The smell of magic coming from the spirit stone

“I understand most of the details but why did you accept it, Jirou? No matter what, isn’t it too suspicious? In the first place, is that Solo really a top merchant in the Imperial Capital? Is that person just wandering around without having any attendants accompanying him? And why did he suddenly propose such a match to Jirou? If it’s just a simple bet then it’s fine but it’s related to the mayor? It’s the greatest person in Erishe don’t you know? No matter what it’s strange.”  [Rebecca]

If I think about it calmly, it is certainly true. Actually when I calmly think about it, it’s strange too.

……………..I wonder why did I get heated up and believing it after listening to his conversation. I ended up accepting the match too. The ‘goods’; elf which was used as the bet was also not seen. The other party’s ident.i.ty was not confirmed too.

The entire story was only based on Jephthah, the self-proclaimed solo merchant’s testimony.

Or is it just my elf sickness getting too out of hand? Love is blind though……..No, that doesn’t have anything to do with it.

I wonder why I had thought that I will definitely be able to do something about it somehow and accepted the match……….

“Besides, Jirou. Contrary to what you have said, 10 spirit stones are actually a big deal. The total number of spirit stones that someone can receive in their lifetime is usually only 20. Even if it was someone who is really loved by the spirit, the most they have received are only 30, did you know?”  [Rebecca]

U~n. Since I have received two spirit stones already in just two days, I was convinced that I should be getting 5 times as many in just one month through the quest from the guidance but……

If you can receive 20 in a lifetime, it could possibly be that they were blessed at the age of 10…….. I am not sure what is the average life span for the people here but even if I were to estimate it to be 60 years old, it will be 20 of them in 50 years……so about 2.5 spirit stone in every 5 years? In the case of 10 pieces then, hahaha, 25 years.

So that was the reason Sh.e.l.lo-san and Pumpkin-san (pseudonym) were so excited when they saw me achieving the guidance too…….

“The price of a spirit stone is perhaps even higher than what Jirou is imagining. Even the cheapest one might get you 20 gold coins.”  [Rebecca]

Eh, seriously?

Wait, TAKEEEEEE!

(TL: TAKEEEEEE! is in English here)

If a single gold coin can be sold for 150,000 yen at the gold purchase centre in j.a.pan, then 3,000,000 yen………I can buy a car.

Just by clearing the guidance quest, you’ll be able to receive such a bonus. Being the other world’s people is seriously profitable.

Well, even if I compare the value of gold on the other side and the value of gold on this side, there will be no meaning to it. But, I wonder……..

“Do you know why the spirit stones are expensive?”  [Ayase]

“A spirit stone is a ma.s.s of spirit force by itself. Thus, the elves are able to use spirit magic to reduce the force and depending on the type of the stone, creating various kinds of miracle. The most popular one used should be 『Rejuvenation』 I think. Even Erishe’s priestess-sama contracted the spirit stone’s rejuvenation magic treatment.”  [Rebecca]

Rejuvenation is it…….

For such super power to exist……..

[This is a lapis lazuli gemstone so it’s not a big deal]

That statement is so wrong, seriously. Even 3,000,000 yen is too cheap for it.

“If by chance that Jephthah is the real deal and you really need to present a gift to the mayor, that will also be really dreadful, did you know? The mayor is, her name is Milkpearl-san by the way, is really well-known as a virtuous person who does not accept bribes.”  [Rebecca]

“It’s not particularly a bribe though possibly. As long as she is interested in the gift then it will be counted as my win.”  [Ayase]

“That is if it’s at another place.”  [Rebecca]

Ah I see.

Since the venue is at the party, if the mayor were to receive a gift from a merchant right in front of the public and to be interested in the gift as well, it will be like making an open declaration of your intention.

Uwa~a, why did I carelessly accept the conversation. Should I seriously run away?

“Ah, it seems like Jirou was awfully worried about it earlier but presenting a gift is not considered a crime. Therefore, based on this conversation, if you really do intend to accept it, then you should just prepare yourself to hand over 10 spirit stones as a challenge for yourself.”  [Rebecca]

[Bribery  arrested  at once]

To me as long as this will not happen, it was already my best salvation.

The story goes back a little.

After parting from Jephthah-s.h.i.+, I went to the city to buy an appropriate gift as an apology before going to Sh.e.l.lo-san’s house.

I tried purchasing sake as apology.

There seemed to be many kinds of sake in this world. There are not only wine and beer but drinks similar to whiskey and liqueur are also available. Of course it comes in a gla.s.s bottle. It seemed like the technology of producing gla.s.s existed here too.

Although their knowledge in house building or stone making are crude, they do have other quite advance technology too……..Or was it just a mere epicurism civilization? The cooking is tasty too.

The item that I bought was an amber looking sake that looks like whiskey for 83 El. Beer or wine that are usually sold in barrels are cheap but drinks that are kept in bottles appeared to be luxurious goods.

At first, I had thought of going back to the other side to get miso or something for them when I recalled the wild board stew but I didn’t have the confidence in explaining the origin of the item so I gave up on it.

It took me nearly 2 hours to reach Sh.e.l.lo-san’s house.

I arrived there around noon and realized that both of them were in the middle of their lunch. It appears that they didn’t mind the incident the other day when I had run off just like that and still welcomed me warmly.

And I was treated to a meal again.

It’s fried rice.

