Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

Chapter 17

Maybe it was because I had experienced some fighting, but I gained a little bit of confidence.

With monster cards and pop rockets, I feel like I can manage even when I go a bit deep into the dungeon.

That feeling further festered when Merle cheered me up.

[I told you, it will be alright. There were other adventurers with us when we went down before, right? You can come back with us on the way back.]

According to Merle, there’s a convenient room near the stairs that leads to the 2nd Underground Floor.

Adventurers use this room for rest and relaxation, and it’s relatively safe and free of monsters.

She said that adventurers who had gone to the 2nd Underground Floor would come back to that room to rest, and that I could expect to make a lot of sales there during daytime.

[If Yuusuke-san would come there, it would also be convenient for me too. I can buy some 10-rim chocolates when I’m tired.]

[Couldn’t you just buy them in the morning?]

[If there are some, I end up eating them, making me wanna buy them every time!]

It’s a matter of Merle’s self-control huh.

But even so, I’m also interested in being able to earn quickly.

I want to get my permit as soon as possible and be able to rent an apartment.

I don’t really feel at home staying in Bottakuro.

If it will increase sales, I’m willing to take a few risks.

[If Yuusuke-san comes, everyone will be happy.]

Before I knew it, I was lulled by Mira’s words, and decided to go down the underground stairs.

As I was about to leave Bottakuro, my usual lodging, I saw Minerva standing leaning against the outer wall.

[Oh, Minerva!?]

[Good morning. What a coincidence……]

[What are you doing?]

[Nothing……]

Even though Minerva said that, it was currently raining outside.

The fact that he’s there in spite of that suggests that he has something very important to do.

[I’m going to the dungeon. What about you, Minerva?]

[I’m also going to the dungeon.]

[Hmmm……]

Did we really meet each other here by coincidence?

In any case, we walked side by side into the dungeon.

◇◆◇

I did it…… I did it, I did it, I did iiiiiiiit!

Thanks to my waiting before dawn, I managed to pretend that we coincidentally encountered each other and succeeded in accompanying Yuusuke to work.

Yesterday, I was able to get him to eat my homemade sandwiches, and Yuusuke said they were delicious.

All’s well that ends well, but I’m afraid that my plans may have been going too well……

I made lunch again today, but will Yuusuke eat it?

It would be easy to get him to turn his head my way if I used the Mystical Love Technique, but I know that that won’t do.

I want Yuusuku to love me without that magic.

However, how will he know that I’m a girl?

I usually cast a Recognition Inhibition Area Magic on me so that people won’t know I’m the witch Michelle, but should I just cancel it out?

No, no, that’s overly hasty.

If I make it look like a coincidence and have him close to my body, maybe he’ll realize it……

My, oh my, what’s with me? Since when did I become so lewd!?

They say love changes a woman, and that may indeed be true.

Today, I will be hiding in the darkness of the dungeon as Yuusuke’s bodyguard.

Ahh, what happiness!

◇

It was raining, so I quickened my pace and rushed to the dungeon.

In this world, umbrellas aren’t sold.

Instead, acting as some sort of raincoat, there are only hooded leather cloaks.

However, it was hard to walk into the dungeon because Minerva kept on bumping into me.

What game is he playing now?

I couldn’t see the expression on his face because of the mask though, so I couldn’t really understand what he was thinking.

I met up with Merle and Mira, who were waiting for me in front of the dungeon.

[Morning.]

[Good morning……]

Because of Minerva’s presence, the two of them were more nervous than usual.

[Minerva, you should also greet them too.]

[Hmph, it’s the slutty brats who make sexual advances on Yuusuke huh…… If you get carried away, I’ll crush you.]

[Oi, the heck are you saying to my regulars!?]

[I- I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself……]

Is Minerva a misogynist?

He certainly seems bad at talking and tends to be socially inept.

When I strongly scolded him, he became downcast and lowered his head.

[Merle, Mira, you shouldn’t mind what he’s saying. He just tends to say strange things. He doesn’t mean any ill.]

[Huh……]

Despite the awkward atmosphere, we joined the throngs of people entering the dungeon and headed toward our destination.

We witnessed a few fights between adventurers along the way, but we arrived at our destination without any danger.

[This is the staircase to the 2nd Underground Floor huh. It’s wider than I thought.]

This staircase seems to be about 7 meters wide.

[The rest room is this way.]

Merle said.

[You b*tch, trying to bring into a rest room, what are you trying to do!?]

[I mean, he is a dagashi shopowner……]

[I see…… Then, I’ll allow it.]

Today, Minerva was even stranger than usual.

The room that was shown to me was about the size of a banquet hall at a Japanese inn.

Come to think of it, I went to one on a company trip before.

Japan feels so far away now……

I moved to the corner and set up my stall.

[Open, Dagashi Yahagi.]

Ohh!?

There’s a big level up this time!

What appeared was a shop that looked like a food stall at a festival.

A curtain hanging from the roof reads “Dagashi Yahagi” in large letters from this world, and the number of products has increased.

There aren’t only sweets, but also toys on the stand.

With those things being products of this shop, I guess they wouldn’t simply be toys huh……

[What’s with this box!?]

Just when I was wondering why Merle was making a fuss, I found a nostalgic game machine in the corner of the shop.

Product name: 10-rim Game “Dungeon Crawler Game”

Description: A game in which you aim for the goal by flicking the 10-rim copper coin you put in with a spring-loaded lever. When you reach the 7th Underground Floor, you will receive a prize at the goal. The prize is Elixir.

Price: 10 rims per try (only 10-rim copper coins can be used)

How nostalgic.

It looks like the “Shinkansen Game” I saw at the Retro Game Museum.

I remember there were also similar-type games with “Catch Ball” and “Car Race” as themes.

Even so, isn’t an Elixir too amazing of a prize?

That’s a medicine that heals any kind of wound or disease.

This Dungeon Crawler Game does seem to be more difficult than the 10-yen game I know though.

Merle immediately put in a 10-rim copper coin and started playing.

[You’re pretty good at this, Merle.]

[Rather than lotteries that depend on luck, it seems like I’m better suited to this game. I’m a woman of ability after all.]

[Be careful in that spot. If you hit too hard, you’ll fall on the other side.]

[Yeah, I can see it. Let’s do this here……]