The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

Chapter 51: Grapefull and Dazzling

“…Hikaru, you know that lynx?” (Rifreya)

“Yeah. When she had injured her leg before and was left to death. I simply escorted her to the entrance.” (Hikaru)

“…So you were saving other girls aside from me.” (Rifreya)

“I obviously can’t ignore her when she is crying nya nya in the middle of the 2nd Floor.” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru is kind after all~.” (Rifreya)

“Not really. That’s normal.” (Hikaru)

I sweep away the mysterious jealousy of Rifreya, and try asking something that bothered me.

“By the way, why are lynx doing exploration on a hiring system? Is there a reason why they don’t do it like other people?” (Hikaru)

“I should be the one to answer that question-nya!!” (Grapefull)

Grapefull, who came down from the stairs, jumped into our conversation.

Her perked up ears were quite the outstanding ears. I see, it really does suit a scout.

“We are required to explain the history of lynx to first time parties-nya. Raising the social status of the lynx in this way, even if only for a little bit, is the motto of the mutual aid association-nyan.” (Grapefull)

Grapefull explains while going nyan nyan. It seems lynx are a race that can be found all over the world, but their eyes work in the dark, have good ears, are fast, and can walk without making a sound, so most of them were thieves or pickpockets.

And so, there were even cases when the lynx would have the blame pinned on them, and were slowly being cornered into a position of discrimination.

“Lynx have a fatal racial weaknyess. They are far more powerless than other races-nyan.” (Grapefull)

“That’s why you can only carry a thin blade like that?” (Hikaru)

“I can barely swing this one too though…” (Grapefull)

It is true that lacking physical strength is fatal.

Not being able to fight against violence is a decisive factor to label a race as ‘weak’.

It might be different if there were guns, but this is exacerbated by the fact that this world revolves around the strong.

“That’s why you have no choice but to raise your Tier by diving in the dungeon, huh.” (Hikaru)

“Nyo nyo, that’s not it. We can’t fight, so we can’t even raise our Tier. Not only goblins, we can’t even win against skeletons-nya.” (Grapefull)

“Then, what do you do?” (Hikaru)

“We are scouts. Our job is to go check things out for a bit and be careful-nya.” (Grapefull)

“You can’t get stronger like that.” (Hikaru)

“That’s fine like that for nyow. We save coin, make a contract with a Great Spirit-sama, and that’s when a lynx can finyally become an explorer.” (Grapefull)

I see. So the ‘gun’ of a lynx is Spirit Abilities.

Looking at her equipment, I can tell that she doesn’t have any monetary leeway.

The deposit is 5 silver coins, but that’s the payment that the mutual aid association gets, and obviously, a dead lynx can’t get it. The share she gets for 1 day of employment is 1 small silver coin.

If it is diving to the 3rd Floor, it takes 5 small silver coins, and the 4th Floor goes up to 2 silver coins, but the danger spikes. In the first place, if the party they follow wipes out, the lynx accompanying them won’t be able to survive.

“And so, making a contract with a Great Spirit takes a lot of money?” (Hikaru)

“1 gold coin-nyan…” (Grapefull)

“It costs that much?” (Hikaru)

1 gold coin? That’s massive. It is a price that requires 40 or 50 silver coins.

That’s not an amount that a lynx can save when they only earn 1 small silver coin for a day of work.

“W-Wait a moment. Grapefull-chan…right? Making a contract with a Great Spirit-sama costing 1 gold coin is just… There’s no way it costs that much. Even making a contract with the Light Great Spirit-sama goes for 10 silver coins, you know? The Great Spirit-samas in this city shouldn’t go for more than 5 silver coins…” (Rifreya)

“…Lynx get a special price-nyan.” (Grapefull)

“Eh…” (Rifreya)

The church is the one that places the price for making contracts with Great Spirits. In other words, it is an asking price. For humans it is cheap but for demi-humans it is expensive. It seems like stuff like that is done as if it’s normal.

“I understand the situation of the lynx now. I will make it so you can earn a decent amount when you are in our party, so don’t worry.” (Hikaru)

“Right. To think it would be 1 gold coin… That’s definitely weird…” (Rifreya)

“I look forward to working with you-nya… Wait, we are diving with just us 3?” (Grapefull)

Once we went out, Grapefull stood in place and asked this.

