Chapter 133 - Chapter 132: Preparing for a New Life
Mika ran wildly through the back alleys, pulling Kistil's hand along.
He didn't know where he was running.
He didn't know where he was going.
He just wanted to get away from that place, even a little.
That was the only thought driving Mika to keep running.
"Wait...! Mika-kun, wait!"
Hearing Kistil's voice, Mika stopped in his tracks.
Kistil was gasping for air, stumbling and leaning against the wall.
"I'm sorry... Kistil-san. I..."
"No, it's fine..."
Breathing heavily through her shoulders, Kistil looked pained but still tried to smile.
Mika squatted down right there, hugging his knees.
(What have I done...!)
He had bought Kistil.
He had bought Kistil's life for just forty gold coins.
Mika buried his face in his knees, unable to stop his body from shaking with anger at himself, with the terror and horror of his own actions.
At that time.
Seeing his father rejoice at selling Kistil for a high price, Mika had seriously thought about killing him.
But seeing Kistil's tears of resignation, that feeling vanished in an instant.
For Kistil, who had given up on everything and accepted her fate, her father's existence no longer mattered.
Even if she escaped her father's curse, she couldn't live as she had before.
He had come to understand that.
Even if he had killed her father right there and sent her home, Kistil wouldn't be able to stand as she had before.
She had supported her mother, looked after her younger brother, did the housework, worked at Yaroibarov's inn, and yet kept looking forward.
Kistil, whose heart had broken, could no longer endure such a life.
If things continued like this, Kistil would break.
That was what he had thought.
"I'm... I'm sorry... Kistil-san... I..."
Even so.
No matter what the reason, buying a person should never be allowed.
Mika trembled at the terror of his own actions.
And tears wouldn't stop falling at the wretchedness of himself, who could only think of such a method.
"Mika-kun..."
Kistil looked at Mika's figure with sadness, then squatted down beside him.
"It's okay, Mika-kun."
Saying that, she gently stroked Mika's head.
But Mika's trembling and tears did not stop.
Kistil hugged Mika tightly.
"...Thank you, Mika-kun. You always help me when I'm having a hard time."
Kistil, who was hugging Mika as if clinging to him, was also shaking.
And for a while, the two of them just shed tears together.
After crying for a while, they were able to calm down a little.
(...Not taking any contract or anything was a mistake.)
Thinking calmly, that shouldn't have been something to settle with a one-time exchange like that.
But his head was filled with blood, and he couldn't think properly.
When he can think calmly, he can think calmly.
However, the bad habit of acting with emotions surfacing immediately whenever something happens is probably Mika's bad habit, rivaling his "habit of carelessness."
Just as he gets careless during battles with magic beasts, so too was his action this time.
(...Anyway, I can't waste any more time. I need to quickly set up a living base.)
Kistil no longer has a home to return to.
That is something Mika must prepare.
He needs to secure the minimum necessary for Kistil to live without trouble by today.
(I want to report to Yaroibarov-san... But... I'm afraid I'll have to lower the priority.)
He knew he should consult with Yaroibarov.
But there was an awkwardness about having taken the means of "buying."
He couldn't avoid telling Yaroibarov, who was worried, the results, but it would be difficult to meet him right now.
He wanted to do it at least after Mika himself calmed down a bit more.
(First, I need to find a house where Kistil-san can live in peace.)
Kistil would need rest.
A place to rest her mind, more than just to relieve her physical fatigue.
She needed to rest her mind properly and undergo rehabilitation until she could stand on her own again.
Mika stood up and took Kistil's hand.
"Mika-kun...?"
"Let's go, Kistil-san."
Mika smiled at Kistil.
(I mustn't make her anxious. If I waver, Kistil will waver too.)
Mika left the back alleys with Kistil.
(I ran around aimlessly, so I don't know where we are. Where is this?)
Mika looked around and spotted a shop, startling him.
