After Karen and Ian visited Fairy and Silver Coin.
Ellie and Lydia had a sneaky little chat using magical devices behind my back for a while.
I’m not sure what they were talking about, but it’s probably about why the Inquisitor came looking for Ellie.
I flatly rejected the idea of being sent to the Temple, so there’s really no reason for them to hide it from me since it’s my story.
Maybe that’s why Ellie occasionally wore a serious expression, and Lydia often stared blankly in my direction.
Of course, Ellie would react amusingly to any little joke, and Lydia would sigh and tell me to take it easy, which hasn’t changed.
So, with days feeling like something had changed yet nothing had really changed, Lemon and Apple suddenly barged into the Fairy and Silver Coin.
“Where’s Jonah?”
“The boss called for him!”
“Wh-what?”
After explaining the concept of cereal, I looked up as Ellie’s prototype was too distracting to focus on.
Even though they called me, their eyes were glued to the waitstaff performing pole dances in tight workout gear.
They bumped into various adventurers with each step, tripped over chairs, and knocked their waists into tables without losing their composure.
When I glanced around, Ellie was also staring at the pole dance like everyone else, and Lydia was pretending to cover her eyes but was actually peeking through her fingers.
“Hm.”
I get it. If someone in full tights is pole dancing, I’d be looking too.
But understanding it doesn’t mean I can’t tease them about it.
I reached out and tugged at Ellie’s empty sleeve.
“Wha-what!?”
A startled Ellie, with her wolf ears and tail standing on end, let out a shriek. She even turned this way with a creaky movement.
“Ellie, so you like this sort of thing?”
“Wait, Jonah! You need to hear me out. This is just an unavoidable thing for women…!”
“I know, I know. But you should realize that I taught you the outfit and dance. It makes sense that I’d want to charm every woman in the world.”
“…What?”
“Didn’t you know? From the looks of your reaction, it seems like it’s right up your alley… How about tonight? When everyone’s off work, we could use the first floor just for ourselves. Your first experience doesn’t have to be in bed, right?”
“Uh? Wha—huh?”
Ellie was at a loss for words. I left her there and turned my attention to Lydia.
She was clearly watching just fine a moment ago, but now she was pretending she couldn’t bear to look.
“There’s no need to hide it now, Lady Lydia. You can just watch without shame.”
“I didn’t see anything.”
“Oh come on. What’s the big deal? We’re all at an age where we know everything, right?”
“I might, but Jonah doesn’t.”
“Then why cover my eyes? Why not yours, Lady Lydia? Aha? Are you feeling guilty about something?”
“…No.”
“Let’s see. What could be so scandalous that you’d desperately try to hide it? Even if you’re a noble knight, you’ve been visiting Fairy and Silver Coin every day. But having this reaction today… it must be that, right?”
“…”
Lydia, still covering her eyes, looked like a prisoner awaiting judgment. I leaned in and whispered in her ear.
“You weren’t looking at the waitstaff, you were imagining me in that outfit doing that dance, right?”
“……Ugh.”
Lydia let out a little sound of despair. I gently blew air on her, continuing.
“I may not have worn that outfit or done that dance myself, but I did explain to Ellie how it should be. And you were right next to her listening in.”
“N-no…”
“You started imagining me in a sexy way since then, didn’t you?”
“I… that’s…”
“How extreme, Lady Lydia. It’s shocking that you’d look at me with such eyes even though I’m not some noble spirit.”
“……!”
Finally hearing enough, Lydia pulled her hands away from her face and shook her head with a flustered expression.
“No! That’s really not true…!”
“Eh.”
I flinched at the unexpectedly desperate vibe. But then, I widened the distance and smiled brightly.
“Surprise~ It was a joke! I know Lady Lydia isn’t that kind of person!”
“…Really?”
“Really, really.”
“That’s a relief.”
Lydia exhaled a big sigh of relief. I’m not entirely sure, but I think my previous joke must have brushed against her sore spot.
The fact that I called her “Lady” seems significant, so I’ll have to keep this in mind and be more careful next time.
Joking around always has to stay within proper boundaries. I’d like to continue knowing Lydia for a long time.
