## Chapter 277 – The Magical Girl Appears!
◈
While waiting for our food, I told Rent about what happened on the second floor.
It was actually embarrassing, but I didn’t want to lie to Rent, who was worried about me, and more than anything, I wanted to forget the humiliating misunderstanding I had just had by talking about something else.
After hearing my story, Rent looked incredibly pitiful.
Stop it.
Don’t look at me with those eyes!
“Ah… that was definitely a unique slime monster.”
“A unique monster… you mean a variant of that rare and unique monster?”
“Yes. In dungeons, they supposedly appear about once a month.”
“I was attacked by such a monster…?”
I was incredibly unlucky.
No, even if I was unlucky, it was my fault for being careless.
“I’m sorry, Tikia. At the very least, I should have helped you find a vanguard.”
Rent apologized to me.
But that apology was wrong.
“No, it’s not Rent’s fault. Rent gave me proper advice to find a vanguard. It’s my fault for being arrogant and entering the dungeon. Besides, even if it’s just the second floor, it’s still a dungeon, and it’s entirely my fault for being careless.
Rather, I’m the one who should be sorry. You gave me advice, but I didn’t listen properly… Sigh, Magical Girl Marin always listened to her companions’ advice and overcame dangers…”
I was still far from being like Marin.
Even though Marin is a fictional character, her way of life is an ideal for me.
No, it’s because she’s fictional that she can act ideally.
So, I’m going to try to reach that ideal.
“Ah, speaking of Marin, I read the book you lent me this morning.”
“Really! How was it! Ah…”
As soon as Marin’s story came up, I leaned forward and almost bumped into Rent.
I quickly sat back down.
“Ahem, uh, how was it?”
Rent smiled kindly and said.
“It was fun. I read all five volumes you lent me this morning.”
“Really!”
“Yes.”
“Where! Where was it fun?”
“When she made a contract in the first volume and defeated the first heteromorphic monster.”
“Right? The first battle is always moving! She wants to escape the ordinary, but she’s also afraid of approaching danger.
But the scene where she makes up her mind to protect her daily life, makes a contract, and defeats the monster is still very impressive to me!”
After finishing my sentence, I thought, “Oops!”
I suddenly got excited and spoke out.
Isn’t this a mood-killer?
Even if Rent is kind, if I do this…
“Yes. The psychological portrayal was good. And when she collapsed in relief after defeating the first monster, she seemed like an ordinary girl.”
Rent properly agreed with me.
We, we can talk… !
I thought he would be turned off, but he’s actually giving me his own impressions!
I’m so happy.
But let’s calm down. I can’t go wild just because I’m happy.
Until now, my surroundings have been filled with terrible parents, classmates who couldn’t acknowledge their own abilities and looked down on others, professors who were only interested in my grades, and a master who mostly wandered around and played outside, so Rent’s reaction now is incredibly pleasing, but…
I can’t act in a way that the kind Rent can’t accept just because I’m too excited…!
“Hoo… hoo…”
I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.
“Tikia? Are you still very tired?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine.”
Ah, from the outside, I must look like a strange woman who suddenly starts taking deep breaths after hearing impressions.
I want to die of embarrassment.
“Enjoy your meal.”
Fortunately, the food came out.
The steaming food and the appetizing smell entered my nose and stimulated my stomach.
Especially the steak made my mouth water.
“Let’s eat, Tikia.”
“Yeah!”
My hunger blew away the embarrassment from earlier and ordered me to eat the delicious food quickly.
Since it was a good opportunity, I followed the orders of my hunger.
I cut the steak and put it in my mouth.
It’s, it’s delicious!
It’s several times more delicious than what I make!
This, this is high-end restaurant food…!
As someone who always makes home-style meals, I could never imitate the delicate yet intense flavor.
“It’s delicious, right?”
Nod nod nod!
I shook my head several times in response to Rent’s question.
And then, I focused on eating and tasted the food.
Not only the steak but also the soup and salad were all delicious, and I finished all my food in 10 minutes.