He was startled, but that was only in his heart.
On the surface, he thought he managed to cover it up somewhat.
(Isn't that the tavern Gaeras-san told me absolutely not to approach?)
Provisional Assassin Guild.
It's just a guess in Mika's mind, "I wonder if that's it?", but I think it's probably not far off.
(Well, well, I've found out where I am... For now, let's go to the Southeast Main Street.)
If you want to find a house, you must go to a real estate agent.
Mika knew there were several real estate agents on the Southeast Main Street from going back and forth many times.
Mika held hands with Kistil and headed for the real estate agent, walking a bit hurriedly.
"How about this one? It's highly recommended."
Smiling brightly, the real estate agent uncle showed them the documents.
Mika decided to choose the real estate agent that had the largest selection, at least for now.
There was no time to look around at various places.
If that's the case, even if it's a bit expensive, he should go to a real estate agent that has a rich variety of properties.
If there are complaints, he can move later.
What should be prioritized now is securing a safe house.
So they entered the real estate agent's office, but the attitude was bad.
It might not have been that bad, but it exuded an atmosphere of "What is a brat doing here?"
So, he decided to bow them down with the power of money and name value.
Mika silently showed his Guild Card.
The real estate agent uncle looked suspicious, took Mika's card, and widened his eyes.
"What!? A title holder!? Th-that's 'Dispeller'!?"
The uncle looked back and forth between Mika and the card many times.
"Since you handle real estate, you must have heard rumors about houses that have been dispelled, right?"
"T-that is of course! We have several such properties coming in. You, sir, have been very kind to us..."
The uncle's palms began to spin around.
By the way, what is "sir"?
"We're looking for a house in a safe area. Is it for rent?"
"Of course. If it's not a problem, we could ask about your approximate budget..."
Budget, huh.
Naturally, he didn't know the market price.
"What is the market price? If possible, please within District 3."
"Well. If it's District 3..."
And so, the conversation proceeded smoothly like that.
Kistil watched the exchange between Mika and the uncle with a blank expression.
"I will prepare the documents right away. Please wait a moment."
Once the uncle, plastered with a sales smile, left his seat, Kistil poked Mika's arm.
"...What's going on?"
"Ahahaha... Um."
What should I do?
Kistil should know I'm a student because I can use [Heal].
I don't remember if I said it or not, but since I use [God's Miracle], she should understand that part.
What else needs explaining...?
"Do you know I'm an adventurer?"
"Hmm... sort of?"
Kistil nodded slightly while tilting her head, looking unsure.
From conversations with Yaroibarov and the title from the other day, she understood he seemed to be an adventurer.
But she probably never thought about how amazing he was or how much he earned.
(Even when we met in the forest, she probably thought I was just playing around.)
She thought a child had come to the forest to play.
She certainly wouldn't have expected it to be on the way back from work worth 100,000 to several hundred thousand Rats.
"I've become a little famous recently. Requests come in by name. I have over ten piled up right now."
"Is that so? Then you should hurry up and finish your work."
"Hahaha, there's no need to rush that much. Everyone knows I'm limited in time to finish requests because I attend the academy."
"Oh, is that so?"
Kistil smiled with an expression like she was looking at a younger brother who was unexpectedly reliable, thinking Mika was still a child.
Well, for now, it would be enough if she understood that he had a decent income.
While talking like that, the uncle picked out several properties and brought the documents.
In the Royal Capital, generally, the closer to the First Wall, the more elegant and safe the area; the closer to the Second Wall, the more vulgar and dangerous the area becomes.
Also, within the districts sandwiched between the main streets, the closer to the main street, the brighter; the further away, the darker.
In other words, the closer to the center of the Royal Capital, the safer the area; the further away, the worse the safety. If a bright atmosphere is good, go near the main street; if a quiet environment is good, go away from the main street.
However, this is only for the inside of the Second Wall.
