296 損して得取れとは言うのは簡単だが、実践は難しい
人間、儲かるという言葉に弱い。
純粋に金が稼げれば生活基準が向上するからという理由が主な理由に挙がるだろう。
金があれば、うまい飯も流行りの服も豪華な家も手に入り満足感を得られる。
中にはお金を稼ぐことが楽しいと言う輩もいる。
そんな連中をコミコミで人は儲かるという言葉に耳を傾ける。
何々をすればいい稼ぎになる、あのアルバイトは効率が良く儲けがいい。
こんな言葉に心惹かれることだろう。
ただまぁ、こういった話には大半裏があり、楽に金を稼げるというケースは非常に少ない。
運よく大金を手に入れられるなんて、気まぐれで買った宝くじが当選するくらいじゃないか?
では、どうやって儲けを出すかと言えば、普通に労働するか〝投資〟をするかという話になる。
「それでは、対竜決戦会議を始めるでござる。議長はこのまま拙者が務めるでござる」
自分で焚き付けておいて言うのもなんだが、金の力って怖いわ。
いつもの部屋の雰囲気じゃないなと若干他人事のように事のなり行きを見守る。
瞬く間にパーティールームは模様替えされ、あっという間に会議室っぽい形になった。
魔紋によって強化された肉体の無駄遣いとしか言いようのない手際の良さだ。
そして用意された話し合いの場には議長と名乗っている南がいた。
その瞳と今にも効果音が出てきそうな気迫からも本気具合も垣間見える。
上座に座り、某新世紀の司令官のようなポーズをしている。
その後ろにはホワイトボードの前に背筋を伸ばし立つ副司令のようなポジションの海堂がいた。
「はぁ、次郎さん、私も咄嗟に乗ってしまったから言いにくいんだけど、あの二人変なスイッチ入ったんじゃないかしら?」
「奇遇だな、俺も少し煽りすぎたなって反省しているところだ」
「後悔はしていないんダ」
「やる気が出ていることは良いことだからなぁ。それと自分の言った言葉には責任を持たないといけないといった意味もある」
「南の場合、やる気というか欲まみれと言うか.........」
「そこ!! 私語は慎むでござるよ!!」
ヒソヒソと残ったメンバーで海堂たちの様子を話し合う。
金は魔物と聞くが、ここまでとは、下手なダンジョンのモンスターよりも強力であった。
完全に目が銭マークになっている二人を見て、テンション的な意味で置いてきぼりにされた俺たちは少し温度差を感じつつも、各自好きな席に座った。
「ではさっそくでござるが、いかに効率よくお金を稼ぐか、その方法について話し合うでござるよ!!」
「わかってはいたが、早々に脱線してるぞ南、本命は俺の鉱樹の回収だからな?」
「そんなものは二の次でござる!!」
「.........ふぅ南、少し頭冷やすか?」
「フフフフ、今の拙者ならリーダーにも負ける気がしないでござるよ!! 黄金の山を見るまでは拙者はだれにも負けないでござる!」
「よし、良く吼えた。後悔するなよ」
それを契機に南が話し合いを始めるのだが、思考が銭を稼ぐためにしか機能していない南を再起動するために仕方なく実力行使に出た。
しばらくお待ちくださいというテロップが流れること数秒。
その数秒の間に何があったかは、内緒だ。
ただ言えるのは、最初は威勢の良かった南が最後の方は悲鳴しか上げていなかったとだけ言っておこう。
「ええと、気を取り直してリーダーの鉱樹を回収し、なおかつお金を稼ぐための会議を始めるでござるよ~」
「おう、いいぞ」
数秒後、妙にボロボロになった南がシオシオになりながら会議の進行を始めた。
え? 何をしたって? 何があったって?
別に? ただオハナシしただけさ。
知ってるか? 人間の回し蹴りって鉄を切れるんだぜ?
