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TL: ALT
Chapter 51 – Elixir to Pass, Outer Moat to Fill
“Welcome, Yuto-san! Serika-san!”
When I got off the bus, Honoka, who was waiting for us at the bus stop, greeted us.
On her left ring finger was the Ring of Protection I had given her.
She seems to be taking good care of it… Hmm? The ring finger of her left hand?
“I just arrived the day before yesterday. I’m sorry to have caused you so much trouble.”
“Oh no, not at all! My mother’s looking forward to seeing you!”
“How is Haruka-san feeling?”
Serika asked.
“Thanks to you, she seems to be in better shape than before. However, it seems that the root of her illness has not been cured…”
“I see…”
“B-but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen my mother in such good health. I am truly grateful to you both.”
“You don’t have to get so emotional about it, Honoka-chan. I did what I did because I wanted to. So did Yuto.”
“You two really trust each other, don’t you? Hah, is there any room for me to interrupt…?”
“Honoka-chan?”
“N-no, nothing! M-my mother is waiting for you.”
Today’s Tengumine Shrine is unusually free of fog.
The road through the mountains, which was perfectly clear, was also a sight to behold.
From the main shrine, we were led to the usual residence.
“Welcome, Yuto-kun! Welcome, Serika-san.”
A beautiful elf woman dressed as a shrine maiden greeted us.
Her complexion has improved since the last time I saw her.
Before, she gave me the impression of a mysterious beauty that exuded fragility, but now she gives me the impression of a fleshy beauty that exudes bewitching beauty.
Maybe she is closer to the original Haruka-san now.
“Is your body okay?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
“…Wait, when did Yuto start talking casually to Haruka-san?”
“You can do the same if you want, Serika-san.”
“Aren’t you getting closer and closer now?”
“Fufu, he is a wonderful gentleman. But please don’t worry. We, mother and daughter, will be fine after Serika-san.”
“I-it’s not a question of after or before, is it?”
“Ara, if we were to stand here and talk, it would take too long. Please go to the back of the room.”
Haruka-san led us to the back of the room.
We were led to the fireplace where we first met, not the one where we were served dinner before.
It was probably because it was halfway through the meal.
If we went here during the meal, Haruka-san would be too excited, so we deliberately shifted the time to come here, you know.
Haruka-san and Honoka-chan serve tea to me and Serika.
“So, you wanted to see me today, didn’t you?”
Haruka-san asks me.
“Yes. Well, I think I’ve found a way to get a stable supply.”
“Stable… supply?”
Haruka-san tilts her head at my words.
“I’m talking about this.”
I took out the Elixir from my Item Box.
One, two, three…
“Eh, wait, how many do you have?”
“Thirty for now, I guess.”
“T-thirty..?”
“Well, that’s the way it is. I’ve been able to get a steady supply of them and to be honest, I’m not sure I can keep them. They’re too valuable to keep, so I’m going to ask Haruka-san to keep them for me.”
“T-that’s not possible!”
“No, I’m wondering if you could do something about it, please? Think of it as helping me.”
“I haven’t even paid Serika-san for it yet…”
“That’s okay. I’ve got a few extra on me. Oh, and I’ll give one back to Serika.”
“…Wait a minute, Yuto.”
Serika sighed.
“Apart from Haruka-san, I don’t need you to give it back to me. I gave it to Haruka-san in the first place, so it’s not right for me to ask for it back from Yuto. Or… did you get married to Haruka-san?”
“Married? That’s not possible!”
“Then it doesn’t make sense for Yuto to return it instead of Haruka-san, does it? I can’t accept it if that’s the reason. Or rather, I don’t want to accept it. There is no way I can accept it.”
“But it’s not that valuable to me right now. Why don’t you take it as a gift?”
“Could you please not refer to the Elixir as if it were soy sauce!”
Serika poked at it and then sighed heavily.
…Well, I’m sure Yuto has come up with a strategy of his own to get Haruka-san to accept it.”
“Fufu. Yuto-san really is a nice person.”
They said it to me, and I scratched my cheeks.
“Won’t you accept it?”
“I… That’s right. I’ll take it as compensation for the Paladin Knights’ information on the Hikarigaoka Park Dungeon.”
Serika said as she took a bottle of the Elixir.
“Actually, I used it in the Ekichika flood. I wanted to replenish it. Thank you, Yuto.”
“Then take a few more bottles. As a token of my continued association with the Paladin Knights, you can have a few more bottles.”
“It’s obvious that I’m getting too much… but if that’s the case, I’ll take it. You can count on me, okay?”
“I understand.”
Now Serika’s side is taken care of.
Now, how do I get Haruka-san to accept it…?
“Haruka-san.”
“What is it?”
“Haruka-san is an elf from another world and a skilled explorer, right?”
