108 - - Episode 106 manages to do my best.

In the morning, after Meral came to pick me up, I left the inn to meet Mel.

On the way. What I found very interesting was that Belle was asking Dine to tell her a story, perhaps influenced by Dine's story. Is it a spirit, a little girl, or a woman?　Deanne is also happy that people are interested in her love story, and she is actively talking about it.

"Hey, hey... Why does she look so happy?　Can we just leave them alone?　No. That's not important, so why don't you just stay out of my life?"

Meral asks me to help her out, looking desperate. Meral is supposed to be older than me, but I'm the younger one, so let me tell you the truth.

"Meral. There's no point in running away at a time like this. You're a man who can just close your mind and smile and listen. You just hang in there."

Huh?　Meral looks at me with a "what's he talking about? No, Meral. If he looks like a kid, even if he's older, he'll probably be pulled by the kid's spirit.

Meral is so disgusted with my love story with Dine that she asks me if there's any way she can stay out of it. She can't seem to give up.

Yeah. Her expression of impatience is better than the one she had when she was worried about Meral. Maybe it's thanks to Deanne that he's feeling better. When I was looking at Meraru with kind eyes, she told me not to look at her with creepy eyes. I'm shocked.

****

"This is the workshop where I am worshipped. Mel is inside, so please come in."

We arrived at a place where craftsmen gather and the sound of making things can be heard from everywhere. One of them. It is a rather old, but quite large and magnificent workshop. I remember that blacksmiths have been in the family for generations.

When you enter, you see a little girl at the counter, and a young woman who looks like an adventurer is talking to her. I have a bad feeling ...... that I should come back. I've been accosted.

At the sound of the girl's voice, the adventurous young woman turns around and gives me a very disapproving look. You know me, don't you? I beat the kidnappers, so I guess my status as a necromancer is somewhat accepted, but they still don't like me...

What can I do for you?

Hey, Mel. Come here."

"What? Eunice, we have a customer. Don't drag me along!

A female adventurer named Eunice dragged Mel into the back. You can pretty much guess what she's going to tell him. I mean, is that little girl Mel?　You can't be a blacksmith or something. Hmm?　Tiny blacksmith = dwarf. Yeah, mystery all but solved.

Dwarves make sense. But I thought male dwarves were blacksmiths... but in this world female dwarves blacksmith too?

"Hey, Meral. What was that woman called Eunice who dragged Mel away?"

"Hm?　Yeah, she's Mel's childhood friend. But what happened?　Yunis looked at Yuta and had a terrible expression on her face."

"Well, I have the worst reputation in the Adventurers' Guild. That girl Eunice is an adventurer, isn't she? I think she's probably telling Mel about my bad reputation.

You have the worst reputation?

Yeah. It's amazing.

"Well, what are you going to do?　Mel is stubborn but scared. He might be afraid to even talk to Yuta."

Stubborn and scared. If I say I can have it both ways, will you?　

Can I give up?

"No. No, wait a minute. Are you a bad person?　If you're a bad guy, you shouldn't even be near Mel."

He's talking nonsense. Do you know what you're saying?

"I may have a bad reputation, but I'm not a bad guy. If you doubt me, ask Dine and the others."

I really went to ask. In a situation like this, shouldn't I say that I believe Yuta?

"Hmmm... I guess so. Yuta is a little mean, but basically I think he's a good boy. But he's an adolescent, so it's natural for him to want to be mean to his favorite sister. You're going to get in trouble.

"Shushunki?" Cue?""" Seishun. "Coo-ooh?"

That's the most irritating thing I've heard in a long time. Puberty ended a long time ago. I'm just a dreamy, grown man. And I'm worried that Belle and the others are getting poisoned by Dine.

But what was supposed to be a simple job seems to have turned out to be a troublesome one.

"I don't know, but I'm going to trust Yuta anyway, so don't do anything strange.

Meral. You definitely don't believe that.

What do you mean "weird"?

While I was sulking, Mel and Eunice came back.

"Oh, um... Sorry to keep you waiting. How can I help you?

"Yes, I'm ...... not waiting much longer, that's fine. My name is Yuta. I don't want anyone to hear what I have to say, so is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

I wonder how much of a bad reputation he has been taught.

"Well, but ......"

She's a childhood friend of Eunice and her friends, so she must be a proper adult, but she looks like a little girl, so I feel so guilty when she gets scared.

"Hey you! What are you going to do to Mel? I won't forgive you if you do anything strange.

Eunice hugs Mel and says threateningly to me. I don't know what kind of beastman he is, but the way he threatens me reminds me of a fierce beast. She's the same type of carnivorous beauty as Ertina. But a short girl and a brown glamorous beauty. I can't believe they've been friends since childhood.

"It's not that I'm doing anything wrong. It's just that I have to tell you something very important to me, and the less you talk to me, the better."