それでちょうどいい高さの的があってなぁ、それを切ったのさ。
その時に少し体に違和感があってな、竜王たちに痛めつけられた時にどこかおかしくなったと思ったのさ。
このままじゃまずいって思って調整しなおしたのさ。
妙に威勢のいい南に確認してもらいながらな。
ああ、ちゃんと皆から離れてやったぜ? ただ、南とは少し近かったかもしれんがな。
それと違和感の正体は俺のステータスが上がって力加減が難しくなったからだった。
「白々しいほど力業で再起動したわね」
「さっきの次郎さん、ちょっと怖かったヨ」
「南の自業自得だ」
その際に、海堂にも笑顔をプレゼントしたがなんでだろうなぁ、不思議と海堂も笑顔になってくれたよ。
本当になんでだろうなぁ?
「ええと、ゴホン。とりあえずリーダーの情報をまとめたことを説明するでござる」
そんなことを考えつつ、普段通りに戻った南がパソコンを開き、パーティールームにある巨大なテレビにパソコンの画面を映し出す。
「確認できた竜種は数が多いからあとで各自で確認してもらうとして、まずは目的地でござるな。目指すのは入り口から二時方向、直線距離で言えば十キロ以内にある峡谷の底、仮称竜の墓場でござる」
俺の記憶をもとに簡易的なマップを作り出し、ルートの算出とその際に接敵する可能性のある竜の分布図。
これは俺が用意した資料で、十分ほどで読み込んだ南が対策を考案した。
その際に改善案を提出した報告資料も一緒に見せたので、それ込みの内容を考えて、鉱樹までの攻略ルートを考える。
「まず最初に空路からの急降下はないでござるな。制空権は竜に奪われているでござるし何より目立つでござる。竜王を呼び寄せる可能性が一番高い段階で、命とお金をどぶに捨てるようなものでござる」
簡易マップに表示されていたルートは全部で三つ、青、赤、黄色の三色で矢印でルートが示されていて、南の操作で空を経由していた赤のルートが消える。
残るは峡谷の表層を進み途中から下降する黄色のルート、そして最初から峡谷に潜り最下層を突き進む青ルート。
「となると、残りの二ルートから選ぶのでござるが、拙者的には青ルートを推奨するでござる」
誰も口を挟まず、南の説明に耳を傾けながら画面を見続けると青のルートが点滅される。
「消去法になるでござるが、今回竜王のダンジョンに挑むにあたって一番注意しないといけないのは当たり前でござるが竜王でござる。というよりは、そんな戦力とぶち当たりながら他の竜種と戦うなんてなんでござるかそのルナティックなゲームって話でござる。そんなゲームがあったら拙者ならクソゲー認定待ったなしでござる」
そうは言いつつも、次に表示された画面でその理由の詳細が書かれている。
「まぁ、クソゲーかどうかは置いておくでござるよ。消去法と言ったのには理由があるでござる。リーダーの話では竜王は峡谷の底には襲いに来なかったという話でござる。憶測の領域でござるが、たぶんリーダーが戦ったと言うスケルトンドラゴンが原因だと思うでござる。理由まではわからないでござるが、そこを勘案すると敵が強いとわかっていても勝てない竜王を相手にするよりはまだ攻略の余地があると踏んでいるでござる」
予想が外れていたら大惨事待ったなしでござるが、と付け加えて南は説明を終える。
「まぁ、妥当な話よね。戦闘自体はきつくなるけど勝てないってわけじゃないし。それよりも体力の損耗を抑えて勝てない相手に当たる方が問題なのは明白ね」
その説明に納得の色を示す北宮。
多少の無理はしても、無謀ではないと彼女は判断したのだろう。
考えるときの癖である片手を顎の下に当てながら頷き、南の説明に反対はせず、可能であると肯定した。
「それに、このルートなら私たちのレベルアップにもつながるわね。一石二鳥ってところかしら」
「ん~南ちゃんの考えだと三羽目も狙ってそうだけド」
「ギク!?」
「口でギクって言う人、俺初めて見たっすよ。その反応から見ると、南ちゃんまだ諦めてなかったようっすね?」
「まぁ、南も鉱樹回収を優先しているみたいだし、大目に見てもらえませんか?」
代わりにアメリアがこのルートを選ぶ別の理由を言い当て、南の額に冷や汗が流れる。
「仕方ないでござるよ!! 八桁、八桁でござるよ!? そんな金額簡単に諦められるわけないでござる!!」
勝に仲裁され、生暖かい目で眺めていたら彼女は開き直り、本音を暴露した。
堂々と胸を張り宣言した後に、世の中金だと豪語する彼女はいっそ潔いと言っていいかもしれない。
