Chapter 101: A walk

Today, I decided to take a day off and send Sara and the others to explore the labyrinthine city. I summoned Dyne and Dolly and planned to take a leisurely stroll.

“Well, it’s time to leave. Everyone, we’re heading out,” I called out to Dyne and Dolly, who were frolicking with Bell and the others.

“Where are you planning to go, Yuta-chan?” Dyne asked.

“We’re just going for a walk, so we don’t have a specific destination. We’ll wander around and explore places that catch our interest. Is there anywhere you want to go?” I replied.

“I want to go to a furniture store. I want to see what kind of furniture they have,” Dyne said cheerfully. Since she mentioned wanting a house in the sanctuary, she must want to check out various options. I wonder if Nomos is really going to designate a sanctuary for her? The standards seem quite strict, like those of a world heritage site.

“A furniture store, huh? The ones I know don’t have a wide variety, but is that okay?” I asked.

“That’s fine. I’m looking forward to it,” she replied.

“Alright, we’ll stop by a furniture store during our walk. Dolly, is there anywhere you want to go?” I asked.

“I don’t have any specific place in mind, so I’ll let you know if I find a shop that interests me,” Dolly replied.

“Understood. What about Bell and the others?” I asked.

“Eat!” “Kyuu!” “Meat!” “Kuu!” they exclaimed.

Food, as expected. We’ve been eating a lot of the stockpile, so it’s a good opportunity to replenish it. And we need to get some fruits too. Bell and the others look adorable when they sink their teeth into fruits.

“Got it. Let’s buy a lot,” I said.

“Buy!” “Kyuu!” “Many!” “Kuu!” they said, excitedly. The mention of buying a lot made them very happy. They immediately huddled together, discussing which food stalls to visit. I want to leave, but it seems like I should wait a bit.

“Okay, let’s go!” I said.

After Bell and the others finished their discussion, I informed Martha that we were going out and left the inn. However, from the outside, it probably looks like I’m moving alone, even though there are a lot of us.

“Hehe, it’s been a while since I came to the city,” Dyne said.

“Yes, I rarely leave the forest, so it might be my first time since I was a Lesser Spirit,” Dolly added.

“I’ve come occasionally, riding the flow of water, but even then, it was a long time ago,” Dyne said.

…I wonder how long ago it was when Dolly was a Lesser Spirit. I have mixed feelings about wanting to know. It’s not easy to figure out.

Sylphy, being a wind spirit, seemed to go to the city quite often, but the range of movement must vary depending on the attribute. There are plants, water, and towns in the city, so there are spirits present, but I feel like something is off.

Nekomimi girls with “nya” at the end of their sentences, seductive succubi, beautiful elves who worry about their small breasts… Encountering such characters is what gives meaning to being in a fantasy world, right?

“Oh, Yuta-chan, that looks like a liquor store,” Dyne said, pointing.

I think she wants to go there.

(Yes, it seems so. I’ve never been to that store, but shall we take a look?) I suggested.

It’s quite a big shop. There are many barrels lined up in the back, and it has a different atmosphere from the liquor store I visited last time.

“Yes, let’s go in,” Dyne said, skipping happily. Dolly followed with a smile. …They’re quite easy to read. When we entered the liquor store, the owner approached us.

“Welcome. Huh? We’re a wholesale liquor store, so we don’t sell individual bottles,” he said.

It seems like they mistook me for an adventurer because of my attire. Strictly speaking, it was a mistake since I didn’t know, but it could also be considered not a mistake since we’re buying barrels. But was it really a liquor store that supplies to restaurants?

“I’m buying the whole barrels, so it’s okay. Do you mean to say that you don’t sell to individuals if you don’t own a restaurant?” I asked.

“No, as long as you’re buying the whole barrels, it’s not a problem. What kind of liquor are you looking for?” the owner replied.

In this world, unlike with labeled bottles, it’s inconvenient not knowing what kind of liquor they have despite there being many barrels on display.

“I want red and white wine. I have a preference for ale, but do you have any other recommendations?” I asked.

“Other options… Let’s see… Oh, we have rosé,” he said.

I remember rosé being a pink wine. It’s like a mix between red and white, right? I think I read in a manga that when color appears in alcohol, they remove the skin. Glancing at Dyne and Dolly, they’re smiling and nodding, so they must want to drink it.

“Yuta-chan, I want to try it. And can Dyne and I choose which barrel to buy?” Dolly asked.

They asked me directly. They’re quite straightforward when it comes to alcohol. Well, I can only nod in response. However, in this world, the taste seems to vary depending on the barrel. Naturally, the place of production would be different, but can you really tell the taste by looking at the barrel?

“Sir, is it okay if I choose the barrel of the liquor I want to buy?” I asked.

“Huh? Well, I don’t mind, but can you tell the difference?” he replied.

I have no idea. Absolutely clueless. Even the taste is beyond my grasp.

“Well, I just want to have a sense of choosing which one I like,” I said.

“I see. Well, feel free to do as you please,” he said.

“Thank you.”

Even though I don’t understand, I pretend to be examining the barrels. …It’s quite empty just looking at barrels without being able to tell the difference.

But next to me, Dyne and Dolly are having a conversation like “Oh, this red wine is good,” “I’m curious about this one too,” “I think that one is dry,” etc. How are they judging it? Is it some kind of power as spirits?

“Hey, Yuta-chan, how many can we buy?” Dyne asked.

(Around three barrels of each type, maybe?)

“Understood!”

