Chapter 23

This time, it's a bit longer.

In front of Ellis's room, its door.

I managed to bid and win Ellis's clinic with almost all of my money, 1.5 million zeni.

Even so, it might have been a good deal compared to the market price.

After all, it was a house where Ellis's family of four used to live, so Ellis's clinic was quite large.

If it weren't for the poor location, I might not have been able to buy it.

However, now, the deed to Ellis's clinic is in my hands.

Currently, it's registered in my name, but I intend to change it to Ellis's name as soon as possible.

It's not that there's any problem with it being in my name, but it just feels wrong for Ellis's clinic to no longer belong to Ellis.

If I really want to repay Ellis, I should properly transfer the ownership to her.

While thinking about such things, I lightly knock on the rough wooden door of the cheap inn.

But there's no response.

Is she not here?

I knock again.

Still no response.

It seems Ellis is out.

Well, it's not like I absolutely need to tell her about buying the clinic right away.

I'll just wait patiently.

While waiting for Ellis to return in the inn room, I realize Yuel has fallen asleep.

It seems she was quite exhausted from hunting the boss all day yesterday.

She's sleeping soundly, breathing peacefully.

She probably won't wake up for a while.

I wonder to myself:

What kind of reaction will Ellis have when I show her the deed to the clinic?

The clinic where Ellis lived for many years.

It must be full of memories with her family.

She might want to wait for her sister to return there.

For Ellis, it must have been something she didn't want to let go of.

Then, I, appearing with the clinic's deed in hand.

I'll hand over the deed to Ellis without asking for anything in return.

Of course, Ellis will be moved.

No, she might be so moved that she'll say, "That's great, hug me!"

The question is what happens after that.

There's a chance that Ellis and Yuel might fight over me, leading to a messy situation.

Until now, I had vaguely thought about forming a harem, but it seems more difficult than I imagined.

If I get together with Ellis, Yuel will cry, and if I get together with Yuel, I'll be handed over to the authorities.

Well, she's a slave, so that wouldn't happen in this world.

While thinking about such things, I hear footsteps ascending the stairs from the hallway.

When I peek out of the room, Ellis is just about to enter the room next door.

"......Do you need something?"

Ellis, looking tired and speaking in a slightly low voice, sees me in the hallway.

Her eyes seem to lack energy.

She looks quite exhausted.

She also seems a bit irritable.

Is it her period?

No, probably not.

Ellis is wearing the nun's habit from her clinic days.

Perhaps she was visiting other clinics to see if she could get hired.

"Have you decided where you'll work yet?"

"......Not yet, but it's fine. I'll find a place soon. And today... the clinic sold, and I managed to save a decent amount of money."

Her attitude is indifferent.

She probably doesn't want to worry anyone.

Ellis might be the type who wants to solve her own problems.

Maybe because she grew up alone at a young age, she's very independent.

Still, it seems she hasn't found a place to work yet.

Since I've already bought back the clinic, that would be better.

But I had a feeling it would be like this.

Ellis's healing magic skills aren't particularly high, but they're average.

Plus, she's a beautiful blonde with large, well-developed breasts.

Under normal circumstances, she should be able to get hired somewhere quickly... but Ellis isn't well-liked by other clinics.

Ellis's clinic set the treatment fees much lower than the market rate.

While there's no fixed price for treatment fees in this city, there is a general market rate of around 400 zeni per heal.

Ellis's clinic, which set the treatment fees at half the market rate, could attract some customers but wasn't viewed favorably by other clinics.

When Ellis's clinic went out of business and she came asking for a job, she would likely be met with sarcasm or unwanted advances.

I would go for the latter.

But even Ellis's tired face should change when I show her this deed.

Unable to find a job, Ellis must be exhausted.

She might have been verbally abused at other clinics and is emotionally drained.

If I show her this deed at such a time...

"Wow, you bought back the clinic for me! That's great, hug me!" I'm sure that's how it will go.

Ellis often calls me "you" with a heart mark, so it's not impossible.

"......Do you need something?"

Ellis, looking tired, seems to be saying, "Hurry up and tell me what you need."

I hold the clinic's deed in front of her.

"Ellis, look at this."

"......What is it? A document?"

Ellis, looking puzzled, examines the deed.

Her expression changes to one of shock.

"What, why do you have this!? It was supposed to be sold today..."

