BXBX NOVEL Chapter 10: Anzu-bou and Powdered Juice (Orange Flavor)
Chapter 10: Anzu-bou and Powdered Juice (Orange Flavor)
Upon coming to my stall this morning, Merle, who saw my face, looked worried.
[You look kind of pale, are you okay?]
[It’s because of the inn I’m staying at. There’s this guy staying next to my room called Grim Reaper, and I was so scared I couldn’t sleep well.]
[I know that guy! He’s that one with the silver mask, right?]
[Yes, him!]
He seems to be quite a celebrity.
[He’s an expert with sabers. I saw him chop up a two-meter-diameter serpent once.]
[That’s not all. I also saw him use Tier 2 Magic. I had never seen such amazing magic before.]
Mira knows about him too huh.
[Is it true what I heard about him killing a lot of adventurers?]
[I don’t know. However, I did see him beating up adventurers who picked a fight with him.]
[Same here. I’ve seen him beat up 10 adventurers in an instant.]
As expected, him being a scary fellow doesn’t change.
[Ah, a new product! Contains Monster Cards? That sounds interesting.]
[Give me one of those too.]
They both bought a pack of the new Monster Chips.
[You see the little pouch inside? There’s a card in it. You can summon the monster on the card and have them under your employment for 3 minutes.]
[Uwahh, there’s an R card, Stone Golem. It’s a good card that can be used both offensively and defensively.]
[Good for you, Mira. What about you, Merle?]
[Slime……]
As expected of Merle, the unluckiest in lottery-like items in the world.
[That’s right, Mira. Won’t you do a small part-time work for me?]
[Part-time work? What is it?]
[Well, I have another new product here, you see. However, I need you to freeze it with your magic.]
What I took out was this.
Product name: Anzu-bou
Description: Chopped anzu soaked in syrup stored in a stick-shaped bag. Eating it will give you courage.
Price: 30 rims
Anzu-bou is delicious eaten as they are, but it’s more enjoyable to eat them when frozen, feeling like you’re eating sorbet.
However, Mira apologetically bowed her head.
[I’m sorry. I can’t use Ice and Cold Magic.]
[I see. It can’t be helped then.]
[If it’s magic you want, why don’t I help you out?]
I recognized that hoarse voice.
[Gr……]
I barely swallowed the words “Grim Reaper” down my throat.
[Welcome.]
[Unnn. What should I do with magic?]
His silver mask looked straight at me.
I’m afraid of offending him though, so I asked him honestly.
[I’d like to ask you for a favor, but how can I thank you then? I don’t have much money……]
I bought a change of clothes at the market earlier, so I only have 2500 rims on hand.
[Doesn’t matter, I don’t need it.]
Cold air surged from the Grim Reaper’s hand, and all the anzu-bou instantly froze.
Just helping me out with his magic for free, Grim Reaper might actually be a good guy.
[Then, in return, please at least take a frozen anzu-bou. It’s delicious, feels like eating sherbet.]
[Unnn……]
Grim Reaper inserts the anzu-bou through the gap in his mask.
After taking a bite, he stayed silent.
Ah, this is bad, did he not like it?
[Sell me ten.]
It seems like he liked it.
Feeling relieved, I sold him 10 anzu-bou for 300 rims.
I thought he was going to leave after that, but he sat down in front of the stall and started picking out through the dagashi.
It’s just my hunch, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.
Even though his long black cape was touching the ground, he was looking at the sweets without care.
His presence here made it difficult for other customers to come by, but it’s not like I can complain either.
[Well then, we will also be excusing ourselves.]
[Later~~]
Mira and Merle also left as if they were running away.
The other regulars also quickly left for the dungeon.
As long as the Grim Reaper was around, other customers would probably not come this morning.
I mean, even the adventurers, who seemed to be seasoned veterans, made a huge detour when they recognized the Grim Reaper being here.
◇
Even though I had the anzu-bou frozen, it thawed out in the evening.
