Chapter 43

I changed the posting time.

Somehow, it still felt unsettling to post during work hours.

"…Try to eat a little more calmly."

"Munch munch…"

When Iru saw me eating breakfast earlier than usual, he sighed and gave me a warning. Although, I don't eat that fast to begin with, so it's not that different.

The inn's dining room, bustling from early morning, was filled with adventurers and travelers. Iru and I were sitting at one of the tables, having breakfast.

"…Well, it's because I'm picking up the shop today, so I can't calm down!"

"But it's still morning."

"Hehe…"

It's still morning, but I can't help it!

I'm so excited I can't stand it.

Besides, once I take over the shop, I can connect it to our house and see Maro. Also, I don't think it's a good idea to leave the house unattended for days.

As I was thinking about these things, I noticed footsteps approaching me. It was… Milu and Tact.

"Hinami-san!"

It seemed they were looking for me. As I wondered what was going on, Milu pushed Tact forward. "Here!" she said, though I could sense a hint of anger… but it was probably just my imagination.

"…You've recovered, I see. That's good."

"That's right! Tact!"

"…I didn't ask for your help or anything!"

"…"

Tact, pushed forward by Milu and urged to say thanks, didn't seem to be in the mood. He ran out of the dining room without listening to Milu's "Wait!" She sighed deeply, then turned to me and bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry…"

"Oh… It's okay, don't worry about it?"

"But…"

"Besides, I already got paid for the crimson recovery potion. Right?"

Well, I was a bit surprised by his reaction, but maybe it's just his personality, or maybe he's still nervous after losing to a slime. Ah, or maybe he's so scared of monsters that he's become a shut-in like I used to be. Yeah, I understand how Tact feels.

"It seems he's been on edge since we left the village. He's actually very kind and takes good care of people…"

"That's good to know. Then, he'll be fine once he calms down. Everyone has their moments."

"Thank you…!"

Milu thanked me and then ran out of the dining room to chase after Tact. I hope everything goes well for them.

"Really, what a hassle…"

Iru, who had just finished his last bite, looked at me with a sigh. His indifferent attitude made me smile.

Iru is really consistent… Maybe that's why I can always be myself around him, no matter the situation.

I can never thank Iru enough.

"Well, you'd probably be depressed if you lost to a slime."

"Really?"

"Because it's a slime, right? The weakest monster. It's actually harder to lose. Maybe you're a genius in a way."

"Iru…"

While I thought he was exaggerating, Iru stopped me with, "Hurry up and eat, okay?" Iru must have finished eating while I was talking with Milu. That's so unfair…

◇ ◇ ◇

Since it was still early, I decided to take a walk to the Merchant Guild.

This lively town always keeps me entertained. A cat dozing on a wall, a man dashing to avoid being late for work.

I walked slowly, checking out the shops and noting which ones I wanted to visit later.

After a short walk, I reached the main street from the side street.

The Merchant Guild on the main street was bustling as usual. All three spots for parking carriages in front of the building were occupied. Horses were tied up, and the carriages had canopies like roofs.

I felt a bit like riding one, but Iru urged me to hurry. It's a strange feeling… like wanting to ride in the back of a truck through the fields as a kid. Yeah, it might not make sense to others.

"Oh… Hinami-san, welcome."

"Mariaje-san! Good morning!"

Inside the guild, Mariaje, who was looking for documents at the counter, greeted me. She's as beautiful as ever, with her honey-orange hair.

"Ah, the property transfer. I'll arrange it right away, so please take a seat."

"Okay."

Following her calm voice, I sat at the table where I had received the explanation before.

"Phew. I'm nervous!"

"Really?"

"Doesn't Iru get nervous?"

Iru thought for a moment and then replied, "Not really." I'm always nervous, so I envy him.

As we chatted, Bell came over with the documents. It seemed to be a contract for the property.

After Iru and I received the explanation, we signed it.

"It's magic ink, so be careful not to make a mistake."

"Magic ink?"

When I asked about the unfamiliar term, Iru explained.

Magic ink is a magical tool used for contracts. By using this special ink and saying "magic ink," the contract is magically sealed.

This makes the contract unbreakable and unburnable. It also allows the status of the parties to be known.

