After leaving the commercial guild, Iriya and I headed toward the shopping district.
We both earned more than we had expected. I received half of the money from selling materials, and Iriya was able to sell potions. Moreover, it was an advanced potion, something I had never seen before. It’s not the kind of thing you would find in a regular shop, and there are only a limited number of people who can make such potions around here.
Iriya said she would register the items she made here in Renant and start selling them. I’m really looking forward to being able to sell the items Iriya makes. If possible, I’d like to watch her make potions.
“Iriya, is there anything you’d like to buy?”
“Well, maybe some daily necessities… and, food for now, I guess?”
“Okay, let’s get things like toothbrushes and towels first!”
I said as I took Iriya’s hand, walking a few steps behind her. After a couple of steps, I realized that I wasn’t walking with my usual little sister.
“I-I’m sorry! I was just used to walking with Chiara…!”
I hurriedly pulled my hand away, and Iriya smiled softly.
“It’s fine. I’m not used to crowds either.”
“Really? By the way, you don’t need to use honorifics with me, okay? I’m younger than you, and we’re friends now.”
“…Friends?”
She asked, and I panicked a little. Is it rude to call her my friend? She’s such a wonderful person…
The next moment, Iriya clasped her hands together in front of her chest, almost as if praying.
“Is it okay!? Will you really be my friend!?”
“Ah, yes. I thought we were already friends, though…?”
“Really!? I’ve wanted a girl friend! The people around me are all men…”
Eh, is this like a reverse harem? Was it really a harem? And she’s so happy just to be called a friend. Maybe she’s just been too rigid at the guild, making it hard to talk to her…
“We’re friends, and also coworkers!”
I held Iriya’s hands in mine.
“Yes! I’m looking forward to working with you!”
“Same here!”
What are we doing, greeting like this in the middle of the street? It was a bit embarrassing, but seeing Iriya so excited, who I thought was so serious, made her seem really cute, and I was happy that she was so pleased.
“Shopping with a friend… It’s so fun!”
Iriya smiled brightly, and we went to a store for daily necessities, then decided to buy food from a street vendor. Skewers of grilled meat, bread with sweet stewed fruit on top, and soup in covered containers were among the offerings. By early afternoon, many food stalls were set up in the square.
“Everything looks so delicious…! What do you recommend, Alesia?”
“Well, I’d say the skewered meat of Boar and the bread with sweet stewed fruit…”
While we were browsing, a familiar voice suddenly called out to us.
“Alesia-chan! Good, you made it to the city safely!”
It was a member of the adventurer group “Isashimu no Taiju,” who I had been indebted to. Isashimu is the name of our hometown, and Taiju refers to the great tree in the center of the town, which is a symbol.
“Reeni-san, thank you for everything the other day.”
The group consists of three men and two women. Reeni-san is the healer, with reddish-brown hair in braids. Another woman with a bob cut is Esume, a mage.
“That leader of yours… I can’t believe he left such a cute pair of sisters alone. I could’ve paid later, you know.”
Esume had offered to let me pay later when I didn’t have enough money for my return trip. I was very grateful at the time, but I knew that since it was for work, I had to pay eventually.
“Well, we had a good job at the time, so…”
Leon, the leader with spiky hair, a swordsman, and the others were chatting.
“It’s fine, and what matters is that you’re okay! Thanks to that, we’ve finally reached D rank!”
“Congratulations on your promotion! But with the higher costs of guarding, it’ll be harder to ask you to help…”
“Ha ha, I’m sorry about that last time. We can keep the same rate for a while.”
The big, solidly built swordsman Laurof was the one who said that. He’s not very talkative and seems a bit intimidating, but he’s very kind.
“But you know, something great happened! I was attacked by monsters, and Iriya here saved me. She can make potions, you know?”
“My name is Iriya. Please take care of me from now on.”
Oh, it’s work-mode Iriya. The way she bowed was so elegant.
“T-Thank you! I’m Leon, leader of Isashimu no Taiju! If you need any protection, feel free to ask!”
“Same here, I’m Laures! Nice to meet you!”
The two men are way too enthusiastic… Iriya’s so graceful and beautiful. The women are giving them pointed glares. Laurof just looks like he’s resigned to it.
But really, does Iriya even need protection? She can use magic, and it seems like Belial is really strong, too.
“Iriya’s items are going to be sold by me, so please come and buy them!”
I didn’t forget to do some promotion.
“We’ll definitely come!!!”
“…When will you start selling? We have Reeni here, but we still want to have some recovery items on hand.”
Esume asked directly, while glancing sideways at the two men who were still giddy.
“I’m sorry, but we’ve only just arrived in this town. I’ll start gathering materials tomorrow, so it will take a little time.”
“I see. Well, when you’re ready, please show me the potions. We’ve heard you’re planning to defeat a Griffin, right? I’d like a mid-level potion if possible.”
Esume can sometimes sound a bit cold, but she’s really kind at heart. She’s always the first to help when someone is in trouble. But today, she seems a bit harsher than usual… Could it be because the men are being so sloppy?
“As soon as I have the materials, I’ll begin making them. How many would you need?”
“…How many? You’re talking about a mid-level potion! You can make those so easily?”
“As long as I have the materials, it’s possible.”
Esume was shocked and closed in on Iriya, who answered without hesitation. The other members were stunned by this unexpected turn of events. Mid-level potions are currently in short supply, and without connections with merchants, it’s hard to get them.
“Iriya’s from the Egdualum Kingdom! She can even make advanced potions!”
I puffed my chest out proudly, and all five of them were in awe. Wow, that felt so good!
It seemed like they were about to start bombarding us with questions, so we quickly said goodbye to the group.
We bought dinner and went back to our rooms.
I couldn’t help but wonder if demons eat the same things as humans, so I asked Iriya. She said that higher-ranked demons don’t need food as much, but they can eat if they want, and they can also survive on just mana.
I thought that sounded pretty convenient.
