“Um… Misako. I have a little something to talk about.”
On the bed at the inn. Lying side by side next to Misako, I called out to her.
“Ufufu, what could it be? Could it be that you are not satisfied yet? …Still, wan, to, do, it?”
Every time our skin touched, Misako became more seductive.
I felt like her “sex appeal was increasing” more and more.
Swept away by that sex appeal, I desperately made my reason work to stop myself from reaching out to her full breasts.
Now is the time to face each other and talk properly.
“—It’s a charming proposal, but right now I want to talk seriously about things from here on out.”
Starting tomorrow, we have to truly live in this land.
The days of drowning in Misako are so sweet that I cannot think of anything else.
However, this won’t do.
Too self-indulgent… I have to work properly…
Inside my chest, there was such a determination.
“Things from here on out?”
“Yes. First, this.”
I took out coins, clinking them onto the bed. 29 gold coins, 7 silver coins.
“Oh, taking out money all of a sudden, what is this?”
“This is the rest of the money I got from Goddess Alshe. Rather than me holding it, I thought it would be better if Misako managed it.”
If 1 gold coin is equivalent to 100,000 yen in Japan, it’s about 2,970,000 yen.
Compared to me, a former poor student, Misako is a former female company president.
When it comes to money management and administration, Misako is definitely superior.
“Hee… that Goddess was quite generous. It’s quite an amount. But, is it really okay for me to manage it?”
“Yeah. Out of this, I’ll take just 2 gold coins as preparation expenses for an adventurer, and I’ll entrust all the rest to you. As long as we live in another world, appropriate preparation is necessary… and since I don’t know women’s necessities and stuff, I want to leave even the shopping up to you.”
Misako pondered with a “hmm hmm” for a little while, but soon nodded slightly.
“Well, preparation is certainly necessary. Living in an inn forever is uneconomical, so let’s first look for a rental property. Eating out all the time leads to unbalanced nutrition, so it seems better to switch to cooking for ourselves. There’s also shopping for underwear and daily necessities. —Well then, tomorrow, house hunting and procuring daily necessities. Is this okay with you?”
“Yeah, that helps. I’m asking you for that.”
“Now then, talking about life aside… Ren-kun, what do you want to do yourself from now on?”
“About that… Since I’m the only one who got the cheat ability, I intend to earn a living as an adventurer. Misako kind of got dragged over here by force by me, and it seems you don’t have any special abilities, so you can do whatever you like.”
“Whatever I like, huh… Even if you tell me suddenly, nothing special comes to mind.”
“Misako, are you good at housework?”
“I’m sorry, I was devoted strictly to business the whole time. I can do the bare minimum, but I might not be able to call myself good at it.”
“I see. In that case, I’ve lived alone for a long time too, so I can do a little housework. Let’s do our best together. …Only, this world is far more dangerous than Earth. I was thinking I’d want Misako to stay in a safe home and spend time like a full-time housewife.”
“A full-time housewife. Fufu, me as a full-time housewife.”
Misako smiled as if it were funny, but somewhere with affection.
“Well, if Ren-kun says so, that kind of lifestyle isn’t bad either. Since I lack the experience, shall I enjoy it as a simulation of newlywed life? —But, is it really okay?”
“Of course.”
Just like that, our living policy was decided somehow.
Tomorrow, in order to set up our future living foundation, it was decided that we would go “house hunting and shopping.”
“Well then, Ren-kun… Since tomorrow’s plans are decided… shall we continue?”
Does Misako emit some kind of special pheromone?
Even though I should have been fully satisfied, my lower body grew hot again.
◆◆◆
The next morning. When I asked the inn’s landlady about house hunting, she told me that in this town, the Adventurer’s Guild also doubles as a real estate agency.
“Our place is very welcome just for meals, too! Come and show your face once in a while!”
The landlady smiled lonely.
Thinking about it, “looking for a house” means leaving this inn.
Since she is losing a customer, it shouldn’t be fun, but the landlady who tries to send us off cheerfully must be a kind person.
