The first restaurant that caught my eye was Sky. We all filed in.
Oh no! They're barefoot! I should have had them get some shoes first. Their bare feet made a squelching sound against the floor, and I felt myself blushing. Well, the staff didn't say anything, so I figured it was fine.
We took our seats at a long table for five.
"Hey! Five of the lunch specials, please!"
I shouted toward the back, where the staff was hidden.
"Sure thing!"
A cheerful plump woman peeked out from the kitchen and responded. It felt nice.
"Got it. Five of today's set meal coming right up."
The woman skillfully carried five plates back to our table.
"I'll bring the soup and bread right away," she said, setting the plates down before returning to the kitchen.
On the plate, there was something resembling a hamburger and something that looked like potatoes. A basket filled with wooden knives, forks, and spoons sat on the table, and I handed them out to everyone. An auntie returned carrying a tray laden with soup and expertly cradling a basket overflowing with round rolls.
"Feel free to take as much bread as you want. If you run out, don't hesitate to let me know," she said before heading back.
"Just so you know, everyone, don't hold back when eating," I added.
The four of them quietly began to eat. Normally, this would be the moment for everyone to say "Itadakimasu" together, but that could wait. They had already enjoyed skewers earlier, and while the food didn't seem particularly tasty to me, it clearly delighted the slave girls, who were happily devouring their meals. Despite the silence, there was something endearing about the scene.
As I dipped bread into the soup and brought it to my mouth, I thought about what needed to come next. First, I had to buy some essentials for them. Then, a place to stay. Once I saved a bit more money, I wanted a house to serve as our base.
Watching the children immerse themselves in their meal made me fidgety, so I decided to pull out the stack of purchase certificates from the slave trading company. I retrieved them from my item box, glancing at each one. I wondered if pulling parchment from seemingly nowhere surprised the kids a bit, but they were too engrossed in their food to notice.
There was a girl with a leg condition named Iona. She was twelve years old, older than she looked. I decided now was the time to help her heal.
From my item box, I created a healing potion, determined to make it a bit better than the ones I had crafted before. At the very least, it would be an improvement over the level 3 potion I had made initially.
"Hey, Iona," I said, "I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, but try this potion. It should help your legs."
As I handed her the vial, she froze, holding it in her hand. The other three stared, equally surprised, looking from Iona to me. Encouraging her again, I urged Iona to drink the potion. With a deep breath, she opened the bottle, closed her eyes, and downed it in one go. It didn't seem like that big of a deal.
Perhaps because she swallowed it so quickly, Iona struggled to catch her breath for a moment. Finally composed, I prompted her, "Stand up and take a few steps."
She rose from the chair and took one step, then another. Her legs moved normally.
"Master! My legs! They're straightening out and moving freely. It feels like a dream! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, tears brimming in her eyes.
Hearing this filled me with relief. It would've been embarrassing if I had promised healing and failed.
The remaining three girls seemed quite surprised.
"Are you really rich enough to casually use an expensive high heel potion on a slave?" asked the girl with the black bob.
"No, that last potion was one I made myself. Believe it or not, I'm an alchemist," I said, striking a proud pose.
"Wow, you're a renowned alchemist!" exclaimed the girl with shoulder-length blonde hair, nodding knowingly.
"As expected of you, Master!" chimed in the girl with brown twin-tails, also nodding in agreement.
These three girls have great energy; they really know how to play along.
Iona's leg has healed, but these three likely lived in unsanitary conditions, which means they could carry some kind of illness or even parasites.
So, I said, "You should drink this too, just in case."
I went back to my alchemy workshop and created three more of the same healing potions to hand to them.
"Eh!?" they all exclaimed in unison.
"I'm serious; you might be sick, so just drink it."
They exchanged glances but ultimately downed the potions.
"Do you feel any different? Lighter, or anything?"
"Well, Master, I can't say for sure, but my stomach feels oddly lighter. And I think I have more energy," the girl with the black bob replied, with the other two nodding in agreement. It seems they might have had parasites after all. Regardless, now we can all feel a bit more at ease.
Thinking about it, I might also be suffering from some illness, so I decided to drink a healing potion. Until now, I had no idea what the potion looked like, but after pouring a bit of the remaining liquid from the bottom of the Sky-blue vial into my palm, I discovered it was a deep blue color.
"That's how it is. After we finish eating, we'll go buy your daily necessities and personal items, so think about what you need," I said.
By the way, according to the purchase certificate, the girl with the black bob is Eva, 14; the one with long blonde hair is Olivia, 14; and the girl with brown twin tails is Kiria, 12. Additionally, it seems all four of them have a basic understanding of arithmetic and reading. It's a relief that they had at least some education.
Finally, our meal came to an end. The four of them had eaten a considerable amount of bread, even going back for seconds from the bread basket.
