Worthless Skill Escape (WN)

Chapter 176

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TL: ALT

Chapter 176 – Neighbor’s Situation

“W-what just happened…?”

I explain to the sister, who doesn’t understand what the younger brother just did.

“He used a skill on me. I think it was probably Intimidate.”

“Wha…!?”

The elder sister is speechless.

“W-why doesn’t Intimidate work?”

The younger brother’s face turned pale.

“If we continue like this, we’ll never get anywhere. I’m telling you, you were the one who attacked first, right?”

I let go of the older sister’s shoulder and hit the younger brother’s chest with my palm.

“GGAAAHHH!!!”

The younger brother is slammed into the wall of the hallway and is unable to get up.

He is in a state of immobility.

This is the Hero’s unique bonus: “When you attack an enemy and reduce their HP to 0, you can leave them with 1 HP and put them in an immovable state.”

I didn’t use any skills or abilities, just a palm strike, but with my current attack power, it’s quite a powerful move.

…Would it have been better to go for a status effect like Paralysis?

But since I’m using the status effect attack of the Magic Swordsman, I have to draw my sword.

Even though I was hit first, I can’t just suddenly draw my sword in a place like this.

“Ya-Yamato!”

“It’s okay, I just immobilized him.”

…No, even if I said it was just like that, it still doesn’t feel right.

It’s unreasonable to expect her to be able to relax after her little brother was knocked out in front of her.

I took a Full Potion from my Item Box and gave it to the older sister, saying,

“Please use it after your little brother has calmed down.

“A-a potion that expensive?!”

“Well, I don’t think I’ll be in my room much. I don’t think we’ll see each other very often.”

If the younger brother doesn’t like me, there’s nothing I can do about it.

I’m sure I haven’t done anything to make him dislike me, but you don’t need a rational reason to dislike someone.

If he just doesn’t like me for some reason or doesn’t like the fact that I made his sister bow to me, there’s nothing I can do about it.

…Or rather, the younger brother’s words and actions earlier.

Seeing this, would I want to be actively involved as a neighbor?

For my part, I think that since we’re both adults, let’s just keep it to a safe level of neighborly relations.

I think that would be the best way to resolve this neighborhood dispute.

However,

“U-um, I’m sorry, but… there are various things about this boy. It’s just for a little while. Can you just listen to me for a little while?”

The older sister grabbed my sleeve and said this as if she was clinging to me.

“He wasn’t like this before.”

The sister and brother who live in the next room are called Miho and Yamato Sakurai.

In the end, I was led to their room after giving in to Miho’s request.

My place is a 2K, but this room is a 2LDK.

Yamato is still in an immobilized state, glaring at me as if he’s about to shoot me dead.

Even though I carried him to the bed.

After putting Yamato in his room, I face Miho-san in the living room.

I was under no obligation to listen to Miho’s story.

Nor was I moved by her despair.

I just remembered.

Miho-san refused to back down from Junko Tozaki in the Hikarigaoka Park dungeon and appealed to her to stop “level-draining” the soldier.

Because of that, Miho-san even got down on her knees and accepted having her own level sucked away.

After that, the level-draining story was swept away by the rebellion that Tajima caused, but at that time, Miho-san was trying to get Junko Tozaki to stop using monster PK on the boss.

To be honest, I think her humanitarianism goes a bit too far.

All things considered, I think Junko Tozaki and the scum who tried to attack Honoka-chan deserve to die, and if the situation allowed it, I’d even be willing to take matters into my own hands.

However, Miho-san’s past words and actions prove that she is a person of principle.

Even if her beliefs differ from my own, I respect her for acting on her convictions.

So, I decided to at least listen to what she had to say.

Miho-san offered me a seat on the sofa in the living room and made me some tea in a teapot.

She also made herself a cup of tea and sat down across from me.

“It all started with… that.”

In the tidy cupboard in the living room was a picture frame with a certificate and a plaque.

“…The first ‘Great Debater of the New Generation Award’ special prize, co-sponsored by Genron.net and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department?”

“It’s called a prize-winning essay contest. It’s a prize run by a major opinion writing website with a security company as a sponsor, and Yamato won the special prize.”

