Frontiers ~Chronicles of Bucket-san’s Detailed Pioneering~ - Chapter 85 – Thank you, Hime

Frontiers is very strict with handling sexual harassment, and the system to report it is very easily available.

It’s the world’s first VRMMO, so as the face of the genre, the developers make sure to be extra cautious with this kind of thing.

… That’s why I never thought that I’d find an NPC who would engage in sexual harassment.

Of course, the measures provided by the system work regardless of the reported person being a player or an NPC.

However, the NPCs who live in the world of Frontiers are more cunning than the players who have an internal brake on attempting this kind of thing due to fearing getting banned.

In other words, NPCs can be more willing to test out the limits of what is and isn’t enough to be flagged as sexual harassment by the system.

“Even with this boring bucket head, it’s still great to get sake served by a young lass like you!” Haldrin exclaimed.

“I’m recording it all. I’ll report you later.” I told him plainly.

He laughed out loud, “As if I’d get arrested for getting a girl to pour alcohol to me! This happens everywhere!”

I could only groan in response.

If he wasn’t a craftsman who could expand the inventory, I’d never consider doing this… But for the sake of the expansion, I have to cooperate for a bit.

Though he made this incredibly unreasonable demand, he at least didn’t touch me… Probably because that would definitely be considered sexual harassment, which would get him arrested.

My current settings on sexual harassment warnings are at the maximum, but unfortunately, just like Haldrin said, what he is doing isn’t enough to trigger the system.

I’m recording it right now, but it will probably be useless just like he said… He is a bit too cunning to be caught, so I guess I’ll have to give up on getting him arrested.

“Can you even work after drinking this much?” I asked him.

“This little isn’t nearly enough to get me drunk!” He replied.

“Make sure to follow up on your promise…” I told him.

“I know, I know! Oh, look! It’s empty!” He exclaimed while pointing towards his mug.

“Got it, got it…” I sighed.

While the exterior of the building looked like a cheap apartment, the interior definitely looked like a proper workshop.

Moreover, it was filled with portable advanced-tier facilities. They may not be as good as the stationary advanced facilities, but they should still be better than the intermediate ones I have in my workshop.

He opted for portable facilities since he doesn’t like staying in one place for too long… I ended up hearing about this, and many other things while he merrily drunk to his heart’s content.

I couldn’t do much else while I was here, so I was forced to listen to this rambling…

This kind of behavior is way too annoying… I wonder what would happen if a man were to visit him and request for the inventory expansion.

Well… No matter what happens at this point, I’m fairly sure I can’t recommend him for Mika. There is no way she’d be able to stand this disgusting treatment.

She’d probably get too angry and end up using her blade, which would probably lead to her being arrested… This guy is really no good.

******

“And this completes the expansion!” Haldrin exclaimed.

“T…” I sighed, “Thank you.” At least it’s done now.

“Unfortunately I can’t expand it any further than this, but I can assure you no other crafter can expand more than this!” He told me.

“Then this is its maximum size?” I asked.

“I’ll tell you more since you gave me plenty of drinks, lass. There are actually rumors of an item on the end of a dungeon that can expand the inventory even further just by using it.” He replied.

“Oh, is that so?” I said.

“Well, the Demon Trees would still make it hard to find the dungeon, and then it would still be pretty tough to find people who can reach its deepest layers.” He elaborated.

“I see. Well then, I’m off.” I told him.

“Oh! If you feel like it, do come again!” He exclaimed.

“I refuse.” I instantly replied.

He just laughed at those words.

I ended up staying an hour serving drinks to Haldrin until he was finally satisfied with it and decided to expand my inventory.

… The quality of his work while drunk was quite surprising. He was doing such a precise and delicate work that really made one wonder how good he’d be when sober.

I’m proud of my skills as a crafter, but Haldrin’s work was certainly amazing.

Moreover, even if it was the portable version, he was still used advanced facilities without any issues, which truly shows how skilled he is.

If he wasn’t a disgusting pervert, I’d respect him.

In any case, that’s the end of it. The inventory expansion is now complete, and due to putting up with his sexual harassment, I actually got some useful information out of him.

And I’ll never come here again.

In any case, Haldrin seems to have come to Dotril due to rumors of the woodcutting near Capital Sabrina progressing at a very good pace.

Everyone who lives in Frontiers is scared of the invasion of the Demon Trees after all, even disgusting perverts… I suppose it’s natural for people from farther away to try moving closer to the capital where the woodcutting is progressing steadily, as it makes the area near Sabrina much safer than the rest.

Though well, we’re still in a game, so unless an event happens, this area probably won’t ever end up being flooded with refugees… Though it’s not impossible for this kind of event to happen, I suppose.

