In the border town of Kyogai in the Kingdom of Karlsen, Yukitaka and Iris spent a few days.
During that time, they ran some tests on Yukitaka's belongings and learned a few things.
That is, all of Yukitaka's belongings seemed to be Divine Artifacts.
The reason was that Iris tried to lightly scratch all of Yukitaka's belongings with a blade, and it was impossible.
Still, even if they could confirm they were Divine Artifacts, they did not know in detail what kind of abilities were granted to them.
So far, this is what they had learned.
=== YUKITAKA'S BELONGINGS ===
+ Suit | sturdy. No wrinkles. Restores him when he sleeps in it. Never gets dirty. Can transform.
+ Glasses | LOST, not on hand, so untested. Could do Appraisal.
+ Handbag | sturdy. Has magic storage.
+ Umbrella | sturdy. Makes shockwaves and gusts as a weapon. Catches the wind and flies.
+ Mask, set of three | sturdy. Blocks all smells. Breathing stays easy.
+ Business Backpack | sturdy.
+ Leather shoes | sturdy. Transformation function, probably. Never tires, even on a long walk.
+ White shirt | sturdy. No laundry needed. Seems to keep the body clean too.
+ Necktie | sturdy. Stretches when he wills it, so it could be a restraint tool.
+ License | sturdy. Changes into an ID for this world.
+ Underwear | sturdy. Keeps things clean?
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Other belongings were the same in being sturdy, so it seemed they would need to use them going forward and test their abilities.
And the most important thing was that other people could not use them.
Yukitaka had given one mask to Iris, but she could use it because Yukitaka approved it.
Other items, even when handed to Iris and having her try to use them, did not work, so there seemed to be almost no risk of misuse by others.
"It's the most grateful thing that they can't be misused. But there's still something I'm worried about."
Yukitaka shared his unease with Iris.
Iris tilted her head. "Something you're worried about?"
"Yeah. What happens to ownership of my belongings if I die," Yukitaka turned a cup slowly in his hands. "I think there will definitely be people who learn about these Divine Artifacts and think about that. But of course, I don't want to die either, so I can't test that."
By confirming that the Divine Artifacts were exclusive to him, Yukitaka ended up worrying about what happened when he died.
"Tee hee. You're thinking about the people around you too, aren't you," Iris smiled. "I can't promise, but at that time, I'll throw them underground or figure out some way to dispose of them."
Iris, who had been helping with the tests, showed a sincere attitude toward Yukitaka.
After that, about a month passed.
During that time, Iris found and completed quests she could do alone as an adventurer, and Yukitaka accompanied her, helped, and learned various things.
Thanks to that, he had gained a great deal of knowledge as an adventurer.
Still, Yukitaka had not yet registered as an adventurer.
The reason was that he did not feel the need to go out of his way to take the risk and register.
Yukitaka had a perfect ID that his License had transformed into.
Also, he was strong enough that he would not have trouble living without going out of his way to become an adventurer, so Iris had advised him that he did not need to do anything that would leave a trail.
So, while helping Iris with her quests, he hunted monsters and sold them to a buyer, and his life was becoming stable.
Then one day.
Iris came back to the inn with a serious face.
She had just been doing something separately from Yukitaka because she had business at the adventurer guild.
"What's wrong?" Yukitaka looked up from his stew.
Even after a month of acting together, the two still used polite speech.
"...It's a personal problem," Iris hesitated at the door. "Will you listen to me?"
Iris hesitated to speak at first, but changed her mind and decided to consult Yukitaka.
The content was about her comrades in Platinum Fang, the team she had been in up to the Dungeon.
It seemed they had made it out that Iris acted on her own in the Dungeon and then died after being attacked by monsters when she ran away alone.
And they had apparently monopolized all the rights to information about the unexplored Dungeon for themselves.
Furthermore, claiming it was Iris's will, they had recently taken her account, which she had opened, for themselves on the grounds that they were her team comrades.
She had heard adventurers from the Kingdom of Thordein side, who had come across the border, talking about it.
"...Let's go back," Yukitaka said it quietly, but firmly.
Yukitaka understood Iris's feelings, so he made a proposal to push her forward.
"...You're right. If things stay like this, my existence will be erased, so I think I'll go back once and confront them," Iris lifted her head. "Mr. Goto, thank you for everything up to now."
With a serious expression and determination in her heart, Iris said words of farewell to Yukitaka.
"What are you saying? I'm going too," Yukitaka was already on his feet.
Iris blinked. "Eh? But..."
"Ha ha ha. I have a perfect ID, you know? If I use it, it's possible to impersonate someone and enter the Kingdom of Thordein."
Yukitaka pointed at the mask.
"But you can't fool people's eyes. Once your face is remembered, if a problem happens, there's a risk that Mr. Goto's identity will be exposed."
Even at a time like this, Iris tried to refuse while worrying about Yukitaka.
"Hahaha," Yukitaka grinned. "Actually, yesterday, I learned a new way to use this."
Yukitaka confidently took out the mask he had also given to Iris and showed it.
Iris tilted her head. "A mask?"
Yukitaka saw Iris's face with a question mark on it, and as if to say seeing is believing, he put on the mask.
Then the white mask's color changed to skin color, and not only that, its shape changed and it disappeared.
No, it did not just disappear. Yukitaka's face itself had become the face of an unknown man.
"Eh...!" Iris stepped back.
Iris noticed that fact a little late and was surprised.
"Amazing, right? Masks can hide your features, so in that world a lot of people used them conveniently. But as if derived from that, this mask seems to have the ability to change the face itself."
Yukitaka enjoyed Iris's surprised face, then took off the mask and showed his original face again.
"Such an ability. But if that's the case, then there's no problem even if Mr. Goto's identity is disguised," Iris's hands clenched. "Mr. Goto, will you lend me your help?"
"Gladly!" Yukitaka said, and it was not even a question.
Because Iris had gained a reliable ally, her tense expression finally changed to one of relief.
Trivia:
- The mask's ability to change the user's face is the same transformation function listed for the suit and leather shoes, suggesting all the divine artifacts share a connected upgrade path.
- Iris's old team chose to erase her rather than just abandon her, meaning they needed her legally dead to claim both the dungeon rights and her account, which hints at how much money was involved.
- Yukitaka's worry about ownership after death shows he already assumes the artifacts outlive him, which quietly sets up the idea that they can be passed on under the right conditions.
Notes:
• Yukitaka - A salaryman caught up in a Hero summoning who now lives in the Kingdom of Karlsen and travels under the alias Lance Fais, using his commuter gear's transformation into exclusive Divine Artifacts to change his appearance and identity, produce valid identification, and store items through Magic Storage, while helping Iris with quests and valuing their friendship.
• Iris - A Gold-Rank Adventurer from the Kingdom of Thordein who possesses the Sage Skill and formerly belonged to Platinum Fang, a Silver-Rank team, before being betrayed by her teammates, presumed dead, and stripped of her account; after Yukitaka saved her from monsters, she began traveling with him, remaining a skilled, sincere, polite, and considerate companion who recently learned Magic Storage and looks out for his safety.
• Goto - Family name of Yukitaka Goto. He is a former ordinary salaryman from Earth who was caught up in a Hero summoning and lacked combat experience, but his commuter gear became unique Divine Artifacts, including a wallet that functions as identification and a bag with Magic Storage, allowing him to travel freely with Iris.