After finishing lunch, both of us stood up from our seats and headed to pay the bill.
Food stalls are typically places where you pay in exchange for goods, and this shop is no exception—it’s a place where you usually pay upfront.
However, it seems the shopkeeper auntie has a lot of trust in Kuro, as she’s a regular customer, so it’s perfectly fine for Kuro to pay later.
[Thanks for the meal~~ It was delicious.]
[Ah, Kuro. Here’s the money.]
[Eh? It’s fine. I invited you, so I’ll pay for it~~]
[No, as much as I’d like that… I can’t… ]
As we walked toward the auntie to pay, I called out to Kuro, who was pulling out her purse, but she insisted it was her treat.
But even though this might just be a casual outing, and even though she’s older than me, I still felt awkward letting Kuro, who looks like a young girl, treat me.
[It’s fine. Even with this appearance, I still have a decent amount of money.]
[“Decent,” you say? Is there anyone in this world richer than Underworld King-sama?]
[Eh? Is Kuro really that rich?]
At Kuro’s cheerful words, the auntie replied with another wry smile.
Kuro doesn’t usually wear many accessories, and she mostly eats commoners’ sweets, so I never really got the impression that she was wealthy… But the way the auntie is talking, it sounds like she’s among the richest in the world.
I suppose that’s to be expected of the Underworld King? No, but how does she make her money as the Underworld King?
[You don’t know, young man? Underworld King-sama is the “Creator of Magic Tools.” She obviously earns an outrageous amount from that.]
[…Ahh.]
Hearing what the auntie said, I started to piece things together.
The Seditch Magic Tool Company, which holds the largest market share in the world for Magic Tools… The Chairman there is a subordinate of Sechs-san, and Sechs-san is Kuro’s family. And now that I think about it, Sechs-san may have mentioned that the Chairman is his subordinate, but he never said the Seditch Magic Tool Company was his own.
So, in the end, it turns out Kuro is the one who created the Seditch Magic Tool Company… In other words, Kuro holds an honorary president-like position at the world’s largest company. With a position like that, she must have plenty of money…
[……………]
[Kaito-kun?]
[…Kuro, would you mind if I pay for this after all?]
[Eh? Why?]
I understand that Kuro is wealthy, and I can see why she insists on paying.
However, as a man, I also have my own small pride, so I wanted to at least cover our meal.
Granted, the money I have right now was given to me by Lilia-san, and I didn’t earn it myself, so maybe I’m not in the position to say anything…
Hearing what I said, Kuro tilted her head in confusion. It was unusual for her, since she usually seems to know exactly what I’m thinking… Then again, she was the one who suggested the standard exchange, and given that her knowledge on things tends to be a bit half-baked, she might just be unfamiliar with this type of relationship.
[…Underworld King-sama. Wouldn’t it be uncouth to ask him the reason for that?]
[Eh? Really?]
[Yes, that’s right. There are some things men simply can’t back down from. Don’t you agree, young man?]
[Ugghhh… Yes.]
It seems Auntie noticed my little vanity and, with an amused smile on her face, pointed it out, while Kuro grew more and more curious, tilting her head.
[Well then, with both of your meals combined, that will be 12R… but since the young man is showing his manliness, I’ll knock it down to 10R.]
[Thank you very much. Well then, we’ll be off.]
[Yes, indeed. Thank you. Come back whenever you want to eat again.]
The price was about 600 yen per dish, which felt very reasonable considering the size. It also tasted great, and I’ll definitely be coming back for more.
However, I have a feeling Auntie might tease me about this event, so I’m a little nervous about returning…
After paying, I walked away from the store, pulling Kuro’s hand as she continued to look at me with wide-eyed wonder.
[So, where are we headed next?]
[That’s right~~ We’ve just finished lunch, so let’s look around for now. Oh, and I think we should grab something to drink.]
I said to Kuro as we strolled down the street lined with stalls, and Kuro responded with a bright smile.
