Earth Dungeon 68.1

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Chapter 68.1. Welcome

On the first floor of the Amatsugahara Corporation headquarters, in the cafeteria, Sakimori was making preparations. Well, not just Bōjin, but many others were bustling around.

A cafeteria was something unimaginable in a ruined city. A few months ago, there was no imagination of a place where the company employees could have proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yet now, a large number of employees had gathered there.

The walls with cracks were concealed behind freshly washed curtains, and paper flower decorations adorned the space. The floor was shining, and a carpet, freshly washed for this day, was spread out.

"Flower, Kazaryu~"

A young girl with a beaming smile walked around with many handcrafted flower decorations in her arms, handing them to the working children.

"Should we put this here?"

"Yeah, Jun-chan."

"Should we arrange these?"

The children chattered and decorated the cafeteria, transforming it into a lively space. Such an event was a first for these kids. It was different from the recent harvest festival. They were preparing for it happily and with excitement.

"Should the cake go here?"

"That chicken looks delicious."

"I've never seen so much food before."

"Daiki-kun, can you carry this table?"

"Where should we put the smoked meat?"

The older folks brought dishes one after another. Various cakes were lined up, and whole roasted chickens were carried in by the bunch. Barrels of ale were also brought in. People were setting out plates and glasses.

The welcome party that would follow was eagerly anticipated for the dishes. Snacking was prohibited, though. And we don't need smoked meat.

On the wall, there was a banner that read, "Welcome, Oukubo Ryuko-san". We had already heard the name from Karin.

Everyone was bustling with cheerful smiles, preparing for the feast. I leaned against the wall and watched them with gentle eyes. In the ruined city, this must be the first time such a grand party had been held. There had never been such lavish dishes lined up before. It felt like a child's birthday party, but it couldn't be helped.

"Isn't this spending too much money?"

With a wry smile, old man Shingen, who seemed happy nonetheless, approached me, and I shrugged.

"Well, isn't it fine? If the negotiations don't go well, we can turn it into a consolation party."

[In that case, please set aside some cake for the mysterious girl. All kinds, please.]

I chuckled at the actions of the ethereal Shizuku-san clinging to my head but glanced at the wristwatch I had just received from Serika. It was now 1:00 PM. The appointed time was 1:30 PM. She should be arriving soon. That was what Karin had brought with her.

Incredibly, Shizuku-san had disassembled it and reassembled it after. She said knowledge of a watch was important in battles. During that process, she had also carefully shaved off the back with "From Serika" engraved on it and the missing transmitter. So it was shining brightly now.

"Coming to a lawless abandoned town, huh? We have to welcome her. Besides, if she's willing to accept lower pay, moved by the children's welcome, that's even better."

We're also planning to present a welcome bouquet from the kids.

"She's quite the opportunist, huh? Well, I hope it works out."

Shingen chuckled as he laughed, seemingly amused. But there was no helping it. We didn't know how much the pay was in the inner town. We had heard the average annual income, but...

Now, as for the dwarf girl, it would be great if she didn't harbor too many biases against the ruined city.

"President, we've spotted an armored vehicle. It's heading our way."

A subordinate came to report, and I nodded, heading to the lobby to greet them.

In a crumbling abandoned building, amidst burned-down houses, shattered signs, broken glass, and toppled shelves in shops, a vehicle about 10 meters long with six wheels and heavy armor was coming toward us on cracked asphalt, cluttered with rubble and abandoned cars.

Everyone who had come out with me was surprised at the imposing military vehicle.

It costs a lot to move around in an armored vehicle in a ruined city. It's probably because the ruined city is feared to that extent. But it was substantial protection for a girl who had been given to us.

While thinking this, I watched the armored vehicle that had stopped in front of me. The hatch opened, and individuals clad in black combat suits I had never seen before emerged, holding automatic rifles. They briefly glanced at us and then scanned the surroundings.

They seemed like guards, but they weren't military. What were they?

Following them, Karin descended with a tired look and waved to me. She was dressed casually in her usual shirt and jeans.

"Sakimori, sorry to keep you waiting-nya. Is it a welcome party-nya?"

"Yeah, it's a welcome party for Oukubo Ryuko. We want to greet her with all our employees. Are they part of the security detail?"

Although they were cautious about us, the soldiers who understood it were safe and relaxed their stance. Their posture and quick deployment indicated that they had a decent level of training.

"These guys are from a security company. It's expensive. But it's their first visit to Amatsugahara Corporation headquarters. I requested them."

"Ah, a security company?"

A private force for the powerful, it seemed. Their equipment was too good. With that, it became even more unclear. Was Oukubo really that valuable to the inner town?

The girl who followed from the armored vehicle hatch made a metallic noise as she descended. She turned to face us.

"...Hey, Sakimori. Is today a dress code party?"

"Don't use such nostalgic words. I started thinking the same thing."

The girl who descended from the hatch was a dwarf. Her attire was... a dress. A pink, expensive-looking dress that seemed fit for a palace party. She had short, naturally curly hair and a cute, round face like a small animal. Despite being a dwarf, she was an adorable little girl.