Both of them actually look like Western people in every aspect but the dish that they are eating on Sat.u.r.day afternoon look similar to the fried rice that mum cooks. As expected this is not the taste of soy sauce…. However, I tasted the feeling of affinity.

After we finished eating and started drinking tea, I gifted him the sake that I bought and apologized for the incident that happened the other day. “You’re still young so you don’t need to mind it so much.” Rebecca-san said but Sh.e.l.lo-san was overjoyed. As soon as he attempted to open the bottle immediately, he was. .h.i.t by Rebecca-san.

Aa…..Sh.e.l.lo-san is gradually turning into a silly character in my mind……

After that I told them about the incident that happened with Jephthah-s.h.i.+ today, regarding the advance preparation needed and that I require their cooperation since that day is fast approaching.

“It’s a huge dream.”  Sh.e.l.lo-san said optimistically as he rubbed the sake bottle but Rebecca-san was giving me a blank look. Were there any parts that couldn’t be understand?

“I understand most of the details but why did you accept it, Jirou?”  [Rebecca]

And so the story goes back to the beginning.

Since Sh.e.l.lo-san needs to hunt for his job, Rebecca-san will be the only one helping me.

The person herself commented, “It’s too dangerous, I can’t even bear to take a look.”

Since I couldn’t find any reason to refute it, I obediently accepted the goodwill. Is this another “guidance quest” again?  I started thinking but I wasn’t that bothered about it anymore. After all, this is 3,000,000 mil yen you’re talking about there.

Thus the both of us decide to go to the city together. “Want to go by horse?” Rebecca-san suggested. That could only mean that we will be going by riding in tandem. My heart pounded rapidly due to embarra.s.sment when I think about it.

“Then get up. Have you ridden a horse before?”  [Rebecca]

Rebecca appeared riding on horseback from the stable. Ka…Kakkoi.  (TL: Cool. Decide to leave it as it is)

As expected of a former mercenary. I wonder if she used to fight while riding on a horse last time. I am actually not really familiar with horseback riding, however appearing as if I was already used to it, I stood side by side to the horse without faltering.

As I thought I want jockey as my vocation…… Even without it as my vocation, if I start practising like normal I might be able to do it, I think. And, I want a horse too.

“……….Etto, how should I mount the horse? The saddle, is a 1-seater right?”  [Ayase]

“This saddle is big so even if we were to squeeze a women and a child on top, it will still be alright. Here you go.”  [Rebecca]

Rebecca-san who was sitting on the front of the saddle offered. Are you serious? And am I a child here? Tsuka…..Rebecca-san seems to have better physiques than me…..

It might look funny if I was strangely embarra.s.sed there by myself, so I grabbed her hand and mounted the horse.

……..I wonder if it’s safe to hug the waist of a married woman. Sh.e.l.lo-san didn’t seem to mind it at all and just told us to take care out there. Well, whatever! If he is fine with it then it’s fine!

Rebecca-san’s back feels warm………

After we set off for a short while, Rebecca-san spoke up.

“Yesterday, why did you run off all of the sudden? You’ve finally received your long-awaited blessing so we have thought of having a celebration actually.”  [Rebecca]

“Aa, no, I’m sorry……I just got too surprised since I received a guidance.”  [Ayase]

I ended up giving her an answer that didn’t seem to make sense since it was embarra.s.sing to tell her the truth. I definitely couldn’t say the reason. That I was disappointed since I first thought that they were helping me out of goodwill. I don’t want to say that.

In this world, it was already natural for the people to try and achieve the guidance (since Spirit-sama will lead people to the right way of living), so it is meaningless even if I think about it.

Sh.e.l.lo-san and Rebecca-san too, I have no doubt that they are definitely good people. I’m not particularly concerned about it as well though.

“…….It’s fine Jirou. Even though we knew you have memory loss, it was our bad for not properly explaining it beforehand……..We should have properly explained that we were in the middle of the guidance.….it’s great isn’t it, there were times when my friends.h.i.+p with others were broken too due to the guidance. In the case of man, there were hardly any but it happened before with my female friends, sometimes. Jirou seems to be someone who has delicate feelings……so, I’m sorry.”  [Rebecca]

Nn? Was she aware of the real reason I ran off? Anyway, this conversation is not really a big deal though. Rebecca-san might be really perceptive of each and every detail…….

Even so, recognizing my own feelings was aggravating so I refuted it by saying, “I was seriously surprised at that time.” instead. “Is that so? Then it’s fine.”  Rebecca-san replied in return and she never pursued it anymore.

Meanwhile we finally arrived in the city.

As for the time, it should be nearly 14:00 now.

I thought of returning but if so I wouldn’t be able to carry out my activity. The full-fledged preparation will begin tomorrow.

Oh yeah.

I decided to accept Jephthah-s.h.i.+’s match.

From now on we would need to conduct our investigation. There was a promise with Jephthah-s.h.i.+ as well so if I wouldn’t get arrested then in worst cases I will just be giving him 10 spirit stones. I have 2 of the stones already. They’re actually still the same amount that I was carrying when I accepted the match but for some unknown reason, I had a feeling that I will not lose this match.

And above all…..

A new list of “guidance” has appeared on my vocation board again.

【Guidance of Baraka】

・　Try going to the mayor’s house　0/2

・　Fulfil the promise with the Imperial Trader　1/3

・　????????(?・??????)　7/10

……Nn? What the heck is the one with all the question marks??