Solo Dungeon Streamer-I Am Overpowered

Chapter 97: School Days and Dungeon Ways

"I have no idea how to start a business."

"Well, that's understandable."

I was having lunch with Aizawa-san, talking about my future.

After graduating high school, I planned to continue working as a dungeon streamer. Eventually, I wanted to establish an agency that would make it easier for dungeon streamers to operate, where I could also train newcomers and gradually expand. By doing so, I hoped to increase the population of dungeon explorers over the long term. I shared everything I was thinking with her.

"I see. As someone who's on the path to becoming the next top explorer, it might make sense for you to think about training newcomers. But that's still something for the future, right? After all, I'm still here for now."

"Well, yeah, but as an EX ranker, I can't just ignore the current shortage of explorers."

"Honestly, I'd hoped you'd be the next head of the Dungeon Explorers Association, but if you have something else you want to pursue, that's probably better for you." Explore more adventures at m,v l'-NovelBin.net

I feel bad for Aizawa-san, but after seeing her overworked like a salaryman in a black company, I have no desire to become the head of the association. If that's my alternative, I'd rather start a business from scratch without any know-how and do something I actually want to do.

"So, why did you go out of your way to meet me? You didn't just come for career advice, right?"

"Huh? No, I just came to visit and figured I'd get some advice while I was at it."

"…Really? I didn't think I was someone you admired so much."

"No, you're the most respectable explorer I know."

I mean, my grandma is my grandma, and Kamishiro is… well, you know. It might sound a bit rude, but by process of elimination, Aizawa-san is the only person I can really rely on.

"I see… Well, I guess I'll have to act like a respectable adult then."

"Ah, no need for that."

"Isn't that a bit cold?"

What I expect from Aizawa-san is mentorship as an experienced explorer, not anything like family affection. Just keep things the way they are—no need to change anything.

The next day, I went to school as usual and sat in my usual seat at the corner of the classroom, reading a book. I hadn't taken any job requests in September, so I'd been attending school regularly, but that wouldn't last much longer. In fact, it was already October, so it was inevitable that I'd soon be flooded with requests.

"Good morning, Tsukasa… Reading again?"

"Good morning. Isn't reading something you should do all the time?"

Asakawa greeted me, now wearing her long-sleeved uniform after the October wardrobe change. The short-sleeved season had felt particularly long this year, but maybe that was just my perception. The school uniform changes to short sleeves in June and back to long sleeves in October, and with August being summer vacation, the short-sleeve period is technically only three months.

"It's become normal to see you in class now, but you're going to get busy again soon, right? That's kind of sad."

When I first started attending regularly, my classmates were pretty surprised, and no one was more shocked than the homeroom teacher. But after a week, it became normal for me to be there, and I went back to being just another background character. Even though I'm an EX-ranked explorer, I'm still an introverted loner, so no one really approaches me… Sad, isn't it?

Well, Asakawa and Nonohara still come up and talk to me without caring about that stuff.

The saying "Rumors last only seventy-five days" is true. Before summer break, when my status as an EX explorer was exposed, things got noisy at school, but now, apart from Asakawa and Nonohara, I'm back to being the typical quiet, isolated student.

"The sports festival is coming up soon… Are you going to participate, Tsukasa?"

"Well… Since I never know when work will come up, I probably won't."

"I see… What about the school festival?"

"It feels wrong to only participate in the festival without helping with the preparations, so I'd feel bad."

"Ugh… That's disappointing."

"Honestly, I'd love to enjoy the school events as a student, but… it's not that simple."

Actually, I don't want to participate in school events because I'm an introverted loner. Back in middle school, I had a terrible experience, just because I didn't have any friends. It was so bad that I remember crying myself to sleep, wondering if life could get any harder.

When I think about it now, before becoming an explorer, I was just a friendless, introverted misfit. My situation was really dire. If I didn't have the talent for being an explorer, my life probably would've been over.

"Hmm… Well, in that case, why don't we make some memories together while we can!"

"Wait, what do you mean by making memories?"

"Like the school trip! Isn't there one coming up?"

"Wait, you want me to participate in that?"

School festivals and sports events at least give introverts like me some space to do their own thing. But a school trip? That's a death sentence. Back in middle school, I was so miserable that I skipped the school trip entirely.

"By the way, where does this school go for trips? Kyoto?"

"Hawaii!"

I vaguely remember hearing that… or maybe I didn't. I probably forgot because I was already planning on skipping it.

"See? Doesn't Hawaii sound fun? Everyone's looking forward to it!"

"Hawaii isn't fun at all."

"What!? Are you some kind of Hawaii hater!?"

"…Nonohara, please don't randomly create weird terms like 'Hawaii hater.'"

What even is a "Hawaii hater?" I'm just stating a simple fact based on my experience.

"Wait, so you've been to Hawaii before?"

"Yeah, I've been. It was super boring."

"Is that because you didn't have many friends?"

"Huh? How is that related?"

It's just boring, plain and simple. I don't see why people think it's so exciting. It's actually surprising to me that there are people who want to go.

"Wow, you really dislike Hawaii that much?"

"I don't hate it, it's just not fun. All it is is a massive dungeon where big monsters appear in wide-open areas."

"I'm talking about a normal trip to Hawaii! Not dungeon stuff!"

"Oh… Kisaragi, your head really is filled with nothing but dungeons."

"Oh, I see… you meant above ground."

So, they were talking about the regular Hawaii? I thought they meant the dungeon there, which is just a giant boss rush… I was starting to feel like my sense of reality was completely out of sync with everyone else.

Let me know if you need any more translations or further help!