“The food here is extremely delicious. Even if we move, I will definitely come back to eat.”
Making that promise, we headed to the Adventurer’s Guild.
When we opened the heavy doors of the guild, vitality and heat pierced our skin.
We lined up at the relatively empty counter of the cat-eared receptionist girl.
“Welcome! What kind of business do you have today?”
“We are looking for a rental property.”
“A property! What kind of conditions are you looking for?”
“Let’s see… Could you show me a property with a bath, kitchen, and toilet, as cheap as possible?”
I conveyed the conditions I had coordinated with Misako in advance.
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Saying that, the receptionist came back carrying a large, weathered ledger from the back.
“Equipped with a bath, kitchen, and toilet… and how about this one?”
Looking at the presented floor plan, it’s what you call a “1LDK” in Japan. In addition to a bath, kitchen, and toilet, even a laundry area is fully equipped.
“Misako, doesn’t this look pretty good?”
“Judging from the paperwork, it’s not bad. The rest is the rent and the actual condition, I suppose. Miss, how much is the rent for this property?”
“That one is 6 silver coins a month!”
6 silver coins. From our perspective, about 60,000 yen a month, I suppose.
“Misako, isn’t it perfect budget-wise?”
“Yeah. But the problem is the initial cost. Miss, how much are the deposit, key money, agency fees, and so on?”
“Eh? Deposit… key money…? I’m sorry, I don’t really understand, but if you contract this, the agency fee to the guild will be 3 silver coins. Along with 1 month of advance rent and 1 month of security deposit, it will take the form of paying 1 gold coin and 5 silver coins.”
“I see, not a bad condition. Is it possible to have a viewing of that room once?”
“Yes, I will guide you, so it’s okay to decide after seeing it in person! —Ah, by the way, it seems both of you have completed adventurer registration, but you haven’t finished ‘Appraisal’ yet, have you? Registered members can receive it for free once a month, so would you like to receive it now?”
At the unexpected proposal, I looked at Misako next to me.
“Misako, what should we do?”
“Leaving me aside, Ren-kun is going to work as an adventurer from now on, so shouldn’t you take it?”
“That’s true. But it looks free, so Misako, let’s take it together.”
“Really? Then, shall I accept your kind offer?”
“Excuse me, then please appraise the two of us.”
“Understood! Well then, I will prepare!”
What the cat-eared receptionist took out from the back of the counter was a large crystal ball glowing faintly.
“Now, which one will go first? If you hold your hand over this crystal, your own status will float up into your head and furthermore be visualized in the air.”
“I’m just an extra, so Ren-kun, please go ahead.”
“Got it. Well then, I’ll go.”
Resolving myself, I gently held my hand over the crystal.
The moment, the crystal emitted a dazzling light, and blue-white letters floated up in the air.
[Status]
Name: Ren (Appearance: 18 years old / Actual Age: 27 years old)
Spouse: Misako
Race: Super Human
Level: 1
HP: 600 / MP: 300
Attack: 800 / Defense: 600
Job: Unacquired
Skills: Translation, Item Storage, Sword Talent, Magic Talent
Special Skill (Goddess’s Curse): Lifespan Sharing
This is my power…? Even looking at the numbers, honestly I can’t judge whether it’s good or bad.
“Th-That’s amazing…! ‘Super Human’?! That’s a race that can only exist through divine blessing or race alteration! —Ah, by any chance are you other-worlders who got transferred by the Goddess? …Ah, please rest assured! We have a strict duty of confidentiality! Still, even though you’re level 1, your status already surpasses the kingdom’s ‘veteran knights’…!”
Judging from the receptionist’s excited tone, it seems to be an exceptional level of strength.
“With this status, what kind of monsters can I fight?”
“Let’s see… Probably, just an ogre alone, you can beat to death without a weapon.”
“I see… Thank you for telling me. —Well then, next is Misako’s turn.”
“Yeah, I’m nervous…”
Misako held her hand over the crystal in the same way. Letters floated up again.
