After three days of closing, Motegi's store opens its doors once more, and the crowd eagerly keeps flooding the place like an endless wave as usual.
But today, there is one visible difference.
Standing right at the entrance is a woman wearing the same sensual, modified-maid-like store clerk uniform that emphasizes soft curves. She bows toward each incoming customer with a soft smile.
"Welcome… to our store. Please… take your time… and enjoy..."
And the effect is instant. The moment men lay eyes on her, their jaws drop.
"She's gorgeous…"
"Wait... there's an elf here?!"
Meanwhile, everything looks nearly the same inside the store.
Yomogi, wearing the same outfit as Kimberly, is at her kitchenware section, surrounded by housewives and mothers who eagerly watches her holding a ladle made from stainless steel, the new product lineup there that features chromium alloy.
"And these right here are the new cooking utensils. They don't rust, they don't stain, and they stay cool even when you're simmering stew all day."
"Ooh..."
On the other side, Chantal is at her woodworks section, wearing the same clerk outfit and already drawing a small crowd of equally enthusiastic men as she places the chess pieces on the board.
"Alright, boys! This is chess. The one who traps the king wins, and the loser sets up the next board, understand?"
"Ohhh!"
"I'm buying one set!"
And of course, the toiletries corner is as frantic as ever.
"Grab the mint toothpaste!"
"Where's the lavender shampoo?!"
Motegi, who is sitting on the counter in front of that section, calls out calmly as he hands back coins.
"Please form a line, everyone."
Back to the outside of the store, the very same group of adventurers who noticed Yomogi and Chantal stand frozen in disbelief, staring at the woman in front of the door who greets customers, as they immediately recognize who she is.
"Is that…?"
"No way! She's Kimberly, the great elven sage from Heiligeichen!"
"Are you serious?! That S-rank adventurer?!"
"Man. This store owner, he's really on another level. First, the two A-ranks, and now this."
And their conversation continues.
"Should we ask him again? Just to be sure?"
"No. No, we should not bother that man. Ever again."
Just then, Kimberly turns her head toward them, smiling. And that's enough to make them jolt immediately.
"Excuse me… but you're… blocking
... the entrance. If you could… please move a little… so others... may pass..."
"Sorry! We're going in right now!"
As they go inside, they exhale in unison in disbelief.
"Kimberly-sama spoke to us…"
"The great sage really looks at us!"
"I think I ascended, man."
Minutes later, a noblewoman enters the store with an elegant walk. Her eyes are soon drawn to the sets of glazed ceramics displayed on top of the table at the front corner of the store, mesmerized by the fine white glaze and delicate blue patterns.
"Beautiful… Such craftsmanship… I have never seen anything like this..."
Kimberly steps inside and approaches her.
"Is there something... you're… looking for… my lady?"
The noblewoman immediately points to the big vase under the table.
"This one. It's wonderful. How much is it?"
Kimberly bows slightly, apologizing warmly.
"I must… apologize… This display piece… isn't... for sale..."
"Oh… That's unfortunate. I would have loved to take it home."
Just as the noblewoman starts to get disappointed, Kimberly comes with an offer, which brightens the noblewoman again.
"If you wish… we can… make one… exactly like it. A custom order...."
"Truly?! You can?"
"Yes… we can take... your request. Let me... take notes... for your order..."
"Thank you!"
The noblewoman is delighted, and Kimberly takes out a small piece of paper.
"Then, I would like one exactly the same!"
"Understood... May we know... your place, my lady...?
"Yes! My residence is across the third street."
"Understood... The vase… will be ready… tomorrow... and you may pay... when the vase… is delivered... to your place..."
Hearing that, the noblewoman gasps and is clearly delighted.
"Splendid! I'll wait for it, then."
Then, Kimberly bows once more as the noblewoman leaves the store.
"Yes… my lady. We look forward... to your next visit..."
After that, Kimberly walks back to the entrance again, returning to her position like a quiet guardian of the doorway.
