*

　When Mako woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar - Shelly's room.
　She looked up at the ceiling--.

'....an unfamiliar ceiling...'

　He mumbles an arrangement of famous anime dialogue.
　I think I'm doing something stupid, but this is the generation that watched it in real time.
　Sometimes I'm tempted to do these things.
　I look next to her, but Shelly is not there.
　Apparently, she's already started working.

'....well.

　I look up at the ceiling and ponder what to do.
　If I'm honest, I'd like to sleep more.
　But I don't think I should be laying around with Shelly working.

'....I should get up.

　I picked myself up and looked under the bed.
　I wanted clothes since I was naked, but there was nothing on the floor.
　She looks around to see what to do and notices that her clothes are on the bedside table.
　Carefully folded, they weren't the ones Mako had taken off last night.
　Shelly must have brought them from her room.
　I'm grateful for her thoughtfulness.
　I'm really grateful, but--

''I feel like I'm getting worse and worse.

　If Shelly is gone, I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.
　I am, after all, an octopus in an octopus jar.
　It's bad, it's bad, it's comfortable and it's hard to get out of the jar.
　In that sense, Sherry is a demon woman.
　It's probably too late for me to feel that way, because I can't feel a sense of danger while feeling that way.
　Let's follow this trend, Makoto let out a sigh and got off the bed.
　Reaching for his clothes, he noticed a notepad on the floor.
　The notepad said, 'Please take a shower before getting dressed.
　I certainly had to take a shower since I hustled last night.

''Well I'm becoming a useless person after all, aren't I?

　Mako scratched her head and headed for the shower room.

*

　When I went to the dining room after taking a quick bath, Shelly, who was at the counter, looked at me.
　Yuka, who was sitting at the counter a little late, looks up and makes a gape.
　I don't know why she made such a face, but it hurts a bit.

''Good morning, mister.''
Yeah, good morning.

　Mako returned the greeting to Shelly and sat down at the end of the designated seat - the counter seat.
　By the way, Yuka is sitting two seats next to her.

''Good morning.''
Oh, good morning.

　Yuka turned away, muzzled.

'What's the--'
Yeah, go ahead.
Oh, thank you.

　I thank Sherry as she sets the glass on the counter.
　I pick up the glass and drink the contents - half of the lemon water.
　It tastes good, probably because it's the first water I drink when I wake up in the morning.
　As I put the glass on the counter, Sherry opens her mouth.

'What are you going to do today?'
I'm going to Rogers Trading Company to get some equipment.

　The fight with Kuzuha broke my basket and chainmail.
　I'm going to take it easy for a while, but I want to be prepared in case of an emergency.
　I also want a magic item - a magic granting (enchanted magic) ring.
　With that, I can attack with the synergy of three powers - magic, spirit and chi.

''What about Yuka?''
Oh, I'm gonna crash at the inn.

　Yuka said in a supercilious voice.

'What's wrong?'
No, thank you. It's just business as usual.
'No, obviously not. The usual Yooka would have complained.
What's the point of being a regular guy?

　Yuka raised her voice, and Makoto was relieved.
　Apparently, he was getting back to his usual form.
　Now, what would he say next?
　Disappointing Makoto's expectations, Yuka turned away.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not complaining. I don't complain about it at least sometimes.
What are you up to?
I'm not trying to.

　Yuka looked miffed.
　Her voice also sounded miffed.
　Maybe - oh, no, no, this is s*xual harassment.
　Makoto averted his gaze from Yuka.

'If you're not feeling well, then you should go to the hospital.
Never felt better.
Are you sure?
It's true.
...Are you sure?
Why can't you just stick with it?

　Yuka asked back in a snarling voice.

'The Yuka I know is the kind of guy who messes around even when he's floating in forty-degree heat.
Where in the world am I?
Now you're in front of me.
'It really pisses me off. But I'm really not in bad shape.
The book and...
Okay.

　Yuka turned her palms up, interrupting Mako's words.

'I'll tell you the truth,'
Jesus, I knew something was wrong.
Yes, I do.

　Yuka turned to me and looked down.
　Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
　And--.

''It's because you came out of the door by the counter, isn't it!

　Yuka screamed so loud that the chattering and the window panes shook.
　It's quite a lot because Shelly is wide eyed.

'Why don't you just treat him like a normal person?'
It wouldn't be hard for you to do that!

　Yuka's face turned red and she exclaimed.

'Why do you come out like you're aiming at me when I'm the only one around!　And you look great!　Well, I know you two have that kind of relationship, but it's beyond my ability to butt in on you right now!

　Yuka covered her face with her hands and flapped her legs.
　She's embarrassed and even her ears are red.
　I think she looks refreshed since she took a shower, but she's going to be a bush snake.

