The next day, I sell my toiletries as usual, and my customers are still loud and eager.
"One soap, please!"
"Shampoo for me!"
"I'll take the toothpaste, too!"
"Give me the sanitizer!"
"Okay, make a line, please!"
Once again, it's another packed day at my stall.
As I finish up a few transactions, I raise my voice a bit to inform something.
"By the way, everyone. I'll only be here for one more days. After that, I'm moving to a permanent shop."
My announcement makes them gasp and excited.
"Where?!"
"Tell us, please!"
"It's in the west part of the city, not far from the main road but tucked into a quieter alley."
"Oooohhh!"
"We can't wait!"
Yup, things are going pretty well.
Now, I only have one bar of soap left on the table. I'm about to pack up when someone steps in front of my stall. A hooded figure, draped in a dark cloak. Her presence is quiet, but calm.
Then she speaks.
"So I finally find you, soap guy."
Her voice is gentle and warm, definitely feminine. But what she said makes me tilt my head in confusion.
"Sorry?"
Then, she reaches up and pulls back her hood, and for a moment, I'm just speechless. Her short, cropped hair is a vibrant orange. Her eyes are a soft amber color, and judging from her face, she looks like a woman in her mid, or late 20s.
But what captures my attention most are the two wolf-like ears perched on her head, fur matching her hair. At that moment, I realize she must be a wolfkin, one of those beastmen from Misdaras.
"No way..."
That's the only word I murmur in such a low voice. I mean, she's so beautiful, and surprisingly, she has a strong maternal aura that makes you feel safe just looking at her.
"I was looking for you yesterday, but you weren't here."
I don't know why, but somehow I feel guilty when she says that, so I just apologize and scratch the back of my head.
"Ah, sorry about that, I was sold out yesterday before noon. But maybe today's your lucky day. I still have one soap left, do you want it?"
Instead of answering, she reaches out to her pocket to take a small pouch and pulls out a small tendril inside it. Then, she offers it to me with somehow a hopeful look on her face.
"It's a rare item from the labyrinth, and I believe that you can use it for your business. Would you be willing to trade this… for your soap?"
I reach out to take the bundle and silently activate my [Appraisal] skill to find out what that herb is exactly. Then, a screen pops up in front of my eyes.
[Green Coil's Tendril] (Rare Item)
Used in cleansing rituals and natural perfumes. Enhances fragrance and contains mild antiseptic properties.
Value: 1 silver coin.
So it's 1,000 yen, huh?
Well, maybe I can use this to make more variations for my toiletries and get more money too in return. And with my [Copier] skill, buying this for one silver coin won't be a problem for me because I can duplicate them into many anyway. With that, I've made my decision.
"Alright, deal."
I nod and hand her the last bar of soap. She gently accepts it with both hands, then I see her eyes glow as she stares at it like it's a treasure, but that's not the only thing I give to her.
"Wait, here's your change, miss."
"Wait, wait! What are you doing? Why do you give me money?"
I grab some coins and hand them to her, and it makes her confused. With that, I raise the herb and point it at her.
"Well, this herb costs one silver coin, right? My soap itself is only five bronze coins, so you get nine large bronze and five bronze coins in change, miss."
"Eh?"
"Eh?"
Both of us are stunned, and everything goes silent. It seems like she's in disbelief because of the price, and I'm also in a state that leaves me wondering if I did something wrong to her.
Then, she asks me, and I can hear an unsure tone in her voice.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"But this... this soap is expensive, right? It can't be 5 bronze coins, right?"
"No, miss. I'm not lying, that's a real, high-quality soap, and I sell it for cheap."
As usual, I always make the customers who needs proof to test my product themselves with the same method, which is dunking it into a small bowl of water I always prepare on the table.
"If you don't mind, just dip that soap in that bowl of water, rub it on your hands, and see the magic."
Obediently, she crouches down and dunks the soap, then begins rubbing it on her hands. Moments later, she is amazed by the bubbles on her hands.
"I can't believe it... it's so soft... and so fragrant too…"
"Do you believe me now?"
**********
The woman is still in disbelief, her eyes remain staring at the soap, and her hands keep gripping it tightly like they'll never let go. It's really a soap, but that's not what she expected either.
Not just in Remantia, but all of Acrusse, including her home country in Misdaras, soap is considered a luxury, expensive, and scarce.
She actually had some coins left in her pocket, but that was for her accommodations and meals in Remantia and for her transportation to Misdaras later, so that was the reason why she fully expected it to be the same here, which was why she brought the rare herb because she wanted to offer something of equal value. But when Motegi accepted her herb, gave her the soap, and even handed her change, she felt guilty because she hadn't meant to take advantage of him. All she wanted was just a bar of soap, not to profit from a genuine exchange.
**********
"You're too kind, you know?"
After a pause, she finally says something, and I can see her smile. Then, she stands up and looks at me, pressing the soap against her chest like a cherished gift.
"My name is Yomogi. I won't forget your generosity, so I'll pay you back someday."
"I'm Motegi. Nice to meet you too, Yomogi-san."
