Monaka led a group of her female classmates on a tour of the newly built house.
"Everyone, look at this entrance!
The door opens both ways, it's spacious, and super easy to go in and out!
As expected of Leo-kun! What a wonderful home!"
She praised every part of the house, mentioning my name each time and singing its praises.
It felt a little embarrassing, but if she was that happy about it, I figured it was fine.
Before I knew it, Monaka's attendants, Onesko and Shinobuko, had taken up positions on either side of me.
"I was sure the house you built would be completely unacceptable."
"Nin. I thought it would turn out like a doghouse from hell."
"Almost every other class has one tiny hut per person.
Lower-ranked classes only get one for every two people, you know?
But the house you built is so big and impressive that our entire class of ten girls can use it..."
"Ah, that.
Since Monaka's whole class is girls, I figured it would be safer this way.
You two attendants would probably feel more at ease too, right?"
At that, the black-and-white duo ground their teeth with a frustrated "Kuu."
"I can't believe you were capable of that kind of consideration...! How frustrating...!"
"Nin. Even as an enemy, well done."
"But don't get cocky!
I've revised my opinion of you a tiny bit, but that's like going from a bag of bones to an actual horse!"
"Nin. And it's still a sorry nag at that."
"I'll at least say thank you!
But don't you dare get any closer to Monaka-sama than this! Got it!?"
"Nin. Next time we meet, it's a fight to the death."
"Let's go, Shinobuko-san! We need to check that house for any weird traps!"
Onesko and Shinobuko spat out their one-sided remarks, then turned their backs on me with a huff.
But the moment they stepped inside the house I had built, both of them fell into a dreamy daze.
"Wow, what a lovely scent...!"
"It's so soothing...!"
I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with making girls who saw me as an enemy look so entranced, but...
At that moment, I had reached level 4.
--------------------------------------------------
**Leopin**
**Occupation:** Carpenter
**LV:** 3 → 4
**HP:** 2010
**MP:** 2010
**Status**
**Vitality:** 201
**Endurance:** 201
**Toughness:** 1
**Spirit:** 1
**Resistance:** 1
**Agility:** 201
**Focus:** 201
**Strength:** 201
**Magic Power:** 1
**Divine Power:** 1
**Intelligence:** 1
**Education:** 201
**Five Senses:** 201
**Sixth Sense:** 1
**Charm:** 1
**Luck:** 1
**Dexterity:** 800 → 900
**Available Jobs**
**Production**
Woodcutter
Appraiser
Carpenter
**Exploration**
Ranger
**Combat**
Axe Battler
**NEW!** Ninja
--------------------------------------------------
"Kyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
A sudden scream rang out, and I jolted in surprise.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
A little while earlier.
Weiss, the leader of Class 1-20, was calmly analyzing the current situation.
It was common knowledge that pioneer academies started out with makeshift huts in the beginning.
After all, there were no materials or tools, and everyone was only level 1.
That's what they had taught in middle school classes, so there was nothing to worry about. Nothing at all...
Yet every time the two-story house came into view through the right lens of his glasses, his composure peeled away like cheap plating.
What the hell is that...!?
That's no hut. It's a proper house...!
That class shouldn't have been able to build anything like that until everyone was level 10 or higher...!?
And every time the shabby little shack appeared in the left lens of his glasses, he trembled.
Compared to that, what is my hut...!?
I designed it myself, and I'm a Sage, one of the highest advanced jobs...!?
And yet... and yet...!
Why does it look so much worse than the one built by jobless Leopin...!?
Suddenly, a noisy group of footsteps approached from behind.
The crowd stopped right behind Weiss and let out cries of shock.
"Whoa, what is that house!?"
"Amazing! That's a real house! Who built it!?"
"Isn't that Leopin standing next to it!?
No way, did Leopin make that!?"
"No way!? How did jobless Leopin build such an impressive house!?"
"Come to think of it, I heard something. Leopin used to help out a carpenter!"
"Hey, Weiss! What the hell is going on here!?
We gathered materials and built the house just like you told us to!?"
"So why is this the only crappy shack we ended up with!?
It's nothing like Leopin's house!"
"Maybe kicking Leopin out was a mistake after all...!"
"Sh-shut up! I'm a Sage! My decisions are always right!
The hut looks poor because of you guys, not me! There's a problem with how you built it!"
"What did you say!? You're blaming us!?"
"The worst! Shifting the blame onto other people!"
Class 1-20 was on the verge of exploding.
The one person who always stepped in to stop them at times like this was already gone.
But he ended up mediating their quarrel in a completely unexpected way.
...Crash, rumble, clatterrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
The makeshift huts of Class 1-20 collapsed one after another like falling dominoes.
"Ah... Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?!?"
The home that had vanished in an instant left the former classmates staring into darkness.