Yuki led me to a store in the administrative district of the town of Laffan, relatively close to Aella's store.

　I could tell from the store's appearance that it was a high-class store, and I would have been a little hesitant to go in, but Yuki didn't seem to mind and walked right in.

　But Yuki didn't seem to mind as she walked into the store. As if pulled along by Yuki, I also went inside, but the inside of the ...... store was a little different from what I imagined.

　My image of a jewelry store is of glass cases lined with pendants and rings with price tags that I can't afford, but here, of course, there were no glass cases, not even a single ring.

　Instead, there's a reception set, an elegant-looking clerk, and what looks like a strong security guard.
　The clothes were formal, but the atmosphere was that of a rough trade.
　I was puzzled, but Yuki sat down on the sofa and beckoned me over.
　Ah, there it is.
　This is the same type of store where I had my formal wear made at Crevilly.
　The kind that doesn't accept poor people.

"Sir, please have a seat.
"Oh, hi, .......

　I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.

　It's not as old as Biesel, the steward of Viscount Nenus, but he is a gentleman with the same kind of elegance.

　If such a shopkeeper recommended me to sit down, I couldn't help but sit down.
　I sat down a little nervously, and tea was brought to me without much delay.
　A place where tea is served just for sitting down. That's not normal.
　But Yuki took a sip of the tea without any sign of hesitation, and opened her mouth.

"I'd like to see your ring today.
"The ring. Please wait a moment.

　No, why do you have to take the initiative?
　It would be nice.
　When the clerk leaves the table, I secretly whisper to Yuki.

Is it safe to go into a restaurant like this?

No problem.　It's not a place where you have to buy something if they show it to you. It's not like you have to buy everything they show you.

(That may be true, but ......)

　I'm not used to this, and I'm a bit of a novice, so this kind of store is quite a hurdle for me.



　I'm sure they won't force me to buy it, but it's okay, I have the money.

　Whether I buy it or not, I feel somewhat reassured that I have enough money to buy it.

　Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't have time to shop at Crevilly, so I have a relatively large wallet.

　There was no need to worry.
　Still, I took a cup of tea to quench my thirst.
　Yeah, it's good. Probably good tea.

Thank you for waiting.

　The waitress returned a few moments later with a thin wooden box in her hand.

　He placed it on the table and slowly opened the lid to reveal a thick cloth lined with rings.

　The rings were not studded with small gems, probably due to the cutting technique, but on the contrary, larger gems were used, and frankly, they all looked expensive.

What do you think?
Yes, it's a pretty good quality gem.
Thank you.

　Compared to my timidness, Yuki took the ring and held it up to the light.

　I know it's not something you can just hold in your hand, but .......

　You'll be able to get a lot more than just a ring.

　--I'm sure it's beautiful, but ...... it's just not my taste. I don't like the idea of an over-the-top ring.

I'm not sure what to do.　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

"Something that won't get in the way. ......?

Nao, rings are usually a distraction, you know.　You wear it to parties and stuff.

　I know that I wouldn't wear it in a situation where it would get in the way, of course, but what I want is something that I can wear on a regular basis, like a wedding ring in Japan.

　Something that I could wear on my left ring finger.

　When I told the clerk what I wanted, he said, "A simple one? ......" and pondered.

Is it difficult?
"Oh, no, we can make it. ......

　He said he could, but still looked a little reluctant.
　Yuki nodded with a wry smile at his appearance.



There's no technology for a simple ring. Hmm, how about embedding a small gemstone inside the ring?　If you polish it up, it would be quite beautiful, wouldn't it?

　At Yuki's suggestion, the shopkeeper looked up as if in awe.

That sounds good. It's going to take a lot of skill.
I'm not sure if it's possible to ...... do that.

　My image is that gems are not very resistant to heat.

　Putting jewels in molten metal would ruin them, and drilling holes in them and gluing them together with precision machining is also .......

Yes. Yes, it is possible, though it requires advanced technology. It's going to be a little expensive because of the magic involved, but how about ......?

　Mmmm, a simple silver ring would be tasteless.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

It depends on the ...... price, but I'll go that way.
Thank you very much. What material should I choose for the ring?
What kind of material do you have in mind?

　If you're looking for a ring, you're going to have to look at a lot of different materials.

In general, silver, gold, platinum and, for a little more money, mithril. Normally, metals other than silver are mixed with other metals. Platinum and mithril can also be used on their own. ......

　The clerk was slurring his words.
　If you use them alone, they are very expensive. I understand.

Silver is a little troublesome. It gets cloudy if you don't polish it. Isn't it?
Yeah, I guess so.

　I've never used silver jewelry, but I know that silverware gets cloudy.

　I have never used silver jewelry, but I know that silverware gets cloudy.



　I'm not sure what to do with it, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

"It's a mixture of platinum and mithril. The mithril content is about half.

　It's not just a platinum ring, but it has a strange color that looks like a rainbow depending on the angle you look at it.

　It's not available in Japan, and I think it would be a good gift for Haruka.

　The only thing that remains to be seen is how it will be used in everyday life.

Do you have to take care of it?
I just wipe it when it gets dirty. You don't need to take any special care of it, the shine won't change.
That's good to know. Order ...... Oh, I don't know my finger size.

