Chapter 221: Offerings to Suzuki

Petrification disease -> Stiffening disease; I previously translated the disease the girl’s mother had as petrification disease as it sounded better than stiffening disease but since this chapter talked about petrification as well and it is supposed to be a more severe version of the previously mentioned disease, I’ll be switching the terms used.

The men Haru dragged over seemed to have really intended to steal the medicine made from Kiriri grass. Apparently, a cure for stiffening disease could sell for quite a sum in the South Continent.

That medicine was actually not only effective on stiffening disease but also petrification disease. Supposedly, they use it to treat people petrified by beasts called Basilisks that inhabit the South Continent desert.

It seemed that the thieves would be punished by the Adventurers Guild and all we got was a paltry reward.

After that, I met up with Kanon, Norn and Marina who carried the luggage and along with Carol and Haru, we headed to the inn Suzuki was staying in. I kind of recall I was told that Suzuki was staying in an inn nearby.

“That doesn’t look like an inn?”

There wasn’t an inn there but a mansion. There wasn’t even a sign for an inn.

The courtyard was spacious, the garden was meticulously maintained and there was even a fountain.

I would have been convinced if you told me a noble lived there.

“This place is used as an assembly hall for the town leaders of this country to gather for a meeting every once a year. Apart from then, the place serves as a charter inn — ”

“But then won’t it be expensive?”

After listening to Carol’s explanation, I asked using the tone of an assistant in a mail order program.

I said it with a strange tone but Carol ignored it and replied.

“It is 30000 sense a night and 10000 sense one time entrance fee. It is three times Carol’s price.”

“A single night is the same price as I am.”

Carol and Haru compared the inn’s price to their own.

No no, I got the two of you for a special price from Matthias and Quince, your normal price is usually much higher.

“Kanon, how much did you pay for me?”

“You were a discount so I got you for 50 sense.”

“Goho!?”

Marina was shocked to hear her own price.

Just what kind of price reduction happened to become 50 sense?

It seemed like it was a common for slaves to make fun of their own prices but feeling the same way as me, Norn and I drew back a little.

Letting the conversation continue any longer would be mentally taxing  so I rang the doorbell.

The ringing of the doorbell could be heard at the front of the courtyard but I wondered if it would actually reach the mansion.

Just as I thought about that, the mansion door opened and an old butler appeared.

【Combat Butler Lv38】

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Combat Butler job. In the past, Sebastian, the old butler together with Oregeru, had that job too.

But are there no ordinary butlers in this world?

I thought to myself as that old butler walked over. But his speed was as though he was running.

If he was a race-walking athlete, won’t he be the best in the world?

“Do you have any business with our mansion?”

“Erm, I am acquainted with Suzuki, the person living here, so I came here to visit. I believe he will know if you say Kusunoki is here.”

“Understood, I will let the master know so please wait here for a moment.”

He returned to the mansion using the same speed as before.

“Those movements, he isn’t an ordinary person.”

“Combat Butlers and Combat Maids have skill called Swift Walk. It is a skill that can achieve the same speed as running at full speed without losing breath while maintaining a walking form.”

“Combat Maid!? There are such jobs too? How do you become one?”

“Yes. After registering with the 【Housewife Friends Society】 found throughout the country and training for three months, you will acquire the job called Housework Helper.”

Housework Helper … is that even a job?

I kind of feel that is the same as being jobless though … Actually, it would be jobless if you’re helping with the housework at your own home but I guess it would be a job if you do housework at other people’s home.

It would be similar to a Domestic Helper.

“You will be able to acquire Maid after reaching Housework Helper Lv20 and Combat Maid after reaching Swordsman Lv20 and Maid Lv20.”

” … I see, that’s quite a gruelling path. Incidentally, do men become Maids too?”

“Yes. There aren’t many cases but I have heard of them before.”

” … I see.”

Having men called maids sounded weird to me but I guess it wasn’t strange for her.

So even guys could enter the Housewife Friends Society huh? Well, Japan had househusbands too so I guess it isn’t an issue.

Nevertheless, so this is a world where there might be muscular male maids huh …?

That’s a little disgusting.

After waiting for a little while, a window on the second floor of the mansion opened and a man jumped out.

