I've seen the witch's bed any number of times.
I don't really get it. It's absurdly huge and cluttered with all kinds of stuff on it.
Several cushions, pillows, clothes, underwear, and what have you.
Yeah, I definitely can't afford one of those.
By the way, about that enormous debt from the witch — on the order of hundreds of millions.
No matter how you look at it, there's no reasonable way to pay that back.
The witch said she had a plan regarding that.
So I was told that the money I currently have and the money I earn from now on are separate from the debt.
What kind of debt even is that?
She did say she doesn't intend to collect, which is something at least.
But even if I repay a million oro a month, it would take years and years. An absurd amount of debt.
Also, Mineha and Hayerne both told the witch they'd help repay the debt.
Hayerne is one thing, but I really don't want to drag Mineha into this.
But Mineha. She's stubborn, and absolutely insists she'll pay it off. Won't hear otherwise.
Well, for now I'll just have to leave it to the witch.
And it's a good thing I noticed in time.
I almost asked Mineha about the bed.
"Anyway, let's go punch that rabbit. Yeah."
I headed straight back home and went to the watchtower.
In the corner of the first floor's wall, there was an old, oddly shaped full-length mirror.
This was the gate. When I inserted the key I'd received, it showed a warped reflection of a different scene.
Stepping through, I emerged into a corridor leading to the lab.
On either side of the corridor were two rooms each, but the doors wouldn't open.
The corridor beside the gate was also a dead end, but I could tell.
A strange diagonal seam — probably a shutter. It was sealed tight.
This was the area Riv had been staring at so intently, and it bugged me a little.
Anyway, I proceeded straight ahead without dwelling on it, and a door opened automatically, bringing me to the lab.
The front was all glass, with a touch-panel console in front of it.
Four long, altar-like multi-purpose tables were arranged in a square.
The surrounding walls were a mysterious gray material — neither stone nor brick.
I couldn't really make out what was on the other side of the glass.
Hayarn had mentioned something about a cauldron system.
A cauldron — right, that was a witch's pot.
And apparently the cauldron system was filled with liquid.
Some kind of liquid that preserved things forever, supposedly. What even was that.
Hayarn was wrestling with the touch panel.
He grumbled that rabbit paws made it difficult to operate.
One unusual thing was that Hayarn was wearing a white lab coat.
A white rabbit in a white coat — I wasn't sure what to think about that, but he seemed to like it.
Come to think of it, they have lab coats in this world too.
"Hayarn."
"Wof? I just got some interesting data."
"I'd like to ask one thing before I punch you."
"Wait. Punch me?"
Hayarn looked bewildered.
I clenched my fist tightly.
"—Was your sincere advice to ask girls about their bedding?"
"You... you. Don't tell me you heard that...? No, you couldn't have. No way. They actually told you!?"
Hayarn was shocked.
The rabbit's large eyes widened even more.
"Oh yes, they answered quite thoroughly."
I raised my fist and stepped closer.
"They. Wait, 'they'? Plural...!? Don't tell me, you're saying multiple girls told you that, Wof!?"
"Indeed, they did."
"I-Impossible, impossible! Ridiculous! When I once asked that question, I was told it was creepier than asking for the color of their underwear! So that means you asked multiple girls about their underw—"
I punched him.
"...The bedding data?"
"Mhm. Comfortable bedding data. ☆ If I have the materials, I can make it."
Hayarn, sporting a lump on his head, operated the panel.
An image appears in the air. What's with the star symbol on this name?
What's needed: slime block. Fixing liquid. Storage bag. Not entirely sure what any of this is.
"Hey... a slime block — isn't that Pakira's bed?"
"What? Pakira's?"
"She said making a slime bed was a lot of work."
"Mhm, mhm. I see. So it's listed under 'freezing' because the prototype stage was labor-intensive."
"Are there no other options?"
Well, I'll take anything but straw. Feathers would work fine, I suppose.
"Oh, there's a feather futon."
"There is?"
"Comfy 🌙 Feather Futon. The materials are Big Goose and Wind Duck feathers."
This one's 🌙 too. Same creator, then.
"Both sound like monsters. How many do we need?"
"Five feathers each. Ten total should do."
"Big Geese and Wind Ducks inhabit dungeons related to wind."
Wind, huh. Yeah, there is one — a wind dungeon. I haven't been inside any dungeons besides the water one yet, though.
Maybe I should give it a go. Right — if I'm doing it anyway, might as well take a quest from the Guild.
Whenever there's a chance to earn even a little, you take it.
You notice it the moment you step outside and walk through town.
Hydrangea feels busier and more lively than usual.
The anxiety I'd felt just a few days ago felt like a lie now.
That was six days ago.
Out of nowhere, it wasn't the Guild but the Hydrangea municipal government that made a huge announcement.
When I say "huge," I mean they broadcast it using rare loudspeaker-type and communication Legacies.
They almost never make city-wide announcements like that.
But something happened that required it.
In one month's time, Hydrangea would become the venue for the Great Browns.
The Great Browns was the grand event hosted by the Grand Guild, the central authority of the Delvers' Guild.
It was held once every five years, a grand council where all the First-Rank Delvers gathered together.
That's right — a council.
But you could just as well call it a massive festival for the whole city.
