Kays Translations

Chapter 53

The next day, we were finally scheduled to be shown some properties, so we started preparing to head to the Pigeon Trading Company.

However, Melt looked sleep-deprived and had faint dark circles under her eyes.

Apparently, she “was too excited to fall asleep.”

“I mean… it’s a house, right? Our own… well, technically it’s yours, Same.”

“Melt, can I talk to you for a sec?”

It’s time to make things clear.

I’m not just someone “taking care of Melt.”

We live together, we’re always together. We’re family now.

“It’s our home. A house for you and me—our house. You’re not a freeloader or just a work partner. We live together, we travel together, we work together. I already think of you as family. I have nowhere else to return to in this world. No one else I could even call family. You’re the only one, Melt. The only person I, Shizuma, can truly open my heart to and tell everything.”

That’s how I truly feel—without any pretense.

“I’m… your family? Is it really okay… for it to be me?”

“Because you were there, Melt… I didn’t lose my way. Honestly, I do like this world, but I couldn’t bring myself to truly trust anyone else. I was constantly suspicious. But being with you made me realize—it’s okay to trust someone. It’s okay to work hard for someone else.”

“But I’m the one who’s always receiving. Even when you say you’ve gotten so much from me, I feel like I’m the one who’s been given everything. And I don’t mean money or clothes or food. I lost everything—my family, my home, my people—and you’re the one trying to give those things back to me. I can tell.”

“I’m not trying to just give them to you—I want us to share them. So you don’t have to feel guilty about anything. The reason we’re going to the trading company now is to choose a place for both of us to come home to. I want you to understand that too, Melt.”

“…Same, give me your hand.”

Melt looked down and held out her hand, like she was asking for a handshake, so I took it.

Then she started intertwining our fingers in a curious, almost ritualistic way.

It wasn’t quite like holding hands as lovers—it looked more like she was forming a sign or symbol with her fingers.

“It’s a family ritual. A custom of us Silver Fox tribe. Our people used to be nomads, and we’d take in abandoned children to slowly grow the tribe. This is what we’d do—it’s a ‘welcome to the family’ ritual.”

“Oh… so I’m part of the tribe now?”

“That makes you my new family, Same. I’m happy… I never thought I’d have a family again.”

I’ve only ever heard her talk about her grandmother.

I don’t know what happened to her parents. Maybe they died during the dungeon creation—or perhaps even earlier.

But if she’s calling me her new family, that must mean she doesn’t have anyone else.

…No need to ask. If she’s smiling so genuinely right now, that’s all that matters.

“Alright! Let’s head to the Pigeon Trading Company! I’m so excited to see what kind of house it’ll be!”

“Yeah! Let’s hope we find a great place.”

“Melt, there’s no need to rush. The trading company’s not going anywhere.”

“I—I know! But still! I’m just so excited! I wonder what the kitchen will be like? Will there be a bath? If there’s a river nearby, that’s fine too! I’ll build a bath myself if I have to!”

“Hahaha… yeah, I’m excited to see what kind of place it’ll be too.”

As I chased after Melt, who was practically skipping through the commercial district, we turned into the alley where the trading company headquarters should be.

But then—we were greeted by a totally unexpected sight.

The building that housed the Pigeon Trading Company…

Its doors were wide open, and the company office that was supposed to be inside had completely vanished, leaving behind an empty, spacious room.

Now that I think about it, I did see people moving things out of there yesterday…

“Same… they ran away! The Pigeon Trading Company ran off!”

“Wha—no, I don’t think that’s what happened.”

“Now, now! That’s quite the rumor you’re starting, Melt-san!”

“Ginya!?”

Melt let out a weird sound.

No—not the point. Someone suddenly spoke up from behind us.

Turning around, we saw the company president standing there.

“Actually, I’ve been waiting for you here. Thanks to the incident the other day, we made a hefty profit, so we decided to move our headquarters. It’s just across the street, though.”