I felt grateful to the woman who served us without a word despite bringing such a typical group, and I left a bit more money on the table as payment before departing the dining hall.
Next, it was off to the general store.
We quickly found a shop that seemed to sell a mix of household goods and clothing. I told the kids to choose their shoes, underwear, and outerwear, insisting they should buy those essentials.
"Don't forget to get extras. And there are other necessities, too. Make sure you remember what girls might need. Also, towels are a must."
"Am I your mother?"
I had stocked up on a few Wooden Boxes. Starting tomorrow, I'll be filling them with potions to sell to the alchemist guild.
The children arrived with shopping carts brimming with shoes, clothes, underwear, cups, and all sorts of things. After paying at the counter, I stuffed their purchases into each of their Wooden Boxes before we left the store. By the way, the Silver Coin I just handed over was a fake. Well, I doubt anyone will notice.
"Master, you really are wealthy!" exclaimed Eva.
"Master is a renowned alchemist and certainly rich. It makes sense," added Olivia.
"As expected of you, Master!" chimed Kiria.
These kids are sweet talkers, getting along so well. Even though they are just little girls, flattery lifts my spirits.
But for some reason, Iona wore a slightly awkward expression.
I considered reorganizing the children's belongings in my item box, but they all held their Wooden Boxes tightly, so I let them carry their own things. I only stored the extra Wooden Boxes in my item box.
With the shopping done, I decided to search for a recommended inn I had heard about from the adventurer's guild while walking.
Look, I found it right away. Isn't that convenient? Wandering around without finding a place would serve no purpose, but due to space constraints... Ahem.
Well, you understand, right? It's adult business.
I've arrived at the recommended inn. I booked two rooms for a week, paying in advance. It seemed quite expensive, but given that it includes meals for both rooms, it's probably reasonable. Plus, I used that money.
Both rooms accommodate two people, but the kids will share one room since there are four of them. The host has things to take care of, so he'll use the other room alone.
Since they're children, it's fine for two of them to sleep in a single bed.
The kids' luggage is still in a Wooden Box, which has become their makeshift dresser.
Before I forget, I prepared healing potions for tomorrow and stored them in the Wooden Box.
Twelve rows across and ten rows down.
A total of one hundred and twenty potions fit in one box.
That's more than a hundred, so I'm sure they'll buy them.
I made another box of potions specifically for the Adventurer's Guild.
While I was preparing the second box,
*Ding!*
*Your alchemy skill has reached a certain level. You have received 1 skill point.*
Name: Zenjiro Iwanaga
Age: 27
Profession: Alchemist
Skills: Alchemy: Level Max, Item Box: Level Max, Staff Technique: Level 3, Appraisal
Skill Points: 83 (hidden)
I didn't know that skill points could increase like this, but now I see how it works. Gaining skill points is definitely a blessing.
I finished making a total of 120 potions for the second box. I pulled one out, opened the lid, and dropped a few drops onto my palm to check the content. Unlike the healing potions I had given the children, this one was a pale blue liquid. I drank it down and prepared another potion to return to the box.
I hadn't mentioned this to the lady at the adventurer's guild shop beforehand, so they might go unsold, but since the cost is zero, it's no big deal.
The next room was quiet, so I peeked in and found all four of them asleep on the bed, likely worn out. I decided to let them rest until dinner.
Evening arrived, and the children were rustling around in the next room, apparently trying to sort their belongings in the box.
"Hey! It's almost time for dinner!"
When I stepped out, the four of them were waiting at the door, dressed in the new clothes I had bought for them and wearing their shoes properly.
We headed down to the dining hall as a group, sitting around a large table, where dinner was served for all of us.
"Listen up, you guys. Before we eat, we say 'Itadakimasu.' After we finish, we say 'Gochisousama deshita.' Make sure to say it together, okay?
Now, let's do it. Itadakimasu!"
"'Itadakimasu!'"
It felt good. But somehow, after finishing the meal, I started to feel drowsy.
The next morning, the five of us gathered in the inn's dining room for breakfast as I explained our plans for the day to the children.
"Today, we'll deliver potions to the Alchemist Guild, then head to the Adventurer's Guild. After that, we'll stock up on supplies, and in the afternoon, you can enjoy some free time within the inn."
The box full of potions was quite heavy, probably around twenty kilograms. I intended to have the two children carry it together, but they struggled to lift it. Not wanting them to get hurt, I decided to use my item box for transport and instead teach them the way. Our first stop was the Alchemist Guild.
"Excuse me. I'm Zenjiro, the alchemist. Is Ms. Kazuha available?"
A different woman than Kazuha appeared from the office.
"You must be Zenjiro, the alchemist. I've heard about you from Kazuha. If you could please head to the back, we'll take the potions to the receiving counter. I'll guide you."