南が立ち上がり、親指と人差し指が円を描いた瞬間にレジスターのような音が響く。
「Wow、魔法の無駄遣いネ」
「あんたいつの間にそんな魔法覚えたのよ」
それが想像からくる擬音ではなく、物理的にしっかりとこの場にいる面々が耳で聞き取り、わずかな魔力の残留で北宮はその音の正体が魔法だということを見破る。
「もともと、気を逸らしたり誘導するための音響魔法でござるよ~応用すればこんなこともできるでござる。目指すは魔法でアニソンメドレーを作ることでござる」
その音の正体を見破ったアメリアは感心しつつも、その使い方には苦笑が漏れている。
器用、器用だと思ってたが、いよいよ魔法を遊びに使い始めたかと俺も苦笑を浮かべる。
そして方針が固まれば今度は準備の段階に移る。
話の方向を元に戻し、最後に南が見せたのはリストだ。
「ということで、リーダー、必要経費としてこれらの物が欲しいんでござるが」
「.........随分と盛り込んだなぁ」
「必要経費でござる」
そのリストはポーションといった消耗品から、武器防具の新調、そして戦闘をサポートしてくれる魔道具といったアイテム類。
「マジックバッグは?」
「必要経費でござる、今回の消費した経費を少しでも回収するためと、荷物を抱えていた状況では円滑に移動できないこと、そして一つは回復用品をしまうための倉庫として固定して継戦能力を上げるために必要でござる」
「お前、営業とか向いてるかもな」
「初対面の相手にプレゼンなんて、リーダーは拙者に胃に穴を開けろと仰せでござるか」
そのリストの中に隠れていたマジックバッグについて問い詰めてみれば、それらしい理由と共に本音が見え隠れしていた。
要は少しでも多くの竜の素材を回収したいというのだろう。
仕方なしと割り切るには額が額だ。
八桁に届かなくとも、八桁に迫るリストの値段。
最終判断はリーダーである俺が決めるのだが、ここでパーティー資金を使っていいものかと悩むも。
「仕方ないか、どっちにしろお前らの装備を新調しないと今後の戦闘に支障が出るか」
南の言う通り必要経費として割り切るには十分な理由だ。
機王のダンジョンでも行き詰っている今、装備の新調をし戦力を上げるのも悪くはない。
となるとだ。
「南、リストの訂正だ」
「え、どこを削るんでござるか? 結構これでも絞ったつもりでござるが」
「そんな悲しい顔すんな、安心しろ削る方面じゃねぇよ」
やるなら徹底的にだ。
現在のパーティー貯金の残高的に今回の出費は十分に支払えるし、十分に余裕も残る。
こんな時のために貯蓄しているんだ多少の大盤振る舞いは認められるだろう。
「パーティー資金の三割を追加、ついでに今回の俺の利益から一千万追加だ。やるなら徹底的に強化するぞ。南、再計算だ」
「き」
「き?」
「キタアアアアアアアアアアアアアアアアアアアア!!」
そんな俺の発言に我が世の春が来たと言わんばかりに南は目を見開かせる。
俺としては危険な竜王のダンジョンに付き合ってもらうのだ。
装備を少しでも良くしてこいつらの安全を少しでも保障しようと思っただけなのだが、狂喜乱舞と南は踊り出してしまった。
「ちょっと、そんなこと言っていいの? そのお金って次郎さんが稼いだお金でしょ?」
「なに、あそこに潜れば多少はとり返せるだろうさ。それに、鉱樹の回収に付き合ってもらうんだ。多少の身銭は切らんとな」
「それに使った分はせいぜい働いてもらうさ。ホレホレ、さっさと口挟まんと南が全部お金の使い方決めちまうぞ」
ヒラヒラと手を振り北宮を追い払う。
よく見れば北宮以外の全員が、狂喜乱舞を舞い終えた南が操作するパソコン画面に食い入るように見ていてあーだこーだと口を出していた。
現金な奴らだと思いつつ、最終確認は俺がすることになっているので変な物を買っていたら容赦なくシバクと心に決め、早く行けと、北宮に言ってやる。
そんな俺の態度に苦笑しながら内心では買い物したかったのだろう。
身体強化で海堂を突き飛ばし口を出し始めた北宮を眺めながら俺はリストが決まるまでの間、コーヒーを飲むのであった。
今日の一言
必要ならケチるな。
302 296 Sun shiteDe Qu retohaYan unohaJian Dan daga, Shi Jian haNan shii
Humans are susceptible to the word profitable.