“Oh yeah… I did see people moving stuff out the other day.”

“Yes, it was all quite sudden. We had to act quickly to secure the new property. The buildings in this area are extremely popular, you see. Lots of companies want to expand here.”

“I see… So you spotted it while helping me search for a property and snatched it up recently?”

“Haha, you caught me. The old place was getting a bit cramped anyway—even though it was relatively new.”

Come to think of it, I think Melt almost said something like that when we first visited.

“Well, things are still a bit hectic inside, so let’s go ahead and visit the first property. We’ll start with one in the lower district.”

We rode a shared carriage with the company president and were guided through the city, heading to a part of the lower district we didn’t usually go near.

This was because, although the city had gates in four directions, the areas far from those gates were typically reserved for long-term residents and contract farmers—ordinary citizens.

Just as we requested, it wasn’t facing a main street and had low foot traffic.

Rather than a typical residential neighborhood, it was a tightly packed area of larger, apartment-style buildings.

“Wow… all the buildings are so big. These are called ‘apartments,’ right? It feels like a whole clan is living together—such a lively street!”

“Yeah, you can really feel the presence of people. It’s vibrant—full of life.”

“Indeed. There are more single-family homes deeper in, so let’s check out the first one there.”

So there are standalone houses too.

We followed his lead and soon arrived at a neighborhood that—while not exactly quiet—felt a bit more peaceful.

Most houses weren’t made of wood but had brick reinforced with wood, giving them a solid, sturdy appearance.

They seemed somewhat aged, but well-maintained. You could tell they cared about keeping up the neighborhood’s appearance.

“Here we are. It’s located near the edge of the residential area, close to the city’s outer wall. As you can see, the yard is a bit small, but it has a well. Let’s go inside.”

The house had a yellowish-brown roof and beige brick walls.

It was cozy, but for two people, it felt more than spacious enough.

Inside, sunlight poured through well-placed windows, lighting up the kitchen warmly.

The furniture was already provided, but we could always replace things if needed.

“This is the first property. It’s managed by the Craftsman Guild. It was built by a carpenter as part of a certification exam. You’ll notice many similar homes in this area—most of them were built for the same reason and are now inhabited by craftsmen or some adventurers. The area is quite safe. The only downside is the wall next door—it can block sunlight during certain times of day.”

“I see… The size feels just right. Not too much foot traffic either. The kitchen… might need a few upgrades.”

“Hmm… it’s probably perfect for just the two of us! Though yeah, the sunlight might be a little inconvenient.”

“Indeed, but the price is quite reasonable. If you pay in cash, it’s 30 large gold coins.”

Ah, it really is quite cheap. A standalone house for 1.5 million? That’s tempting.

Still, we’ve got plenty of funds right now. It wouldn’t hurt to be a little more ambitious.

“Please don’t worry, we’re just showing properties across a range of prices. We also have better ones, and even some very high-end listings.”

“Oh… Honestly, it’s really helpful to see all the housing options, learn about the city’s economy, and get a feel for the local residents.”

“Hehe, as expected of you, Same-san. You truly understand the value of information. I’m so glad we met.”

“I feel the same way, truly. I couldn’t have asked for a better connection, President.”

Seriously, if I hadn’t met this man in Golda, who knows where I’d be now…

He’s basically a benefactor to me. Not that I’d ever say it out loud—he’s a bit scary when you let your guard down.

“Me too, me too! I’m really glad I met you too, President!”

“Haha, you’re making me blush.”

And with that, we headed off to the next property.

“Goodness, perhaps I should’ve prepared the company carriage instead of using a public one. Anyway, here we are—this is the next property.”

“Wow! What a beautiful house!”

“This place… was it maybe someone’s second home?”

The next house was located in a middle-upper district, between the mid and upper tiers of the city—an area where fairly wealthy people live.

Apparently, many residents here are high-ranking merchants or officials, not quite nobles, but people with status.

