Chapter 1: Let’s Welcome Our New Member!
Tl note: Sorry for the delay
The day after our guild, <Eden>, was promoted to E-Rank, I—Zephyrus—was already calling in the new recruits we’d pre-approved, now that our member cap had risen to fifteen.
"Starting today, I’ll be in your care here in Guild <Eden>! I’m Lulu, nice to meet you, <Lucky Cat-sama>!"
"Alright, Lulu. You’ve greeted <Lucky Cat-sama>, yeah? Then next up, why don’t you greet the rest of the members of <Eden>?"
The very first to arrive was Lulu, a girl with the "Viscount" race category, who bore the <Symbol> called <Childification>.
She looked no older than six or seven, so rather than "girl," calling her a little kid would be more fitting.
When she entered the room, she started to greet Sierra and me, but then she just… drifted forward, like pulled by an unseen force, and went straight to the shrine to greet <Lucky Cat-sama>.
As expected of someone who calls herself a plushie enthusiast.
When I called her back, Lulu came scampering over with both arms stretched straight behind her.
What kind of running style is that!? That’s the kind of run you only see in anime—does it actually exist in real life!? Incredible.
"I'm sorry! It felt like <Lucky Cat-sama> was calling for Lulu."
"Pretty sure that’s just your imagination."
That was her excuse for bolting straight to <Lucky Cat-sama> first.
Still, it was kind of nice seeing her bow so earnestly. …Wait. Did I greet <Lucky Cat-sama> today? Crap. For some reason, I suddenly had the urge to go do it right now. C-Could this be… what it means to be called by <Lucky Cat-sama>!?
"Zephyrus, where do you think you’re going? Get back here. Lulu, you too—at least greet us properly."
"Yes ma’am~."
"Yes, ma’am.~"
With Sierra scolding us, I managed to turn my body away from <Lucky Cat-sama>’s corner.
Somehow, I had a feeling Lulu and I would get along.
Recently, our guild <Eden> was officially been promoted to E-Rank.
Sierra, whom I appointed as submaster at the time, seemed sharper than usual today—kind of cool, actually.
Under her watchful eye, Lulu turned to face me with a serious expression.
"Once again, Zephyrus-oniisama, thank you for allowing Lulu to join Guild <Eden>!"
"Sure. From here on out, I’ll train you hard, so be ready."
"Aye!"
She saluted, palm pressed firmly to her forehead, with a cheerful voice.
"…So cute."
One certain someone was clearly smitten by Lulu’s antics.
I couldn’t see her from where I was standing, but I just knew Hanna’s eyes had turned into little hearts.
"But really, it feels like a dream, being able to join the famed <Eden>. When Sierra invited me, I honestly thought she was joking."
Lulu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at us—like we were celebrities. Eyes that pure could probably cleanse the wicked. Good thing I’ve got a pure heart already! …Right? (R-Right!?)
Word on the wind is that our guild <Eden> is seen as some kind of unattainable, sky-high legend.
Supposedly, anyone wanting to join must undergo an extremely strict screening process, and only those who pass that tiny needle’s eye of a test are handpicked to join <Eden>.
Strict screening? Narrow gate? …Uh, what? Do they mean that one interview? I mean, I’ve never even rejected anyone before… so what’s this "rigorous process" they’re talking about?
Well, it’s not worth correcting.
If anything, this rumor helps keep pushy recruiters at bay, so better to just leave it alone.
"Alright then. Let’s get started on acquiring your job. You wanted 【Lolita Hero】, right?"
"Aye! Lulu can become one?"
"Of course. I’ll make sure you have it today—no, within two hours tops!"
After all, it’s the 【Lolita Hero】. I want her in our fighting force ASAP!
—【Lolita Hero】.
Primarily a debuff attacker, but with the flexibility to act as a tank, it’s a truly all-rounder job. It has a wide set of party-leading skills, and its solo combat power is extremely high.
It also makes use of <Small Moves>-type skills, which allow for quick strikes. Normally, you’d only be able to land two attacks in a turn, but with <Small Moves>, you can hit three. Its cooldown is short, making it excellent for rapid combos.
But that alone wouldn’t be enough to rank fourth among the Top of Jobs.
The real reason 【Lolita Hero】 earned that spot—besides the irresistibly cute (and dangerously moe) appearance—is its Unique Skill: MP Recovery.
【Lolita Hero】’s MP basically never runs out.
Dodge an attack? MP recovers.
Take damage? MP recovers.
