LGHTNOVELBOOK Volume 1 Chapter 12 - It's Too Soon to Find Out
After finishing a drinking party, I return home and place a purchased bottle of water, some sugar, and rubber bands on the table.
“I should start making this so-called ‘Translation Potion’ first.”
I transform the bottled water into pure water and start adding sugar.
“Wow, this looks sweet… Do I have to drink it? I’m not a beetle.”
“Well, never mind. Turn into a Translation Potion!”
After I speak the words in an almost monotonous tone, the sugar-water in the plastic bottle changes into a plastic flask.
“It’s colorless… Well, never mind. Let’s drink.”
I’m drunk, and it’s just right.
I open the flask and take a small sip.
“Hmm? Where’s the sugar? It’s tasteless and odorless.”
Well, I would hate it if it was extremely sweet.
Once I confirm that there’s no issue, I gulp it down.
I then try to check a foreign website on my smartphone.
“Huh?”
I was about to open the internet, but I notice that I’ve received a message on my phone.
Of course, the message is from Kaede-chan, the only one I communicate with.
I open the messaging app and read her message.
“Thank you for today. I had a great time drinking with you after such a long time. Let’s go again! Goodnight.”
She’s a dutiful girl, a good girl indeed.
I text her back, “Thank you, too. Let’s go again. Goodnight.”
I was considering saying that it was the best time I’ve ever had, but I didn’t want it to sound cheesy and invite sympathy, so I refrained.
After sending the message, I start searching for foreign websites.
“Hmm… Porn?”
As I nod along, I browse the site.
Although I’m not sure if it’s in English, I can understand it perfectly.
Foreign languages are still foreign, but I understand the meaning.
Next, I test my listening skills on a video site.
“They don’t talk much. Just moaning…”
I reluctantly switch to a different video site to check.
“Amazing! I understand!”
The Translation Potion is incredible!
I can now travel around the world without an interpreter!
I try other languages, and as far as I search, I can understand every word.
“Hmm, the effect lasts for a day…”
This is super useful, isn’t it?
With this, I could get perfect scores on English and German tests.
“I wish I had this during my student days…”
I hated both English and German.
I do a quick search about the existence and drop rate of the Translation Potion, but I don’t find anything.
Of course, it’s expected.
If such a thing were found, it would be news and could change school curriculums.
“Well, I can hold off on this for now. Next, the main attraction, the Item Bag.”
This can be useful in both everyday life and adventuring.
And it can be sold!
“Any container will do, and the capacity can be adjusted with the amount of rubber bands…”
One rubber band equates to one kilogram of capacity.
“Well, let’s put in 1,000 for now.”
I toss the rubber bands I bought into the white bag I use for collecting items.
I stare intently at the bag, and then it begins to glow… but doesn’t change.
“So the bag stays the same…”
When monsters drop Item Bags, they are actually round blue orbs.
If you put this orb into a bag or similar container, it becomes an Item Bag.
“So, I’m replacing the orb with rubber bands…”
Moreover, I can adjust the capacity.
The capacity of Item Bags dropped by monsters is random.
It seems that the stronger the enemy, the larger the Item Bag’s capacity.
“There’s demand for even a few kilos… I could sell it.”
I’m going to get rich selling these recovery potions and Item Bags.
“I’ll go to the Frontier tomorrow, sell the potions immediately, and then buy a suitable bag on my way home.”
Kaede-chan has the day off tomorrow.
She’s probably going to be suffering from a hangover at home.
Although I wanted to go to a different guild, I have to take care of my status card and the transfer procedures.
Let’s take care of that tomorrow when Kaede-chan isn’t there.
The receptionists at the other guilds are supposed to be impressive…
From what I’ve seen on internet forums, Shibuya seems to be particularly recommended.
There’s even a former gravure idol there.
I’ll heal my heart with Kaede-chan when I’m a man, and heal my eyes at other guilds when I’m a woman.
“But won’t Kaede-chan get suspicious if I suddenly start having a lot of money?”
I want to move and buy lots of stuff.
But that’s really suspicious, isn’t it?
After all, Kaede-chan is a receptionist, so she knows pretty much how much I earn.
“Should I pretend it’s from a lottery win…”
That should be okay.
I don’t think she’ll care much because she’s so pragmatic.
“Alright! I’ll work hard tomorrow too! Time for bed!”
I’m really sleepy.
I drank quite a bit, too.
After stuffing the recovery potions scattered around my room into the Item Bag, I lay out my futon and get ready to sleep.
“Hmm, the futon is too thin…”
I definitely can’t let Kaede-chan sleep on this.
If I were in her place, I’d silently go home.
◆◇◆
The next morning, after finishing my breakfast, I gulp down the TS potion.
Then, I strip off my clothes and change into a black robe.
“I don’t need a bra, but I’d at least like some underwear. It feels breezy and uncomfortable.”
I’ve never worn a bra, so I don’t care about that, but I do want some underwear.
It’s bothersome when something you’re used to wearing is missing.
“Underwear, huh… I don’t want to go shopping for it.”
I don’t want to go to the women’s underwear section.
“Kaede-chan definitely won’t lend me hers, should I buy some online…?”
“Kaede-chan, could I borrow some underwear!”
“Yeah, right, I’d get caught!”
Goodbye, me.
I discard my foolish thoughts and finish changing into my robe. I put in my contacts and pick up my bag.
