When Inari and Shion were teleported back to the transfer point, the staff burst into cheers. With the much-talked-about Inari alongside Rank 4 Shion, they had expected the run to be quick—but still, seeing it in reality was impressive.
“Welco back!”
“Mm. Straight to business then…”
Inari tipped out their haul onto the desk. The items were of decent quality and quantity, but what caught the staff’s attention most was the dimd, lifeless orb.
“Wait, this is…”
“No way…”
Leaving the murmuring staff as they were, Inari and Shion turned their eyes to the ssages hovering before them.
A comndable achievent has been attained! [Achievent: Complete Conquest of the Fla Trap]
Reward box recalculated and updated!
You have received a reward box!
“Fla Trap…?”
“Because we didn’t get injured by the magma and such?”
“Mm. That could be it.”
Inari had earned things like “Speed Annihilator” achievents before, but clearly dungeons still had depths she didn’t fully grasp.
Inari’s copper reward box vanished, replaced in her hands with a decorated box wrapped in paper printed with a cutesy, caricatured version of the Fire Elental Golem’s face.
“Oh! A special box!?”
“M-may I take a photo!? This is the first ti one’s ever appeared!”
“Mm, go ahead.”
Once the photo was snapped, Inari turned to Shion.
“Shall we open it?”
Shion shook her head.
“No. You open it.”
“Eh? No need to be so reserved. Go on, you do it.”
Convinced she was being politely pressed, Shion finally nodded.
“Okay, then I will.”
It was a miracle of miscommunication that still ended in harmony.
“Here goes…”
“Mm.”
Shion carefully peeled away the wrapping, in stark contrast to Inari’s usual habit of tearing things open. Inside was… a glossy red marble-like sphere. Smooth and shiny—but neither of them could tell what it was.
“What on earth is this…?”
“Looks like a gemstone?”
“Doesn’t it sll odd for a gem?”
“…It does. Slls leafy.”
“Mm, it stinks.”
While they puzzled over it, soone at the table of drops exclaid: “That’s the Fla Orb!”
A staff appraiser rushed over, clearly excited.
“A-amazing! Even drained of power, to bring back a complete Fla Orb! Wherever you sell this, it will fetch an enormous price!”
“Oh, is that so. Shion, do you need it?”
“No.”
“Then put it up for auction, if you would. The profits can be—mmph!?”
“Split between us. Inari gets the magic stones.”
“Y-yes!”
“Shion! Why do you keep covering my mouth!?”
When Inari wriggled free and protested, Shion simply crossed her arms in an ✕.
“No giving all the profit.”
“But I’m taking the magic stones already.”
“That orb will sell for far more than stones. You carried the fight, Inari. That’s why—no.”
“Mmm…”
“Unfairness is no good. Especially between friends.”
“Ugh, but there’s the ‘inconvenience fee’ for letting be selfish—”
“No.”
Realizing Shion wouldn’t yield, Inari relented with a sigh.
“Fine. Understood.”
Though embarrassed, she couldn’t deny the warmth of the friendship behind it.
“Then… since we’re friends, we’ll split the stones too.”
“Eh!?”
“No refusing. We’re friends, yes?”
“…Yeah. You’re right.”
The two smiled at each other, leaving the staff appraiser misty-eyed at the sight. But his gaze soon dropped to the strange red bead.
“Um…”
“Mm? What is it?”
“That pill, there…”
“Pill? This thing?”
“Yes. My appraiser’s intuition tells at least that much. May I formally appraise it?”
“Go ahead. Here.”
As Inari held it out, the staffer activated his skill—then squeaked.
“F-f-f-fire Resistance Pill!? Advanced grade!?”
“What!?”
His shout drew every nearby staffer swarming over.
Resistance-boosting items were the dream of any awakener fighter. Even minor fire resistance ant no burns from minor flas. An advanced-grade pill… who knew? Maybe even magma baths would beco reality.
“How will you be handling this item…?”
“Shion?”
“Don’t want it.”
“Then to auction it goes.”
For Shion, who fought mostly in the sea, fire resistance was unnecessary. And so, another pair of extraordinary items were destined to make waves at auction.
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