'That kind of thing is even more embarrassing when you're aware of it.
I'm at an impressionable age!　Sensitively anti--!

　Yuka leaned forward and shouted, a huffy look on her face.

'You're in middle school?'
I haven't said anything yet!
'You got your erotic fantasies from the word "sensitive response" anyway. You mutzrisquebe.
'You don't have to call me a dirty girl!
I said Mutsrisquebe!
It's not the same thing!
No!　It's as different as a human and a ring-tailed lemur!
Don't say anything indecent!
"What's so obscene about a wahoo lemur?　It's the national beast of Madagascar!
'Ugh!　Ugh, yuck!

　Yuka moaned, her face turning red as she exclaimed.

'Dude, for the most part, Mako doesn't understand the subtleties of high school girls.
'You look like a schoolboy overreacting to an erotic word.
'You don't understand, Araphora,'
That's not the point.
"Ha, you can't just say that...
Why do you have to be so quiet?

　He rushes into Yuka, who turns red and goes silent.

'It's nothing,'
'You're just saying that and having a nasty fantasy about it anyway, aren't you?' I almost said, 'I wonder if saying this would take the conversation in an erotic direction?' And you've had second thoughts. I know, I know, what you might think.
You can't get inside my head!
Yuka...
What?

　When Makoto called out quietly to her, Yuka stammered.

'Is your head okay?'
Why are you being so straightforward?
You sound like someone who's receiving a signal, kind of.
Don't make me sound like a pitiful person.
....
What, your eyes...

　When Makoto stared at her silently, Yuka crossed her arms over her chest to protect her chest.

'There's a mistake and I'll point it out to you.
What's a mistake?
'I didn't mean to sound like a poor man, I just felt sorry for you.
You're such an a**h*le!

　Yuka exclaimed.

''Mostly, what's so pitiful about me? You're so beautiful and so smart.
Character.
Don't give me a quick answer, just try a little harder!
What's the effort?
Of course I'm trying to find a pretty face!
That's a tough sell.
It's not that expensive!
So what do you think is pretty about yourself, then?
Where is...

　Yuka fell silent and opened her mouth timidly.

''Isn't this kind of stubbornness a high point?''
I don't care if you're just trying to be mean~. I think that tsunts and delinquents should be part of the set.
Why would you deny it?

　Yuka tapped the counter and stood up.
　Then she looked at the counter.

'Come in.'
Thanks.

　Shelly put the glass on the counter and Yuka gulped it down in one go.

'Puh-leeze!'
You're not even drinking the water.
'There's no such thing as a pretty drink of water,'

　Yuka said disgustedly and put her glass on the counter.

'For the most part, the idea of thinking about something erotic because you're Alafou--'
Why do you keep coming back to that?
Well, shut up.

　When Makoto straightened up his residence, Yuka followed suit.

'It's not easy being an araphora,'
....

　Yuka is silent.

'When I get in an elevator with a woman...'
You expecting a ride?
'Yeah, I think my life would be ruined if someone shouted out that I'm a pervert in here.
Why would you think that?

　Yuka looked at me as if I were a bug.

''It's called crisis management, isn't it?
You're just being paranoid.

　Yuka said as she spat.

'So if you think the old man is thinking about something erotic, you're wrong.
You're not going to sulk because you're a cherry.
....

　Mako turned forward and brought the glass to her mouth.

'Go ahead and shove it!'

　Yuka shouted and slapped Mako's two arms with the back of her hand.

'You're going to say something else when I shove you in there, aren't you?'
I'm telling you!　I'm the one who said "cherry" at the end of my life?
You're a cheapskate.
f*ck!

　Yuka raised her voice and glared at me.
　Waiting for a shove.
　No, it's a silent threat to shove it.

''..........................age has nothing to do with sulking, does it?
'You need to go into it more seriously!
You can't just shove it in there like that!
You were just going through the motions!
I can't get out when I'm conscious!
Squeeze it out!　Whatever you can come up with, come up with a story!
I told you we can't!
Let me out!　Just let me out!
I'm gonna give you a p*n*s.
Bottom line?

　Yuka tilted her head curiously and turned bright red from shame.

'Pervert!　Pervert, pervert, pervert!
You said you could do whatever you wanted.
'I don't want to be a prick!　I'm not going to let it be the butt of a story, ever--

　Yuka looked at me with a huff.

'What?'
Didn't you just tell me that you wanted to turn your back on me and go to the hospital?
Oh, yeah?

　Makoto said as he turned away from Yuka.

'Why aren't you making eye contact with me?'
You'll have one of those days.
You're not going to...

