kscans

Chapter 36 - Nanapon is Useful

Thanks to Yokokawa's Clairvoyance, I was steadily hunting down Skeletons.

"...You're very strong, aren't you?"

After I finished cutting down two Skeletons and was picking up a dropped skeleton sword, Yokokawa, who hadn't participated in the battle at all, spoke up.

"Well, yeah. I've been doing this since I was a kid."

"...I think that's amazing. Um, I have a favor to ask, is that okay?"

"What is it?"

"Could you please become Eleanor-san?"

Huh?

"Why?"

"I mentioned it briefly before, but I'm actually a little uncomfortable around men..."

Yokokawa said apologetically.

"Like, you have a phobia of men?"

"It's not that severe. I just went to an all-girls school, so I don't have much immunity."

"I'm surprised you decided to become an Adventurer, then."

There are women, but the majority are men.

"I didn't really think about it until I became one. But once I actually did, it was a little..."

"Did you get hit on or something?"

"...I get approached a lot. Since I'm solo."

Kaede-chan said she got hit on too, so I guess it's a common thing. This girl in particular seems timid, so I bet she gets hit on a lot.

"Am I uncomfortable? Is it hard to talk to me?"

"Not so much... But being alone with you is a little..."

It stings a little, but I guess there are people like that.

"Could it be that you quit being an Adventurer after starting college because of that?"

"...Yes. But I know I should get over it for my own future, and the Guild Master said it would be okay since Okita-san has a girlfriend..."

That woman says the most random things.

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"Eh? What about Asakura-san?"

She even told her that much.

"We're not dating."

"Eh? Eh? Weren't you taking her back to your room?"

This stalker girl saw that much?

"It wasn't that kind of atmosphere."

"...You think so? You two looked like you were having fun."

Apparently, she was watching the whole time. This girl is a little scary.

"Well, we were drinking. You want a drink too?"

"Alcohol? Hmm, I've never had it."

Hmm... So she just started college.

"Anyway, we're not dating. But we are going to live together soon."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"We're not dating, but we're moving in together."

"H-huh!? What do you mean!?"

She's acting like a broken machine.

"A kid wouldn't understand. There are relationships like that. Yes, adult relationships."

"A... a friends-with-benefits situation...!"

This girl really is a closet pervert.

"It's the other way around."

In fact, there's no physical relationship at all. Not yet, anyway!

"I don't understand."

"Well, you'll get it eventually. But becoming Eleanor-san, huh..."

"Is it no good?"

"No, it's fine, but you saw the front of the Gate, right? All those people are Eleanor-san's fans."

They'll probably swarm us. The men you dislike.

"Ah, so those really are her fans. There were media in front of the Guild, too."

"Exactly. That's why I'm not so sure about becoming Eleanor-san."

"Then, then, let's come at night. There won't be anyone around then."

At night, it's zombies and ghosts. No thanks.

"No, Kaede-chan isn't there at night."

"It doesn't have to be Asakura-san, does it?"

"Yes, it does. Why else do you think I'm an Adventurer?"

"Eh? Okita-san, are you doing this just to see Asakura-san? Aren't you a stalker?"

I really don't want to hear that from you.

"To be serious, because of the Status Card and other things, Eleanor-san can't operate unless Kaede-chan is there."

"Ah, I see. Then let's go to an unpopular place where there are no people."

"Where?"

"The Diana Mine."

Diana Mine... I think I've seen that name online.

"What kind of place is it?"

"It's a mine, just like the name says. You can't go deep inside because of the risk of cave-ins, but you can explore the shallower areas."

"Is it unpopular?"

"There are transparent Skeletons called Hide Skeletons there. So it's dangerous and no one goes. But I have Clairvoyance. I used to go there."

Transparent monsters are no joke. That's a real threat. But her Clairvoyance can even see them... She really is amazing.

"You can see transparent things too?"

"Hide Skeletons aren't so much transparent as they are camouflaged."

So they're like camouflaged?

"Hmm, but if you were active there, you wouldn't run into any men. You didn't have to quit."

"You'll understand when we go. I don't want to be in a mine by myself."

I guess it would be scary... I wouldn't want to either.

"That's probably one of the reasons the Kunaar Ruins are so popular."

There are a lot of people here, and even though they're ruins, it's a cityscape, so it's not that scary.

"I think you're probably right."

"Hmm, okay. Let's go check it out, then. Ah, but you'll have to put up with me today. I want to get to level 6."