The main reason for this is that making money would improve our standard of living.
With money, you can have good food, trendy clothes, and a luxurious house.
Some people say that earning money is fun.
They listen to the words "people can make money by committing to them.
You can make good money if you do something, that part-time job is efficient and profitable.
Those words will attract you.
However, most of these stories are not true and there are very few cases where you can make money easily.
The only time you are lucky enough to get a lot of money is when you win a lottery that you bought on a whim.
Then, how to make money is to work or 'invest' as usual.
Then let's start the dragon battle conference, that it is. I will take over as chairman, that I will.
The power of money is scary, if I say so myself.
It's not the usual atmosphere of the room, and I'm watching everything happen as if it were someone else's business.
In the blink of an eye, the party room was redecorated and in the blink of an eye, it took on a conference room-like appearance.
It's a deft use of the body strengthened by magic crests that can only be described as a waste of the body.
And in the prepared discussion room was Minami, who called himself the chairman.
His eyes and the presence of spirit as if a sound effect is about to come out of his eyes reveal his seriousness.
He is seated on the top seat, posing like a new century commander.
Behind him is Kaido, who stands tall in front of the whiteboard in a sub-commander-like position.
Huh, Jiro, I hate to say this, but I think those two must have been turned on by a strange switch, because I got in on the spur of the moment.
"Oddly enough, I'm sorry I was a little overzealous in that regard.
"I have no regrets.
"It's good to be motivated. It also means that you have to take responsibility for the words you say.
"In the case of the South, it's either motivated or greedy: .........
"There! Refrain from talking to me, that I do!
The remaining members whispered and discussed the state of Kaido and the others.
I heard that gold is a demon, but to this extent, it was more powerful than a bad dungeon monster.
Seeing the two people with their eyes completely marked with a Qian mark, we were left behind in terms of tension and sat down at the seats of our choice, feeling the difference in temperature.
Let's talk about how to earn money efficiently, that we do.
"I knew it, but you're getting sidetracked early on, South, because you're supposed to be retrieving my mineral tree, right?
"None of that is of secondary importance, that it is!
"......... Fuu Nan, want to cool off a little?
I have no desire to lose to the leader now, that I do! Until I see the golden mountain, I will not be defeated by anyone, that I will not be defeated by anyone!
Good, you howled. Don't regret it.
This was the opportunity for the South to start a discussion, but they had no choice but to use their power to reboot the South, whose thinking was only functioning to earn money.
The message "Please wait a moment" was played for a few seconds.
What happened in those few seconds is a secret.
All I can say is that Minami, who was brash at first, only screamed towards the end.
"Well, let's pull ourselves together and start a meeting to retrieve the leader's mineral tree and still make some money, that is.
Oh, good.
A few seconds later, a strangely battered South began to proceed with the meeting while Shio Shio.
Huh? What did I do? What happened?
Nothing? I was just noodling.
You know what? You know how human spinning kicks can cut steel?
So I found a good height target and cut it off.
I felt a little uncomfortable...when the dragon king and his friends beat me up.
I knew it wasn't good to go on like this so I readjusted.
With the strangely perky south checking on me.
Yeah, I got the guys off the street, okay? But I might have been a little closer to the south.
