kscans

Chapter 180 - Slash!

Leaving the Ikebukuro Guild, I decided to have Yoshino-san drive me home.

"So what's the plan? Are you going alone?"

Yoshino-san asked while driving. This time, I was riding in the passenger seat instead of the back. And I noticed that the combination of the seatbelt and Yoshino-san was quite something.

"I'd like to take Nanaka-san, but... I think I'll hold off on that."

The two people from Frontier that I know didn't seem like bad people, but I don't know what the others are like. I don't know their culture, nor do I know how they live. As useful as Nanapon and her Clairvoyance are, I can't take a child like her to a place like that.

"But if you go alone, you won't be able to handle it if something happens, right?"

"That's true. You should come with me. I can't take Kaede-chan, and Satsuki-san is out of the question."

Kaede-chan is an absolute no. Satsuki-san can't be away from the guild.

"Me... but can I even go?"

"Who knows? For now, let's try going through the Gate together. If it doesn't work, then it can't be helped."

"I guess so... I'd be worried if you went alone."

"I'm not going there to pick a fight, you know?"

I'm not that belligerent. I'm a friendly witch.

"You have Provocation, though..."

You have it too. Well, I haven't told anyone, but my Provocation level is actually already at 3... I can see Satsuki-san's back in the distance.

"It's fine. I'm going there on business this time."

"Hmm, I'm worried. Also, you're bad at negotiating..."

"Let me ask you, what kind of life do you have to lead to get good at negotiating? I didn't have to negotiate much in high school, university, or as a working adult."

High school and university, of course, but my job wasn't in sales or anything, so I didn't have to negotiate much. I certainly didn't negotiate with my boss. If I had, I think I would have been fired long ago. It was a really corrupt company.

"Negotiating is important. Adventurers not only sell items, but they also team up with other adventurers, and that's when you need negotiation skills. You should learn for your own future."

"Hmm. Since we're on the subject, I'll tell you. I'm thinking of retiring. The mysteriousness of Eleanor Ocean has gone too far."

I decided to tell Yoshino-san what I had been thinking for a while.

"I see... Does that go for Okita-kun too?"

"That's how it would be. The reason I go on adventures is to raise my level and learn recipes. But if the goal is to make money, I've already made enough, right?"

"That's true. Healing Potions, Item Bags... if you say it's enough, it's enough."

I haven't told Yoshino-san, but I also have the Water of Life and Cure Potions. I can't talk about the Water of Life, but maybe I'll tell her about the Cure Potions...

"I also have something called a Cure Potion. It's supposed to cure illnesses."

"That's amazing. Doesn't seem like it would sell, though..."

It seems Yoshino-san thinks so too.

"You think so too?"

"Curing illnesses is a wonderful thing, but distribution would be difficult. There are a lot of noisy people out there."

The kind of people Kaede-chan mentioned.

"I guess Cure Potions are for personal use then... Want to drink one too? Kaede-chan, Nanaka-san, and I have already had one just in case."

"Give it to me. I'm scared of getting sick too."

Seeing Yoshino-san nod, I took a Cure Potion out of my bag and handed it to the driving Yoshino-san. She held the steering wheel with one hand while skillfully opening the flask's cork with the other and drank the Cure Potion.

"I don't feel any effect."

Yoshino-san said as she handed the empty flask back to me.

"It just means you're not sick."

You should be glad you're healthy.

"Then that's fine. I'm scared of getting sick."

"I know. Cancer and things like that are scary."

Especially for Yoshino-san.

"What are you looking at? Let me tell you, there's no correlation between breast size and the risk of breast cancer."

Oh really... even though they're so big. That slash is amazing.

"I didn't know that."

Stare...

"You really are a stare-y person... Okita-kun, your sexual harassment is terrible, you know?"

"I'm Eleanor-san right now."

"That's the point. You tried to peek into Nanapon's bath, didn't you?"

Did something like that happen?

"Hmm? Oh... that joke..."

It was just a lighthearted joke.

"You really think it was a joke, don't you... I've thought this for a while, but have you become so used to being Eleanor that the line between man and woman has blurred for you?"

"Blurred?"

"Among women, it might be laughable, but you casually do things that would make people recoil if a man did them, right? Before you became Eleanor, were you the kind of person who would try to peek into a girl's bath or stare at someone's chest?"

...Of course not. I'd get arrested.

"Ah... now that you mention it, maybe..."

"You should be careful."

Yeah...

"I'll be careful..."

"You do that. By the way, does the Cure Potion also cure cancer?"

"It's Level 3, after all."

"Alchemy really is amazing..."

Well, yeah. As expected of my unique skill!

"Getting back on topic, you're not quitting, Yoshino-san?"

"Hmm, probably not. But I probably won't be adventuring like I used to."

"Really?"

"First of all, I don't think I'll ever quit being an adventurer. I'm the Headquarters Director's subordinate, and I have investigations in Frontier to do."

That's right, like Kiryu, Yoshino-san was also a roped-in A-rank Adventurer.

"You won't do normal adventuring?"

"If you quit, Lin will probably quit too. If that happens, I think it will cause a chain reaction with the others."

I can see how Lin-san quitting would cause a chain reaction with others. I've heard they're all looking for a good time to quit.

"If I quit, Lin-san will quit too?"

"Probably. You see, we're the same age. I think it would be a catalyst. In fact, if I weren't the Headquarters Director's subordinate, I think I would have quit too. Especially Lin, since she has a husband."

She did say she wanted kids.

"If that happens, will you go solo, Yoshino-san?"

"I have backup members, but I'll probably be solo. Well, I'm not going to high-difficulty areas anymore anyway. I'll just do it casually in the Kunaar Ruins or Mireille Road. To be honest, the 10 percent I get from you is better than the profits from adventuring."

Even the auction for the Level 3 Healing Potion this time will net her a share of nearly 10 million. And there were the gold bars before that.

"Be careful."

I'm one to talk, but you're also nearing 30.

"I won't overdo it. That kind of passion has already cooled."

Yoshino-san said, rubbing her stomach. It was the place where she used to have a scar.

"Did the scar heal?"

"Want to see? It healed perfectly. You can't even tell where it was."

"Wanna go to a hotel?"

"Right after I said that... Fine. My cut will be 40 percent of the profits."

You money-grubber. Don't try to become my mistress.

"I'm kidding. I'm glad it healed."

"Yeah. I'm grateful. While you're at it, make me even more money. I have high hopes for this business with Frontier in particular."

This money-grubber never changes.

"I'll do my best... Pick me up tomorrow at noon."

"Tomorrow? That's soon."

"The sooner the better, and I don't want any unnecessary interference from the government. Besides, I want to get this over with before the year is out."

This time for sure, this will be my last job of the year.

"That's true."

"When it's over, let's call Nanaka-san and have a wrap party. I actually wanted to do it when we got the gold bars, but that whole news report ruined it."

"Yeah. It'll probably turn into a year-end party, but let's drink while admiring the gold bars."

"You can't drink."

You get sleepy right away, don't you?

"At drinking parties, I've decided to stick with apple juice."

"...I'll have it ready."

"By the way, what are you doing for Christmas next week? With Kaede?"

"That's the plan. Though a certain pestering pipsqueak will be coming over..."

That kid was so persistent in asking if she could come over that I finally caved.

"Nanapon is amazing..."

"You coming too? You don't have a boyfriend, do you?"

"Ouch, that stung! I don't, but..."

I thought so. If she had one, she wouldn't be trying to become my mistress.

"Then it's fine, isn't it? Dress up as Santa or something and grace us with your presence."

"You mean one of those sexy outfits, don't you?"

That's one way to put it.

"Then a normal one is fine."

"...I guess that's fine. In that case, let's sell the potions to Frontier by next week and have a wrap party."

"Let's do that... Please stop around here. I'll drink a transparency potion and walk home from here."

As we got close to my house, I confirmed that there were no trailers behind us and asked Yoshino-san to stop the car.

"Mm. Got it. I'll pick you up first thing tomorrow afternoon. And I'll let Satsuki-neesan know about this too."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow, then."

I said, taking a transparency potion out of my bag. Then, after drinking the potion and becoming transparent, I got out of the car and walked back to my nearby house.