The Earth-san Has Leveled Up!

2-3. I’ve Become a High School Student

Even if Earth-san levels up, the world keeps spinning.

Stock prices still fluctuate, and cherry blossoms still bloom.

If this were three days ago, things might have been different, but it’s been about two weeks since the dungeon appeared, so the entrance ceremony is being held as planned.

On a clear day with cherry blossoms in full bloom, Meiko became a high school student.

To the right, girls, girls, girls!

To the left, girls, girls, girls!

Yes, Meiko attends an all-girls school.

The uniform is something cute enough to appear in an anime.

Apparently, the uniform was recently redesigned, and Meiko can’t help but sense a hidden conspiracy—the “Total Moefication of Schoolgirls Plan”. The mastermind is probably the chairman or someone like that.

The fathers who came to see their daughters in their finest outfits were all nervous.

They’d heard about it, but the special feeling of sneaking into a garden of maidens where only a limited number of boys are allowed—this is what it means to be a winner.

Taking a day off work was totally worth it. They were in the midst of a precious experience, savoring the delicious air!

Even among the fresh-faced newcomers, Meiko stood out.

Her face had only been publicly shown for less than two minutes during a live TV broadcast, but footage of Meiko in her middle school days, captured by a bystander, had spread on Twitter and even turned into a GIF.

The GIF of her raising her sword and spinning her grimoire loops smoothly, over and over.

Apprentice Grimoire User: Hitsujiya Meiko.

Meiko’s not entirely sure what a Grimoire Master is, but she’s definitely a girl at the forefront of fantasy.

Of course she stands out.

Back in middle school, Meiko was just a small, ordinary girl.

But after a life-and-death struggle in the dungeon and training during spring break, she gained confidence.

Now, Meiko isn’t the kind of loli you’d find anywhere, like she was before graduating middle school.

She’s a battle maiden radiating fighting spirit!

At least, that’s how she sees herself.

That’s why, even on this special day, Meiko doesn’t smile. She maintains a stern, mature expression.

Nyaa~!

When an unfamiliar woman smiled at her, Meiko quickly responded with a “nyaa~!”

After parting ways with her parents, she headed to her classroom. Her parents went to the auditorium to wait.

Many classmates were already seated, filled with both hope and anxiety about the high school life about to begin. Those with high social skills were already chatting with the students around them.

When Meiko entered the classroom, there was a slight stir.

After all, she’s the girl who returned from the dungeon and caused a stir online.

Meiko’s arrival greatly helped her classmates bond with those around them.

“Hey, hey, isn’t that the girl from the rumors?”

“Ah, y-yeah, maybe…”

“Oh, sorry for suddenly talking to you, my name is—”

“U-um, I-I’m—”

Conversations like these broke out all over the room.

Meiko herself hadn’t been approached yet.

Everyone was curious, but her profile made her a high hurdle for making the first friend.

Among the students was Sasara. They were in the same class.

Sasara sat upright, neatly in her seat.

When Meiko waved, Sasara relaxed her cheeks and waved back.

Next to Meiko sat a foreign girl.

Perhaps nervous, she sat with her knees tightly together.

When Meiko gave her a friendly smile, the girl smiled back awkwardly.

About ten minutes later, the teacher arrived.

Meiko’s homeroom teacher was a sharp-eyed woman who looked like she’d suit a cigarette dangling from her lips. Meiko secretly nicknamed her “Anego”.

After a brief self-introduction, Anego began explaining the schedule for the entrance ceremony.

The venue then shifted to the auditorium, where the ceremony began under the watchful eyes of the parents.

The principal’s speech included mentions of dungeons and skills.

He particularly warned everyone to be careful when handling skills.

In group living, it’s essential to be cautious with skills.

Amid this, the principal also said:

“Some of you may have negative Karma. There’s a lot of speculation about Karma, but having negative Karma isn’t good. However, you’re still young. There’s plenty of time to start over. Think of this as an opportunity—a chance to reflect on yourself, to consider others, and to grow into wonderful, compassionate women.”

Meiko was impressed. The old man had a point.

If he’d carelessly said something like, “Whether your Karma is negative or positive, live true to yourself”, Meiko would’ve lost all trust in him.

Looking around, some of the new students had tears in their eyes, likely those with negative Karma.

After the ceremony, it was back to the classroom.

In the line heading to the classroom, Meiko could sense the aura of students wanting to talk to her from both front and back.

But since it was the day of the entrance ceremony, everyone maintained a ladylike composure as they walked.

Having just entered an all-girls school, they had a slight misunderstanding of what it meant to be a proper lady. Keeping quiet is good, but…

Once in the classroom, they sat in order of their student numbers.

Perhaps arranged by the upperclassmen during the ceremony, the desks were closely spaced. Standing room for parents was set up behind and to the sides, creating a high population density.

First, Anego gave a congratulatory speech and words of encouragement, followed by her self-introduction.

Then, the students began introducing themselves.

Starting from student number one, each stood up and introduced themselves.

Meiko listened attentively, bowing her head and giving generous applause after each introduction.

“I’m Sasagasa Sasara. I hope to become a fine lady through my life at this school. Everyone, please take care of me.”

Sasara introduced herself with a slightly haughty tone, but Meiko clapped harder than anyone.

Sasara smiled warmly at Meiko.

Neither Sasara nor Meiko realized it, but Sasara’s flower-like smile directed at Meiko saved her from being labeled as a snob by her classmates.

