Wearing a suit with a shaved head feels a bit odd, but it brings a sense of freshness and sharpness to my spirit.

Perhaps it was because I acquired the self-healing (minimal) skill, but when I woke up, the swelling on my nose had completely gone down. Leveling up really does have remarkable effects. If the minimal skill can heal injuries this quickly, I wonder how powerful the higher-level abilities are?

I daydream about skills like rejuvenation or charm enhancement making me popular with women. But after seeing yesterday's skill list, it doesn't seem like those effects are likely.

Riding the train to work, I noticed there are actually quite a few people with shaved heads. Even the receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild was bald. Joining their ranks has made me more aware of their presence.

When I arrived at work, the female employees were visibly surprised.

"Mr. Abe! Did something happen?" asked Ms. Mishima Saemi, a woman in her fifties who usually looks down on me. She's pretty, but her perfume is a bit overwhelming.

"Ha ha, just a little image change."

"Oh... you look better this way."

I was unexpectedly well-received.

"Hey, Kaori-chan."

Kaori, or rather Ms. Yabazawa Kaori, looked at me with wide eyes.

"Ah, yes. I think it suits you."

Her praise seemed a bit hesitant, but genuine. Young people are so honest.

"Thank you. I'm glad I took the plunge."

"Uh-huh. You look cleaner and more imposing now."

Ms. Mishima was unusually engaging, which was a bit tiring. If only she'd help with the office work as much...

During lunch, Ms. Yabazawa approached me.

"Um, Mr. Abe, would you like to have lunch together?"

"Huh?"

"Ah, no, I just thought... you've been doing a lot lately..."

Was she worried I was troubled? Ha ha, Ms. Yabazawa is a kind person.

It's been about a month since Mizumochi came into my life, but it seems to have slightly changed the work environment.

"Yes, I'd love to."

Ms. Mishima usually eats out, so Ms. Yabazawa and I often eat alone, each at our desks without talking, just looking at our phones. Eating close together like this felt new.

"Here."

Though we didn't talk much, it was somehow nice to have company while eating. We finished our lunches and enjoyed some warm tea.

"Mr. Abe, has something been happening lately?"

Ms. Yabazawa finally couldn't hold back her curiosity. I've made this young lady worry about me, ha ha. Maybe I should tell her the truth.

"Just a little something."

"That good thing you mentioned before... is it about a girlfriend?"

Ah, Ms. Yabazawa, so typically female. Good news equals romance. But for a 40-year-old man like me, such opportunities are rare.

"No, no, it's not a girlfriend. I've started keeping a pet."

"A pet?"

"Yes. Actually, it's a slime."

"A slime? Like the magical creature?"

"Yes, that kind of slime... about a month ago on Saturday..."

I found myself passionately explaining how I found Mizumochi and how to care for it. At first, Ms. Yabazawa was surprised, but as I talked about Mizumochi's adorableness, she laughed.

"Ha ha, Mr. Abe, you really love Mizumochi, don't you?"

"Yes. It's only been a month, but it's already a precious part of my family."

"I was scared when you talked about the goblin, but I'm glad you're okay."

"Ha ha, sorry to worry you."

"To be honest, I thought maybe you were getting into some weird religion or being pressured by some sketchy people to do things you didn't want to."

Well, that's understandable. Maybe my mood swings have been a bit much lately.

"It's okay. I might consider joining the Slime Church."

"Ha ha, if you can say that, then you must be fine."

Ms. Yabazawa had seemed a bit intimidating with her gal makeup, but she's actually a kind girl who worries about an old man like me.

I've learned not to judge people by their appearance.

"But I'm relieved to know what's going on. You look good now."

She smiled as she walked away. She's really lovely.

Feeling great, I almost skipped back home. Today, I'm off for another walk in the dungeon with Mizumochi.

Just to be cautious, I brought a bat. I thought about a knife, but its reach scared me.

But my worries were unfounded.

There were no goblins today, and we enjoyed a normal walk and safely returned home.

What was that red gem the goblin dropped?

"Monster-dropped gemstones."

Searching online, I found Muscle V's blog post about it.

Apparently, they're called magic stones, and you can absorb magical power by destroying them. They're essentially items that help with leveling up. Maybe they give a small amount of experience points. The magic stones dropped by goblins aren't very effective, so the Adventurers' Guild buys them for about 100 yen each.

I didn't want to waste it, so I crushed it on the ground to use it.

"Hmm, not sure if it had any effect."

The lack of knowledge about dungeons is starting to make me feel uneasy.