kscans

Chapter 46 - Looking for a New Home

The day after I was whisked away in a taxi by that strange pair, I called Nanapon to check on her upcoming schedule. It turned out she had university classes this week, so our adventuring for the week was canceled. When I thought about it, she was a college student, so of course she had classes.

"Are you actually attending your classes properly?"

"I get a perfect score on all my tests. So I take off as much time as I’m allowed."

That was our conversation on the phone yesterday. By the way, the reason I was speaking as Eleanor-san was because she requested it.

At first, Okita-kun made the call. She immediately said, "Change! I want Eleanor-san!" and hung up. She says the same thing even with text messages if Okita-kun sends them.

I think she probably hates me. I was a little dejected, but well, Nanapon has a slight distrust of men, so I figured it was fine.

With the day off, I started researching the two from yesterday, as well as other foreign adventurers and the state of adventuring abroad.

There are Adventurer Guilds in other countries, and just like in Japan, adventurers pass through Gates from there to head to Frontier. However, the locations in Frontier accessible from each country are different. Frontier truly has all sorts of lands. There are deserts, and apparently, there are coastlines too. The total area of land leased by countries around the world, including Japan, seems to be quite vast, leading to the assumption that Frontier is a considerably large planet. Or perhaps the population of Frontier’s inhabitants is small.

Whether any of this was true was unknown, but there were various theories, and I lost track of time just reading about them. The information available had become much more detailed than what I had learned in school ten or twenty years ago.

"Hmm, but information on skill acquisition is pretty vague…"

Excluding our unique skills, Nanapon and I each only have one skill. I have Swordsmanship, and Nanapon has Fire Magic. Our low levels are likely a factor, but compared to the pair from yesterday, our skill sets felt remarkably small. Furthermore, I had previously seen the status cards of everyone belonging to the Ikebukuro branch, and there were adventurers at around the same level as us who had three or four skills.

"Maybe I’ll try it out with Nanapon next time…"

I decided to jot down the methods for acquiring skills that I found online. I would test whether we could gain any new skills during our next adventure.

That day ended with me doing that kind of research, and I lay down in bed with a heart full of doki doki. The reason was that the next day was my date with Kaede-chan to look for a new home.

And so, the next day, I got ready just before noon and left the house. When I took the train to Nerima Station, our meeting spot, Kaede-chan was already there waiting.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Apologies for being late."

I walked up to Kaede-chan and apologized for not arriving first.

"No, no. I haven’t been waiting at all, and you live far away, senpai, so it can’t be helped."

Kaede-chan didn’t seem to mind in the slightest, waving her hand with a smile.

"You think so? Well then, shall we go?"

I said to Kaede-chan, and we left the station together. We went to a restaurant she recommended and had lunch. Then, once it was a good time, we headed to the real estate agency.

When we arrived, the agent who had helped us last time was waiting. Kaede-chan and I listened as he explained the properties he had found for us.

"This wasn’t available before, but there was a sudden cancellation. I believe this one will meet your requirements."

The agent showed us a three-story apartment building. It was a nearly new 2LDK, and from the photos, it looked clean and the location wasn’t bad either. The rent was an amount that would have easily wiped out my entire monthly salary back in my corporate days, but now, it was no problem.

"Kaede-chan, I think it looks good. The rooms are spacious too."

Or rather, compared to where I live now, it was like Heaven and Earth.

"I agree. Um, is it possible to see it in person?" Kaede-chan asked the agent.

"Yes, of course. It’s close by, so shall we go now?"

"Yes, please."

"Understood. Please wait just a moment."

The agent stood up and disappeared into the back. He returned shortly, and we left the real estate office and headed for the apartment.

On the way, we walked for about five minutes while listening to his explanations and making small talk, and then we arrived. We entered the room on the third floor, and Kaede-chan and I looked over the layout together.

The apartment was the 2LDK we had requested, with two rooms of about six tatami mats each and a large living room. We looked through each room, the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and so on.

"What do you think?" I asked Kaede-chan, who was inspecting the closet in one of the rooms.

"It’s amazing. It’s so clean. This is a place I could never live in on my own."

Kaede-chan’s salary was probably quite good, but a place of this caliber would likely be out of her reach.

"I think it’s great. Considering there’ll be two of us, it’s not too big and not too small. And since it was just built last year, it really is clean."

"I know, right? The location is good, and it gets great sunlight. Should we decide on this one? Though I think it wouldn’t hurt to look a little more."

We could also try a different real estate agency.

"Hmm, I’d rather move soon. I don’t want to spend the cold winter over there."

It wasn’t like my current place had drafts, but it just felt cold for some reason. I wanted to spend a warm winter with Kaede-chan.

"That’s true. It seems it would be better for your wounded heart to heal sooner, senpai. Shall we decide on this place?"

My wounded heart has healed quite a bit, you know. It’s all thanks to money and Kaede-chan.

