It’s been two days since I returned to the royal capital from Rigforeshia.
I’m now casually strolling through the streets of the royal capital, still feeling the exhaustion from everything that happened during the Sacred Tree Festival.
I was only in Rigforeshia for about four days, but it feels like I spent a lot longer there because of everything that went down.
I’m not sure if it’s because I won the harvest festival, but many of the elves seemed sad to see me go and told me to visit again whenever I could.
I’d also like to thank Rei-san and Fia-san for their hospitality while we were there, and I’m planning to visit them again with some souvenirs.
By the way, Anima is still with the Security Force in Rigforeshia.
Even though Lillywood-san promised to help reorganize the Security Force, it’s not something that can be wrapped up in a day or two, so I’ve decided to let Anima continue working until the job is finished.
Once she comes to the royal capital after the reorganization, I’ll take her out for a nice meal and make sure she gets some proper rest.
Lillywood-san has seemed pretty busy lately, and we haven’t had much chance to talk since our time in the Spirits’ Forest, but she did make a suggestion before we parted ways.
About that promise I made with Isis-san… Lillywood-san will be the one picking me up when I go to visit Isis-san’s home.
It seems there are quite a few monsters in the Demon Realm, and since Isis-san’s place is far from the city, I really appreciate Lillywood-san’s offer.
I’m still finalizing the details of when I’ll visit Isis-san, but it looks like I’ll be heading to the Demon Realm soon.
If there’s been a big change since the Sacred Tree Festival, it’s the relationship between Lilia-san and Sieg-san.
The rut has been resolved, and while I’m not sure if they’re talking like they did before, it’s clear that the chances of seeing Lilia-san, Lunamaria-san, and Sieg-san together have increased.
What really stood out to me, though, was how happy Lilia-san seemed, walking around with a bright smile on her face as if some evil spirit had possessed her.
Now then, the purpose of my current visit to the city is to give the owner of the miscellaneous goods store I met before… Alice, a souvenir I brought back from the Sacred Tree Festival… or more accurately, some of the prizes I won as the winner.
To be honest, I was expecting it to be something like a basket of assorted fruits, but what I got was way over the top.
It’s an insane amount of fruit—so much that even after sharing it with the servants at Lilia-san’s house, it still feels like too much.
According to Rei-san, it was more than usual, but I wonder if he was trying to look good since Lillywood-san was around?
Anyway, it’s so much that I can’t possibly eat it all, so I’m heading to Alice, who sold me a variety of good items at a discount.
Well, considering I bought around 5000R worth of goods last time, I don’t think she’ll be in the same food shortage situation she was in before…
In an alley off the main street, there stood a small shop with a sign reading “Miscellaneous Goods Store,” just as it always had.
When I arrived, I opened the door without thinking much about it… and quickly closed it again.
I think I saw something strange just now. Or maybe I just misread it, but it looked like a stuffed cat was lying on the floor…
[…This is bad… It’s not that my stomach and back are sticking together anymore, but I’m so hungry it feels like there’s a hole in my stomach…]
[……………..]
[I really can’t move… I can’t even take another step…]
[……………..]
A familiar stuffed costume was lying on its back on the floor, mumbling to itself.
To be honest, I was tempted to just turn around and leave right then and there, but I resisted the urge and focused on the “idiot” in front of me.
[…Unnn? Ah, Kaito-san~~ You came to buy something from me again~~? Or better yet, how about treating me to something~~]
[…Hmph!]
[Hiieehh!? W-Wait!? Why does it look like you’re about to trample me!? That looks dangerous, you know!?]
[…Sorry, I didn’t see you there.]
[No, no!? We totally made eye contact just now! You were about to step on me the moment you came in!]
I pretended to step on the prone stuffed costume as though it were an accident, but unfortunately, she dodged it with ease… though it didn’t look like she was struggling to move at all.
[How could you be so violent, stomping on the face of such a beautiful girl the moment you see her again, Kaito-san!?]
[No, I just can’t see around that area because of my height.]
[…Well, I suppose it might be hard to see from your height.]
[Then it’s fine.]
[I see! That makes sense! …Wait, no!? Isn’t that strange!?]
Is that… Noritsukkomi? As expected, this person really isn’t ordinary.
(T/N: Noritsukkomi is when the boke plays along with the joke, then delivers the tsukkomi.)
[…Is that admiration I see on your face? Rather than that, Kaito-san, aren’t you being a little too harsh on me? Please show me more affection instead—affection!]
[……………..]
[…Erhem. Welcome back, Kaito-san. When did you return from the Sacred Tree Festival?]
[It’s been a while, about two days.]
