"Aaahh... so good! Yomogi, your tea's as fresh as always!"
"Yeah, it's really delicious, isn't it?"
Chantal sits at the dining table with a warm cup of tea between her palms. She takes a slurp and lets out a long sigh as her tail flicks lazily behind her. As for Motegi, he sits across from Chantal, quietly sipping from his own cup.
From the kitchen, Yomogi's voice floats back to respond to their praises.
"Thank you, Chantal, Motegi-chan…"
After their visit to the graves earlier, the three of them had returned to Yomogi's house. Now, they have lunch on the way and enjoy the peace together.
Then, Chantal leans forward curiously to Motegi, resting her elbows on the table.
"Hey, Motegi-kun, how'd you meet Yomogi, hmm?"
He stops sipping, glancing up from his tea.
"Back in Remantia, actually. I met her at my stall. Then… yeah, lots of things happened. And here we are."
"Aww… that's cute!"
From the kitchen, Yomogi giggles softly. She knows what he means — the sudden sex, adventuring together, and store. And he just summarizes them.
"Lots of things, huh…"
Then, Yomogi calls out again, but curiously this time.
"What about you, Chantal? How did you meet Motegi-chan?"
"Oh! That? I met him at the plaza. I was about to get into a dumb duel with some of my old party guys, and I picked someone random from the crowd to be my partner, and bam! Turns out it was him. We totally crushed it, by the way."
Hearing her answer, Yomogi lets out a long, familiar sigh. And Chantal just giggles, completely unbothered.
"Chantal, you never change, do you?"
"Hehe… sorry..."
Then, she leans back in her seat playfully.
"Hey, Motegi-kun. Have you ever seen Yomogi fight?"
Motegi nods, setting down his cup.
"Yeah, I have. She was amazing. Seriously, I've never seen anyone fight like her. Her strength and durability are unreal, and she doesn't even need a weapon to do it."
"I know, right? Yomogi's not just strong, she's the most powerful wolf in all of Misdaras. No contest."
Chantal chuckles and is clearly proud. And from the kitchen, Yomogi's voice rings out with embarrassment.
"Chantal, you're exaggerating again. I'm not who I used to be. I'm a little rusty now."
"Oh, come on, don't say that! Motegi-kun's totally impressed here, so... you're welcome, Yomogi..."
"Thank you, Chantal…"
Chantal's protest somehow makes Yomogi smile in gratitude. And Motegi, who already knows Yomogi's prowess well, now becomes curious about Chantal.
"By the way, I was thinking… you were blindfolded during that duel yesterday and still hit every target. I mean, you're pretty amazing with knives too, Chantal."
"Aww, thank you, Motegi-kun. Hehe, that's right! I'm the fastest blade in Misdaras."
Then, she puffs her chest a little as she takes twin daggers from her waist, showing them to him.
"These babies have accompanied me since I was young. They've made so many heads fall, so much bloods spill, and we've been through lots of crazy adventures since then."
Then, she slides the daggers back into her waist.
"Oh yeah, we pantherkin have Lightning element, but we aren't big on magic. So, we make up for it, and what we've got is speed, agility, and ears sharp enough to hear a leaf fall."
From the kitchen, Yomogi joins in, adding her own commentary, and Motegi's eyes widen with more new amusement.
"That's true, Motegi-chan. I track by scent, but Chantal's hearing is something else. Among her race, she's the best there is."
"That's incredible…"
Then, Chantal leans in again and grins at him.
"So listen, Motegi-kun. If you need someone to punch through a boulder, take Yomogi with you. But if you ever need someone outmaneuvered and on the floor…"
She pauses for tapping her chest with a smirk.
"I'm your go-to girl."
She continues with a little laugh that makes him keep stunned.
"Honestly, you should feel lucky. You've got a powerhouse wolf and a blitzy panther in your party, and both of us are A-rank."
"Yeah, I really do..."
Then, Yomogi's voice emerges from the kitchen again.
"Motegi-chan, remember when I told you my husband and I reached the 24th floor of Misdaras' labyrinth?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"Well, Chantal reached the 35th."
Motegi's eyes widen as he turns to Chantal, and she grins as she enjoys his reaction.
