Chapter 6 - AN EXPERT ARCHER?
Chapter 6 - AN EXPERT ARCHER?
Chapter 6: An Expert Archer?
We passed every day busily for a while after I opened the store.
The main products lined up on the shelves are potions, and also the previous day’s energy potions.
I want to increase the variety more, but I’m going to do it by producing things to satisfy orders.
Noela is also helping me out in all sorts of ways by becoming a poster girl, so there isn’t anything I’m troubled with.
Mina seems to be particularly good with housework; whether it’s cooking, laundry, or cleaning, she gets them all done quickly and easily.
She’s a ghost girl who can do anything well.
Oh, that’s right, I can’t forget the name of the store.
I decided on the simple, “Kirio Drug,” as the name.
It goes without saying that Noela and Mina were speechless when I wrote the signboard in Japanese.
There weren’t any customers inside the store, so we were eating lunch that Mina had prepared for us.
“Do you need to eat even though you’re a ghost?”
“It’s the same whether I do or not, but I want to eat together.”
“They say it’s better to eat with more people, after all.”
I don’t know whether she heard or not, but Noela is noisily eating as she nods her head.
“Oh, that’s right, Reiji-san. There’s a festival going on in town, you know?”
“Heeh. A festival, huh?”
Come to think of it, it’s unusually noisy outside today.
So it was because there’s a festival.
“There’s a lo-t of stalls, and there’s going to be a number of events, you know?”
“Events?”
“Let’s see, the main event would probably be “Long-distance shooting,” I suppose.”
“Shooting?”
“Yes. You see, every year, the best archer among the elves will shoot a long distance. Like, whoosh. It’s a really far distance, you know-?”
“That one sounds like it would be worth seeing.”
I might have some interest.
And also, I haven’t seen an elf yet since I came to this world.
The characteristics of an elf are supposed to be handsome men and beautiful women; I’d like to meet one, even if it’s just once.
“Excuse me! Shopkeeper – is the shopkeeper here?”
There’s a voice coming from the shop.
Swallow what I had in my mouth, I returned to the store.
“Yes, what can I do for you –“
I was wondering who had come, and it’s one of the elves we had just been talking about who came to the store.
Long ears and blond hair that just reached the shoulders. Almond eyes with blue pupils, and very pretty facial features.
Shouldering a longbow and wearing leather boots.
“Oh my. Are you the shopkeeper? You’re quite the cute boy.”
“Please stop with the ‘boy.’ Even if I look like this, I’m quite up there in age. … Um, and so, what can I do for you?”
“Aah. Today, I have a request to make of the genius alchemist boy.”
“You’re kind of mistaken, but … if you want potions or energy potions, they’re on the shelf.”
“That’s not it, I want you to save me.”
“Haa… save you?”
“My name is Kururu, an elf.”
“I’m called Reiji.”
“What a cute name. – Aa, oops. I get off track immediately with you here.”
“Haa, is that so?”
I wonder what this person’s intentions are, glancing at me flirtatiously.
… or like, this elf, he’s a man, right…
“I’m supposed to be doing the shooting at today’s Carta Festival, but …”
“A. Is that so? I’m looking forward to it.”
“However! … A possibility that I will not be able to meet your expectations has come up.”
Kururu-san is really shaking his head, like it’s a shame.
I wonder if people in this world aren’t used to small talk.
“What’s the matter?”
“For some reason, my bowarm’s become strange … I can’t hit very well.”
“And what is the relationship between your bowarm and me…?”
With a refreshing smile, Kururu-san said,
“I want you to do something about it.”
“Go practice.”
A, but it’s today, huh?
“I can’t ask anyone but Reiji-chan …”
“Uh-, would it be possible for you not to call me with ‘-chan’?”
“Please do something! I’ll let you do anything you want – with my rear.”
Fufun; laughing through his nose, Kururu-san is definitely giving me flirtations looks.
“Just what do you think I am?”
“… Then, the reverse? I’m convex. You’re concave? Oh no, I couldn’t have even begun to hope for it, but if that’s what you’d like – oh nononono, it’s not like I’m particularly excited about it –“
Elves are amazing – I’d be an idiot for thinking that.
This guy’s just gay.
“… Why me? I can’t think of any connection to me.”
“I’ve heard the rumors. The rumors about an alchemist who made the elderly stand up with energy. And so, if I asked you, I thought you would lend out your rear – I mean – I would be able to hit my targets despite becoming unable to.”
I think he’d be better off going for the ass of some livestock around here.
“That may be, but hitting your target is dependent on your ability with the bow.”
“I want you to make a medicine that will help me hit my target no matter what!!”
“Like I can do that-!”
I think that would be in the realm of magic.
“Reiji-chan! – Listen, I’m being dead serious! And so, I want you to attack with all seriousness!”
Kururu-san struck his chest, stretching both his arms out towards me.
… No, I’m not going to leap into them, okay?
“Even if you tell me to be serious … hasn’t your abilities worsened? Have someone replace you…”
“I’m the best in the forest. There isn’t anyone to replace me. And I’ve been earnestly practicing. Morning, noon, and night.”
“I understand it’s not from a lack of practice, but … then why did your abilities fall, I wonder.”
“Isn’t that what I’ve been saying since the beginning?”
“You’ve only been talk about butts.”
Hm. Looks like he won’t leave unless I do something, this homo-elf.
His abilities worsening even though he’s been practicing around the clock …
“Ah-. Aren’t you overworked? You practiced too much.”
Unexpectedly, it went in that direction.
