The next morning, Inari slowly sat up in bed.
The soft mattress and fluffy blanket were so comfortable, she felt like she could sleep there for decades.
“Ahhh… I slept well, I did. Well, not that I particularly need sleep or anything.”
Whether she slept or not, her bodily functions didn't change in any noticeable way.
Still… not using a bed when one was available felt like disrespecting the bed itself.
That was the feeling with which she’d gone to sleep—and it had been far better than she imagined. Because of that, Inari resolved to sleep in a bed at night whenever possible from now on.
She’d have liked to keep lazing around a bit longer, but that wasn’t an option.
Now that she had her Awakener Phone, it was time to begin seriously tackling dungeons.
First, she needed to use the Awakener-exclusive portal site to book one.
“Now then.”
Accessible only through the Awakener Phone, the Awakener Portal was a globally operated site managed by the Awakener Association.
It had everything an Awakener needed: auctions, fixed dungeon reservations, matchmaking services, and more.
What Inari needed now was to book a fixed dungeon.
Official data confirmed that Tokyo currently had ten such locations:
Tokyo Dungeon #1: a massive labyrinth, Tokyo’s largest, yet to be cleared.
Tokyo Dungeon #2: cave-type, home to goblins.
Tokyo Dungeon #3: plains-type, with wolves.
Tokyo Dungeon #4: settlement-type, infested with orcs.
Tokyo Dungeon #5: sewer-type, filled with slimes and giant rats.
Tokyo Dungeon #6: swamp-type, populated by lizardmen.
Tokyo Dungeon #7: underground prison-type, teeming with undead.
Tokyo Dungeon #8: old castle-type, featuring Living Mails.
Tokyo Dungeon #9: forest-type, with insect monsters.
Tokyo Dungeon #10: plains-type again, with beast-type monsters.
Though it looked like a varied lineup, most of the popularity centered around Dungeons #8 and #10. The reason was simple: their drops—things like armor and meat—sold for good money.
As for Inari, she had already cleared Dungeon #2 and Dungeon #3. Neither had been particularly challenging… but that didn’t mean the rest would be the same.
“Well, in time, I suppose I shall have to challenge Dungeon #1… But for now, mayhap I should work mine way up in order.”
It looked like there was an open slot in Dungeon #4. She was just about to tap the reservation button when her phone began to ring.
“Hmm? What now… Oh, ‘tis from Yasuno. Er… to answer, I press… this one, I believe.”
She pressed the call button.
“Hallo? ‘Tis me.”
“Miss Kogami!? Quick—turn on the TV!”
“TV? What nonsense art thou speaking from so early in the morn…”
Grumbling, Inari picked up the remote and turned on the television—only for a bright, cheerful screen to pop up.
—Today’s #1 is Cancer☆! Looks like unexpected good fortune might come your way! Your lucky item is blue lip gloss! Especially strong in love today—could be a heart-pounding kind of day!—
“...I’ve no interest in love luck and such… I don’t even know what mine star sign is…”
“Huh? Love luck?”
“If thou seek fortune-telling, methinks I could divine thee a better result than that.”
“Ah—wrong channel! Uh, switch over to this one…”
Following Yasuno’s instructions, Inari flipped the channel—only to see herself on screen.
It appeared to be footage of her getting into the car yesterday.
—As you can see here, the girl believed to be associated with the Awakener Association was seen leaving the scene by car. Doctor, how should we interpret this?—
—Yes. While the ‘Black Fang’ clan has always been known for its shady reputation, they did have their share of strong members. Judging from the currently available footage, it’s almost certain this fox-eared girl is heavily involved.—
—Do we know who she is?—
—No. We’ve found no matching profile in the official Awakener records. Which means… she may be a secret weapon kept hidden by the Association itself.—
They were clearly talking about Inari. Apparently, yesterday’s events had been caught on camera.
“…What is the meaning of this? Did they not say yesterday’s incident would be kept under wraps?”
“Yeah, well… it seems there was a paparazzi-type Awakener with perception-related skills on site. He sold the footage to a TV station. We’re handling it, but please stay indoors for the next two or three days.”
“Hmm… Very well. ‘Tis unavoidable, it seems…”
“Thank you. That’s all from me!”
Well, if that was the case, so be it. With a sigh, Inari gave up on booking a dungeon for now.
Not going out for two or three days wasn’t a big deal. She could simply use the time to study more about modern society—by watching TV and browsing the portal site.
“…Aye. Let us consider it time for study, then.”
With that, Inari shook off her frustration and changed the channel.
—Take a look at this incredible sharpness! Made by a specialist Awakener armory—only this quality could deliver such cutting power!—
—This’ll make your everyday cooking a breeze!—
“Umu… That many bonus items for such a low price… What trickery is at play here, I wonder…”
…Probably not going to be a productive learning session.
But well, as long as it was fun, that was good enough.