The next morning, on my way to work at my part-time job, I approached the manager in the break room before starting my shift and submitted my resignation letter.
In this part-time job world, even losing one key staff member can significantly impact store operations.
The manager’s expression turned bitter upon hearing the news. Nevertheless, after explaining my circumstances, he reluctantly accepted my resignation in two weeks, acknowledging it was for my future’s sake. He’s quite a good manager, and I felt guilty for causing inconvenience, but sometimes you have to make decisions to avoid lingering in a difficult situation.
The two-week notice period is the minimum required by law before resigning. Naturally, fulfilling this commitment is essential.
I filled out the resignation form provided by the manager when another worker entered the break room.
“Good morning!… Wait, Rokuyari-senpai, what are you writing? Oh, a resignation letter?! Senpai, are you leaving?!”
“Well, yeah.”
“Why? Why? Do you already have a new job lined up?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Whaaat, it’s surprising. I always thought Senpai would work here for a long time.”
This lively person causing a ruckus in the early morning is Koharu Yuzuki, a year younger than me. While she used to be a high school student until last year, due to her manner of speech and looks, she didn’t give off the typical vibe of a high school girl.
She’s a sociable underclassman or rather, more like a chihuahua — very friendly and approachable. She’s petite, with a boyish haircut that complements her somewhat androgynous facial features. Combined with her boyish attire, she gives off a younger sibling vibe.
By the way, she’s a gamer and has typical geeky interests, so we get along quite well.
“Rokuyari-kun seems to have become a seeker and wants to pursue that path,” the manager shared.
“What…? Really?! Senpai, a seeker…?!”
Upon hearing the manager’s words, Yuzuki looked as if she’d seen a ghost. Is it that surprising? Well, being a seeker is quite rare, no doubt.
“You became a seeker… Have you already delved into the dungeon?”
“Yeah. I awakened two days ago and headed straight to the dungeon. I practically spent all of the last two days exploring it,” I replied.
“How was it? Could you do it even if it was your first time? The dungeon by the riverside, right?”
The next morning, I headed to work at the part-time job and in the break room before my shift, I informed the manager about my decision to resign. In the part-time job environment, just one key staff member quitting can significantly impact the store’s operations, prompting a bitter expression from the manager. However, after explaining my situation, he reluctantly accepted my resignation, acknowledging it was for my future. He granted approval for my resignation in two weeks, in line with the legal minimum notice period.
Yuzuki entered the break room as I was filling out the resignation form. She expressed surprise and curiosity about my decision to leave, pondering silently.
Although Yuzuki tended to be chatty and inquisitive, her sudden interest and questions about my resignation were somewhat unexpected. Perhaps her gamer nature sparked an interest in seekers and dungeons.
After these interactions, I spent the next five days focusing on my job. The increase in my status from dungeon exploration gave me a slightly different perspective, but overall, there weren’t any significant issues. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this job wasn’t where I belonged, reaffirming that resigning was the right decision.
Additionally, I contemplated venturing into the dungeon for a brief exploration after work, but decided against it. The limited exploration time wouldn’t yield substantial benefits, and given the rigorous work schedule and growing physical fatigue, it didn’t seem feasible.
Balancing full-time back-to-back shifts without breaks, and considering the commitment with Kazane-san for the following weekend, I prioritized rest over short dungeon explorations. Instead, I spent any free time gathering information related to dungeons and seekers on the internet, focusing on areas relevant to me.
The internet served as a platform for seekers to exchange information, using anonymity or pseudonyms. There were websites that compiled this information, and I voraciously absorbed details that were directly pertinent to me.
For those meticulous individuals, the advice would probably be to do it before delving into the dungeon for the first time. But I’m the type who learns most efficiently through firsthand experience.
As these five days passed, the day of my promise with Kazane-san finally arrived. I woke up in the morning, got ready, and with a sense of anticipation, I pedaled my bike towards the riverside where the dungeon awaited.