I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of relief as it seemed she wouldn’t be pursuing the matter, as advised by the shopkeeper auntie, for the time being.
It turned out Kuro had a recommended spot for drinks, so she took my hand and led me to a stall… which, oddly enough, looked more like a small greengrocer.
[Hello~~ Do you have any Seal Fruit?]
[Oya? Underworld King-sama, welcome. Seal Fruit, you say? Yes, we’ve got some good ones right here.]
The man who seemed to be the shopkeeper smiled at Kuro and exchanged a few words with her. It seemed she was a regular in this area.
After listening to Kuro’s request, the shopkeeper retrieved a black spherical object about 30 cm in diameter. Could it be the Seal Fruit? It almost looked like an iron ball, though…
[What about the hole?]
[I’ll open it myself. I’ll just put two straws in it.]
[Yes.]
I would have paid for it again if I could, but Kuro insisted, saying, “This time’s on me,” so I just let her handle it.
Kuro took the mysterious black sphere and two straws from the shopkeeper and paid him.
Still… It seems there are straws in this world too. I wonder what they’re made of. It doesn’t seem like plastic, but maybe wood, given their color? Or perhaps they’re made from some sort of grass? This could also be something passed down from those who once held the role of Hero.
[By the way, Kuro, what on earth is that?]
[It’s called Seal Fruit. Inside its husk is a lot of fruit juice. The husk is tough, so you have to cut a hole in it to drink the contents.]
So, in short, is it something like a coconut from this world? It certainly resembles one now that she mentions it… though, putting aside the fact that it’s entirely black…
[Incidentally, the husk is about as tough as steel. I’ve heard these are sometimes used to make armor.]
[……And how exactly do you make a hole in something with a husk as tough as steel?]
Correction, it isn’t like a coconut at all… It’s completely different.
I got to touch it for a moment, and it certainly feels incredibly hard. But if it’s really as strong as steel, how on earth do you make a hole in it? Wouldn’t that be impossible without something like a drill?
[Eh? I could just do this?]
[……What?]
In response to my confusion, Kuro casually pointed at the husk of the Seal Fruit with her finger and easily poked a hole in it, as if it were no big deal.
…Wait a second, let me get this straight.
The Seal Fruit is like a coconut, filled with juice inside, and its husk is as tough as steel—so tough, in fact, that it’s used to make armor.
And now, Kuro just punched a hole in it with her finger… Which means, Kuro can pierce through iron with just her finger? What the heck, that’s terrifying.
[Stop, let’s set that aside for now. Kuro, you only made one hole, but why are there two straws in it?]
[Eh? I mean, when you’re on a date, both people have to drink from the same glass, right?]
[………………]
Aaahhh, damn! I should have realized this sooner.
Kuro hasn’t just gained one-sided knowledge about my world, she’s also completely clueless about matters of love.
And that’s how we ended up in this situation. Two straws for one drink, just like something couples would do.
[Come on, Kaito-kun. Drink with me!]
[………………]
No, no, hold on a second! I’ve got something really important to say!
We’re not in a café, and we’re definitely not inside a shop. It’s early afternoon, and we’re right in the middle of a busy street.
Eh? Seriously, right here? You want me to drink that with you, right here? Doesn’t that completely look like some kind of penalty game!? No, no, I’d seriously die from embarrassment if I did that!
[No, I……]
[……Kaito-kun, drinking with me… Do you hate it?]
[……I’ll drink it. Yes.]
I tried to escape the embarrassing situation, but when I saw Kuro’s eyes, looking at me with such a forlorn expression, I immediately caved.
There was nowhere for me to run!
With my shoulders slumped, I swallowed the lump in my throat… and for the next few minutes, I replayed the scene of my humiliation, drinking juice with Kuro right in the middle of the road.
Dear Mom, Dad—I’ve heard that seal fruit juice is supposed to be delicious, but in this situation—I can’t taste it at all.
<Author’s Notes>
No one escapes from the Underworld King.