Chapter 53

Investigation Commission: Heaven

I, Uzoh, am an adventurer . I am a veteran C-Rank warrior .

Together with my companion, Muzoh, we’ve completed many commissions .

This time we’ve received a commission to investigate a dungeon that went through its [Transition Phase] .

“Wasn’t it just a dungeon where nothing but goblins came out? Nothing else?”

“Don’t get careless, Muzoh . Dungeons go under huge structural changes after their [Transition Phase], there might be a lot more monsters now . ”

“Geez, you’re such a worrywart, Uzoh…”

Seriously, Muzoh is beyond careless even though he’s the scout .

I know that’s just coming from Muzoh’s own self-confidence though .

“Heeh, check it out Uzoh . There’s an inn by the dungeon’s entrance . They told us about it, but still . ”

“We’ll stop here for the night and dive into the dungeon tomorrow, sound good to you?”

“Yeah, I agree . ”

The building looked great . We went inside right away .

There was a woman wearing cute black and white clothes on the other side of the counter .

The frilly cloth attracted my eyes .

“Thanks for your patronage! This is the [Dancing Doll’s Pavilion]!”

The beauty had a Pavueran accent and had features like a doll’s, and… well endowed huh .

I wonder if the ‘doll’ in [Dancing Doll’s Pavilion] is referring to her? I found myself admiring her in a daze .

Recollecting myself, I asked how much it’d be to stay for the night .

It was fifty copper per night per person, so one silver for two people . We rented a room for two .

Hmm, isn’t this pretty cheap for something so deep in the mountains?

It might be pretty severe for newbie adventurers, but it’s a small expense for a C-Rank like me .

“Ah, meals’re extra . Ya can use the bath however much ya want though!”

“Bath? Hooh, so this inn has a bath huh?”

“That’s right~ . It’s a hot spring, so a ton’a people can all get in . Oops, they’re pretty popular in Pavuera, but’re they unusual here?”

They’re unusual in Sia, but I’m a C-Rank adventurer . In other villages, including Pavuera, I’ve went into public bath houses .

“We have bath outfit lendin’ services . Oops, for food we got from A-Rank to G-Rank, almost forgot about that~”

“Heeh, so there’s something rare like an A-Rank thing…—!? A-a gold coin…!?”

“That’s right~, the top-class A-Rank meal is the huge amount of one gold coin! In return it’s monumentally tasty! I guarantee it! So good ya might die~♪”

A-as expected, it’s out of my reach .

The heck kind of thing is it…!?

“Hmmm, maybe I should just get the C-Rank one… eh, five silver…”

“That’s right~, the C-Rank one is five silver coins . It’s still really good . Do ya wanna hear the details?”

“No, I’ll pass…”

When I looked at the price list, A-Rank was one gold, B-Rank was fifty silver, C-Rank was five silver, D-Rank was one silver, E-Rank was fifty copper, F-Rank was five copper, and G-Rank was one copper .

“Uzoh, I’ve decided . C-Rank!”

“O-oi . That’s the same as the reward from this commission! What’re you doing, wouldn’t that make this a deficit? I won’t lend you money you know!?”

“Hahaha, we should be able to get some separate rewards from this dungeon right? It’s fine then . Hey Ojou-san, what’s your name? When’re you done working? I’m Muzoh, a C-Rank adventurer . ”

Muzoh, what kind of pick-up artist are you trying to be? Don’t be so faithful to your lust, oi .

“Oooh~, is that so~, thank you so much for your patronage, take your time~ . Ah, what about the Oniiii-san over here? I recommend getting at least the D-Rank~”

“… I’ll take the D-Rank one . Still, a silver for it huh, expensive . ”

“It’s just tastes that good… Thanks for your patronage~… Ah, it’s ‘kay if you wanna enter the bath first . Want me to the bring food up to ya later?”

“Yeah, please do . ”

“Heeey, at least tell me your name~?”

