kscans

Chapter 40 - Super Black Nanapon

Nanapon and I left the mine and were taking a break at the table in front of the hut outside.

"This is tiring."

Nanapon took out a plastic bottle of tea from the backpack she was wearing and relaxed as she drank it.

"Really?"

I took a Level 1 Healing Potion from my bag, drank it, and asked her again.

"...Wait! What are you drinking!?"

"A Level 1 Healing Potion."

"500,000 yen!? That's such a waste!"

When she puts it like that, it sounds incredibly wasteful.

"The cost price for this is 600 yen. It's a little expensive, but it's fine if it can restore my stamina, right?"

"600 yen..."

Nanapon muttered, then took her wallet out of her backpack and placed 600 yen on the table.

"I'm not going to take money from a student."

I took a potion from my bag and placed it on the table.

"Oh, thank you very much."

Nanapon picked up the potion, stared at it intently, and then began to drink it slowly.

"Potions don't have a taste, huh... Whoa, amazing! My fatigue vanished in an instant!"

Nanapon cried out in surprise.

"If you wash your face with it, it'll clear up acne and stuff, too."

"Heeh... Wash my face?"

"Yes, wash your face. Better yet, if you take a bath with it, your skin will become silky smooth... though it was cold."

A cold water bath in October is pretty chilly.

"Eleanor-san... are you an idiot? Do you have any idea how much that would cost?"

"It's my insatiable spirit of inquiry. Besides, I have money! I'm not the same person who used to buy half-priced bento boxes anymore."

I also poured it into a kettle, heated it up, and made ramen with it. Through that experiment, I discovered that heating a potion nullifies its effects. That experiment, however, had no meaning.

"You're just a dumb nouveau riche, aren't you."

Don't call me dumb.

"Hmph, look at this hand."

I showed Nanapon my beautiful hand.

"Heeh, hooh."

Nanapon started stroking and caressing my hand.

"I don't really care, but weren't you supposed to hate men?"

You're touching me quite a bit.

"No, you're a woman... I've realized something over the course of today. You should stay as Eleanor-san forever."

"Drop dead. I have Kaede-chan."

Tch!

"Scary. Do you like Asakura-san that much?"

"She is my oasis. An oasis in the desert that soothes my soul, which was worn down by a black company and a terrible boss."

"I see. I hope it's not just a mirage."

I really don't like this black side of her.

"Come on, that's enough. Let's make one more run and then head home."

I brushed Nanapon's hand away.

"Understood. I hope you get to live with Asakura-san soon."

She says nice things sometimes. But she probably just doesn't want to come to my place while I'm living alone. I can see her desire for a Potion Bath.

After our break, we took turns hunting Hide Skeletons until evening, then called it a day. Neither of us leveled up, but I think it was a good first day.

Once we finished adventuring, I had Nanapon head back first, and decided to return to the guild after a delay. It's better if we're not seen together too often.

About ten minutes after Nanapon left, I passed through the Gate and returned.

When I got back to the lobby, I saw a few other adventurers here and there, but Nanapon was nowhere in sight. I figured she had already left and went over to Kaede-chan.

"Ah, welcome back. Good work today."

Kaede-chan congratulated me on my efforts.

"Thanks. Could you process my earnings?"

I handed my Status Card to Kaede-chan and placed my bag on the counter.

"Oh, before that, please go see the Guild Master. This way."

Kaede-chan stood up as she spoke, so I put my Status Card away and followed her. She led me to the branch manager's office, and when I entered, I saw Nanapon, who should have returned to the guild before me, sitting on the sofa, hunched over and looking small.

"What are you doing?"

I asked Satsuki-san, who was sitting across from Nanapon.

"Nothing."

"No, this looks exactly like a scolding, though?"

"This is just how she is."

Isn't it because you threatened her? Ah, but she was energetic today. She was like this at the beginning, though.

"Well, whatever. What did you want to talk about?"

I asked as I sat down next to Nanapon. Unfortunately, Kaede-chan sat down next to Satsuki-san.

"Someone broke into this guild yesterday."

Huh?

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Nothing was stolen, but there were clear signs of a break-in."

Nothing was stolen? Even though there's probably a lot of money here?

"What about the security cameras?"

"There's about an hour of footage missing."

"I'll say this now, it wasn't me."