Ellis looks at the deed repeatedly, in shock.

"I bought it."

And with those words, Ellis...

"You... but... why... so much money...!"

...doesn't throw herself into my arms.

"Because... three months ago, you were... penniless!"

Oh, what?

This isn't the reaction I expected.

Instead of being happy, she seems to be trembling with regret.

Her voice is strained and trembling.

She grabs her own clothes and looks down.

Why is she reacting like this?

The deed to the clinic she cherished so much is right here.

Why...

"I'm sorry, I can't... right now..."

And Ellis disappears into her room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

What's going on?

Did I dislike Ellis so much that I didn't care about the clinic?

Or is it because I, who disliked her, bought her clinic...

...No, probably not.

This is likely because I easily obtained the clinic that Ellis had to let go of despite her efforts.

Ellis, who tried to protect her precious clinic by lowering the treatment fees, couldn't save it no matter how hard she tried, while I easily bought it.

That's why she looked so regretful.

Indeed, Ellis might need some time to process her feelings.

Yuel is sleeping soundly on the bed in the room.

I need to give Ellis some time before talking to her again... but there's nothing to do and no one to talk to.

Maybe I should go out for a while until Ellis comes out of her room.

By the way, my item box is getting full.

I got a lot of slime jelly along with rare drops from hunting huge slimes yesterday.

Combined with what I've been saving, I probably have enough for a year.

I can apparently expand the capacity of my item box by paying at the adventurer's guild, but I don't have much money after buying the clinic.

I'll just organize my item box for now.

Searching through my item box, I find a lot of trash.

Skewer sticks, fruit cores, gravure photos taken with a projection magic device... these aren't trash.

A toothbrush made of some unknown animal hair that got stepped on and broken, a chipped wooden cup.

And... a bloodstained, hole-ridden nun's habit.

It's from when I went into the dungeon to look for Yuel.

I've been meaning to throw it away but kept forgetting.

I'll give it to the inn's sign girl and ask her to throw it out with the trash next time.

Holding the nun's habit, I step out of the room—

"Sorry, I...!"

—And bump into Ellis in the hallway.

Her gaze is not on my arm, but on the bloodstained, hole-ridden nun's habit.

Her expression changes from shock to sadness as she looks at me.

"Hey, that..."

Ellis covers her mouth with a trembling hand and looks at the nun's habit I'm holding.

Yes, the one from when I went to look for Yuel.

"Did you... do this for me? I thought you found some valuable magic item in the dungeon and that's why..."

...Oh, what?

It seems Ellis has misunderstood.

"No, this is..."

...Wait a minute.

Ellis must have misunderstood, thinking I risked my life in the deep dungeon to get money for her clinic.

Maybe it's better not to clear up this misunderstanding.

If I make it seem like I risked my life to earn money for her clinic, it might be better for Ellis's feelings.

It might be easier for Ellis to accept if I say I risked my life and put my body on the line to buy the clinic.

It might even increase her affection for me.

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood. But why, why did you go so far..."

Ellis, with tears in her eyes, gently touches the bloodstained nun's habit I'm holding.

Her gentle touch conveys a clear sense of affection.

This is my chance.

I risked my life to earn money for Ellis's clinic and bought it back.

Isn't that enough?

It even sounds cool.

And it's for Ellis's feelings, for Ellis.

Smiling at Ellis, I say matter-of-factly:

"Of course, to repay you, it's obvious, right?"

Hearing this, Ellis smiles, looking both happy and sad.

"You're such a fool, to do something like that. Besides, a clinic isn't something worth risking your life for."

I agree.

I never intended to risk my life for a building.

Ellis looks at me with a sad but somewhat happy expression.

In the midst of this, I take out the deed from my item box—

"Ellis, I want to start over with you. Back then, you were struggling, and I was doing whatever I wanted without knowing. I thought it was fine, but it wasn't for you. I'm sorry I didn't realize it, it was my fault. ...But I want to make up for my mistakes and repay you. So... will you take this?"

Kneeling on one knee in front of Ellis, I say this.

I must look pretty cool right now.

Risking my life to earn money for a benefactor's clinic and then giving it to them for free.

A perfect story.

It feels like I've nailed it.

"...! I'm sorry, I chased you away..."

Ellis gently covers my hand holding the deed with both of hers.

