Chapter 38
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
As I headed towards Ms. Monoka’s orphanage, I entered an alley and transformed back into “Mose” to reach my destination.
Seeing the closed gate, I pulled the handle hanging from the edge.
This handle connects through the gate to the building, and pulling it or opening the gate would ring a bell inside.
It’s like a naruko (a traditional Japanese wooden clapper).
Last time, Frederica, who was involved, opened the gate normally, but since this is a girls’ only place, I shouldn’t just walk in casually.
So, I pulled the handle as if pressing a doorbell… and it seemed that was the right choice.
Maybe to check, the peephole on the inner door opened and then a girl I didn’t know peeked out.
”…Who are you?”
The girl who asked looked a bit younger than me and seemed to have a quiet personality.
I handed her a note with my request written on it.
Here, my voice and face are still a secret to everyone except Ms. Monoka.
*Creeeak, step step step*…
Maybe because the distance made it hard to see what I wrote, she opened the door wider and stepped closer, revealing more of herself.
According to Frederica, “As long as we have a good body, we can survive, so we make sure there’s enough food,” and it seems that practice is working because her figure is balanced within a reasonable range.
She stopped walking just out of reach of my hand through the gate and squinted to read what I had written.
”‘I’m Mose. I’m the one who requested the sorting of magic stones, and I came today to consult with Ms. Monoka about something else…’ Is that correct?”
Not everyone can read and write, but she read my note without any problem.
When I nodded in response, she said, “Just wait a moment,” and went back inside the orphanage.
*Step, step, step… Click!*
”Ah!”
After a little while, Ms. Monoka came out from the entrance, looking a bit flustered.
When she saw me, she let out a short exclamation and quickly came over.
Tap-tap-tap…
Rumble, rumble…
”I’m sorry to keep you waiting!”
She ran over, her big chest bouncing, and immediately asked about my request.
”Good morning. I heard this is about something other than the magic stone…”
Since we were still outside, I replied in writing.
”(Good morning. I’m thinking of renting a room instead of staying at an inn.).”
”A room?”
”(Yes. I asked Ms. Frederica, and she suggested that I ask you since you might know more.).”
”Well, I know a bit… Ah, please come inside. It might be hard to talk here.”
*Click, squeak…*
Ms. Monoka opened the gate, considering the trouble of writing, so I went inside. After I passed through, she closed the gate and guided me through the entrance of the orphanage.
”…”
”…”
”…”
Once inside the orphanage, I noticed a door slightly open at the reception, and 3 pairs of eyes were peeking out from there.
One of them was the girl who had just come out.
Even though Ms. Monoka invited me in, I was a man fully armored and holding a large shield, so it was understandable that they would be suspicious.
”Hey! What are you doing!?”
*Bam!*
Ms. Monoka noticed them and scolded, then sighed at the closed door and apologized to me.
”Haah, I’m really sorry. Those girls are at that age, so they seem to be curious about a lot of things…”
”(No, it’s only natural to attract attention when dressed like this in a place like this.).”
”Ah, please come this way.”
Since those 3 might still be watching and listening, I replied in writing, and Ms. Monoka led me to yesterday’s reception room.
”Please, have a seat.”
When I entered the reception room, I was encouraged to sit down, and I complied by sitting on the sofa… Ms. Monoka sat next to me.
”Why are you sitting next to me?”
”Well, they might still be watching us. I thought it would be better to talk in a quieter voice.”
”Oh, I see. Thank you for your consideration.”
I replied and lifted my helmet to make it easier to talk.
That itself was normal, but Ms. Monoka was a bit surprised to see the face I had been hiding.
”Oh… um, is it okay for me to see your face?”
”Well, since I’m asking you for a favor. Plus, you heard from Frederica yesterday that I also go by the name ‘Koji,’ right?”
”Yes. Mrs. Frederica said she would keep it a secret, and I have no intention of telling anyone.”
Nodding at her words, I gave a brief explanation.
”‘Koji’ is the name I use when I’m not in this armor. That’s the name I’m registered as an adventurer.”
”I see, so that’s how it is. But why would you do that… oh, I’m sorry. That’s unnecessary.”
”No, it’s fine. Well, I can’t go into details, but I’m pretending that I’m with Iris as ‘Mose.’.”
”I understand… and of course, I won’t tell anyone.”
”Yes, please. Now, can I get to the main topic?”
”Yes, go ahead.”
So, with that said… I started talking to Ms. Monoka, who was ready to listen, about the reason I came here today: searching for a room.
”So, about looking for a room…”
”Oh, really? Have you started earning enough to look for a place?”
”Not exactly… I just want to have a room where no one else can come in.”
”Is it because you don’t want Ms. Iris to interrupt… that thing you have with her?”
It seems Ms. Monoka thought I was trying to set up a room for some private time with Iris. She blushed but looked curious as she asked.
”No, it’s not really like that… I might have more stuff soon, and if I need to keep a room at the inn for a long time, it might be cheaper to rent a place.”
