Ch.147 That Time I Got Fired in a Flash. Starting Today, I'm Unemployed

……Mmm--…….

"...Yaaaawn..."

Time to get up.

I slowly raised my small body.

I've become completely accustomed to my body.

I've finally come to a point where I can think, "This is who I am."

"Fuaaaa..."

I've been getting more sleep lately... so even though I'm getting enough sleep, I'm still sleepy.

"Hmmmm..."

Driven by instinct, I stretched my body in all directions like a cat, making strange noises.

It seems like a lot of my neighbors have moved out recently, so I don't have to be quiet in my apartment anymore, which is a relief.

Well, I'm usually up early in the morning and sleep early at night, so as long as I don't leave the house, I'm likely to be found...

...They're not going to rebuild this apartment because it's run-down, are they?

I can't look for my next home looking like this, so I really hope this is just a normal moving rush.

...Well, I'll assume everything's okay as long as I don't hear anything from the landlord...

I turn on the TV to use as background music and wait for my sleepiness to go away.

...Hmm, is it windy today?

Then Let's not wear skirt today.

Skirt.

I've gotten used to it by now, after a few days.

I hardly ever wear them, but I might put them on when I have some free time.

So today, I almost reached out to touch it, but with such a strong wind, it wouldn't be a good idea.

I think it's still too early for me to be venturing into that area.

I don't know what area I'm thinking about, though.

◇◆◇

"Burp."

I guess half a bowl of rice is my limit.

I have a small stomach, too.

I'm just a girl, and a child one at that.

Thanks to that, my food expenses have been cut in half, but somehow I don't feel like I've eaten anything... To be honest, I could go a day or so without eating and be fine.

I've gotten quite used to this body these days.

This body is that both of a child and of a girl.

Well, that sounds about right.

No matter how inconvenient or embarrassing it may be, if you spend several days living like this, you'll inevitably get used to it.

I checked various sources just to be sure, but it seems that there's no way a man can turn into a girl in a dungeon.

...Besides, no matter how much I search, it seems there's no such thing as a floor with a spring.

In other words, everything remains unkown.

That's why I've now confirmed that the cause of my current situation is that spring.

Even that dungeon changes its contents every few months as the plants regenerate.

The spring probably don't exist there anymore either.

I tried to go back a few times after that, but in the end it was impossible... I wonder how deep I've really gone.

I guess I'll just have to keep grinding through tons of dungeons and wait for that to apoear again... but it's probably not going to happen...

"Pipipi"

Hmm?

My company-issued smartphone.

Ugh, I've used up all my paid leave, so writing an explanation about taking time off requires a lot of mental effort...

Thinking that, I fiddled with my company-issued smartphone.

I hate my company phone because it makes my heart skip a beat every time it rings.

"Huh? ...Ugee..."

I had been communicating with them by email, telling them I couldn't call them due to various circumstances, so I ended up getting a "contract termination" notice.

"...Seriously...?"

Well, I don't think I'd get a good response by answering the phone with this voice and appearing on camera, but... getting fired after using up all my paid leave in just a few days, isn't that a bit too quick...?

I never imagined it would be such a tough workplace.

Well, in reality, no one at my workplace ever took time off for reasons like "I'm just feeling a bit sluggish," so I don't know if this is strict or lenient.

...But more than anything else—the fact that I'm thinking "Oh well" despite all this is what's wrong with my mental state.

What's wrong with this body...? I feel like "nothing matters" for some reason...?

I wonder if some kind of calming spell is being cast on me.

In reality, I don't even care about the injustice and strangeness of receiving a notice of dismissal before even getting a lecture from someone higher up...someone above my boss.

Honestly, I don't know why... but actually, if it's just about getting by, I can manage somehow... it's still not good, but oh well.

On top of that, I've been instructed to send back company documents and such "by the end of today"...and it seems like a lot of paperwork is coming soon.

But... hmm.

...Did my company always send out emails that were so uncompromising...?

To put it another way, it's so one-sided that it's almost as if some kind of force is at work.

I heard that things like that are pretty strict these days...

"................................................"

Huh?

Was I perhaps a candidate for downsizing from the very beginning?

Not only am I just an ordinary employee with no ambition, but they also already gave up on me?

That's the horrible reality I'm faced with.

...Yeah, this isn't just about me; there's a list of several, or even dozens, of people who will be fired if something happens.

Apparently, this time, they thought, "Well, Soya-kun feels just right. See, he hasn't been with the company for three years yet, and he doesn't need a retirement bonus♪"

"...Let's drink."

Pop!

◇◆◇

"Yaaawn..."

I feel sluggish.

It feels like I've lost a lot of important things.

But now that I've been fired from my job, I have to earn my own money, otherwise I won't even be able to live in this apartment...

It's a bit far from the station, but I can find pretty much anything around the station and mall, in less than 30 minutes by bus.

A safe and quiet residential area.

It's a bit old, but the rooms are quite spacious, and there's no one in the rooms next door or below, so it's okay to be noisy.

...Going home from this paradise?

"No, no way no way no way."

First of all, my parents would never believe that their son could be a girl like this.

And if they believed me... Since I've turned into a little girl, there's no way my mom would leave me alone.

I'll definitely be dragged around everywhere like a dress-up doll.

I don't want that.

It's humiliating as a man.

Wow, that was close!

I wish I had a side hustle in times like these.

With that, if I could earn at the level I was before this happened, it would actually be easier since there wouldn't be a company looming behind me.

"...No, that's not it."

I'll try a comedic banter with a weird level of energy.

That's not true, is it? No, no, it's because of the dungeon.

Oh, I guess it's because they prohibited side hustles.

So maybe that's why divine retribution came upon me.

...That's definitely not the case, but... I'll dive in anyway to change my mood.

"I'm really addicted..."

Even though it's the reason why things have turned out this way.

I can't really put it into words, but... dungeons are just too comfortable.

Why don't I just move in?

Into a dungeon?

In that damp, humid place?

"...Maybe it's actually not so bad?"

Or maybe not good?

As expected?

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