Chapter 93 – My Home 2
“You look tired. Oh, I have an idea!”
“?”
The lady began rummaging through her pockets. She pulled out four candies.
“If you’d like, please take one.”
“Thank you.”
One candy for each person. I handed one to Nitra and another to Lai-nee, while I stared at the candy given to me by the lady.
I resisted the temptation to eat it.
Because I couldn’t make impulsive decisions when it came to significant purchases.
“You seem troubled. In times like these, why don’t you try asking your own heart if you truly want it or not?”
“My own heart?”
“Yes.”
“May I have some time to think?”
“Take your time.”
Following the advice, I closed my eyes and tried to consult with the Hollow residing within my heart.
In my spiritual world, a small devil was present. I called out to the greedy Hollow.
“Do you want to buy a house even if it means struggling?”
(Nah, I want candy more than that.)
I’m sorry, lady.
With my worries gone and a light-hearted feeling, I tossed the candy into my mouth.
Mmm… The rolling sweetness seeped into my exhausted mind and body from the house-hunting fatigue.
The house can wait for another time.
No loan this time.
“Heheh.”
(The candy is delicious. As expected. I want a house too. I want it.)
Huh?
(I want it. Please. Please.)
Ehh?
(As a lifelong request.)
I opened my eyes with a blink.
Can’t be helped.
I took a deep breath and made my decision.
“I will buy this house!”
With that, I obtained the dream home that adventurers long for.
A sense of accomplishment welled up within me.
“Thank you for your purchase.”
“Goshujin-sama!”
The shop assistant and Lai-nee rejoiced with smiles, awakening Nitra, who had been dozing off due to boredom from property hunting.
“Huh?”
I returned to the real estate agency with a spring in my step to complete the contract, but something seemed off about the shop. I looked up at the lady.
“Did something happen?”
“I don’t know. When a noble customer visits, the employees usually gather to welcome them like this… But today, I haven’t heard of any such plans.”
Could it be that an important person is coming?
Perhaps a viscount?
As I approached, the people who had been waiting noticed me and began whispering to each other. I thought I must have been mistaken for someone else, not the person they were waiting for. But then, a man who seemed to be in charge inside unexpectedly approached me.
And he said something unexpected.
“Welcome back, Aix-sama.”
“Huh?!”
Everyone was waiting for me?
I’m sorry, but I don’t recognize any of their faces or have any idea why they would be waiting for me.
“I am Bill, the branch manager. Nice to meet you.”
“???”
Moreover, everyone bowed to me.
The lady who had been guiding me approached me with a bewildered voice and whispered in my ear.
“Aix-san, are you actually a noble?”
“No, I’m not. Besides, I have no idea what’s going on either.”
I really want someone to explain it to me.
As if adding to the confusion, two women approached in front of me and scattered petals of welcome.
What is this service?
“Come on, please, have a seat.”
“Huh?!”
Before I knew it, I was being led by the hand and seated on a plush sofa.
Are they going to force me into some outrageous property?
My heart was pounding.
“So, Aix-sama, did you find any property that you liked today?”
“Um…”
“Uh, Branch Manager, I think there might be some misunderstanding. Today, the properties I showed Aix-san were over here.”
The assistant lady handed over a list, consisting of properties with issues and rundown houses. The face of the branch manager, as he glanced at the list, grew increasingly pale.
I’m sorry, I’m poor.
“I-I apologize! Aix-sama. I deeply apologize for mistakenly introducing such a poor house to you.”
“Oh no, it’s alright! I don’t mind that property.”
Stay calm!
Even for that poor house, I would need a loan.
“Please reconsider that! There must be a more suitable house for you.”
“Well… so you mean a house without a roof?”
The branch manager tilted his head and flipped through the documents, then showed me an impressive property.
“Are you interested in an open deck? Aix-sama. How about this one?”
“Umm, that’s not possible.”
What I mentioned was a burned-down house in a slum.
It’s not getting through.
“Then, how about this place?”
“Even more impossible.”
It went up again!
Every time I instantly declined, the introduced properties kept skyrocketing.
“Hmm. As expected of the Great Magician. Your demands are quite high. There are still plenty of properties available, so please wait a moment. I’ll quickly bring the next candidate!”
“Well, I mean…”
No, I can’t afford any of them at all.
I missed the chance to call out to the branch manager who hurriedly went to retrieve the next list of properties, and I continued to sip on my juice.
Oh… it’s delicious.
I hope this misunderstanding clears up soon.
###
However, it wasn’t just the branch manager who misunderstood the situation.
Aix and the others were the same.
The reason the branch manager went to such extremes in welcoming him was because there was someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.
A big mastermind who prompted the branch manager to be so desperate.
After the branch manager, who had failed in his mission, rushed into his room to seek further instructions from the mastermind, he found an expressionless man in black waiting there.
“Emergency report!”
He peered into the crystal artifact held by the emotionless man.
He started giving a progress report, sweating, to the luxuriously dressed girl on the other end of the communication.
“I apologize. It seems that he wasn’t interested in the first proposed property we prepared.”
“There’s no need to rush. Pushing something onto him is absolutely not acceptable. Please thoroughly explore the person’s own preferences. I have been waiting for the actions of the Great Magician, showing a desire for something.”
The girl’s voice resounds.
“Yes, understood. Also, I was curious about the Divine Artisan Medal you mentioned.”
“I will head there immediately!”
“Yes, Your Highness. This may be an opportunity that slipped through our fingers. Let’s turn things around.”
The air becomes tense, and hurried sounds can be heard from the other end of the communication.
“What?! You mean they’re coming here?! Oh dear, oh dear.”
The instructions of a stern old man, whom one must never defy when living in this country, resonate.
“Ensure that there is no disrespect towards Aix-sama until Her Highness arrives. Understood?”
“Yes, I swear on my life!”