"Welcome… to our store. We are happy… to have you..."
Just like that, the store thrives as always with a new, gentle radiance added to it. And with Kimberly joining as the store icon with Yomogi and Chantal, Motegi's quiet little business feels more alive than ever.
HOURS LATER
**********
As usual, it's another sell-out day. I close the store and stretch a little, then turn toward Yomogi and Chantal as I hand them two chilled bottles of grape soda from the freezing box.
"Great work today, you two. Here, a little reward."
Their eyes light up immediately as they each take a bottle.
"Motegi-chan, you really do know what we need!"
"Totally. There's nothing better than something cool and fizzy after a long day on your feet. You're the best, Motegi-kun!"
Just like that, they uncap their bottles and take a sip, letting out little sighs of satisfaction.
Then, I walk over to Kimberly as I hold another bottle.
"Thank you… for your hard work… as well… Motegi-sama…"
She accepts it with a nod, but looking confused.
"This is… what, exactly…?"
"It's a drink, Kimberly. Something to help you cool down. Try it."
Chantal nods encouragingly.
"Mmhmm! You should try it, Kimberly!"
And Yomogi also does the same.
"Motegi-chan made it himself, you know?"
Kimberly hesitates for a moment, then slowly pulls the cap. The sudden fizz pops with a soft hiss, and she flinches slightly.
"Ah… it startled… me…"
But when she brings it to her lips and takes a small sip, her eyes widen and a soft moan escapes her lips.
"Mmm…! What… is this…? It's so… refreshing… and fizzy…"
Chantal grins, and Yomogi smiles at Kimberly.
"Told you it was good."
"I'm glad you like it, Kimberly."
And I look at Kimberly.
"It's made with a Wind element spell. Wind Burst, to be exact."
Kimberly blinks at me like she just learned something new.
"I never knew… Wind magic… could be used… to make something… like this…"
Then, the three women take another sip again. And with that, I clap my hands once to draw their attention.
"Alright. Want to hear how much we made today?"
"Yes!"
Yomogi and Chantal say excitedly at the same time. Kimberly is intrigued, and she also follows me as I head to the counter to count the coins.
And once it's finished, I stand up after I know that we've just made about 300,000 yen in total.
"Okay, it's three gold coins!"
Yomogi claps cheerfully, turning to all of us.
"Yay! Congratulations, everyone!"
And Chantal is also impressed.
"Wow! That's more than three days ago!"
As for Kimberly, she murmurs quietly as if still trying to believe what she hears.
"That is… amazing… I didn't know… a store... could earn… this much… in a single day…"
When I look at Kimberly, I suddenly remember something.
"Oh yeah, Kimberly, did anyone place a ceramics order today?"
"Yes…"
Oh, we get one, huh?
She reaches into her apron and hands me a small folded note.
"A noblewoman… requested... a large vase… like the one… under the table. I've written… her address here."
"Perfect. Thanks, Kimberly."
With that, I walk over to the display table where the ceramics are arranged. I bend down and place my hand in front of the big vase under it and silently activate my [Copier] skill. In an instant, an identical vase appears in front of the table.
"Well, the order's done."
"Motegi-chan, you're amazing as always!"
"So efficient, as expected of Motegi-kun..."
Kimberly is surprised and goes silent for a while, then she giggles.
"Fufufu... I'm happy… to be working… here… Motegi-sama…"
After that, I turn to them again.
"So… should we head to the labyrinth now?"
Yomogi's eyes perk up immediately.
"Yes, Motegi-chan!"
And Chantal grins.
"Thought you'd never ask. Been itching to move my body all day, Motegi-kun!"
Before Kimberly can answer anything, Yomogi and Chantal grab her by the hands again.
"Let's go, Kimberly!"
"You should join too!"
"W-Wait… I… hold on…"
Kimberly's voice drifts off as they whisk her upstairs without warning.
