SWNOVELXO Volume 1 Chapter 52 - Upgrade
After saying goodbye to Harry and Claire at the ramen shop, I took a taxi close to my home and drank an invisibility potion before returning.
Once home, I didn’t revert back to Okita-kun but remained as Eleanore and practiced tying my hair.
“It’s difficult…”
I searched for “how to tie long hair” on my smartphone and tried to follow the instructions, but it wasn’t going well.
“Maybe I should ask Kaede-chan… For now, let’s try to at least make a ponytail.”
I use a sword, so a ponytail should suffice. Ponytails are common for girls who practice kendo. Not that I’m at an age to be called a girl anymore.
As I was diligently practicing hair-tying while looking at my smartphone, Satsuki-san’s name appeared on the screen.
“A call…?”
I pressed the call button.
“Hello?”
“Uh? Eleanore? Are you outside?”
It was Satsuki-san’s voice.
“No, I’m home. I’m just practicing tying my hair.”
“Hair?”
“I just had ramen, and my hair got in the way. Besides, I use a sword, so I was thinking of tying it during adventures.”
It wasn’t an issue before because I hadn’t been moving much, but it will definitely interfere with acrobatic movements.
“Just cut it, it’s too long.”
“This is my trademark.”
I paid a lot for this dye job.
“Hmm, alright. Do you want me to teach you how to tie it?”
“No, I’ll do it myself.”
I don’t want to be taught by a girl.
“Fine, do your best. Anyway, did you go to the guild headquarters today?”
“I did. They said a level 2 healing potion costs a million, so I left.”
I would have considered it for 250,000, but not a million.
“Actually, the guildmaster called and said the person you talked to has no relation to the guild.”
“Really? There was a congressman named Shindo-sensei though?”
Oh, I forgot to check.
“He’s a politician with many dark rumors. You threatened to close the gate?”
“I was threatened with detention for illegal stay, so I threatened back. It worked.”
“It did. Maybe too well. Now the government officials are having a meeting about it.”
“Did I go too far?”
“No, it’s better this way. Makes it easier for me to move as well.”
“Hmm, ignoring Shindo-sensei, is Nonaka someone to cut ties with?”
“Yeah, the guildmaster was furious about him causing unnecessary trouble.”
Serves him right. He was so condescending, just like my former boss.
“What did the guildmaster say?”
“He wants to have a proper discussion without any interference. He called and asked me to arrange it.”
“What should I do… I already made a contract with Claire.”
“I thought so. The guildmaster was afraid of that.”
“Why?”
“He knew you were with Harry and Claire. He said it might already be too late.”
“He’s well-informed.”
Well, we did make a scene at the ramen shop.
“Is it bad?”
“Do what you want.”
She doesn’t seem to care since it doesn’t affect her.
“But if I think about it, I have to go through the guild, right?”
“Actually, you don’t have to. No one believes you got the drops legitimately, and Claire will handle it. She’ll just say she found them.”
“I have to sell 100, you know?”
“Just say you found 100 by coincidence.”
“Is that okay? Isn’t it too suspicious?”
“There’s no proof. They’re American agents, they can even evade customs.”
“That’s smuggling. Awful.”
“Well, we’re all the same. We all want money, don’t we?”
“We do.”
“What I want is money, money, money! And also Kaede-chan!”
“See? So, are you only selling 100 to Claire? Do you have no plans to make more and sell them to the guild?”
“I still have 400 left. But the price will crash if I sell to others, so I was told not to.”
“…Maybe I should have attached someone to you.”
“Huh?”
“What are you going to do with those 400 potions? You can only sell them to Claire from now on.”
…That’s a possibility.
“No, the contract isn’t finalized yet. Claire seems to want to go to auction, so she doesn’t have money to buy the potions.”
“Alright then… if you do make a contract, specify a timeframe for which you can’t sell elsewhere. Otherwise, Claire will be the only buyer and she’ll lowball you for anything over 100 potions.”
Hmm, sneaky woman.
“I’ll think about it.”
“In the worst case, I can step in.”
“Understood. I’ll think it over.”
Well, I’ve already decided on the price though.
“Then I’ll let the guildmaster know you’re not interested.”
“Please hold off for now. Either way, it’ll be after the auction.”
It’s better not to leave a bad impression on the guildmaster for now. Besides, he’s Misae-san’s boss.
“Understood. Also, I heard from Kaede that you won’t be coming this week?”
“Yes, it’s crowded on weekends, so I’ll be going on Monday.”
“Alright, I’m getting back to work. There are a lot of inquiries about the auction. This is promising!”
She’s so money-minded.
“Looking forward to next week. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Satsuki-san hung up.
“I might have been too hasty.”
I negotiated with Claire too quickly because Nonaka and Shindo annoyed me. The main contract hasn’t been finalized yet, so I’ll think it over.
“Alright! Time to practice my ponytail and my signature!”
I know it’s absurd, but I’ve got time, so I’ll make the most of it. And so, I spent the weekend practicing tying my hair and my signature.
I definitely got better with all that practice.
I’ve gained the skill of tying my hair! Not that such a skill exists.
◆◇◆
Today is Monday. It’s the day the auction starts and the day I go on an adventure with Nanapon after a week’s break.
As Eleanore, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and used my well-practiced hair-tying skill to make a perfect ponytail.
“To be honest, a blonde ponytail doesn’t really go with a black robe.”
It would look better with armor, considering I use a sword. It feels too knightly, though.
I looked at myself in the mirror and felt ambiguous.
“Well, it’s time. Let’s go.”
I finished preparing, drank my usual invisibility potion, and left the house. I deactivated the invisibility at a convenient spot and got into a taxi.
I told the driver my destination, and the taxi moved. I looked out the window at the familiar scenery.
I’ll be moving out of that apartment soon.
It’s a place I’ve lived since graduating college, through my tough working years. It has sentimental value.
The neighbor, Ya-san, once gave me leftover meat and potatoes, which is a fond memory.
But the best memory was watching the auction results with Kaede-chan in that house. There’s nothing to miss since I’ll be living with her in the next house.
As I was contemplating, the taxi arrived at the back of the guild.
“Are you Eleanore Ocean?”
I was about to pay when the usually silent taxi driver spoke.
“Yes, I am.”
“My daughter is a fan of yours. Keep it up.”
I paid the fare, took out a shikishi board and a signing pen from my bag.
“What’s your daughter’s name?”
“It’s Mina.”
I wrote “To Mina-chan” in cool letters and added a doodle that looked like a worm.
“Here you go. Don’t stop your daughter if she wants to dye her hair blonde.”
I handed him the signed board.
“Uh, thank you… my daughter is in elementary school.”
“Then definitely not. Wait until she’s in middle school.”
I think middle schools have rules against it too, but she could do it during summer vacation.
“Okay, understood.”
“Thanks for the ride.”
I said and got out of the taxi.
よし！ ナナポンにもサインを書いてあげよう。