23. Popular people in the slums

I had a day off for the first time in a while.

The outside is sunny and the wind is comfortable.

Yesterday, as Lisa said, I received a bounty and an apology from the guild.

Approximately 1000 gold in quantity.

It's a lot of money that an average worker earns in a lifetime.

I no longer have to work.

But I like adventuring, and I'm sure I'll remain a little active as an adventurer.

While I was relaxing in the mansion, Fels in a maid outfit brought me a drink.

I should be familiar with it, but the cuteness is still the same.

I keep thinking she’s cute at every turn, I feel like a doting parent.

" Nigris-sama, I brought you some tea and sweets."

"Hmm? Oh, thank you."

I slept while reading a book in one hand, but got up to drink tea.

It had a sweet scent. It's not a cookie.

"Is it a rare sweet?"

"Yes. It seems that macarons are limited to 5 sweets a day in the royal capital. I wanted Nigris-sama to try them, so I spent a little money on them."

Hmm. I didn't give money to her with that intention, I want her to use it for herself. Well, I can’t complain if she bought it thinking of me.

Anyway, macaron, what a strange name.

Colorful and beautiful, but small.

"... Sweet"

It was very delicious.

I feel that if we mass-produce this and sell it, we could be rich. However, limiting the number to 5 per day means that the materials and processes to make it are very difficult.

Fels was staring at the macarons.

"You want to eat, I don't mind"

"Ah, it's bad manners to eat while standing up.”

Hmm, that's true.

There's only one chair, and I'm sitting on it.

...... Well, it’s fine.

"Then sit on my lap"

"Eh !?"

She seemed surprised and blushed while her ears twitched.

Is it something that makes her embarrassed?

I've got a steel mentality.

I know that Fels has a mental age of twelve.

"Excuse me ..."

Fels sits nervously.

Her soft buttocks could be felt through the thin fabric.

Unlike Florence, a clean scent spilled into my nostrils.

Once the macaron was in her mouth, Fels let her cheeks flush in extreme indulgement.

"Oihi ..." {TN:delish}

I turned my face away.

That face is bad! Bad in many ways!

"I'm sorry ...! I had a sloppy face."

"No, no ... it’s okay"

The more I thought about not being conscious of it, the more I was which was embarrassing.

Suddenly, I felt someone’s eyes on me.

Arisa had arrived before I knew it and was smiling at me through the doorway.

"You two seem to be getting along well~"

"Arisa, say something if you’re here ..."

She comes into the room with large luggage.

What's with the luggage?

"That's fine. I'm going to live here anyway.

"Live?”

"There's plenty of room, and I have money from the guild. Besides, even if I stay at an inn, the people in the royal capital will kick me out, saying, "We don't have any rooms to rent to Nino people”. It's really unbelievable. But the people in the slums are kind and don't discriminate, so I want to live here."

Certainly, there’s still room left.

On the contrary, there are some places that haven't even been cleaned yet.

"I'm good with it"

I'm not against Arisa's residence, but rather in favor of it.

It'll be easy to get in touch with her.

And she’s a friend.

"Ah, but Fels, you don’t like it that much, do you~? Ehh~?" (Arisa)

"Huh! It's not that I don't like it. It's just that I'd no longer be alone with Nigris-sama. ......"

"It's okay. I'm lazy, so I won't disturb you."

Arisa laughed, lifted her luggage, and left the room.

It's good to have more people and more noise.

It's too big and a little quiet.

The more crowded the better.

"Fels, let's go"

"Huh? Where are we going?

"Shopping. Arisa's going to live here. Won’t we need more food and stuff?”

"Well, that's right ...! Just the two of us, right?"

"Arisa still has to unpack."

With her back to me, Fels did a hidden guts pose.

Why is she so happy about shopping ... Oh, come to think of it, Arisa is there when we’re doing quests.

It's been a while since we went out alone.

*

There was a lot of house building going on in the slums to accommodate the residents who are now gradually increasing.

Everyone should have lived in a battered house, but what happened?

Well, when I was about to leave the slums and head for the capital, I was called out.

A carpenter?

"Ah! You’re Nigris-san right!"

"Uh, yeah ..."

He grabbed my hand and shook it with vigor.

Who is this? I don't remember shaking hands like this before.

"Thanks to your appraisal, I was removed from being a guard! I wasn't originally good at fighting, I love making things like this! You said I was dexterous, so I was assigned to a job I like! "

"Oh, oh ... you’re Florence' subordinate?"

"Thank you very much!"

We shake hands more than necessary.

...... Why are you so grateful?

It's just an ordinary appraisal and advice.

I just took it for granted.

People saw the commotion and came in droves.

"You’re Nigris-san!? Thank you for healing my husband's injuries caused by the silver wings. These are vegetables we picked at home. You can have them if you want! "

Food and tools are handed over one after another.

"I'm paid to do this so I feel guilty when people treat me well like this.”

"These are the people that Nigris-sama helped. You should accept their thanks."

Fels smiled behind me and was proud.

A little embarrassed, I frowned slightly.

Then, this time, the hem of my shirt was pulled by a little girl.

"Hey, can you use your appraisal skills and your magic to heal injuries?”

"Yes, but is anyone hurt?”

"No. Maybe onii-san cured my dad ~!"

"Your dad?"

"Yui! You can't just run off like that!"

There was a man pushing frantically through the crowd.

I've seen that man before.

"You ... you’re the thief caught by Fels"

The day Fels subdued the Red Wolf. There was a man who stole in the city. He had an injured arm and I healed him going with the flow.

Has he atoned for his crimes?

Does he live in the slums?

"You’re the brother who healed my arm ...?"

"You got out. How's your injury, are you active as an adventurer again?"

I was curious about his recent situation and asked questions, but instead of answering them, the man fell down on his knees.

The people around me fell silent.

"Thank you for healing my injury at that time! I have to thank you. I'm so sorry about that time!"

Everyone knew about the man.

I healed an injury that no one could cure.

"Recently, I've been getting a lot of thanks and apologies. You don't have to thank me.”

"I can't accept that ... I was able to resume as an adventurer thanks to your help! Really ... how can I ever repay you ... !!"

He must be very old, but he was rubbing his head on the ground in public with large tears streaming down his face.

I'm sure it was quite painful.

I'm sure this man knows no life other than being an adventurer. Therefore, not being able to use his arm, which was his lifeline, he had no choice but to steal.

To save his daughter.

The people here were smiling as if they knew about the man's injury.

"Okay, then help me clean the mansion once in a while. It's too big and I don't have enough hands."

"Oh ... that’s a small price to pay!"

Since then, the number of people continued to increase, and we’ve become unable to move.

"Onii-chan! Thank you for helping my dad!"

The girl named Yui waved her hands as she was taken home by her dad.

I thought this was the decisive difference between me and Azel.

I don't want to live a life of self-indulgence. I want to be with everyone, with my friends.

I feel that is correct.

"... We got all the food before we could buy it."

"We also got some other tools we need..."

The unexpected turn of events brought a wry smile to our faces.

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