“Heh. I guess that’s pretty amazing…”

“I don’t really understand it either. He got a prize of one million yen, and after that, he got work doing serial articles for magazines and websites. He was also chosen to comment on a video-sharing website. He also has his own channel on MyTube, and he streams from his own room.”

In the room where Yamato was brought earlier, there were indeed computers, microphones, and other equipment that looked like it was for live streaming.

“He’s a high school student, right?”

“Yes. They say he’s a promising high school student and a conservative debater.”

…I don’t know what to say.

Judging from what he was shouting about earlier, it seems like he’s been influenced by a way of thinking that I don’t want to get close to.

I think Miho-san read my expression. She said,

“It wasn’t like that from the beginning. In the beginning, he said he wrote things that certain people would like to earn some pocket money. ‘Those people don’t even check the source; they just believe whatever convenient fantasy they can come up with. It’s an easy business…'”

She was probably trying to follow up, but this wasn’t really following up.

“But now that I think about it, maybe that kind of prejudice was dormant in my brother himself.”

“What can I say… male chauvinist?”

What did he just say?

“Are you satisfied to be dominated by a woman, even though you’re a man?” or “It’s been the job of men to lead the pack since primitive times.”

In this day and age, it’s ridiculous to seriously argue against such ideas.

Or perhaps it is even presumptuous to call them “ideas.”

Even among conservatives, few go so far as to deny the equality of men and women.

“I’ve said that you shouldn’t say careless things to people who are seriously thinking about politics. Even if you don’t agree with their opinions, you shouldn’t make fun of them because they sincerely believe in what they believe in.”

“Well, that’s a good point.

Even if you really believe in it, spreading wild rumors that you don’t even believe in yourself and then taking money from people who believe them can’t really be called political activity.

“…I was guilty too.”

Miho-san says, looking down and letting out a few words.

“I was so wrapped up in Rakan that I neglected Yamato. I could barely afford to send Yamato to high school… I think Yamato is a kind boy, so he tried to earn money any way he could.”

“I see.”

Whether he is a “kind boy” or not, that may have been his original motivation.

A conservative high school student vlogger.

And with that kind of look and voice, it’s no wonder he’s popular with some people.

“But as he got to know more and more people through his work, the things he said gradually became more extreme. It was only recently that he started saying things like, ‘It’s a man’s job to lead the pack.'”

“So he’s been influenced by something bad somewhere.

He’s still in high school.

If you aimlessly watch the recommended videos on MyTube, you may encounter some pretty outrageous videos.

Even on social networking sites, the information you see changes based on your interests, so there’s a good chance you’ll end up in a narrow silo without even realizing it.

In Yamato’s case, it’s even more so because he won an award for his essay and was doing his own distribution work.

“He’s been acting really strange lately. He’s been practicing his speeches in his room until late at night… The other day, it seems that the video content was deleted from MyTube because it was discriminatory, and he was screaming angrily in the middle of the night…”

“This is terrible…”

No, I can’t comment on that.

“Speaking of which, Yamato-kun is also an explorer, right?”

He was using the Intimidate skill just now, so it’s certain that he has that status.

However, Intimidate is a skill used by monsters, and I’ve never heard of explorers being able to acquire it normally.

The range of skills that can be acquired is different for each explorer, so it’s not impossible.

“Yes… It seems that he dives with the friends he’s met through his activities. I don’t know the details…”

“Miho-san is also an explorer, but from what I saw earlier, it seems that Yamato-kun is more advanced?”

Of course, if I used the Usurper skill, I could see someone’s status without them noticing, but I don’t intend to look at other people’s status unless I have to.

“Yes. I’ve been busy dealing with the aftermath of the Rakan incident lately, so I haven’t been able to explore. Also, I’ve had my level drained by Tozaki-san a few times…”

Ah, that’s right.

She was a victim of Junko Tozaki as well.

“Yamato originally had a delicate constitution and couldn’t do any exploration, but he said he got a good item from someone he met on a program where he was a commentator.”

“An item that heals delicate constitutions…?”