And the real reason for the discomfort was that my status had gone up, making it harder to adjust my strength.
"You just rebooted with some white power.
I was a little scared earlier, Jiro.
The South had it coming.
I also gave Kaido a smile at that time, and I wondered why he was smiling too.
I wonder why?
"Well, gohon. In the meantime, I'll just explain what I've put together for the leader, that I have.
I've been thinking about this while I returned to my normal routine and opened up my computer and projected the computer screen on the huge TV in the party room.
I'm sure there are a lot of them, so I'll ask each of you to check them later, but first, let's go to our destination, that we do. Our goal is the bottom of the canyon, a tentative dragon's graveyard at two o'clock from the entrance, within a straight line distance of ten kilometers, that it is.
Based on my memory, I created a simple map, calculating the route and the distribution of the dragons that might come in contact with it.
This is the material I had prepared, and Minami devised countermeasures after reading it thoroughly.
I showed him the report material that I had submitted with my improvement plan, so I thought about the content of that as well and thought about the attack route to the mineral tree.
"First of all, there's no swooping in from the air, that there isn't. The air superiority is taken by the dragon, that it is, and it is more conspicuous than anything else, that it is. It would be like throwing away your life and money at the stage where you are most likely to attract the dragon king, that I know.
There were a total of three routes shown on the simplified map, blue, red and yellow, with the route indicated by arrows, and the red route, which went through the sky at the south operation, disappears.
That leaves the yellow route, which goes on the surface of the canyon and descends halfway down, and the blue route, which dives into the canyon from the beginning and penetrates the lowest level.
Then you have to choose between the two remaining routes, that I would recommend the blue route.
If you continue to watch the screen while listening to Minami's explanation without anyone interrupting you, the blue route will flash.
It's a process of elimination, but the most important thing you have to be careful about when taking on the Dragon King's dungeon this time is the Dragon King, that it's natural. Rather, what kind of lunatic game is that, that is, to fight against such a force against other dragon species? If there was such a game, I would be waiting for it to be certified as a crappy game, that it is.
With that said, the next screen that appears details the reason why.
Well, whether it's a f*cking game or not is beside the point, that it is. There is a reason why I called it a process of elimination, that I did. According to the leader's story, the dragon king did not come to attack the bottom of the ravine, that it did. It is a matter of conjecture, that it is, but I think it was probably because of the skeleton dragons that the leader says he fought, that it was. I don't know the reason for this, that I don't know, but considering that, I think there is still more room for improvement than dealing with a dragon king who can't win even though I know the enemy is strong, that I think.
If you're wrong, there's a catastrophe waiting to happen, that is, and Minami finishes his explanation by adding, "Well, it's a reasonable story.
Well, it's reasonable. The battle itself will be harder, but that doesn't mean you can't win. It's more about limiting the wear and tear of physical strength and hitting an unwinnable opponent, obviously.
Kitamiya shows her satisfaction with that explanation.
She must have decided that it was not reckless, even if it was a little overwhelming.
She nodded with one hand under her chin, as is her habit when thinking, and did not oppose Minami's explanation, but affirmed that it was possible.
"Besides, this route will help us to improve our level. Two birds with one stone, I guess.
It's just that, in Minami's opinion, she's going to try to get the third one too.
"Giggle!
You're the first person I've ever seen say "giggle" with your mouth. By your reaction, Minami hasn't given up yet, has she?
Well, since the South seems to be prioritizing the recovery of the mineral tree, can we be tolerant of this?
Instead of guessing another reason why Amelia chooses this route, a cold sweat breaks out on South's forehead.
'It can't be helped, that it can't be helped! Eight digits, eight digits, that is! You can't give up that kind of money easily, that you can't!
As I watched with lukewarm eyes, interrupted by Katsumi, she opened up and revealed her true feelings.
After proudly declaring her heart, she might be more graceful to say that the world is money.
The moment Minami stands up and her thumb and forefinger draw a circle, there is a sound like a register.
Wow, what a magical waste of money!
When did you learn that kind of magic?