And a few minutes later, Yomogi comes down first and wears that orange bridal robe, which still feels like a kimono to me, again.
It hangs off her shoulders just enough to bare them completely, the front loose and open, showing just enough cleavage to make me swallow.
"Ara, Motegi-chan, you're staring again. Naughty boy..."
"I can't help it..."
And I really can't. Even though I've already seen it many times, that robe still makes her look like a sexy housewife.
Then, Chantal appears behind Yomogi, clad in her usual purple bikini armor. The skimpy design barely hides anything as always, highlighting her athletic figure, her long legs, toned abs, and the curve of her hips.
"Hahaha! Look all you want, Motegi-kun! Enjoy the view!"
"I already am."
Still, her outfit might barely count as battle gear. But it's still striking, and I love it too.
After that, Kimberly steps down, and I immediately freeze.
She's wearing the same golden halter dress from the day we met.
"I can't believe you're wearing that again, Kimberly...."
She pauses for a moment, still looking dazed from being dragged along.
"I love... this dress. It feels so… light... on my body..."
Yeah, it really is.
The fabric clings in all the right places. The sleeveless design highlights her smooth arms, that impossibly deep neckline shows off her generous bust, and those high slits on each thigh reveal just enough to leave me breathless. So elegant and dangerously alluring.
Then, I put my hands together and slightly bow, half-joking but also serious, which makes her chuckle.
"Please. You have to keep wearing that when we adventure, Kimberly."
"Fufufu... If you... truly wish… Motegi-sama… then I will..."
"Thank you, Kimberly!"
But then...
"Ahem…"
Chantal coughs with a teasing smirk.
"If you keep commenting us like that, we're never getting to the labyrinth, Motegi-kun."
"Y-Yeah, I know, Chantal!"
"Should we go now, Motegi-chan?"
"Yeah, right. Let's go."
And with that, I raise my palm and cast a teleportation spell until a portal blooms into view, making Kimberly tilt her head curiously.
"Motegi-sama… does this spell… can take us… to the labyrinth... too...?"
And Yomogi answers for Kimberly.
"Yes, Motegi-chan's teleportation spell can take us to any floor we've reached before. No need to repeat the lower ones."
"That is… incredible… I have never… heard of it… before..."
Then, Chantal chimes in to me.
"Anyway, which floor today, Motegi-kun?"
"The eleventh."
"Ughhh, really? Do we have to deal with them again?"
Chantal groans to herself as we step through the portal.
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, ELEVENTH FLOOR
Arriving there, Kimberly looks around in awe.
"We… truly teleported…"
Yomogi and Chantal chuckle at Kimberly.
"It's amazing, isn't it?"
"Yes… it truly is…"
"Yup! As expected of Motegi-kun!"
We begin walking, Yomogi and Chantal naturally taking the front, and I trail behind them with Kimberly beside me.
After several minutes, Yomogi and Chantal suddenly stop us.
Yomogi's nose already sniffs the air.
"It's here, everyone…"
And I can see Chantal's ears are also twitching.
"I know. And I hate this thing."
Then, a human-sized, upside-down hand called Hando appears. It walks on its three thick fingers, its massive palm hovering like a body. And despite it looking like one monster, it still counts as three because each finger acts as a separate entity.
After that, I hear Yomogi murmur a familiar word under her breath.
"[Rock Fang]..."
In an instant, her body tightens. Muscles ripple beneath her skin, swelling and hardening like stone.
She explodes forward into one of Hando's fingers. The grotesque digit reacts fast, trying to flick her away like an annoying bug. But Yomogi doesn't budge as she locks her arms tightly around it instead.
"Nrghhh!!"
She groans, her legs straining and the stone floor cracking beneath her. She hugs it with such force and immediately calls out to Chantal.
"Chantal!"
And Chantal doesn't hesitate.
"Got it! [Electric Claw]!"
Blue sparks burst across her limbs, lightning crawling from her shoulders to her fingertips. She grins and takes out her twin daggers from her thighs.
