Chapter 25

I took out a skewer from the item box and nibbled on it while wandering through the dungeon.

Yuel has been moving with even more agility lately.

It must be because her nutrition has improved and her condition is perfect.

Yuel hunts goblins without any danger, and not a single monster has come near me.

At this level, it's almost like a leisurely walk.

I collect the drops and pet Yuel's head as she runs up to me.

Yuel accepts my petting with a bashful smile.

Speaking of petting, this morning, while waiting for customers at the clinic, I played with Yuel, petting and praising her, and Elise gave me a rather awkward look.

If I show too much affection to Yuel at the clinic, Elise might label me as a lolicon.

To maintain our skinship without any reservations, it's necessary to spend time exploring the dungeon.

"Master, there's something ahead."

As I was thinking about this, Yuel suddenly said this.

"Something?"

"Um, over there... there's something that looks like a box."

A box.

A box.

...A treasure chest.

Finally, it's here.

We've been exploring the dungeon for a few weeks, and it seems my luck has finally turned.

A treasure chest.

There are various theories about what they are, such as lures to attract people created by the dungeon or the result of adventurers' relics accumulating magic power inside the dungeon, but they usually contain valuable gems, catalysts, magic items, and the like.

Of course, the contents vary, but some contain crystals that shatter to save their owner from a fatal attack, or magic items that gather magic power from the air to create an infinite supply of water, or items worth more than a house.

They are truly the symbol of getting rich quick.

Looking in the direction Yuel pointed, I could indeed see something.

It looked somewhat like a box.

As I approached, I saw that the stone pathway of the dungeon had risen unnaturally, forming a box shape.

The construction was simple, and there was no sign of a lock.

In games, treasure chests are often disguised as monsters or traps, but I've heard from the Adventurer's Guild that traps on treasure chests are almost non-existent.

With my heart swelling with anticipation, I slowly opened the lid...

"...A pistol?"

Inside was something about twenty centimeters long, resembling a pistol.

No, it's a bit different from a pistol.

It's an L-shaped, glossy, inorganic object.

"A pistol...? Master, do you know what it is?"

Yuel, looking at the magic item in my hand, asked me with great interest.

This magic item.

It has a shape similar to a pistol, but it's not a pistol.

It has no trigger or hammer, and the form is somewhat rounded.

...Of course, I don't know what it is, but—

"I can tell at a glance."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Yuel, hearing my words, jumps around innocently.

Her eyes are filled with admiration.

Yes, I am the all-knowing master.

At least, in front of Yuel.

It's not entirely a lie.

I have an appraisal skill.

If I say it's true, it becomes true.

"Yuel, this magic item..."

I activate the appraisal skill.

Magic Item

Property: Emission - Water

"...It's a water gun."

I point the magic item at a goblin and infuse it with magic power.

Warm water, steaming, arcs gently toward the target.

The warm water splashes onto the goblin, washing away the dirt from its body.

The force of the water coming out of the nozzle is about the same as turning on a faucet full blast.

The goblin seems to be enjoying it.

"Guess it's no good. I thought it might shoot boiling water or something like a water cutter..."

It seems this magic item emits water from the nozzle when infused with magic power.

The temperature of the water can be adjusted to some extent, and by touch, it can be heated to about fifty degrees.

The force of the water is about the same as turning on a faucet full blast.

After various tests, it seems that increasing the amount of magic power to raise the temperature or increase the water flow is not possible.

In other words...

"It's a water heater."

It doesn't seem to be usable for attacks.

"A water heater?"

Yuel, who had just returned after scratching the goblin's neck clean, asked me.

"Um, it's a magic item used to fill a bath."

I went to a bar and then returned to the clinic.

Coincidentally, Elise's clinic didn't have a magic item for heating water.

I would have preferred to get a magic item that I could use for attacks, but this is convenient.

I used the magic item to fill the bath with hot water.

Magic items from the dungeon are mostly of the type where the user directly supplies magic power to activate the magic.

Compared to artificial magic items that use processed magic stones as fuel, the ones directly from the dungeon are more compatible with me, who has a lot of magic power.

It might be a bit difficult for Elise, who has an average amount of magic power, but for me, it's unlimited.

I'll have Elise pay for the hot water later.

Just as I was about to take a bath... of course, a problem arose.

"I want to take a bath with Master if possible."

Elise, who had been watching me as I was about to take a bath, noticed Yuel following me as a matter of course.

It felt like déjà vu.

"Yuel, you can't take a bath. He's the kind of person who harasses people whenever he gets the chance, and if he doesn't get the chance, he creates one. Even if it's just sleeping together, taking a bath naked together is absolutely out of the question."

Elise, who had never criticized me in front of Yuel before, made an exception this time.

For Elise, who has strong ethical standards, it seems she can't overlook a young girl taking a bath with a man.

Well, I also think that taking a bath together might not be a good idea.

If I suggest taking separate baths, Yuel will look at me with the eyes of an abandoned child, so I don't say it.

"Master is not that kind of person!"

Master is that kind of person.

I don't bother to deny it.

However, Yuel denies Elise's words.

Her tone is strong, and slightly trembling.

It's clear that she is genuinely sad that Master is being spoken of badly.

Seeing Yuel's reaction, Elise glares at me.

She can't destroy Yuel's ideal image of Master, but she can't overlook unhealthy behavior.

That's why she's glaring at me, who has been maintaining the ideal image of Master in front of Yuel.

There's no choice.

I'll have to help her out.

"Elise, if you join us, everything will be fine."

"Don't be ridiculous."

You're right.

"J-Just kidding. Yuel and I will wrap towels around our bodies. See, that should be fine, right?"

We'll cover ourselves with towels.

This is probably the point where Yuel won't be sad, and Elise will barely tolerate it.

"Well, if that's the case..."

Elise reluctantly agrees.

She doesn't seem to be convinced, but she probably doesn't want to repeat yesterday's events.

Elise seems to be overprotective of Yuel in a different way from me.

We took a bath with only towels on.

There were no particular incidents where I got excited by Yuel's towel or it accidentally fell off.

Yuel looked disappointed, but there was nothing I could do about it.

"Ah, Yuel, can you tell Elise that the bath is ready?"

"Yes, Master!"

After sending Yuel to call Elise, I returned to the bathroom.

I took out a large spider's corpse from the item box.

The kind that often hides behind cabinets.

I placed it carefully behind the soap.

In a position where it would be touched when reaching for the soap.

If someone who dislikes spiders reaches for the soap, they might accidentally touch the spider, scream, and worry their housemate.

...Unrelated information, but Elise dislikes spiders.

With my heart swelling with anticipation, I left the bathroom.