Some of the homes belong to adventurers or scholars who wanted a calm base of operations, or were gifted by nobles to help their children start independent lives.

Perhaps it’s for students attending the academy?

Looking around, I saw several young people in matching uniforms.

And a few well-equipped adventurers, too.

“Oh… so those are academy students.”

“Interested, Melt?”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t! I wonder what kind of things they teach these days, what kinds of subjects they study…”

“I see. Intellectual curiosity, huh?”

“P-Probably? Do I sound smart right now?”

“Haha, I do think you’re smart, Melt-san.”

The house in question had a beautiful, artistic exterior, just like Melt said.

The outer walls formed a mosaic-like pattern using various colored bricks.

Some pillars had relief carvings, and in the garden stood a… gazebo, I think?

It had good sunlight, and the neighborhood seemed safe. Judging by the exterior alone, the house looked spacious.

Once inside, the first thing that caught my eye was the sunlight pouring in from a skylight.

It gave a sense of openness and brightened the whole room. A really nice vibe.

“It’s a lovely house! The sunlight’s great, and even the magic lighting fixtures are impressive!”

“Yes, the furnishings were selected with great care. All the furniture is built-in and custom-made to match the house. There’s also a bath in the back.”

Heading further in, we found a large, tiled bath—not open-air, but spacious.

A mosaic mural of white birds flying across a blue sky decorated the wall.

…Yeah, this place definitely gives off a noble’s second home kind of vibe.

“The bath! It’s wonderful! There’s plenty of space to wash, and I can stretch out my tail while I clean it!”

Melt said that as she sat down in the bath, stretching out her fluffy tail to its full length.

…Yeah, I kind of want to touch it. It looks like it’d lather up really well.

“This property’s conditions are excellent. Plenty of rooms, too.”

“Indeed. But of course, the price is a bit high, and there may be competition. As you can see, it’s very high quality, and many nobles want to buy it for their children.”

“Ah… I figured as much.”

Honestly, I think we could win the bidding. But I’m not sure the location is worth the effort.

While it’s a quiet neighborhood, there’s still a fair amount of foot traffic. And the residents themselves could be problematic.

We might end up being scrutinized—after all, the area includes nobles’ children and elite adventurers.

“What do you think, Same? It’s a wonderful house, but maybe a bit too luxurious? The bath is tempting though!”

“Yeah… I think we’ll put a pin in it for now. Let’s look at the others first.”

“Understood. In that case, next I’ll show you houses just outside the city—in nearby farming villages, or on the outskirts of the lower district’s agricultural area. Since they’re a bit farther, let’s return to the company and take our own carriage.”

“Sorry to be a bother.”

“Not at all! I planned to spend the entire day showing you properties anyway.”

And so, we returned to the starting point—Pigeon Company—by public carriage once again.

We had just arrived back at Pigeon Company, and the president was about to prepare the carriage when it happened.

Suddenly, the door to the company burst open, and a young employee I’d seen a few times before came rushing out in a panic.

“President! Thank goodness you’re back!”

“Oh my, what’s the matter? You seem flustered.”

“W-Well, someone just came claiming to be a messenger from the royal palace… and they gave us this…”

The employee handed over a piece of paper.

What is it? Some sort of troubling document from the castle?

“T-This is… Could it be… some kind of connection…?”

“Um, we’re still in the middle of property tours, right? If possible, I think we should prioritize that…”

“Hmm… Fortunately, we haven’t decided on a property yet… Very well. The fact that they chose to leave this in our hands at this timing must mean that kind of thing. Thank you for informing me.”

“N-No, not at all! Please take care out there!”

It looked like the President and the employee had a serious exchange. Did something urgent come in from the castle?

“President, if something important just came up, we don’t mind ending the tour for today.”

“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll explain the situation at the next property. We’ll be changing plans slightly—I’ll show you a different place.”

“Hmm… Understood.”

What on earth is going on…?

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter