kscans

Chapter 235 - The True Gold is at Home

I arranged for Yoshino-san to drive me home, and as we got close, I drank a transparency potion. Then, I got out of the car. Yoshino-san, meanwhile, drove off to take Nanapon home.

I walked the rest of the way home, then drank another transparency potion to undo the effect. Just then, Kaede-chan came from the back of the house to greet me.

"Welcome home."

"I'm home."

Man, it's nice to have someone welcome you home.

"Senpai, would you like some cocoa?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright, I'll go make it, so you go get changed."

Good idea. I want to change from Eleanor-san back to Okita-kun as soon as possible.

"Got it."

I replied and went back to my room, took off the black robe, and became stark naked. Then, I drank a TS Potion, turned back into Okita-kun, and got dressed.

"This is much better for being at home."

After I finished dressing, I took the documents out of my bag and returned to the living room. When I got back, Kaede-chan was sitting on the sofa, and two cups of cocoa were on the low table in front of it.

"Thanks, Kaede-chan."

I said my thanks as I sat down next to her and placed the documents on the low table. Then, I started drinking the cocoa she had made for me.

"Ah, that warms me up."

"It is cold outside, after all."

"You're not kidding. I can't change outside anymore."

I could barely stand it in October and November, but December and January are impossible.

"Well, you probably won't have to be Eleanor-san for a while, right?"

"Oh, right, that. I got the details."

"Oh! How did it go? Ah, but first, was there an ambush?"

Of course, Kaede-chan knew there might be an ambush. But she wasn't too worried about it. I mean, it had been leaked, so they knew exactly what to expect.

"There was. Just as planned, they were all rounded up by the police."

"What about the politician?"

"He was there to watch, so he was arrested on the spot."

What an idiot.

"Ah, so he came all the way just to watch?"

"I wonder why he did that."

"Well, it was just a spiteful act after he had already lost everything. He probably wanted to see the person who caused it all get beaten up."

It's amazing he thought that group could do anything to me. He must have been completely washed up.

"He's beyond saving."

"Well, he was terrible from the start, so he got what he deserved."

So true, so true. I don't know if he'll go to jail, but I hope he reflects on his actions.

"You're right."

"So what happened with the gold delivery?"

"Claire was there. They're going to do it with the usual taxi. I guess they'll do it along with the other deals they have."

We still have deals for Healing Potions and Item Bags, and we'll continue to sell them, so we'll be dealing with those two for a while yet.

"The back of the guild has become a scene for shady deals, hasn't it."

Well, we did make a shady deal with that Minerva person, so she's not wrong. That place is always empty, so it's perfect for that sort of thing.

"The amount is huge, so it's going to be in 30 installments."

With a 10-ton item bag, that's how it would work out.

"It is 300 tons, after all. Wow, that's an incredible number. I still can't believe it, even after a night's sleep."

"I know, right. I don't really get it either."

What even is a trillion? How many 10,000 yen bills is that?

"Alchemy really was amazing."

"So true, so true. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gone to the Ikebukuro Guild that day."

Would things have gone this well?

"If it hadn't been Ikebukuro, it probably would have been Shibuya. You probably would have been captivated by the receptionist's charms and used by the Shibuya branch manager."

I was captivated by the receptionist in Ikebukuro, too.

"Maybe? That place was something else. So many guys."

I now fully understand why Yoshino-san and Satsuki-san called it vulgar.

"Senpai, you made the right choice coming to Ikebukuro. It was destiny."

"You're saying that, Kaede-chan? You scoffed at me when I said that before."

Destiny, lol.

"Well, you said it with such a straight face back then, Senpai. It wasn't your style, it was just weird."

Apparently, I'll never make it as a host. Not that I want to.

"Oh well. Anyway, it seems like it'll take some time to receive all the money."

"Isn't that fine? It's not like we need it right away, we can take it slow."

"Yeah, let's do that. I've been working non-stop since I became an adventurer, so maybe I'll take it easy for a while."

Even though I haven't worked half as much as I did at my old job. Ugh... my heart aches.

"Shall we go to a hot spring? I probably won't be returning to work for a while yet."

A hot spring... a mixed bath...

"Sounds great. It'll probably be empty on a weekday, so let's relax at a hot spring."

"Let's do that. By the way, Senpai, are you going in the men's bath? Or the women's?"

"Why would Eleanor-san be going?"

No way. Well, I wouldn't mind going into the women's bath, though.

"Just kidding. Well then, let's start looking right away............"

Kaede-chan started looking at her phone.

"Ah, wait a second. Kaede-chan, before that, could you write your name here?"

I picked up the documents from the low table and pointed to the space for her name.

"Alright, alright."

Kaede-chan wrote 'Asakura Kaede' in the provided space.

"This is your personal seal, Kaede-chan."

I handed her the stamp with 'Asakura' written on it.

"You're well-prepared. By the way, who is this witness?"

"My homeroom teacher from my high school club. He was crying."

He said something about the idiot who got a 12 in math becoming so respectable. So annoying.

"You really are well-prepared..."

Kaede-chan said as she stamped the document.

"Alright, alright. Kaede-chan, let's get married."

"The order of things is all wrong... Fine, fine."

She's not very enthusiastic.

"Let's go buy a ring sometime. An eternal one."

"Three months' salary! Wonderful!"

Three months... That would be three trillion yen...

"You can choose whatever you like, but keep it moderate. It'll stand out."

"That's true. Still, Okita Kaede, huh..."

Eh? She doesn't like it?

"Okita is convenient because it's early in alphabetical order."

"No way, you can't beat me."

Because her name is Asakura...

"If you don't like it, you can keep Asakura."

I'll become Asakura Hajime. Ooh... that sounds kind of cool! Sounds super strong!

"No, Okita is fine. You won't be part of the Shinsengumi anymore, Senpai."

That's true, but while Hajime lives a long life, Okita dies young...

"Well, if you're okay with it, Kaede-chan, then that's fine. I'm an only child, so my parents would probably prefer that too."

"Um, what about greeting your parents?"

"Hmm, I told them by email, so they'll probably be back eventually, right?"

I wonder where those two are now.

"That's what I mean about the order being wrong..."

Don't worry about it. I've been preparing for this for over two months. Nanapon was pretty put off by it, though.

"Come on, Kaede-chan, come here."

I opened my arms just like that one time. Kaede-chan then hugged me with a look of resignation.

"Well, I guess I'll allow it since my annual income surpassed ten million yen."

"That's less than my hourly wage."

"I don't even know what's going on anymore..."

It's fine, it's fine. You just have to go with the flow.

"Alright, let's live it up and have fun!"

"Alright! I'll ask to be a part-timer!"

I guess she can't quit completely because of Nanapon. Well, I have to supply Satsuki-san, too.

"Want to drink?"

"Let's drink."

We stopped hugging, finished our cocoa, and started toasting with beer.

I had finally become the happiest person in the world. At the age of 26, I had risen from the depths of misery to the pinnacle of happiness.

I did it!

"Oh, Senpai, you need to come and greet my parents."

So I wasn't at the pinnacle just yet.