And I’m sure something similar must be happening in other countries too, after all, there are other countries where one can start playing.

It will take quite a while until we can connect with the other countries though. There is just no way to get there other than cutting through the Demon Trees, after all.

In any case, it’s time to return. I didn’t stay here for long, but goodbye, Dotril.

It doesn’t take long to go back to Sabrina because I can use the Teleportation Gate.

I spent more time traveling than within the city itself, but that can’t be helped when Dotril has no specialty products.

Let’s hope that the Pioneers who are working hard to cut the Demon Trees near here will end up finding an area that catches the eyes of others.

Though well, even is such an area is found, I will only come here if a material that is absolutely necessary to be purchased locally appears.

******

“And that was how I was able to expand my inventory, but I really don’t recommend it.” I said.

“I-I can’t even!” Mika exclaimed.

“Disgusting old man.” Lolita commented.

“Going there is… Impossible.” Lulu said.

“Impossible…” Hime agreed.

After returning from Dotril, I made steel equipment like usual.

Then, in the evening, we had a special emergency girls-only-gathering.

I asked everyone to come so that I could tell them about what happened when I went there to expand the inventory and… Well, everyone’s reaction was no good.

That was expected though. We’re all women, and none of us is okay with sexual harassment.

Mika in particular seemed incredibly disgusted and angry. She seems about to blow up.

“I can’t believe he made my poor Yuri do that… Making Yuri pour drinks for him!” Mika exclaimed.

“Thank you for getting angry for me, Mika, but what are you going to do now?

“I mean, you struggle quite a bit with the limits of the inventory, don’t you?” I asked her.

Mika groaned a lot in response to my question.

“Another method.” Hime commented.

“It’ll be too troublesome if we don’t find one for sure.” Lolita said.

“We still have the warehouse…” Lulu added.

“Indeed. Though I do want to expand the inventory anyways.” Lolita replied.

“An item in the end of a dungeon, right!? Then we just need to find it!” Mika exclaimed.

“I’ll put effort into it.” Hime said.

“Good luck, Hime.” I told her.

“Do your best.” Lolita added.

“We’re counting on you.” Lulu said.

Nobody wants to get their inventory expanded by asking Haldrin, after all… I mean, I can certainly understand it. Who’d want to be sexually harassed?

I absolutely hated it, and I have no intentions of ever going there again.

So, everyone’s hopes were put on Hime, then we dissolved the emergency girls-only-gathering.

Or well, that is what was supposed to happen, but after Lulu and Lolita left, Hime and Mika went back inside to relax on the living room.

That’s unusual… “What happened, aren’t you two in a hurry to go back to hunting?” I decided to ask.

“Need to talk.” Hime said.

“Huh? About what?” I asked.

So Hime still had something she wanted to talk about…?

Moreover, Mika was not only here too, but her previously relaxed posture had suddenly been straightened up… When this happens, it is usually because she messed up somehow and wants to apologize to me…

“Mika.” Hime said.

“Yes, Hime!

“Yuri, I’m sorry for renting the weapons for free for so long! Please let me pay for them properly!” As Mika said that, she opened a money transfer window.

“Ah…” I said.

“I scolded her.” Hime told me.

I could only giggle a bit at those words.

Seems like Mika ended up telling Hime about how she was renting the weapons without really paying for them, so Hime ended up giving quite the sermon to Mika.

I’m not exactly sure how a sermon from Hime, who doesn’t speak much, would be like, but Mika seems to be properly reflecting on that.

The amount of money she gave me was fairly large. It may not be enough to buy neither the Mysterious Sword nor the Dark Short Sword, but it can buy three pieces of steel equipment. This is definitely a considerable blow on Mika’s savings.

“Thank you, Hime.” I told her.

“You’re welcome, but you’re also bad, Bucket.” Hime replied.

“Ah, yeah… I guess I’m too sweet to Mika.” I said.

Mika just pouted in response.

“Well, from now on, I’ll collect the renting fee properly, so thank you.” I told Hime.

“Uhn… I’ll also do my best to pay properly.” Mika said.

“Do your best.” Hime said.

“Yeah, do your best.

“Besides, at least you are able to use some pretty nice weapons because of this deal, right?” I told Mika.

Me and Mika have been basically like sisters since we were young, and she has helped me a lot in various ways.

Although we did have our fair share of fights, I still love her very much, so I can’t think of her as anything less than my best friend. Just a good friend won’t cut it.

And because of that, I just can’t help giving her special treatment.

But now I have another best friend, Hime. She is an important person who scolds me when I do wrong.

This is advice from someone that cares for me, so I’ll have to think about it properly.

So thank you, Hime.