Just as I was about to nod to myself and finish my prototype cereal,
“Found Jonah!”
“It’s important!”
Lemon and Apple finally reached my table.
Fairy and Silver Coin is quite a large establishment, but it shouldn’t take this long to reach my table.
As I lifted my gaze, it was no surprise to see the waitstaff’s performance had ended. Those guys! They got so distracted by the pole dance they forgot what they were doing? And now they come back with “important news”?
But since they came all this way, I could guess what they wanted and decided to be generous.
“Has the item I left with Eve been completed?”
“Huh! How did you know?”
“Jonah has similar abilities as the boss?”
“It’s not that I or Eve has any special powers; Lemon and Apple might just be too simple-minded.”
“Not true! I’m a complicated woman!”
“That’s right! Lemon may not be, but I’m smart!”
As Lemon felt betrayed and Apple proudly defended herself, I set my bowl down and stood up.
“Ellie, I have to run an urgent errand. I’ll probably be back around dinner time.”
“Uh? Take care?”
“The cereal you made is appreciated, but it doesn’t taste great. Try making mint chocolate flavor next time. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lady Lydia!”
“Yeah….”
“…See you tomorrow.”
Leaving behind the two still staring blankly as if entranced, I exited Fairy and Silver Coin.
Lemon and Apple followed me out, pointing back at the shop.
“What did you do to those two?”
“Do you know mind magic too?”
“Mind magic needs a certificate issued by the Mage Tower. That’s not it….”
I paused, taking my time to choose my words.
“I just corrected the family dynamics.”
“I don’t really understand that well since I grew up without a family.”
“I’ve been an orphan since I could remember.”
“Just think of it as deciding who’s the older sister between Lemon and Apple.”
“Whoa!”
“I’ve never thought of that…”
Lemon and Apple glared at each other, and I led them to the General Store, Eden.
*
Gleaming streets. Gleaming buildings. Gleaming people. Among the big and shiny, a dull store stood out instead.
Ding-ding-!
As I opened the door to Eden’s General Store, Eve sat, wearing a suspicious smile in her usual spot.
“Rushing in like this… what good fortune do you bring today?”
Too late (X)
Soaked with sweat, indeed! (O)
Disregarding the brain translation system that’s clearly malfunctioning from the start, I smiled slyly.
“Of course! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for today? The moment I heard from Lemon and Apple, I rushed right over.”
“Oh? I was going to tease you a bit before revealing it. Would that make you angry?”
“I can show off my disheveled appearance any time, so let’s just get to the goods!”
She scanned me from top to bottom, then biting her lower lip meaningfully.
“…I trust you will keep your promise proper.”
With that, she reached into the air. Is that a space artifact? Considering Eve’s age and skill, she could have mastered subspace magic.
From the deep, empty air, she pulled out a box slightly larger than my forearm and placed it on the table.
Slide.
She slid it toward me. As I stared back and forth at Eve and the box, my eyes narrowed and I nodded.
…It feels like she’s offering me some dangerous potion, but don’t forget she’s just handing me a regular commission item.
“Phew.”
Breathing deeply, I touched the box. The patterns etched here began to glow and connect. Then, I heard a small sound.
Click.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a precious item, so it was stored in a box only you can open, Jonah.”
“…Don’t those usually require some of my mana or part of my body?”
“I used the hair you accidentally left last time you visited. You’re quite careless, Jonah.”
“…….”
This was the kind of crazy stalker remark anyone could make, but I figured there had to be some caring meaning behind it.
It could be a warning to be careful since it could be misused if I set my mind to it, right?
After considering whether to turn on the broken translation engine again, I decided to just open the box.
Knowing Eve is suspicious is just part of the setting I made for myself. Right now, I’m more interested in the new equipment.
Thump-thump.
My heart raced like when I’m about to pull a gacha. All my senses heightened, and an involuntary grin spread across my face.
“With this…!”
I can finally take down monsters that have been difficult to battle due to low power. Maybe I could even deal enough damage against the first-floor guardian.
I opened the box in one go.
Inside was a dagger made from a unicorn horn.
