The Earth-san Has Leveled Up!

2-4. A Holiday Coincidence

A week had passed since starting high school.

Meiko was incredibly popular.

In class, she was quickly approached, and she exchanged the messaging app ‘Ruin’ with almost everyone.

Everyone seemed to want to ask about dungeons and skills, but she strictly adhered to what Baba and the Professor had told her not to disclose, only sharing harmless information like she did at the Aozora Training Dojo.

Since the monsters seemed to have overwhelmingly strong attack power, she advised others not to approach Spring Balloons or Magic Books even if they found them outside.

Although she didn’t share any images, the story spread online, and young people learned not to carelessly approach “spring-loaded balloons” and “flying books.” Of course, some hot-blooded individuals also appeared, eager to defeat them if found.

Even though her classmates were fine, students from other classes and even seniors started coming to see her and chat.

It was like she was a minor celebrity. No, given the global fame of being the first girl to return from a dungeon, she was far more famous than any local celebrity.

The invitations to join various club activities were also overwhelming.

Even though spring break had ended, Meiko continued her training whenever she found time, reaching a level where she could contribute to high school club activities.

The recruiters didn’t know this fact since the school hadn’t conducted physical assessments yet, but they came to invite her based solely on her fame. It was like, “She returned from a dungeon, so she must be amazing”.

However, Meiko declined all invitations, as she wanted to focus on training whenever she had time.

What troubled her, though, were the karma consultations.

Sure, at the Aozora Training Dojo, they had discussed how to help kids with low karma improve, but that was different.

If she seriously responded to everyone who came for advice, there wouldn’t be enough time in the day.

However, having negative karma at this age was shocking for the girls. Even those who had been mean were left stunned.

While there was an element of reaping what they sowed, as the principal said, Meiko and the others were still young, so there was room for redemption. A mean girl today might one day grow up to carry her grandmother on her back across a pedestrian bridge.

It felt pitiful to ignore such kids who attended the same school and came to her for help.

But she also wanted to protect her own time.

So, Meiko came up with a plan.

She sent everyone who came for karma consultations to the Aozora Training Dojo.

Spending time there, where grandparents and middle schoolers trained, would surely cleanse their negative energy.

At the very least, Meiko’s karma had increased by +130 in nine days from training and working diligently at the dojo.

So, she advised them to attend morning practice, after school, and even on holidays.

The outcome was still uncertain.

Some might slack off and stop going after a couple of days.

If that happened, Meiko had no intention of getting further involved.

On the weekend when she sent a dozen gloomy delinquent girls to the Aozora Training Dojo,

Meiko had been annoyed by her father’s gaze since morning.

While she was putting on her shoes, he hid behind the wall and stared at her intently, and then he peeked through the curtains as she started stretching in the small garden.

He was the epitome of a creepy dad.

“If you’re going to do that, Dad, you should just train too.”

It was laughable that he thought he could protect her if something happened.

Talking is easy; all you have to do is move your mouth. But to actually do it requires a solid foundation.

Meiko doubted her father had that foundation. Did he really think he could sacrifice himself to protect her?

Feeling a bit irritated, Meiko decided to run along the farm road at the foot of the mountain for a change of pace.

She met up with Sasara and started running.

Meiko quite liked Sasagasa Sasara.

Though they hadn’t known each other long, her polite speech was cute, and her serious approach to training was admirable.

Meiko really wanted to talk to her at school too, but due to her overwhelming popularity, most of their conversations happened outside of school.

The town Meiko lived in was a fairly typical Japanese countryside town with mountains and rivers.

However, recently, the town had gained a bit of fame.

Because of the Loli Labyrinth.

Self-Defense Forces and police officers came from various places for training and to explore the dungeon.

The land around the dungeon had been purchased, and large walls and defense bases were being rapidly constructed day and night, holidays included, to prepare for threats from monsters emerging from the dungeon. As a result, construction vehicles were a common sight.

Seeing these changes, Meiko became convinced that dungeons would play a significant role in their future lives.

Did her father not think the same? Did he not feel a sense of crisis?

Or was it that, as a salaryman, his holidays were too precious, leaving no time to sharpen his fangs?

On the other hand, Meiko also recognized that her father worked hard for the family.

It was undoubtedly thanks to him that she could train after school without needing a part-time job.

But she had seen on TV people who went surfing before work or went boxing or bouldering after work.

Salarymen… what exactly were salarymen?

At a small parking area along the farm road, Meiko caught her breath while gazing at the town below, where the dungeon defense base was being built, and pondered these thoughts.

“This town seems like it’s going to get livelier, doesn’t it?”

Sasara’s words pulled Meiko back from her thoughts, which were teetering on the edge of criticizing her father.

“Yeah. With a low-difficulty dungeon, it’s sure to become a famous training town in Japan.”

“When it becomes accessible to the public, will you teach me, Meiko-san?”

“Hehe, by then, there’ll probably be proper instructors. But yeah, I’d like to become strong enough to teach someone.”

Meiko was, frankly, weak.

