This Love is Futile

Chapter 070 – You’re a Reajuu1? “You Are Too.”

“Welcome to our establishment. I see there are many guests with you today. Please come in.”

I had originally planned to bring only Yuuta, but Vidello-san gave the ok and said it was alright, so I brought them all along. To be honest, I was relieved to see Regalo-san greet us with a smile.

“Mac-kun, I see that you are friends with some rather remarkable people. You all seem to have secret dungeon experience. That alone is enough for me,” he told me when I talked to him, secretly concerned. Perhaps he was also acquainted with Sage-san? When I tilted my head, Regalo-san added, “Yes.” Uh, did, did I just ask that aloud? Seeing my flustered face, Regalo-san let out a small chuckle.

“Sage is an old friend of mine. Of course, Emily-chan and Crash-kun are as well. Crash-kun didn’t seem to notice me at all.”

Then Regalo-san dropped his voice to a whisper. He covered his mouth so that only Vidello-san and I, who were looking at everyone else in the corner, could hear his whispered words.

“I, too, am a half-elf. I was born with a human-like appearance, so very few people notice me.”

“!!”

I frantically suppressed my voice when I was about to speak out involuntarily. I hadn’t noticed at all. Vidello-san had a normal expression on his face while my mouth opened and closed like a fish. Did he know? But this was top secret, right? Just as I thought that, Regalo-san gently placed his index finger on his own lips and nodded. Sigh, my heart was racing. Is it okay for him to carelessly tell me that secret? But I was resolved to say nothing. I wouldn’t even tell Yuuta if he said it was top secret.

Little by little, the number of secrets increased. I might not be able to play candidly with Yuuta here.

“Well, it’s not an absolute secret, so be at ease,” Regalo said.

“Uuu, ok… but I won’t say anything about it,” I reassured.

“Well, if something happens, I suggest you talk to Vidello-kun beside you. He’s not your average gatekeeper-san. And—”

“I’m a mere gatekeeper for Tre. Mac, don’t take him seriously,” Vidello-san interrupted Regalo-san’s words. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up and then be disappointed to find out that I’m just a gatekeeper, so don’t lift me up too much, Regalo-san.”

“Oh my, Vidello-kun doesn’t seem to have much self-confidence with you, Mac-kun.”

“Give me a break…”

At Regalo-san’s teasing words, Vidello-san covered his face with his hands, as if admitting defeat. Saying he didn’t have self-confidence, but I’d never met someone so strong, handsome, kind, funny, and straightforward. 

“I like Vidello-san no matter what kind of person he is. That’s what I’m not confident about. My appearance and capabilities aren’t much, and I’m not strong. I’m just a stupid guy that fails in critical moments. Is that sort of thing ok?”

I looked up at Vidello-san with a tight grip on my sleeve. He said, “You’re an idiot,” with a small, wry smile. “You’re good because you’re you. You’ve got an appearance that I really like and, as for skills, there aren’t many people who are as capable as you. Also, you have a strong heart. And while you might be a little scatterbrained, it can’t be anything but a virtue.”

“Vidello-san…”

I liked him. I was certain the gauge had increased again. Because I loved him. As we were staring at each other, I heard a voice from the back of the store say, “Excuse meee,” and I came to my senses. Crap, crap. Everyone was there, but we’d entered a two-person world.

“Shopkeeper-san. I want this,” Brave called out to Regalo-san. In his hand was an ear cuff that appeared to be made by Regalo-san. It was a cute accessory with small blue gems, decorated like an angel’s wings.

“Is that a gift for your partner?”

“Ah, yes. She’s beautiful, so I like to cover her in decorations.”

No matter how you looked at it, Brave, smiling broadly when he said that, was her doting boyfriend. Regalo-san smiled and said, “Then, for this one, I’ll charge 5 [ Crock Flight Feather Roots ],” still pricing the item.

“[ Crock Flight Feather Roots ]? I wonder if I have any. Ah, just enough. Seriously, it’s not money.”