A single tear rolls down her cheek.

"It's not a big deal."

It's my fault for being a pervert.

But the atmosphere is emotional right now.

There's no need to ruin it with such a crude comment.

I gently wipe away Ellis's tears with my finger.

"When you came, I thought it was like my father had come home. Your healing magic skills, and how you were kind in your own way. You reminded me of him. But that's why I didn't like the perverted stuff. But you're not my father, you're you..."

Being a pervert is wrong, even if you're not her father.

But Ellis is completely swept up in the atmosphere.

It's a good atmosphere.

"But don't do anything dangerous anymore. Look, you don't have any debt now, so you can definitely make a living with just the clinic. Quit being an adventurer, it's a dangerous job, okay?"

It's a good atmosphere, but...

Still, a sense of guilt is starting to well up in me.

This should be the best outcome for both Ellis and me.

But this stabbing pain in my chest.

Not telling Ellis about the misunderstanding is for her benefit.

But it was wrong to take advantage of it to gain her affection.

Every time Ellis says something kind to me, a wave of guilt washes over me.

I should probably clear up the misunderstanding now—

"Because I was embarrassed, I couldn't say this, but I was also saved. I was alone in the clinic, feeling lonely, and the business wasn't going well at all. When you came, I thought maybe we could rebuild the clinic together."

—While I'm thinking about this, Ellis continues talking.

And in a barely audible voice, she says:

"...Thank you."

Ellis gently rests her head on my chest.

The feeling of her ample chest, even in a forward-leaning position.

Her soft, blonde hair swaying gently.

The sweet scent tickling my nose.

...I decide to keep this lie hidden.

After that, I go to a real estate agent in the city center.

I leave a note for Yuel saying I'm going out with Ellis.

The name change goes smoothly and is completed in a surprisingly short time.

On the way back, I casually put my arm around Ellis's waist.

"...Stop it..."

Ellis tenses and looks at me as if checking my reaction.

But she doesn't resist.

Her attitude is like, "There's no helping it."

...I'll have Yuel work a part-time job at a bar tonight.

It seems my affection has risen sharply.

Before, she would have slapped my hand away and glared at me.

As we continue walking, we pass by a bar—

"Hey Shiki! I heard you made a fortune from the adventurers' earnings! Treat us again!"

"Who's the lady next to you? She's a real beauty. ...I see, I get it, you got some money and went to a brothel right away! You go, Shiki!"

Eito and Geyser, their faces flushed from drinking, run into us.

This is bad.

This situation is bad.

"Let's do it again sometime? Shiki, just being there makes us earn a fortune! Don't worry, you can just heal from the back like before! We'll take all the hits!"

"Right, leave the fighting to us! Hahaha!"

"Wait, wait! Let's talk about this later! This is bad!"

Bad.

What's bad is Ellis.

And when I glance to the side...

"What's so bad?"

Ellis is glaring at me with a sharp, piercing gaze.

...It was a moment of weakness.

I confess.

I spill everything.

How I earned the money to buy the clinic, and that the bloodstained nun's habit has nothing to do with it.

How I took advantage of Ellis's misunderstanding.

Mostly because I thought it would increase her affection for me.

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

I kowtow.

A perfect, textbook kowtow.

My head pressed against the cobblestones of the street, I beg for forgiveness.

Eito and Geyser, sensing the tense atmosphere, have disappeared.

"Ugh, you've really messed things up. ...It's fine. You don't have to apologize."

Is this the end of her patience?

Does she not want to be involved with me anymore?

I cautiously raise my head... and there, Ellis's hand is extended to me.

"You must have been concerned about my attitude, right? ...I understand."

I take Ellis's hand and stand up.

The soft touch of her hand makes me inexplicably happy.

"It doesn't matter how you did it. You spent a lot of money to buy the clinic for me, right?"

Then she chuckles and whispers, "Lying is bad, though."

"Look, your knee is dirty."

"A, ah."

I brush the dirt off my knee and look at Ellis.

Her smile, with the sun behind her, is so gentle, as if it could embrace everything.

It reminds me of when I was hired at Ellis's clinic.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I try to maintain my composure and say:

"Let's go back."

And Ellis—

"Yes, let's go back. To the inn where Yuel is waiting. And to our clinic."

She smiles and says this.

And with that, this chapter ends.