I knew this was going to be a problem. I should have come back quickly before I was accosted. Should I go home and come back now?　...... is no good. It's too suspicious to leave here.

I can't accept that."

Well, it's hard for an adult to leave a little girl alone with a person like me who has the worst reputation.

"That being said, it's an important story. ...... Mel, this is Melal's story. It may be the solution to your problem. Whether you listen or not is up to you. But if you don't, nothing will change."

...... seems to be doing some kind of psychic business, and I can't help but smell something fishy.

What do you mean?

"Hey. Meral is the spirit that's worshipped in the furnace there. What are you talking about?

I know what you're thinking, but I'm getting a little depressed. Eunice points to a small fire burning in a furnace at the back of the workshop. According to Meral, the fire is always lit except on rare occasions.

"Mel, you know what's behind me, don't you?　That's all I have to say. The rest is up to you, Mel.

"Hey. Yuta. You have to be nicer to Mel.

Meral is overprotective. I'm trying to be nice. She's using honorifics.

Don't ignore her.

"This is a talk as a spiritualist, and it is your decision whether or not you want to listen to it. You should keep your mouth shut for a moment."

Why are so many conversations with beautiful women so acrimonious?　I feel like it's 80% my fault, but I'd love to see some cackle-fests.

"I'm Mel's best friend. You can't even let me listen to this!"

"Yes. Yes, that's right. What I will tell you is the secret of the necromancer, so you cannot hear it. So please be quiet. What do you want me to do, Mr. Mel?"

Secret is something you want to keep secret, so you're not wrong. Sure, I heard a rumor you were a necromancer and beat the kidnappers, but ...... you're babbling on. Yunis knows that Sylphy protected Sara and the others.

"Oh. Oh. ...... will it help my problem?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Please tell us your story."

"Mel!"

"Eunice. I can't go on like this. If I'm going to take over the store, I have to get Meral's approval.

But... They call him a cheater. He's a scam artist. He's a scam artist who uses kids for his own gain. If he's in and out of the workshop, it will damage the trust that has been placed in this workshop for generations.

He said terrible things to me. You think I won't get hurt?　But I've never heard of an outsider who pampers children. Maybe we need to check out what kind of rumors are out there.

"Is that so?"

What are you asking me? Yes, he's evil!　He's a child molester and an outcast!　Do you really think there's anyone out there who's going to say, "I don't know, I'm not going to do it.　I'm beginning to understand why Eunice is worried.

I've never committed a crime.

"Okay. I believe you. I have a feeling that a lot of beings behind you are telling me that you are not a bad person.

Maybe Mel has a great gift as a genie. It's true that when Eunice said bad things about me, Belle and the others backed me up and said, "No, it's not true. Maybe they felt that.

"Mel. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Whew. Okay. On one condition. I won't listen to you, but you have to talk to me where I can see you."

It's a hassle, but I accept the conditions and choose a place to talk. As a result, I talk with Mel at the end of the corridor, and Eunice observes me at the other end of the corridor.

As he is a beast and a chemomimi, I asked Belle to build an air wall to block the sound as a precaution, so we should be fine. Finally, the story can begin. It's a simple and quick story, but I didn't realize it would take so long to tell it.

"Okay, Mel. What I'm going to tell you must be absolutely confidential. Not even to Eunice over there. If you break your promise, Meral will never come near you again. Is that clear?"

Oh, man. He's so nervous. You can't refuse me here.

It's... Is this about the contract?

"Yeah. It's a kind of secret of the necromancer. So you must keep it a secret. If I tell the secret, I'm sure I'll lose Meral."

"Yes, I understand. I will never tell anyone.

"Okay, I'll tell you. I'm here because Meral asked me to. I came here because Meral asked me to solve your problems and to teach you how to be a genie.

"Meral-sama?　I think they don't like me."

Mel's eyes widen. He was quite surprised.

"They don't hate me. It's just that Meral has evolved into an intermediate spirit and I couldn't make a contract with her with the amount of magic power she has. If you raise your level and increase your magic power, you can make a contract.

"Really?"

Yes, it's true. I'll teach you how to communicate easily now, so you can give it a try.

Mel teaches Sarah and her friends how to communicate with Fukuchan and the others. It's simple, so it won't take long.

"Well, you can try communicating with Meral," she says.

"Okay. Dear Meral. ...... if my magic power increases, will you make a contract with me?　If so, please move to the right hand side."

Meral happily moves to the right at Mel's words. When Mel confirmed that Meral had moved to her right, she cried out loudly, as if relieved that her worries had been relieved.

"Oh, my God! What did you say to Mel?

I know, right? Even if you can't hear her voice, you know she's crying when you see her. I'm getting angry when I see Yunis coming at me with a devilish look on her face. It's going to take some time to calm her down.