After completing the discharge procedures, I was on my way to take Igarashi-san to the inn when I stopped at a clothing store at her request.

　While looking at the shelves lined with clothes, Igarashi-san mended them appropriately and put them in her basket. I was about to do my own shopping too, but before I could, she spoke to me.

''They say you can be provided with a change of clothes if you wish, but that lineup is a bit tough for a modern person, isn't it?''

　The guild distributes cotton (wata) or linen T-shirts, pants and trouser-like items to beginner explorers. Shoes are not provided, as you have to earn them yourself to get them.

　And if you don't earn them, even female explorers can't get a bra - isn't that a bit harsh? It is said that the market price for a Watadama is about five copper coins, so if you hunt five of them, you'll have a complete set of clothes.

The fluffy hair of those cottontails is needed in large quantities to make clothes, isn't it? It's worrisome to think that it's made out of the material of a demon that attacks you, but you just have to get used to it.
'So there's always a demand for Watadama. I've always wondered why it seems you can always redeem for a certain amount.

　The country is made up of only searchers and their supporters. As for how the things they consume are produced, one of them is the demon materials of the labyrinth.

　It's not like the only food they have is demon meat, apparently. Some of the people going through the town are eating something that looks like bread.

I'm sorry to be indebted to you for everything, and I even asked you to lend me some money. I'm sorry for lending you money.
It's a necessity. I'm the one who's sorry I'm missing it, but if I'm wearing the same outfit tomorrow, the ladies will be wondering what I'm wearing.
'I wouldn't be able to say that when it comes down to it, though. I've only been here for about half a day...

　As if something was bothering her, Igarashi-san glanced at me.

Oh, no, I don't have a sweaty smell or anything. Don't worry about it.
Oh, you know what? If that's the case, guess what, but don't say it out loud.
I'm sorry. I'm not used to dealing with women...

　After saying it, she thought, but she saw her boss, Igarashi-san, every day for a change, and that didn't seem to be an excuse for her to not be used to it.

　But it's not that she was offended, she just breathed a sigh of relief.

You're going to be organizing a party from now on, so get used to it. Don't keep talking like a teenage junior high school student like that.
Hahaha I'm sorry.
'You don't have to apologize for that right away, either. I'm not mad at you. I'll tell you if I'm mad at you.

　Louisa-san also told me that I was low in the waist, even if I wasn't particularly aware of it, and maybe I should be careful about that.

　But Igarashi-san was just saying what she thought rather than lecturing me, and her expression was soft.

'If I hadn't been reincarnated, I wouldn't have had the chance to say this.
''Ha ... that's true. Or rather, I never had anything to talk to Igarashi-san about other than work matters.
It's easy to start a conversation when you're talking to your colleagues. The one time you stayed behind to work with Mr. Higuchi, right? I don't know why, but I was warned by my superiors that time.

　Was there such a thing? No, I was aware of a certain 'rumor' related to that matter, but--.

　There was a rumor that Igarashi-san's speedy rise to the top was because she was personally favored by her "superior," or president, as she put it.

　I didn't believe that, nor did I think it was absolutely not true, but I wonder what the truth was. I was curious, but I knew that if I heard it, that's exactly what I would be hated for, like a snake scorpion.

''Well you may know, Rearward-kun, but the reason I was promoted is because the boss pushed for it.
''Oh...is that so........''
The first thing you need to do is to get your hands on a new pair of shoes. It's just that they took the liberty of looking at me and trying to make me a useful pawn. They've been telling me ever since I got the promotion, like I was the one who found you.
.........Igarashi-san is a beautiful woman, so I'm sure she caught your attention. I heard that our president has been in trouble with women since he was young, but...

　A person in his position would be attracted to other women, even if he was a married man. It was not uncommon to see such situations in society.

　I was a little mistaken about Mr. Igarashi, he reflected. Maybe it's naive to believe everything that's said here.

''........Did you think of me that way?''
''No, no, I didn't know the president and Igarashi-san well either, so...''
'No, I didn't mean... well, okay. Anyway, that was a misunderstanding. I didn't want to be promoted for those reasons either, and the boss's emails were so insistent that I would have quit if I couldn't help myself.
...and that's what got you so frustrated and hard to hit me with?

　I boldly cut to the heart of the matter. Igarashi-san tries to glare at me, but - soon his eyesight weakens and he makes an apologetic face.

I'm ashamed to say this, but we have a curfew. You're not supposed to come into the company and talk like that, but we had to leave on time. I had to go home on time. The way my parents got angry was unbelievable.
Is that so? Could it be that Igarashi-san is your daughter...?
People are quick to say that, but I'm just a country bumpkin and a land owner. My neighbors say I'm a master craftsman.

　How hard it was to commute from my parents' house in the countryside to the city center every day. I had bought a home, but the commute was too far, and while my coworkers never complained about it, I rented an apartment within a fifteen-minute bike ride of the office. The shorter commute to work, though, didn't mean that I had to spend a lot of time working.


'I'm sorry I had no choice but to go home and do my job.

　I gained a lot of ground, and all sorts of resentment towards her was reduced by half once I knew what was going on.

'Also, the cursing was horrendous. It nearly broke my heart many times.
''I'm sorry, there's no excuse for that, it's just my personality. The thought of being able to do more makes me speak out of turn and my brother used to tell me that my sister was too tight in character.

　I wish I could have said more to that brother - but now that he's reincarnated, Igarashi-san gives him a distant look as if he's remembering his family.

''........What was your family like, Rearward-kun?''
My parents died when I was young. When I think of my family, I think of the teachers and the people I work with.

　When I talk about these things, I often get pity, and I've tried to avoid talking about them as much as possible. But now that I've been reincarnated, there's no point in hiding it.

''I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry, I worked so hard to get into our company, but I didn't make time for you to take the promotion exam.
'Well, there were times when I thought that was hard, but I'll forget about it now. After all, Igarashi-san will be my party member, and she'll be listening to what I have to say.
Well that's ... well that's only a party order. I'll follow your instructions as they come.

　I hated him so much, and then I forgot about it. It wasn't as difficult as it seemed.

　If she apologized, I would have been fine with it. I didn't hate her enough to say that I still wouldn't forgive her.

''Well ... shopping, are we done?　The basket is getting full, though.
Oh I'm sorry. Do we have enough money....

　Okay, so you've bought too much and you're lost. Then I'll have to help you out.

If you're short, I'll go to the bank and drop it off.
'What ... well, do you still have it?　You lent me fifty of them.
'There's still plenty of room. Do you want to lend me a hundred of them, whenever you want to pay them back?
Come on, just give me 30. You don't want to return them.

　If the party goes out to explore and earn money as a party, it would be fine to say that property is shared. If we were to allocate fifty percent of the money to party funds and the rest based on the level of contribution, it might be easier for individuals to make purchases.

　After I saw Igarashi-san off to add the necessary items and go to settle the bill, I realized that I hadn't bought my own clothes - apart from the armor for the search, I had to get things for sleeping.