“Hoo… that was so delicious.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tikia.”
“Ah…”
And then, I realized that I had been eating in front of Rent without any restraint.
“Ahem, sorry. I was out of it, wasn’t I?”
“No, it’s very nice to see you enjoying your food. Would you like to order more?”
“No, I’m fine. I can’t eat anymore.”
About a third of the food was still left on Rent’s plate.
Rent said to me while eating.
“Tikia, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Huh? What is it?”
What is Rent going to ask me?
I’ve been so indebted to him, I’m willing to grant him almost any request.
“Magical Girl Marin, which you lent me… could you lend me the next volume as well? It ended after another magical girl who seems to be a rival appeared, so I’m curious.”
A comrade!
Rent has fallen for the charm of Magical Girl Marin!
“Of course! How many volumes do you want to borrow!”
“Then… please lend me volumes 6 through 10. Ah, by the way, how many volumes of Magical Girl Marin are there?”
“There are 67 volumes in total now!”
“That’s a lot of volumes.”
“It’s so popular that they keep making sequels! The first part is up to volume 12, and then there are series of 12 volumes each for parts 2 and 3! Now the heteromorphic monsters are… ah, that would be a spoiler. I almost messed up.”
Spoiling the content that hasn’t been read yet is a major risk that diminishes the fun.
“Then, I’ll return the books first.”
Rent had finished eating and took out the books I had given him from his inventory.
“Here you go. I enjoyed reading them.”
“Yeah!”
I put the books I received from Rent away and handed volumes 6 through 10 back to Rent.
Rent put volumes 6 through 9 in his inventory and stared intently at the cover of volume 10.
The cover of volume 10 depicts Marin’s pose when using magic.
“What’s wrong?”
“No. The more I look at it, the more I think your clothes are exactly the same as Marin’s. There are some slight differences, but they’re still very similar.”
“Right? I put a lot of effort into making it! Especially making these frills was the hardest part! And it was also hard to enchant it so that the shape of the clothes wouldn’t collapse.”
“Huh? Did you make all of them yourself?”
“Yeah, I’m mostly alone at home, so I have plenty of time besides reading Marin and doing magic research.”
“That’s amazing. I honestly thought you bought similar clothes and enchanted them.”
Rent’s admiring reaction made me feel very good.
“Well, I’m a genius! Making clothes is nothing to me. Hehe, how is this outfit? It’s really pretty, right?”
“Yes. It’s really cute and pretty. Ah, of course, you’re cute too, Tikia.”
“Ugh…!”
Wait, if you suddenly say I’m cute like that, my face will get really hot!
What, what, what?
Yesterday, you looked at me straight and said I was cute too!
Do you have feelings for me after all?
You do, right?
No, don’t get the wrong idea again.
He probably just thinks I’m cute in a pure way!
…But maybe there’s a little bit, right?
Okay, I’ll ask him if he has feelings for me!
“Th, thank you…”
But in the end, I couldn’t ask and just said thank you.
Honestly, it would be so embarrassing if he didn’t.
I’ve already done it twice, I don’t want to be embarrassed a third time.
In the end, without even bringing up the question of whether he had feelings for me, I left the store with Rent.
Rent paid for everything.
After leaving the store, I asked Rent.
“Why are the people at that store so respectful to you?”
“Ah… that’s because when I caught the Orc Champion on the fourth floor, I provided some of the Orc Champion’s meat to this restaurant.”
“Orc Champion’s meat? Aha… so that’s why…”
I also know that Orc Champion meat is a high-end ingredient.
It’s a legendary ingredient that nobles all want to taste.
The restaurant that provides meat using that meat is said to have a rapid increase in reputation among nobles.
I understood why they treated him so well.
And… I also learned that Rent’s party had reached the fourth floor and was skilled enough to catch the Orc Champion.
“Tikia, where are you staying?”
“Huh? Why?”
Rent suddenly asked where I was staying.
What, what, what?
Does he want to come to my room on a day off like today?