It’s also possible that your situation will worsen if you’re constantly practicing, after all.
When I pointed at him, Kururu-san tried to grab my index finger, but his hand whiffed through the air.
“Aa, so close.”
It wasn’t close at all.
How dangerous … his desire for physical contact has finally shown itself, this elf.
Or like, I didn’t avoid him at all, but he missed.
– Ah.
“Isn’t it because of your eyes? Your eyes are tired, so it’s difficult to see, right?”
“- – Now that you mention it…”
I want to say, realize it before it reaches this point.
Since it’s like that, it’s my turn.
When I looked at Kururu-san, who was now conscious of it, he narrows his eyes a lot, and he blinks abnormally often.
“Your eyes are tired. … When your eyes abilities have worsened, you won’t be able to hit far targets.”
I’m not an eye doctor so I can’t give a precise diagnosis, but it’s probably right from what I’ve heard.
“I see, so I was tired…”
I looked for the ingredients for eye drops in the reference book I had left under the counter.
Clean water and salt. These would be the base, and then I’ll need shellfish.
I’ll probably be able to gather them quickly if that’s it.
Looks like it’s still two hours until Kururu’s appearance.
“I’m going to make eyedrops, so please wait a bit.”
“Eye drops…? It has a very obscene sound to it, somehow.”
Geez… what am I supposed to do with this person?
Having Kururu-san wait in the store, I went into the medicine room.
… I’m suddenly tired.
For an elf to be a homo, I wish his character was limited to one of the two.
Still chewing noisily on her food, Noela poked her head in.
“Master, what’s wrong? Cheer up.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Patting Noela, who had dropped by, on the head, I replenished my mofu mofu levels.
I’ve gotten a bit of energy back, so I started on the medicine.
So, it only needs this amount of ingredients? I’m half doubtful about it.
“Mina, you have some omeal shellfish left over from cooking, right?”
I’d bought some recently, so there should still be some left over.
Mina, who was washing things, said, “Aa, if it’s those, then ~,” wiped her hands, and brought a bucket with some shellfish in it to me.
“Are you going to eat them?” f𝚛e𝚎𝘄𝒆𝚋𝚗𝚘ѵ𝑒𝚕.𝑐𝘰𝑚
“Nope, I’m going to simmer them and use the broth for medicine.”
“F,for medicine…?”
I had Mina, whose eyes had turned into dots, stew the shellfish, prepared the water and salt, and returned to the medicine room.
Noela, who laid down with a thud, looks like she’s sleeping.
Let’s start working.
I put a very small amount of salt into the water. After that, I add the shellfish broth and put it into the smallest bottle I have.
And like before, when I shook the bottle, the liquid inside glowed faintly.
[Eye Drops: Effective for tired eyes. Promotes regeneration of cells.]
“… The Drug Discovery Skill; it’s practically magic, like this.”
It becomes medicine just by doing this, so even if it’s not me, it’s a convenient skill.
I immediately try it out on myself.
It drops into my eyes.
“A~~ how refreshing~~”
Returning to the store, I handed the eye drops to Kururu-san.
“This is?”
“It’s called eye drops; to put it simply, you use it when your eyes are tired. Please put one drop each into your eyes.”
“Hm?”
Drip, drip; Kururu-san used the eye drops.
I’m pretty bad at getting the eyedrops in, but Kururu-san was pretty good at it.
After that, I had him close his eyes for a while.
“J,just what do you intend to do, having me close my eyes … no way … a kiss?”
“I won’t.”
And don’t fidget with embarrassment.
“It should be fine now. Open your eyes. … How is it?”
“… Huh. … It’s completely different … My sight is so clear…! Amazing! You’re amazing, Reiji-chan! I want to eat you up! Thank you!”
“Uwa, don’t get so close! Stop!”
The over-excited homo elf shoved his face close and puckered up, and I used my hands to keep him away.
“Y,you don’t have to act so shy.”
“I’m not acting shy. I really don’t want it-!”
“… This, how long are you going to withhold your affection and act ‘tsun’!?”
“Your optimism isn’t half-assed at all. – Geez, just go already! You have things to do, right?”
When I said so to Kururu-san, who kept shoving his face close while smooching, his expression became sharp.
“I will hit my target for you.”
“Uwaa… even though I was looking forward to it, all of a sudden I’m not looking forward to it…”
“Then, until next time,” so saying, Kururu-san waved his hand and left the store.
It’s not like he’s definitely going to hit it just because he used eye drops, but … yeah, I’m concerned.
There was still time until then, so I enjoyed the festival together with Noela, who woke up.
In the middle of town there’s an assembly hall, and he’ll shoot a plate that’s 50 meters away, it seems.
Quite a lot of guests gathered around, and when it was time, Kururu-san appeared with his longbow.
His form as he responded to the cheers with a hand raised for some reason, is a little frustrating.
And then, it’s the first arrow.
Whoosh; the released arrow flew forwards -.
Splendid, the plate was pierced through.
Wow-; the audience stood up with furious applause, and Kururu-san responded by raising his hand.
He withdrew from his spot, and quickly spotted me and came over.
“It’s thanks to your eye drops! Thank you, Raiji-chan-“
I quickly dodged the homo elf who came to hug me.
“That was close! … But that was your original ability, I believe. The eye drops aren’t related to being able to shoot such a long distance.”
“That’s not true at all-! Because I couldn’t hit even once when I practiced!”
“… That’s different from overworking…”
Even with that, Kururu-san was considered the best?
I feel like the only thing going for him is that he trains hard.