kscans

Chapter 25 - So Unpopular It's Hilarious

The day after my wild time with Kaede-chan, I was woken up by the alarm on her smartphone.

"Yes… yes. I’m sorry, cough! It seems I’ve caught a bit of a cold………… Huh? I’m at home, of course. Yes, my home, cough! I’m sorry………… So that’s why I’ll be taking the day off. Yes, I think I’ll be fine by tomorrow. Yes, goodbye."

Kaede-chan hung up the phone. She’s a good actress, too.

"Who was that? Satsuki-san?"

"Yep. She was super suspicious, though. She said, ‘You’re at senpai’s place, aren’t you?’"

Well, she’s not wrong.

"The auction was yesterday, after all. She probably figured we were watching it together."

"That’s probably it. Ugh, my head hurts."

Mine hurts a little too. Part of it is the hangover, but it’s also because I slept on the floor.

"Here, drink this. My research shows it works on hangovers too."

I took out a Healing Potion and handed it to her.

"Research?"

"I drink them instead of water."

"A 500,000 yen potion? You’re insane. Next thing I know, you’ll be taking a bath in Healing Potions…"

Already did that…

"Well, well, it really works, so just drink it."

"Thank you. A 500,000 yen hangover cure is pretty amazing."

Kaede-chan started drinking the Healing Potion as she said that. My head was hurting a bit too, so I took out a Healing Potion and drank it. The pain and heaviness in my head instantly vanished.

"This is amazing. It healed in an instant."

"Right, right."

"Thank you."

Kaede-chan said, handing back the empty flask.

"What are you going to do now, Kaede-chan?"

"I should probably head home. I want to take a bath, and I’m sleepy."

Yeah, that makes sense. We went a little too crazy yesterday.

"I’ll walk you to the station."

"No, it’s alright. What about you, senpai?"

"I’ll probably take a bath and go to sleep too."

I can’t do anything else today. I don’t want to move.

"Will you be coming tomorrow?"

She meant to the Guild, of course.

"I’m going adventuring tomorrow. I want to raise my level."

"Understood. Well then, I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow."

With that, Kaede-chan stood up and went to the entryway. I followed her. She put on her shoes and turned to face me.

"Well then, senpai, thank you for yesterday."

"Nah, it was fun. Let’s become winners."

"Right. Well, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Bye-bye."

Kaede-chan waved, opened the door, and left.

I went back into the room, cleaned up the empty cans, took a shower, laid out my futon, and decided to sleep. I woke up in the afternoon, and while eating yesterday’s leftovers, I checked the news online with my phone.

【Item Bag Sells for 52 Million Yen!】

I saw a few headlines like that.

"So it did become a hot topic…"

There was a lot of talk about the Item Bag, but there was also quite a bit about Eleanor Ocean. It seemed to have generated a lot of buzz.

"I’ll go in my own form tomorrow."

Tomorrow, I’m just going to level up, not sell anything, so there’s no point in going as Eleanor Ocean. In fact, it’ll probably be crowded, so it’s better to go as the inconspicuous Okita Hajime. I’m sure Kaede-chan would be happier with that, too.

"That means I need to switch over my things."

I had completely separated Okita Hajime’s and Eleanor Ocean’s belongings. Not just the clothes, obviously, but the wallet, bag, shoes, handkerchief, everything was separate.

"Alright! I’m not leaving the house today. I’m going to look for an apartment for me and Kaede-chan to live in!"

The fun of house hunting had just increased.

"……But I wonder if she was serious."

What if it was a joke? We were drinking, so what if I suggest a room later like, ‘How about this place?’ and she rejects me with a ‘Huh?’ I’d cry…

I launched the messaging app on my phone and decided to contact Kaede-chan.

‘I’m looking for a new place to move, but there are so many options I can’t decide.’

Alright! Let’s test the waters with this!

I sent the message, and it was immediately marked as read. It seemed Kaede-chan was awake too.

‘I wasn’t joking about the roommate thing, so you don’t have to probe. Let’s look together. And before we look for a room, crab comes first.’

Yes! That’s a relief! I feel like she completely saw through me, but I’m glad!

‘Tell me when you have off.’

‘I’ll apply for paid leave when I go to work tomorrow. Let’s decide tomorrow over drinks. So please come to the Guild in the afternoon.’

Heck yeah! A meal with Kaede-chan!

My spirits soared, and I eagerly started looking up crab restaurants and hotels in Hokkaido. ……I assume we’ll get separate hotel rooms, though.

◆◇◆

The next day, I left my apartment, ate lunch at a restaurant, and then headed for the Guild in Ikebukuro. As I approached the Guild, I could see a crowd of reporters with cameras milling about in front.

Ugh… It’s probably related to Eleanor… I’m Okita-kun, Okita-kun…

I tried to enter the Guild while thinking to myself, This has nothing to do with me.

"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

Just as I was trying to sneak into the Guild, I heard a woman’s voice. I reflexively turned around to see a beautiful female news announcer, someone I’d seen on TV, smiling at me.

"Me?"

"Yes. Are you an Adventurer affiliated with this Guild?"

"Uh, yes."

"Do you know an Adventurer named Eleanor Ocean?"

I knew it…

"You mean the one in the news and stuff, right? I don’t really know the details."

Actually, I know all the details. I know her favorite foods and the ones she hates. I even know her family situation. I even know what kind of girl she likes. Because she’s me.

"Have you seen her?"

"Ah, no. I’m not very active… Besides, this place is, and I hate to say it, an unpopular guild. So you’d be better off going to Shibuya or somewhere. The Adventurers over there might have run into her in Frontier."

Translation: Go away.

"I see… You’re right, I’ve been here since this morning, and only a few Adventurers have come to this guild."

That’s not many. Even for a weekday, that’s too unpopular.

"It’s always like this. If you’re going to stake it out here, you should do it in the evening or later. More people come around that time."

"I see… Thank you for the information."

The announcer was a polite person. She bowed her head and thanked me.

"No problem. Well then."

I gave a wave to say goodbye and quickly entered the Guild.

Alright! Now I can come during the day as Eleanor and be fine. I feel like I really am smart.

Satisfied with my own cleverness, I entered the Guild and headed straight for Kaede-chan’s reception desk.

"Hey."

"Hey to you too. How was it outside?"

Kaede-chan raised a hand in greeting and asked.

"There were some people out there. I told them this place is unpopular, so they’d be better off going to Shibuya."

"Well, it’s true that we’re unpopular, but should you really be saying that to a Guild employee?"

Maybe I should have chosen my words more carefully.

"It’s fine, isn’t it? So, Kaede-chan, where are we going today?"

"Is that the first thing you ask………… How about we go to the place we went to last time. So, please be back by five."

"Got it. Well then, today I’ll… starting today, I’m going to the Kunaar Ruins."

I know, so stop glaring at me. Okita-kun is going for the first time.

"Take care. Here’s your Status Card."

Kaede-chan said, handing me my Status Card and my katana.

"Thanks."

"I’m sure you’ll be fine, but please be careful. The Kunaar Ruins are probably flooded with Adventurers."

Ah… that might be true. I’ll have to consider that from now on.

"Got it."

I nodded, put the Status Card in my bag, and attached the katana to my hip. Then, I proceeded to the back and passed through the Gate.

Alright! …To Frontier for the umpteenth time!