If I continue leveling up, will I be able to get refrigerators and freezers?
Come to think of it, the dagashi shop I went to back then had refrigerators with glass walls on all four sides.
Now that I’ve taken on a new life as a dagashi shopowner, I’d like to have something like that with drinks lined up.
[Heeeey! I’d like to draw in the pop rocket lottery again.]
One of the regular customers came in.
It was time for people to come out of the dungeon, but I feel like they’re more sparse than usual.
[There aren’t many people here today.]
[Yeah, heard there’s been a sighting of the witch down there for the first time in a while. I wonder if the higher ranks are tracking her down? Ohh, 3rd prize.]
[Congratulations. Here, three small pop rockets.]
[Since I drew three pop rockets, I think I’ll get myself a juice and a magical whistle candy. Do you have any powdered juice left?]
[If it’s the flavors other than pineapple, yes.]
[I’ll have one strawberry and one melon-flavored juice then!]
Recently, pop rockets, magical whistle candies, and juices have been very popular.
After drinking the juices that reduce MP consumption (15 minutes) and increase EXP gain by 1.2 times (10 minutes), the young people use the magical whistle candy to draw monsters and then use the pop rockets to exterminate them.
This set-up costs about 120 rims.
The 100-rim Monster Chips also have good responses.
.
Although they are more expensive than other products, the monster cards are also practical and they tickle collectors’ fancy.
The unit price of all products is fixed, but since the cost price is low, I’m still making a good profit.
At this rate, I should be able to graduate from the Bottakuro by the end of the week.
Then, I could move to a more secure inn or even rent an apartment.
As I had such thoughts in mind, I couldn’t help being lost in thought.
When I can afford it, I would like to have a decent life, and if possible, a girlfriend……
If I were to bring her back to my place, it really would have to be an apartment…… Dehehe.
[Oi.]
As expected though, if I were to be asked what my preference was, it has to be the slit-eyed knight.
Even after being transported to this world, this hasn’t changed.
I mean, in my previous life, I could only see slit-eyed knights from cosplayers, but if I looked for that person in this world, she should be here somewhere.
[Oi.]
She would usually have this easy-going personality, but she’s surprisingly passionate in bed……
[Oi!]
[Uwaahh!?]
When I came to, I found the Grim Reaper squatting in front of me, looking towards me.
[W- Welcome, Grim Reaper-san.]
Ah, sh*t! I accidentally slipped up……
[Who the heck’s a Grim Reaper? My name is Mi……]
[Mi?]
[Minerva……]
I thought he was going to kill me, but he didn’t, as he simply held out an item in front of me.
[I’ll have this.]
The item Minerva held out was an orange-flavored powdered juice.
This is a juice that is supposed to remove the poison in your body.
Speaking of which, Minerva’s clothes were covered in dirt and there were noticeable cuts on his body.
[You buying the orange-flavored juice…… Were you poisoned?]
[It’s no big deal……]
Even though he said that, the scruff of his neck looked ghastly pale.
That seems like a pretty big deal to me.
I dissolved the juice in a cup and gave it to Minerva.
I wonder if it was because we shared a dorachoco together?
I felt like I couldn’t leave her alone.
[Now, drink this.]
[………………..]
Seemingly savoring the flavor of the juice, Minerva drank slowly.
I put two packs in that single cup and made it a little thicker.
[How is it? Did the detoxifying effect work?]
[Unnn……]
Arehh? Didn’t her voice sound a little high-pitched just now?
[I- I’m alright. Gehok, gehok……]
Nope, as expected, her voice was as hoarse as usual.
[I’ll come visit again.]
Saying this, Minerva paid and disappeared into the crowd.
When he was completely out of sight, something crossed my mind.
…………Wait a moment, isn’t Minerva a woman’s name?
Or perhaps, was it just different here in this world?
Translator’s Notes:
Anzu-bou: あんず棒 / Apricot Sticks