After confirming how many they can buy, Dyne and Dolly earnestly start considering which barrels to choose. Bell and the others, who were bored looking at the barrels, floated over to us.

“Yuta, can Bell choose too?”

…Why?

(Can Bell choose the wine as well?)

“Yeah!”

…What should I do? It’s hard to refuse when they’re nodding at me with such a bright smile.

(…Alright, can you choose just one?)

“Yeah! Bell will choose something amazing!”

As I watched Bell off on her journey to choose alcohol, a thought crossed my mind. I hope she selects something delicious rather than just something impressive.

“Yuta-chan, we’ve made our decision!”

Dyne and Dolly seemed satisfied with their accomplishment. It seems like they had a fulfilling time. It can be tough accompanying women on their shopping trips, but I never expected it would involve choosing alcohol at a liquor store. The unpredictable nature of this otherworld never ceases to amaze me.

I called over the shopkeeper and informed him of Dyne and Dolly’s barrel selection. Finally, with a beaming smile, Bell waved from atop the barrel she had chosen, indicating her decision to make the purchase.

“Are you buying all of these? And most of them are popular brands. You’re not an ordinary guy, huh?”

I was met with a look that seemed to say, “You’re quite something.” Even though being looked at like that makes me uncomfortable.

“Hahaha, it’s just luck. Pure luck. So, how much will it be?”

“Hmm? Ah, let me see… It’ll come to a total of two hundred and ten thousand Elts.”

It exceeded two hundred thousand. Well, buying barrels and expensive drinks, it’s only natural for the price to go up. Well, considering that I’m rich now, I don’t have any issues. If I were to say out loud that I could buy out the entire liquor store as a way to repay Silphy and the others, Dyne might actually take it seriously, so I won’t say it.

“Don’t worry, I have the money.”

“Is that so? Wait a moment. Um… It’ll be… two hundred and ten thousand Elts.”

It’s quite a sum. Since I’m buying only the best, the price is naturally high. I paid in cash without showing any signs of surprise. I wonder how much it would cost on Earth to buy barrels like these? If it were barrels of famous wines, they might cost tens of millions.

“Shall I deliver the drinks as usual?”

“No, it’s alright. I have a magic bag, so I’ll take them with me. Can I store them like this?”

After receiving permission, I stored all the barrels, and once again, I was invited to work at the store. Having a magic bag means I won’t have trouble finding a job. I politely declined and left the shop.

“Yuta-chan, thank you! Can we all drink together tonight?”

(Umm, it’s fine, but my room is small, you know? Also, I’ll be going back into the labyrinth tomorrow, so let’s just open one barrel.)

“Don’t worry. It’s not a problem at all. Ufufu~ What should we drink? Dolly-chan, what do you prefer?”

Dyne was in high spirits. Well, it’s a good thing she’s in a good mood. As I walked while listening to Dyne and Dolly discussing their choices, Fukuchan flew over.

I wondered if something troublesome happened. In case of emergencies, Silphy and the others would fly over, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

(Fukuchan, I think it’s fine since Silphy is there, but is everyone okay? No injuries or anything?)

Fukuchan nodded. That’s good; it seems like there are no injuries.

(Are Sara and the others heading back to the inn?)

Again, Fukuchan nodded. It’s adorable, so I’ll pat her on the head.

(Alright, we’re going back to the inn too, so you can go back to Sara and the others. Thank you.)

I watched Fukuchan fly away and informed everyone that we would be returning to the inn. We’ll have to visit the furniture store another time.

“Oh, so that person joined our side. But their companions tried to abduct Sara and… I’m not sure if I should be grateful or angry. As the leader, he should have better control over his group. What did Sara think?”

“Me? I didn’t see them in a negative light, but they seemed to be someone who jumps to conclusions.”

“I see. Hmm…”

One wrong step, and they could become a really troublesome person. Oh, wait, I think they already spread negative rumors about me. But it seems they wanted to warn Sara and the others, so there doesn’t seem to be any sinister plot against me.

If they were a bad person, they might have taken Sara and the others hostage, demanding materials from the labyrinth. I need to be cautious. It’s probably best to have the Great Spirits accompany Sara and the others on their days off for a while.

But Carl… I’d rather not get involved with him in the future. If I visit the Adventurer’s Guild now to check the situation, I might get caught up in something. Maybe I’ll drop by before going to the labyrinth tomorrow. I hope I don’t receive any summons.

However, it would be nice if this incident made the Adventurer’s Guild realize that I’m supplying materials. It would be great if they started thinking, “Oh, here comes the amazing Spirit User!” or something like that. But that seems unlikely.

Am I starting to act like someone with unrequited love? Or like an elementary school kid who bothers the person they like… I don’t actually like the Adventurer’s Guild, but I feel a bit down, hoping they would notice and regret it. It’s a similar feeling.

“…I understand. I’m sorry for dragging you into trouble on your day off.”

“No, I had a lot of fun on my day off. Right, Marco? Kikka?”

“Yeah, we got to see Uncle and explore different places, and we saw how amazing Silphy-san is. It was fun!”

“I see. If you had fun, then that’s good. We’ll take a day off again in a few days. So, about Silphy’s amazing part?”

…Silphy. That sounds more like punishment or torture to me. Well, whatever happens to those people who tried to kidnap children, it’s their own fault.

Today, I’ll just relax at the inn with Sara and the others. We had lunch together, and then Silphy and the others joined us for a feast. It turned out to be quite different from the original plan, drinking alcohol in the afternoon and ending the holiday.