Is he suggesting we have a viewing party while watching Magical Girl Marin together?
I’m not going to get the wrong idea anymore. If it’s someone as kind as Rent, he’d probably ask for that much.
Okay, let’s not get ahead of myself.
“If you’re okay with it, on a day like today…”
“On a day like today…?”
“I’d like to introduce you to my companion. I told you, right? That I have a companion named Elsie who reads Magical Girl Marin. I’m sure you and Tikia would get along well.”
It’s a bit different from what I expected…
Okay! I didn’t make an embarrassing mistake this time!
“I see. I’m staying at an inn called Sleep near the dungeon entrance.”
“I’m staying with my companions at the Fox’s Rest near the Adventurer’s Guild. If you ever need to see me, please ask Tina, who is serving on the first floor, or Miranda, the innkeeper. They are both fox beastmen.”
“Okay.”
I unintentionally found out where Rent was staying.
“And…”
“And?”
Is he going to suggest we go to the inn where I’m staying and read Magical Girl Marin together?
“If you’re okay with it, would you like to go to the dungeon with me now?”
“To the dungeon?”
My predictions are all wrong.
Why… I’m supposed to be a genius, so why am I getting my predictions so wrong?
“Yes. Well… you said it was your carelessness, but I’m still not comfortable with the fact that you were attacked by a unique slime monster.
And when I think about it, there probably aren’t many people who want to form a party from the second floor. So, I’ll take you to the third floor today. From the third floor, there will probably be parties looking for a mage, either temporarily or permanently. Ah, of course, for free.”
“Rent…”
This kid is going to be blessed.
If I bow my head now, I want to pat his head like crazy.
And if he confesses to me, I’ll accept him right away.
Now, I don’t care if Rent is a lolicon.
Rather, what if he’s a lolicon? In the end, it means he likes me.
This older sister will take care of everything.
…But was I such an easy woman?
◈
I came back to the second floor with Rent.
“Then, I’ll move you, Tikia.”
“Ah… wait a minute, Rent.”
It’s a bit of a shame to go straight to the third floor.
Honestly, the second floor is safe with two people, so I want to talk more about Magical Girl Marin with Rent.
“Can you just take me halfway for now? My magic power has recovered from eating, and you’re here too, Rent… I want to test my magic a little more on the safe second floor.”
“Yes, let’s do that then.”
“And… instead of just carrying me, is it possible for you to… give me a piggyback ride?”
Honestly, I felt very good when Rent lifted me up and my eye level rose.
It made me think, “So this is what it’s like to be looked down on by those guys who have looked down on me until now.”
And since Rent is also big, if I ride on his back, my eye level will rise even higher.
I wanted to experience an eye level higher than those who treated me like a child.
“Ah… of course, it’s possible. But… um…”
Rent scratched his head and hesitated.
Huh? Is there a problem?
“What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s just… if I give you a piggyback ride, our skin will touch… are you okay with that?”
“Ah…”
I’m wearing a skirt right now.
And it’s a dress that’s modeled after Marin’s pretty and cute clothes, only reaching down to my knees.
If I ride on his back wearing this outfit… my thighs will definitely touch Rent’s shoulders, and my, my panties will touch Rent’s neck…
I suddenly felt embarrassed and started to get hot.
But one thought suddenly came to mind.
Huh? Wait a minute?
Is Rent embarrassed right now?
He’s asking me for my opinion while being embarrassed like that because my bare skin and panties might touch him?
If he just thought he was giving a piggyback ride to a kid or a child, he wouldn’t show such a reaction.
In other words… Rent recognizes me as a woman, right?
Hee~.
He didn’t seem to care when he lifted me up yesterday, but he’s so conscious of it when it comes to a piggyback ride.
Hee~~~~~.
I see~. He thinks of me as a woman, not a child~.
I don’t know if he has feelings for me, but he’s conscious of me as a woman~.
…….
Okay.
I smiled brightly at Rent and answered.
“It’s okay!”
I still want to raise my eye level, but…
I feel so good thanks to Rent right now.
