Chapter 21: Quest 10: Prepare for the Adventure [Part 2]
“Now then, all three of you, please place your left hands together.”
At the priestās prompting, Makoto and the others stacked their left hands.
The priest placed his own left hand over theirs.
“O boundless Perioris.”
As the priest offered a solemn prayer, a window appeared before them.
It seemed the joint account had been successfully created.
“That concludes the procedure for opening the joint account.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
What a convenient world, Makoto thought as he withdrew his hand.
He turned away from the priest and started walking.
Their next stop was the reception desk.
He caught the eye of the young receptionist and gave a small wave.
She shyly lowered her face, then timidly waved back.
“Iāll go accept the request, so please wait here, big bro.”
“Counting on you, Fene.”
“Yes, sir!”
Fene ran happily toward the desk.
“Donāt trip,” Makoto muttered as he sat down on a nearby bench.
Yuuka sat beside him.
There was a slight distance between themāprobably caution.
“Sheās definitely in love with you.”
“Again?”
With Laura, he had been a little pleased.
But the second time around, he just thought, āArenāt you overthinking it?ā
“Sherry probably has feelings for you too.”
“Stop turning everything into romance.”
Makoto let out a deep sigh.
Yuuka claimed Sherry felt something, but that was just how an innkeeper treated guests.
“Youāre no fun. Arenāt you happy?”
“She hasnāt confessed or anything. And I donāt have the headspace to think about that.”
“…Donāt tell me.”
“Iāve dated women before.”
“Oh, so you have.”
Yuuka sounded disappointed.
“Youāre almost forty, right? Wasnāt there anyone you wanted to marry?”
“Why do I have to talk about that?”
“I was just curious.”
Makoto sighed again and crossed his legs.
“There was someone.”
“Then why didnāt you?”
“I had debt.”
“Thatās some impressive delinquent energy.”
“Not my debt.”
“Then whose?”
“My parentsā.”
They had been scammed and saddled with debt.
There were other factors, but he would not elaborate.
“Even with debt, you couldāve married.”
“You think I could ask her to work with me to pay off my parentsā debt?”
“…If it were meā”
“Could you work ten years for your in-laws?”
“No. Not even for my own parents.”
Her answer was firm.
“I guess I shouldāve abandoned them.”
“Yeah.”
My brother did, Makoto added silently.
He still wondered how two siblings from the same parents turned out so differently.
His brother even visited with his kids after the debt was repaid.
Their parents doted on the grandchild.
His nephew had no fault, but forgiveness was not simple.
He had wanted at least an apology.
“I was twenty-eight when I finished paying it off.”
“Couldnāt you start over then?”
“Start over, huh.”
He let out a small laugh.
Yuuka bristled, thinking he was mocking her.
“You canāt restart life that many times.”
“…Sounds like an excuse.”
“Maybe.”
At her age, that was natural.
Strangely, he felt no anger.
Only a heavy, dry emotion.
“I just didnāt have the energy to start something new. Looking back, I guess I was drained.”
“So even almost-forty guys have issues.”
“Yeah, we do.”
He sighed.
“Advice from an old guy. Use your life for yourself.”
“Iāll try.”
“Yeah. Do that.”
He had wanted to add that revenge was pointless, but the words would not come.
“And you try too.”
“Me?”
“You got younger. You have to restart your life.”
“What does that even mean?”
He muttered.
She looked irritated.
“Restart my life, huh.”
“Yeah.”
“First I need a stable foundation.”
“Youāre so negaā”
“Big bro! I accepted a herb gathering request!”
Feneās bright voice cut Yuuka off.
She ran toward them, waving the request form excitedly.
“Alright. Next up, shopping.”
“Take it seriously.”
“I am.”
Makoto stood up from the bench and let out his third sigh of the day.
Fene stood frozen in front of the Rogers Trading Company.
“B-big bro. Are we really shopping at such a high-class store?”
“…High-class?”
Makoto tilted his head.
“Where do you usually shop?” Yuuka asked.
“When I buy gear, I go to secondhand shops.”
She wisely avoided saying pawn shops dealing in stolen goods.
“Letās just go in.”
Makoto led the way inside, Yuuka and Fene following.
The same male clerk from before greeted them.
“Welcome to Rogers Trading Company… Oh?”
“Yo. Iām back.”
“Makoto-sama, welcome. How may I assist you today?”
He was even more polite than before.
“Iām here to buy gear for a teammate.”
“Understood. This way, please.”
They were led to the equipment section.
“Now this feels like fantasy,” Yuuka said.
Fene, meanwhile, fidgeted nervously.
“I-Iāll pass!”
“Donāt run.”
Makoto grabbed her collar before she could escape.
“I told you, this is an investment.”
“Okay…”
Fene nodded and approached the leather armor display.
Yuuka was busy examining staffs with the clerk.
Makoto stood behind Fene.
She chose leather gauntlets, greaves, and a chest piece.
All light gear.
“You donāt have to hold back.”
“My strength is speed. I want to stay light.”
She tilted the gauntlet thoughtfully.
He admired her reasoning.
If he had known she would join, he would not have shopped alone earlier.
“…Oh.”
Makoto spotted something familiar on a shelf.
A slingshot.
Though far more advanced than the toy version he knew.
Wood and metal frame.
Pistol-style grip.
Stabilizer attachment.
It could fire both metal balls and small dart-like projectiles.
“…Not just a toy slingshot.”
“What are you looking at?”
“That.”
“Thatās a slingshot.”
“Right.”
He briefly thought of the swimsuit type before dismissing the image.
“One thousand A, huh.”
“Itās for monster hunting. Special materials. Mithril alloy ammo.”
He swallowed the comment about it being just a slingshot.
Comparing weapons to toys was foolish.
“…Letās buy it.”
“What!?”
Fene flinched.
“It suits you.”
“Donāt decide on impulse!”
“Iām thinking it through.”
“But is it really okay?”
“Itās an investment.”
“…I feel bad.”
Makoto handed her the slingshot and ammo.
“Chosen your armor?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“Maybe healing potions. Five hundred A each.”
“Letās get two.”
Yuuka was still haggling nearby.
They moved toward the potion section.
Fene paused, staring at a black coat.
“Letās get that too.”
“…Okay.”
“Team color.”
“…Thank you.”
When Makoto and Fene returned to the inn, Sherry paused mid-sweep and narrowed her eyes.
“Back.”
“Welcome back. You bought quite a lot.”
“Itās necessary investment.”
“If you say so.”
She giggled.
“Fene, put your stuff in your room.”
“Got it!”
She ran upstairs.
Makoto sat at the counter.
Sherry poured him water.
“You couldāve helped her.”
“I wonāt spoil her.”
He drank the lemon water.
In truth, he had avoided helping because of the underwear purchase.
“What about Yuuka?”
“Still negotiating.”
He swallowed the comment about women.
“Well, thatās how women are.”
Sherry said casually.
“Plans for tomorrow?”
“Herb gathering.”
“Should I prepare lunch?”
“Maybe.”
“Itās your first job.”
“You worried?”
“Are you sure youāll be fine?”
“Pray for our success.”
“I always pray for my guestsā safe return.”
She smiled softly.
“If it gets dangerous, weāll run.”
“Then I suppose I can rest easy.”
She sighed lightly.