"Motegi…"
After our introduction, she murmurs my name happily, and out of nowhere, she giggles quietly like she just thinks my name is cute, and it makes me flustered too.
"Ehem... and honestly, don't worry about paying anything back. I think it's a fair deal. You get the soap, and I get the herb. We both win, right?"
She smiled again, and it lit up her face even more.
"You're really too kind…"
But just as she's about to say more...
Grrr...
Yes, that long, unmistakable growl is coming from her stomach. Her cheeks flush immediately, and she clutches her belly. She looks embarrassed, and I can't help but smile at that.
"Oh no..."
"Hey, do you want to come for lunch at my place?"
She looks up, surprised.
"I want to close the stall anyway since I've got nothing left to sell, as you see."
Then, I also inform her about my incoming move.
"Oh yeah, in two days, I'll be moving to sell from my house instead of out here. So technically, you'd be the first person to step foot there. Let's say...you're my special guest."
Well, after unlocking [Blacksmithing] and [Carpentry], I'd become completely addicted to making things and cooking at home. There was just something satisfying about it, using tools I made myself, eating from plates I crafted, preparing food in a kitchen, and I couldn't get enough of it.
Moments later, Yomogi giggles again and nods at me.
"Then I'll happily accept your offer, please lead the way."
"Alright, let's go."
With that, I stand up and brush off my pants, packing up the mat and folding the table before putting them into my dimensional inventory with my [Storage] skill. Then, I turn back to her, and we head off together.
Once we finally arrive at my place, I open the door and gesture for Yomogi to step inside first. She enters slowly, and her eyes immediately look around in awe.
"Wow... this is huge..."
That's the first thing she says when she sees the empty shelves inside.
"Is this your new store?"
"Yup, I'll be selling everything here."
"This is impressive!"
"Hehe... thank you..."
Then, I turn towards the staircase.
"Well, come on upstairs. I live up there."
"Eh? You live here too?"
"Yeah. The second floor is my home."
She follows me up, and the moment we reach the upper floor, her footsteps stop. Her eyes dart across the room again, her jaw slightly open as she looks at something.
"Amazing!! This table, these chairs, that sofa... they're varnished! Are you secretly a rich person or something? These must've cost a fortune!"
Of course not, those are what my [Carpentry] skill does.
"No, I made them myself."
"Eh?"
She turns her head at me, blinking in disbelief.
"I made the furniture and also those pots at the kitchen there."
"Ehhhh?????"
Seeing her reaction is truly priceless. I mean, it's normal to be shocked like that when you visit someone's house and find out that the host handmakes the interior.
"You're... amazing. Really. I don't even know what to say. Is there anything else you can do?"
"Hmmm....who knows?"
Then, she walks over to sit at the dining table, resting her elbows on it.
"So, what are you making for lunch? With such ingredients from Misdaras like those...you shouldn't disappoint me, okay?"
"Just wait and see."
She's right.
On the way back here, we visited the market and bought salt-cured beef cheeks, hard cheese, and eggs. And yes, all of them came from Misdaras, Yomogi's home country, so I had to make it delicious.
"Don't make me wait, I'm starving!"
"Yes, yes."
Activating my [Storage] skill, I take out the dough I've made earlier this morning. I only mix flour and eggs and rest that dough inside my dimensional inventory before I go to work. I just figured out recently that the skill also shares the same concept as a fridge because it keeps fresh ingredients from spoiling.
Then, I take my two newest tools I've made with my [Carpentry] skill, which are a rolling pin and a chitarra. I place the dough on the countertop and roll it thinly, then put it onto the chitarra, rolling once more until the dough turns into long, thin strands.
Next, I let the cured beef's fat to render. While waiting, I make a creamy paste out of cheese, some yolks, black pepper, and a little pasta water. After the pasta is cooked, I toss it into the fat and pour in the paste, turning off the heat and stirring them until they become a rich, silky wonder.
I plate the dish over a wooden plate and serve it in front of her, and I take the rest for myself.
"Here you go. This one's called spaghetti carbonara, enjoy it."
Her eyes instantly widened in awe.
"I've never seen something this creamy before... Not even in Misdaras!"
"Well, then you're going to like it, right?"
But before she eats that, I stop her to do something.
"Wait, Yomogi-san! Please use this."
"Eh? Why? What is this?"
I pour a little amount of sanitizer onto her hands, and of course, it surprises her.
"This is a sanitizer."
"Sani... tizer?"
"Rub it, you have to do this before eating to remove tiny, unseen things that can make you sick."
"Eh? What are you talking about?"
Even though she's confused, she obeys me, and I explain the function to her.
"Well, to put it simply, you can't see them, and you can't remove them with magic or potions."
"Eh…? S-such creatures exist…?"
"Yes."
She is stunned, like I've just told her ghosts are living on her skin.
And then, she slowly grabs the wooden fork and takes a bite. The moment it hits her tongue, she freezes and lets out a muffled moan with her mouth full.
"Mmmm!! This is sooo good!!"
