In the market street of the magical city of Delmond, bustling with humanoid demons, my destination was located in a slightly dim alleyway off the main street.
“Huh, a pharmacy?”
Otokai widened her eyes and alternated between looking at the sign of the shop in front of us and at me.
“Kiwi-chi, didn’t you say you were going window shopping?”
“Yeah. I did say that.”
That’s why I came.
I immediately entered the shop, grabbed the demon shopkeeper, and asked:
“Do you happen to know of any medicine that has the effect of channeling magical power into someone unnoticed, causing them discomfort or side effects?”
Unfortunately, the shopkeeper shook his head, and then added:
“There’s no such thing as a medicine that channels magical power. Besides, it would be impossible to mix magic into a medicine. How would you even do that?”
I was asked in return.
Of course, I had no idea either. However, I was somewhat satisfied with the response I expected.
“I thought so. I’ve never heard of such a thing either. I just came to confirm.”
I stepped outside the shop, and then:
“Wait, wait, wait!?”
Otokai grabbed my shoulder with a puzzled frown.
“Wait. Huh? Is that it?”
“It’s not over. I’m planning to go to the next pharmacy.”
“Wait. Can you explain? This makes no sense!”
Otokai tilted her head in confusion, then asked:
“By the way, Kiwi-chi, do you even know what window shopping means?”
“Of course I do. It’s when you stroll around the shops without intending to buy anything, right?”
“Your phrasing! Well, technically that’s what we’re doing, but… still, normally, you’d be peeking into shops that are sparkly or fashionable, right?”
“? Is that so?”
“Yeah, you look at those shops and say things like ‘This is cute!’ or ‘This looks delicious!’ and chat about it for fun!”
“I don’t think there’s anything cute or delicious about medicine.”
“Normal people don’t go to pharmacies on a date!!”
Otokai shouted in a voice of disbelief.
Wait, what?
“A date???”
“An arranged marriage! We’re having an arranged marriage right now!!!”
“W-Was that it…?”
I had assumed the arranged marriage had silently faded out of the picture.
Otokai sighed heavily and said:
“I knew something was off, but this…?! So Kiwi-chi, you weren’t even considering me, huh…”
“No, I’m sorry. I thought that once our destination changed from the witch’s restaurant to the club, you probably weren’t that into the arranged marriage anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I have a principle of not doing things I don’t want to do, even if I have to die for it.”
With a slight pout, Otokai twirled her silky hair around her finger, then added:
“I was totally up for the arranged marriage! That’s why I invited you to the club, to get to know me better!”
“…I see. But why though? I didn’t know anything about you until today. You must’ve been in the same situation… why were you so eager?”
“Well, Kiwi-chi is the one who helped my dad. You’re my benefactor!”
Otokai said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Dad’s the strongest, right? He’s always the one helping others, so I was always wondering, ‘Who’s the demon who helps such a strong dad?’ But no one was around! I was seriously losing hope when Kiwi-chi appeared.”
“Ah, when I saved Lord Agito from captivity…”
“Also during the Elden Retake War, right? I mean, how could I not be interested? Who’s strong enough to help my strongest dad?”
“Heh… If that’s the case, I must have disappointed you, huh?”
I shrugged.
After all, I am extremely weak.
“As you can see, I’m not strong at all. I’m so weak that I’d lose to both women and the elderly.”
“No, that’s not it.”
However, Otokai waved her hand in disagreement and said:
“I’m kind of an idiot, so I can’t explain it well… but I don’t think strength is just about physical power.”
At Otokai ’s words, Shess, who had been silently guarding us, nodded in agreement.
“You have sharp eyes, Otokai -sama. That’s right. Master Kiwi’s strength is not pure physical power.”
“Ah, Shess-chi thinks so too? Well, then we’re friends!”
“Shess-chi?”
Shess was confused by the new nickname, but Otokai , without a care, put her arm around Shess’s shoulder and then turned to me with a big grin.
“That’s why, Kiwi-chi, I came here today because I want to know more about you. I want to know what you like and what you want to do. So, if you want to go pharmacy hopping, I’ll come with you. But I just don’t get what your goal is.”
“…I see. Understood.”
It seems that Otokai , in her own way, is seriously considering me.
If she says she wants to know, then I’ll take her up on it and let her know.
“I like to learn new things. Especially when a mysterious phenomenon presents itself before me, I can’t sleep until I unravel it.”
“Eh, if there’s something I don’t understand, I can fall asleep in seconds.”
“That’s a healthy thing. But I can’t do that. Because I’ve encountered it. If this goes on today, it will disturb my peaceful sleep—this mysterious phenomenon… the case of the patients who were tripping at the club earlier.”
“The ones who were tripping from alcohol or drug abuse?”
“No, that wasn’t acute alcohol poisoning or drug addiction. It seemed like their brains were being sent magical power, forcing them into a hypnotic state or something.”
“Eh… can you really do that?”
“No, you can’t. Normally, if harmful magic is sent to the brain, the body should resist. Unless you willingly seek it out. That’s why I thought this.”
I pointed at the pharmacy sign.
“Medicine is something you take voluntarily. I wondered if there was anything among them that could send magical power into the brain.”
“I see. So, you’re planning to ask other pharmacies the same thing, huh?”
“Exactly. The people who were tripping, and even the club owner, they all said they were ‘drinking alcohol’ to feel good, but… to me, that alcohol sounded like a metaphor for some kind of drug or potion.”
“But didn’t the shopkeeper just say? ‘It’s impossible to mix magic into medicine,’ right?”
That’s true. Just like Otokai said. I’ve never heard of anyone successfully infusing holy or magical power into medicine. However, that also means that perhaps someone has secretly succeeded at it without others knowing.
“If there really is a way to make possible something that was once thought to be impossible… wouldn’t that be something wonderful? And you want to know about it?”
“…I don’t really get it, but Kiwi-chi, you really want to ‘know,’ don’t you?”
“Yes, I want to know!!!”
I couldn’t help but raise my voice, and Otokai gave a small laugh in response.
“I got it. Alright, I’ll join you. I want to know more about you, Kiwi-chi.”
“Thank you. I’m glad.”
And so, we continued our pharmacy date (?). As we visited several pharmacies within the magical city of Delmond, suddenly…
Someone quietly tugged at the sleeve of my clothes from behind. It was Shess.
“Sorry, should we take a break soon?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Shess moved her head slightly backward and spoke to me.
“It seems someone is following us as we visit the pharmacies.”
