As I stood there cornered, desperately trying to think of a way out—
"Um, if we’re going to check his status, shouldn't we move somewhere else? People might see it if we do it here," Hinata-san suggested.
Urara-san agreed. "That’s true."
We were right in front of the Dungeon Gate, a place where a constant stream of explorers moved back and forth. If I made my status visible here, there was a high chance some unrelated third party would see it.
It seemed even Urara-san was aware that an explorer's status was information that should be kept strictly confidential.
"Then let’s move to an empty private room. Both of you, follow me."
"Oh, Urara-san! Before that... would it be okay if I used the restroom?"
"Yes, of course. Go ahead."
As Urara-san turned to lead the way, Hinata-san spoke up, and Urara-san nodded without the slightest suspicion. However, Hinata-san's words made me certain of her plan.
I see! So that's the play!! As expected of Hinata-san!! This is it—she's going to pretend to go to the toilet and then we'll make a run for it!!
In that case, I had to say it too. "May I also go to—"
I tried to tell Urara-san immediately, but before I could—
"Takeo-kun."
Hinata-san whispered into my ear.
"I'm going to call Mito-san, okay? I'll see if she can do something about this."
"!?"
I see, so that was it...!! Now that I thought about it, running away wouldn't actually solve anything. Urara-san already had my contact info and my address... I couldn't spend the rest of my life as a fugitive.
Instead, Hinata-san seemed to think that we could somehow settle this through Mito-san’s use of force—or perhaps her mysterious connections. Probably.
"I understand...! Please, Hinata-san...!!"
I nodded solemnly.
●◯●
After parting ways with Hinata-san, Urara-san and I headed to a private reception room inside the Association.
Once there, I tried my absolute best to stall for time until Hinata-san returned...!!
The result—
"Ugh... here... this is my... status...!!"
Under Urara-san’s sharp, relentless interrogation, I didn't even last three minutes...!!
Somehow, I ended up having to disclose my status just to prove my innocence.
I chanted, "Status Open," making the window visible to Urara-san.
"Honestly...!! For a mere Takeo-kun, you certainly made me work for it! It’s probably just a couple of new titles or something, right? I'm a coordinator for the Special Crisis Case, so I won't be surprised by something like that at this point!"
Huffed with indignation, Urara-san checked my status.
And then—
"Wha—!? What is this level!? Level 55!? Weren't you around level 40 at the end of last month!? How did you gain this many levels in such a short time!?"
She was incredibly shocked by something completely unrelated to my actual concerns.
"Wait... I mean, these titles and skills are...!!?"
Urara-san was struck with pure shock, her eyes widening to their limit as she began to tremble.
Damn! She noticed after all...!!
"H-H-H-Hero!? What is this titleeeeeeeeeee!!?"
Wait, no!! She hadn't noticed "Pleasure Killer" yet. The one she’d spotted was "Hero."
"'Brave Heart,' 'Silver Lightning Magic,' and 'Magic Shroud'!! You even have the Hero's title skills properly!? Does that mean this is a real titleeeeeeeeeee!!?"
I wondered if fake titles even existed. I was actually more curious about that.
"Wait, your titles haven't just increased by one!? 'Hero,' 'Slime Killer,' and 'Orc Killer'—that's three moreeeeeeeeeee!!"
Ah, yes.
For the record, the "Orc Killer" title had popped up while I was looping through the Floor 14 monster room.
Just like "Slime Killer," killer-type titles were actually quite easy to get. While it was impossible to raise their skill levels, they did increase my damage multiplier—even if only by a tiny bit—so they were titles and skills worth having.
"Hmm...? Wait...?"
Then, it happened.
"Come to think of it, the blacked-out skills and titles are gone...?"
Urara-san had finally noticed.
She scrutinized my status from top to bottom, as if licking it all over with her eyes—
"Huh?"
Her round eyes turned toward me, blinking in confusion.
"Pleasure Killer...?"
"............"
As cold sweat poured from every pore, I did everything in my power to avoid Urara-san’s gaze.
Unconsciously, her thoughts began to flow out of her mouth as words while she stood there dazed.
"Takeo-kun is a genuine pervert who feels good when he gains experience points... and it's an open secret within the Association that killing people grants a massive amount of experience points... furthermore, this unnaturally rapid level increase... that means, in other words...!!"
No, no, no! That's not it!?
I didn't commit murder for the sake of experience points, okay!?
It's true that looking at my status alone, it wasn't an unreasonable deduction to make, but she was wrong!?
Desperate to clear up Urara-san’s misunderstanding, I denied it vehemently.
"Wait, Urara-san! You've got it wrong!! There are deep, complicated circumstances behind this!! It was self-defense, Urara-san!!"
"Self-defense...!? Which means...!! I had my suspicions, but I've managed to get a confession now...!!"
Wait!? Should I not have mentioned self-defense!?
"Besides, the claim of self-defense has very little credibility...!!"
"Wha!? What do you know about it, Urara-san!?"
It really was self-defense, though!!
"The title 'Pleasure Killer' is the ultimate proof!! It's been proven that titles have achievement conditions, and those conditions are closely related to the title’s name!! In other words, in this case, it's unmistakable evidence that Takeo-kun felt pleasure when he committed the act!!"
