Ch 230: It can’t be too hard, can it?
Ch 230: It can’t be too hard, can it?
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After talking to Erick, we went directly to Alfonso, the real estate salesman.
After explaining briefly but in detail what we needed and after discarding several options, we chose a small, one-story building located between the slum and the noble sector.
This last detail was something that Delia requested and emphasized as something that was very important.
This way, everyone will have equal access.
I hadn't thought about it, and originally I had no prior preference for certain types of places.
But once I listened to Delia, I quickly saw the sense in her words.
We're only renting the place for half a year, for the time being, because I want to see how my idea works before I buy the building.
I have no interest in accumulating property that I may not have any use for.
The cost of rent is 1 gold coin per month.
Which is quite a bit more expensive than the housing I am renting in Dominir Town.
But I suppose it is logical, considering that we are now in the capital of the kingdom, in a relatively central area of it.
The house consists of a small dining room, which also functions as a kitchen.
This environment will be the one that we will empty of furniture to use as a waiting room and reception.
It also has, as is logical, a functional bathroom and a small room that Delia can use to rest and perform treatments on people.
While showing us around, the salesman treated me at all times with the same attitude as when we met the first time, but every so often I noticed that, when he thought no one was looking at him, he was watching me with a sly look.
He was probably wondering if I was a member of some rich family or something.
But it's somewhat understandable, considering the amount of money he's seen me spend so far, even though I'm only 15 years old.
But age doesn't always go hand in hand with maturity or economic power.
After buying the house, we headed off to the Altamira labyrinth, as I had planned, and that's when things started to go wrong....
...
"Alessia, I think you should take the fights a little more calmly," I say, seeing how sweaty and agitated the blonde girl in front of me is.
"No! This is nothing, Master..." says Alessia, leaning forward and wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her right hand, in which she holds her sword, while using her spear with her left hand as a third point of support.
As soon as we entered the 9th floor of the Altamira labyrinth, Alessia started a competition with Delia to see which of them could kill more monsters.
When she saw the speed at which Delia was dispatching her enemies thanks to Blue Wind's abilities, she asked me to give her back her spear and started performing some crazy and acrobatic moves while holding a weapon in each hand.
All this in an attempt to match the speed at which the fox girl killed the monsters.
Her efforts paid off, and she was able to increase the speed at which she could kill the enemies.
But she still could not reach the speed of Delia and her spear, since the little saint only has to aim at the enemies with the edge of Blue Wind, so that it extends and pierces the monsters’ bodies as if they were made of butter.
"... Where are the next enemies?"
The result of all this, after about an hour, is that Alessia is now extremely exhausted, and Delia and I are completely rested.
Delia because Blue Wind did all the work for her, and me because I have not been able to do much since...
As soon as we saw a monster, it was rapidly slaughtered by one of my two girls.
"Enough! Too much patience I've had so far. What you are doing makes no sense at all. You're too exhausted, and I haven't even fought yet today. We were supposed to be practicing our coordination, not stupidly competing with each other..." I say starting to get irritated with this new competitive attitude of Alessia.
As I speak, I see her legs tremble slightly and her eyes water with frustration.
"...Haaa.... We are a team. We have to lean on each other. Delia and I can take over for a while while you get some rest."
"No! If she goes on, so do I!" exclaims Alessia, stubbornly, glaring hatefully at the spear Delia holds in her hands.
'- If it weren't for that stupid weapon, I would have easily overcome this damned sanctimonious woman. But I have to go on. I have to prove to Master that I'm the first!'
"I can stop fighting for a while..... If that'll do any good," Delia says, looking at Alessia and Blue Wind alternately.
'- Ha. I told you we'd get over her easily. Look how shaken she is, considering how confident she was not so long ago. No one belittles my Delia!'
'- Don't be like that. Alessia didn't have any bad intentions. She only proposed this competition to have some fun, but.... Now Emir doesn't seem happy about the situation we're in.'
'- Don't be naive, Delia. This girl would give anything to make you disappear from that guy's life. And the truth is that I don't blame her.... I'd like you to stay away from the foul influence of my maker too.'
'- Silence! I've told you many times that I don't like it when you speak ill of Emir. One more word, and I'll keep you in the storage ring'.
"No, I can-" Alessia begins to protest, but I motion for her to be quiet, and she reluctantly obeys me.
"No, Delia. We will go on..." I say firmly, and, seeing Alessia's hurt look, I add, "... but I would like you to try using a different weapon. How about using my bow while I'm in the front line with my sword?"
'- Don't listen to him, Delia. That bastard is trying to separate us again.'
'- I warned you!'
At my words, Delia looks at her spear angrily and keeps it in her storage ring.
'I didn't think Delia'd be so upset by my request.... But this is for her sake'
"O-okay, I'll do it. But... C-can you give me some pointers before we go any further?" Delia says, quickly losing all self-confidence now that she has to use an unfamiliar weapon.
Hearing Delia's words, a shadow of a smile begins to appear on Alessia's face, and she visibly relaxes.
"Yes, of course. Here, hold the bow..." I say with a mischievous grin and circle Delia to position myself behind her back.
"... You must hold it like this" I add, speaking softly into the fox girl's ear while guiding her arms to aim correctly with the bow and shoot an invisible arrow in the direction of a point on the labyrinth wall.
As I speak, Delia begins to blush violently and make incoherent sounds, while the bow begins to tremble slightly in her right hand.
'- I... This way I can't concentrate on his instructions, but... I don't want him to stop'.
I would have liked to have had a little more fun with Delia's reactions.
But Alessia, who had begun to visibly relax at the idea of Delia stopping using her spear, is now scowling at me.
And I don't think this is a good time to test her nerves.
'- Stupid perverted Master... in the future, I have to find a way to get him to stop paying so much attention to Delia. I was forced to accept this kind of relationship, but I will not allow Master to relegate me to the background, especially if I am present. I have known him since before, and, therefore, I have more right to him than any other woman he knew after me.'
'Haa... Having two girls as girlfriends at the same time while they are getting to know each other is more difficult than I imagined.'
"Did you understand?" I ask, letting go of Delia's hands and pulling away from her a little.
"Wawawa… Wha… wai… I-I think I've u-understood." says Delia, red as a tomato, looking around with some concern and anxiety on her face.
'- If only we weren't in the labyrinth, now we could.... No! I have to concentrate'.
"Well, shall we go on then? Alessia, you just need to rest and watch the show. Ok?" I say to the blonde girl next to us, smiling and winking in her direction.
"Yes," Delia replies quickly, glancing worriedly at the weapon she holds in her hands, not picking up on the brief exchange of glances between Alessia and me.
"Ok, Master," says Alessia, looking at me with a mischievous grin after observing how Delia's attitude seems to have done a 180-degree turn after putting away her spear and the insecurity with which she is holding my bow.
'- I just have to concentrate on not hitting Emir with the arrows I shoot… it can't be too hard, can it?'
'I'm sure Alessia'll have as much fun as I will watching the clumsy Delia in action, and Delia will get a new class in the process. I'm hitting two birds with one stone."