SWNOVELXO Volume 1 Chapter 54 - Are You Even Listening?
Convinced by Nanapon, I gave up on acquiring new skills and focused on leveling up instead.
We enter the mine and Nanapon creates a torch using fire magic, just like before.
Seeing this, I take an electric lantern out of my bag and hang it on the bag.
“Ah, you brought your own light today.”
Nanapon looks at the lantern.
“Yeah, I can’t see when you’re using magic. To be honest, the constant change in brightness is tiring on the eyes.”
“True, the Frontier is extra exhausting. Having two light sources makes it brighter.”
Indeed, it’s brighter than the last time we were here.
“Alright! Let’s hunt some High Skeletons. Nanaka, where are the enemies?”
“They’re over there. Let’s do our best.”
Just like last time, we take turns hunting skeletons. About an hour passes since we began.
“Ugh, my level’s not going up.”
I check my status card and tilt my head at the unchanging level 6.
“It won’t go up that easily, especially when we’re only hunting High Skeletons.”
“What’s your level?”
“Still 8.”
I want to catch up to Nanapon. I don’t want to lose to someone who’s 19.
But then again, we’re adventuring together, so isn’t catching up unnecessary?
“Is experience gained only by the one who defeats the enemy?”
That’s what it said on the internet.
“Generally, yes. But it seems you can also gain experience by using magic. There have been cases where people who only used healing magic leveled up.”
“Hmm… so that means you’re currently gaining experience for lighting the fire.”
This is bad… the gap is widening.
“I feel like I don’t gain any experience when I make items with alchemy.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I make a lot of cheap stuff, but my level doesn’t go up. How about you? You’re always using clairvoyance.”
“I use it often, but it doesn’t help me level up either.”
Darn… What is she looking at? Lucky…
“I can’t use magic, so I have no choice but to grind.”
“I’ll get Okita-kun to go to the Frontier while you’re at college.”
“Please do your best. You might be able to sell something if you discover a new recipe.”
We continue to hunt High Skeletons and when it’s a good time, we leave the mine and take a break at a shabby table in front of the cabin.
“Since we have an item bag, should we buy a table and chairs for breaks?”
“Yeah, the top rankers sometimes stay overnight, you know.”
“Like an expedition?”
“Yes, the area we can go to is limited, but there are wider areas and unexplored places. I do find it romantic, but I don’t like camping.”
Nanapon is so picky.
“Camping sounds fun if you think of it that way.”
“I did that in elementary school. I don’t like bugs.”
Typical girl. Just put up with a few bugs.
“Well, you probably wouldn’t want to share a tent with just me anyway.”
“You’d bite your tongue off if it were Okita-san.”
“That hurts a little.”
“Stop favoring Elenoa-san.”
“Watch your language. Elenoa-san doesn’t talk like that.”
Wow… she’s completely separating Okita-kun and Elenoa-san.
“Let’s go on an adventure with Okita-kun next time.”
“I don’t want to. Okita-san is scary.”
“What’s so scary about him?”
“He unnecessarily beheads skeletons.”
That’s Elenoa-san’s doing. She’s attributing all the bad to Okita-kun and all the good to Elenoa-san. No wonder Okita-kun is disliked.
“I won’t do that anymore. I’ll act normally.”
“Please do. Besides, the auction starts today, right?”
Nanapon is very interested since she gets a share.
“It started at noon today. It ends on Friday at 11:59 PM.”
“Have you seen the expected bids? They’re between 700 million and 800 million yen!”
“I saw it, it’s amazing.”
“That’s around 1.5 billion for both. My share is 10%, so that’s 150 million yen! What should I do!?”
The normally shy Nanapon is super excited. This is the magic of gold.
“Maybe give it to your parents?”
“What? No way, it’s my money.”
Money changes people. Or maybe she was always like this…
“You should buy the staff you’ve been wanting. But don’t waste money. It’ll draw attention.”
“I was warned about that by Asakura-san. Some senior was unemployed but suddenly started spending a lot and lied about winning the lottery.”
That kid really can’t keep a secret…
“Don’t use me as a bad example.”
“…Well, just be careful.”
“I will, but I’m going to buy a staff and armor. It’s risky not to.”
“You should. You’re always in casual clothes.”
Nanapon always wears black pants, a white T-shirt, and a red cardigan. She doesn’t look like an adventurer at all.
“I chose clothes that are easy to move in and won’t show dirt.”
Elenoa, who’s only ever worn a black robe and sportswear, wouldn’t understand that. In my mind, the only comfortable clothing is sportswear.
“Want to buy a black robe?”
“No, thank you. It would clash with Elenoa and make me look heavy.”
“Heavy?”
Not that robes are particularly heavy…
“I’m talking about fashion.”
I want to say ‘who cares,’ but I’ll refrain. I don’t want to be labeled as an old man.
“So what will you do? Buy an inner suit?”
I wear an inner suit under my black robe. It’s light, easy to move in, and durable—a mysterious piece of excellent equipment.
“I’ll buy that, and maybe something for the top… Well, I could stay as is, but since I have the chance, maybe I should buy something… Hmm.”
Nanapon is indecisive.
“Take your time thinking. You’re not likely to be ambushed, and I’ll take care of any enemies that approach you.”
“Elenoa, you’re so cool!”
See? She always compliments Elenoa and belittles Okita.
“Thank you. And for this week, let’s go adventuring the day after tomorrow, Wednesday. The rest of the days are off.”
“I’m fine with that, but is one day enough? We haven’t been going much, have we?”
Well, Nanapon is a student. She should prioritize college, even if she cheats on her tests. Attendance is still required.
“I have the auction to consider, and I also need to clean my room.”
“Is it that messy? I thought it was just rundown.”
It has character, okay?
“I’m moving next week.”
“Ah… into a mysterious cohabitation situation…”
What’s mysterious about it?
“We’re just a couple living together.”
“Okita-san, are you sure you’re not getting ahead of yourself in your mind?”
I am not. We’ve been on a trip together, arm in arm.
“You wouldn’t understand, you’re just a kid.”
“Well, do what you want. Where are you moving to?”
“Nerima. It’s a pretty nice place. By the way, where do you live?”
“Okita-san, watch your tone.”
Oops, I slipped because I was talking about living with Kaede-chan.
“So, where do you live? Nakano?”
I remember her saying she’d go up to Nakano Station when I offered her a taxi ride. Due to being kidnapped, she ended up going home alone.
“Yes, I started living alone when I entered college. Maybe I should move too… it’s just a one-room apartment.”
“Unless you’re really dissatisfied, you should stay. Larger places are harder to manage, and what would you tell your parents?”
Your parents are probably the ones renting the apartment for you.
“You’re right. Never mind. I understand the schedule for this week.”
“After the auction ends, how about we have a celebration? I can invite you to my new place.”
That would be separate from the celebration I’ll have with Kaede-chan. As for Satsuki-san… it might be annoying to invite her to my home.
“Please be Elenoa for that.”
“Do you really dislike Okita-kun that much?”
It’s getting a bit hurtful; I’m still mentally recovering.
“It’s not that I dislike him. I just don’t want to visit a cohabiting couple’s home… It feels too intimate.”
She’s really prudish. She probably reads erotic manga.
“Fine, I’ll be Elenoa then.”
“Thank you.”
“Alright, shall we end our break and resume?”
“Let’s.”
We finish our break and resume hunting High Skeletons. After hunting a reasonable number of High Skeletons, it became evening. I let Nanapon go home first, and we parted ways at the spot.