Chapter 20: Moneymaking.
…Thinking back on it, Eris had always been nice to .
-For example, the ti when she hired .
「…There’s no helping it. That Heal was incredible… Well, I’ll be counting on you from now on.」
When I shalessly pleaded on my hands and knees, half out of desperation for a job and half with an ulterior motive, Eris gave in and accepted with a kind smile despite her concerns.
-For example, the first ti I sexually harassed her.
「That wasn’t on purpose, right? …Honestly, be more careful, ok?」
The first ti I “accidentally” brushed Eris’ ass and she laughingly forgave . Eris was nice then, too. That novice reaction tinged with a little shyness excited .
-For example, the Nth ti I sexually harassed her.
「…There won’t be a next ti.」
Her voice was cold. But still, Eris didn’t kick out. She understood my character, and she may have sent a death glare, but when I prostrated myself and sang her praises she eventually forgave in the end.
Then the day before I was thrown out-
On the other side of the door that was slightly ajar as if to tempt . The room with a tiled floor that only contained a tub and a drain certainly used to be a bathroom. But the magic item for generating hot water had already been sold due to the debt, and the tub that wasn’t designed to be heated by firewood could no longer be called a proper bath.
The splashing of water was faintly audible, coming from that place that was only good for swimming.
In my wild delusions, it was a foregone conclusion that as a man I would impulsively peep into that room.
-On the other side of that door swam the body of Eris. Indeed, it was the Garden of Eden.
You could say it was inevitable that I would throw caution to the wind, and “accidentally” burst in and stumble onto her chest.
「Just how badly, HOW BADLY do you want to kick you out…?」
Eris had veins popping out of her forehead and was looking at with a level of rage that was unbecoming of a girl.
She only kicked out after I had saved up enough money to get back on my feet. That probably wasn’t a coincidence, either.
「Master…」
As I’m lost in thought, Yuel gazes up at as if she has sothing to tell . I already know what she’s thinking. They’ve only been working together as waitresses for a short ti, but Yuel has beco extrely fond of Eris.
「Shall we go buy back Eris’ hospital for her?」
「…! Yes, Master!」
After spending so ti in thought, I had co up with a few thods.
The first thing I have to do is get Yuel to work at the tavern. In order to allow to move on my own.
「Yuel, we’re going to need so more money in order to buy Eris’ hospital. I’d like you to go to work for a bit at that tavern that’s always short-handed. I’ll co pick you up in the evening.」
Well then, let’s get this over quickly.
「You’re not getting away! Follow him! Pulling that sheet on our turf, you’re gonna wish you were dead!!」
「Had my doubts about that confidence, but he really foockin’ tried it! Like hell he’s getting away!」
「Sheet, how can he run so fast!? You guys, over there! Cut him off!」
So, as a result of trying to get it over with- I’m currently being chased.
In order to make money quickly, I went to… a gambling house, operated by so rather unsavory gentlen.
In this country where gambling has been outlawed, it’s a fairly underground business. In a gaming room on the 2nd floor of a bar on the outskirts of town, a number of people hide their faces and identities and amuse themselves by gambling… or so I’ve heard.
There, they’ve set up a gambling ring with sothing similar to playing cards. A simple ga where whether you win or lose depends on whether the drawn card is higher or lower than the one on the table. It’s a betting ga where the rate of return ultimately lands in favor of the bookie. However… that’s right, I had a handy ability known as Appraisal.
And then- naturally, I was caught by a magical tool that detects analysis skills.
It would appear that they have perfect counterasures against swindlers.
「Hahhh… haaahhh…」
I can’t rest my legs. I have to keep running.
It was the mont where I had to pick higher or lower after placing my bet. The minute that I activated Appraisal in order to ascertain the value of the top card on the deck, a shrill alarm rang out through the building. The dealer, who was using so kind of magic tool, turned to face . Since I was clearly guilty, I braced myself and leapt through the second-story window.
Sohow I was able to escape from the premises. But I’m still being chased by so scary n. What’s more, they’re about to surround .
Repeatedly casting Heal on my legs, I can maintain a constant sprint, but I still can’t seem to shake them. I guess thugs who run an illegal gambling ring get a good workout. It’s not just that I’m not in shape, my legs are fine thanks to Heal, but I’m running out of- out of breath. Healing magic won’t help with a lack of oxygen.
「There he is! Over there!!」
A bunch of ruffians co running from up ahead. They’re still chasing from behind too.
Not good, so not good. I-I only consider it for a second, but there’s no way they would forgive like Eris. If I get caught, only corporal punishnt awaits. I could try shaking them off by running down an alley, but there are so many of them. They’d catch up with soon enough.