“Sometimes money can’t buy what’s important. If it is alright, please put it on your partner with your own hands.”

“Roger that.”

The feather was handed over and he attached the item to Kairi’s ear. Then, Kairi said, “Oh…” and covered her mouth.

“What’s this percentage? It says 1%.”

“Ah, that also comes with a divine protection gauge.”

When I unintentionally spoke, Kairi and Brave both turned their gazes my way.

“Indeed. It’s my masterpiece. That gauge will grow with your feelings for the other person, so please increase it seriously.”

“Such a wonderful thing…”

Kairi was so impressed that she covered her mouth and looked like a woman in every movement she made, and when she burst into tears, it was hard to believe that she was really Masuda on the inside. Are they actors, too? Or is it their true nature? But Brave, who gave Kairi a light kiss on the forehead, was very manly and they made a very well-matched couple. Yuuta also had a pendant-shaped ornament in his hand. The drop-shaped jewel was pale pink. Ah, was this also a present for Yui? It’s a reajuu corps. Yuuta paid for the pendant with what he had with no issues and, as expected, put it around Yui’s neck. Yui blushed heavily and looked up at Yuuta. I’m certain the gauge had increased.

The [ Mad Ride ] people were looking at items and twisting their necks. It didn’t seem like there was much that interested them.

“Customers, I don’t recommend unreasonable shopping. If you can’t find what you want, I would suggest not picking it up.”

“Hmm, there are a lot of rare things, so I think I want to get something, but I can’t decide,” someone said.

“Maybe you’ll find what you want next time you come in,” replied the shopkeeper.

“I see, is that how it is? Does that mean I can come back next time?” asked Harpon.

Harpon-san was surprised; apparently, he had thought this was the only time he could enter the back alleys. I’d thought so too at first. But something told me that if Regalo-san didn’t want people coming here, they wouldn’t be able to set foot in this store. Well, that might’ve just been my imagination. Regalo-san seemed to have something mysterious that made me think as much because he knew everything I was thinking, like a handsome butler. When I shuddered, Vidello-san worriedly asked, “Are you cold?” That wasn’t it. I was shivering with excitement at the endless possibilities of Regalo-san. What even?

Regalo-san looked at Yui and Kairi, who seemed satisfied, said, “Oh, right,” and went behind the counter.

“I have a favor to ask your best friend, Mac-kun,” Regalo said.

“Whoa?! A sudden quest?! Ah, yeah, if it’s something I can do.”

Yuuta readied himself to hear Regalo-san’s words while freaking out. Regalo-san handed the bag in his hand to Yuuta and spoke about the request.

“There’s no time limit. If you ever go to the Dieci frontier town in the future, I want you to deliver that to the leader of the Frontier Knights. If you don’t want to go, that’s fine, so long as you return that to me rather than entrusting it to someone else. There are very strong monsters in the frontier towns, so please don’t overdo it.”

Yuuta sighed and responded, “I was thinking of going to the frontier town sooner or later, so it’s fine. But why me? [ Mad Ride ] is strong enough to go that way. We’re probably a long way from there.”

“It’s no problem. I was thinking of entrusting this to you.”

“Sigh.”

With everyone’s attention on him, Yuuta moved his finger just a little and seemed to have accepted the quest. Moreover, it wasn’t a [ Takahashi and his Merry Men ] party quest. It seemed to be a personal quest.

Even so, it was a frontier town. I’d never been there either. Or rather, I’d die and respawn before I got there because the enemy level there wasn’t half bad. I also heard that not many ordinary people went to the frontier areas because of the proximity to the demon continent. I’d read online that the only ones who headed there were merchants who traveled with an escort, dispatched knights, mercenaries, or players who were confident in their own levels. I wondered how strong the leader of the Frontier Knights was, living in such a place. I had a clear image of a very severe, grim face, some kind of scar on his cheek, and a rugged body. As I was thinking this, Regalo-san glanced at me and chuckled.