　Yuka fell silent.

'It's tainted!　You've ruined it!　They looked at me s*xually!
Well, I'm not looking at you in a s*xual way.
So why did you tell me to go to the hospital?
It's just... it doesn't feel right, you know?
'It's defiled!　Mako has defiled me!　I was humiliated in my brain!

　Yuka shouted and covered her face with her hands.

'Your husbands are so close, aren't they?

　Sherry muttered in a sincere tone and poured the lemon water into the glass.

*Sir.

　The sound of nails being hammered from all over the city could be heard.
　Makoto was walking down the main street and--

It's pretty loud.

　I muttered quietly.
　Despite the fact that I said yesterday that humans are resilient, I'm still muttering this.
　I guess I'm not human enough, after all.
　That's why they don't respect me.
　Frank had won Yuka's trust in a few days, and yet--''

''........Respect?''

　Mako looked up at the sky.
　He piled on the respectable actions, failed and re-stacked them.
　It's like a roll of the dice.
　One stone, then two - the demon (Yuka) would break them down.
　It's hard.
　It's too painful.
　My heart breaks just thinking about it.
　Do you want to be respected that badly?

'No, that's fine, right there, right there. It's not that I don't like the relationship we have now.

　Mako completed the rationalization and stopped in front of the Rogers Chamber of Commerce.
　They were putting up scaffolding and repairing the building, but it seemed they were already back in business.
　A clerk approached quickly as he opened the door and walked in.

'Welcome to Rogers Trading Company. Miss Makoto, how may I help you today?
The basket and...oh, the chainmail. Anyway, they're both broken.
I see. So you want a new piece of equipment.
Well, that's just the way it is.
Right this way, then.

　The clerk pointed to the back of the store with an acting motion.
　The palm of his hand points to the counter rather than the equipment section.
　It looks like expensive equipment is being sold.
　I should have brought Yuka with me.
　She would have stopped the clerk.

'Come in, over here.
Yeah.

　I made up my mind to go to the counter, deciding to come back out if it was too expensive.
　The counter was made of glass.
　Inside it, jewelry gleamed.

''........Come in.''
Yeah, thanks.

　Makoto sat in a chair as the clerk urged him to sit down.

'You mentioned basketry and chainmail, what exactly do you think of that?'
Specifically?

　Mako crossed her arms.
　He was thinking of the first adamantine alloy basket and chainmail he had ever purchased, but since he'd bothered to ask, did that mean he had better items to offer?
　I wish I had a basket of magic-enhancing powers that I had acquired from Christine--''

''Do you have a magic-enhancing cage?
Yes, thank you.
Do you have one?
Yes, I have prepared for this day.

　The clerk crouched down in his place and stood up quickly.
　He was holding what looked like an attaché case.
　He placed it on the counter and removed the hardware.

'This will be what you want, sir.
Oh!

　The attaché case opened and Mako leaned forward.
　Sullenly, he stared at the basket case.
　The metal plates are arranged on the outside, overlapping each other.
　The inside is made of leather.
　It's--'

''The design is exactly the same as the one I bought the first time?
We have the same producer.

　Makoto asked, and the clerk said quietly, 'The price is ... ten times as much.

'The price is ... ten times as much.
It's a magic item, sir.
Well, I guess so.

　When I reminded him of the appraisal, a window appeared.
　It said magic enhancement.

What do you think?
I'm buying.
'Thank you. What will you do about the chainmail?
'If only we had some physical resistant chainmail...'

　Makoto touched his right arm.
　I don't know how far it would work against a Kuzuha level enemy, but preparation is necessary.

''Hatefully, chainmail with physical resistance skills granted...''
Okay. Well, get me the same adamantine alloy chainmail as before.
Yes, sir.

　The clerk took out a piece of chainmail and placed it on the counter--.

'As an alternative, how about a ring?
"Rings?

　'Yes,' the clerk laughed.

'It's a ring that allows you to use magic or grants you a skill.

　Oh, Mako said aloud.
　I was going to buy it, but I had forgotten all about it.

''Do you have a magic granting (enchantment magic) ring?
Yes, it's available.
Then give me one of those.

　The clerk took a ring from the counter.
　It's a simple silver ring.
　The price - it's about the same as a basket case.

''Do you have a ring for physical resistance?''
Yes, there you go.

　The clerk takes a ring from the counter.
　The price is higher than the magic granting ring.
　It's probably because of the ruby-like stone embedded in it.
　With jewels, said Makoto, crossing his arms.
　I'm sure it would break if we hit each other.

I'll take this one, but do you have a design without a jewel?
If you order no jewelry, you have to special order.
Special order.

　Special order - what an unsettling word.

