What Was Your Name Again?

Drip, drip—blood fell onto the stairs.

Holding the two thousand yen he had just exchanged, Kikori headed down into the basement of the Adventurers’ Guild.

His consciousness, already beginning to fade, felt like it was on the road to death.

When he finally reached the counter, the staff member showed a far more human reaction than the receptionist he had met earlier.

That receptionist remained… extremely calm, responding just as she always did.

“A potion.”

“Two thousand yen.”

“I thought it was one thousand.”

“I’ll give you one that works immediately. If you don’t have the money, I’ll give you the one-thousand-yen one.”

There was no time to hesitate. As Kikori tried to open the potion he received in exchange for two thousand yen with trembling hands, the staff member snatched it away.

“Open your mouth.”

The potion was poured straight into his open mouth, and his lips were forced shut.

Gulp. As he swallowed, the potion seeped through his body. The pain vanished, and he could feel warmth returning.

“…Alright. You’re fine now.”

“Thank you. But the one-thousand-yen one would’ve been fine.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Trying to heal a state that close to death with a one-thousand-yen potion would take four bottles.”

“Really?”

“There are proper reasons cheap ones are cheap. And likewise, proper reasons expensive ones are expensive.”

Now that it was said out loud, that made sense.

No matter how many cheap things you stacked up, they couldn’t compete with something expensive and good. It was only logical.

“…I understand.”

“You do? Good. Then?”

“Huh?”

“What did you do to almost get yourself killed? Judging by the club and knife you’re carrying—which you didn’t have yesterday—it was goblins, right?”

“Yes. More or less. I got lured in by a decoy and ambushed.”

“I see…”

Resting her elbows on the counter, the staff member sighed.

“You’re fighting to the death. If you let your guard down, that’s what happens.”

“I felt that firsthand. Things went well yesterday, so… I underestimated goblins.”

“Well… I wouldn’t exactly call that situation ‘going well,’ but… fine.”

Clearing her throat, the staff member pointed at the displayed goods.

“Given that experience, want to buy some armor or something?”

“…I really don’t have the budget. I don’t even have money to stay the night. I need to earn.”

“Oof, that’s a swamp. Sounds like something someone about to die would say.”

“…I don’t have time to get stripped by bandits.”

“Maybe not, but still…”

The staff member sighed, then pointed at the round shield in Kikori’s hand.

“How was that?”

“Ah, thanks to this, I survived. Right—I should thank you for that too. Thank you very much.”

At Kikori’s words, the staff member sighed again… then asked,

“What was your name again?”

“Kikori.”

“That’s a ridiculous name… haaah… I’m Aria.”

“Ah—yes.”

“Wait outside. My shift’s ending soon.”