Get inflicted with a status ailment? MP recovers.
HP drops below half? Big MP recovery.
HP enters critical danger? Then, once per battle, all skills can be used at zero MP cost and zero cooldown.
In short, 【Lolita Hero】 just doesn’t run out of MP.
And then came that signature chain attack.
Seriously, this whole Job feels like it only exists for the sheer fun of playing it.
It’s built for diving into hordes of trash mobs and mowing them down in a frenzy. Sure, it doesn’t learn any healing spells, so you’ll need to bring outside support—but still.
No wonder it ranks so high. Above all, it’s just an incredibly fun Job to use.
I used 【Lolita Hero】 myself during farming runs over and over, and I never once got bored—the battles were that enjoyable.
That’s why I’m placing my hopes on Lulu.
In <DanKatsu>, there’s no other Job this fun. (Objections welcome.)
And in real-life <DanKatsu>, I’m sure she’ll put on some thrilling performances too.
I want to witness that up close.
Which is why I followed through on my promise. Way ahead of schedule, in just forty-two minutes, Lulu had already met the requirements for 【Lolita Hero】. The only problem was, she wound up dizzy and woozy because of it.
Guess I might’ve pushed her a little too hard.
"U-uwah… my head’s spinning~…"
One of the requirements for 【Lolita Hero】, a Job with lots of "quick-movement" skills, is to "spin around in place three hundred times."
The unlock conditions for Lolita Hero are:
① Be a "Viscount" and "Princess."
② Fulfill the unlock conditions for 【Miss Sword Girl】, 【Female Swordmaster】, 【Female Warrior】, and 【Hero】.
③ Be an ally of justice and not have any 【Thief】-type Jobs unlocked.
④ Defeat 100 monsters using a sword.
⑤ Spin around in place three hundred times.
Simple, but brutal if you don’t know the hints. Then again… if Lulu already knew about Lolita Hero, that must mean someone else unlocked it before—someone who was a "Viscount." Maybe looking the part also makes people act more childlike?
"Well, with that, you’ve cleared all the requirements for 【Lolita Hero】. Once we get to the <Dragon Statue>, you should be able to claim it."
"Fumyuu! Let’s go right away~!"
"Sorry, but hold on a bit. Next is Kacheria’s turn. Hanna, I’ll leave Lulu with you."
"Yeah, leave her to me."
Lulu was still wobbling on her feet but brimming with energy. I calmed her down and handed her over to Hanna.
Then I turned toward Kacheria, who had been chatting with Sierra nearby.
I’d already started with Lulu first, but while she was finishing up her requirements, Kacheria had arrived too.
"Sorry for making you wait, Kacheria."
"Not at all. My talk with Lady Sierra was incredibly stimulating—it really satisfied my thirst for knowledge. Also, when you call me, just use ‘Cheria.’ That’s fine with me."
"Yeah? Then, Cheria—once again, welcome to Guild <Eden>. We’re glad to have you."
"And I’m grateful to you for allowing me to join. I may not have a Job yet, but I’ll do my best to live up to expectations."
"Don’t worry about that. You’ll be a 【Elementalist】 in no time. By the way, Sierra, what about the rest of the members?"
"They couldn’t come today, but they’ll be here tomorrow. Apparently, Princess Lana needed them for something today."
"I see. Got it."
Of the four new members, excluding Celestan, two are Lana’s attendants. Today, it seems Lana had gone back home for once, and her attendants—including Ester, who also serves as her guard—went along with her. That’s why they couldn’t make it.
Well, it is Saturday. People do go home sometimes.
Still, for some reason, without Lana’s cheerful voice around, the guild room suddenly felt… lonely.
The moment I noticed it, the silence weighed heavily.
No, she’ll be back tomorrow. Just a little patience. Time to switch gears.
Anyway, today we need to train Lulu and Cheria until they can pass the <Beginner’s Dungeon>.
Lana’s two attendants already have Jobs, which means Lulu and Cheria are the only ones in <Eden> lagging behind.
"Celestan, go request access to the <Beginner’s Dungeon> for this afternoon. I want Lulu, Cheria, and you to clear it before the day’s over."
"Understood. But the <Beginner’s Dungeon> is in very high demand right now. I can’t guarantee we’ll get the time slot we want."
Ever since the research lab announced methods for unlocking high-ranking Jobs, the <Beginner’s Dungeon> has exploded in popularity.
Now it’s nearly impossible to even book it for normal purposes—it’s as bad as the freshman dungeon rush at the start of May. No, even worse.