With an Invisibility Potion, it would be easy to get in, but it wasn't me. I'm not hurting for cash.

"I know that."

Then why did you call me here. You clearly suspect me.

"If you don't suspect me, then what? You want me to find the culprit?"

"Not you..."

Hey! You're underestimating me!

"Anyway, isn't this place open 24 hours?"

Wasn't someone here?

"The break-in was in a certain room in the back."

"The vault?"

"In a way, it's a more important room than that. The room where the Status Cards are kept."

..................

"That's not good."

Are you an idiot! They could have seen my Status Card and Nanapon's!

"It's fine. Kaede has been keeping your Status Cards."

"Huh? Is that allowed?"

"No, but just in case, I had her store them in her Item Bag."

So she was being cautious.

"So no other Status Cards were stolen?"

"That's right. The target was almost certainly your Status Card."

I think so too. Someone wanted to see my skills.

"Who could it be?"

"No idea. There are too many possibilities."

Well, I suppose everyone wants to know my skills.

"What are you going to do? The police?"

"I can't report a screw-up like letting someone break into the guild to my superiors."

So a cover-up, then.

"Is that okay?"

"Fortunately, nothing was stolen, and there's no problem if they saw anyone else's Status Card."

Nanapon and I are the only ones with rare skills, after all.

"Be careful. This is a matter of life and death for Nanaka-san and me."

"I know. That's why from now on, you two will hold onto your own Status Cards. And don't take them out of your Item Bags unnecessarily."

"Even at the guild?"

"That's right. Honestly, that's the most dangerous place."

We do have to present and receive our Status Cards where lots of people are around. Even if they aren't stolen, someone could peek at them. ...Though there aren't many people in this guild.

"I understand. Nanaka-san too?"

"That's right."

Satsuki-san and I stared at Nanapon.

"U, um, by any chance, are you two walking a dangerous path?"

It seems Nanapon finally understood.

"There are hundreds of millions of yen moving around, you know? That amount will only increase from now on. Of course it's a dangerous path."

"Ah, I quit."

Nanapon swiftly placed her Status Card on the table.

"If I'm captured by the enemy, I'll tell them I have a disciple. I'll beg them desperately not to lay a hand on my disciple."

"Are you a demon!? Oh, you're a witch..."

A look of pure shock, the kind you could almost hear a gaan sound effect for, crossed Nanapon's face.

"Fufu, it's alright. In Frontier, we won't have any problems as long as we have your Clairvoyance, and in our daily lives, we can escape with an Invisibility Potion."

No blind spots!

"I was able to find your house without any trouble, though?"

..................

"That's because you're special."

"What if this enemy of yours has a skill like Clairvoyance too?"

..................

"Shut up, you brat. I'll report your cheating to the university."

Don't you dare defy me.

"You're the worst!"

"That would be you!"

For a despicable cheating girl.

"Nanapon, this is a job that will decide our lives. Clairvoyance is only useful during your student years. I won't say it's useless as a working adult, but it's not that helpful."

Satsuki-san clasped her hands together and brought them to her mouth in a very villainous-looking pose as she spoke to Nanapon.

"That's true, but..."

"The most important thing in life is money. To live without working, just playing. You need money to grasp that ultimate happiness."

That's right, that's right!

"Ehh..."

"I'm telling you that you can have a piece of this big business."

"Um... Do I have the right to refuse?"

"Of course you do. However, you will be expelled from university."

"...So I don't."

Nanapon slumped in defeat and looked at Kaede-chan. Kaede-chan just gave her a sweet smile.

"...There's no one here but people consumed by greed."

You're just realizing that now?

I gently wrapped my arm around the shoulder of Nanapon, who was sitting next to me.

"...Eleanor-san."

Nanapon, who had been covering her face with both hands, looked up.

"I told you I'd show you gold, didn't I? The world is all about money, money."

I took a bundle of 1 million yen from my bag and placed it on Nanapon's lap.

"...I understand."

After seeing the bundle of cash, Nanapon said this, clutched it tightly, and stuffed it into the rabbit backpack that was beside her.

"Your cut will be five percent."

"Give me ten percent."

She's a sharp one.

"Very well. In exchange, you will watch my enemies closely."

"Understood."

Black Nanapon had evolved into Super Black Nanapon.