kscans

Chapter 138 - Don't You 'Oh...' Me!

Since it was decided that Yoshino-san, Nanapon, and I would go to the underground ruin, this week’s adventuring was on hold. In any case, Nanapon has college, so there’s no time for adventuring outside of the ruin investigation.

The next day, with nothing to do, I was conducting a new experiment in my room when my phone started ringing. I stopped my experiment and looked at the screen to see that the caller was Yoshino-san.

"Hello?"

‘Ah, is this Okita-kun?’

"Were you hoping for Eleanor-san?"

‘No, you’re fine.’

Yoshino-san doesn’t seem to like Eleanor-san very much.

"Well, I’m at home, so it’s Okita-kun."

‘At home? Are you off today? Was it okay to call?’

I could have used that consideration yesterday. Yoshino-san is a good person, but her flaw is that she becomes useless when money is involved.

"It’s my day off. Kaede-chan isn’t here either, so I’m experimenting."

‘Experimenting? Science? Witchcraft?’

"Who knows? Which do you think? I just tried mixing a Healing Potion with some hair growth tonic. I was wondering if it would be more effective."

‘Ah, that Shampoo Potion and Body Soap Potion stuff. I got some from Nanapon, and it’s great… I see, hair growth tonic.’

Hey!

"Just so you know, my hair is perfectly full. I just thought it might sell."

I’m still only twenty-six, so it’s not a concern. Though I was shocked when Kaede-chan found a gray hair the other day.

‘Hmm. Was it effective?’

"Well, now that I think about it, I’m not bald or thinning, so I don’t know what to do. You’re not balding, are you, Yoshino-san?"

‘You can see for yourself…’

Well, she does have beautiful hair.

"Do you know anyone who seems to be worried about it?"

‘Hmm, the headquarters manager, maybe? He’s been thinning out lately.’

I still haven’t met him, but he’s thinning… He seems to have a lot of stress.

"Give it to the headquarters manager and have him try it."

‘What should I say when I give it to him?’

"Just tell him as it is. That you tried mixing a Healing Potion into a hair growth tonic."

‘Isn’t that picking a fight?’

Well, it is kind of like calling him bald.

"Well, I’ve never met the headquarters manager, so I wouldn’t know if he’s balding or not. Ask him if he knows anyone nice enough to help with an experiment. It can be someone important, or he can use it himself."

‘Alright, I’ll ask.’

"If it works well, I’ll sell it."

I’ll become a savior to all the troubled men of the world. And, just in case, for my future self.

‘Won’t it make a lot of money if you put it up for auction?’

"I thought so too, but it’ll be found out if it’s appraised. It’ll say, ‘A mixture of hair growth tonic and Healing Potion’."

‘Ah, that’s no good. The manufacturing method would be exposed instantly by appraisal.’

"Exactly. So I probably can’t sell it to the guild."

The guild would probably buy Healing Potions, but they wouldn’t buy ‘a mixture of hair growth tonic and Healing Potion’.

‘In that case, wouldn’t it be better to sell it to Claire? I believe Claire owns a company that buys and sells items.’

Oh! That’s it!

"I’ll do that. I’ll give Claire a call."

I’m uneasy with just the headquarters manager as a data point, so I’ll have someone else try it.

‘Ah, wait, wait. Let me finish my business first.’

Oh, right, she called because she had something to discuss.

"What is it?"

‘About the investigation, it’s been officially decided that the designated request will be given to us.’

That was fast!

"It’s only been a day."

‘The discussion has been going on for a long time.’

"Hmm. When are we going?"

‘About that, they want to have a meeting, or a briefing, before we go.’

What a pain.

"Can’t we just do it during the investigation?"

‘The SDF does things cautiously. It can’t be helped.’

They are public servants. I guess it’s unavoidable.

"Got it. Where are we doing it?"

‘It’s a top-secret mission, so for now, they want to meet at the Diana Mine.’

Is it because both places are dark? There are no people there either.

"I’m fine with that."

‘…Is tomorrow okay?’

I’m telling you, that’s too fast.

"Isn’t that soon?"

‘It’s government work, so they want to finish it within the year, apparently.’

As expected…

"I see. I’m free, so that’s fine, but what about Nanapon. She has college."

‘I’ll ask her.’

"I’ll leave it to you."

‘Mm. I’ll call you back then.’

Yoshino-san said that and hung up the phone.

"Guess I’ll call Claire…"

I took off my clothes right there and drank a TS Potion. Then, since the room was warm from the heater, I called Claire completely naked.

‘Mm? Need something?’

It was Claire. But she could at least say hello.

"Hello."

‘Your English is so bad without a Translation Potion.’

Shut up! I even got a ‘good’ grade in it back in college! No ‘excellent’ grades, though!

"Just wait a second."

I took a Translation Potion out of my bag.

‘No, you don’t have to drink it. It feels really weird for people who understand multiple languages.’

She’s casually bragging…

"I see. Is now a good time to talk?"

‘It’s fine. Actually, I had something to talk to you about too.’

Business?

"What is it? A refill on potions?"

‘It’s not that. Well, I’ll buy some if you’re selling.’

So it’s other business.

"Then what is it?"

‘Can we meet up now?’

Ehh, ramen again?

"I’m completely naked, though…"

‘Excuse me? Are you a nudist? Or is it some kind of health regimen? Or… oh…’

What do you mean, ‘oh’.

"I’m in the middle of changing."

‘Don’t call at a time like that. I thought you had just finished up.’

I was just naked because I figured I’d be changing back to Okita-kun soon anyway.

"I don’t have a partner for that."

‘By yourself, then…’

I wasn’t comforting myself!

"Just forget about that. More importantly, where are you now?"

‘In front of your guild’s back entrance.’

She seems to have a lot of free time…

"The guild master has probably noticed you, you know?"

‘That’s fine. It’s a check against other organizations.’

"Huh. See anyone weird?"

‘Just that boy from the other day? Though that was in Shibuya.’

That kid.

"It’s nice and peaceful, isn’t it. Well then, wait there."

‘Ah, buy me a Coke.’

‘Me too!’

I’ve been turned into an errand girl…