On the 19th day of the Water month, I was walking with Kuro on a path I was recently familiar with.
[I’m sorry, Kuro. Things ended up being so hectic that I didn’t get to hear about Alice’s plans.]
[No. It’s alright…… Even if today’s no good too, we can still go back another day. I’ll be going to Lilia-chan’s place tomorrow after all…… After that, I should be quite free in my schedule.]
[Thank you.]
Yes, currently, Kuro and I were walking to Alice’s miscellaneous goods store.
I had ntioned before that I was going to Alice and help her sell magic tools in the form of futons, but I forgot to ask about her plans because of that ruckus with giddo-san.
When I told Kuro about it last night when she ca to my room as usual, she offered to make ti today to go with .
I’m really grateful for that but…… Honestly, even though Alice made lots of money last ti, she already had previous offenses before, so I can’t trust that she won’t gamble all the money she has.
I need to create a stable source of inco quickly for her, and then, keep reminding her to calculate her expenses and inco……
As I was walking alongside Kuro on the street, I suddenly rembered sothing, so I decided to ask her about it.
[Ah, that’s right. There’s sothing I want to ask you, Kuro.]
[……Eh? You want to ask sothing? Fufufu, I see, since you saw my magical beast mode, you’ve beco curious about my identity, right!? Alright, if you ask now, I’ll give you a hint as a little service……]
[What’s your favorite food, Kuro, besides baby castellas?]
[You’re asking that!? No, no, Kaito-kun, that’s not what you should be asking now, right!? This is the ti where you use the line “Who are you?”.]
[……No, I don’t really think I’ll be using that for a while.]
[Eeehhhhhh!?]
How should I say this…… I’m not really sure if Kuro, in the end, wants to ask about who she really is or she doesn’t want to ask about her identity.
However, what I can be sure of is that just because I asked it, it doesn’t an that she’s going to honestly tell all about it.
[You need to be more interested in , Kaito-kun! I’m becoming sad here, you know!?]
[No, I’m interested in you, isn’t that why I’m asking you what your favorite is?]
[Ugghhh…… M-muuuuu……]
Kuro’s cheeks puffed out like a hamster in response to my words, as if she couldn’t think of a counter-argunt. How should I say this, she’s as cute as always and not scary at all.
However, I used to be swept along in the past, but lately, I’m starting to feel that I have the luxury of being able to get the upper hand in my conversations with Kuro.
[So, in the end, what’s your favorite food?]
[…..Muuuuu~~ Other than baby castellas, maybe pudding?]
[Errr, what was it called again? That Special Deluxe Pudding à la mode?]
[Ahh~ That’s the one Ein made for before. That was quite delicious~~…… To be honest, I was only half-joking when I told her about it, but for her to really make it, Ein’s really amazing.]
She just said she’s half-joking…… Ahh, I see, Kuro thought it was an absurd request to ask, but Ein-san completed it like it’s obvious…… She’s a cheat, just as usual.
[However, Kaito-kun. Why are you suddenly asking what I like?]
[Ahh~~ Well, errr…… You see, when we went out together last ti—— [ On a date! ] —— Ahh, unnn. When we went on a date, didn’t I say that I would be the one asking you next ti?]
[Unnn, you did say that.]
[So…… I thought it would be great if we could go eat sothing Kuro likes, and that’s why I’m asking you.]
[……Kaito-kun.]
Hearing my words I said while feeling sowhat embarrassed, Kuro is silent for a bit, before she smiled like a blooming flower.
[Unnn! I’ll look forward to that…… Now, let’s go!]
[Eh? Wait, Kuro!? Your hand!?]
[We’ve held hands before already, so don’t mind, don’t mind~~]
Looking at Kuro who’s happily laughing as she pulled my hand along, I followed, aware that a natural smile appeared on my mouth.
Walking into Alice’s miscellaneous goods store, which I was getting used to seeing by now, there was the usual stuffed cat costu.
[Ayaa? Kaito-san? Welco! I still have so “last minute” money left this ti!]
[……I’ll make sure we’ll carefully talk about that later.]