"Seriously? You made it to the floor with five monsters?"
"Yup, all true! But I wasn't alone, those guys were with me back then."
"That's insane, you two are on a whole different level…"
Then a thought strikes him, and he looks at her curiously.
"Wait... so each beastkin race really only inherits one element?"
"That's right, Motegi-kun."
"Then, if Yomogi has Earth and you have Lightning and harekin has Cosmic, what about the birdfolk? What do they inherit?"
"Wind, it helps them fly. They use it for maneuvering in the air."
"I see..."
Again, Yomogi continues Chantal's explanations from the kitchen.
"Even though we beastkin can't use magic, we have our own ways to channel our elements."
She pauses for a moment before she asks him.
"Motegi-chan, remember when I told you about the harekin? How they use their Cosmic element to leap so high they seem weightless, and that gives them their acrobatic fighting style?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"Well, wolfkin like me use Earth for muscle enhancement. That's why we can charge forward, fight barehanded, and hold the front line. Pantherkin like Chantal use Lightning to amplify their limbs. It makes them fast, nimble, and deadly in close quarters."
Motegi leans back, processing it all with a new understanding.
"I see, that makes so much sense now..."
A few minutes later, Yomogi steps out of the kitchen with a large tray of steaming food, then sets it down on the table.
"Lunch is ready, everyone! Today's lunch is baked Jet Duck."
Chantal and Motegi lean over, their eyes light up and widen.
"No way! You haven't made that in forever, Yomogi!"
"Hmm... that looks delicious..."
Then, the three of them waste no time digging in.
Chantal mumbles with her mouth full, and Motegi nods with a satisfied expression on his face, making Yomogi overjoyed.
"Mmmhh... It's still delicious as ever, just like I remember…"
"Yeah, it's amazing. I've never eaten anything like this before."
"I'm glad you both like it!"
But then, mid-chew, Chantal blinks and tilts her head slightly as she's realized something.
"Wait a sec... Yomogi, did you forget to put extra pepper?"
"Ehh?! Really?!"
Yomogi is surprised by what Chantal says, then taps her forehead.
"Oh no… I must've been a little distracted with our conversation earlier..."
Chantal lets out a long sigh and giggles, making Yomogi pout and her ears droop a bit.
"Still an airhead as ever, huh?"
"Uuu… that's mean, Chantal..."
Then, Chantal waves her hand, reassuring Yomogi.
"But it's already spicy, so it's fine. Just don't forget again, or I'm totally scolding you next time."
"Yes..."
Yomogi sighs, looking adorably defeated. Motegi laughs, watching the two of them bicker.
**********
After we finish our lunch, Chantal suddenly snaps her fingers and remembers something that I myself forget about.
"Wait, Motegi-kun! Weren't we supposed to look for timber and bamboo today?"
"Oh crap! I forgot."
"I did too. But hey, no time like now, right? Let's go!"
Then, Chantal turns toward Yomogi, who's gathering the cups.
"Are you coming with us, Yomogi?"
"Of course..."
With that, the three of us head to the jungle. Chantal walks ahead confidently, with Yomogi beside her, leading me.
After a short walk, we reach a clearing bustling with activity. There are several huts made of bamboo and wood, and beastfolk move back and forth, hauling planks and sorting materials. Stacks of timber and bundles of bamboo are neatly laid out, fresh from harvest.
Chantal waves to a wolfkin man leaning on a log, causing him to blink in surprise.
"Yo, old man!"
"Well, well. Chantal? And Yomogi too? How are you doing, girls?"
Yomogi is the one who answer, then he eyes Chantal curiously.
"We're doing good, mister."
"Heard you got into trouble again, huh, Chantal?"
His question causes her to scratch the back of her head and giggle awkwardly, making him sigh in return.
"Ehehe… y-yeah..."
"Huhh... You haven't changed, have you?"
"Sorry..."
After that, he looks at Yomogi.
"And today's your pup's birthday, right, Yomogi? Did you already visit them?"
"Yes. We went this morning."
"Is that so? That's good."
Finally, he turns to me, and Chantal eagerly introduces me to him.
"So, who's this, Chantal?"