"Let's do this!!"
She vanishes in a blur, her twin daggers slicing clean through the finger that Yomogi's holding. The limb detaches with a burst of blood and drops lifelessly to the ground.
Yes, that's what Chantal's pantherkin race's signature skill looks like, and I've already seen it before.
While Yomogi's [Rock Fang] is all about strength, endurance, and heightened smell, Chantal's [Electric Claw] amps up speed, agility, and hearing. And both of them come with poison immunity too.
But here's the thing: because they have tried my [Temporary Boost] skill for quite a lot, they figured if their skills only multiply their respective stats — strength and durability for Yomogi, and speed and agility for Chantal — by double or triple, while [Temporary Boost] sets all their stats to infinite. Also, if I use it after they've activated their skills, mine will override them and cancel everything out. And if I use it before, their skills won't even trigger.
The two remaining Hando fingers are ready to strike me and Kimberly, so I turn to her.
"Can you do it?"
"Yes… Motegi-sama…"
Finally. Finally.
This is the moment I'd been waiting for.
Back in Heiligeichen, I missed the chance to see her magic in action because I was too busy teaching Berland's prostitutes. I only knew from Yomogi and Chantal's stories, but I never saw it for myself.
Out of curiosity, I decide to activate my [Temporary Boost] silently and set my perception stat to infinity because I need to examine something.
Kimberly steps forward gently, her long golden hair already swaying.
"Wind... Fragment..."
A thin, sharp gust bursts forward from her hand, and halfway through its path, the spell splits into two sharp currents.
Snip!
Snip!
Both fingers are severed at the joints, crashing down to the ground.
I know what that spell is capable of because I've used it before, and its damage output is just the same as Kimberly's. But through my enhanced perception, I can see if her execution is on another level because... she only uses a minimal amount of her mana to cast it. And at that moment, I know that's what her immense mana control really looks like, and Yomogi wasn't lying about it.
Kimberly... she is really the Great Sage, and she deserves to be called that.
Then, Hando's fingers drop their items, which are nails. Yomogi, Chantal, and Kimberly each pick one up and bring it to me.
"Motegi-chan. If we collect more of these, we can sell them for a better price later."
Yes, Hando's nails are like the Split Caterpillars' threads and Trull's leathers. They're not worth much at the Adventurer Guild, but boutiques pay more.
I turn to Kimberly as I'm still impressed by her.
"Kimberly, that Wind Fragment... I've never seen anyone cast so efficiently."
And Kimberly replies with such a motivating smile.
"You can... do it too… Motegi-sama…"
"Heh, thanks. That means a lot."
And suddenly, Chantal sighs and shakes her head, confusing Kimberly.
"Haahh... If we get Motegi-kun's magic, maybe Yomogi and I could be stronger than even our own skills."
"Magic…? What are you... talking about…?"
"Oh, that? Motegi-kun can enhance all our stats to infinity."
And Kimberly's eyes immediately widen.
"Infinity…?"
Then, Yomogi confirms it.
"Yes. When I got infinity stats, I felt even stronger than when I used [Rock Fang]. And Chantal was way faster than [Electric Claw]."
Kimberly stares at us all, stunned.
"I've never heard... of anything… that can exceed… beastmen's... signature skills…"
"Ahaha… It's not exactly magic. You'll see, I'll show you later."
Then, an idea flashes inside my mind.
Since we've got Kimberly in our party now, I think we can go until the fifteenth floor and see what we can do. And once we defeat the boss, we can take the sixteenth floor, which is starting to have four monsters inside. Also, Kimberly's presence maybe will allow me to return with my Yamitsuki later.
With that, I ask all of them.
"Hey, what about we push all the way to the fifteenth floor, girls?"
They turn to each other, and then:
"Of course, Motegi-chan!"
"That's a good idea, Motegi-kun!"
"Yes... Motegi-sama..."
With that, our goal today is set.