"Let’s do it. To be honest, if we find something we really don’t like later on, we can just rethink it then."

This is what it means to be a millionaire!

"Well, that’s true. Alright, let’s go with this one. I’ll go talk to the agent."

With that, Kaede-chan headed towards the living room where the agent was, and I followed.

"Um, we’re thinking of deciding on this place. When would we be able to move in?" Kaede-chan asked the agent who was waiting in the living room.

"It’s vacant, so anytime is fine."

"Then we’ll take it."

"Understood. Well then, shall we head back?"

We left the apartment, returned to the real estate agency, and went over the detailed explanations and signed the contract.

◆◇◆

After finishing the explanations and paperwork, we left the real estate agency, and Kaede-chan and I went to look at furniture. It was fun, almost like we were newlyweds, but I pretty much left all the decisions to Kaede-chan.

As I watched Kaede-chan carefully selecting furniture and other things, it got late, so we decided to go out for a drink. We went to an izakaya with private rooms that she recommended and started drinking.

"This place is delicious."

I couldn’t tell you about the drinks, but the food was great.

"Right? It’s close to my place too. I haven’t been recently, but I used to come here often with my friends."

Hou, hou. So Kaede-chan’s place is nearby.

"Then you can drink as much as you want until you pass out. I’ll take you home."

"No, I have work tomorrow, so I won’t drink that much."

Of course. She took a paid day off today, but she’ll be at work tomorrow.

"That’s tough."

"Well, it’s an easy job. When you’re not here, senpai, all I do is sit around."

Come to think of it, there are hardly any customers there.

"Is it always like that? Hasn’t the number of people increased because of Eleanor-san’s influence?"

"Ah, we were flooded with applications from people wanting to transfer from other branches, so restrictions were put in place. The number of original members coming in during the day has increased a bit, but it’s still not a lot."

Eleanor-san sure is popular.

"Hmm. Don’t you get bored?"

"To be honest, yes. But lately, with the auction and all, I’ve had things to do."

Right, the auction is next week. I’m looking forward to it.

"I hope it sells for a high price."

"Me too. Let’s watch the final day together again."

"Yeah. Where should we do it? The new place?"

We could move into the new apartment anytime. Though it would be completely empty of furniture.

"Hmm, the new place doesn’t have anything yet. Let’s do it at your place, senpai."

Kaede-chan is stubbornly refusing to invite me to her home. Even though I have no intention of slicing her table with a knife anymore.

"I don’t mind. I barely have anything to pack for the move anyway."

"That’s because your place is practically empty, senpai."

"True. Plus, I can just put everything in an Item Bag."

"You can make them infinitely, senpai. It’s a real blessing not to have to worry about disposing of furniture and appliances."

We had decided to get all new things when we moved into the new place. We planned to put all of our personal belongings into Item Bags.

"Is your hundred-kilogram one enough, Kaede-chan? Should I make one just for moving your things?"

"Ah, that’s a good idea. I plan on using my current bed, but I’d like to store my fridge and washing machine."

"Roger that. Then I’ll make you a thousand-kilogram one."

A one-ton capacity should be more than enough.

"That’s amazing. You’re just casually making something that’s projected to sell for seven to eight hundred million yen."

"At the end of the day, it’s just a thousand rubber bands."

"You’re in the winner’s circle. Hey now, Fixer!"

"Wahahaha!"

I was the one who said it, but I really have no idea what a Fixer is. I have a feeling it’s something completely different.

"What are your plans for tomorrow and after, senpai? Are you going to Frontier with Nanaka-chan?"

"Nope, she said she’s going to university, so we’re off. Tomorrow, Eleanor-san has been summoned to the main headquarters."

"Headquarters? Ah, for that Level 2 Healing Potion, I assume."

"Exactly. Satsuki-san told me to go negotiate with the headquarters director."

I got a call about it last night. Apparently, there’s no demand for Level 2 Healing Potions at the Ikebukuro branch, so it’s better to negotiate with the main office.

"Senpai! The market price for a Level 2 Healing Potion is three million yen, but you should negotiate for four or five million! It’s really rare!"

"Satsuki-san told me the same thing."

I thought it was ridiculously expensive, but apparently A-rank adventurers will still buy it.

"Let’s make a killing! We’ll have a party at the new place to celebrate a successful auction!"

"Yeah. Maybe I’ll buy some expensive wine."

"You drink wine, senpai?"

"Not really. But it’s for a celebration."

For some reason, wine just seems right for these occasions.

"Well, anything is fine, really."

"Right, right."

As long as the two of us can have a good time, anything goes.

"Alright! Let’s drink up. Oh, senpai, need a refill?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I’ll order. You’ve stopped counting the yakitori skewers, senpai."

…I was just trying not to look. Because you really seemed to hate it, Kaede-chan.