25 24. A villa in another world.txt (1/2)

After reaching the ground, Arti immediately said, ”Even though I'm long-winded, you'll still have to look for me properly. I'll be sure to thank you. Well then,'' he said and left. It seems that the destination is the Eltralieu Academy with Franlleure.

I thought that if I stayed at the academy with many students, my wishes would come true naturally, but I was reminded of that when we parted.

''Feng......''

I sigh as I look away from Arti.

The air on the ground is delicious.

The danger of the labyrinth is gone, and a sense of security envelops me comfortably.

But just as the sun is going down, my feelings are also going down.

'Oh, ......'

Today's labyrinth exploration, which I had planned to try out as a solo challenge (solo play) while checking out Dia's skills, only to have the unexpected happen.

I walked out to the hospital, where Dia would be, while sorting through the day's events in my head. At any rate, I'm going to report back to you that I was able to explore solo until the fifth level.

I reach the hospital in Valt 1.

Then I walk straight to the ward and enter the ward where Dia would be sleeping.

The ward was filled with magical light.

The pale light bubbles I saw during the fight with Tida filled the hospital room.

'......?　Dia, what are you doing ......?

What? - Rehab.

Dia sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to shine from her arms.

'You know what? Didn't the doctor tell you to rest?

'I'm told. But I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. It's kind of like this week is for rehab. ......

Just relax, okay?

With that, I placed my palm on Dia's head.

Dia stared at my arm and then nodded honestly.

'All right. If Christ says so, I'll do it.

Do it. You don't want the hospital stay to be needlessly long, do you?

Haha, yeah.

Deere laughs happily - after fogging up the magical light - and then goes over the course of today's events with me.

'So, Christ. Have you gone to the labyrinth since then?

'Yeah, I made it to the fifth level on my own with no problem. Honestly, I think I could go further.

I wasn't going to tell you everything.

I want to keep quiet about Arti in particular. Partly because I don't want to worry about Dia, who isn't in his prime, but also because I feel I can solve that guardian (Guardian) on my own.

Whether I get what that thing wants or defeat it, I can end it alone.

No, I have to end it alone. That's what I thought.

'Haha, you see. Christ can do it alone. You don't need me to be there. You should have more confidence.

Thank you. Dia was right. But it would have been better if you hadn't been there.

I knew that there was a lot I could do on my own.

But at the same time, I was sure that I would feel safer with someone else there. I was about to tell her that I would feel safer with Dia's presence, but she interrupted me before I could.

'-No, I can't be the same person I was. Christ, just wait and see. I'll be back in a minute, and I'll be worthy of Christ.

...... um, yeah. Okay.

I was caught off guard today, thinking it was the same as usual Dear, but I was suddenly overwhelmed by the eyes that held firm conviction.

'I'll be out of the hospital in, er, ...... about six more days, right?　As I recall, it was the Nativity that day. We're in the middle of the festivities.

A festival?

Suddenly Dia speaks as if she remembers something.

Apparently, there is a festival in the Confederacy at the time of discharge from the hospital.

''Ah. Yeah, there's a festival centered around the Fuzzyards, where the heroes who founded the Confederation are celebrating their birthdays. The whole country holds a national festival in the days before the Nativity, and on the day of the Nativity, a grand ceremony is held in the cathedral.

I had never heard of a festival before, but Dia explains to me that it's a festival.

I didn't know that. I'm from a country so far away that I didn't know about it. But it's just as well. When we get out of the hospital, we should take part in that as a celebration.

I like that. All right. I'll fix it for you as soon as I can.

The air in the room becomes cheerful as they talk about the festival.

-- and time passes as Dia tells me what the Nativity is all about.

In the midst of it all, there was only one thing I wanted to ask Dia.

It was a tug on my heart.

What happened on the ninth level.

About the treatment of slaves at that time.

I'm not sure what kind of answer Dia would give ...... I was curious about.

I just didn't want to ruin this cheerful atmosphere.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

Thus, I ended my visit to Dia with a swirl of emotions in my chest.

◆◆◆◆◆ ...

I walked around town alone.

After the labyrinth exploration and Dia's visit was over, I didn't have much to do.

I thought about hiding in the labyrinth once more, but before I left the labyrinth for running out of MP, I don't want to act in such a way that Arti will notice me.

As I walked, I made a plan.

Thanks to the money I sold off the magic stone of Tida as an example, my options are endless.

However, I've already provided for the necessities of life, and I've already arranged everything I need for the labyrinth.

Before the first challenge with Dia, the things I bought at the request of the toolmaker are still in my 'belongings'. Things like files, cutters, needles, thread, pots and pans, and leather bags remain untouched.

When I think about it now, these things may not have been necessary.

I can bring as many tools as I want thanks to the 'belongings' system.

Therefore, I can go through normal explorer's problems such as repairing armor and tools, and finding water and food. You can take dozens of swords, water and food, even if it's enough for years.

In other words, the explorer Aikawa Uzumi cannot buy the same things as the explorers in this world.

You don't need a map as long as you have a ”map”.

You don't need a bag as long as you have your ”belongings”.

It's a good idea to bring in a lot of spares, not mending products.

I think about this as I take out the bag of gold coins from my ”belongings”.

I rattle the bag and remember the time I got this large amount of money.

A single magic stone in Tida was worth 40 gold coins.

That value was worth the change even if he got a house, which showed how valuable the Guardian's magical stones were.

It was so expensive that I wondered if it was an event item or a rare item of the kind I would later regret selling, but I couldn't afford it because of ...... Dia's hospitalization costs.

Of course, the country's high priest asked me to dig deep to find out where I got this magical stone. I was even told that this one magic stone would advance the 'magic stone line' and 'magic stone technology' for years, and I was held for a long time.

In the end, I just blurted out the story about where to get it and told him that I had defeated a strong-looking boss.

They asked me for details, but I was so selfless that I pretended I didn't remember them well, and finally forced my partner to leave because he was seriously ill.

Looking back, I acted rather suspiciously.

I was in a hurry, so I had no choice but to do it, but this might resonate later. ......

As I continued to walk thoughtfully, I ended up in a residential area away from the labyrinth.

It was lined with rude wooden houses that were out of proportion to the jewel-encrusted streets. And all around us, people were trying to get home, sensing that it was getting dark.

Children, tired of playing, were walking.

An old woman, looking tired, is carrying her bags.

A swordsman, who must have returned from the labyrinth, was limping along.

A woman, who was probably doing housework, is bringing her clothes indoors after drying them outside.

I had never seen anything like this before, as I had only lived in the vicinity of the maze until now.

Then I came up with an idea.

I'm pretty sure it was ...... worth buying a house too, right?

He regrasps the bag of gold coins.

I'm renting a corner of the tavern now, so I have no trouble finding a place to live. However, I can't take advantage of that kindness forever. Normally, a searcher's way of being is to use his own income to get a place to stay.

I have a gold coin, a symbol of income, in my possession.

It's not just a place to stay, but an amount of money that can be used to buy a house.

I start to walk.

I don't walk aimlessly like before, but with a purpose.

◆◆◆◆◆

-- and a few hours later.

A wooden house big enough for one person to live in.

In my world, it's a four-bedroom house.

In such a house, a woman and I were facing each other in one of the well-cleaned rooms.

Then, would you accept a one-year contract on this property?