She pointedly ignored Muzoh as I handed her the money, receiving our meal tickets in return . It seems like we’ll be able to turn them in for a meal when we go to the dining room later . I see .

Then she told us our room number and lent a key… Guess we’ll put our luggage in our room before heading straight to the hot spring?

When we opening the room with our key, the room had a shelf, cabinet, and beds . Though there weren’t any light magic tools, there was a lamp… I wonder if the oil’s sold separately?

… Eh, the heck’s this bedding… cotton?

I heard that there’s a bath, so I was prepared for the bedding to be wooden… ooh, my hand sinks in! Just this alone would’ve been worth the fifty copper .

Yeah, now I’m going to go check out the bath .

There were shelves that took my key in the changing room . This was also in Pavuera’s bath houses huh .

Hmm, so this is the bathing wear? She definitely said we could use them freely . I took my clothes off and changed into the ones for bathing, putting my clothes away on the shelf… Eh, aren’t these better tailored than my clothes? I kind of want to just keep wearing these .

I then entered the room with the bath… it’s really amazing .

It’s a splendid stone bath . Steam rose up from the hot water that filled the bath .

… For them to use so much water so deep in the mountains like this… I wonder if there’s a water source nearby?

Well, that’s probably why there’s an inn here .

I couldn’t wait any longer, so I used [Cleanup] on myself and entering the bath .

“O-ooooh…”

I unintentionally let out a voice… This is so good . It seriously is .

This is definitely a selling point for the inn… other than me not eating yet, I’m already very satisfied .

*

Muzoh entered at some point, it surprised me .

I got out of the bath . I’ll definitely get in again… Well, I use it as much as I want while I stay here huh . Let’s do it again tomorrow morning .

… Hm? What’s with this chair… is that a slot for copper coins?

When I took a look at it, I saw its description written on the wall . It was apparently a massage chair . Was it a magic tool found in the dungeon?

But if I fall asleep while I’m still on the chair, I can’t complain even if someone else rolls me off of it onto the floor .

… One copper for five minutes huh . This massage chair’s caught my eye, guess I’ll give it a go .

Sitting on the chair, I put a copper into it .

After a low humming sensation, the chair suddenly began to vibrate .

O-oooh, t-the heck’s this? I haven’t felt a massage like this before… Oooh, oooooh!?

My body relaxed and I felt myself loosening up, this really is, oooh…

“Oi Uzah, wake up . Don’t you know you’d catch a cold sleeping there?”

“Fuoh—!? O-ooh, Muzoh . Ah, looks like I fell asleep . ”

Looks like I was sleeping here pretty soundly until Muzoh woke me up . Heh, this massage chair is incredible…

“Hehe, time for some food! Used five silver on that C-Rank meal, I’m starving!”

“Oh? Right, I spent a silver on that D-Rank meal huh . Wonder what the difference is…”

Going to the dining room as we were told, we exchanged our meal tickets for our meal .

We didn’t even have to wait, it was served immediately .

“Here it is . ”

A young brown-haired beastkin carried our meals . She was clothed in the same outfit as that woman who was behind the counter, very cute .

There were a few things served on my square tray… a deep brown soup and bread . And salad . This costs one silver? Well, I can already tell that it’s really high quality food from the smell though .

“For another helping of bread, it’s ten copper each . Then, after the meal, you’ll get dessert . ”

“Dessert? Why didn’t we get it now?”

“It’s cold, so it’s not recommended . Do you still want it?”

Cold? The heck kind of thing is it?

Let’s just go with the recommended way for the meal .

“Oh? What’s up Uzoh? Too little?”

“No no, this is plenty enough . So that’s C-Rank huh? That’s a lot . ”

“Yeah, mine’s C-Rank, five times better than Uzoh’s! Hahaha . ”

As for Muzoh’s meal, it had one more dish compared to mine, a big steak . It also had two loafs of bread .

I’m a bit envious for that thick steak… huh? The color of his soup’s different, it’s white .

“And this comes with dessert too eh?”

