Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 224: Double IV

Thinking back, when I thought “my relatives”, was I referring to my party members or……?

I’m not sure.

Am I just too tired and sleep-deprived to think straight?

Anyway,

I took the second team to the city in the morning.

The main street was bustling with activity.

All sorts of adventurers were coming and going, shopkeepers were hawking their wares, customers were queuing up to buy goods, people were eating breakfast at roadside stalls while others were munching on snacks as they walked, blacksmiths were clanging away on their anvils, and there were people arguing and yelling early in the morning.

It was just like any other day.

Ea was next to me, the A.I. Yukikaze was hanging from my belt, and right behind me was Big-Merry and the human Yukikaze.

We had left the two Makinas at the camp.

For now, we’re letting them fight it out until they’ve had their fill of bickering. We can’t have them being so noisy all the time.

「Hey, Souya. Hey, I said」

「Hmm?」

Yukikaze tugged my cloak from behind.

「Don’t we stand out?」

「No, I don’t think so」

A young girl in a combat uniform and a man with a mono-eye helmet.

In the city of adventurers, that’s not that unusual a sight that it’ll stop anyone in their tracks.

「I can kinda feel people eyeing us though」

「It’s just your imagination. Ah, but……」

They’re not entirely inconspicuous. Would it be better if they were dressed in something more appropriate for this side? Foreigners have gotten a bad name because of me. They could get embroiled in some trouble.

「Let’s go buy some clothes for you guys. Ea, do you know any good stores?」

I only know of craftsmen who make weapons and armor, and exclusively for men at that.

For women’s equipment, there are different craftsmen.

「I know of some. But the store I usually shop at may be fine for the Yukikaze, but what about Gunmerry? I don’t know much about armor」

「I’ll take care of that then. How much do you need?」

I grabbed a handful of gold coins from my purse.

Women’s things are expensive, so maybe twenty coins?

「Don’t worry about it. I’ve made a lot of money recently from the sales of the pouch and stuff」

「You should save that money. They’re from my homeland, so I’ll take care of―――――」

「Hello? Excuse me」

Yukikaze cut in between us.

「I have money of my own」

She flashed the gold bars she had in her pocket.

That reminds me, I was also given a few of them by the company to fund my activities. Now that I think about it, that was really not that much money.

「You’ll need to go to a money-changer first then」

Zavua’s currency exchange stores are the best. Those money-changers can be trusted from the outset.

「Let’s split up here, Onii-chan」

「Are you sure? Won’t you guys get targeted by robbers after you leave the money-changer?」

That’s what happened to me in the past.

「It’ll be fine, I’m also an advanced adventurer, you know? I can kill a common hoodlum with a single arrow」

「If you do start something, make sure you don’t leave any loose ends」

「Hey, are you waiting for a straight man to retort you?」

Ignoring Yukikaze’s retort, Gunmerry and I split off from the two women in the middle of the street.

『………………』

The two men, wait, is “man” the right term for Gunmerry?

I feel like it’s been a while, but a question mark hung over me.

「Huh?」

「Is something the matter?」

「Where did the small one go?」

I don’t see Small-Merry.

I recall him being with us all the way until we entered the city, but did he wander off?

「He went to Rutsuko’s place. He’s delivering myself’s gift to her」

「Seriously, what on earth are you?」

「Myself is myself」

Even if you puff out your chest, I still have no idea what you’re talking about.

………But for some reason, it’s contagious.

「Well, let’s go. I’ll buy you some cheap armor」

「Make it stylish armor that will make myself popular and irresistible」

「Yeah, yeah」

I took Gunmerry to the Zavua merchant company.

When I let Gunmerry try on some cheap second-hand armor, it didn’t fit him because it was too small.

But Gunmerry activated his molecular disassembly shredder and broke the armor down, then used his reassembly matrix and adjusted its size with his quantum 3D printer, and with those completely incomprehensible technologies, he disassembled and reconstructed the armor in the right size.

