#007
While listening to Eira’s scolding in a daze, I briefly thought that I really wouldn’t be much different from someone who had just woken up after sleeping for several years.
“I’m telling you this because I don’t want to hear stories about how you died doing something reckless because of my request, so listen carefully. If you want to live, you absolutely must not be foolish enough to enter the Wanderer’s Plains alone. You must go to the Hunter Guild and ask for help. Either leave the job entirely to them or hire an escort. If you promise that, I’ll formally give you the request, and if you bring back the mushrooms, I’ll naturally make the antidote for you.”
“……”
I definitely lacked confidence in stamina and combat, but I thought it would be fine since I had experience conquering the Wanderer’s Plains. However, with Eira speaking so seriously, I became a bit anxious and couldn’t make a good judgment.
“If you don’t like it, then you don’t need any request or anything, so just pay the treatment fee and go back right away.”
When I hesitated, Eira waved her outstretched hand and barked at me.
“No, wait, Eira, so what I’m saying is….”
I immediately took a step back. Eira probably knew the situation better than I did, so being careful wouldn’t hurt.
“I’ll do that. I’ll do as you say.”
There was nothing that would be solved by me insisting on doing things my way right now. If the Wanderer’s Plains had also turned into a more dangerous area than during the tutorial, as Eira said, then naturally performing the request alone was impossible with my strength. For now, it would be better to visit the guild and at least get a feel for the atmosphere.
But there was an immediate problem I had to solve before leaving here.
“Um, Eira, but.”
When I called Eira hesitantly, she looked at me with eyes asking what it was. My face felt like it would turn red with embarrassment. The calming potion seemed to be no help at all in becoming shameless.
“For this treatment fee, could I possibly… pay on credit? I’m short on money right now.”
Why is it always about money? Even after entering the game world, the specter of capitalism won’t leave me alone. Eira’s mouth fell open and she let out a hollow laugh.
She must be dumbfounded. I understand. But the most absurd and ridiculous situation right now is mine.
Since I had seen Eira being sensitive about money issues earlier, I was tense, worried that she might jump around saying forget the treatment and everything, let’s pretend none of this happened. After all, my life was on the line here.
“How much do you have?”
Eira glared at me and asked bluntly.
“…50,000 Rual.”
Having no talent for bargaining or negotiating, I confessed honestly. Maybe it was because Eira herself was an honest person that I naturally treated her that way. At the suspiciously round amount, Eira rolled her eyes. I obediently emptied my pockets to show her my entire fortune.
“This is unbelievable, really.”
Eira sighed and pressed her forehead as if she had a headache. But since she herself had become a beggar, there was no reason not to believe that I had fallen this far. Eira began muttering something to herself with a frowning face.
“How are you going to make a hunter request without money? No, wait. That side has… so it might work out somehow. There’s no way I can just leave this guy alone when he says he’ll enter the plains by himself. Mentally or materially… no, if worse comes to worst, physically… no, that’s… he should think of it as paying for his sins since he’s reaping what he sowed….”
Eira’s soliloquy wasn’t clearly audible, and even the parts I could hear, I couldn’t understand what she meant. Honestly, she seemed slightly out of her mind. When I cautiously asked what she was talking about, Eira immediately changed her expression and cleanly ignored my question.
“Fine. Honestly, credit isn’t in my dictionary, but there’s no choice. If you bring me 3 red cap mushrooms along with several other medicinal herbs that can be obtained from the Wanderer’s Plains, I’ll consider the treatment fee void and make a proper antidote for free as well. Instead, you have to bring all the medicinal herbs I require besides the mushrooms and hand them over for free. How about it?”
“If they’re obtainable, then yes.”
It was a proposal I had no reason to refuse. I immediately nodded, and Eira glared at me with a displeased face for a moment before saying she’d write up a list and went into the inner room. At the same time, with a ting sound, a quest window appeared.
[Sub Quest: Wanderer’s Plains]
[Go to the Wanderer’s Plains and obtain the medicinal herbs that potionist Eira wants.]
