416 - - There were four hundred and fourteen episodes...

"...... Let's die."

"Hey, hey Yuta. Don't look so gloomy and mutter scary things. Don't throw away your life over something as trivial as that!

Sylphy says it's just a little thing, but it's a pretty big bomb added to my life, you know?　I dressed up as a queen and said oh-ho-ho-ho, you know?

I was feeling kind of good about it, but when they forced me to change my clothes and come to my senses, well, you know what?　The black stuff that can't be sorted out in my mind is running rampant, you know?

"What are we going to do about Belle and the others if they die?　You're going to leave a scar on the psyche of those kids who are still so young."

He's saying the right thing with a serious expression on his face, but I have a feeling that this Sylphy is the cause of the indelible scars on my psyche...or was it my imagination?

However, I can't say I'm going to die if you keep quoting Bell and the others. There are people in this world who want to live but cannot. We can't talk about dying so easily.

Yes, role-playing in women's clothing is not a big black history. In Japan, there are many people who dress up as women for Halloween and it's totally normal. There are people who have been in trouble with the police for taking off their clothes in the heat of the moment, so it's still better than that.

...... Is it because of my own vile character or the depth of human karma that I feel at home when I look for someone lower than myself?

"Yuta?"

Yeah, I've been thinking about it. I can't keep worrying Sylphy with this nonsense.

"I'm sorry Sylfie. I've calmed down and I won't say I'm going to die..."

"Yes. Yes. Yeah, that's good. Um, I'm really sorry, Yuta. I got a little carried away.

Sylphy looks a little relieved. He seemed to feel responsible.

"Yeah, I'm fine now, don't worry about it. So, I was wondering if there is any way to erase the memories of the spirits?　If it's a spirit, is there any way I can ask a dark spirit to help me?"

If you can make this abominable event never happened, I would like to ask you to make a contract with a spirit even now.

"Yuta, I thought you had calmed down.

"I've calmed down, but I'd like to erase it if I could."

"...... It's true that dark spirits can erase memories, but the mind and memories are too sensitive to be easily manipulated. Besides, the spirits who gathered on the island are spirit kings, great spirits, and advanced spirits. The only person who could do something about it is Master Dirk.

A contract with Master Dirk would be more like a reward.

"Can I make a contract with Master Dirk?"

"He's a spirit king. Of course it's impossible. Besides, even if we could make a contract, it will remain in Master Dirk's memory, won't it?

......I wish Master Dirk's memory would be erased. Besides, I can't mess with the Spirit Kings' memories to erase my cross-dressing.

As a last resort, I should erase my own memory.　I feel that if I get drunk and make a big disgrace of myself, I can live peacefully as long as I don't remember it.

In Japan, we would have to live with it, but this is a solution unique to this world. It might be a good idea to have all the black history sealed deep in our hearts erased.

"Yuta. I know you're thinking strange things right now. If you do anything unreasonable, the damage will be even greater, so give it up."

He read my mind completely. It is true that doing something wrong will often widen the wound, but please understand that you cannot give up so easily.

But it is also true that ...... black history is part of our experience. Even if you could erase your black history cleanly and completely, it would be ...... hell if you build up your forgotten black history again in this world.

"Yuta, you'd better stop worrying so much and get it over with. The Belles won't go near Sake Island, but there's a chance they'll come back to this house, you know?"

Excuse me?　I look around the ...... room and see dresses, high heels, and ornaments scattered about that have been forcibly removed. Isn't it more embarrassing to be seen in this situation than to be found with pornographic books?

In a panic, I pick up the scattered queen's equipment and store it in my magic bag. In fact, it's this queen's equipment that's at fault.

Since it is a queen's equipment, if only she had made it impossible for anyone to equip it, I would not have had to equip it. At least, it's for women only, right?　And yet automatic size adjustment?　How can it even fit a man's body line perfectly? Next time we meet at the core of the labyrinth, let's have a good talk about all this and more.

"Now that we've cleaned up, it's time to head back to Sake Island.

"What?　You're going back?"

Is Sylphy a demon?　What side of your face do you want me to go back to where I was seriously injured?　In this case, it's a level where you're allowed to stay in your room and not come out for a few days, isn't it?

"Of course. The spirit kings are waiting for us."

