Part 7
Going *nikkori*, the inn's poster girl──Mei expressed a smile.
「Dear cus~tomer? It becomes troubling when a wall disappears☆」
She is smiling, but it felt as if the characters 『gogogogogogo……』[1] could be seen at her back.
She was unmistakably angry.
Well, if a wall of the inn was scattered away, it's only natural for her to be angry.
Rem lowered her head.
「……We are sorry……There is a reason for all of this.」
「No, it's fine. It's alright. Mei-chan, is a girl that can used to something like this, and this is the third time for you customers, right?」
「……We will pay for the reparations.」
The first time, the first store was destroyed by a Demonic Being. It seemed that the country helped in this one.
And then, the second time, a wall was destroyed by Adventurers. Naturally, the claim went to the guys that broke it.
However, this time, it seems that it was a spy of the king. On top of that, the opponent was pulverized with magic. They probably had no choice but to pay for it themselves.
Alicia stepped forward.
「I truly apologize that things have turned into this sort of situation. I feel that this may not be enough but……」
She took out a small pendant from pocket of her clothes. It had a scarlet gem attached to it.
Mei received it, and checked it with the light of the candlestick that she held.
「Nn~, it looks like the gem is genuine, but I don't think that this will be enough~☆」
「Y, yes.」
As expected of the daughter of a noble, Alicia had a large amount of money on her, but when it came to repairing a partially destroyed building, the amount of money needed was in a different league.
With the economic strength of Diablo's group, they could do nothing about it. Even under normal standards, they were in the red with the costs of Krum's biscuits.
Rem talked sounding as if she were groaning.
「……This is worrisome. If we don't pay up, we will most likely be expelled from the inn. Since Faltra City prohibits sleeping outdoors within the city in order to maintain public order, we will also have to leave the city……」
「What!?」
「……Not just that, the police might be called. If that were to happen──Ah!」
Rem noticed their blunder and opened her eyes wide.
Diablo also noticed too late.
At almost the same time, Mei was astonished and raised a scream.
「Nigyah!? Th, those girls are……!?」
What lied at the end of her gaze was, Edelgart.
──What a huge blunder!
Because various troublesome things had occured, the coping of it was delayed. Something like a Demonic Being being in the town, that was something that one couldn't shut their eyes to.
Because she was in her sleep-wear, Krum's tail was exposed.
Mei stepped back.
「C, could it be……A Demonic Being -nya!? Is it because M, Mei-chan is too cute that she looks delicious and you're going to eat her!?」
「……」
Edelgart stepped forward. She held her hand out.
──Oi, she couldn't be planning on killing her, could she!?
He remember that she bisected the bodies of five bandits for the reason of "being witnessed".
He was going to hurriedly try and stop her but……There was no need for that.
What was held in Edelgart's hand wasn't a weapon, but a large drop of a jewel.
It had a size around that of a coin.
「This~, is……needed? Have, lots.」
「Nya!?」
「It sparkles, is pretty. With this~……Demonic Beings, barter, for things like weapons and food.」
So there is currency even among Demonic Beings.
No, is it a bartering system through the use of jewels?
Even Rem and Shera's eyes were shining.
「……A, amazing……What a large and radiant diamond.」
「It's so pretty! It's so pretty!」
「As expected of Edelgart-sama.」
Alicia smiled.
Mei, whose face had frozen up in fear just a second ago, received the jewel and gazed at it with a serious face.
「A, amazing -nya……This can't be evaluated unless it is done at a specialist shop……But it certainly does have enough worth to rebuild a run-down inn from scratch and still have change leftover -nya……」
After she plainly muttered that, she went *hah*, and returned to her usual business smile.
「Ahah☆ Dear customers, be at ease in your stay here -nya! Ah, that's right, until the wall is fixed, another room will be prepared for you☆」
That was a magnificent change in attitude.
Rem was surprised and asked.
「Is, is that alright!? These people are Demonic Beings though……!?」
「As long as money is paid, they are customers~」
「……Are you not scared? Even though you had received a Demonic Being's attack not too long ago.」
「Rem-chan, you see……The thing called business, it's a life risking thing, you know? Kira (sparkle)☆」
It seems that the management of 《Relief》 is surprisingly tough. This probably means that living is hard for anyone.
Mei turned her sparkling business smile towards Edelgart.
「Ehehe☆ Since we also serve breakfast, come to the dining hall once it's morning, 'kay☆」
「Got……it.」
「Ah, but, Demonic Beings, what do they eat? Things like frogs?」
「Edelgart~, likes……fish.」
Come to think of it, since Krum's favorite food was biscuits, their palate might not be all that different from the Races.
「OK☆ We'll prepare you some fish!」
「Also……Wild boar, and deer……」
「Say everything you like!」
「Cat」
「Hii~~~!?」
Not just Mei, even Rem shrank away.
So it feels like she'll eat any wild animals that are in the forest.
Shera became worried.
「But, Edelgart-san, won't it be bad if you are seen by the other customers?」
With a *pin*, Mei's index finger went up.
「It's fine☆ Leave that to Mei-chan -nya!」
A few minutes later──
Diablo was surprised.
「Y, you! Were you actually a Magician!?」
She used makeup techniques that were magnificent enough to make him say that.
Mei puffed up her chest in pride with a "how do you like that" face.
「How's that -nya! Girls transform, you know☆」
「Ooー……?」
Edelgart's skin that was lined with small scales had become completely smooth and glossy. Her legs were in black tights, and her hands were covered with white gloves.
For her lizard-like pupils, on top of wearing thick glasses, her forelocks hung down and hid them.
She awkwardly said the words that she was taught.
「W, welcome~, back? Goshujin-sama?」
Krum was made to wear an idol-like outfit.
Since she had transparent-like skin that had no need for makeup, eyeshadow was put on her eyelids, and eyeliner was put on the underside. With a hat, her horns were made to look like decorations.
In order to hide her tail, she wore a parasol-like skirt.
Krum was in high spirits and made a sideways peace sign.
「Kira kira (Sparkle sparkle) -nanoda☆」
「Eheh☆ Kira kira -da nya!」
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Gogogo is a sound effect in Japan that represents an ominous aura.