kscans

Chapter 171 - This and That, The Steps Don't Stop

“A-Alright… with all the options, that comes out to, hmm, about 130M.”

“One hundred and thir—…”

“Here, one payment.”

“One payment…!?”

“Seriously though, I can pay for my [El-Gran Series] too, you know?”

“I told you! I made that on my own, so it’s fine!”

“On your own…—what!? You mean you got that for free…!?”

While I casually handled the payment through the trade window, Sora was practically vibrating with shock, looking back and forth between me and Nia.

130M—one M represents 1,000,000 Luna, so it’s a staggering one hundred and thirty million Luna. It was no wonder she was surprised.

“U-um… Um, Haru? Where did you get that kind of money—?”

As she voiced her question, she must have remembered that our inventories were shared. The girl swiped a hand through the air to call up her window, and then,

“—…………………………”

She was probably looking at her cash balance—at the string of digits so long she couldn't immediately tell how many there were. A faint sound escaped her throat, and then Sora froze completely.

Our… or rather, my wallet has about three billion in it right now. So yeah, that’s about right.

This small fortune, which from Sora’s perspective must have appeared out of thin air, came from none other than our exclusive magic artisan (Kagura-san).

From the moment I decided to commission Sora’s outfit from Nia, it was a given that I’d need a large sum of Luna. Naturally, I had already taken steps.

As for what I did, my current options for a clear source of income were limited—so, I decided to sell off some of my [Ruby Rabbit Demon Horn]s.

I had left about two hundred with Kagura-san before, and he said he still had plenty to spare. So when I asked if he could sell some of them for me, this was the sum he tossed my way.

He gave me three billion, just like that. I don't know how many he plans to sell, but do they really have that much value…? That material is, in a sense, a defective product, though.

“Um… uh, wha… W-what is this, this…”

“Ah, you can use it freely too, Sora. I don’t have any plans for it right now, and it’s my part—my partner’s wallet, after all.”

Whap—Hey, what did you just hit me with, Nia-chan? And what’s this extra 10M you sneakily added to the bill???

Well, I’ll pay it, but still…

“Alright, I’ve got things to do, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Okay, okay. Good luck with your training.”

I had only told Nia that I was “training hard,” so for her, “things to do” must have equaled training. I wonder what her reaction would be if she knew I was being personally drilled by the Eastern Faction’s second-in-command, the [Sword Saint].

“Nia-san, um, thank you so much, really. I’ll treasure it.”

“Mm. You’re welcome! It’ll need maintenance from time to time, so you should stop by regularly too, Sora-chan. Maybe once a week.”

“Okay!”

Sora replied cheerfully and reached out her hand, but Nia bypassed the handshake and captured her yet again. It was a feast for the eyes, so they could keep doing that forever for all I cared.

“Hah, I’m satisfied. See you later, then.”

Perhaps she had her fill of Sora’s cuteness. With a satisfied wave of her right hand, Nia bid us farewell. I bowed, and Sora exited the atelier first…

“—Hm…?”

As I followed her out the door, my gaze was caught by her wrist, exposed by her rolled-up sleeve, and I turned back.

“Oh… So you can add more accessories to it.”

“Huh…? —…!”

For a moment, Nia looked at me blankly as if to say, “What are you talking about?” But then she noticed my gaze and quickly hid her right hand in her sleeve. …Well, it’s a bit late to hide it now.

The [Crimson Rabbit Bracelet] I had given her the other day—I had already seen that it was now decorated with a small, azure feather fragment.

Probably a leftover piece of the Azure Sky Feather of the Lucky Bird from the [White-Shining Bird of Fortune] material I gave her for the outfit.

In any case, her sense of style, even down to the smallest accessories, was impeccable… To think she had a talent for arranging things as well. What a flawless person.

“W-Well, I told you I was going to use the scraps and stuff…”

“Ah, yeah, feel free to do whatever you want with the leftovers.”

So there was really no reason for her to look so awkward.

“I just thought it looked good on you, that’s all. See ya.”

“Wh-wha…!”

Wha? Oh well.

I waved over my shoulder and stepped out of the atelier—

“Ah, sorry for the wait, Sora-san—… Er, what’s with that look?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Confronted with an inscrutable expression, I faltered. Sora, however, simply averted her gaze and started walking down the hallway.

As I hurried to catch up—

“That part of you is so very Haru.”

“Is my name a noun or a verb now…?”

She’d said it was nothing, but the follow-up attack came in seconds, leaving me thoroughly confused.

The sound of her brand-new long boots tapping on the floor seemed just a little bit louder to my ears… but perhaps that was just my imagination.

◇◆◇◆◇

“—And that’s what happened… Hey, is that really something to smile so cheerfully about?”

“It is. Sora-chan is adorable.”

Well, I completely agree with that part.

“Being able to give sincere compliments is a virtue, and I find it quite admirable… but when praising a woman, you must choose the time and place.”

“Huh…? I was taught that if you see something praiseworthy about a woman, you should praise her immediately, at any time…”

That was the wisdom bestowed upon me by my former boss at the ice cream parlor where I worked in high school, Miyoko-san, thirty-three and divorced once.

She was a good person. She supported me when she found out I was struggling with my studies. Apparently, her ex-husband was a foreigner, so she was fluent in English, and she even gave me listening lessons when work was slow.

I wonder how she’s doing—oops.

“—Phew…”

Twenty steps. And then ten.

In the game of tag that had become a firm habit, I had to evade Ui-san’s attacks. I’d lost count of how many times I’d succeeded now. Each time, she would smile so happily that, as her student, my motivation never wavered.

“You’ve perfected the role of the runner.”

“No, no… Ui-san, you could catch me if you were serious, couldn’t you?”

“Even so, it would not be easy, at the very least.”

The fact that she didn’t deny it was so like the Sword Saint. My teacher is wonderful today, as always.

“Truly, you’ve improved beyond recognition in such a short time—soon, it will be time for you to catch me, too.”

“Ui-san, you too should be more aware of the destructive power of your words, don’t you think?”

Catch me. If she said that with such a joyful smile, I think most guys would die on the spot……… Me? I already lost my life to that lap pillow.

“Well then, from now on, let’s focus on the role of the chaser.”

“Yes, please do!!”

Five days since the start of training—ten days until the Four Pillar War.

I couldn’t tell if my progress was slow or fast… but step by step, I was certainly moving forward.