"This is Motegi. He's a merchant. Looking to get some timber and bamboo."
He sizes me up, then laughs heartily and gestures toward the rows on the ground.
"Then you're in luck, young man! We just got a fresh haul! See the hardwood there? Those are beech, oak, and poplar. And the softwood's over here? They're your cedar, pine, and spruce. And of course, fresh bamboo. Take your pick."
They all look great. Actually, I don't know which one to choose, so I decide to buy them all instead.
"I'll take one of each, please."
"Perfect! Hardwood is 6 large silver coins each, softwood is 3 large silver coins each, and bamboo is 2 silver coins. So, it's 2 gold, 7 large silver, and 2 silver coins in total."
"Here you go..."
With that, I pay him the exact amount. And honestly, spending 272,000 yen for materials is completely worth it.
As the wolfkin still counts the coins, something on the ground among the bamboo stalks catches my eye.
A bamboo shoot.
I point at it, asking him.
"Hey, how much is that?"
"That one? It's useless actually. You can take it if you want."
"Really? Thank you!"
Useless?
No, that's a meal, and I can make something amazing with it. Well, lucky me to get that free.
I walk over and crouch to pick it up. Yomogi and Chantal follow behind me.
"Motegi-chan, why are you picking that up?"
"Yeah, Motegi-kun, what are you gonna do with it?"
"Well, I want to make food with it."
Suddenly, their eyes are wide in shock, and their hands shoot up to cover their mouths. Yomogi gasps, and Chantal recoils.
"Wait, you're serious?!"
"You're gonna eat that?!"
"Yes, why? It's delicious."
They shake their heads, still covering their mouths, making me sigh.
"Come on, girls. It's not disgusting..."
Still, they don't believe me.
But it's fine then.
"Thank you for your purchase, young man."
"You're welcome."
"Bye, geezer!"
"Take care, Chantal, Yomogi, young man!"
After that, I store all those materials inside my dimensional inventory, and we part ways with the wolfkin.
"Alright, time to go home."
I raise my hand and cast a teleportation spell from my Cosmic element as usual, then a glowing portal forms in front of us, surprising Chantal.
"Ehh?! Did you just open a teleportation portal?!"
Yomogi giggles, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"Oh, Chantal, you didn't know? Motegi-chan's can wield all eight elements."
Hearing that, Chantal is stunned even more.
"What? All eight? Are you serious, Motegi-kun?"
"I do."
Yomogi nods, smiling at Chantal.
"Mmhmm. But you have to keep it a secret, okay?"
"This guy's full of surprises…"
We step into the portal, which sends us inside my home. Or rather, inside the shop area of my house that's filled with empty shelves, and that's enough to amaze Chantal.
"Whoa! That's a lot of shelves here!"
"Yup, this store has been closed for these last two days, so it's time to restock them."
Then, Yomogi is excited, her tail swishing as she turns to Chantal.
"Hey, Chantal... want to watch Motegi-chan make his products?"
"Absolutely!"
And of course, I allow her.
"Alright then, come here, girls."
I kneel on the floor and activate my [Storage] skill, pulling out ingredients for toiletries one by one. Then, I place my hands over them and silently activate [Hygienics].
The materials vanish, and in their place, there are rows of soap bars, bottled shampoo and sanitizer, and pouches of toothpaste and deodorant.
Chantal is obviously surprised by what she has seen.
"Wha...?! You already made them?! That fast?!"
"Not done yet."
I smirk and silently activate [Copier] this time. In an instant, the items multiply into dozens of each one.
"No way?! They duplicated?!"
Chantal is surprised again, and Yomogi only giggles.
"Amazing, isn't he?"
"Yeah… he really is…"
Next, I pull out the timber and bamboo I bought earlier and use [Copier] again, duplicating them. I return half to my dimensional inventory and leave the rest on the floor, causing Chantal to tilt her head in confusion.
"What are you doing, Motegi-kun?"
I don't need to answer that because Yomogi already takes that role for me, lecturing Chantal with a smile.
"So he doesn't have to keep buying materials. It cuts down the budget and saves time, right, Motegi-chan?"
"Exactly."
Chantal shakes her head, laughing softly.