When it was the turn of the girl next to Meiko, she stood up.

She clearly looked foreign—tall, with snow-white skin, golden hair, and blue eyes. A slender beauty, but her chest seemed to pierce Meiko’s spirit. Well, most of the classmates had that effect.

“I’m Nagare Lulu! My dad is Japanese, and my mom is Kisimian! I’ll be living in Japan from this year! Everyone, please take care of me!”

den-haired beauty smiled, making everyone a bit nervous.

But Meiko wasn’t fazed. Having returned from the dungeon, she wasn’t the type to be intimidated by this.

Thinking that Lulu must be feeling lonely coming from abroad, Meiko clapped enthusiastically.

Lulu smiled happily at Meiko, who was clapping earnestly beside her. Her likeability seemed to rise by +10.

By the way, Kisimia is a small country between Seis and Ference in Europe.

“Sorry to interrupt, but her surname is Nagare, like the flow of a river. Nagare Lulu.”

“Nyaa! hat’s right! I did it on purpose, heehee!”

At Anego’s explanation, Lulu smiled brightly.

No matter how long she lived abroad, there’s no way she couldn’t say her own surname properly. The classmates chuckled at Lulu’s joke, welcoming her warmly.

With standout students like Sasara and Lulu, it was finally Meiko’s turn.

Meiko stood up and began her introduction.

With everyone in the classroom watching, she puffed out her chest, raised her head, and spoke clearly.

“I’m Hitsujiya Meiko! My hobby is training! Nice to meet you!”

Huh? Training? Question marks seemed to pop up around the room, but applause followed.

Sasara smiled gently, while Lulu next to her clapped with sparkling eyes.

Meiko smiled back at them.

And so, the self-introductions ended without incident. After handing out some printouts, the day was over.

“Meiko, are you training?”

On the way home, Meiko’s father asked her.

This man had no idea what Meiko had been doing during spring break.

Of course, when he tried to communicate by asking, “What did you do today, Meiko?” she casually replied, “I ran along the riverbank.”

Her mother was similar.

She’d noticed Meiko running in the mornings but thought it was just a phase of her getting into fitness. Her mom was a bit of a spacey loli-mom.

But her younger sister was different.

She also attended the open-air training sessions, swinging swords alongside her big sister.

“Yeah, I am.”

Meiko answered her father’s question nonchalantly.

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, Dad, it’s because I’m going to go adventuring when the dungeon opens to the public.”

“No, no, no! That’s too dangerous for a girl!”

Her father was shocked.

Of course, Meiko had expected this reaction, so she stayed silent.

“The era where girls can’t do dangerous things is over, Dad.”

“Whaaaat!?”

Her unexpectedly cool response left her father flabbergasted.

“Earth-san said it, right? The dungeon will release monsters. That time will come within ten years, maybe even within a year. It could be as soon as a month from now. When that happens, who’s going to protect you and the people you care about?”

“W-well, of course, the Self-Defense Forces or the police!”

“Do they even understand the dungeon system properly? Do you really think they’ll protect us without fail?”

“W-well, maybe they don’t understand it now, but they’ll figure it out in a few months!”

“And what if monsters appear before then?”

“I’ll protect you!”

Meiko stared at her father as he made this declaration.

Her father, in turn, stared at his daughter in her cosplay-like uniform.

Meiko snapped her fingers in front of her father. It didn’t make a “snap” sound, but it was enough to distract him for a moment.

The next instant, Meiko’s body swayed, and she disappeared from her spot.

“Wha—!?”

“Looking the wrong way. I’m here.”

In a strangely dramatic voice, Meiko spoke, and her father frantically turned around.

There stood Meiko, striking a bold pose. Her eyes peered through the gap between her fingers as she stared at her father.

“If I were a monster, you’d be dead, Dad.”

“Wha—!?”

Her father, effectively defeated by his once-cute little daughter, was utterly confused.

“Dad, the world has already started moving. The training I started by the riverbank now has many people joining me, all sensing the coming crisis.”

“W-what!?”

“Dad, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, an adult or a child. Train, dive into dungeons, earn money, train, dive into dungeons… and prepare. Those who neglect this will easily lose what’s important. That’s the era we’re entering. So, understand, Dad.”

“Meiko…”

The once small, cute, and lively daughter had somehow become a battle-hardened warrior.

That said, honestly, Meiko just wants to dive into dungeons and go on adventures.

Surprisingly, the two days she spent alone in the dungeon were the most fun she’s ever had in her life.

Of course, there was fear, but the sense of fulfillment outweighed it.

She knows her life isn’t just her own, but she doesn’t want to live a safe, boring life out of consideration for her parents.

She wants to live to the fullest, so that her last breath is one of satisfaction.

If Earth-san had continued as normal, this wish might have been fulfilled by falling in love, having children, and being surrounded by grandchildren in her old age.

But in this world, where turbulent times have begun, it can be achieved in a different way.

Having returned from the dungeon, Meiko desires such a life.

And in the end, she’ll carve her name into history as the great adventurer, Hitsujiya Meiko.

Meiko was a chuunibyou.

A chuunibyou overflowing with vitality.

That said, fathers in these situations tend to be firmly opposed.

Logic and such are beyond them.

No means no. If they don’t like it, they’ll throw a tantrum.

Their behavior is truly transcendent. Annoying.

But it’ll still be a while before the dungeon opens to the public. She’ll figure something out by then.

For now, she’ll just train to become stronger.

Sharpen her fangs!