Aldo and Clara reported their dungeon-clearing success to the Digger Association. The receptionist at the Association processed it with little ceremony and handed Clara the reward money.
โYay! Dungeon-clear reward!โ
โYeah, congratulations, Clara.โ
โHere, Aldo-san, this is your share.โ
Clara gave Aldo half of the reward, but he shook his head, refusing to take it.
โNo, I canโt accept it. Youโre the one who defeated the boss, Clara. I didnโt do anything.โ
โItโs fine! Here, take it.โ
Clara firmly placed the money in Aldoโs hand. Reluctantly, Aldo accepted half of the reward.
โAldo-san, what are you going to do next? Since that dungeon is already cleared, should we look for another one?โ
โHmm, I was just doing dungeon diving as a side gig. I have a main job, so I might not get too serious about it.โ
Clara looked at him with a puzzled expression.
โHuh, I see. Well, then, Iโll find our next dungeon.โ
Clara clenched her fist with enthusiasm. But there was something Aldo couldnโt understand.
โClara, why do you still want to team up with me? Iโm not all that useful.โ
โItโs not about being useful or not. Itโs about whether I want to team up with you or not. You were willing to share the finds with me.โ
โThatโsโฆ Well, sharing is only fair! Besides, keeping the finds just for the person who discovered them seems wrong to me!โ
Clara leaned closer to Aldo.
โListen, Aldo-san. Being a digger is all about trust. Because our lives are on the line, we have to carefully choose who we team up with. I decided that youโre a trustworthy digger, Aldo-san. Thatโs why I still want to work together. Thatโs all.โ
โWellโฆ alright, then.โ
โOr, is it that you donโt trust me, Aldo-san? If you want to dissolve the team, I understand.โ
โNo, itโs not that. I just think someone better couldโฆโ
โStop saying that kind of thing!โ
โGot it.โ
Pressed by Claraโs insistence, Aldo gave in. So, they ended up deciding to keep working together.
After leaving the Digger Association, they walked part of the way home together.
โHey, Aldo-san, are you married?โ
โWellโฆ My wife left, but I do have a daughter.โ
โOh, I seeโฆโ
Clara frowned, realizing sheโd touched a sensitive topic. But Aldo laughed it off, saying he didnโt mind.
โItโs okay. I donโt even remember the details of when she left due to memory loss.โ
โHey! Thatโs not funny!โ
Clara dismissed his attempt at a joke.
โHow old is your daughter?โ
โSheโs nine now. Her nameโs Iris. Sheโs so adorableโฆ Every time I come home, she runs to greet me. Just recently, she begged me to let her sleep next to meโฆโ
โHaha, Aldo-san, you really love your daughterโฆ But isnโt Iris lonely without her mother?โ
Claraโs words cast a shadow on Aldoโs expression. A nine-year-old girl still craves her motherโs attention.
โYeah, maybe she is. Iโm just her dad, after all. When she gets older, thereโll be things she wonโt want to ask me about.โ
โYeah, I understand. Oh, hey, Aldo-san! How about I look after Iris?โ
โHuh?โ
Aldo looked at Clara, caught off guard by her unexpected offer.
โSee, youโre busy with your main job and even dungeon diving, so Iris must feel lonely, right?โ
โYeah, I canโt deny that.โ
โRight?โ
โWell, Iโll ask Iris what she thinks.โ
โGood idea. Itโs important to consider her feelings too.โ
Since their paths diverged, Aldo and Clara parted ways and headed home.
โIโm back!โ
โWelcome home, Dad!โ
As Aldo returned home, Iris ran to the doorway and threw herself into his arms.
โWhoa there.โ
โHehe, Daddyโs back!โ
Iris was clingier than usual, which only made Aldo love her more.
โWell, Iris, were you a good girl?โ
Aldo asked while patting her head, and Iris beamed, nodding.
Aldo and Iris then walked hand in hand to the dining table, where they ate the meal Iris had prepared.
โGuess what, Iris? I cleared a dungeon today.โ
โReally? Does that mean you donโt have to go into any more dangerous dungeons?โ
Irisโs eyes sparkled with excitement.
โWell, I might explore another one.โ
โBut when you clear a dungeon, the evil spirits are gone, right? But you can still excavate materials affected by their aura and sell them, canโt you?โ
Iris questioned, pointing out a logical thought.
โYes, you can safely excavate materials. But thatโs something everyone at the Digger Association knows. They all swarm the cleared dungeons, so if I go, my share would shrink.โ
โThatโs so unfair!โ
Iris puffed out her cheeks in discontent.
โHaha, but I did get a reward for clearing it, so thereโs still a reason to clear dungeons.โ
โOh, how about excavating enough materials first and then reporting?โ
โYeah, but youโre supposed to report right after clearing a dungeon. Excavating beforehand is prohibited and could lead to confiscation, fines, or even banishment by the church.โ
โMmm.โ
Iris would prefer her dad to make money safely without taking risks, but that wasnโt easy.
โSo, Iris, how do you spend your time during the day? Do you get lonely?โ
Iris pondered his question for a moment and then answered honestly.
โYeahโฆ I do feel lonely.โ
Since Aldo was kind, she figured that if he knew she was truly lonely, he might try to spend more time with her.
โI thought so. Well, Iris, I have good news for you.โ
โWhat!?โ
Irisโs face lit up, thinking maybe Aldo would be around more. Butโฆ
โOne of my fellow diggers, Clara, offered to look after you.โ
โHuh?โ
This unexpected answer left Iris stunned.
โThis way, you wonโt feel lonely anymore.โ
โOhโฆ yeahโฆโ
โSo, how about I let Clara know itโs okay?โ
Aldo looked at her with pure, caring eyes, truly believing this would help Iris.
โUmโฆ sure, thatโs fineโฆโ
Since sheโd admitted she was lonely, Iris couldnโt refuse. She didnโt have the best feelings about this mysterious woman working with her father, but she decided to check her out firsthand.