"Th-That's not it!! It's hard to explain, but the reason I felt pleasure was because my level went up!!"
Even though it wasn't true!! It really wasn't!!
"U-Ugh...!!"
At that moment, for some reason, tears began to overflow from Urara-san’s round eyes.
I wasn't the one in the wrong, but I felt a sudden surge of guilt, like I’d just made a child cry.
"I believed that even though Takeo-kun was a genuine pervert, he wasn't a bad boy...!!"
"Urara-san!? I-I'm not a genuine pervert, and I'm not a bad boy either!?"
"Takeo-kun..."
Urara-san stood up and, while shedding tears, walked over to my side. She firmly grasped both of my hands with her small ones. Then, looking me straight in the face with eyes shimmering with tears—
"Let’s... turn ourselves in, okay? Your big sister will go with you...!!"
"Wha...!!"
I... I...!!
It really was self-defense...!!
But why...? Looking into Urara-san’s eyes, seeing how sincerely she was worried about me, I started to feel like I was actually the one who was wrong...
"Urara-san..."
My mind was made up.
Smiling quietly, I replied to Urara-san while letting the tears that had naturally gathered fall.
"I... understand. I'll turn myself in...!!"
"Takeo-kun...!!"
—And so, my life as an explorer came to an end.
Goodbye, Hinata-san. And I'm sorry, Hinata-san.
From now on, I will watch over Hinata-san's success from behind bars—
Knock knock.
—ars?
There was a knock on the door of the reception room.
Urara-san and I both turned toward the door. From the other side, a muffled voice, likely an employee, called out.
"Kongoji-san, you have a visitor from Association Headquarters."
"Huh?...A visitor? I wonder who it is?"
Urara-san tilted her head in confusion, wiped her tears, and trotted over to the door.
When she opened it—
"Ah, Kongoji-san, sorry to bother you during a meeting. Someone from Association Headquarters came to see you—Wait!?"
A woman stepped forward, essentially pushing aside the male staff member who had been standing there.
She spoke to the man.
"Thank you. I will speak with Coordinator Kongoji directly from here."
She said it in a cold voice that clearly implied he was no longer needed.
Behind the woman, I could see Hinata-san.
Which meant—I see.
As I thought, this woman was Mito-san.
She wasn't in her usual maid outfit but was dressed in a professional suit and wore thin-framed glasses. Her hairstyle was slightly different than usual, but her hair was a beautiful silver, and her eyes were that characteristic sky blue. Her doll-like, perfect features were just as they always were—or so it seemed.
However, her atmosphere was somehow different. It might have been the clothes, but she had the air of a high-level secretary to the president of a major corporation.
Probably not even ten minutes had passed since Hinata-san’s call, so she must have rushed here using teleportation magic.
Thank you, Mito-san!!
As I watched her with gratitude, Mito-san abruptly took out a business card and handed it to Urara-san.
"Nice to meet you, Coordinator Kongoji. I am this person."
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much for your politeness. Um, um, my business card is, um...!!"
Urara-san also hurriedly pulled out her business card and handed it over.
Once they had exchanged cards, Urara-san looked down at the one she’d received. Having stood up and moved, I peered over her shoulder at the card too.
It said:
Japan Explorer Association, Dungeon Countermeasures Division Special Advisor Tona Hitokata
...It's a fake name.
And the title was incredibly suspicious. Special Advisor... it sounds special because it says "Special," but in reality, it's just a title for an external consultant, right? A position with no actual authority within the Association... or so it should be.
In my mind, it was the kind of job title given to retired politicians who "parachuted" into high-level advisory roles.
"Hyaa!? S-Special Advisor!?"
Urara-san, who was clearly weak to titles, began to panic and act humble.
"U-Um, Special Advisor-sama, wh-what business might you have with me!?"
"-Sama"? "Might you have"?
Urara-san really is a sucker for authority... What a total pushover...
"Yes, I have some information regarding the titles of Special Crisis Case Explorer Takeo Samejima-shi that I should share with Coordinator Kongoji, so I have come to visit today."
"I-I see..."
Urara-san kept glancing toward me. She was clearly flustered. She was probably thinking that the fact that her Special Crisis Case explorer was a murderer was about to be exposed to a high-ranking official.
Well, even if I turned myself in, it would be found out sooner or later, but being mentally prepared for it made a huge difference.
But... was this going to be okay?
Mito-san, if you're using a fake name and misrepresenting your identity, isn't that going to cause problems later? You'll be fine, right?
As I watched her with worry, Mito-san noticed my gaze. Her cold expression suddenly shifted, and she gave a soft, gentle smile.
—Wait!?
In that moment, I realized my mistake.
It was impossible for Mito-san to smile at me in such a gentle way...!!
Which meant this person... wasn't Mito-san!?
"You were Takeo Samejima-kun, correct?"
"Y-Yes!"
The person who looked exactly like Mito-san introduced herself, wearing a smile that was definitely not Mito-san’s.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My younger sister is always in your care. I am Tona, Mito's older sister. I look forward to working with you, along with my sister."
Mito-san's older sister!?