– Red Cap Mushrooms (0/3)
– Elderberry (0/5)
– Echinacea (0/5)
.
.
.
[Reward: 2 Calming Potions, 10,000 Rual]
[Will you accept?]
【 Yes / No】
A window asking whether to accept appeared, but did I have a choice? This was what I had to do to save my life, and I’d have to go to the Wanderer’s Plains at least once anyway. If I could also get calming potions and money in the process, it was actually beneficial.
I accepted the quest.
“Just in case, don’t talk about meeting me in the village or doing work at my request.”
Eira, who had returned, handed me a paper with the needed medicinal herbs scribbled on it while saying something inexplicable.
“Huh? Why not?”
“Why do you think? If you talk about being related to me… you might also be banned from entering the village.”
Eira answered curtly with a slight frown.
“?”
Come to think of it, I had simply thought that Eira was going through me instead of making a direct request to the guild because I was the player. But now that I had entered a reality-patched world, it occurred to me that each NPC might have some background events. A plausible story that could explain why Eira Wintern had changed like this.
“If you’re pretending not to know out of consideration for me, stop it. I’m not particularly grateful. Anyway, if you’re not stupid as you say, you should know well enough that broadcasting this affair around won’t be good for either of us.”
Interpreting my expression somehow, Eira spoke stiffly with her arms crossed. While I briefly hesitated about whether I should honestly say I really didn’t know, Eira gestured toward the window with her chin.
“More importantly, do you have time to stand there looking dazed? Time is flowing even now. Don’t wait until you’re on the verge of death to regret not saving every minute and second – move quickly now. Once the sun sets, forget treatment or whatever, you’ll be torn apart and killed by forest monsters before you even reach the guild building.”
Looking out the window, I could see that the sun had tilted considerably to one side. I must have been unconscious longer than I thought. Time was really running short. I had to catch the mayor before he left work to receive the main quest, and more importantly, I had to get inside the village before the sun set and vicious creatures crawled out, as Eira said.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
But just as I opened the door and was about to step outside, Eira called me back. When I turned around, she didn’t say anything but just glared at me with a deeply frowning expression.
“…Why?”
When I asked, slightly intimidated, Eira stared for a moment and finally sighed. Then she muttered something about me being a pushover, really, and told me to wait a moment. Eira went inside and came back out, throwing me a small spray bottle.
“Take this. It’s not that great, but it should be quite useful against small fry.”
“Ah….”
The elongated bottle had ‘Small Fry Repellent’ written in small letters. I was moved. Even though her way of speaking had become rough, Eira was still Eira. She was worrying about me.
“And this too.”
Eira held out something wrapped in a tattered handkerchief. It was two small, dried-up carrots.
“……”
I felt strange. Originally, I don’t particularly like carrots. I didn’t like things like carrot salad or carrot cake either. But should I feel this way about these two small, dried carrot pieces?
“If you don’t want them, leave them. I don’t have anything to eat either.”
At her words spoken with wide eyes, I clutched the carrots tightly. Looking at her sunken cheeks, I could tell without her saying anything. This was precious food for Eira too. Needless to say for me.
“Thank you, Eira. I’ll definitely repay this debt….”
“Of course you will. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m doing this because I have feelings for you. I’m only doing this because if you die, I’ll have no way to receive the treatment fee or medicinal herbs. Got it?”
Eira cut off my words with a cold tone.
“…Got it.”
Even without her saying that, I wouldn’t make such a mistake, but I don’t know why she keeps saying strange things. Still, being grateful was still being grateful. I thanked her once more and turned around.
“Well, I’m going. Take care.”
“…Hey.”
I opened the door again and was crossing the front yard when Eira called me again. When I turned around, she who was standing in the doorway hesitated, then spoke in a grumpy voice.
“Come back alive.”
She reminded me of a disgruntled cat, which was a bit funny.
“Yeah.”
When I smiled and waved my hand, Eira slammed the door shut with fierce momentum.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
