Chapter 29

Kasei Seihi is, as always, somehow twisted.

Could it be that I think this way because my perception is skewed?

As Kuren watched Seihi charge into the pack of wolves, she thought such things faintly.

The strategy he proposed was nothing short of reckless.

Especially during the stampede.

Charging into the dungeon alone, it was beyond brave and verged on recklessness.

Even with the potato monsters.

He told her to dodge the potatoes that were barely visible, at close range.

He must think that if he can do it, others can too.

It's not because he's strict with others.

He must have an incredibly low self-evaluation.

Thinking he might be a hardcore adventurer who casually suggests outrageous plans, he also has peculiar fixations unrelated to efficiency.

Wearing a creepy mask carelessly, being abnormally sensitive to his lack of presence.

Or being terribly disappointed when potatoes can't be harvested, and then quickly regaining his spirits...

It's strange.

He plays with the wolves joyfully.

Even when attacks graze his body, he shows no fear.

Despite being a monster that devours humans, watching him, it seems like he's playing with a dog, and he's the owner training the dog.

He's a mysterious being.

Why can he enjoy himself so much in front of the enemies that easily take human lives?

Kuren can't do it.

Yet, watching him, she finds herself enjoying it even during battles.

In fact, she often ends up laughing along with Seihi.

Kuren always stays behind, so he probably doesn't notice.

Since the stampede that killed her family, Kuren has hated monsters.

Yet, she finds herself laughing during hunts.

She's not crazy.

She hasn't gone mad from overflowing hatred.

It's just that Seihi hunts so amusingly that Kuren resonates with his emotions.

Monsters are still terrifying and hateful.

Yet, she wants to become stronger.

If she becomes stronger and can fight even more powerful monsters, how enjoyable would that be?

She imagines it.

This is undoubtedly Seihi's fault.

Seihi has changed Kuren.

He has changed the Kuren who was trapped in hatred.

Still.

"Haa..."

Still!

Why did he become so obsessed with hunting that he collapses from exhaustion?

Watching Seihi, who is breathing heavily while wearing the mask, Kuren sighs gloomily.

"Why did I end up like this?"

Wearing a mask, breathing heavily, and laughing while killing monsters.

If you only look at the facts, he's a dangerous pervert.

Yet...

She sighs deeply again.

***

After finishing the hunt and returning to the surface, Seihi immediately visited the prefab where Akane is.

In the back of the prefab, which is still empty, Akane is leaning on the counter, staring into space with dead eyes.

"...What is it?"

Trying to get the maximum efficiency with the minimum energy, her words contain nothing but thorns.

Seihi, instead of getting angry, makes a throaty sound.

Well, how long can you keep that face?

Seihi's laughter makes Akane's shoulders tremble.

What is this guy planning?

"Grgrgr..."

While I'm bored to death, he's making throaty sounds happily.

It's not interesting!

"Kukukuku..."

Seihi laughs, imagining Akane's surprised face.

"Fufufu..."

Akane also laughs, not wanting to lose, even though she doesn't understand why.

"......"

Kuren smiles, watching the two. Ah, they're people I shouldn't get involved with...

"Buy the materials."

"......No."

"Why not? I'm a customer, you know?"

"Customers are gods, that's what shop clerks say. Just because you're a customer doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"

"No, buy the materials. It's work, right?"

After saying that, Seihi takes a magic bag from Kuren and starts taking out the materials of the Silver Wolf.

Seeing this, Akane doesn't even speak, she just starts appraising them.

"......Wait a minute. Why are there so many!? Isn't this strange!?"

"Look, your appraisal has stopped. Work faster."

Like a tyrannical boss in a black company, Seihi urges her with a fierce light in his eyes.

Despite her complaints, Akane's appraisal speed doesn't drop, as expected.

However, as she appraises, her eyes start to tear up.

"Ahaaahahaha. Bringing so many materials to my tiny shop is too much! Devil! Demon! Idiot! Air!!"

"Air isn't an insult!"

...Isn't it?

The materials that hit Akane's cheek were the fangs and fur of 217 Silver Wolves.

Due to the characteristics of the Silver Wolf, one battle usually involves more than three of them.

Thanks to this, the number of daily hunts has increased significantly.

Still, there are many tough battles.

With more improvement, the efficiency will increase.

"There are 234 fangs in total. Good condition ones are 1000 yen each. Damaged ones are from 50 yen. And 143 kilograms of fur in total. Undamaged ones are 500 yen per kilogram. Damaged ones are from 10 yen. The total is 188,000 yen."

"...I see."

Seihi's thin reaction makes Akane frown.

Of course, Seihi is happy to earn a large sum of money.

His reaction was thin because he was comparing it to the previous amount.

During the stampede, Seihi earned 1.4 million yen.

(How many monsters did I kill back then!?)

His mind was clouded by the stampede and the afterglow of the boss's defeat, but it seems he killed a terrifying number of monsters.

It's understandable that Kuren was so angry she summoned a wrathful deity or a death god.

"Do you have any complaints about my appraisal?"

"No, I just thought it was quite efficient to appraise so many materials in such a short time."

"---Right!? Finally, you've realized that I'm a beautiful, strong, and the best clerk! It's just a bit late, that's all."

"......"

Who said that?

And what's with the 'also'...?

I want to point it out, but there are too many things to point out, so I can't even bother.

It's better to ignore it.

Charging the respective amounts to their IC cards, Seihi and the others leave the shop, leaving Akane, who has a large flower blooming on her head.

"Mr. Kasei. Would you like to go for a meal now? ...There are things I want to talk about, like the stampede and Shinjuku."

"Hmm, sorry. I have something to do today. Can we do it another time?"

"A... Yes."

Kuren isn't averse to having a meal with him.

But today, there's something she absolutely needs to take care of.

First, I need to go shopping at the home center...

※"Waya" is a Hokkaido dialect meaning "ruined" or "terrible."

Seihi has started acting suspiciously.

What does he intend to do...?

The next update is on Saturday.