The Hero's Return

After reporting to the guild, he decided to sell all of the magic swords through the guild to pay off his debt.

"So that's how it is. They most likely came from [Flame Cavern]. And here are the magic swords. There are nineteen of them. I had one more of similar quality, but I gave that one to Kantra-san. I'd like to sell the rest through the guild."

"… Understood."

The magic swords lined up in a row, combined with Wataru's report, were exhilarating in a sense.

He had cleared an area with no prior exploration reports. He'd discovered that it connected to [Flame Cavern], another dungeon in Tsuia Mountain like [Cave of Desires], though the exact connection point was unknown. And he'd brought back as many as twenty magic swords.

Every one of those was a wonderful result.

"So, how much will you buy this information for?"

"The market rate would be around twenty silver coins. Would you like to put the magic swords up for auction?"

"… Putting all twenty up at once would crash the price, so let's do ten at auction. I'll sell the other nine directly to the guild at two gold coins each, so please space them out over time. Oh, could I get the payment in cash?"

That would make eighteen gold coins, and adding the auction sales should bring the total close to forty gold coins.

… It might seem small compared to his debt of 2,300 gold coins, but thinking of it in Japanese yen, that was an income of forty million yen. Looking at it that way, it was actually quite something, Wataru thought.

At any rate, that night they had a drinking party with Kantra and the others, and he decided to return to the empire the next day.

The details of the drinking party will be omitted. It was good alcohol that didn't carry over to the next day.

"Alright, let me go say hello to Rokuko-san and the others."

He headed to the inn's reception. Sitting there was Nerune, the mage girl he had gotten quite friendly with over the past few days.

"Ehhh, you're leaving already?! Uuu, I wanted to hear more about magic～"

"Hahaha, I'll come again. Is Rokuko-san here?"

"Ah, yes～. I'll go get her～"

Nerune went to call Rokuko, and he waited for a while. Then Rokuko arrived in high spirits.

"I hear you're leaving? Say hello to Ane-sama for me, Wataru."

"Of course. So, was I of any help?"

"Mm, more or less! Thanks to you, it looks like I'll be getting a ring from my partner."

Wataru and Rokuko had made a certain promise.

It happened when Wataru had asked Rokuko to become his partner.

 

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"… Would you become my partner?"

"Eh, no way. I already have a partner."

From Rokuko's reaction, Wataru realized that what he said could be taken as a confession.

He hurriedly corrected himself.

"… Ah! No, sorry. I meant as a research partner. Not in the sense of a couple or lovers."

"… Hm? Is that so? Well, alright then."

"Please become my collaborator in researching how to return to Japan! Also, those clothes… I just noticed, but they have nylon in them, don't they?!"

"Nylon? What's that?"

"It's a synthetic fiber made from petroleum! … To think I'd see fabric with nylon in this world…!"

"Oh, this dress? My partner got it from the dungeon. Fufun, isn't it lovely?"

Yes, the Hero Wataru had spotted the presence of materials from Japan with his keen eye. His gaze had been drawn there involuntarily, but it was purely a reaction to the nylon fabric. It absolutely was not because he wanted to look at Rokuko's rear. Her hair was just in the way and her rear was all he could see.

"Yes, it suits you well… Hmm, so nylon-blend fabric can be found here too. I'd heard rumors, but this is amazing… I'd like Rokuko-san's partner to become my research companion as well. Is he an excellent adventurer?"

"… Ah, well, yes. He's gone the deepest into this dungeon, at least. That massage chair over there was also obtained from the dungeon."

"Ooh, that too…!"

I wonder if I could take it apart… he thought while looking at it, but Rokuko stopped him with, "No, you can't. It's precious." It seemed he'd been saying his thoughts out loud.

"Mmm, then could I have your partner teach me some dungeon clearing tips… is there any way I could talk to him?"

"Hmm, let me think. I could arrange a meeting, but I'd want something in return."

"Hmm, then how about I treat you to a meal? The five gold coin one."

"That's my own product. I can eat it whenever I want without being treated."

'Of course,' Wataru thought. Was there anything he could use as a bargaining chip with someone he'd just met? He couldn't find an opening.

"… Then, perhaps I could help resolve some worry of yours, Rokuko-san."

"A worry? Hmm, not really…"

"Um, maybe some trouble with your life with your partner?"

It was something Wataru said in desperation, but Rokuko did have something that came to mind.

"Alright then. I want to get closer to my partner, so be my decoy."

"Eh?"

"I'll tell him that Hero-sama confessed to me and get him to take me out to dinner!"

"Eh, w-what?!"

"Well then, I'm off!"

 

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… And that was the exchange they had.

As a result, it became established that Wataru had confessed to Rokuko. His heartbreak story from the other day, along with his roundabout appeal of "I distrust women, so I couldn't possibly confess to one," all went to waste. In the end, he was treated with suspicion and couldn't get any useful information out of Kehma.

"… But somehow I ended up saddled with a debt of 2,300 gold coins."

"Eh? That's not my fault, is it?"

"… You're right."

It was indeed completely unrelated to Rokuko. Even if Narikin had set his sights on Wataru because of his confession to Rokuko, the story was that Kehma and Narikin were different people.

"Oh, about the debt repayment, you could go through Haku-neesama, you know?"

"I want to see Gozoh-san and Nerune-san too, so I'll come back. I can't bother Haku-sama too much."

'You don't really have to come back,' Rokuko murmured.

"Well then, see you."

"Give Haku-neesama my regards."

And thus, the Hero Wataru returned to the Imperial Capital.

Incidentally, he would go on to honestly report all of these events to Haku and end up being assigned jobs so grueling they'd nearly kill even an S-Rank adventurer, but that's another story.