The strength of the contract depends on the quality of the magic ink. The one we're using is low-quality, so it only makes the contract unbreakable and unburnable. Higher-quality ink can reveal the location of the parties, for example.

"Wow, that's amazing. I'll be careful… Thank you."

"Sure, I'll check it for you."

Although I was just writing my name, I shouldn't make a mistake. The rest of the contract was filled out by the Merchant Guild.

We also registered the shop at the same time, so we could open it whenever we wanted.

"Everything looks good. I'll show you the property for the final inspection."

"Okay, thank you…!"

After Bell finished the check, we headed to the property I had been waiting for. The final inspection involved checking that the facilities were working and that there was no major damage, similar to real estate inspections in Japan.

"This is the simple kitchen. Please check if the stove works and if there's water."

"Okay, it's fine!"

Bell and I went through the details.

The kitchen had one stove and a small sink. The heat and water pressure were weak, but since we mainly use the kitchen at home, it should be fine.

We then checked for any major damage in the property. Finding none, the final inspection was quickly completed.

I realized it was much simpler than I had expected, but thinking in terms of Japanese standards might be unusual in this world. I need to think of it as a completely different world, but that's not easy.

Bell walked around the property one more time to ensure there were no issues. After this check, any problems would be the buyer's responsibility, so we couldn't be careless.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome, thank you for the purchase."

I bowed to Bell in gratitude. The payment had already been made at the guild, so this was now my shop.

Bell returned to the guild, and Iru and I stayed at the shop.

"Wow, wow, it's our shop, Iru!"

"It feels like it happened so quickly. Normally, it would be impossible to own a shop in such a short time…"

"Thanks to Iru."

"What are you talking about?"

I laughed and looked at Iru, who smiled a little. I'm glad he didn't look annoyed.

Now that everything is in place, all we need is to get the "Hakoniwa Gate" with our points.

The sign will arrive tomorrow, and we can buy the small items later. If we can't finish today, we can come back tomorrow.

I feel like I can do anything now.

"Let's install the 'Hakoniwa Gate' first, okay?"

"Okay. Using points, exchange for the Hakoniwa Gate… please!"

Clunk!

Huh?

I heard a sound as if the shop had moved. Looking around, I saw… there it was.

"There's a door at the end of the corridor."

"Uh-huh…"

I swallowed hard and looked at the door. It was clearly unnatural, yet it looked natural.

It wasn't overly ornate. The design seemed to match the house, with a wooden pattern like the other doors.

Can I open it? I looked at Iru, who offered, "I think it's okay, but I'll open it."

I nodded and followed Iru as he walked to the door. It's okay, this door is connected to our house.

"…It's not our house?"

"Huh?"

When Iru slowly opened the door, it led to a small room. There was another door in the room, leading somewhere else.

Looking around the room, I felt a sense of nostalgia despite not recognizing the place.

"It's not our house, but the interior and atmosphere are the same…!"

"Maybe… the other side of that door is our house?"

"Oh, right, I remember! The god said they would add a room to our house and connect it here!"

"Ah, I see."

Iru, understanding my words, walked into the room without hesitation. The room was about six tatami mats in size, so we quickly reached the other door.

"Ah, it's our house."

"Great!"

Iru opened the door without hesitation, and there was our familiar home.

Ah, I'm so relieved. As I felt relieved, our eyes met. Huh, our eyes met?

"Um…?"

"…Who are you?"

The new room's door was indeed connected to our living room. It was our usual living room, except for the unfamiliar girl sitting at the table.

The girl, who was eating an apple, had light blue hair in a bob cut, with a small braid on each side. She wore a long white dress that reached her ankles and looked about ten years old, very cute.

I couldn't think of what to say, and Iru stepped forward to protect me, probably realizing I didn't know the girl.

"Hinami, Iru… welcome back!"

"Huh?"

The girl quickly finished her apple and showed a smile like a blooming flower.

"Welcome back?"

Thank you always for your reviews and feedback.

I'm sorry for the late replies.

I do read them all…!

I'll reply as soon as I have time…!

Finally, the story seems to be progressing.

But there are still many things I want to do and characters I want to introduce.

Writing stories is so challenging.