SWNOVELXO Volume 1 Chapter 23 - Sinking in the Name of Staying Over
We’re nibbling on deli food and watching an auction while drinking alcohol.
“It’s going up!”
“The one that’s 5 kilograms surpassed a million!”
“Seriously?”
An estimate of 500,000 has turned into 1 million!?
“It’s true. On the final day, it’s incredible. And there’s a last-minute surge coming, so it might go even higher.”
“Amazing. It’s like alchemy. The original was just a rubber band and a bag.”
“The cost-performance is insane.”
Really, truly.
The most incredible thing about my alchemy is that.
It hardly costs anything.
For the invisibility potion, it only requires water and pure water, so all I need to do is turn on the tap.
“We won’t have to worry about money from now on. What about moving?”
“No, please do. I want a better room.”
I think so too.
People trying to get tens of millions of yen are nibbling on supermarket deli food and drinking canned beer in a shabby apartment.
Well, there’s the best club hostess next door, though.
Haha, let’s get even closer!
“I’m struggling to decide which room to live in. If it’s too big, I can’t manage it.”
“Senpai, you don’t seem like you’d clean. Shall we share a room? I won’t pay a cent, but I’m good at cleaning and buying food and drinks.”
Is that not parasitic?
And I’m good at buying food and drinks too.
I’m good at pouring hot water into cup ramen.
“Living together, huh?”
“It’s room-sharing.”
Same thing.
“Are you okay with that?”
A girl and a boy living together.
Something is bound to happen…
“I won’t pay anything, and I want to live in a nice place. Besides, I want to drink with you, Senpai.”
You’re great!
Well, I don’t feel like taking money either.
I have money!
“Maybe I’ll really do it. I was thinking of a housekeeper, but can they be trusted?”
“Oh, there was a news story about a celebrity recently.”
Someone took pictures of a celebrity’s room and posted them on the internet.
It made quite a stir.
“It would be very bad if that happened.”
“Right. You never know how you’ll be identified, so… it might be better to prioritize security.”
Certainly.
“Umm, oh, the 50-kilo one has surpassed 10 million.”
“Oh, really? Looks like tomorrow’s news will be amazing.”
“People are going to flock to the Ikebukuro branch.”
“Don’t say such unpleasant things. They’ll swarm around you, Senpai, or rather, around Ms. Elenoa.”
To say something unpleasant…
“No, no, no!”
“Senpai, a refill!”
Alright, alright…
We continued to watch the auction as we drank.
10 p.m.
“Hahaha! Senpai, look! 25 million! Isn’t that insane? They’re spending 25 million yen on 100 rubber bands!”
“Super funny! These people are idiots. Wanting rubber bands that much!”
“Ahahaha!”
Idiots, idiots.
11 p.m.
“It’s, it’s all idiots! It’s 30 million now!”
“Wow, they must really love rubber bands.”
“Ah, ahahaha!”
Really, they’re stupid…
12 a.m.
“Se, se, senpai… I think I’m drunk. I, I, I see 50 million.”
“You’ve had too much, Kaede-chan. It’s 5 million.”
“…………………”
Awkward…
1 a.m.
Kaede-chan and I were frozen, staring at the smartphone screen.
“Senpai… I don’t feel like going home tonight… and to be more specific, I don’t feel like going to work tomorrow.”
“Take a sick day tomorrow. And stay here. I can’t wrap my head around the total exceeding 180 million yen.”
It was decided that Kaede-chan would stay at my place.
But why aren’t I in the mood for anything naughty?
“What should we do?”
Kaede-chan asks me.
“There’s no turning back. We are absolute winners.”
“With this 180 million yen, we can live modestly in the countryside, and never have to work again. Shall we run?”
“Can we run?”
“Probably not… At least, our guild master won’t let us.”
Yeah, I thought so…
Satsuki-san’s share of this deal is 5%, so it’s 7.5 million yen.
There’s no way she’ll let us escape.
“We still have 1000 kilos of that dangerous stuff left.”
“Yes, at this rate, it’s going to be at least 500 million yen.”
It’s like winning the lottery.
And we have two of those.
Even more so, we can make as much as we want.
“Living modestly is out of the question. Let’s live a life of luxury together.”
180 million yen?
I’ll make ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times that!
“Se-Senpai…! I’ll follow you forever.”
My cute junior is fawning over me, rubbing her hands together.
“You cute thing! Alright! Let’s drink!”
“Let’s drink!”
“Cheers! Ahahaha!”
We drank until 3 in the morning and then crashed.
◆◇◆
“Tch! It was a golden egg after all!”
I can’t help but click my tongue.
I’m that jealous of this auction result.
“Guild Master, this is a bit bad. Adventurers will leak out.”
My loyal A-rank adventurer warns me.
“I know. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to the headquarters and put a limit on it. It’ll only cause chaos if everyone rushes to Ikebukuro, and the chief will probably refuse.”
They don’t have the capacity to handle that many people there.
“What about the high-rankers?”
“Recruit them?”
“Yes. Honestly, I want to recruit them too.”
Seeing this auction result, anyone would think that.
A golden witch who earned nearly 200 million yen in one night.
Of course I want her.
Especially since she sold so many Item Bags, a must-have item for high-rankers.
There must be more.
The high-rankers are sure to make a move.
“Stop it with the guild and public. I can’t cover you if you cause trouble. Do it in the frontier.”
“Understood. I will notify everyone.”
“But know your limits. The Golden Witch is skilled in swordsmanship and likely magic. She seems naive according to that idiot, but don’t forget she’s an enigmatic existence. The headquarters and government will move too. If you do something foolish, who knows what will happen.”
“I understand. She’s literally a gold-producing being. Golden Witch is a fitting name.”
I haven’t told them, but that witch has delivered 50 healing potions at once.
The danger is on a different level.
“The other branches will move too. Hold them back. Worst case, even if she doesn’t come here, it’s fine as long as other branches don’t take her. The Golden Witch can’t beat this Shibuya branch in Ikebukuro, no matter how golden.”
Well, conversely, the other branches don’t want her taken by us either.
“I understand. It was the Kuna ruins, right? Hmm, there are many people there…”
She’ll attract a crowd if she goes to such a place.
Unlike this superstar A-rank who’s always in demand by magazines and TV, and whom I dislike.
“Send one of your subordinates or something.”
“They’re not subordinates, they’re companions.”
This is why I hate him.
“Send a companion then.”
“But I want to meet her myself.”
Ugh!
The rumors of him feeding off fans seem true.
“Do what you want. Just don’t drag me into your ruin. If you’re going to ruin yourself, do it alone.”
“What are you talking about? We’re all in this together.”
“Then be careful.”
“I know.”
He doesn’t know, does he?
“Yoshino is moving too. She’s hiding it, but she’s the chief’s pet.”
“Yoshino-san? That’s amazing.”
Mie Yoshino is among the top in A-rank.
“It’s not just Yoshino. Others will move too. It’s fine to drool over the witch, but be careful.”
“Yoshino-san, huh…”
Listen to me…