Earth With Dungeon: Saving the World With an Economic Boom

Chapter 173. Security Guard

As the earnest-faced woman who brought bread in gratitude to Daiki nods, he reciprocates the gesture but realizes there’s something he needs to do, furrowing his brows.

“Though it’s appreciated receiving the bread, I’m sorry. I can’t eat with you. I have somewhere to be from here, just a short distance away.”

Reaching out for the bread only, Daiki notices the woman tilting her head slightly, smiling.

“In that case, may I accompany you? I came to this town to find work, but I’m quite lost and anxious.”

“…I see. Follow me then.”

Daiki starts walking nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. Walking beside him with a child, the woman asks curiously.

“I’m anxious coming from the outer town. Are you familiar with this area? Um, may I know your name?”

“Oh, my name’s Daiki-kun.”

“Daiki-san, is it? I’m Meitou Toko. And this is Mitsuaki.”

The child walking beside them nods quietly. Daiki doesn’t mind their silence.

Walking deeper into the passage and climbing a few floors, the sounds of children playing loudly echo. Meitou looks puzzled, and as Daiki opens a door to a slightly larger room, she enters.

The room is carpeted with soft rugs, and filled with toys like balls, blocks, and toy houses. Many small children play happily while women who seem like mothers smile and care for them.

Standing in a corner of the room, Daiki waves his hand casually. A young woman notices and happily rushes over.

“Daiki-san, welcome! What brings you here today?”

“Hmm, just earned some pocket money, but I have no use for it. Take it. There’s 500,000.”

Daiki hands over a bundle of bills to the woman casually. Meitou is surprised by the considerable amount. The woman who received it gleams with excitement, bowing deeply.

“Thank you so much, as always. We received a lot of clothes from you the other day too. Are you sure?”

“Don’t worry about it. As long as I see the kids smile, it’s fine.”

Daiki chuckles, and the woman gazes at him with respect. Seeing this, the children run to Daiki with smiles.

“It’s Mr. Rabbit!”

“A big rabbit!”

“This is ours~”

“Fluffy~”

As they cling to Daiki, the children pat him with radiant smiles or try to climb on him. Meitou gently stops the children.

“Haha, you’re really popular with the kids, Daiki-san.”

“I don’t think so.”

Daiki modestly laughs. Meitou watches the beloved Daiki with a fond smile, then tilts her head inquisitively.

“But why do they always call you Mr. Rabbit?”

“It’s for ages 10 and up.”

“10 and up?”

“Well, never mind.”

Waving his hand, Daiki decides to leave, bidding goodbye to everyone. While walking down the corridor, Meitou asks Daiki about the place they just left.

“Um… what was that place?”

“That’s an orphanage. Banjin runs it and has been managing it lately.”

Banjin recently started managing the orphanage, for children without families.

“You donate?”

“Yeah, I just handed over the donations collected from everyone.”

“It’s not from me.”

Daiki denies with a shake of his head. Meitou looks uneasy at his words but doesn’t say anything further.

Then, they arrive at an empty floor and sit down.

“I apologize for dragging you along.”

“No… Here, please take this.”

Meitou hands over the bread. Daiki gazes at it, not eating. Sitting beside him, Meitou starts nibbling on her bread, smiling.

“You’re very kind, Daiki-san.”

While eating her bread, Meitou notices Daiki’s reluctance and asks curiously.

“Um… is something wrong?”

“Hmm… Even if I got bread laced with sleeping pills, it wouldn’t work. I don’t have insomnia.”

With a calm expression, Daiki bounces the bread in his hand. Meitou stiffens at his words.

“W-What are you talking about?”

“This bread isn’t sold at the bakery over there. It’s a new kind. Quite innovative.”

Narrowing his eyes at Meitou, Daiki stands up with a smirk.

“Your threads are easily cut. If they were stronger, it would be different. Without skill level, they’re useless.”

“You’re a troublesome one, aren’t you?” Meitou retorts, grabbing her knife.

Daiki stands up too, summoning a spear into his hand.

“There aren’t many women who’d be happy to be brought to an empty floor. What’s your aim?”

Giving Daiki a sly smile, Meitou brandishes the knife she had hidden.

“Rumor has it the president here hides a lot of cash. I thought I’d take it.”

“I see. Planning to impersonate me and go to the top floor. With your illusion magic. Banjin isn’t around now.”

“He’s a fool, weak to women who drink. That’s what I’ve heard.”

Meitou moves her knife slightly. In response, children standing behind Daiki scatter, and countless threads spring out from her body, attacking.

[Puppet Threads]

Meitou sneers at Daiki ensnared in the threads. She thought he wouldn’t be able to move, but…

“I see. Even with low-level thread manipulation, it’s quite useful. Threads disguised as children to bind. Probably level 2. But, too bad.”

[Sword Body]

When Daiki activates his martial technique, a whirlwind of blades surrounds him, easily cutting the threads that bound him, which fall to the floor.

With sharp eyes, Daiki readies his cross spear and chuckles.

“The threads are easily cut. If they were stronger, it’d be different. But without skill level, you can’t control them.”

“You’re such a pain, aren’t you?”

