Dungeon's Final Boss: Banished by My Boss, the Goddess, to Earth—So I'll Continue My Past Life - 16

Chapter 16: Mio Mimimi

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Ayukawa-san ate a lot. Awakened ones probably required more calories than the average person due to their enhanced physical abilities and the use of their special powers.

“The food at this place is really delicious!”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

She was already on her second round of the menu, but her appetite showed no signs of stopping. Watching someone eat heartily was oddly satisfying. I smiled as I watched her eat.

“By the way, Ayukawa-san. Do you only do video streaming and dungeon exploring?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re young, so I was wondering if you were attending university or anything.”

“I dropped out of university.”

Her expression darkened slightly at that. I regretted bringing it up, but abruptly changing the subject would have been just as awkward.

“I see. Juggling multiple things can be tough.”

“No, it’s not that… The truth is, I’m not good at talking to people.”

“Oh?”

“I somehow managed to endure it through high school, but once I got to university… It was like I burned out.”

She said she lost all motivation to do anything, so she dropped out of university and ended up living in that apartment ever since then.

“Compared to high school, I’d say university life is a lot easier when it comes to socializing. But I guess it depends on the person.”

I tried digging through my faint memories from a hundred years ago, but compared to being crammed into small classrooms during elementary, middle, and high school, university life hadn’t felt that bad in terms of social interactions. But that was just my experience. My experience wouldn’t  hold true to Ayukawa-san’s.

How she had seen the world through her own life was something I could never truly understand.

“You don’t need to dwell on it. Besides, you’ve become an Awakaned now.”

“Hah… Actually, I awakened after I dropped out of university. Back then, I was so scared of everything, I couldn’t even get out of bed.”

“But now, you can.”

“Yes.”

“I was already living next door by then, but I never noticed.”

I had been in that apartment even before she started university, but I had never paid attention to my neighbors.

“That’s just how it is.”

“Yeah, I suppose so.”

Finding out that a neighbor I had grown close to had been struggling while I was completely unaware of it made me feel somewhat remorseful.

Huh? Feeling remorse… Does that mean a bit of my humanity is returning to me? If so, that’s a good thing.

“You know, I wanted to live up to my name.”

“Live up to your name?”

“My full name is Mio Ayukawa. ‘Mio’ comes from ‘beautiful life.’”

“That’s a lovely name.”

“Hehe, thank you. But I feel like I haven’t lived up to it at all.”

“Is that really something to be so concerned about?”

“I was struggling so much that I did care about it.”

A slight bitterness seeped into Ayukawa-san’s alcohol-flushed smile.

“When I awakened, I thought… If I still couldn’t do things right even with these powers, then I guess I really am useless. So I pushed myself. Even though miners are said to be difficult to handle among the Awakened, I worked hard. I tried to overcome my social struggles through streaming. I put effort into my appearance, transformed myself into someone completely opposite of myself… But still, something just felt off.”

“You shouldn’t think too much about it.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“If you’re that hung up on names, then what about me? My name is Jiro. It literally means ‘the second son.’ What kind of life am I supposed to live based on that?”

“Pff— Ahaha! No way! Hahahaha!”

It seemed I had hit Ayukawa-san’s drunken funny bone.

“You’ve already done plenty to face yourself. Just do what you want without worrying about it.”

“…Yeah. Thank you.”

We talked about various things, and after she finished her fourth round of the menu, it was time to head back. It seemed Ayukawa-san had intended to pay from the start, but since she was drunk, I covered the bill.

“But I wanted to treat you as thanks!~”

“It’s fine. Let me treat you this time.”

Carrying a completely wasted Ayukawa-san, I made my way back to the apartment.

“Uuu~ I must be heavy, right?”

“Not at all. If anything, I could carry you with ease.”

“Huh?”

“Hahaha~ But that would be considered harassment, right?”

“No, please do it!”

“…What?”

“A princess carry! I’ve always wanted to be carried like that!”

“Well, if you say so.”

The apartment was already in sight, but since she asked for it, I lifted Ayukawa-san into a princess carry.

“See? You’re light.”

“Fueeeeeh!”

Just like that, I continued toward the apartment, finding it much easier to walk than when she had been leaning on my shoulder.

“This… This is bad.”

I climbed the stairs with steady steps.

“Something about this… Feels really bad.”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re almost there.”

Reaching her door, I set her down.

“Alright, here we are.”

“Mmm… Mmmmuuu…”

Muttering in apparent dissatisfaction, Ayukawa-san fumbled for her keys and unlocked the door.

“Well then, good night.”

“Um, Hasegawa-san.”

“Yes?”

“Would it be alright if I called you Jiro-san from now on?”

“Hm…? Well, I don’t mind.”

“Then please call me Mio. Oh, but during my streams, stick with Mimimi, okay?”

“Ah, alright.”

“Well then. See you later, Jiro-san.”

“Yes, Mio-san.”

“Good ni—wait. Would you like to come into my room?”

“No.”

“What a quick reply!”

“Hahaha, good night.”

Young people sure do like their jokes.

Since lingering in front of her door for too long would be awkward, I went straight back to my own apartment. As I made some coffee—more out of habit than necessity, since I wasn’t actually drunk—I suddenly heard a loud commotion from the neighboring room, as if someone were flailing around on their bed.

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