'What will you do?'
It depends on the price.
Yeah, for a price.

　The clerk pulled out a calculator, or rather, a tablet, from his pocket.
　After entering the numbers, he turns to me.
　The price is--''

''For a special order, it's about the same as a magic granting ring.
We're happy to serve you.
No 'I couldn't do it'.
Of course. At Rogers Trading Company, our motto is 'A promise is a contract'.

　The clerk said emphatically and clenched his fists.
　'A verbal agreement is also a contract - a motto that is both reliable and frightening.

'Well, then, we'll special order it.'
Yes, of course.

　The clerk quickly manipulates the tablet.
　Makoto finished paying and left the shop.

*

　As Makoto entered the 'Golden Sheep' pavilion, two girls ran up to him.

''Welcome!''
Welcome.

　Then they hung their heads vigorously.
　Makoto looked at them--.

'What are you doing?'
''- - Oh!　Master Makoto!
I can't eat on my own as an adventurer, so...

　They - Mary and Anne - looked up. Mary seemed surprised, but Anne looked calm and told them about their situation.

'Hey, don't say something that could be misinterpreted!
It's true.
'No!　This is a temporary form of endurance!　It's only a sideline!
...that's right.
Okay.

　Mako patted Anne's head lightly and sat down at the edge of the reserved seat - the counter seat.
　At the counter, Shelly is pouring lemon water into a glass.
　Incidentally, Yuka is sitting next to her next to her.

''Yes, please.''
Thank you.

　Sherry sets the glass on the counter and Mako thanks her and takes it.
　He brings it to his mouth and drinks half a cup of lemon water and places it on the counter.

'So, how's it going?'
Are you talking about Mary and Anne?
Yes,
He said the inn he'd been using was fully booked.
So you're just going to let him stay for free?
I'm not that crazy.

　Shelley looked troubled.

'He asked me to help him work at the inn, so he asked me to cover the cost of his stay.
You're a softie.
When you helped me, I took care of it by offering a bribe.
Not really.
It's called 'Don't work, don't eat.'

　Sherry chuckled.

''Ah, but didn't you two earn a good amount of money from the Kuzuha case?
Well, that's, uh, heh.
"...disappeared with the payment of the debt.

　When Mako looked over her shoulder, Mary laughed deceptively and Anne spoke the truth matter-of-factly.

'Anne!'
It's true.
'Yes, but!　Yes, it is!

　Mary stepped on the ground in a hushed manner.
　Makoto chuckled and turned his attention to Yuka.

'You're awfully quiet,'
"-Oh!

　When I called out to her, Yuka stared at me with a devilish look.
　But with the way he looked, there was no way he would be misunderstood.
　Makoto took out a small box from the pouch and placed it in front of Yuka.

''What?''
The presentation--
'Ah!　It's like Makoto-san gave something to Yuka!

　Fujika's voice interrupted Makoto's words.
　When I looked at the direction of the voice, I saw that Fujica was about to come running down the stairs.

'Tch, you should have stayed quiet up there.
It's very hurtful to your attitude, but now I'm worried about that little box!

　Yuka spits, but Fujika is nowhere to be seen.

'What is it!　Like it's something!
Why do I have to open it in front of you?
I'm very, very worried about it!
It means if you don't open it, it will stay with you forever. It's so annoying, isn't it?
I don't even care about Yuka's poison now.
You're level 18.
'Ugh!　I mean, you promised not to tell me that!

　Yuka muttered to herself and Fujika grunted.
　As I thought, he hadn't raised the level.

'I didn't make any promises.
So, what does it look like in the little box?

　Tsk, Yuka clicked her tongue and opened the small box, her eyes widening in surprise.
　She looks at the ring and Mako in turn.
　She stops moving as it is.

''Ki, I'm happy with the feeling!　No, you can't!
Maybe it's not what Yuka thinks it means.
You're a cheerleader, why do you deny it!

　Fujika said in a cold tone, and Yuka's voice cracked.

''It's like a gift back to you anyway.
You're really annoying, aren't you? You know, it's possible that Makoto is in love with me.
We have a good chance of spotting a white crow.
It's a dead end.

　Tsk, Yuka clicked her tongue again and glanced at me.

'Well, if that's how you feel, I can't respond. I'll give it back to you.'

　While saying this, Yuka is staring at the ring.

''It's a gift back. Don't be shy.''
You're the worst!

　Yuka suddenly stood up and raised the small box.
　I thought she was going to throw it as it was, but she sat down in a chair and took off her gloves.
　He put the ring on and smiled smugly.

'Why are you smiling?'
I'm not laughing!

　Yuka shouted and giggled with a hoot.