“Mine does too… steak, huh . Looks pretty good, what kinda meat’s it?”

“Isn’t this boar? … Uooh—!? What’s with this bread, it’s so soft and tasty!?”

“Rather, it’s white… the heck, this bread’s amazing… oops, the bread’s almost gone before I’ve even touched the soup . ”

I brought the soup to my mouth in a rush .

…!? I’m astonished, this taste is amazing . It tastes like meat . Rather, now that I’m taking a better look at it there’s meat in it . There’s vegetables in it too, plenty of them .

“Uoh, the heck’s this, rabbit? … No, boar? Or maybe it’s minotaur…”

“Hahaha, minotaur huh, how would they make a profit from that with one silver coin? Besides, aren’t we the only guests?

“Yeah… looks like the color of my soup’s a bit different than yours… oi, what’s yours?”

“Huh? Mmm…!? Woah, it’s thick, but feels like its weightless . What’s that, milk? I think some stews use it… Aah, right, I ate one in the imperial capital . ”

“Looks good . Give me some!”

“No way, this is mine!”

Yeah, this place’s soup is great .

Let me bolt down this salad…!? W-what the, w-what’s with this food? Even the salad’s surprising .

… What’s this dressing? It’s yellowish, and white… oil?

“Oh, yer eatin’ . How’s it, good right~? It’s so tasy~ . Aah, how’s the [Mayonnaise] that came with the salad?”

That girl who was sitting at the reception sat next to me… Uoh, she smells amazingly good…

“Wai—, sit next to me!”

“Haha, endure~, I don’t like insistent people~ . I just felt like explainin’ in my spare time . Lessee, that white soup . An-chan had it right, it’s a soup called a stew that uses milk . Can’t find it much around here, but it’s eaten pretty often in the imperial capital . ”

Heeh, so what Mozuh said was correct huh .

“Then that brown stew . Surprisin’ yah? It’s beef stew!”

“… Huh? Beef, as in cattle? Eh, isn’t that for celebrations!?”

Beef, as in the thing meant for celebrations, the thing that you only get a chance to eat at celebrations when old cattle gets slaughtered .

There’re ranches at the imperial capital, and although it looks like you can eat it at other times, it’s crazy expensive .

“W-wait a sec . Isn’t his brown stew better than my white stew then!?”

“Hahaha, it’s not like that at all… That steak, it’s beef . There aren’t many guests now… rather, you’re our first guests, so it’s free as a freebie yah?”

“Woah! … Uooh, th-this is beef huh… it’s worth more than five silver…”

I see, so it just opened . I guess it’s opening also counts as a celebration .

… The meat’s quality is amazing . Is that special as well?

“A-aah, right right . Right now there’s a special, it’ll usually be boar meat . To make sure we’re properly welcome the adventurers that built this inn, we’re preparin’ various things to practice . ”

“The adventurers that build the inn?”

“… All I can say is A-Rank adventurers, anythin’ else’s a secret~”

A-Rank adventurers huh… to even kill off a cow, they’re definitely being welcoming .

I guess they’re cooking the extra beef in order to practice .

Still, with these spices and seasonings, even if it’s boar meat instead of beef, it’d still easily be worth the silver .

Even the bread’s great, everything’s worth licking clean .

“Oops, guess it’ll be time for dessert soon . Senpai! Bring it~!”

“Y-es…”

And so the beastkin from before brought us our dessert .

White… no, yellow . It was shaped like a mound and looked mysteriously like a flower from above . There was a brown sauce drizzled over it .

“This is…?”

“S’called [Pudding], a dessert . Aah, this only comes with the D-Rank meal and up, that’s why I recommended it to ya… eat it with resolve… doesn’t it just melt with sweetness?”

Muzoh held it up in his spoon and gulped it down together with his saliva .

The woman watched him with a huge grin .

Plunging the spoon into the [Pudding], I scooped it up . It jiggled back and forth .

And then…

… Today, I saw heaven .