　It's a great way to get a sense of what you're looking for, but you'll have to bring Haruka with you to actually buy it.

　It's a shame that I can't just pull it out of my pocket and give it to her as a gift.

　But Yuki gave me an unexpected suggestion.

"Oh, that's okay. There's an alchemy called 'Adjust', I'll take care of it for you.

"What?

　As the name implies, it automatically adjusts the size of the garment to suit the wearer to a certain extent.

　Since the range of adjustment is not very wide, it is not suitable for armor, and can only be used for accessories, hats, gloves, and other things that don't vary much from person to person, but it is still useful.

　However, because of the high cost, it is unlikely to be used for consumable items such as gloves.

"Hmm. Okay, can you do it?

"Okay, I got it!　Hey, hey, Nao. Since we're here, why don't we make a pair of rings?

　A pair of rings with Haruka?
　...... Yeah, that's a good idea.

And then...
I'm sure you'll be able to do it.
No, I'm not buying it!　I'm not buying it!


"d*mn. I thought I could go with the flow.

　I'm not going, I'm not going. I won't let you go.
　I've just become lovers with Haruka. I don't want to cause any trouble.

Uh, sir, ......?
I'm sorry. I'd like a pair of rings, please. What size should it be?
A little bigger. You can't make something small bigger.
I mean. As for the gemstone--

　I apologize to the clerk, who looks a little troubled, as if she doesn't understand our relationship, and we go over the details of the ring.

　The ring is made of an alloy of mithril and platinum, and the gemstone used is a ruby for Haruka and a sapphire for me.

　Since the gems available were small, the price was not high, but the price of mithril and platinum was quite high, even if it was only a small amount.

　Add to that the tech fee and ...... yeah, that's a lot of money to blow.
　I shudder a little.
　No, if you think about it, the weapons and armor we have are more expensive.
　Besides, it's a lot better than spending it on a one-night stand like Toya. I'm sure.

　　　　The ring will be ready in a month.

　We were told to give the ring about a month to complete, so we just paid the deposit and left the store.

　We only paid the deposit and left the shop. It would be more than a month before we could actually give it to Haruka, because Yuki would need to do some work on it after it was finished.

　But it was nice to be able to buy it without having to take Haruka with me.

　I think it's a good idea to go shopping together, but I'd like to give her the first ring as a surprise.

　--If you believe Yuki's words, it may not be a surprise, but ...... Haruka is a capable woman. I'm sure she'll at least pretend not to notice.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.　You'll have to charge me for it.


"Thank you. Aren't you glad I came with you?
Well, I didn't know where to go and it would have been hard to get in if I was on my own, so I'm glad I did. ......

　I couldn't deny it and nodded to Yuki who was smiling.

　In fact, a store like that is more difficult to enter than a jewelry store in Japan, and I would have failed in front of the store by myself.

　I'd like to learn from Yuki's boldness in not feeling self-conscious about not buying anything.

"But Yuki, you're always setting up traps, aren't you?

"Well, is it really a trap?　You're just trying to get a little bit of credibility. It's not like I'm trying to crawl in the night.

No, you can't go that far.

　Friendship ...... is in danger of breaking up the party.

　I'm not going to crawl in the night. I'm not sure what to make of that.

I don't think you need to worry about me, Yuki and Natsuki can find plenty of partners.　I'm sure they'll be able to save enough for stability if they keep going like this.

That's a terrible thing to say. I like Nao a lot, you know?

　I was at a loss for words when Yuki turned her face away from me, her mouth agape in a slightly sultry manner.

I'm sorry about that, ....... I'm sorry about the way I said that.

　If the person you love says to you, "There are plenty of other people out there," you may indeed be hurt. I'm sorry.

　I've heard that it's wrong to say 'there's someone better' when dumping someone.

　I've never had that opportunity.

And, you know, marrying a normal person is probably going to be a pain in the ass. Do you remember the effect of the skill robbery?

"Ah. I don't remember the details, but it's the one where you transfer your life span to your partner and eventually die, right?

Yeah. There's a high probability that me and Natsuki are being used. A wife who lives much longer and stays younger than most people. I smell trouble, don't I?



"...... can't deny it.

　You can't move easily in this world.
　You can't deny it.
　On the contrary, if there is anything unnatural, it will naturally become a rumor.

　If you're an adventurer who moves from place to place, it's impossible to have a normal marriage otherwise.

But Nao is an elf and knows what's going on, so she's safe, right?　You can't worry about dying first, right?

".........

　I'm confused.
　I'm convinced of the reason.
　I guess you could say it's classmates, but half the boys I haven't seen yet.
　I don't know if they're still alive, and I don't know if they're sane.
　You can't just choose one of them. .......

There is also the option of not getting married, though. It's fine while you're still an adventurer, but what happens after you retire? ......

　Life After Retirement.
　You can't really feel it yet, but it will come.
　What will we be doing then?
　Will we be married and have children?

　If possible, I would like to live a peaceful life surrounded by children and grandchildren, but if Natsuki and Yuki don't get married, there will be no children. .......

I'm not going to ask you to do anything that you don't want to do, but I would appreciate it if you would think about it for a moment.

　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time and money.