Walking down the road that the dragons owner told us about, we came out on the main street before long. After that Ruruka guided me to the magic tool shop, and we reached it a few minutes ago. Presently, Im in the middle of scouring the shop for a particular magic tool.
Looks like it wasnt a lie that Ruruka also wanted to come see this store; she seems to be having fun looking at all the magic tools. After a while she approaches me holding one of them. Did she find what she was after?
Shiki, look, this magic tool is amazing! Just by putting mana into it, a magic toilet comes out!
Magic toilet?
What the heck is a magic toilet? Doubts spring to my mind in an instant, but when Ruruka infuses it with mana, a simple portable toilet hut like the kind youd find at a construction site appears.
The price is uwaah, 500,000 Zeni? Thats pretty high, but Shiki could afford it! Itd be convenient when youre exploring the labyrinth, right? Wont you buy it?
How can a single toilet go for 500,000 Zeni? No matter how you look at it, its a normal toilet.
I open the door to take a look and theres a lone Japanese-style toilet enshrined inside the half-tatami space. What about this is a magical toilet exactly? Whats next, a washlet?
Ah, maybe the inside of the toilet room is a safe zone with a barrier or something?
In that case I wouldnt have an issue with the high price anymore; that seems like itd have a certain amount of utility. But wait, no matter how safe it is, how would I like being cooped up in a portable toilet all alone with Yuel every time we take a break while exploring the labyrinth?
Something tells me I want to avoid that.
Nah, nothing like that. Ah, Shiki, be very careful where you step, ok? Cause if you fall in youll disappear.
I just heard some precarious words.
This toilet, whatever drops into it vanishes somewhere else by the power of magic. Thats the only effect, but you cant exactly flush with water in the labyrinth so its amazingly useful!
Put it back.
That does sound useful. It certainly does sound useful, yet the thought of spending 500,000 Zeni just for that is unbelievable. However, as if she didnt really intend to get me to buy it, Ruruka reluctantly puts the magic tool back where she found it.
Well, nows not the time for me to be concerned about items like that. The only thing Im seeking is a magic tool that increases mana capacity. By the way, theres a part of me that also wants to look for one with some sort of X-ray or clairvoyance power. Im not telling anyone what Id use it for.
And, as Im daydreaming while looking at magic tools I finally find it.
Even though it would absolutely be better for you to have huh, whatcha looking at, Shiki?
As for what Im looking at, its the mana-capacity-raising magic tool Ive been searching for. More precisely, Im looking at the the number of zeroes written on the price tag thats attached to the ring-shaped magic tool. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 zeroes. I must have made a mistake while counting.
The amount written on the price tag is 10,000,000 Zeni. In Japanese currency, thats a hundred million yen.
And I have around 2,500,000 Zeni in my wallet. Even though I received such a huge reward at the lords manor, it doesnt even cover half the price of this magic tool.
Isnt this thing a bit overpriced? As far as how expensive that is, I could easily buy several houses with that amount of money. I try looking for a slightly cheaper magic tool with a similar effect, but it seems this 10 million Zeni one that raises your mana capacity is the least expensive.
Yeah, this is too expensive.
Uwaah, Shiki, you wanted this ring? 10 million Zeni, huh thats unreasonable, shouldnt you give up on it?
Yeah, guess Id better give up on it. No, but if I give up here then I wont be able to resolve Eris troubles. Besides, outside of buying this magic tool, no other methods come to mind for how to increase the effectiveness of Eris healing magic without causing any future issues.
I might be screwed.
But man, why is it this expensive? Even though all it does is raise your mana capacity, no matter how you put it, 10 million Zeni is
No, maybe its a simple matter?
For a healer who can only use Heal, this magic tool could enable them to use High Heal. Thinking about it that way, I understand why the price was set like this.
Compared to the market price of around 400 Zeni for treatment with Heal, 50,000 Zeni is suitable for just a single use of High Heal to regenerate tissue. Just being able to use High Heal would be a huge boost to your daily income. And that will continue for the rest of your life.
If a healer such as Eris were to obtain this magic tool, her total lifetime income would skyrocket.
Its a straightforward concept. Wanting to improve the efficacy of your healing magic via a magic tool. A great number of people have gone down the same line of thought that I currently am.
Shiki, you have a lot of mana, so youll be fine without this kinda thing! More importantly, how about something like this one? Look, its not much, but its a bracelet that reduces the impact of a lethal blow.
Ah, no, its not for me this time, Im looking for a magic tool to give to Eris
To Eris-san?
I say it almost by reflex, then I realize. This isnt something I should be talking about.
Hold on, isnt the bracelet that Rurukas holding the same magic tool that Yuel and I had earlier? When I take a glance at it, the bracelet slips through Rurukas fingers. And makes a loud clang.
Spending 10 million Zeni on a ring, to give to Eris-san? Then that means, you and Eris-san really are
Ruruka mutters as her face turns pale. Uh oh.
Oi, Ruruka?
That mistress thing so all along, all along it really was like that.
I get the feeling she ended up completely misinterpreting it. After that Ruruka takes a step back, then another. Shes chewing her lower lip in vexation, and trembling as she looks in my direction. Her condition is clearly abnormal.
!
Then, when our eyes meet, Ruruka races out of the store to try and run away.
Its a misunderstanding. Im telling you, its a misunderstanding.
Its not an engagement ring or anything. I just wanted to clear up Eris worries about her healing magic. I was about to say that, yet Ruruka is already outside the store.
For now, I can only chase after Ruruka as she runs away.
It might be fine to wait to solve this misunderstanding the next time we meet, but I dont know where Ruruka usually hangs out. If I wait for her to take action, its highly probable that well never meet again after today.