“Alright! Today, I’ll sell 10!”
That’s 5 million yen!
I leave the house, take the train, and head to Ikebukuro.
Then, when I arrive in Ikebukuro and go to the guild, I freeze at the sight of the reception desk.
Huh?
Kaede-chan is there…
Isn’t she supposed to be off today?
My feet freeze in place, but then I think I should just go to another receptionist, so I head to where an older woman is working.
But in an instant, all the reception desks other than Kaede-chan’s have plates reading “Reception Suspended”.
Why!?
Huh? What’s this?
Surely there are no other customers, but why force me to go to Kaede-chan?
Seeing this situation, I think about going to a pawn shop and start to back away.
But then, Kaede-chan signals me over with an incredibly bright smile.
Uh…
Should I go?
But, I have a terrible feeling if I don’t go.
Reluctantly, I slowly move forward and head towards Kaede-chan’s reception desk.
“Good morning. Are you going on an adventure?”
Kaede-chan asks with a smile.
“Good morning. Yes, that’s right. But why only here?”
“There are no other customers, and everyone else is probably on break.”
Is that so?
Coincidence?
No, that can’t be.
“Well, whatever. I’ll go to the Eden Forest again today.”
“Going slime hunting?”
“Yes, I feel like I can get some recovery potions.”
10 of them!
“Understood. Here is your status card.”
Kaede-chan pulls out a status card from her drawer.
Huh?
Wasn’t it managed in the back?
“Thank you…”
I take the status card and check it.
It’s definitely mine or rather, Eleanor’s… huh?
The level has gone up to 3!
That’s bad…
This means it’s synced with my status card.
I wonder if she’s noticed…?
I take a cautious look at Kaede-chan.
Kaede-chan, who was smiling a moment ago, is now serious.
Oh no!
I’m definitely suspicious!
This is bad!
Very bad!
“Well, I guess I’ll be going now…”
I put my status card in my bag as if nothing happened.
“Oh, yes. From today, to avoid confusion, we have decided that you should report your achievements in the Frontier to the receptionist who received you. So, when you finish your adventure, please come back here.”
Huh?
Is that so?
But, well, it makes sense to report to the same person to avoid confusion.
“Understood…”
I respond and quickly head to the gate, heading for Eden’s Forest.
Once I arrive at Eden’s Forest, just like before, I don’t enter the forest but sit down on the grassland.
“Damn… I’m definitely suspicious.”
Were those 5 potions a mistake?
“I can’t go on here… after selling the last 10, I’ll either move to another guild or sell them at a pawn shop.”
It’s better to handle the transfer process when Kaede-chan is not around.
She was there today for some reason, but probably, her schedule was changed at the last minute.
“I’ll keep selling potions and item bags bit by bit while changing guilds. It should be okay if I take my time.”
I will sell everything at a high price.
I will reach an annual income of 100 million yen.
“Alright! I won’t come to the Ikebukuro Guild anymore.”
I had arrived at the Eden’s Forest and hadn’t even spent 30 minutes there before I stood up.
Then, I went through the gate and returned home.
When I got back to the guild, I quickly walked back to the lobby.
It was still before noon, so as usual, there were no other customers.
In fact, there was only Kaede-chan at the reception desk.
In this lobby, it was just me and Kaede-chan.
Having no other choice, I headed straight for Kaede-chan’s reception desk.
“Welcome back. You’re quite early today.”
Kaede-chan greeted me with a smile.
She’s cute, but is it my imagination that she’s a little scary?
“It seems I was lucky today.”
First, I submitted my status card.
Kaede-chan stared at the status card for a while, but soon looked up.
“Let’s see, your earnings…”
I placed the bag I was carrying on my shoulder on the counter and put my hand in the bag, pulling out the recovery potions one by one.
“Today, it seems I was really lucky and I got 10…”
I had taken out about 9 recovery potions, and when I was about to take out the 10th one, Kaede-chan grabbed my arm.
“Eh…?”
I looked up at Kaede-chan.
Kaede-chan was shaking her head with a genuinely regretful expression on her face.
“Senpai, that’s not possible…”
Huh?!
Senpai?!
Did she just call me “senpai”?
“I’m not your senpai, you know?”
“No, you are my senpai.”
“I’m a woman, you know?”
“So you know well that you’re a man, senpai?”
… Really!
Leading question!
That’s terrible!
“Well, I just thought so, that’s all…”
“Heh…”
Kaede-chan doesn’t seem to believe me at all.
She was so cute yesterday, but now she’s scary.
“I… I just remembered something I have to do! I’m… I’m going home!”
I shook off Kaede-chan’s hand, put the recovery potions back in my bag, and quickly left the scene.
Then, when I was about halfway through the lobby, I heard the ringtone of my smartphone.
From my bag……
I stopped in my tracks and slowly pulled my smartphone out of my bag and looked at the screen.
【Kaede-chan】
That’s what was displayed on the screen of my smartphone……
I tapped the call and put the smartphone to my ear.
Then, I slowly turned around.
At the reception desk, Kaede-chan, with a smile on her face, was sitting there with her smartphone to her ear.
“Senpai, I have a paid leave this afternoon. And I don’t feel like going home today. Can I go to your place?”
A sweet voice came to my ear, and Kaede-chan at the reception desk was looking up at me with adorable eyes.
“……You should have said that yesterday.”
I’ve been found out!