With a graceful movement, Meitou accelerates from her crouched position and raises her knife.

[Illusion Butterfly]

Approaching Daiki, Meitou activates her magic. Countless blue butterflies appear around her, hiding her figure.

“You’re a skilled user, too good to be a mere thief.”

Lowering himself, spear poised, Daiki observes the illusionary butterflies with amusement, not perturbed at all.

With a quick “kyukyu” sound, faint footsteps are heard from beside Daiki, prompting him to hurl his stone in that direction. With a clang like Cain and a knife being deflected, the figure of Meitou is glimpsed.

“This guy!”

Though caught off guard by the attack from the blind spot, Meitou, showing signs of agitation, moves in close.

With a long-distance spear, dodging knife attacks is difficult, so Meitou continuously launches knife attacks. A large figure wielding a spear. It seems he won’t be able to respond.

However, against the continuous knife attacks, Daiki tilts the handle sideways, swaying like a willow, expertly parrying all, then pushes Meitou back, sending him flying.

Stepping back, Meitou loses balance.

“It’s futile. Your techniques won’t reach me, and that paralysis poison on your knife won’t work either.”

“I thought you were just a big guy!”

Meitou bites her lip, surprised by Daiki’s unexpected strength and the fact that her poison has been detected.

[Illusion Butterfly Poison Scale Powder]

Taking a pouch from her pocket, Meitou tosses it. Poison scale powder, collected from demons, dances in the air in the form of butterflies.

“Once you touch these butterflies, you won’t be able to move! I recommend staying still.”

Laughing smugly, Meitou watches as Daiki gathers mana with one hand.

“Is that Mothman’s scale powder? Demon poisons have short-term effects but are potent, huh? But, as I said, it’s futile, right?”

[Fan]

As Daiki fans his hand, the wind swirls, dispersing the powder shaped like butterflies.

Seeing Daiki, who also uses magic, Meitou realizes she can’t compete. She, a mere thief, can’t match up.

Turning her body swiftly, she decides to flee. Fighting head-on isn’t herstyle to begin with.

But as he moves, Daiki waves his hand.

“[Poltergeist]

Threads cut around Daiki’s float, entangling Meitou as she flees.

“Ugh!”

Letting out a cry, Meitou falls and tumbles on the ground. In the recoil of the fall, Meitou’s figure sways, revealing her true form. A confident, beautiful woman with naturally dyed red perm hair and slanted eyes.

“Sorry, but I can’t let you go.”

“I didn’t hear you were this strong!”

Meitou scowls, but Daiki pays no mind.

“Well, I’ve been hiding.”

Approaching Meitou, who is bound by threads, Daiki carries his spear on his shoulder. Seeing this, Meitou pales, realizing her fate.

She knows the ways of the ruined city. While primarily operating between the outer and inner cities, this was her first job in the ruined city, where she wouldn’t be handed over to the police.

In other words, she’ll surely be killed.

“Hey… I was wrong. Can’t you forgive me here? Look, I’ll thank you. Understand?”

Twisting her body, Meitou sends a flirtatious glance. Watching her coldly, Daiki speaks.

“This is enough for a thank you.”

With a gesture, Meitou’s wallet floats out from her bound state and moves to Daiki’s hand.

“Thank you for the donation. It’s appreciated. I’ll take this knife too.”

“Are you planning to rob a thief? That’s my money!”

Struggling like a silkworm, Meitou protests. Unperturbed, Daiki finishes collecting even the small change. Then, he turns to Meitou.

“Are you going to kill me too?”

Dragged by the collar, Meitou shouts in resignation, assuming this is the end.

“What’s your real name?”

“Hmph! My name is Kato Shoko. Flying Kato is my alias!”

“I see. You’re welcome to come back.”

Placing her hand on the wall, a hole opens up. Shoko is pushed into it and drops.

As her body tilts and she shakes, she lands with a thud on the ground.

“Oof!”

Feeling like she hit something soft, she finds a woman unconscious beneath her.

Using the small knife hidden nearby, she cuts the threads and stands up.

“Ouch… where am I? A trash can?”

Looking around, Shoko looks puzzled. She understands she’s in a dumpster behind the Tenjin Corporation headquarters.

“Oh, she’s in the same situation.”

Seeing the unconscious woman, Shoko sighs tiredly. It seems to be the fate of intruders.

“My money… turned into donations.”

Relieved that she seems to be safe, Shoko finds her wallet empty. She also understands the meaning behind collecting donations.

“To the orphanage… What a different opponent than I expected. I’ll have to repay her next time.”

Grinning, Shoko leaves.

“Hey, what’s that big rabbit doll over there?”

“It’s a security robot! It seems like it wants to be touched, so I’ll touch it. It moves on its own! It has an entertainment AI installed! The activation is limited to three minutes.”

“A stuffed animal as a security robot… Reminds me of an old friend. Well, whether it’s old or not is questionable.”

“Yuki-chan and Shizuku-chan are friends! Serika-chan too!”

In the main building, there were also trivial conversations among girls.

“Huh? My money’s gone! Did someone steal it?”

Someone’s distressed voice could be heard in the market tavern.

Neither of them knew about the events of this time, but it didn’t matter as they were unrelated.