That's why I've been working hard since this morning.

"Understood. Oh, then, it's that way. There are four of them."

"Good. Lead the way."

I followed Yokokawa and resumed hunting Skeletons. After defeating more than twenty of them, I finally leveled up.

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Name: Okita Hajime
Level: 6
Job: Swordsman
Skills:
≪Swordsmanship Lv5≫
☆≪Alchemy≫
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Level 6
Healing Potion Lv1, Gender Reassignment Potion
Sleeping Potion, Pure Water
Translation Potion, Item Bag
Transparency Potion, Appraisal Glasses, Appraisal Contacts
Healing Potion Lv2
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

So I can make Healing Potion Level 2 now...

"Nanapon, is anyone around?"

"Nanapon!? Please don't call me that, it sounds like a raccoon dog!"

I had a friend with that nickname a long time ago. He was a guy, though...

"Is anyone there?"

"No, but..."

Hearing that, I took a plastic bottle of water and two Medicinal Herbs out of my bag. The ingredients for a Healing Potion Lv2 are Pure Water and two Medicinal Herbs.

First, I turn the water in the plastic bottle into Pure Water.

"Ah, something just glowed."

"This is Alchemy."

Next, I stuff the two Medicinal Herbs into the bottle. A little water overflowed, but I ignored it, stuffed them in, and stared intently at the bottle. The bottle then emitted a strong light, which quickly faded.

In my hand was a plastic flask filled with a purple liquid.

"So this is Alchemy... Is this what Alchemy is like?"

"I dunno."

My image of alchemy is a cute girl putting ingredients into a giant cauldron and causing an explosion.

I took the Appraisal Glasses out of my bag and appraised the Healing Potion I'd just made. According to the appraisal, it seems it can heal even fairly severe injuries. It also seems to cure poison.

"Hmm, amazing. But it looks so poisonous."

Why is it purple...

"What's that?"

Nanapon asked, pointing at the poisonous-looking Healing Potion.

"A Level 2 Healing Potion."

"Wow, is it expensive?"

"I don't know, so I'll check when I get back."

I'm Okita-kun right now, so I'll call and report to Kaede-chan and Satsuki-san after I get home.

"You can make all sorts of things."

"Pretty amazing, right?"

"It is. These rare skills really are on another level."

I wonder what the other rare skills are like.

"Alright! I'll give this to you, Nanapon. If you get hit by a truck, use it right away."

"Please stop calling me Nanapon. And if I got hit by a truck, I'd die instantly. I'd be reincarnated and marry a prince."

"So you're that type..."

I'd build a harem... No, actually, I still prefer Kaede-chan.

"Right... Eh? You're giving that to me?"

Took you long enough.

"The cost is 1100 yen. A working adult will treat you."

The water was 100 yen, and the two Medicinal Herbs were 1000 yen.

"So cheap! But I'll take it. You never know what might happen in Frontier."

"Exactly. If I'm ever in a state where I can't use a Healing Potion, use it without hesitation."

"Ah... so that's what this is for."

Of course. What else are companions for?

"Oh, then, can I borrow an Item Bag? It's bulky."

"Hmm, I only have a 10-kilogram one right now. The 100-kilogram one is at home."

At home, or rather, in Eleanor-san's bag.

"100 kilograms... Isn't that the one that sold for about 50 million yen the other day? 10 kilograms is more than enough."

Well, you can fit a lot in a 10-kilogram bag.

"Then you can have it."

I took a brown bag out of my black bag and handed it to Nanapon.

"...I don't really like the color."

Girls are so picky...

"Just put it in your backpack."

"I will."

"Well, since I leveled up, I think I'll head back. Is tomorrow afternoon okay?"

"That's fine. Ah, my contact info..."

Nanapon started fidgeting with her hands again.

"What? You've never exchanged contact info with a guy before?"

"...No."

She did say she went to an all-girls school.

"What about college?"

"Only with girls..."

Well, I guess that can happen. I barely exchanged contact info with any girls either. Though I did start talking to Kaede-chan in my fourth year.

"Then let's use this one."

I took out the Eleanor-san phone that Satsuki-san had given me yesterday.

"This one?"

"This is Eleanor-san's. Eleanor-san herself will reply to you."

Don't worry, I won't call you Nanapon.

"It's like you're a mascot character or someone inside an anime."

"It's something like that."

I'm playing a part, so it's the same thing.

"Then please, I'll take that one."

Nanapon and I exchanged contact info and returned to the Guild.