Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 84: Arc Lab ⑥
A mysterious pure white mist hung in a strange white space.
This is my third time here.
Not that I want to come.
In the middle of the space stood a woman.
Hair that shimmered all the way down past her waist.
Mysterious silver eyes.
She wore layer upon layer of sacred-looking robes, and smiled with the grace of an otherworldly beauty.
Her radiance somehow glinted like a blade—
no, actually, it was a blade.
She was the Knife Goddess.
“…Um, so, is this… again—”
(You’ve finally done it.)
“…Huh?”
Her distinct, beautiful voice rang directly in my heart, and I blinked in confusion.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
(You’ve finally gone and done it.)
In a voice overflowing with benevolence, she said something outrageous.
“W-wait, hold on, huh? Tenth one? What? Huh? Wha—?”
The Knife Goddess nodded at my flustered reaction.
Why did she look almost pleased?
(Thank you for waiting. This is the tenth.)
She beamed at me. No, no, no.
“Wait, no, no, no— I have absolutely no memory of that! You didn’t mess up again, did you?”
She has a record, after all!
(How rude. I don’t make the same mistake twice.)
The Knife Goddess puffed her cheeks in indignation.
But seriously, I have no clue… Huh?
I have all my knives. I even sharpened them tonight!
“Thing is, I have no idea what you mean.”
(Today, you walked through a dim underground passage with a girl, didn’t you?)
“Y-yeah.”
(Lewd.)
“No! That’s not what it was!”
Absolutely not! What is this goddess even saying?
(At that time, do you recall stepping on something?)
“Oh—yeah, now that you mention it, I did step on a piece of wood.”
So what?
(There was a knife underneath it.)
“…Uh—well, a knife wouldn’t break just from stepping on it—”
(It was a battered, rust-covered knife. When you stepped on it, it snapped.)
“… … …”
(That was your tenth.)
“… … … … … …”
How on earth was I supposed to know that?!
“Wait, seriously… a knife?”
(Yes. Your tenth.)
“…I feel like this is dangerously close to entrapment…”
(Wof, it was fate. Accept it.)
“…Still—”
(Wof, I understand what you want to say. It may indeed feel like some sort of trap or setup. But I did nothing. I didn’t trick you. It was fate. While walking through that dim underground passage with a girl, it was fate that you stepped on a rusted, broken knife and snapped it.)
“…”
That’s the worst fate ever.
(It’s over now. It’s done, Wof.)
There’s no point resisting.
I gave up.
“…Fine. I’ll acknowledge it.”
(Yes. That’s good.)
“So… what kind of penalty are we talking about?”
Might as well get it over with.
(Penalty? There’s no such thing.)
“…Huh?”
(This isn’t a punishment.)
“…Uh… well, I wish you’d led with that.”
Though, even then, breaking it still wouldn’t be okay.
(That doesn’t mean you should break them.)
“Yes, sorry.”
I apologized.
(As long as you understand. Now then, to commemorate your tenth, I present you with this.)
Don’t call it a commemoration.
The Knife Goddess handed me… a knife.
A beautiful knife, pure white like angel wings.
“Th-this is…”
(It’s the Knife Goddess’s protective knife. Aside from being easy to use, it’s an ordinary knife. Use it for everyday purposes.)
“Ah… thank you.”
I ended up accepting it.
(Next, I’ll grant you the Relic [Knife Goddess’s Blessing (Small)].)
“A r-relic…?”
I instinctively tensed.
The Knife Goddess closed her eyes, placed two fingers against her pale pink lips—
and then, with a wink, blew me a kiss.
“Uh—eh?”
Then she returned to her usual serene stance as if nothing happened.
(Done. This relic’s effect is: all knives you use will become just a little more durable, and their sharpness will increase just a little.)
“…Um, that just now—”
(That’s all.)
“No, but that just now—”
(That’s all.)
“…O-okay.”
Her sheer presence left no room for argument, so I dropped it.
(Let’s meet again after you break five more.)
“No, no, I’m not bowing out.”
(We’ll meet again soon.)
“I said, I’m not bowing out.”
“‘Soon’? That’s a bit rude.”
(I almost forgot to say goodbye. Here—this is for you.)
The Knife Goddess handed me something—a marble swirled with white and purple.