「Get him! Geeeet hiiiim!!」
I enter a side street to evade them. Isn’t there sothing, anything I can do? I search my item box as I run.
There’s a hard tal sensation- it’s my mace. …No good, I have no chance of winning in a fight, and no desire to fight in the first place.
A hooded cloth- my bloodstained habit. …I forgot to throw that out.
And then- a squishy sensation.
That’s it! I turn the next corner and scatter the item I just grabbed along the narrow alleyway.
-Yes, it’s Sli Jelly.
It’s the Sli Jelly I’ve been saving up instead of selling. I fill up the narrow alleyway with a large quantity of it. A short distance later, I hear screaming and shouting behind . No doubt they slipped and fell when they tried to run over it.
I’m so glad I have you, Sli Jelly.
Dropping Sli Jelly after Sli Jelly as I run through the streets, I finally manage to shake them. I had to run for an extrely long ti, but I got away.
…However, this was a failure.
I was trying to make money, but the 500 Zeni from the bet was a total loss, and my Sli Jelly stockpile has drastically diminished. I should have thought about it so more, but why did I even try sothing like this? I was so impatient that I lost sight of myself.
I have ti. I can still think of ways to make money. Next ti, next ti for sure.
This ti, I’ll head to the slave market. It’s sothing I ca up with when I saw Yuel.
That’s right, I can make a huge profit by buying injured slaves, healing them, and reselling them.
I still had so resistance to the idea of trading slaves for the sake of making money, so I was putting it off, but then again I can choose which slaves to buy. Picking a suitable older guy wouldn’t particularly hurt my conscience. An older guy would probably be grateful just to have his injuries healed.
And then, heading to the slave market-
「We don’t normally stock damaged goods, so…」
「Injured slaves? I ain’t got any. Got a healer who treats ’em for on the cheap.」
「You can use EX Heal? Gim a break. Ain’t no way a shabby guy like you is a high-ranking priest.」
-A complete disappointnt. Nobody with those qualifications would ever be caught in a slave market asking around for severely injured slaves.
Apparently Yuel was an extrely rare case. The slave trade wouldn’t be interested in buying people with low resale value in the first place. Probably because of the maintenance costs involved in keeping slaves.
This was a fool’s errand.
Going to the gambling den, running my legs off, then coming to the slave market for no harvest. I ended up wasting a lot of ti. It’s almost evening. It’ll be ti to pick up Yuel soon.
After today, there will only be 6 days left until the auction for Eris’ hospital.
「Master!」
When I enter the tavern, Yuel cos running over to . She looks adorable as a waitress.
「Master, I got a lot of money today too! …Umm, for buying Eris’ hospital? I want to make Eris happy too. So…」
Making such a pure remark, Yuel pulls out her bank card filled with thousands of Zeni. I would feel seriously guilty taking the money that Yuel worked hard to earn here, for such an admirable cause, after I just lost my betting money trying to fleece so gamblers.
「Please hold onto that for now, Yuel.」
I want to answer those feelings. But the two thods I thought up today ended up in failure.
What should we do tomorrow? Enter the labyrinth and search for treasure chests? I heard that many of them contain high-priced magic items. The most extre get-rich-quick sches are probably in the labyrinth.
…Yeah, but I haven’t co across a single treasure chest yet in all the ti I’ve spent in the labyrinth. I feel like it would be impossible to find one within a single week. But in that case, what should we…
「Yo, Shiki, got a minute?」
A voice breaks my train of thought. It’s Geyser. Eight’s there by his side, too. I notice a trickle of blood running from Geyser’s hand. He’s here for dical treatnt, huh?
「What’s the matter, Geyser? Need healing? One Heal is 400 Zeni y’know?」
「Nah, it’s just a scratch, I’m fine. On my way here there was Sli Jelly all over the streets for so reason and I slipped and fell.」
…I-I’m so sorry.
「Hey, it was just a joke. I can’t possibly accept money from you guys, right? Heal.」
I’ll definitely collect on it later.
「Oh, seriously? Thanks man. That’s not why we’re here, though. We ca to collect on the loan for taking you back to the surface.」
「The loan?」
Oh right, they did say sothing about having join their next trip in exchange.
「You got it, Shiki. Can you co to the labyrinth with us tomorrow?」
「Sure, hunting slis?」
「Well, sorta-」
To be honest, I want to tell them I’ll go sli hunting with them so other ti. Right now I want to get rich quick. But I can’t turn them down at this point. I told them they could call on at any ti. And the odds may be low, but it’s possible we could find a treasure chest while we’re hunting slis.
「-If that’s what it was, we could handle it by ourselves. We’re not talking normal slis here.」
Eight grins as he says that. If it’s not normal slis, that ans…
「Huge Sli.」
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