「Takeo-kun, the truth is... I was using you.」
With that admission, Hinata-san began to tell her story, starting with her background.
It turned out that Hinata-san had become an Explorer about a year ago. Her reason, apparently, was that she wanted potions.
A Beginner Heal Potion could instantly cure even the worst skin irritation. It was an item coveted by women all over the world, and Hinata-san was no exception.
As I’d suspected, Hinata-san’s family was reasonably well-off, but even so, obtaining Heal Potions—which were always in short supply—was quite difficult. That was what originally drove her to become an Explorer and gather them herself.
However, shortly after becoming an Explorer, that necessity vanished.
This was because Hinata-san had "Healing Magic" among her starting skills.
While Healing Magic cannot be used on the surface, it can be used whenever one likes inside a dungeon. If she was concerned about a breakout or the condition of her skin, she just had to enter a dungeon and treat it.
Technically, she could have simply stopped her activities while retaining her Explorer license. But Hinata-san didn't do that.
At first, she continued exploring with the mindset of a part-time worker. The DungeonTuber channel she started on a whim began to grow on both DungeonTube and Yo!Tube.
She found the process enjoyable, and it served as her motivation to continue dungeon exploration, even if she didn't go every day.
But gradually, the atmosphere around her turned sour.
As soon as word got out that Hinata-san possessed Healing Magic, the recruitment offers for parties became aggressive.
For Hinata-san, who had no intention of operating anywhere other than Floor 1, this was nothing but a nuisance.
As a result, Hinata-san moved between several different dungeons.
However, as long as she was active as a DungeonTuber, she was quickly tracked down no matter where she went, and the forceful recruitment continued. Of course, she consulted the Association, but she didn't get much in the way of results, and it was inevitable that she would eventually become mentally exhausted.
So, Hinata-san tried quitting her Explorer activities entirely for a time.
Even then, persistent Explorers—and even complete strangers—began to target her while she was commuting to university to try and recruit her.
As the demographics of the people approaching her grew increasingly shady, Hinata-san began to live in fear.
In the midst of that, even worse news arrived.
It was the news that a woman known as "Saint Bellwood," one of the top Explorers in Japan, had used Healing Magic to achieve the regeneration of lost body parts—including not only limbs but also lost organs—and the cure of terminal illnesses.
She had proven that Healing Magic could treat things that were impossible even with currently discovered potions or modern medicine, albeit limited to the inside of a dungeon.
When she learned of this, Hinata-san understood that possessing the Healing Magic skill was extremely dangerous.
She had realized the terrifying potential that Healing Magic held.
Even now, it was a confirmed fact that the regeneration of lost parts and the cure of terminal illnesses were possible. It was a staggering ability, like something straight out of fantasy fiction.
But that was exactly the problem. Just as in many works of fiction, what if Healing Magic could "bring the dead back to life"? Or perhaps "rejuvenate" someone or "extend a lifespan"?
Even now, it was a power so dangerous that any person of influence would want to claim it; in the future, it might become even more dangerous than that.
Abduction and confinement loomed as a realistic, highly probable future.
Hinata-san thought about what she should do.
She couldn't simply discard the Healing Magic skill she already possessed. Therefore, she had to find other ways to ensure her safety.
What she used as a reference was the aforementioned "Saint Bellwood."
Saint Bellwood was the person whose life was most at risk. After all, she was a Healing Magic user who could actually regenerate lost parts and cure terminal illnesses.
However, she had not been kidnapped or confined. The reason was that she herself was an incredibly high-level Explorer, making it impossible to kidnap her inside a dungeon. Additionally, outside the dungeon, she was constantly and strictly guarded by the members of the clan she organized (a commercial group consisting of multiple parties and Explorers).
Furthermore, as a DungeonTuber, she boasted one of the highest subscriber counts in Japan; the risk of kidnapping such a high-profile figure was simply too great.
The best method for Hinata-san would have been to join Saint Bellwood's clan and be protected, but that was impossible.
Because Saint Bellwood's clan was famous for being a Reverse Harem Clan. Every member other than Saint Bellwood herself was male. Moreover, they were strictly composed of only handsome men.
Joining them was not only impossible; there was even the danger that if she did join, she might be viewed as a rival by the Saint herself and eliminated.
Then, would she be safe if she joined another large clan? Not necessarily. Even among major clans, there were many dark rumors, whether true or false, and Hinata-san had no way to judge which one was safe.
That was why Hinata-san first tried to protect herself by becoming a famous DungeonTuber.
In parallel with that, she raised her level and joined various parties on a trial basis, carefully trying to find trustworthy people so that she could eventually be added as a formal party member.
「The truth is, though,」 Hinata-san said. 「I think I should have been more desperate. I should have investigated clan information more thoroughly and gotten into a large one. That definitely would have been safer...」
But she hadn't done that.
One reason was that she was still attending university and didn't have enough time to dedicate herself to exploration as a full-time clan member, but... she said the biggest reason was a lack of a true sense of crisis.
She certainly thought her life was in danger. That was why she was taking all these steps. However, it had only been aggressive recruitment so far; she had never been directly harmed, so there was a part of her that thought she might be overthinking everything.
That hesitation had stopped her from securing her safety by any means necessary.
「I suggested that we form a party, didn't I?」
「Yes.」
「That, actually, wasn't a way to thank you. It was for my... for my own sake.」
Her party had been wiped out by the Goblin Knight that appeared on Floor 3. The reason she asked me to form a party after that was actually to protect herself, she confessed.
Hinata-san felt that she could trust me because I had helped her without regard for my own safety. Additionally, I was strong enough to defeat a Goblin Knight alone.
Since her old party was effectively disbanded, she thought that if she formed a party with me, I would likely protect her, at least while inside the dungeon.
「By the way, on the way home the first day we formed a party, we went to eat together, right?」
「Yes, we did.」
Thank you for the meal, by the way.
「At that time, when we left the Association, I felt like Matsuda and Aoyama were inside the station... so, I felt the danger and decided to take a detour home. That was the real reason...」
「I see.」
「So... you see. Honestly, the... the fact that you ended up like that is also my fault. Because I... selfishly involved you and put you in danger...」
「Hmm...」
「So, I'm sorry!! For involving you on my own and putting you in danger... I'm truly sorry!! I have no way to make it up to you, but I'll do anything to make amends, whatever I can do...!!」
Eh? Did she just say she'd do anything?
In that case, I should have her accompany me on my daily leveling from morning until night—no, no, no!!
Taking advantage of someone's weakness to make them do what you want is the lowest of the low!! I won't do something like that!!
I shook my head and spoke to Hinata-san, who remained bowed.
「Please lift your head, Hinata-san. Besides, what's wrong with being a little selfish?」
「...Eh?」
「I think a little selfishness goes a long way for an Explorer. It helps you survive.」
「Umm... but...」
「Besides, I'm just as selfish. I’m the one who turned you down once, then asked to form a party the moment I realized it would improve my leveling efficiency, remember? Forming a party with you was my own choice. It's not something you need to apologize for or lose sleep over. Besides, I said I’d definitely protect you, didn’t I?」
「...Did you say that?」
「I did. Right before we first entered the Monster Room.」
「...Ah, now that you mention it... but, didn't you mean protecting me from monsters?」
「No, no. We’re teammates. If you’re in danger, I’ll protect you. That's just how it works. It doesn't matter if the opponent is a monster or something else.」
「............Yeah. Um... thank you, Takeo-kun.」
「Yes, you're welcome.」
Hinata-san finally relaxed her shoulders. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of red, and then she smiled.