Aldo and Clara returned from the dungeon, earning their keep primarily through excavation work and delivering the excavated items to the Digger’s Association.
“Clara-sama has reached a certain level of contribution points to the association. As a token of recognition, please accept this medal and a monetary reward.”
The receptionist handed a medal and an envelope to Clara, who accepted them graciously.
“Thank you very much.”
“We look forward to your continued success, Clara-sama,” the receptionist said with a bow. Clara wore a proud expression.
As they left the association, Aldo posed a question to Clara.
“Clara, what was that medal about?”
“Ah, Aldo-san, you haven’t received one yet, so I guess you wouldn’t know. We Diggers accumulate contribution points. By delving into dungeons, defeating malevolent spirits, or excavating materials and selling them to the association, you earn points.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“You even get points if your companion does the work. For instance, if you sell excavated materials to the association, I also receive a share of the contribution points. Though, of course, the person who actually did the work gets the lion’s share.”
Aldo stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I see. Interesting.”
“So, Aldo-san, how about we grab some tea together? As your senior, I wouldn’t mind sharing a few Digger tips with you.”
“Well, I appreciate the offer, but Iris is waiting for me at home. Sorry.”
Aldo declined politely, prompting Clara to respond cheerfully.
“Oh, no problem! You’re such a good person, Aldo-san, prioritizing your family.”
Clara lightly pushed Aldo’s back.
“Off you go! Iris-chan is waiting for you. Dash!”
“Dash? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” Aldo was flustered by Clara’s enthusiasm.
“Haha, see you later, Aldo-san. Say hi to Iris-chan for me!”
“Will do. See you around.”
After parting with Clara, Aldo returned home, where Iris greeted him as usual.
“Welcome home, Dad! Oh…!”
Iris stopped short upon seeing the sword Aldo carried. It was a weapon imbued with malevolent spirit energy, strictly off-limits. Seeing it, she clenched her teeth in frustration.
“I’m home, Iris. How’ve you been?”
“I’m good! But I’d be even better if you came home sooner.”
Her words pricked Aldo’s heart. He clutched his chest, the guilt palpable.
“Haha, you’re right. I’ll do my best to spend more time with you, Iris.”
“Okay!”
Although Aldo worked hard to ensure his daughter had a good life, he grappled with the dilemma of leaving her feeling lonely.
“By the way, Iris, are you ready to spend some time with Clara alone?”
“Um… I’m still a bit nervous.”
“I see…” Aldo respected Iris’s feelings. If she still felt wary of Clara, he wouldn’t force her to spend time alone with her. However, he couldn’t deny that having Clara help look after Iris would ease his worries.
“How about next time, we hang out with Clara together?”
“If you’re there, Dad… then okay.” Iris nodded, trusting her father’s presence.
Aldo took Iris out to town, hand in hand, to meet up with Clara. At the meeting spot, Clara arrived cheerfully.
“Hey there, Aldo-san, Iris-chan! Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Oh, hi, Clara.”
“Hello, Clara-san,” Iris greeted quietly, her gaze lowered. Clara crouched down to meet Iris’s eyes.
“Hello, Iris-chan. You look so cute today. Oh, you’re wearing the outfit I picked out for you last time. That makes me so happy!”
Iris blushed, unable to meet Clara’s gaze. But Clara simply smiled warmly.
“Alright, today we’re heading to the city to watch some street performances. Let’s go!” Clara pointed enthusiastically towards the city, leading the way.
The city wasn’t far from District A, where Aldo and Iris lived, and the group reached the bustling streets on foot. Even before the event began, a crowd had already gathered. Iris, being small, couldn’t see over the people in front of her.
“Here you go, Iris.”
“Wow…!”
Aldo lifted Iris up into his arms. At nine years old, she wasn’t exactly light, but Aldo’s strength, honed through his work in the mines, made it manageable.
“Step right up, folks! The street performance is about to begin!”
The lively call of a female emcee echoed, capturing the crowd’s attention. A large man took the stage, gulped down a bottle of liquor, and then spewed flames from his mouth.
“Whoa!” Iris exclaimed in amazement.
“Did you see that, Dad? He breathed fire! Fire!”
“Yeah, that was incredible,” Aldo replied, sharing in her excitement.
Though Iris knew about magic, seeing something seemingly magical in person was a first for her.
“Iris-chan, is this your first time seeing street performances? So cute,” Clara said, smiling at Iris’s wonder.
Next, the performer took a knife and tossed it high into the air. It spun rapidly before he caught it deftly, earning cheers from the audience and Iris alike.
But the real show began when the performer started juggling multiple knives with precision.
“Whoa, Dad, look at that! Isn’t it amazing? How doesn’t he hurt himself?”
“Yeah, it’s impressive. He must’ve practiced a lot.”
“Do you think I could do that if I practiced?” Iris asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Aldo, however, gave her a wry smile.
“No, it’s too dangerous for you, Iris.”
“Aw, but I want to do that knife trick too!”
Iris pouted, her lips forming a displeased “boo.” But Aldo stood firm, unwilling to budge.
“No means no. Your dad won’t allow it. If I catch you trying it with the knives at home… you’ll get a stern talking to!”
“Hmmph. Fine, I get it,” Iris grumbled.
Despite her protest, Iris was the type to obey once scolded. It was a behavior ingrained by circumstances, a sort of unfortunate obedience born from her environment.
“Iris, how about I teach you something even cooler than that performance?” Clara chimed in.
“Huh? Really? What is it? What’s cooler?”
Just as the large man exited the stage to make way for the next performer, Iris’s curiosity shifted to Clara’s offer. Clara put a finger to her lips in a playful gesture, signaling for silence.
“Hehe, it’s magic. I can use magic. Iris, you’ve never used it before, have you?”
“Wow!”
At the mere mention of magic, Iris’s eyes lit up. She was the kind of child who dreamed of becoming a magician, so the idea instantly captivated her.
“But,” Clara teased, “that comes later. For now, we should give our full attention to the performers. It’d be rude not to.”
“Okay!”
