Double release today!

(306) Can I touch?

Translator: Tseirp

“By the way, Carol. Do you know about gallnut?”

“Yes. It is the raw ingredient for the ink used by Magic Journalist. Did Ririansan bid you to buy some?”

“Yeah, Rurina told me that she would be able to manage the party system if she had a Magic Journalist note created and when I requested Ririana to make that note —”

At this point, I was no longer surprised at how Carol knew that Ririana was a Herbalist.

If she had an hour, it wouldn't be surprising if she knew all their names, jobs, interest and favorite food.

… Perhaps if Carol traveled with me, I might have found information on Miri a long time ago?

That's a shame.

” … Haru, what's wrong?”

Haru, who was walking beside me, stopped and was staring at the side alley.

I looked to see if there was anybody but there was n.o.body there.

“No, I just smelled something nostalgic.”

“A nostalgic scent? Now that I think about it, Haru was born in the Southern Continent, right?”

The Demon Lord castle was in a country further east from here in the Southern Continent. In a place called Kyupilas Hill, where there was now a large Cathedral built in its place.

“You might be smelling a scent that is unique to the Southern Continent.”

“— Yes … maybe you are right.”

Haru replied as if to convince herself before she nodded with a smile in the end.

She still looked expressionless from the side but I could tell. The corner of her mouth was angled up by a few millimetres. Well, her tail was not wagging that much so she was probably not happy because she was convinced but she was showing a smile to me instead.

“This way!”

I unconsciously frowned when I saw the shop that Carol led us to.

After all, there was a large net-like object hanging at the storefront.

It was similar to those used to make dried fish in a port town — the objects inside were.

Black, dried, curled up and unmistakably —

” … What are those? Are these by any chance —”

“Haru, don't say a word more!”

“— Sea cuc.u.mber?”

“Like I said, don't say … eh? sea cuc.u.mber?”

Sea cuc.u.mber as in those sea cuc.u.mber found in the sea?

Well, it's true that I have never seen dried sea cuc.u.mbers. In the world of herbal medicine, it is known as a ingredient for nouris.h.i.+ng tonics.

I guess she's right, there's no way a storefront would —

“These are probably feces from Sugyu that only ate managra.s.s. Since they are used for medicine.”

“I knew it! Or rather, do people actually drink feces? And aren't managra.s.s toxic?”

I ate it once when I fought Milemia in the past but it tasted quite bad. (TL: I don't recall this)

Even if they are Sugyu, I pity them for having to eat something like that.

“Sugyu love managra.s.s. That gra.s.s is toxic to humans but they are not to Sugyu. Not only that, Sugyu are not able to absorb the magical power recovery properties of managra.s.s so that aspect remains in their feces. Because of that, it can recover ten-times greater amount of magical power compared to eating managra.s.s directly and drying the feces kills the toxic ingredients so it becomes non-toxic.”

” … Even if I'm told it recovers ten-times as much and is non-toxic … ”

I definitely still don't want to eat feces. If I had to eat feces, I rather eat ten times the amount of managra.s.s and apply detoxification magic on myself.

“It doesn't smell.”

“It has been through deodorizing treatment to the point that even Haru-san can't smell anything. Of course, n.o.body eats it directly like that but they seem to be used as an ingredient for medicinal liquors.”

“It's okay. Carol can make mana potions anyway.”

“Carol still doesn't have any recipes as a Herbalist though?”

“You'll learn it soon enough.”

I replied and entered the store.

The interior was a little dim.

Perhaps because the first thing I saw was p.o.o.p at the front, the ingredients inside looked decent.

If not for that, I probably would feel sick looking at the large quant.i.ty of roasted black newts hanging in the shop.

Managra.s.s were also present in bundles.

“Welcome. Please close the door quickly, there are many ingredients that are vulnerable to sunlight.”

“Sorry.”

The old lady behind the counter cautioned us so Haru, who was the last to enter, quickly but politely closed the door.

“You are new customers. Do you have your job certificates?”

“Yes, here.”

Carol pa.s.sed her job certificate to the old lady.

The old lady looked at the certificate with a glance and pa.s.sed it back to Carol, probably without confirming it.

“So, what do you wish to buy?”

“For now, we would like to choose a complete set of compounding tools at our own discretion. Carol, about the money —”

“Ichino-sama, the money you gave me just now is sufficient. I'll do the negotiations.”

Carol said and started talking to the shop owner.

Well, I guess I can leave the purchases to Carol.

Even if I have the Thought Trace skill that is useful for negotiations, my negotiation skills as a whole do not even reach the base of Carol's feet.

I looked around the shop.

“Oo, they are even selling all kinds of metals.”

“Mercury … ? These can be used for medicine too?”

“It used to be seen as a medicine for immortality long ago but it is poison so it shouldn't be consumed.”

“It's possible to become immortal?”

“That was the superst.i.tion held in the world I was from. Perhaps Miri would know more about immortality drugs.”

I wished for an instant that Haru would remain forever young and beautiful but I also would like to see Haru grow up and gain adult charms.

I guess letting nature run its course is the best after all.

“Haru, do you have interest in becoming immortal?”

“No, I don't.”

“I see.”

“Yes. If I become immortal, I will fall into despair when Master dies and will have to spend eternity that way. I won't be able to endure that.”

Haru is s-so cute.

Ah, shouldn't I just propose to her. Or rather, I must marry her.

” … Haru.”

I resisted myself from hugging Haru.

This won't do. I must resolve the talk with Carol first.

The issue with Carol …

“Haru, I have a small request, do you mind?”

“Yes, anything for Master.”

Yeah, I knew Haru would definitely say that.

After all, I was going to request something that I would normally never request for in a place like this.

“Could I touch your breast for just a moment?”

“Yes, I don't mind.”

… I didn't think she would reject me but why was her tail wagging the most now.

“Ah … but my breast has become slightly bigger lately so I don't know if Master would be fond of them.”

… Why was she sorry for such important news?