kscans

Chapter 83 - Small Talk

Yoshino-san and I are eating cheese hamburg steak at a family restaurant.

"Hey, why are you so stingy?"

"I’m not stingy."

"Then pay for this."

"…………What? Uh, no, I will."

She looked so surprised…

"You seem like the type to die because you’re too stingy to use a potion."

"That would never happen. I know exactly how dangerous Frontier is. I have the best weapons and armor, and I never go on an adventure without Healing Potions."

Come to think of it, her sword was worth over 100 million yen. She is a party leader, so I guess she’s responsible in that regard.

"Hmm, well, fine. But you’re not someone I’d proactively want to do business with. You’re too much of a hassle."

"Usually, someone else handles these kinds of transactions. Today is special."

I wish you hadn’t made it special and just called that other person. But I suppose she’s here because she wants to probe me, in addition to making the deal.

"Then that’s fine. From now on, have that person come too."

"I will………… Say, are you not selling Healing Potion Lv2?"

This is probably the main topic.

"I don’t know anything about a Healing Potion Lv2."

"Don’t hide it. I’ve heard from Satsuki-neesan. I’m a subordinate of the headquarters director."

"Fufufu, what an honest girl."

"It would be pointless to hide it from you. You’re a witch, after all."

A witch, huh… That name has really stuck. I wonder how she’d react if I told her I can’t actually use magic.

"Tell the headquarters director to wait a little longer."

"A little longer? How long?"

"I promised to sell them to Claire. You know Claire Walker, right?"

"Ah, the American A-rank. Have you already signed a contract?"

Well, of course she knows Claire.

"Not yet. She’s back in America right now. We’ll sign the contract when she returns."

"If you haven’t signed yet, I’d like to sign first."

If the official contract isn’t signed, there’s room to intervene. That’s true. But that’s how corporations and merchants think. I’m neither of those.

"Don’t be so hasty. It’s true we haven’t signed yet, but I told Claire I would sell to her. I will prioritize that. A witch keeps her promises."

"What kind of contract are you signing?"

"I will sell her 100 Healing Potion Lv2. And I won’t sell them to anyone else."

"Wait………… You have to wait on that."

I can tell Yoshino-san is getting anxious.

"Of course, I’ll set a time limit. We just haven’t worked out the finer details yet. I’m telling you, I’ll go to the headquarters director once that contract is finished, so just wait."

"Can’t you somehow sign a contract with us first?"

"I was thinking about it, but not for one million yen per Healing Potion Lv2………… Kusu kusu."

"That… I apologize. It was our mistake."

Well, it’s not like you guys had anything to do with it. Shindo-sensei is to blame. And that Nonaka guy who looks like my former boss.

"Oh, that’s right. What happened with the plan to capture me? No one’s come for me at all."

"After a threat like that, we can’t possibly capture you. You know that as well as I do."

When an enigmatic witch threatens to close the Gate…

"Fufu, if I won’t be captured, then I can rest easy."

"Say, are you really able to close the Gate?"

Of course not.

"Who knows? What do you think? I’m sure you don’t believe it either, but I’ll leave that one percent possibility open."

If there’s even a one percent chance, that’s enough. It renders them unable to do anything, unable to move. The demerit of the Gate being closed is far greater than the merit of capturing Eleanor Ocean.

"Exactly. There’s also pressure from America, so we can’t capture you. The situation has become one of tacit approval. But don’t forget that there are those who won’t care about that."

Is she talking about those guys from before? Well, for those who have already had their Gates closed, it doesn’t matter to them, and there are those who don’t consider the pros and cons.

"I’ll be careful."

"You’re quite composed…"

"Fufu, would you have preferred it if I trembled in fear?"

"You know, you remind me of someone."

Someone, as in Okita-kun? Okita-kun isn’t cocky anymore!

"I’m sure she’s a beauty."

"Not a beauty………… A normal… normal? Yes, a normal guy."

Don’t hesitate! That’s definitely not a compliment! It’s an insult!

"Hmm, well, whatever."

"Say, what do you plan to do from now on?"

Yoshino-san seems to have finished her cheese hamburg steak and places her fork on the plate.

"From now on?"

"Will you continue to be an adventurer?"

"Of course."

"The Diana Mine?"

As expected of the headquarters director’s protégé, she’s well-informed.

"I think I’m done with that place. Hey, do you know any good spots? Somewhere my disciple can go."

"Disciple? You mean Yokokawa Nanaka?"

She knows about Nanapon… Harry and Claire must have mentioned her in the report on that kidnapping incident.

"Nanaka-san is an underage student, so please don’t say her name. She’ll be coming in disguise from now on."

"A disguise, huh… Well, I’ll keep quiet about Yokokawa. I have no intention of putting a female adventurer in danger either."

Just like with the newcomer training the other day, this woman really is involved in supporting female adventurers.

"Thank you."

"But what’s this about a disciple? Are you planning to turn Yokokawa into a witch too?"

Actually, since Nanapon can use magic, she’s more of a witch than Eleanor-san is.

"I have no such intention. She’s simply helping me out. So, where is a place that Nanaka-san could handle?"

"What’s Yokokawa’s level?"

"I think it was 8?"

I’m almost going to catch up!

"Hmm… How about Mireille Road? I recommended it to Okita-kun yesterday."

So it’s Mireille Road after all.