huh? Well… kid… I’m not going to lie to you, but the way you described your training was pretty lewd. You talked about Wallenstein’s legs a lot.” Welf Crozzo laughed, as he worked. Since Rakia was just outside of Orario, and sent in people everyday to try and convince him to return, he decided to relocate his shop. Only a few people visited him now, but apparently Sensei and the rest of us let him keep making a profit. “And, her hair, her face, and you also caught yourself before talking about her boobs. It was all pretty lewd, and you kept on and on about using your sword, so… I dunno, maybe it’s just me.”

“No. It’s him. It was lewd from over here too.”

“Thanks, Tsubaki.”

“Anytime!”

“Don’t gang up on me!” Welf’s girlfriend laughed from her place in the small worshop. She sat near the door with her weapons at her waist, waiting for an enemy to arrive. Orario had many eyes and ears, so it was impossible to control information perfectly. Thus, Welf kept working, while having the proper protecting in place. Currently, he was making the sword Aiz recommended for me to have. “So… is it difficult to make?”

“After all the knives and magic swords, it’s honestly nice to make something different… and annoying how all that mindless training helps make it easier than it should.” Welf admitted with a frown, while casting magic, and hammering away at a piece of Orichalchum. It was a large investment, the first one I’d made with my own money, but it was something that I’d wanted since I became an Adventurer… though made to fit my current skills and talent, instead of the hero’s sword that I dreamt of having. “I’ll be finishing soon, actually.”

“A Durandal enchanted weapon finished in less than two hours… Hikigaya’s insane requests really turned you into something freakish, Welf.”

“Oi, you’re talking to your boyfriend, you know!?”

“I know. I like it.”

I really appreciated Welf making my sword, but I really also wished he’d stop flirting with his girlfriend in front of me all the time. It’s hard enough to stay around Sensei while Lefiya-san, Riveria-san, Tiona-san, and Ryuu-san hanging out with him all the time. There’s almost nowhere I can go without other people’s romance being sent my way.

“Anyway, why’d you need this so soon, Cranel? Something coming up, even though Hikigaya’s been laying low?” Welf’s words were curious and he raised an eyebrow at me, while feeling the weight of my sword. It was black in color, double-edged, and with only the slightest of points. It wasn’t an elegant, heroic sword. It was more like a cleaver. One that was well balanced and could be thrown, if necessary. “Does it have something to do with the Loki Familia making a move?”

“Oh, you heard about that.” I wasn’t surprised by Welf’s knowledge. Large, successful Familias in Orario were too well known to hide anything. If they started doing anything, like buying more supplies, everyone knew within a day. However, I was surprised by how quickly Welf knew about it. Aiz only told me before we parted ways, which was why I visited Welf so soon. “Yes. The Loki Familia is going out of Orario, and they’ve asked Sensei for help. Loki-sama thinks there’s a chance that a second entrance to the Dungeon exists.”

At my words, Welf almost dropped the sword he was making on himself.

Only Collbrande’s swift movements, as she crossed the room in an instant with the agility of a Level 4, left him unharmed by the blade.

Even though he looked to Collbrande in thanks for a second, his eyes were as wide as mine, when the possibility was raised.

“A second entrance… meaning a place where monsters can enter the rest of the world!?” Welf-san stood up at the worlds, while the calm he had while forging disappeared entirely. However, as he considered the thought, his mind went along the same lines as everyone else Sensei trained, as he was a fellow student in all but name. “Is it connected to the new monsters? The disappearing Adventurers? The things the Loki Familia were looking at, before Hikigaya took on Orario and won?”

“Yes, with Sensei back, Loki-sama is trying to find out the truth, even though so many trials have gone cold.” Sensei probably blamed himself for the loss of so much potential information, but there was nothing to be done about it now, besides do our best with what we can act on now. “So, tonight, I’m going to route Rakia, before helping the Loki Familia find out what’s causing the disappearances of Adventurers at Melen.”

This time Collbrande was the one who nearly dropped my sword, but I managed to catch it before it fell.

“A-and, how exactly are you going to do that, little man?” Eh? Why is she sweating? Aren’t you a Half-Dwarf Collbrande-san? This forge is just fine for me and Welf, so why do you look so uncomfortable? “If you don’t mind me asking?”

I supposed she was more surprised about the possibility that the Dungeon expanding enough to make another entrance than I thought.

It surprised just about everyone who heard about it.

Hopefully, my explanation of my plan to route Rakia overnight would be calm her down a little.

“Well, since the Guild and everyone else didn’t want to deal with Rakia, Sensei said we need to do our best to get them out of Orario’s way, since they’re stopping a lot of new Adventurers from coming in and making it troublesome to get Drops out.” I started my explanation from the start. The reasoning is very sound and makes lots of sense, so we don’t come off as crazy or anything. We’re just doing this to help out everyone in Orario. “So, since they’ve arrived, we’ve been destroying their supplies, ambushing their patrols, and doing everything we can to make it difficult for them to continue staying in Orario.”

“Oh. So… all of you are the reason why Rakia is running around, freaked out, and starving on the plains.”

“Yes! I’m glad you understand, Collbrande-san!” It was the same as defeating a person, applied to an entire army, since their greatest members couldn’t be everywhere at once. So, everyone took on different roles of harassing Rakia, essentially helping each other, even though we were competing. The goal, of course, was to defeat Rakia, which we couldn’t do ourselves. “We did lots of things to frighten them, weaken them, and make their position bad, so they’d be forced to leave once we did something big.”

“Which is what you’re going to do tonight.”

“Yep!”

Now that Rakia was weakened and terrified enough, we were all working on our personal “endings” to the fight.

Arde-senpai was doing something with the Soma Familia, probably along the lines of making the army fight itself over Soma, while making her former guild-mates cry.

Erisuis-senpai was making some sort of fog that made everything itch and scratch no matter what, unless you bathed every four hours, something an army can’t manage on the field.

Nelly-senpai… well, she didn’t talk much and liked sneaking around too much for me to find out. I should really spend more time with her and be a better Kouhai…

Anyway, my plan was simpler, especially since I spent a lot of time gathering Valis, and a Goliath Crystal while training.

I’m going to take a page out of Sensei’s book and pay Leona-san to cast a giant, huge thunderstorm on the entire army camp!

That should have them leave, right?