I thought I would be forgiven, but it seems I'm not.

"I told you the Spirit Kings are waiting for you. Why are you trying to sit on the sofa?

Oh, don't pull that. I'd at least like to play with Belle and the others before I go back. I need to heal.

**

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. So let's open up the bars and taverns."

"Uh ...... yeah, right. Let's get started. Do we have to do something ceremonial?"

That's the Spirit King of the Wind. He read the atmosphere perfectly. If I get a tactless comment here, I'm about to go home.　

"I'm not thinking of anything ceremonial. Mr. Alvard will explain the rules of Sake Island to us, and then we'll be free to drink at any restaurant we like.

At first I thought about giving a speech or some other kind of entertainment, but I'm not daredevil enough to dangle a bottle of alcohol in front of the spirits and play long and slow with it.

"Well, Alvard already explained it to me."

They took care of those things while I was gone. That's Mr. Alvard, very capable. Let's declare the store open and leave the rest of you to your own devices.

"Well, I'm sure you'd like to have a drink, so let's open the restaurant quickly.

"Yes. We're all looking forward to it, so it would be great if you could do that."

I knew you'd want a drink as soon as possible.

"Okay. ...... Thank you all for coming today. Please follow the rules and enjoy the rest of the party. Now, let's open the store!

At my simple words, the 50 or so spirits that had gathered there began to line up in neat rows and enter the store. While I was gone, it seemed that they had not only explained the rules to me, but also decided which stores to enter.

"Hey, hey, Yuta. Are you okay now?"

As I was watching the spirits entering the store, Dine asked me timidly, "What are you doing here? Behind her, the contracted spirits were looking at me with concern. They are treating me as if they were touching a tumor. But I'm fine. I took care of it quickly while Sylphy was forcing me to come with her. I'm prepared.

What do you mean you're fine?　Did I do something to worry you?"

（Sí, Sylphy. Yuta, what's wrong?　Sis, you're scaring me.)

I answered, and Deanne hung on to Sylphy. Sylphy. I'm sure Sylphy can read my true intentions. Well, it's almost like a direct message, unless you want to push me into a corner. With those kind spirits, it's a fair bet.

(On the way back here he suddenly started yelling that nothing had happened. That definitely had something to do with it.)

(......) I guess you want to pretend this all never happened.

(What a pity.)

（But maybe that's the best option.)

(Yeah. I think Dory's right, too. If we're too careful, it'll create a weird atmosphere, and it's better to pretend that nothing happened and keep Yuta's mind stable.)

(...... okay. Then nothing happened. Let's let it pass.)

After the whispered consultation, Sylphy and the others turned to us. I was relieved because I could hear their voices subtly.

"Yuta. Nomos is working with the brewery. Vita will help where we are lacking. The rest of us will split up and help in the store, right?"

Me, win!　Our Japanese friends would have been happy to rub salt in the wound. If I weren't a party to this, I'd be preparing a big bowl of salt. ......The kindness of the spirits always saves my life.

"Yes. So please. I'll patrol the bars and taverns."

Now all we have to do is to keep this incident firmly sealed deep in our hearts, and even if someone mentions cross-dressing to us, we should be able to live a peaceful life on the surface.

I am left alone after seeing off the contracted spirits who are leaving quickly. I would like to go home and play with Belle and the others, but as the person in charge of this paradise, I should at least make my rounds.

But the island of sake seems lonely and devoid of vegetation. It is hard to imagine how things will change from here, though it can't be helped that there are only four stores in a fairly large island.

There will be more bars for sure, but I heard that some female spirits are obsessed with something, and they want to build stores for spirits other than humanoid ones. If we don't have a good development plan, we will end up with a chaotic space.

...... is a place to drink alcohol, I think it would be more interesting if it is a little chaotic, but spirits have an image of being flamboyant when they do things, so I think it would be better to keep a good watch on the area.

First of all, let's take a good look around this time. Now, which store should we go to first? Mr. Black's bar is kind of scary, so it should be the last one.

Mr. Glacier, the ice spirit, is hard to read his character, and Mr. Heat, the fire spirit, looks hot. I think ...... is a good place to start with Mr. Branch, a forest spirit. It is strange that I feel safe just because she is a forest spirit.