“I licked you all over like a dog?! And I role-played as an infant?!”
Shame on you, Karina from last night! How impure! Now I can never get married... Well, not like I planned on it anyway!
“Well, I was hardly innocent either. Recalling it now, even I’m a little embarrassed by all we did,” Harumikazuchi said bashfully.
But thanks to those loosened inhibitions, I could get with a beautiful fox girl! If only I could remember it... Curses! Return, my memory! Return! Ngh... No use, I can’t remember a damn thing!
Sigh... What a waste. All right, that settles it—from now on, I’m only drinking in moderation.
As uncomfortable as they were, I threw on the fox lady’s hand-me-downs. I’m now realizing how much better my original clothes felt. Guess you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
“Oh—actually, someone really important gave those clothes to me. I won’t ask you to give them back, but can I at least give them a proper goodbye?”
“Hm? Well, if that’s all, I don’t mind.” With a nod, Harumikazuchi brought my old clothes over.
Considering the Goddess had made these clothes along with my body, they were practically also a part of me. I hugged the outfit tightly. “Thank you for your service until now... I’ll never forget you!”
Then I copied them while they were concealed against my body.
All right, mission accomplished. I quickly swapped the copy with the original and slipped the original outfit into my space of holding. Look, if they’re really as valuable as Harumikazuchi says, I can’t just let them go so easily. Plus, these hand-me-downs really aren’t comfortable at all. I’ll just change into my old outfit later. Gotcha, fox lady! Wait—didn’t I promise to myself that I would only copy sellable items as a last resort? Oh, but this is for my own personal use, so it doesn’t count!
Plus, I’m the type to strive for one hundred percent completion in all my games. Since I have unlimited storage space, I might as well go for a complete inventory! It’d be a shame to lose out on an item this early on, especially an otherwise unobtainable starting item from the Goddess. And I wouldn’t want her to get upset at me for trying to sell it either. Though it was technically stripped from me, so I’m safe there. And I don’t remember what I said when I was drunk, so that doesn’t count either. Right?
Ooh, I’m feeling a little woozy again. Just like the Goddess said, it looks like copying items takes a fair bit of MP.
“Thanks for letting me pay my last respects.” I handed the copied outfit back to Harumikazuchi.
“No prob.” After taking the clothes, she pulled the pipe out of her mouth, turned her head sideways, and blew out a puff of smoke. “Actually...”
“Hm? What is it?”
“If they’re really that important to you, I might not sell them after all. I could keep them with me, where I know they’ll be safe.”
What a kind lady! Did I really have my first time with another human or an angel?! After this, I really need to show the Goddess my appreciation for sending me here.
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I have several similar outfits at home, actually.” With this, it won’t look so unusual for me to have the same outfit on when I see her again.
“Seriously? Then never mind, I’ll go ahead and sell ’em. Or I could have them fitted to my size and wear them myself.”
The fox lady, wearing the same clothes as me?! Isn’t that practically indirect intercourse?!
“Um, Harumikazuchi, do you mind if I come see you again?”
“As a customer, sure, but as a newbie adventurer, it might be too high of a hurdle to clear for you money-wise.”
Gack! That’s right, I could only enter because Blade was a Rank C adventurer. And since it’s an establishment where adventurers can enjoy various pleasures, of course it’d be expensive. Could I maybe earn a bunch of money as a merchant and then come back? In that case, that slow, comfortable merchant life is looking more and more appealing by the second. I wanna become a regular at her place!
“If it’s just me you want, however... Look, you enticed me into doing all those things with you yesterday, and I didn’t dislike it. But I’ll have to charge you next time, regardless of your gender.”
“No, that’s not necessarily what I— Um, how much, exactly?”
“I suppose that depends on how up for it I’m feeling at the time, but I’d say around a hundred gold. I don’t normally make myself for sale, you see.” Giggling, she tickled my chin with her left hand. My body instantly and automatically reacted—my heart beat furiously, and I felt a deep longing like my chest was being squeezed in a vise. Honestly, what magic words could I have possibly said last night to seduce a woman like her?! I sure wish I could remember!
“Urk...! Ow, ow, ow. My head!” Blade was also starting to regain consciousness. He got to his feet.
“Oh, you’re up, Blade?” I asked. “You all right?”
“Y-Yeah, never better. Except for my head... Damn, it hurts. Guess I went a little too hard on the booze last night.”
He was only wearing underwear. Now that I get a good look at him, he’s pretty ripped—though I guess that’s to be expected of a frontline fighter.
“Wait, where are my clothes?” he asked. Then he noticed Harumikazuchi. “Oh, hey, Haru.”
“Honestly, Blade, what are you thinking, showing such a pathetic side of yourself to a brand-new adventurer? You ought to be ashamed.”
He hung his head. “I know. I’m sorry.”
The fox lady and Blade were treating each other casually, as though they’d known each other since forever. Damn, I’m kinda jealous!
“Well, uh, can you just put last night on my tab for now? If you could at least give me my gear back, I’ll pay you as soon as I can.”
“Hmph. Well, considering all I made off you last night, I guess I can look the other way. I’m sure you’ll be back for more too.”
“Thanks, Haru, you’re the best! I owe ya!”
She tossed his gear and a wallet, now empty, onto the floor beside him. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel this is far from the first time this has happened.
“And that’s how you make sure you at least keep your gear after going on a bender, even if you have to beg for it,” Blade announced sagely. “That’s a very important trick of the trade from a pro. Got it, Karina?”
You’re really going to try to save face after such a pathetic showing?
“Yessir!” I responded.
“Uh, Haru, my sword’s not here.” After redressing and checking to make sure his gear was all accounted for, Blade frowned in puzzlement.
“Naturally,” Harumikazuchi answered with a puff of smoke. “Adding in the mess this girl here made as well, there was more damage than usual. Bring me five large coppers, and you’ll get your weapon back. Just hunt a few slimes or something—that shouldn’t be too much trouble for a pro like you, right? And watch over this girl for me too, while you’re at it,” she said with another puff of smoke and a giggle. God, I wanted to stroke her tail so bad.
“Right, then...follow me to the woodshed, Karina. I’ll teach you some carpentry skills.”
“’Preciate it! Looking forward to it.”
With Blade now...mentoring me, I guess, the two of us left Shunrai. Oh, by the way, according to my Tome of General Knowledge, diseases and unwanted pregnancies were easily preventable with magic and potions in this world, and there were shops out there that specifically sold such goods. So I was free to do whatever—in more ways than one! Isekai really are the best!