The person rolled twice before landing on his feet.

And running over while exuding an aura of handsomeness — Suzuki waved at us. “Kusunoki-kun, it’s been a long time! The same as well for Haurvatat-san, Carol-san and Marina-san.”

“You haven’t changed at all, Suzuki. For now, could we enter instead of talking while standing?”

“Yup, sure, come in. I was just feeling lonely being all on my own. Concierge-san also don’t really speak much.”

So he was really living on his own.

Where are his companions?

I followed Suzuki while holding my queries.

Then, I turned back.

“Marina, what are you doing? We’re going to leave you behind.”

” … 50 … sense.”

Marina was still absentminded from the shock of hearing her own price.

We were guided to the reception room of the mansion.

Even though it was just a reception, it was multiple times larger than the family-oriented mansion I stayed in Japan.

“You sure are rolling in gold.”

“Hahaha, you’re wrong. I kind of accepted a request. I can’t let anybody see me before the plan sets in motion so I am hiding here. Kusunoki-kun, I’m surprised you knew that I was here.”

“That’s because I have an excellent information gatherer with me … so, that request is regarding the seizure of smuggled goods right?”

“Bummer, you even know the details … where did the information leak from?”

Suzuki muttered worryingly.

I guess it would be worrying if the identity of the undercover investigator for a smuggling job was leaked.

“There are information shops everywhere — but such information shops will never want to turn a country into their enemy so there should be a very low risk that the smugglers would get that information.”

“So you have it — my party’s excellent investigator has spoken so I guess it will be all right?”

Suzuki seemed to relaxed a little after I said that.

“Has the excavation of the landslide already been completed?”

“To the extent to allow carriages to pass. Thanks to that, Pochi could get some rest now.”

Pochi was the name of the Wyvern that traveled together with Suzuki. Because the path was blocked by the landslide, Pochi ferried the pedestrians across the blockage.

“Hey, Kusunoki-kun. I don’t believe you came here just to have idle chats.”

“I’m in a hurry to get to the South Continent. Could I come along for the undercover investigation?”

” …… ”

Suzuki made a bitter face.

It seemed that it wasn’t something he could easily assent to.

But I had a trump card.

“Everyone, sorry but please leave us.”

I requested Haru and the others and they left the room.

“Kusunoki-kun, I want to agree to your request but the more people there are for an undercover investigation, the harder it will be. Even for the undercover investigation this time, I had to slowly gain the trust of the influential underground boss in this town for over a year. If you suddenly came along, that person would not trust you — ”

“What if I have this?”

I took the item out from my item bag.

In Japan, I would generally not have such an item. Because Miri was around, I converted them all into digital format.

However — this was before the data conversion and was the single book hidden below my bed.

Miri stored all our Japan furniture in her dimensional storage and then transferred them to the item bag.

That book accidentally slipped in when she did that.

“This is —”

“Yup, the doujinshi of Japan’s famous pirate anime, Nyapiece. Furthermore, it is one from the famous doujinshi circle 【Gremlin】. I’ll offer this.”

” … It’s the real deal … this sensation, it can’t be reproduced with the papermaking technology of this world. How long has it been … since I’ve seen Japanese characters.”

Suzuki accepted the doujinshi from me as he shed tears.

I guess he misses Japan.

” … Nyapiece huh? I have not seen it for such a long time, I wonder what has happened.”

“That ended the year before I came to this world.”

“Eh? Erm, what happened in the final episode? Did Buffy become the Pirate King?”

“If you want to know the ending, why not look at this?”

I said as I took out the whole series of Nyapiece from my item bag.

That was also something Miri brought from Japan.

Suzuki stretched his hand towards the 49th volume (I was guessing he had read until the 48th volume) but — I grabbed that hand.

“Sorry but that would have to wait until our negotiation is over.”

“Yes, I promise to help you as much as I can.”

Very good, the contract is established.

Incidentally, I actually wanted to give him the Nyapiece comics instead of just lending it to him.

But Sheena has become addicted to it so she would hate me if I gave it away.

… That girl, she even went to learn Japanese and was in the midst of reading through the whole series.

Author’s note:

Thanks to everyone, the Growth Cheat comics seemed to have undergone reprinting on the day of sale.