I coldly stared at Alice, who, after making her joke, got up and spread out her arms. A moment later, she greeted me, seemingly trying to reset the conversation.
She smiled warmly, still as enthusiastic as ever, and after exchanging pleasantries, Alice dexterously rubbed her hands together.
[So, did you come to buy something from me today too? What are you looking for?]
[No, I’m not here to buy anything…]
[Tsk… You came here just to banter with me, huh? You’re going to watch me suffer while you eat your meal, huh! You’re the type of person who enjoys other people’s misfortune, as if it’s sweet honey, huh!!!]
[…Actually, I came to bring you lots of fruit as souvenirs from the Sacred Tree Festival, but…]
[Oh~~ Kaito-san, I missed you so much! I was lonely and sad while you were at the Sacred Tree Festival. We were only apart for a few days, but it felt like years! Now, come sit in this chair, and I’ll brew some tea for you!]
[……………..]
This b*tch… I-I really want to hit her…
Watching Alice’s demeanor completely flip as she prepared a chair in front of the counter, I was tempted to punch her in the head as hard as I could. But somehow, I managed to restrain myself and took a seat.
At that point, Alice began to peel off her stuffed costume, revealing the opera mask I’d seen before.
[Arehh? You’re wearing that mask with your stuffed costume this time?]
[Yes, I don’t want to be humiliated by Kaito-san suddenly stripping me and staring at my nakedness in broad daylight like before.]
[…Stop speaking like that, it’s misleading.]
[Putting that aside, Kaito-san! Food, where’s the food!? Could you please hurry up and take it out!?]
[Y-Yeah…]
Slightly pressured by Alice, who was drawing near with a rather ghastly look, I pulled out a large amount of fruit from my Magic Box.
Alice’s eyes sparkled… Well, I can’t really see it well because of her mask, but judging by her movements, I think her eyes were somehow shining.
[So much!? Can I really have all of this!?]
[Eh? Ahh, of course.]
[Kaito-san, you’re really an ikemen! How dreamy! I’m so happy, I’d be fine if Kaito-san embraced me right now!]
[Please pardon me from that.]
[You’d even use keigo just to refuse!?]
How should I put it… She’s as boisterous as ever.
Alice seemed thrilled. After quickly making me a cup of tea, she immediately bit into a fruit.
[Uuuuhhh… My first meal after “four days.” It’s so delicious.]
[…Four days?]
[Yes, I’ve had zero customers since Kaito-san visited before. I was seriously prepared to die.]
[Hey, wait a second—didn’t I spend nearly 5000R last time? What happened with that?]
When I heard Alice say she hadn’t eaten anything for four days, I reflexively questioned her.
I’d bought about 5000R worth of goods from her shop before, which is nearly half a million yen. Even though prices here might be different, that amount of money could have kept her going for at least two months.
When I asked her where all that money went, Alice turned her face away and mumbled something under her breath.
[……All of it is gone already.]
[How the heck did all of it… Could it be, you have debts to pay?]
[…………….]
[What!? I-If there’s anything I can do to help… ]
I don’t know Alice all that well yet, but when I met her before, she said she had no money at all… So there must be a reason for that.
If that’s the case, it makes sense why she was so desperate to sell me her stuff. Maybe it’s a debt left by her parents, or maybe she was tricked into taking on a massive amount of debt…
Sh*t, I should’ve listened more carefully. Maybe Alice was struggling and was just trying to put on a cheerful front to distract herself.
I don’t know the details of her situation, but if there’s something I can do to help her…
[……I just can’t stop… “gambling”—Ouch!?]
When I heard she was messing around again, I reflexively slapped her head.
[Why did you hit me!?]
[Rather, why would you think I wouldn’t hit you!? Ehh? I mean, wait a sec, you… the reason you don’t have money or food to eat… is because you gambled it all away!?]
[I-It’s alright! I was just unlucky that time… but I’ll get it all back next time!]
[That’s what all the folks who went broke from gambling say! I’m not saying you shouldn’t gamble, but can’t you at least do it in moderation!? Keep it under control! Don’t spend it all to the point where you don’t even have food to eat!]
[Kaito-san, it hurts… It hurts.]
I grabbed Alice’s collar and shook her back and forth in frustration.
This big fool… I thought she was a lost cause, but it’s worse than I imagined… No, if she’s really worse than I thought, I don’t even know why I was worried in the first place…
Dear Mom, Dad—I met Alice again and learned a bit more about her situation. No, seriously, how should I put this… Alice is really outrageous—She’s a lost cause.
T/N: Been busy IRL, so this is the only chapter for today.
8/15
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