Haruka-san uses an elixir to make up for her lack of magic power, but does that mean he improved his delicate constitution in a similar way?

There are also cases like Sayuki’s in the job world, where becoming an explorer has made her body stronger and less prone to anemia.

“Yamato makes a lot more money than me now from streaming and exploration. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t listen to me anymore. Or maybe it’s because I’m a woman.”

Miho-san sighs deeply.

“Are you saying that he discriminates against Miho-san, who worked so hard to raise him? Even if he’s dyed in the wool, there are limits to what he can take.”

“I think it was the incident with Rakan that triggered it. When he found out that I was being subjected to unreasonable power harassment by Tozaki-san, Yamato got really angry.”

“Well, of course… he would be angry.”

I can understand that.

“That’s exactly what Kurashiki-san told me back then. Not to be controlled by anyone and not to control anyone. It’s difficult, but I’m trying to repay the debt of gratitude for saving my life in my own way, and right now, I’m dealing with the aftermath of the Rakan incident.”

“Please don’t take it too seriously. If you push too hard, it’ll be for nothing.”

“Thank you. However, Yamato had a different opinion. In other words, he thought it was wrong for a woman to be the guild leader.”

“…..Why would he come to that conclusion?”

It’s true that the guild leader of the Rakan Guild was a “woman” named Junko Tozaki.

But if you treat her like she represents all women, then most women in the world will be angry that you’re lumping them together.

“There is no such thing as a man or a woman when it comes to Junko Tozaki. It’s just that a monster as cold-hearted as her should not be put in a position of leadership.”

“Of course, I said that too…”

“…So it means that someone told him things that aren’t true.”

I can understand that he is angry about the inappropriate treatment of his sister.

But is he directing his anger at the wrong person?

Or is he being led astray?

Does this mean that someone has been directing Yamato’s “thoughts” in a way that is convenient for them?

“…I understand the situation. As for me, I have no intention of making him apologize for what happened earlier.”

If I were to be picky, even though it didn’t do any harm, I could report the fact that he suddenly used his skill to the Explorers’ Association.

But I don’t want to make things worse by going into that much trouble.

…I also gave him a pretty good beating.

That should be enough punishment.

“I’m sorry… It’s not like I can make up for what happened by apologizing, but I’m really sorry. Kurashiki-san is the one who saved my life…”

Miho-san, who said this and hung her head, looked even more haggard than before.

Miho-san and Yamato seem to be living apart from their parents.

I didn’t ask about the circumstances, but I think there must be some reason why they can’t rely on their parents.

Miho-san supported her younger brother with her earnings until Yamato became a conservative vlogger and explorer.

Although they are sister and brother, the age difference means that she is like a mother to him as well.

It’s too sad that her younger brother, whom she raised with such patience despite the unreasonable demands of the Rakan, is like this.

Still, I don’t think there’s anything I can do.

What good would it do to lecture Yamato from a superior position and tell him to change his way of thinking?

As a commentator and streamer, I’m sure he’s received a lot of similar criticism, so no matter what point I try to pick apart, he’ll have a ready answer.

It’s just going to be a case of you saying this, I say that.

First of all, people are free to hold whatever beliefs they want.

No matter how strange they may seem to others, you can’t force them to change their minds.

So, if I had a constructive discussion with him, would he change his mind and agree with me? I don’t think so.

I’ve never seen an example of a situation where, as a result of clashing opinions in the news or in parliament, a conclusion was reached that satisfied both sides.

“I just wish Yamato would grow up a little more and broaden his horizons…”

That’s true, and we can only hope.

But right now, the people around Yamato are all adults with one-sided views.

Besides, what he’s putting out on the Internet now will become a black mark that he won’t be able to erase when he realizes his mistake one day.

…So how to solve this problem…

To be honest, there’s nothing I can do.

I guess I could listen to Miho-san when we meet face-to-face.

Even that might be a bit much for a neighbor.

After all, it’s someone else’s problem.

As far as I’m concerned, as long as Yamato keeps it in moderation as a neighbor, that’s all that matters.

――And so my greeting rounds in my new apartment were somehow completed, leaving a slightly bad aftertaste.

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