Read Between the Lines.

Karina-chan here. The sun is so yellow…

So I holed up in my storage space, deployed Kossori-kun, and killed time by investigating my body.

I was also making various small items, so I'm pretty sure my woodworking skill has gone up.

I mean, chairs and tables? Yeah. Cups too, you know?

I even tried making a toothbrush out of wood fibers, but it was too hard and kinda painful. Using fur hair was too soft in a way, but for other uses, both have their merits—anyway, never mind that. Next time I'll make a better one.

Man that was a good sweat.

Anyway, here I am in the port town Véraldo for the second time after a few days.

A dog-eared soldier was checking my guild card.

"Departure: Solasidore, eight days ago. Cargo seems fine as well. You may pass. Welcome to Véraldo."

Yeah, it was supposed to be five days, but I added three, huh?

I got absorbed in some analysis and experiments, okay? Read between the lines.

No, wait—actually, don't notice. And even if you do, please pretend you didn't.

"… I don't mean to be presumptuous, but you might want to cast your cleaning magic a bit stronger. So you don't invite unnecessary trouble, you know? Also, the bathhouse is around the center of town."

"… Yes. Thank you very much."

D-do I smell? Do I smell that bad!? Bad enough to recommend the bathhouse!?

Dang it, on the way back to Solasidore I'm going to build a personal bath inside my storage space!

With that in mind, I finally pulled my handcart and made it into Véraldo.

The streets weren't much different, but there were more stone buildings than in Solasidore. Maybe because they're more resistant to sea winds?

First, let's get the delivery job out of the way.

Casting cleaning magic on myself, I looked for the Adventurers' Guild.

I found a building similar to Solasidore's Adventurers' Guild. … Problem: I obviously can't bring a handcart inside. There isn't going to be some free parking around here either, so I'll stash it in my storage space for now.

Nominally, that means I left it with an inn. In practice, my storage space is where I sleep anyway.

And now, a reveal of my new technique.

First, a perfectly ordinary street corner. I deploy space there!

Then I turn into that space.

Lo and behold—my figure can't be seen!

This is my new technique: optical camouflage!

They never see me from beyond the corner to begin with, so there's no commotion. People behind me will conclude they lost sight of me the moment I rounded the corner.

Thanks to this, I can naturally vanish even in town and shake off pursuers!

Well, it's not like anyone is chasing me right now, though.

Just a little application of spatial magic.

I wasn't holed up for eight days for nothing, you know.

… Honestly, I don't really understand it myself, but somehow I managed it—keep that part between us.

Anyway, I put the handcart into my storage space, grabbed the delivery box, and headed back to the Adventurers' Guild.

"Heeey. Where should I drop off the delivery parcel?"

"Oh my, that box is from Solasidore, isn't it? Bring it over here."

Called over by the lady at reception, I set the cargo on the counter.

"No signs of opening… alright. Received. Request complete—here's your payment."

"Thanks. Also, where's the Merchants' Guild?"

"Head out of the guild and go a bit to the right."

"Much appreciated."

Nice and simple.

Everything flowed smoothly with no one hassling me. This is how it's supposed to be.

Back in Solasidore too, aside from Blade-senpai pestering me when I first registered, nothing really happened.

Then I suddenly remembered the gate guard recommending the bathhouse.

… Surely I'm not so smelly that people don't want to come near me… right??

…

Maybe I should hit the bathhouse before the Merchants' Guild. Yeah.