[Status]
Name: Misako (Appearance: 38 years old / Actual Age: 27 years old)
Spouse: Ren
Race: Human
Level: 1
HP: 15 / MP: 0
Attack: 18 / Defense: 20
Job: Unset
Skills: Translation, Item Storage
Special Skill (Goddess’s Curse): Lifespan Sharing
“—It’s totally different from me.”
My true feelings leaked out unintentionally. The receptionist also spoke with a bitter smile.
“That’s right… It’s a status equivalent to a so-called general ‘villager’. To be honest, it’s not suited for combat at all.”
Just as I thought. Between me who received cheats and Misako, it’s completely different.
I can’t let Misako get into dangerous situations.
As a full-time housewife, having her protect a safe home is best.
…That central “home” is what we’re going to look for from now on, though.
“Um, I’m a little curious…”
Misako pointed to the very bottom of the status.
“What is this [Special Skill (Goddess’s Curse): Lifespan Sharing]? It feels kind of eerie…”
Seeing that, the receptionist noticed something and showed a fearless smile like “Aha.”
“Ren-sama. By any chance, in front of Goddess Alshe, did you say things like ‘old lady’ to Misako or something that disparages a woman’s age?”
“Eh?! …Ah, I said it.”
“As I thought! Alshe-sama is a high-ranking goddess so she maintains a youthful appearance, but actually she is quite, um… quite elderly. Therefore, for those who insult women’s ages or aging, she is famous for casting this ‘playful curse’.”
Is that a level that can be settled with “playful”? The receptionist continued the explanation.
“The external appearance remains the same, but lifespan sharing… probably, it adds up the original lifespans of both of you and divides it cleanly in half. In other words, when one person’s lifespan runs out, the other simultaneously loses their life as well. It’s a curse of shared fate.”
“Ren-kun… I’m sorry, because of me, your days…”
Misako lowered her head with a pained expression.
Being the strong-sense-of-responsibility Misako that she is, she might be feeling responsible that she stole my lifespan.
“Misako, don’t worry. Originating from it, it’s because I dragged you over here by force. If the lifespans of both of us are the same, it means we can stay together forever from now on, and I won’t have to experience the loneliness of Misako not being here… so from my side, it’s not bad.”
“But…”
So as not to let Misako fret any further, I decided to change the subject.
“Um, miss. Is there anything else we should confirm?”
“Well, both of you possess the ‘Item Storage’ peculiar to other-worlders. There’s a possibility that initial provision items are inside, so try to imagine ‘checking the contents’ in your head. The internal space will float up in your brain.”
Imagine, huh. Come to think of it, the moment I thought I needed money, a leather pouch containing gold coins appeared at hand. That was the result of this skill activating.
“If you have the image of ‘storing’ in your brain, you can isolate it in space, and with the image of ‘taking out’, you can make it appear in reality.”
Trying to concentrate my consciousness as a test, the icons of [Light Armor], [Iron Sword], [Potions x 5] floated into my mind.
“Really… various things are in here.”
“I… nothing floats up. But since I’m at it… Ah, the money disappeared, and it was displayed in my head!”
Misako seemed to try it right away. The leather pouch she was holding vanished suddenly from before her eyes.
“Confirmation seems okay with this much! Well then, I’ll call the property guide, so shall we head straight to the viewing?”
“Please do.”
“Well then, please wait a moment!”
Saying that, the cat-eared receptionist jumped over the counter with light and nimble body movements.
While my eyes were captivated by that supple jump—
“—Ouch, ouch!?”
Pain ran to my feet. When I looked, Misako was stepping hard on the instep of my foot.
“Oh, I’m sorry Ren-kun. —Me, I accidentally stepped on your foot. Really, geez…”
Misako is smiling, but I feel like her eyes aren’t smiling.
“N-No… It’s fine…”
It was definitely on purpose.
Sweating coldly, I quietly averted my gaze from Misako’s slightly scary stare.