The helmet was reconfigured to look like a bird’s beak, much like the other Gunmerry’s, and the full plate armor covered his entire body. The fingers and toes of the armor were modified to look like the claws of birds of prey.

The full set of armor was made of black material, and it made him look like a beast.

With a red cloak and an appropriately large sword on his back, a moderately knightly appearance was achieved.

But no matter how I slice it, he looks like a villain.

What’s with this air of a dark knight that he gives off, I wonder?

After seeing Gunmerry’s impressive abilities, the storekeeper pestered me about hiring him. I stopped him, warning him that it would only bring trouble. That was technology that was too much for humans to handle.

While we were there, I bought some supplies that Yukikaze would need for adventuring.

I was going to buy her pouches, a leather breastplate, a dagger, and a cloak, but women tended to have their own preferences, so I would have to ask her opinion before buying those kinds of things. I could ask someone back home to make them as well.

She wouldn’t need any writing implements or paper as the ones from the modern world were better.

I packed a bag full of things and used the communication function of my glasses to contact Yukikaze. Before I knew it, her contact information had been added to my contact list.

We settled on the bar run by the country as our meeting place, and Gunmerry and I headed there.

The bar was just around the corner from the main branch of the Zavua merchant company.

When we arrived, we got a table for common adventurers instead of one reserved for advanced adventurers.

But to avoid drawing attention, we sat in a corner.

「Oh, Souya. You’ve got it tough, huh?」

「Yeah, it was tough」

The barkeeper came to take our order.

「”Was”, you say. So the rumors are true?」

「Rumors?」

「That you’ve sealed the spiders away with the help of the elves. They say that the seal will last 20,000 years. Nice work」

That’s definitely a rumor spread by Melm.

「Ahh, Master」

「What? Is that just bullshit?」

「The seal is for 12,000 years」

Well, there’s no seal or anything. As for the elves’ help, Rana did do her best, so I’d be lying if I said there was no such thing. As for the rest………………I should leave it be, I suppose. If I say too much, I’ll give the game away. I’ll just let the rumors do their thing.

「Bean tea and stewed beans」

I ordered before he could ask more questions.

「Alright. It’s on the house」

「Thank you」

If I try to refuse, he’ll get angry, so I’ll just accept his generosity.

「What about you?」

I asked Gunmerry just in case.

The Gunmerrys of the alternate world eat normally, but I’m not sure about this guy.

「Myself will have ale. Also, bacon and fried eggs. Please fry the eggs on both sides」

「Alright. I haven’t seen that armor before. Are you an adventurer here?」

「No, myself is an adventurer who only got here today」

「Hmm, I see. New adventurers are always welcome. Your share is on the house too, Onii-san」

After a show of generosity, the barkeeper went back.

Ah, that’s right.

I called the communicator at home and Lanseal answered. Before I could say anything, she informed me that Rana had woken up. She then asked if I wanted her to pass the call to Rana………………but I said no.

I’ll probably lose focus completely, so I’ll leave that for later. I’m really looking forward to it.

Relieved for the moment, I forgot for a second why I had called home.

Remembering in a fluster, I asked her to get my party members to meet me at the bar right away.

She agreed and ended the communication.

「From the look on your face, it appears that your wife is out of the woods」

「You even know about that, huh……」

「It’s because she’s a cute person. And her boobs are huge」

「Yeah, she’s cute, strong, and has big boobs」

「Bigger is better. Yukikaze is beyond help though」

Now that I think about it, she’s flat. I get the feeling that’s why she and Ea seem to get along so well, but no way, right?

It’s just groundless speculation.

「However, although myself does like boobs, myself likes thighs the most. Don’t get myself wrong, it’s no exaggeration to say that when myself peeks at a woman’s panties, myself is also looking at her hidden thighs. Thighs viewed against the supreme backdrop of panties are truly a wonder of the world. It’s a timeless romance」

「I see. So that’s the reason why Gunmerrys peek at panties, huh? But if you do it in front of me, I’ll destroy you」

「Don’t worry. Myself will use every bit of my performance to do it in a way that won’t be detected」

What’s this complete waste of performance?