Well, a party of 3 people is indeed low.

“That’s right. Well, it should be alright.” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, we are just going to the 2nd Floor after all.” (Rifreya)

The positive Rifreya.

I am not optimistic here, but even so, I judge that there won’t be problems if it is the 2nd Floor.

What’s worrying me here is the teamwork. If we can’t even explore the 2nd Floor, we can’t dive into the dungeon to begin with.

At worst, I can cover everything with Darkness Fog to escape from any enemy, and I still have 1 Barrier Stone. Ogres and mantis are a threat, but as long as they don’t get us by surprise, there should be no problems.

Also, I do feel like we have to be slightly reckless or the viewers won’t increase.

“It is rare for there to only be 3 while including a scout, so I just wanted to confirm-nyan. Your abilities were impressive, Onii-san, and Rifreya-san is famous, so there shouldn’t be any problems-nyan.” (Grapefull)

“So you really are famous, Rifreya.” (Hikaru)

“The Dazzling Rifreya is a nyame that shows up in the chats of other parties pretty often. We lynx don’t understand the sense of beauty of humans though. Everyone is saying they want to go out with her or marry her-nya.” (Grapefull)

“That’s impressive, Rifreya.” (Hikaru)

Is it like the local idol?

If they were to learn that she is forming a party with me, won’t they straight harass me?

I thought the sense of beauty from this world would be different from Earth, but it seems like beauty is still beauty.

“So they are talking about me like that… That’s scary. I need Hikaru to protect me.” (Rifreya)

The strength Rifreya was using in our locked arms increased.

Or more like, we have been like this since coming out from the guild. Is this okay?

Won’t this settle we are going to be harassed?

They have been glancing at us quite a lot even at this point in time.

“Protect, you say. You are stronger than me, Rifreya…” (Hikaru)

“If it is a fight without abilities, then I would be stronger but…you are not going to protect me?” (Rifreya)

An upward glance from point blank range.

It really might be true that Rifreya wasn’t drunk at that time.

The close distance of yesterday is still the same today.

“I will protect you. At the very least, in the time when you are together with me, I will definitely protect you.” (Hikaru)

“Ehehe~, I was sure you would say that, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“Nya nya nya! I smell the scent of love-nya! Are you two going out-nyan?” (Grapefull)

“That’s not it.” (Hikaru)

Rifreya was so clingy here that it can’t be helped that Grapefull would think this way.

If I hadn’t gotten used to my little sisters wrapping their arms on both of my arms, this would have been dangerous.

Rather than calling it love, it is more like a spoiled child.

“Ah, also, it seems I am being called with a nickname like ‘dazzling’, but I am not strong enough to fit that title, so Grapefull-chan, try to correct the people if you can manage to, okay?” (Rifreya)

So she has a nickname.

If I party with Rifreya, maybe they will call me the Parasite Hikaru.

“What does Dazzling mean?” (Hikaru)

Is it the gorgeous meaning?

You could even call it bad mouthing, but that’s just me being japanese.

“Dazzling is the nickname of my sword master. My battle style is the same, so I am being called that. But master is a Salamander Rank, so I can’t even compare.” (Rifreya)

“I see. That was a beautiful battle style after all. I kinda understand.” (Hikaru)

That figure of hers fighting while using her whole body to swing that big sword was beautiful, as if she were dancing.

That fighting style was truly ‘dazzling’.

There’s also the beauty of Rifreya herself, but she shone even more inside the dark and humid dungeon.

“Beautiful, you say… Ah, right, you were watching me fight, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“I was so fascinated with it that I ended up getting delayed in saving you.” (Hikaru)

“I see, so you were watching in fascination… Then, maybe I have gotten closer to master?” (Rifreya)

“Yeah, it certainly was ‘dazzling’.” (Hikaru)

“Hehe… I am happy.” (Rifreya)

“Nya nya! The scent of love-nya!” (Grapefull)

Anyways, we have gathered the numbers.

The viewers have increased far more than I imagined.

I knew it. I really did have a lot of hidden viewers. I have easily gone to the hundred millions once I stopped hiding in the darkness.

I will take 1st place with this party…for sure.

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