She had only returned from the dungeon by sheer luck.

She knew this herself, which was why she was training so hard.

As they started running along the farm road again, they spotted a familiar face ahead.

A slender figure about 170 cm tall, with silky golden hair.

Snow-white skin and large blue eyes that radiated energy.

It was Lulu.

Wearing a checkered shirt and overalls, Lulu was carrying a backpack and heading into the mountain forest path.

“It’s Lulu-chan!”

Meiko was surprised to see her unexpectedly.

“Is she really? Does she live around here?”

“I wonder. Let’s call out to her.”

“Yes, let’s.”

In any case, this was a fortunate encounter.

Meiko wanted to be friends with Lulu.

She had felt a flutter in her heart when she saw Lulu’s happy smile during introductions. As a Japanese person, she had a soft spot for Nordic types.

But in this past week, just like with Sasara, Meiko hadn’t had many chances to talk to Lulu.

Again, it was because Meiko was too popular.

Lulu, on the other hand, would wander off somewhere during lunch breaks, so even though they sat next to each other, they hadn’t talked at all.

“Lulu-chaaan!”

Meiko ran over, calling out to her.

Sasara followed a bit behind.

Lulu, who was about to enter the forest path, turned around and smiled like a blooming flower.

“Heeello, Meeeko!”

Her Japanese had a slightly odd intonation.

“What a coincidence!”

“Nyau! Are Meeeko and Shaara training?”

Lulu’s cat-like response made Meiko feel like they could become good friends.

But Meiko was mistaken. “Nyau” was a casual “yes” in Kisumian. Officially, it was “Nyau,” but it stretched when used casually.

Sasara, called “Shaara”, looked somewhat pleased.

“Yeah. We usually run by the river, but today we decided to change things up and run here.”

“Ruu!”

Meiko was slightly confused by the unclear response but pumped herself up for some global communication and continued the conversation.

“What are you doing, Lulu-chan?”

Was she the type of girl who ventured into mountain paths early in the morning?

Meiko, the training-type loli, thought she was an unusual type. But Lulu’s answer went in a completely unexpected direction.

“I came to look for Pekatoo!”

Lulu puffed out her chest, which was surprisingly well-endowed for her slender frame, and spoke with a proud expression.

Meiko gulped.

Pekatoo.

A famous character in Japanese games and anime, beloved worldwide as a mascot.

It makes a cute “Pekaa!” sound and flashes brightly.

A purely fictional creature.

Wow, I’ve met an interesting character!

Meiko was both thrilled and terrified by her own good luck.

“My papa said Pekatoo lives deep in the mountains of Japan. So, I came to look for it!”

“R-really!? Pekatoo is in Japan!? I always thought it was a foreign creature!”

Wow, seriously!?

Meiko was both surprised and delighted by her purebred Japanese friend’s statement.

Suppressing her inner excitement, Meiko nodded with a serious expression.

“Yeah. They’re in places like the deep mountains of Tanzawa.”

“Really!?”

“They’re that close!?”

The two beauties widened their eyes in amazement.

Lulu was about 170 cm tall, and Sasara was around 165 cm.

Meiko, teasing them, was only about 145 cm.

Meiko felt a thrill at the situation of having these two mature-looking girls in her hands.

“Yeah. But wild Pekatoo aren’t as friendly as in anime. They’re fierce, so don’t get close. If they attack, either run or fight, okay?”

“Ruu, I see. The anime Gufkaru is cute, but the real thing is scary, right? Got it!”

Lulu nodded in understanding.

The Gufkaru she mentioned was currently known in Japan as a troublesome pest. Despite their cute appearance and the way they washed everything with water, they were actually quite ferocious.

Meiko had mentioned Tanzawa as Pekatoo’s habitat because further north, there were likely bears.

While Tanzawa had some sightings, the encounter rate was much lower compared to Tohoku.

Besides, this story might actually become reality.

With dungeons now existing, creatures similar to Pekatoo might appear.

So, to prevent Lulu from getting eaten, Meiko made sure to also teach her about the dangers.

You might say she should have just told the truth from the start, but Lulu and Sasara were just too cute.

Pekatoo really exists…! Pfft!

It was too adorable.

The two mature-looking girls, unaware that the loli was fawning over them, were delighted with the valuable information.

“Are you going into the mountains now?”

“Nyau! Since we’re here, let’s explore!”

At Lulu’s response, Meiko looked at Sasara.

Sasara smiled and nodded.

“Can I come too?”

This would also count as training, and she was worried about Lulu.

“Meeeko too? Of course! I was actually a bit scared to go alone, hehe!”

“What about you, Sasara? Will you come?”

“Of course. Lulu-san, is that okay?”

“Of course it is!”

“Don’t copy me!”

“Hehe!”

And so, Meiko and Sasara ended up joining Lulu’s Pekatoo exploration practice.

―――――――

★Kisumian Dictionary

・Nyau: A girly way of saying “yes.” Stretching it to “Nyauu” makes it more casual.

・Ruu: An interjection like “Oh!”, “I see!”, or “Really!”