Chapter 89

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The more I think it's important to convey, the more the words don't come out right.

But when the words do come out, they end up being very high-pressure and aggressive, far from a request.

And yet, if I get the same attitude in return, I end up screaming hysterically.

"I hate that about myself, even though I reflect on it, I keep repeating it."

"That's a difficult disposition, isn't it?"

Maybe I'm just getting anxious or something, but I'm sure I have a bad constitution. It might be a kind of stage fright.

"Well, anyway, my attitude wasn't exactly praiseworthy, so let's just call it even, shall we?"

"If you say so, I have no objections... I guess."

Thinking that standing around talking wasn't good, we moved to the Guild Master's office in the back of the Adventurer's Guild, and Thunderbird-san, sitting diagonally across from me, was looking down and shrinking.

Thunderbird-san – her nickname is Thunderbird of the Azure Sky, and her real name is Haru. She prefers to use her nickname because she likes it.

Her parents were also adventurers, and she was a provisional adventurer from a young age, eventually becoming an adventurer famous enough to have a nickname.

Her parents retired from adventuring and are living comfortably on the money they earned, so she recently became independent and is traveling the world alone. She stopped by Kikunoi because she wanted to explore the dungeon here.

"Then I heard at the guild that they sell various items with added effects for adventurers at low prices... and I thought... maybe they were selling fakes. They were that cheap."

"Yes, the materials for Effet・Papillon's adventurer products are just ordinary cloth and thread."

The material costs are low, and I just embroider and sing to fix the added effects. In the case of singing, I can attach multiple effects at once, which saves labor time. The profit margin is actually quite good even with the low prices.

When Haru nodded, she took out a monocular from the pouch at her waist.

"This is a simple item appraisal tool. When I used it to appraise Effet・Papillon's products, it showed that cheap thread and cloth were used, as you said. But the added effects – in this case, physical defense – were properly attached."

"Of course. Why would I, the Guild Master, sell fakes to adventurers?"

"But! I don't know much about this guild! I don't, but... I do know that there are guild masters who extort and cheat adventurers!"

"That's... more of a question of character, isn't it...?"

Trying to calm down the fuming Laurent and summarize her story, it seems she suspected that the same kind of exploitation was happening here because she had heard of guild masters in other places who treated adventurers poorly.

The more you know about adventurers, the more you realize how harsh their world is.

Gathering activities are not always safe, and escort and extermination missions are life-threatening. Despite being the pinnacle of physical labor, their social status doesn't seem very high.

But that's not the issue right now.

"So, can we consider the misunderstanding about the Kikunoi guild and the guild master resolved?"

"U-um... no, I mean, yes."

"Despite all the threats, I don't have a noble title and my parents don't get along with me, so even if I say something, they won't listen. So please act normally."

"Huh? Really?"

Looking surprised, Haru, but Victor, who was nearby, shook his head.

"Your parents might not, but the local magistrate is on your side, so be careful."

"Wh-what!?"

What do you mean 'on my side'? You introduced me, didn't you, Victor?

When I gave him a sidelong glance, Victor shrugged. When Lala poked his side, Victor silently writhed in agony.

Let's ignore the sidelines for now.

So, with the misunderstanding about the guild master and Effet・Papillon's products cleared up, I thought it would be a good deal and decided to buy something, looking at the display shelves. Most of the items were unisex.

"There are few products targeted at female adventurers, and the most commonly used undergarments are only for men. So I thought this guild was looking down on female adventurers. That made me angry, and I ended up confronting the guild master..."

Is this what they call being speechless?

I was so surprised that my eyes almost popped out as Haru, looking dejected, hung her shoulders.

It's true that there are few products targeted at female adventurers, but Effet・Papillon also has few products that are explicitly targeted at men.

However, there are always exceptions.

And that's undergarments.

The reason is simple: I don't know how to make them, or there's a lack of information, so I can't make them.

But if that's the reason, the misunderstanding needs to be cleared up.