But just so you know, I’m not going to miss a single move you make from now on.

As we were having such a middle-school-level conversation……

「Excuse me!」

I was approached by a young girl wearing light armor who had a katana on her hip and a longsword on her back.

She was a tall girl with her hair cut very short. She was in her mid-teens, about the same age as Yukikaze. Her blonde hair and blue eyes made me mistake her for an elf for a second.

Her katana was a replica of mine.

The way it was forged was completely different. It was simply a common longsword forged into the shape of a katana. But that didn’t mean that it couldn’t cut, or that it was inferior. It was still steel forged with pride by the blacksmiths of the alternate world.

「What?」

Pulling my pointy hat lower, I replied in an intimidating tone.

The more innocent and cute they look, the more vigilant I have to be.

「This! That! And that!」

She raised her voice and pulled out her katana, sheath and all.

「!? !! ?? !!」

She was either nervous, excited, or both, but her face was red and she was trying to convey something to me by gesturing with her hands.

However, she was speaking too quickly for most people to understand.

That said, I could understand her words somewhat. This was probably an after-effect of being subjected to the “Pyaa, pyaa” compressed language all night long.

「Errr, after seeing me fight with a katana, you also bought one, but you can’t seem to get the hang of it, so you’d like me to show you my katana techniques, is that right?」

「!?」

The girl shook as she nodded her head.

I take back my previous statement. She doesn’t seem to be a bad girl or anything. As an advanced adventurer, it’s not good to treat adventurers who are probably of a lower rank too harshly.

I suppose I can give them a treat every now and then.

「Just this once. I’ll show it you, but just so you know, you won’t see it」

I pulled out a coin from my pocket and stood it up on the table.

Pulling the chair back slightly to create some space, I relaxed with my hand on the scabbard, then held my breath.

I’m tired, but that won’t impair my technique. This isn’t the kind of technique that would be dulled by fatigue. The work that has been ingrained into my flesh, blood, and soul is not something that would drop off that easily.

「fuu」

The fleeting gleam of silver drew a compact arc, and I felt the subtle sensation of the cut on my fingertips.

The click of the katana settling back into the scabbard rang out.

「?」

Went the girl’s expression.

She had missed it. It wasn’t something that could be seen, no matter how good her kinetic vision was.

「Ah」

I let out a gasp, thinking, “Oh crap.”

The coin that I had stood up was a gold coin. I had been so focused that I hadn’t noticed.

That was a painful expense, but it couldn’t be helped. It was the price of acting cool.

「Here, you can have it. Go to any money-changer and they’ll exchange it for a usable one」

I handed the gold coin to the girl.

「Eh? Eh?」

It appeared that she still didn’t understand.

「Take a closer look」

「Eh!?」

The coin parted in half in the girl’s palm.

「!!」

The girl trembled violently. For some reason, there were tears in her eyes.

「Eh, what’s the matter?」

I don’t know her at all, but I can’t help but worry. Where are her other party members? Are her mum and dad around?

「How………………」

「How?」

She looks like she has something she has to get out.

「Can!」

「Can?」

「Do this?!」

She probably means, “How can I do this?”

I think.

「Practice」

「Thank you!!!!」

The girl thanked me in a loud voice that reverberated throughout the bar. My ears were left ringing.

She then bowed her head deeply before running off.

「Hmmm」

Her hands, which I had managed to catch a glimpse of, were covered in calluses. She had less than Otou-san, but they showed that she had years more experience with the sword than Shuna. Those were the hands of someone who had swung a sword every day for nearly a decade.

Compared to hers, my hands were like those of a highborn lady.

It was possible even for me. With time, she should be able to do it with ease.

「That was magnificent. Even with my sensors, tracking your hand was the most myself could do」

「Thank you」

Gunmerry praised me, but it didn’t make me happy.