"You're a sly merchant, Motegi-kun…"
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment."
Then, I reach into my inventory again and pull out iron ore and charcoal, and resin. These materials are specifically for Yomogi's section, and she knows that.
"Motegi-chan… I can't wait to see this!"
"Okay..."
After that, I place my hands over the materials and activate [Blacksmithing], turning them into with shiny kitchenware, tableware, and utensils in a blink of an eye.
Chantal gasps again, and Yomogi immediately picks up a skillet and rubs her cheek against it with a moan.
"Oh, wow…"
"Ahhh… so beautiful… Motegi-chan's crafting is always amazing…"
I smile, then turn to Chantal.
"Hear me out, Chantal. Since you're my new clerk, I'll give you a new section to take charge of, and that's for woodworks."
"Okay! Leave it to me!"
"Good."
Then, I place my hands on the timber, bamboo, and resin.
But then, I pause.
I remember something. My store isn't that big. I mean... if I fill it with large furniture, it's going to get crowded. I need something smaller but still interesting enough to catch attention. Something fun, maybe.
With my hands still in place, I add some black and white stones, charcoal, and colored minerals like red, blue, and green from my dimensional inventory. Once I put them down, I activate [Carpentry] as I decide to test an idea.
The materials glow and transform into a chessboard, a go board, and a full set of mahjong tiles.
"Umm… Motegi-chan, what are these?"
"I've never seen these before, Motegi-kun…"
Yomogi tilts her head in confusion, and Chantal examines with an equally puzzled expression.
"They're games."
I lift each item and explain it one by one, including how to play it. From introducing each chess piece and how it's played by moving the pieces to checkmate the king, to explaining how go is played with black and white stones and aims to fence off more territory than the opponent, and to mahjong tiles as a four-player game with a strategy to match and build sets. The girls listen closely, trying to understand all the information.
Then, Yomogi giggles, which is followed by Chantal, who nods at her as they somehow click over something.
"Hehe… They sound fun. I think they'll sell really well, Motegi-chan."
"You're right. No matter the race, people love games. You really are a genius, Motegi-kun."
And just like that, I duplicate the kitchenware and board games with [Copier], just like before.
"Alright, let's stock them. Yomogi, Chantal, help me out."
"Of course!"
Yomogi grabs the kitchenware and walks it over to her section.
"I'll take the games."
Chantal says, lifting them carefully. Then, I point at one shelf, and she nods and heads to place them there.
"Place them over there. That's your section, Chantal."
"Got it!"
As for me, I gather the toiletries and begin lining them up on the usual shelves.
After we finish restocking the store, I stretch my arms, sighing and glancing at the girls.
"Are you two hungry?"
"Mmhmm!"
They answer in unison. And then, Yomogi's ears perk up.
"Hey, Chantal, you have to try Motegi-chan's cooking! It's so delicious!"
"Oho... I've been curious. Don't disappoint me, Motegi-kun."
"I won't..."
With that, we climb to the second floor. The girls sit on the table as I head into the kitchen. I activate my [Storage] skill again, and this time I pull out the ingredients I brought home from Misdaras — sausage, milk, and bamboo shoots.
First, I grill the sausage until the skin turns crisp. Then, I slice the bamboo shoots thin, simmer them in milk, and add a touch of parsley.
About an hour later, I return with juicy, rich sausages and a simple, creamy soup in hand, setting them down on the table.
"Dinner's ready, girls."
The girls don't waste a second to dive into the sausage, and they mumble instantly at the same time with mouths full.
"Mmmph… dlishush…!"
Chantal blinks, and Yomogi nods.
"So this is what the popular long meat tastes like...?"
"It's so chewy… I love it!"
Then, when I slide the soup toward them, they pause and look unsure.
"Motegi-chan… you really want us to eat that?"
"That stuff's inedible, you know?"
"Come on. Try it."
They glance at each other, then cautiously take a bite and close their eyes.
And then, their eyes widen in disbelief...
"What is this, Motegi-chan? I didn't know bamboo shoots could taste this good!"
"I'll take it back, Motegi-kun! This is more than edible!"
"Told you you'd like it."
They both nod, and just like that, the three of us continue our dinner.