“What’s this?”
It was soft and squishy.
(Give that to Dagaa.)
“To Dagaa?”
(Until we meet again.)
I’d really rather not meet again…
The Knife Goddess vanished, and I woke up.
In my hand was that same white-and-purple marble.
“Na?”
“Morning…”
“Na?”
Dagaa’s eyes were fixed on the marble in my hand.
Like a cat, he batted it around with his nose, then—gulp—swallowed it whole.
“Hey—wait!”
Then a voice spoke.
“Good morning, Wof.”
“Uh… g-good morning…”
I nearly jumped—there was a girl’s back in front of me.
She turned around. It was Mineha.
She was dressed casually, wearing an apron, her flaxen hair tied into a ponytail, honey-colored eyes fixed on me.
“I’m making breakfast. Want some?”
“Y-yes, please.”
“Today’s tomato soup, tomato and bean salad, fried bread with beans, and sliced bacon.”
Breakfast. A proper breakfast. I felt a wave of indescribable emotion.
Mineha tilted her head.
“What is it?”
“Uh… oh, where’s Haiyaan?”
“That perverted rabbit?”
She gave a cold glance toward a closed jar. Apparently, he was in there.
“What did he do?”
“He suddenly hugged me.”
“Ah.”
“What is with that rabbit?”
She was clearly irritated—and rightly so. Sexual harassment against a ten-year-old is an execution-worthy offense.
“…No idea.”
I sighed, dragged the rabbit out of the jar, and scolded him.
He claimed he’d forgotten she was ten—but that’s not the point.
When the food was ready, we served it up and ate.
Using my bed as a chair was something we were used to…
…but that was back when Mineha was small in her fairy form.
Now she sat beside me as a girl taller than me, a faint sweet citrus scent in the air.
“Wof. What are you doing today?”
“Uh, heading to the guild.”
I figured I’d ask when the dungeon would open this week.
Still, there were only three days left—next week for sure.
“I see. And you, Mineha?”
“…Do you hate clingy women, Wof?”
“Eh? That’s sudden…”
Her serious, unwavering gaze made my heart skip a beat.
“…I just can’t forget… no matter what.”
She murmured, eyes down, voice trembling with tears.
Then she smiled, wiping her eyes, and said she’d head to Blacksmith Street.
I couldn’t say a word.
After eating and getting ready, I went to the guild—Haiyaan and Dagaa tagging along for some reason.
Still… was Dagaa really okay after eating something so suspicious?
Well, he was something suspicious himself.
Also, a beautiful knife shaped like pure white wings now hung at my belt.
“Oh? Nice knife. When’d you buy it?”
Haiyaan asked.
“…In a dream.”
“Huh?”
“Ah—never mind. We’re here, but… what’s going on?”
“Hmm? Sounds noisy.”
In front of the three-story, dignified-looking building before the statue of the hero—the Hydrangea Branch of the Adventurers’ Guild—a crowd of adventurers had gathered, shouting.
“Hey! This is bullshit!”
“Postponed indefinitely? No one told us that!”
“Did the investigation team even do their job?!”
“Explain yourselves!”
“You’d better take responsibility for our private contracts!”
“What the hell is going on?!”
The yelling was so loud it sounded like debt collectors at work.
“What happened?”
“Dunno…”
Strange. The guild’s doors were shut, like it was closed for the day.
Maybe that’s why everyone was outside yelling.
Better ask someone.
I approached a man.
“Excuse me—what happened?”
“Huh? Oh, kid. Get lost.”
Brushed off. I tried someone else.
“What’s going on?”
“Hm? Oh. Kid.”
“I may look like this, but I’m an adventurer.”
I showed my tag. The man sighed and explained.
“The dungeon. The city dungeon. It was supposed to open this week, but they suddenly postponed it indefinitely.”
“What…? The reason?”
“Beats me. That’s why everyone’s pissed. We were told this week, but there’s no explanation we can accept. And to top it off, they just slapped a notice on the door and shut the guild. What the hell?”
“…You’re kidding me.”
No way. Not at this timing.
Haiyaan and I exchanged glances—both of us looking almost hopeless.
This is the worst.
There’s no way to fix this—
…No.
There is a way.