[……Eh?]
What the heck do you an “last minute”? You made that much money last ti, and you’ve already spent that much!?
Seriously, if I take my eyes off her for a while…… No, wait, wait, calm down. Preaching is for later…… Let’s go have her talk with Kuro first……
[You must be Alice-chan, right? Kaito-kun told all about you.]
[……Ehh? Huh? ……Ummm, errr…… Underworld King-sama?]
[Unnn, nice to et you.]
[……One mont please……]
Alice, who was in her usual good mood, after she beca aware of Kuro’s presence when she spoke to her, I could clearly see that she’s trembling even when she’s wearing that stuffed costu.
Then, after telling Kuro to wait a minute, she moved behind the counter, took off her costu, and ca back…… kneeling down on both of her knees in front of Kuro, bowing her head.
[……Ummm, please accept my apologies. It’s just my usual habit so…… errr…… if you could spare my life……]
[I’m not here to kill you though!?]
As expected, even if it’s Alice, she doesn’t seem to joke around like she usually does when dealing with Kuro, the Underworld King, and apologizes with a nervous look on her face.
Still, she only wore her opera mask but……
[……Errr, can we just get on with it and see the magic tool?]
[Y- Yes! T- T- This way.]
[……Oi, we’re not talking about your stuffed costus, bring us to where the futons you made are……]
[Ahh, y- y- you’re right.]
Unusually, Alice seems like she would blow up, as when she led us to her stuffed costus doesn’t seem to be her usual boke, but just a plain mistake.
Alice hurriedly brought the futons she made this ti.
I don’t know if I should have expected it since she has a good sense of style, but even the design of the futon she made looked elegant that it wouldn’t be strange even if seen in a noble’s house.
Kuro takes the futon and looks at it from various angles, then looks at Alice with a slightly surprised expression on her face.
[……What an incredibly beautiful technique you used here huh. It’s sophisticated and lean…… You have quite an amazing magical craftsmanship huh.]
[I- I- I’m not that extravagant.]
[Unnn! With this kind of work, we could sell it right away…… Would you mind making this for my company?]
[Yes, it’s a pleasure.]
It seems that Kuro has a high evaluation of the magic tool, as she told her that she would procure it from her.
[Can this be mass-produced?]
[Y- Yes! Give a few days, and I could prepare a whole bunch of them……]
[Unnn……. I’d say the cost of materials is about 3000R…… Then, how about we stock up on them at about 10000R a piece?]
[Pfft!? 1- 10000R!?]
To my surprise, Kuro seems to purchase the futon at more than three tis the material cost. I wonder if she’d make a profit if she bought it for that cost?
Then, as if sensing my doubts, Kuro slightly smiled.
[There aren’t many magicians that are able to set up a technique like this, even within the Demon Realm. If I consider that, this much is appropriate…… I guess these would mainly be sold to the nobles? I’d also like you to make a low-cost sleeping bag for the adventurers and the general public, but can you make those?]
[Y- Yes. Of course.]
[Unnn, then, as for that sleeping bag, I’ll pay you 50% of the net profit for being the inventor…… I’ll have a representative from my company co by so other ti to formalize the contract.]
[F- Fifty percent!?]
I don’t if I should say it’s to be expected from her or anything like that… but Kuro promptly advanced the conversation, and quickly put together a business eting.
[U- Umm…… Underworld King-sama?]
[Unnn?]
[I- It’s just that I feel like those conditions were too advantageous for ……]
[You were specially referred to by Kaito-kun after all. Consider it as a service.]
[T- Thank you very much.]
[Unnn. Then…… in about four days, I’ll have them co back with the contract, are you alright with that?]
[Yes.]
It seems that Kuro is willing to sign a contract that’s favorable to Alice, considering that I introduced her.
I’m really grateful for that…… I guess I’ll have to thank Kuro again.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I visited Alice with Kuro. I don’t know if I should say that it’s expected of Kuro, but their conversation advanced without a hitch—– and the deal seems to have been settled.
Reviews
All reviews (0)