It is not an onomatopoeic sound from the imagination, but physically and firmly heard by the people present here, and with the slightest residue of magic, Kitamiya discovers that the true nature of the sound is magic.
It's originally a sound magic to distract and guide you, that it is, that it can be applied to do such things. The goal is to make a medley of anisong by magic, that it is.
Amelia, who had discovered the identity of the sound, was impressed, but a wry smile escaped her lips at its use.
I thought she was dexterous and handy, but now she's starting to use her magic for fun, I chuckle too.
And once a plan is in place, it's time to move on to the preparation stage.
Back on topic, the last thing Minami showed me was the list.
So, leader, I would like to have these things as necessary expenses, that I do.
......... is a lot of stuff.
"Necessary expenses, that is.
The list ranges from consumables such as potions, to new weapons and armor, to items such as magic tools that support you in battle.
What about the magic bag?
"Necessary expenses, that it is, to recover some of the expenses consumed this time, and that it cannot move smoothly in a situation where we had to carry the cargo, and one is necessary to fix it as a warehouse to put away the recovery supplies and increase the succession capacity, that it is.
You might be good at sales and stuff.
"Do you want me to put a hole in my stomach to present to someone I've never met before, that I'm not a leader?
When I asked about the magic bag that was hidden in the list, my true intentions were revealed with a good reason.
The bottom line is that they want to recover as much dragon material as possible.
The amount of money is too much to dismiss as unavoidable.
Even if it doesn't reach eight figures, the list price is close to eight figures.
The final decision is mine, as the leader, but I wonder if I should spend the party's money here.
"Well, I guess I'll have to buy new equipment for you guys, or we'll be in trouble for future battles.
South is right, it's a good enough reason to consider it a necessary expense.
Now that we're stuck in the King's dungeon, it's not a bad idea to upgrade our equipment and increase our strength.
So....
South, let's revise the list.
"Well, where do you want to cut, that is? I think I've narrowed it down quite a bit, that I have.
"Don't look so sad, don't worry, it's not the cutting side.
If you're going to do it, be thorough.
Our current party savings are sufficient to pay for this expense and leave you enough to spare.
I've been saving for a time like this, so a little largesse would be acceptable.
"Add 30 percent of the party fund, plus 10 million more from my profits this time. I'm going to reinforce it all the way up if we do this. South, let's recalculate.
"Ki
Ki?
"Kitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
You'll be able to see that my eyes widen as if the spring of my life has come.
You have to go with me to the dangerous dragon king's dungeon.
I just wanted to improve our equipment and guarantee the safety of these guys, but I was so excited that Minami started dancing.
"Hey, is that okay to say? That money is the money that Jiro-san earned, right?
"What, you'll get some back when you go in there. Besides, you're going to come with me to get the mineral tree. You're going to have to make some money.
I'll have you work for what you spend on it. Now, now, now, get in there and get in there, or else Minami will decide how to spend all that money.
I'm not going to be able to get rid of Kitamiya with a fluttering hand.
If you look closely, you can see that everyone except Kitamiya was watching the computer screen operated by Minami, who had finished her mad dance and was saying all sorts of things about it.
Thinking that they are cashmen, I made up my mind that if they had bought any strange items, I would mercilessly tell Kitamiya to hurry up and get going, since I was supposed to do the final confirmation.
I guess he secretly wanted to shop while smiling at my attitude.
While watching Kitamiya push Kaido away and begin to interfere with his physical training, I drink coffee until the list is decided.
Word of the Day
Don't be stingy if you have to.
Entering a Company From Another World!?
異世界からの企業進出！？転職からの成り上がり録『祝1億PV突破！！』　
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/entering-a-company-from-another-world/
Action Adventure Comedy Ecchi Fantasy Harem Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Angels Average-looking Protagonist Beautiful Female Lead Childcare Demon Lord Demons Dungeons Elves Fallen Angels Fantasy World Game Elements Human-Nonhuman Relationship Level System Male Protagonist Modern Day Monsters Older Love Interests Polygamy Pregnancy R-15 Summoned Hero Transported to Another World Vampires Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1881dn/
七士七海