After all, every single First-Rank Delver, without exception, would be there.
The heroes that bards sang about on street corners, in squares, and in taverns.
This was the one and only chance in your life to actually see them in the flesh.
Giving a month's notice was so the city could prepare for the festival.
And for this festival, a whole roster of illustrious figures would converge.
The nobles who ruled this land.
And the top of the kingdom — the king himself would come too.
Well, I couldn't exactly say the Great Browns had nothing to do with me.
It involved me just a tiny bit. I was the apprentice of a First-Rank Delver witch, after all.
When I entered the Guild, it was as orderly as ever.
Though some of the windows lined up in a row were currently out of service.
I'd heard they'd been drafted into preparations for the Great Browns.
So they were short-staffed. And not just here — people had been dispatched from neighboring towns and villages too.
One thing after another. What a hassle.
Part of the reason for all that was on me, so I couldn't exactly hold my head high.
Anyway, the Wind Dungeon's requests. Requests.
"Oh, harvesting Big Goose meat?"
The deal was to keep the feathers and hand over just the meat. That sounded about right.
200 oro per bird. At least ten birds… Hmm, this could be good.
Let's see, the number is… hmm, hmm.
"Um, um — ah, Wof!"
"Huh?"
When I turned around, racing straight toward me was the black-haired dog-girl, Juushii.
She stopped just short of tackling me. Good girl, good girl.
Her tail was wagging so hard it looked like it might fly off. Also, she was a wolf.
"Wof, huh."
"Hey, Rel. Good morning."
Rel spoke up to me.
Rel was a handsome young elf with long silver hair, silver-framed glasses, and a black coat.
He gave off a cool impression at first glance.
He had a similar vibe to Dova. Well, that tracked — he was his real little brother, after all.
And he was also Juicy's older brother. A rare combination.
"It's a bit strange running into you at the Guild."
"Um, um — Wof is a delver."
"I know."
"Huh, where are Axe and Hoss?"
"Axe has a cold. Hoss is looking after him."
"Oh — hope he gets well soon."
"Anyway, I've got free time now. I remembered my fourteenth sister saying she wanted to improve her archery."
"Um, um — Wof. Big brother. I'm Juicy."
Juicy glared at Rel.
"Sorry. Force of habit."
"Um, um, please be careful. If the sisters find out, you'll be the one in trouble."
"R-right."
"Oh, by the way — why is Wof at the Guild?"
"I came to pick up bed materials and take on that request."
When I showed them, Rel read it and nodded.
"...Big Goose meat?"
"Um, um, what's a bed?"
"I was thinking of graduating from straw soon."
"Oh, a feather futon, then."
"Yes."
"Hmm. We happen to be heading to the Wind Dungeon ourselves."
"Oh, oh, if it's alright with you, how about Lord Wof comes along too? It's alright, right? Big brother."
"Ah, of course."
"Is that really okay?"
If we're going together, that's more than welcome.
I know nothing about the Wind Dungeon.
"I don't mind."
"Then, I'll be in your care."
"Pleasure's all mine."
"Oh, oh, woof! I'm so happy! Thank you!"
Juicy-san beamed with a delighted smile.
After Rel-san put in the request, we went to the counter and then sat on a nearby bench.
Juicy-san spun her tail in wide circles while looking only at me, looking happy.
She dangled her legs and kept staring at me with sparkling eyes. R-Right. That reminds me.
"Juicy-san, why are you, well, so interested in me, or why is your favorability rating so high?"
It had been like that since we met.
I'd been wondering about that for a long time.
Juicy tilted her head, thinking for a moment.
"Oh, oh, Wof-sama, you like butter rice, right?"
"Yeah, well."
"So, um, why do you like it?"
"Why do I... The taste, I guess."
It also reminded me of something nostalgic.
Somewhere deep in my past life memories... butter rice like that. I felt like I used to eat it.
"Oh, oh, the taste?"
"The taste, yeah, but there's more to it than that. Lots of little reasons, so I like it."
"Oh, me too."
"Huh...?"
"Oh, oh, yes. The same reason."
Juicy smiled brightly.
"I-I think I kind of understand... maybe."
I smiled too. I vaguely got what she was getting at.
Vaguely, but yeah, that was probably it.
Besides, having a beautiful girl this into me was embarrassing, but not exactly a bad thing.
Having those intense, burning eyes fixed on me, though, was, well, a little nerve-wracking.
"A-Anyway, Juicy. So in the end, you're not becoming a delver after all?"
"Oh, yes. Right. My birthday is coming up soon."
"Wait, really?"
"Um, um, it's next month."
"So that means… you'll be turning fourteen?"
Juicy beamed. Once she turned fourteen, she'd be able to become a delver.
Hold on. That means… she'd be older than me.
I felt a weird tangle of emotions.
Everyone around me, female-wise, was already older than Mineha except for Mineha.
And even Mineha looked like an older sister, at least on the outside.
Man.
Well, whatever. I should get her a present.
"Um, um, also, Wof, you carry a ranged weapon too? I had no idea."
"Huh? Ranged?"
"Um, the, uh, monsters in the wind dungeon are always circling through the air. You have to shoot them down to defeat them."
"What do you…"
And for the first time, I realized.
A ranged weapon… I didn't have a single one.