Deciding this, I opened my mouth to speak, but Lala was looking at me with great interest.

"The claim that Effet・Papillon is looking down on female adventurers is a misunderstanding. To explain this, could you lend me a piece of fabric with no added effects, a needle, and thread, Haru?"

"What can you prove with such things!? ...That's why it's no good..."

"Yes, I understand. But seeing is believing. Do you have anything?"

"Okay, just a moment."

While her instant water heater made a hissing sound, Haru took out a needle, thread, and a plain scarf from her pouch.

When I used the monocular to appraise them, the results were simple: an ordinary needle, ordinary thread, and a cotton scarf.

"Then, Haru, what kind of added effect would you like to add to the scarf?"

"Um... how about mental stability?"

"Understood. I will now use your needle and thread to add a mental stability effect to your scarf."

"Huh...?"

I started embroidering a turtle shell pattern, which symbolizes stability, on the fabric. In my previous life, there were similar patterns on kimonos, and I made a hexagonal pattern with about six hexagons. Inside, I embroidered a flower pattern to increase resistance to mental abnormalities.

Thanks to "Blue Hand" and "Superb Skill," the embroidery was completed wonderfully quickly.

When I handed it to her, Haru cautiously peered through the monocular, looked away, and then peered through it again.

"Why are mental stability and mental abnormality invalidation attached...?"

"Ah, you poured too much magic. Your control was a bit loose."

"Maybe my agitation affected my control..."

When I said that, Victor raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Since the campfire song, I've been working hard to improve my control. Thanks to that, I've received the seal of approval from not only Victor but also Mr. Romanov and Lala, who say my control is as precise as threading a needle.

But unexpectedly, I was accused of looking down on female adventurers, which shook me a bit.

I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to, but if I was perceived that way, there must be some reason.

The thought of unintentionally hurting someone was scary.

"Making Effet・Papillon's products unisex was really just a coincidence. I thought there might be men who like cute things like me, and women who prefer blue over pink. I wanted to make them easy for anyone to pick up and use."

"I see... that's how it was."

"Yes. And, of course, more elaborate designs would increase labor costs, so..."

Nodding, she looked at me with serious eyes.

She must have understood why I showed her the embroidery on her items.

I asked her, as if checking the answer.

"I think you understand...?"

"You're the head of the Effet・Papillon guild and a craftsman."

Nodding, the tension in Haru's face eased a bit.

The slight blue of her eyes, lighter than her hair, lost their harshness, and her porcelain cheeks, with a gentle slope, took on a light pink hue, making her look charming.

Her almond-shaped eyes made her look like a cat, and she was both beautiful and very cute.

The cat-like person lowered her eyebrows and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry for complaining based on my assumptions."

"No, I think you were angry because you've experienced things that made you feel female adventurers are looked down upon, based on what you said about the guild master earlier?"

"Yes! That's right! Being called weak or useless just because I'm a woman...! And even when I work hard to get stronger and advance in rank, some people say, 'Did you sleep with the guild master to get there?'!"

Oh, that's terrible.

Haru, with her eyes narrowing in anger, made Laurent and Victor laugh bitterly. Lala nodded quietly, as if she had something to think about.

"Monsters don't go easy on pretty ladies, but adults say strange things."

Choking back a laugh, I swallowed hard and noticed everyone's eyes on me.

Tilting my head, I saw Regulus looking at me with sparkling eyes.

"Brother, do that again!"

"Huh?"

"Do that 'Ku' sound again! It was so cool!"

"Really? It sounded strong?"

No, I'm blushing, little chick. You're so cute.

Smiling, the little chick smiled back.

Then a quiet cough came from Haru.

"I understand your stance. But then, why are there no women's undergarments?"

Haru, with a wonderfully serious face, got to the heart of the matter.

Faced with her intense expression, I answered sincerely.

"That's... "

"That's!?"

"Because I don't really know how to make them."

My words echoed in the reception room, and Haru's jaw dropped.

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