But there’s no need to worry.
"Talk to Professor Phyllis about it. I already cleared it with her yesterday, so it should be fine."
I’d spoken with Professor Phyllis after yesterday’s Guild Battle to check on the dungeon’s availability.
Apparently, up until recently, the <Beginner’s Dungeon> was open full-time, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with students constantly going in and out. But then it was discovered that the monsters summoned in the Arena could be used as substitutes for fulfilling Job unlock requirements. Because of that, adjustments were being made to allow students to meet their conditions there, which has started to ease the pressure on the <Beginner’s Dungeon>.
That’s something the game never allowed. In-game, you could only enter the Arena during Guild Battles, and only authorized teachers could spawn monsters. But here, students without Jobs can use it too? Reality’s amazing sometimes.
At the time, I remember thinking, Ah, that makes sense. After all, the Arena is part of the dungeon system too. And the monsters there aren’t illusions—they’re real. True, because of energy restrictions, they don’t drop experience points or loot. But if all you need is to meet a Job unlock condition that requires defeating monsters, there’s no problem. And above all, it’s safer than a normal dungeon. That’s the biggest advantage.
Since even slimes can be spawned in the Arena, students can now safely do Slime Pop Marathons. Honestly, I kind of want to see Hanna’s reaction when she hears about it… But it’s probably safer not to tell her.
"As expected of you, Lord Zephyrus. Then, I’ll be on my way."
"Yeah. I’m counting on you."
With his usual gentle smile, Celestan gave a graceful bow, then lightly stepped out of the guild.
When I glanced over at Cheria after seeing him off, she was smiling wryly for some reason.
"Something wrong?"
"No, it’s just… I haven’t even become a 【Elementalist】 yet, and yet you talk and act as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s very impressive—almost like an Elder Elf who’s lived for centuries."
…Was that a compliment? Yeah, probably. She likely meant, "You’re amazing." So amazing, she couldn’t even fully understand it yet. That must’ve been what she wanted to say. The metaphor itself just didn’t quite click with a human like me.
For reference, in <DanKatsu>, "Elder Elf" referred to elves who had amassed a vast amount of knowledge—usually those over a thousand years old.
"Well then, Cheria, let’s start with the Slime Pop Marathon. Since your job is 【Elementalist】, you’ll be using the bracelet series from 『Fireball』 to 『Holy Ball』—all six elements. Use these magic stones as fuel."
With that, I handed her six different <Bracelet of 『○-Ball』> along with a pile of magic stones.
Anyone aiming to become a mage-type absolutely needed those bracelets. But unlike normal magic, the <Magic>-type bracelets consumed magic stones instead of MP.
Luckily, thanks to Hanna’s mass production spree, we had mountains of magic stones. She could use as many as she wanted. And besides, slimes dropped them, too.
One of the requirements for 【Elementalist】 was: Defeat 20 monsters with each of the six elements. So we immediately began the Slime Pop Marathon.
Requirements for 【Elementalist】:
① Must be an elf.
② Must be able to sense and converse with spirits (usually achieved through classes).
③ Must be equipped with a two-handed staff and elven-style traditional clothing.
④ Must defeat 20 monsters with each of the six elements.
⑤ Within one day, summon a monster using a Summoning Board, then defeat it with elemental magic.
Apparently, Cheria had studied diligently—she was already capable of conversing with spirits. Back in the <DanKatsu> game, the condition was to send an elf to <Spirit Studies> class five times, but in real life, that sounded way harder.
As for the Summoning Board, the academy lets students use it during class. By filing a request, students could summon monsters as mock opponents. The crucial point was that you had to summon the monster yourself and then defeat it—it didn’t count if a teacher summoned it for you. That was important.
Another key detail was that this had to be done within one day of meeting the requirements. In other words, as soon as you fulfilled the conditions, you had to claim the job immediately.
With all that, it took less than an hour for Cheria to complete the requirements. By then, Lulu—who had somehow ended up being carried around by Hanna—was with us as we headed to the <Dragon Statue> at the noble dorms.
"Sorry for making you wait so long. Lulu, congratulations on your Job Awakening."
"Thank you very much, Zephyrus Onii-sama!"
Lulu had successfully obtained 【Lolita Hero】. Standing in front of the <Dragon Statue> in the measurement room, she struck a salute-like pose with a radiant, sun-like smile.
It had been a week since the interview. Back then, Sierra and Hanna had stopped me, leaving her jobless.