”Oh… I see. Haha…”
I didn’t tell her everything, but Ms. Monoka seemed to understand my reason for wanting to rent a room. Maybe she felt embarrassed about her earlier guess, as she laughed softly to cover it up.
I continued speaking to her.
”Well, if I rent a place, I might use it for… you know, ‘other things’ too.”
”Eh? Ah, um… then, it’s better if the walls are thick, right? Haha…”
Ms. Monoka’s face turned even redder at my words.
Because of that, she mentioned the wall thickness, but honestly, I want to consider that for reasons other than just that.
There could be all sorts of noise problems.
But…
”That’s true, but aren’t those kinds of rooms expensive?”
”Uh, yeah. The thick walls mean that the whole building is well-constructed… Mr. Koji, you just came to this city, right? Do you have a guarantor?”
”No.”
”In that case, the standard security deposit is 6 months’ rent, so you’ll need to prepare quite a bit of money…”
”I guess that’s how it is.”
Right now, I barely have any money, so a security deposit is impossible.
So, I was hoping to get introduced to a real estate agent today…
”Hmm…”
Ms. Monoka, with her arms crossed and chest pushed out, thought for a moment, then uncrossed her arms and approached me, shaking her chest as she presented an idea.
”Um!”
She leaned in, shaking.
”Oh… uh, yes. What is it?”
”Well, how about I become your guarantor?”
”Huh? No, I think it’s a bit much to ask someone I just met to do that.”
In response, she shook her head.
”I’m not saying this out of kindness. I would like to continue sorting magic stones for a long time in the future.”
I see.
She mentioned that she might ask for sorting work continuously, but is this her way of making sure of that?
”Well, I was planning to keep asking you to do it as long as you do it properly…”
”But if things go well, won’t you be able to gather more valuable items in the future?”
I wonder.
I don’t have a personal goal, so I’m aiming for the magic items that Iris wants, but that will lead me deeper into the dungeon, and the enemies will get stronger accordingly.
If that happens, the chances of hunting large monsters increase, and the magic stones they have are likely to be bigger too… There’s a limit to how much I can carry, so I’ll prioritize bringing back the large magic stones.
It seems that would be more profitable.
”Well, that possibility does exist.”
”If that happens, the number of magic stones you bring back will be fewer, and there won’t be a need for sorting. So even if it comes to that, I’d like you to secure a certain amount of small magic stones.”
”And in return, you want to be my guarantor? I’m not planning on that, you know? It’s not guaranteed that I’ll come back safely.”
”In that case, we can say that the contract is canceled once you cover the rent…”
”Is such a contract even possible?”
When I asked that, she made a complicated face.
”That depends on the landlord. When I was looking for a room after the girl who left here last year, I was allowed to choose those place freely in exchange for accepting ‘those conditions’.”
Ms. Monoka said that while pointing to her chest.
Maybe that was why she had a subtle expression.
I don’t know which perverted old man it was, but he’s truly a terrible guy.
Still… if some landlords are flexible, could she make a contract without going through a real estate agent?
When I asked her, her answer was no.
”If I do that, the real estate agents will dislike me and won’t help me find tenants. Worst case, I could be suspected of tax evasion for misrepresenting the number of rooms they rented out. It’s better to think that any landlord who agrees to that isn’t normal.”
”I see… Well, a landlord who thinks touching your chest will make negotiations go better doesn’t seem normal either.”
”Well, um… so what about your guarantor issue?”
”Well, it depends on the amount of magic stones. Even if you say a certain amount, it would be a problem without a clear standard.”
Getting a lot of small magic stones isn’t that hard.
I can sense the location of the magic stones, so I can also find the monsters. If it’s a monster with small magic stones, it shouldn’t be much of a threat.
If I underestimate it, I might get hurt, but with enough magic power, I should be able to defend with Magic Armor.
So, when I asked Ms. Monoka about the amount of magic stones as a condition to be a guarantor, she cautiously suggested an amount.
”How about the amount we received yesterday for a week?”
It would fill a bag that can hold 3 people’s worth.
The reward for sorting is based on the market rate, and if I can keep getting that much income, it should be enough.
That’s probably why she mentioned the need for continuous sorting of magic stones as a condition for being a guarantor.
From her expression, it seems like this is a pretty tight amount, but I could handle it in a day.
Also… I like that she is insisting on earning it herself instead of just asking for money directly.
”Well, it shouldn’t be impossible, so that’s fine. About the sorting reward, should we keep it at the market rate?”
”Ah, um, I can lower it a little if needed.”
If it’s a long-term contract, the overall profit might increase even if the unit price goes down…
”No, if it’s fine as it is, then let’s keep it. There’s a chance I might not be able to come back.”
”Y-yes. So…?”
”Yes. Please take care of the guarantor part.”
”Yes! Thank you very much!”
*Swish, shake*
Ms. Monoka said that and looked over here, bowing her head, but since she was sitting next to me, I ended up seeing it from the side.
”Whoa…”
Because of that, I witnessed her large chest being pulled down by gravity, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to it…
”Ah…”
Even though she noticed my gaze, she looked away, her face turning red while maintaining that posture.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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