She keeps eating and savoring every bite, completely absorbed in flavors. But without her noticing, I see something peeking out from her cloak. Her tail, which has a similar color to her hair and looks fluffy, wags side to side like signaling if she's happy.
After we finish our meal, she gently places her utensils down and smiles at me.
"Thank you for the delicious lunch, I really enjoyed it."
"Anytime."
Her compliment makes me smile and feel proud of myself. Then, she stands up and pushes up her hood.
"I should get going now. There's still time before sunset, and I plan to return to the labyrinth."
"I see…"
I walk her to the door, and she waves her hand before turning and heading down the road. Once I see her figure disappear, I begin my next move.
"Well then… time for an exercise."
AT A FOREST IN THE WEST SIDE OF REMANTIA
Arriving at the forest's edge, I decide to take some precautions.
"Okay, [Temporary Boost]."
Once I activate that skill, I check my status to make sure, and then I see something strange.
Motegi Sekino
Age: 21
Race: Human
Level 2
HP: ∞
MP: 50/50
Strength: ∞
Durability: ∞
Speed: ∞
Agility: ∞
Intelligence: ∞
Charisma: ∞
Willpower: ∞
Perception: ∞
Luck: ∞
Skills:
[Appraisal]
[Language Comprehension]
[Storage]
[Copier]
[Resistance]
[Hygienics]
[Blacksmithing]
[Carpentry]
[Temporary Boost] ACTIVE
"Hmm... why does my MP stay at 50?"
All of my stats are at infinite, but only my MP isn't, and I don't understand why.
"Fuck it. Maybe I can find the answer later."
With that, I push that thought aside and continue to walk, and I decide to venture a bit deeper than yesterday.
After walking for a while, I notice something behind the bushes. I carefully parted them and found a small pond hidden there. However, one thing that stands out the most is the dozens of dragonflies, each about the size of a squirrel, buzzing above the surface.
"Whoa…"
Curiously, I activate my [Appraisal] skill.
Giant Dragonfly
Race: Monster
Level: 15
HP: 150/150
MP: 0/0
Strength: 40
Durability: 40
Speed: 80
Agility: 80
"Level 15 now, huh?"
Their levels and HP are higher than the Blood Rabbit, but the rest are lower. And honestly, I wonder if they're edible.
But maybe because of my presence, several of them suddenly attack me.
"Oh, shit!!"
I'm panicked for a second, until I realize their movements look slow in my eyes. That's when I remember that my stats are still maxed out.
"Alright then!"
I raise my axe and swing it at the incoming dragonflies, slicing through them easily. But using an axe at flying insects? Definitely not ideal. I miss the rest of my swings, sending gusts of force that launch them straight into trees instead.
"Aaaaaahhhh!!!"
The dragonflies fall one by one, and after the last one hits the ground, I hear that slot machine sound...again, ringing twice in my head.
CHING-CHING!!!
CHING-CHING!!!
And the same pop-up notification screens follow.
"Level Up!"
"Elements Unlocked! Conditions met!"
"Elements?"
I quickly open my status again, and what I see stuns me more.
Motegi Sekino
Age: 21
Race: Human
Level 5
HP: ∞
MP: ∞
Strength: ∞
Durability: ∞
Speed: ∞
Agility: ∞
Intelligence: ∞
Charisma: ∞
Willpower: ∞
Perception: ∞
Luck: ∞
Elements: (Unlocked. Condition met: Non-magical, elemental kill)
Fire
Earth
Lightning
Wind
Water
Cosmic
Light
Dark
Skills:
[Appraisal]
[Language Comprehension]
[Storage]
[Copier]
[Resistance]
[Hygienics]
[Blacksmithing]
[Carpentry]
[Temporary Boost] ACTIVE
"Wait, what?"
It's not because I'm leveling up again that surprised me. I feel happy about it instead, but there are three other things that leave me wondering.
First, my MP suddenly becomes infinite, like my other stats. Second, I obtain not just one but eight elements at once. And third, what is that "non-magical, elemental kill" thing?
"Ah, I see..."
After a moment of thinking, I realized that the reason why my MP just stayed at 50 earlier was because I hadn't unlocked elements yet, which I assumed were essential to use magic.
As for the elements' unlock condition, I remembered those missed swings, how they blasted the dragonflies into the trees without touching them directly. Maybe those wild axe swings generated wind somehow.
"Guess I'll take it."
Whatever it is, I've just obtained something huge, and I'm thrilled by that.
BACK AT MOTEGI'S RENTED PROPERTY
I arrive at sunset, and I'm surprised by what I see in front of my house.
"Yomogi-san?"
"Ah, s-sorry..."
She's right there, standing at the door, and when I call her, she's somehow surprised and quickly turns her gaze back.
"Eh?"
I approach her and see her looking so restless and avoiding my gaze. But then, I notice her face is flushed and she breathes heavily.
"What happens to you, Yomogi-san?"
She doesn't answer.
But after a moment, she looks up at me and asks something shocking that leaves me speechless.
"May I... may I stay here for tonight?"