But this time, she’d finally done it. That brilliant smile almost hurt to look at.
"Aww… so cute."
"Yes, incredibly cute."
Two others fell victim to that smile besides me—Hanna and Cheria.
"Cheria, you like cute things too? Ester seemed to be obsessed with them."
"Um, yes. That’s true. In the past, Ester and I often went around to doll shops and fancy stores together. We even pooled our money to buy stuffed animals and lent them back and forth."
Oh? That’s unexpected. I pictured the tall Ester and Cheria hugging stuffed animals.
…Magnificent.
"Our family has always lived to serve our lords, so we were raised very strictly. Perhaps because of that, both Ester and I came to yearn for cute things."
As expected of an elf, Cheria explained it with a uniquely self-reflective tone.
Seriously though, <Eden> is just full of cute-things enthusiasts, isn’t it?
"Well then, it’s Cheria’s turn next. Lulu, swap with her."
"Aye! Cheriaaa, Lulu became a 【Lolita Hero】!"
"Yes, yes. That’s wonderful, Lulu."
With tottering little steps, Lulu ran and dove straight into Sierra’s arms.
She was so happy that she rubbed her forehead into Sierra’s stomach again and again.
It was a heartwarming sight. So much so that even Cheria, who was supposed to be switching in, stopped in her tracks and watched with a soft smile.
After that, Cheria successfully became a 【Elementalist】.
With this, every guild member finally had a proper job. At last, we could move on to the next stage.
"Congratulations on your Job Awakening, Cheria. From here on out, I’ll be training you hard."
"Thank you. Please guide me well."
Cheria’s goal was to become the strongest 【Elementalist】. Time for my Ultimate Training Theory to roar to life!
But looking ahead, clearing Intermediate-Level dungeons would be tough with just our current fixed party. We needed to raise the next wave of members.
That’s why I decided to focus on training the newcomers, plus Kalua and Rika.
Cheria was fired up too—aiming to be the strongest. That kind of drive was exactly what I wanted. With that spirit, she’d probably survive even back-to-back boss runs.
Yeah, the future was looking exciting.
"Zephyrus Onii-sama, what’s next?"
At some point, Lulu had slipped away from Sierra and appeared right beside me, gazing up at me with those wide, sparkling eyes.
Damn it, that upward glance + ‘Onii-sama’ combo attack is way too strong!
I forced myself to hold it together, locking my face into what I thought was a heroic, stoic expression. When I nervously glanced at Sierra for confirmation, she just sighed at me. …Guess my ‘hero face’ flopped.
"Ahem. Anyway, first, we’ll head back and run the Slime Pop Marathon again. Once you hit Lv.6, I want you to start grinding the <Beginner Dungeon>. If it’s this afternoon, you should be able to fit in a few runs. We’ll go over the details once we’re back at the guild."
"Aye, sir!"
With a crisp salute, Lulu answered energetically. I swear, she really loves saluting.
When we returned to the guild, Celestan was already back.
"Welcome back."
"Ouh, we’re back. How’d things go with the <Beginner Dungeon>?"
"Just as you said, Lord Zephyrus. Starting this afternoon, each arena will be prepared to accept students. The <Beginner Dungeon> will resume its normal function. Also, Professor Phyllis had an opening and agreed to take charge of the <Beginner Dungeon> class at 1 p.m."
"Nice! Then we’re good to go for the dungeon run!"
As expected—just like Professor Phyllis had mentioned. Great news.
Now Cheria, Lulu, and Celestan could run the <Beginner Dungeon> up to Lv.10. That meant by tomorrow, they could finally challenge the Beginner Low-tier dungeons.
With the biggest hurdle—the <Beginner Dungeon>—taken care of, I reshuffled our schedule.
"Alright, let’s kick things off with the Slime Pop Marathon. Hanna, help me out."
"Yep, leave it to me!"
Hanna started off by running Cheria through the Slime Pop Marathon.
Meanwhile, I gave Lulu and Celestan a crash course on their jobs.
Sure, they knew what their jobs were, but they didn’t understand how to use them efficiently. That’s where I came in—teaching them exactly how to maximize 【Lolita Hero】 and 【Butler】.
After everyone reached Lv.6, we allocated their stats, grabbed lunch together, and then, in the afternoon, I escorted the three of them to the <Beginner Dungeon>.
"Alright, you three, do your best!"
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what exactly counted as "doing your best" in the <Beginner Dungeon>, but hey—it was the spirit that mattered. With that, I cheered them on and saw them off.
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