District 3, which falls outside the strict definition of the Royal Capital, is not subject to this rule.
When looking for a house, Mika had excluded District 3 from the candidates from the start.
Yaroibarov had also said the safety wasn't very good.
More importantly, he had heard from Chirensta that there were no plans to place the Adventurer Guild in District 3.
He hadn't been told the reason, but he felt there was "a certain reason, though he couldn't say it."
So, if he were to rent, it would be District 2.
He decided to look specifically in District 3, which was close to the Guild.
If it were just Mika, the area along the Second Wall would have been fine, but considering Kistil, he wanted to choose an area with good safety as much as possible.
Such places naturally had fierce competition, and the monthly rent was quite high, but that couldn't be helped.
"It's a nice place. It's quiet because it's in a residential area. And the property is properly fenced off."
Mika muttered while looking up at the house he was shown.
A detached house with a garden. Single-story. 3DK.
There was a well in the garden, and it seemed the sewers were also well-maintained in this area.
It was right on the edge of the range of a high-class residential district.
"In this area, large mansions tend to be the norm, but this is a cozy little house. Surprisingly, houses of this size are popular. There are few of them, so they are always fought over."
"Heh..."
Mika tuned out the real estate agent's sales pitch and checked the garden and fence.
(There are bushes planted inside the fence. Pruning and management are troublesome, but it's a relief that it's hard to see from the outside, right?)
From a security perspective, not being visible from the outside is NG (No Good).
There is a disadvantage that suspicious people can easily hide.
It's a trade-off with privacy, but it's better if it's somewhat visible from the outside so thieves find it harder to break in.
However, Mika was...
(With this, if I come back at night, maybe I won't be caught flying in?)
He was thinking such things.
Kistil looked around here and there with a surprised, dazed expression.
"Please, take a look inside as well."
Guided by the uncle, they entered the house.
As soon as they entered the entrance hall, there was a dining kitchen.
This is a standard layout for general households in this country.
Even at the Noisheim house in Rish Village, opening the front door leads directly to the dining kitchen.
There was a hallway extending to the left from the dining room.
There were three doors in the hallway, one on the right and two lined up on the left.
To the right of the door on the right, you go right in the middle of the hallway, making the hallway T-shaped.
Opening the door on the right.
It's not as big as the dining room, but it's a fairly large room.
However, since it faces north, the sunlight is poor.
Leaving the room, he peeked into the passage going right this time.
Three doors lined up, which were a storage room, a toilet, and a bath.
Opening the two doors lined up on the left.
These were also ordinary rooms, not as big as the first room, but quite spacious.
These two rooms faced south, so the sunlight was good.
"How is it?"
The uncle asked, checking Mika's expression.
"It's good. I like it."
"Oh, I'm glad you like it."
The uncle rubbed his hands together and bowed repeatedly.
His speech was too exaggerated.
"How about it, Kistil-san? Is there anything you're dissatisfied with?"
"Ah, eh? D-dissatisfied? No, nothing like that."
Kistil, suddenly asked, waved her hands frantically.
"Then it's decided. Can we move in right away?"
"Yes, yes. Of course."
The uncle hurriedly took the contract from his luggage and set it on a table that the previous tenant had left behind.
There were beds in the room, but if they can be used, he might as well use them as they are.
Even if he buys new ones, there's no need to rush.
Of course, he wouldn't have bedding if he didn't buy it.
He signed the contract on the spot and paid with his Guild Card.
Rent, four gold coins for one month. Four hundred thousand Rats.
Two months' salary for a knight.
That's too expensive, hey.
(Well, buying necessary items is more important than looking around everywhere.)
Having a house isn't enough to live in.
Besides bedding, there are many things to do: dishes, cooking utensils, daily necessities, arranging missing furniture, etc.
Things that can be solved with money should be solved as much as possible, and he must act efficiently.
Even in summer, without firewood, you can't even cook.