Besides, I get the feeling that she was clearly trying to hide her true feelings with that reaction. Even I can understand that. I cant afford not to chase after her here.
When I leave the store, I spy Ruruka running from the main street towards a narrow alley. Then, just before turning the corner, Ruruka glances back in my direction. Looks like shes noticed that Im following her.
But man, chasing after a girl whos running away kinda feels youthful. I mean, on the surface it seems criminal, but this time its youthful.
Despite those thoughts I continue to chase after Ruruka, and it doesnt take too long for me to catch up with her. I wonder if its like that? Maybe she actually wanted me to run after her, and secretly ran slowly because she was waiting for me?
Nah. That cant be it.
What the heck are you doing?
Dont ask.
After a bend in the alley I hit a dead end, and Ruruka is indeed there. However, all that I can see is her lower half, hanging out of a small window in one of the deserted houses along the back alley.
There is. That something is right here in my item box.
I temporarily remove my hands from Ruruka and take that out. Then I use the warm water magic tool to melt that to just the right consistency. What Ive just created is: slime lotion. By that, I was of course referring to Slime Jelly.
With the lotion completed, I dribble it onto the entire window frame around Rurukas hips.
Eh, Shiki, What are you doing!? Why does it feel so slimy! What are you planning to do to me while I cant move!? Shiki!?
Please answer me, Shiki!
Ruruka is yelling at the sudden sensation, but shell understand once I show her how effective this is. I believe in the Slime Jelly.
Once Rurukas hips get real intimate with the Slime Jelly, I pull on her with all my might. At which point-
-With an audible pop, Ruruka easily slides out of the window frame.
All right! Youre out!
On the verge of tears, Ruruka sits down on the ground with a dazed expression as if simply because she cant understand what just happened. After a bit of time passes, she checks her own appearance.
Im glad I could get you out. Seriously, you should be grateful for my quick thinking.
Ruruka looks at her clothes that have become sticky with slime lotion, and her shorts crumpled on the ground.
Yeah, thanks but, I could use an explanation
After Ruruka says that, her face makes a terribly complicated expression like she doesnt know whether to be pleased or angry.
Even though this time I only did what Ruruka told me to do, I wonder if the fact that she didnt timidly thank me is due to my usual behavior or the Slime Jelly?
After that, Ruruka stands up. Looks like she put her shorts back on underneath the towel while I wasnt looking.
Uwaah, Im all sticky
It couldnt be helped, there was no other way.
I know that, I know that, but wait a minute, what was that slimy stuff? Why did you have it with you?
Ruruka questions me.
Yeah, Look, Im not very strong so I cant fight that well, right? When Im running from monsters I scatter that on the ground to buy some time.
Thats not the only reason, but Im not telling a lie.
Huh, seems useful. I often have to run when I get surrounded, so tell me where I can buy it.
Lets talk about that next time. More importantly, lets go back to that store from before, there might be a good magic tool.
While we discuss, we retrace our steps together. I wasnt sure how things would end up when Ruruka ran away from that magic item shop, but I cleared up her misunderstanding somehow.
Incidentally, theres a part of me that wants to probe deeper into the reason she ran, but Ruruka seems a bit unstable today. And her misapprehension is resolved, so lets ask her about it again some other day. While Im thinking it over as we walk,
That talk about Eris-san earlier that youre not getting married, is it true?
Suddenly, in a weak voice that I almost fail to hear, Ruruka asks me something like that.
Its true. But why
I see.
As were walking, Ruruka tugs on my sleeve as if she wants to say something. When I turn my head to take a look, Ruruka is hanging her head down low.
I cant go back out onto the main street until I change my clothes.
What shes saying is quite natural. Certainly, theres no way a girl can go out onto the main street all sticky with Slime Jelly. But this is a problematic proposal. What might the problem be?
Its the building were standing in front of.
The location where Ruruka stopped me by pulling on my clothes.
Right in front of my eyes, theres an inn that provides baths.
That is to say, inns with baths are often used for that sort of thing. If you enter as a couple, theres only one thing one thing youre going to do there.
Thats right, huh. Youre all sticky, huh. You want to change clothes, huh.
Yeah, and I cant go out onto the main street like this.
I wonder what her goal is? No, theres no need to think about it, its gotta be that.
But is it okay? I feel like were moving a little too fast. Besides, I still dont know why Ruruka is treating me favorably, and I havent asked her the essential details.
I wonder if Im making a mistake? Should I let it happen? Yuel wont find out, will she?
While Im still ascertaining the present situation, I notice Rurukas ears turning slightly red. I cant see her expression with her head bowed, but I feel like her body is trembling a little.
This isnt the time for me to waver. Shes surely inviting me. Its decision time. And that very instant-
Ah, were already full. Sorry, please find another inn well, Im not sure if any other inns are available what with the festival going on, though.
-The clerk happens to come out of the inn, and mentions that to us.
Oh yeah, thats right. I completely forgot. As a consequence of the festival, the inns are mostly full now.
When I look over at Ruruka, shes also looking directly back at me. Her eyes are wide open, and her pupils are clearly darting around wildly. Did the situation finally sink in? She blushes deeper and deeper red.
Her face was already slightly reddened, but now its practically the color of an apple.
This is embarrassing.
Thats not it I R-really just wanted to change my clothes. Thats all!!!
Then Ruruka runs off somewhere again, screaming. Twice as fast as when she ran away from the magic item shop earlier. No doubt about it, shes sprinting at top speed. Thats an adventurer for you, I wont be able to catch up to that.
Ah, my apologies, did I say something bad?
The clerk says with a grin. You did. You totally did.
I stare dumbfounded at the end of the alley where Ruruka ran off.
What am I gonna do about this?
How the hell should I act with her the next time we meet?