kscans

Chapter 151 - Everyone's Drunk

Kaede-chan had realized a shocking truth.

The unique skill users I currently know are me, Nanapon, Yoshino-san, Kiryu, Harry, and Claire. Putting myself aside for a moment, Nanapon is a despicable cheating girl, Yoshino-san needs no explanation, Kiryu is a womanizer, and Harry and Claire are kidnappers.

Wait, what? There's seriously not a single decent person among them.

"Hmm, but if that's the case, it's strange that Satsuki-san doesn't have one."

"That's true! That woman is the king of scum!"

I'll be sure to tattle on her later.

"Well, it's just a possibility. Everyone has their flaws, after all."

Kaede-chan, the one who started it, tried to smooth things over.

"Hmm, unique skills, unique, unique... Unique!"

I pointed at Nanapon.

"I don't want to hear that from you! You're the most unique one here. A murdering psychopath and a good for nothing man."

Shut it, Black Nanapon!

"Ah, so that's it... It's not that they're scum, but people with unique qualities possess unique skills. Satsuki-san is scum, but her way of thinking is normal. As for Yoshino-san and my senpais, well, you know. The things you all do are beyond the actions of ordinary people."

Ugh! What a thing to say to her future husband... But she might be right.

"Individuality is important, right?"

Having grasped the situation, I sought Nanapon's agreement.

"R, right. We're different from the indistinct, personality-less rabble."

It seems Nanapon got it too.

"So I was a person with common sense after all."

Kaede-chan nodded to herself.

"That's strange. It's absolutely strange that this person doesn't have one."

Nanapon stared intently at Kaede-chan.

"Why? I'm normal."

"The very decision to live with Okita-san is quite... Ouch!"

I had to hit her on the head for that.

"What are you going to do if Kaede-chan comes to her senses?"

"Are you using some kind of hypnotism? Oh, it's a potion! You're making her drink a suspicious potion!"

What world does she think she's from? I'm not the protagonist of an adult game.

"I'm not."

"I wonder... Your true identity is a suspicious witch, isn't it?"

"It's the other way around. The true identity of the suspicious witch is the sincere me."

"Sincere, LOL. Oh, but if that's the case, is that Maede-san also unique?"

Come to think of it, she had a unique skill called Hellish Hearing.

"She seemed serious... but she might actually be a huge pervert."

"You think so?"

"At the very least, she's having an office romance."

That distance between them was suspicious.

"Huh? Is that right?"

"You didn't notice? Those two are definitely dating. You can tell if you look closely."

"Huh... I'll pay close attention the day after tomorrow."

She'll probably figure it out right away.

"Oh, that reminds me. How was it today? The gold bars?"

Kaede-chan asked, her eyes sparkling.

"She said they were in the basement, right?"

I confirmed with Nanapon.

"Yes. Deep in the basement. But there are eight-armed? Eight-Armed Skeletons in the basement."

I thought only Skeletons appeared there, but it seems the hell knights were in the basement.

"The basement, huh. So they're not in any ordinary place."

"I think so. The underground ruins were a building, but it was completely empty."

"In that case, we can only hope for the gold bars."

It would be nice if there was something else, but I can't get my hopes up.

"Yeah. But today, when I found the hidden stairs to the basement, they put a stop to it."

"A stop?"

"Apparently, the basement was unexpected for the SDF. So they have to get a decision from their higher-ups. They wouldn't forbid a search of the basement, right?"

It would be the worst if they said they'd search the basement themselves.

"That will be fine. It's been decided that the investigation this time is up to our judgment."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that the extent of the map creation is to be decided by Eleanor-san. The official story is that you'll stop if you sense danger. So the map is on a commission basis."

I see. The 'official story' means their real goal is to prevent anyone from snatching the gold bars. As long as I don't say I'm stopping the investigation, the decision-making power lies with us.

"Then we can go to the basement."

"Yes. However, the accompanying SDF members still have to report, and seeking a decision means just that. The SDF doesn't want to make an enemy of Eleanor-san either, so they won't go back on their promise."

"Alright! Nanapon, let's make a bed out of gold bars."

I patted Nanapon's shoulder repeatedly.

"Fuhehe. Will the comforter be made of ten-thousand-yen bills?"

Sounds warm!

"What a unique master and disciple."

Says the woman who was fanning herself with a wad of cash while holding a beer.

"Oh, by the way, what was that phone call about today?"

Nanapon asked about the call I had at the guild earlier.

"A phone call?"

Kaede-chan tilted her head cutely.

"Yes. Eleanor-san was on the phone by the Gate. It sounded like some kind of shady deal."

"Oh really. What was it?"

Kaede-chan's gaze turned to me.

"I got this when I was about to leave today."

I handed Kaede-chan the letter I received from the young man.

"Hmm, suspicious."

It seems Kaede-chan thought so too.

"What does it say?"

Nanapon asked Kaede-chan.

"Let's see. It says they want to make a deal and to please call them. There's no sender's name."

"Suspicious..."

Well, yeah.

"And you called them?"

"Yep. Right after I got it, I went back to the guild and called."

The day after tomorrow is another investigation job, so I thought the sooner the better.

"What was the deal about?"

"They want to buy the Level 3 Healing Potion that's currently up for auction with a buyout price."

"A buyout... Sounds urgent?"

"Seems so. They said they want it by the day after tomorrow."

That feels way too rushed. They should have contacted me sooner... or maybe they tried to but couldn't find where Eleanor-san was.

"That's fast. So what are you going to do? There's no buyout option for the auction, but you can cancel it."

"No, the auction will continue. This is for price discovery, so I'll see it through to the end. I'm planning to meet them tomorrow, so it depends on what we discuss then."

"Well, you do have several Level 3 Healing Potions."

In fact, Kaede-chan and I have enough of a stockpile that we're doing a health regimen of drinking a Healing Potion every day.

"Exactly. So I'll be out for a bit tomorrow afternoon. Sorry about that."

Even though it's my precious day off, your dear senpai is going out for a bit.

"No, that's fine. More importantly, the money. You have to drive a hard bargain! The estimated winning bid is 80 million yen, but you should ask for at least 100 million. Depending on their situation, you should hold out!"

Hmm, that's easier said than done. I'm not good at negotiating. Maybe I'll start by asking for 150 million...

"Got it. I'll do my best."

Alright, I'll do my best for Kaede-chan!

"Okita-san, you become a different person when you talk to Asakura-san."

You just shut up and drink that peach chu-hai.