He had to buy some food supplies, or Kistil would be in trouble when Mika wasn't there.
After sending the real estate agent away, Mika smiled at the bewildered Kistil.
"This is Kistil-san's house starting today. Of course, I'll live here too."
"U-um..."
If you just prepare a house and tell her to live here alone all of a sudden, she'd be troubled.
Well, he wouldn't think about which is more troubling, him living with a stranger or not, at this point.
"Well, let's say that's enough for now?"
After spending the whole afternoon shopping, they finally gathered the minimum necessary items.
Perhaps tired from walking, Kistil was sitting on a chair resting.
(I'm really glad I bought the Magic Bag...)
He threw everything he bought into the bag one by one, and the shopping was done in one trip.
This house is about two hundred meters from the main street, so going back and forth isn't too much trouble, but it would be terrible to do it many times.
However, the bedding was too big to fit, so he bought it last and carried it himself.
It wasn't the type of putting straw down like the Noisheim house or the dormitory.
It was proper bedding with cotton inside.
Mika glanced at Kistil.
Kistil had a somewhat depressed expression.
She seemed to be worrying about something.
Even during the shopping, she seemed a bit absent-minded.
Well, suddenly this happened, and her heart couldn't keep up.
For now, he should just watch quietly and give her time to sort out her thoughts.
(It's about time I go back, or it'll be a problem.)
He hadn't submitted an overnight stay notice to the dormitory.
He needed to bring clothes and other things, so he had to return to the dormitory.
Kistil's clothes were bought together during the shopping, at least the minimum.
Of course, he didn't have time to buy his own share.
""Um...""
Just as Mika was about to speak to Kistil, Kistil spoke to him at the same time.
"What? What's wrong?"
"No. About me, um..."
Kistil seemed flustered and reluctant to speak, so Mika spoke his business first.
"I need to go back to the dormitory for a bit to get my clothes and such. I need to submit an overnight stay notice too, but I'll be back soon."
"Oh, right. I'm sorry. I didn't notice."
For some reason, Kistil apologized.
"It's not something you should apologize for, Kistil-san. So, what about you, Kistil-san?"
Mika prompted her to talk, but Kistil started fidgeting.
"Well, I was thinking it might be better to decide these things properly beforehand..."
She started with a preamble, but she seemed reluctant to say something.
"Yeah? Well, yes. I think it's good to decide anything beforehand that we can discuss and decide. If there's an inconvenience after trying, we can talk about it again."
Mika encouraged Kistil's opinion.
Listening to Mika's words, Kistil slowly lifted her face, which had been downcast.
"Um... maybe it's better to call you 'Master' or something..."
"...Huh?"
What are you saying?
"I mean... I've already become Mika-kun's... Master's property... But I've been thinking if it's bad if I decide on my own..."
Kistil said that with a serious face.
Mika felt dizzy.
(I thought she was thinking about something all this time, and it's that!?)
Certainly, Mika chose the means of "buying" thinking he was helping Kistil.
But that was just because he couldn't think of any other good method...
(Ah, man! There's no time to explain this!)
So, he activated his authority.
"No 'Master'! We'll talk about that when we get back! I have to go now!"
"Th-then, th-then!"
But Kistil chased after Mika.
"Kistil-san!? What else!?"
"Then, at least..."
Kistil had a desperate expression.
"Call me Kistil..."
"Huh?"
You always call me that, right?
For a moment, he didn't understand what she meant.
But Kistil kept staring at Mika with a face holding back tears.
It was an expression like a child sulking.
"Kis...til?"
When Mika called out in a questioning tone, Kistil's face lit up with a smile.
"Yes."
Kistil nodded happily and went to the entrance to open the door.
"Be careful. I'll make dinner and wait for you."
"Eh, ah, yeah."
He didn't quite understand what was going on, but for now, Mika was seen off by Kistil and ran to the dormitory using [Physical Enhancement] in a hurry.