“Yes, I am. I may not be as good as Serika-san or you right now, but I am at least capable.”
“The knowledge of the other world and the experience as an explorer are very valuable. There is no one else in this world who knows what it is.”
“I’m beginning to read something.”
“I want you to accept my regular Elixir as a reward for this information. I need you to stay healthy.”
“I know, right… it would be rude of me to be any more stubborn. I understand that. But if there’s anything you want me to do, just let me know. I’ll do anything for you, even if it’s inappropriate or just selfish or… naughty. I’m yours now―think of me that way.”
“N-no, that’s not right!”
“I accept Yuto-kun’s feelings. So, Yuto-kun, please accept my feelings as well.”
Haruka-san looks at me and says.
I’m weak. If I don’t nod my head, we won’t be able to continue.
“In the past, Serika-san told me not to take advantage of Yuto-kun. So I don’t want to force anything on you. I won’t ask you to marry me. I just want you to know that I am always willing to give you everything. Is that okay, Serika-san?”
“Ugh. I won’t say anything else if you say that much. In my position, I can’t complain no matter who Yuto chooses…”
“P-please don’t forget me too, okay? I was saved by Yuto-san as well! Of course, I will not bother Serika-san!”
“Oh, gosh, yes, yes. I understand. Oh, I thought Yuto didn’t have to worry about other women’s shadows.”
“W-wait. Don’t go on without me.”
And then Honoka-chan suddenly drops a bomb.
“…I have this ring, too.”
Honoka-chan’s cheeks are flushed, and she shows the ring on the ring finger of her left hand.
She looks a bit triumphant, doesn’t she?
Serika stared at the ring,
“Honoka-chan. Don’t tell me that ring is…?”
“Yes. I got it from Yuto-san. He said the ring is the same color as my eyes.”
“Yuto. Why didn’t you use that sense on me?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“You even gave Honoka-chan a ring, but why is your gift to me the Book of Secrets!”
“Eh. No, the Book of Secrets is rarer than the Ring of Protection, isn’t it?”
“That’s not what I’m saying! And the Ring of Protection is a rare one with a different colored stone!”
“I just recently found out about it myself. I recently learned that the Ring of Protection comes in a variety of colors…”
“Like I said, don’t lead this back to exploration!”
“Um, was the gift for Serika-san more valuable than the one I got…?”
Honoka-chan, who suddenly wiped away her expression, asked with eyes that had lost their light.
I’m kind of scared!
“Oh no, it’s not that. I thought the ring would suit Honoka-chan, and I thought the Book of Secrets would be useful for Serika…”
Even if Honoka-chan is not an explorer, she is less likely to get hurt in an accident with the Ring of Protection.
For Serika, who is a high-level explorer, the Book of Secrets, which gives her 40,000 SP just for using it, should be useful…
I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?
“According to my mother, when an elven man courts a woman, he gives her a jewel that matches the color of her eyes. To think that you even know about such things, as expected from Yuto-san!”
“Eh, eh?”
I don’t know about that at all!
“Ara, I thought you hadn’t made a move on me, but you even proposed to Honoka. Ufufu, will I be next after Honoka?”
No, Haruka-san, you know that I didn’t know about the elven customs, right?
“Ever since I got this ring, I’ve been happy every day… Before, I was often depressed because of my mother’s illness and school. I almost went through a terrible time, but I think it was fate that led me to meet Yuto-san.”
Honoka-chan narrowed her eyes in fascination and breathed a sigh of relief.
Her face was very innocent.
“…Yuto. You…”
I look away from Serika’s cold gaze.
I can’t say. I can’t say that I didn’t know.
Serika also seemed to sense that I didn’t know what the gift meant, but she had a subtle look on her face that said she couldn’t bear to ruin a fourteen-year-old girl’s dream.
“O-oh… Someday, I’ll give you something more appropriate… so if you can think of it as a bridge until then…”
I managed to diminish the significance of the ring,
“Yes! You mean an engagement ring!”
“E-engagement…?”
Serika said.
It seemed that my plan had completely backfired.
“I-If you find another guy you’re interested in, you don’t have to hesitate, okay? Honoka-chan’s happiness is my first priority, you know?”
“What a thing to say! If you are thinking about me, please don’t say such a thing! My feelings for Yuto-san will never change!”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“N-no. I overstepped my bounds as well. Yuto-san would sacrifice himself to put my happiness first. I have yet to repay you for your kindness, and I am sorry for being so presumptuous.”
“No, it’s okay. I have only just met you. I think it would be good for us to get to know each other better.”
“You…?”
Serika stared at me in dismay… but there was nothing I could do about it.
What else can I say?
After that, we managed to change the subject and me, Serika and Haruka-san got into a conversation about various exploration topics――