「And that’s how you snag young women, isn’t it?」

「Of course not」

It didn’t make me happy at all.

At about the same time the girl exited the bar, the barkeeper brought our food over with a grin on his face.

「Hey hey, Souya, you’re starting to look the part, huh?」

「Eh?」

「You’re starting to look like an advanced adventurer」

「I am an advanced adventurer though」

My bean tea and stewed beans were placed in front of me. Food was also placed in front of Gunmerry.

「You’ve stopped fighting with hoodlums and you’re now encouraging greenhorns like that. Your notoriety is going to fade if you’re not careful」

「You can’t blame me when they were the ones picking fights with me, isn’t it? By the way, Master, what kind of bad things are you hearing about me?」

The barkeeper crossed his arms and contemplated it for a moment.

「There are too many to list all at once, but………」

Seriously?

「Including the beautiful elven sisters, you’ve been exploiting the weaknesses of women, you’re the boss of the city’s hoodlums, you’re profiting off shady dealings, you’ve used that dirty money to curry favor with royalty and the flame religion, the list goes on and on. Well, it’s just envy. Like that young lady from earlier, there are also some people who understand you. Do not be disheartened and keep on adventuring, Advanced Adventurer」

「Yeah, yeah」

I looked at Gunmerry and saw that he had completely cleaned off his plate.

「Master, myself would like seconds」

「Ohh, Onii-san, you sure eat well. An adventurer who eats a lot is a good adventurer. I’ll be right back」

Gunmerry’s helmet squeaked as he wiped it with a handkerchief.

Don’t pay it any mind, just ignore it. I don’t have the time to waste wondering about his biology.

More food quickly arrived.

For some reason, I also got another bowl of stewed beans. I wasn’t really that fond of beans, but other people’s generosity should be accepted with gratitude.

As I wordlessly put away my meal, lunchtime came and the bar started to get busy.

I spotted my party members among the throng of adventurers pouring into the bar.

I waved them over and offered them seats at the table.

「Good morning. I’m sorry, did I worry you?」

「You did. You did so much. Don’t ever use that fog magic again」

Of course, Rana was among them.

She wasn’t dressed in her adventuring attire, but in her everyday robes with just her staff in her hand. Perhaps she had come in a hurry, but I could see some bed hair sticking out. It didn’t change the fact that she was cute. She would feel embarrassed, so I decided to not say anything about it.

「Come on, Souya, you’re terrible. Rana-san did her best, so you should praise her」

Shuna criticized me from behind her, but I ignored him.

「Hey, Shuna. Don’t get in the middle of a couple’s problems. That’s the best way to get into a whole lot of trouble」

Shuna nodded “Uh-huh” when Otou-san reproached him.

「………………」

Bel, or rather Lys, took a seat wordlessly.

Rana sat down to my left, followed by Shuna, Otou-san, and Lys in a counter-clockwise direction.

「So, why did you ask us to meet you here? Who’s that? I heard that you’ve defeated the spiders, but is that true?」

Otou-san peppered me with questions.

「The thing about the spiders is true. As for today’s―――――」

Ah, I exclaimed, spotting Ea and Yukikaze at the entrance.

「This is, well……」

Yukikaze was dressed like a beastkin girl. Her upper body was bare with only her breasts covered. As for her lower half, she was wearing hot pants and leather knee-high boots.

Well, I suppose that’s only to be expected from a clothing store recommended by Ea.

That she looks slightly embarrassed is a charm point.

But something bothers me. It’s not a lustful feeling, but something really irks me.

I don’t know why, but I really want to caution Yukikaze against exposing too much skin.

Leaving that for later……

「Everybody, there’s someone I want to introduce you to」

「Who?」

「An acquaintance」

As I answered Shuna, I beckoned Yukikaze over.

I then presented her to the entire party.

There was a huge fight.

Oh, introductions didn’t go well? What happened, I wonder? Well, stay tuned!