Chapter 16 - It seems that we're having a tea, but...

When my Big Rat hunting was over, the sun was still rising high. Thanks to Gram's advice, the time I spend at work have decreased.

I don't plan to earn any more money today. I'm planning to leisurely spend it till night.

Thus, I decided that I might as well go see 'her'.

"Aren't you devoted, partner? You haven't yet reached the target amount, right?"

"That's why I will just bring her some refreshments. Even if I can only gain at least small favorability, I won't be punished, right?"

"Frankly admitting your ulterior motive is refreshing instead."

After I bought sweets at a street stall on the main street, I set foot onto the back alley.

The place I'm going to isn't the brothel that I visited before.

A place a little away from the Red-light District. It's where I'm going to, a clinic in the corner of the back alley.

"Ara, Yukina-kun, you came. How are you today?"

When I knocked on the entrance, the one who opened the door and greeted me was Kyunei.

"I came to hang out as my work today is over."

"Oh, you arrive just in time. I also took a break right now."

On the day I decided to "rent" Kyunei, she told me her place. She wasn't just a prostitute, she was working as a doctor at this clinic in the back alley during the day.

"For you, some treats."

"That's very kind of you."

When I handed over the sweets I was holding, Kyunei became shy.

She's currently not in a suggestive clothes like the one when I saw her at the brothel. It was still a clothes that properly accentuates her body outline, but not as much as when she was in her prostitute appearance. A loose robe was also worn over her.

"Let's might as well eat this together. I'm brewing a tea now. Come inside and wait."

Carrying the bag of sweets she received, Kyunei withdrew back into the clinic. When I got inside after her, I could smell a particular smell of which I think is that of medicine.

Inside of the clinic is not very wide, with only a simple bed and a work desk beside the shelves on which the medicines are placed. The inner part is directly connected to Kyunei's residence.

I sat on the bed for the time being and waited for Kyunei.

After a while, Kyunei came back with a tray of fragrant tea and the sweets she placed on it.

"Here you go."

"Itadakimasu."

Taking a cup of tea that was placed on the desk, I savored the steaming tea in my mouth.

"A tea brewed by a beautiful woman is surely delicious."

"You will get nowhere even if you flatter me, you know."

The laughing Kyunei was as beautiful as a painting.

"---------!"

A pain ran down in my arm when I tried to reach for the sweets.

There was a white bandage coiled around it and blood was showing through.

While I was searching for a Big Rat in the forest, I was deeply cut by a sharp branch that had been sticking out. I immediately disinfected and bandaged it to stop the bleeding, but it seems that the wound have opened a little when I moved.

"Ara, that's serious. Please excuse me for a bit, okay?"

This degree of injury is a daily occurrence and I was thinking that it would be cured if I put a spit on it, but when Kyunei quickly picked up my arm, she removed the bandage and held out her hand towards my wound.

"Healing."

When a light shines out of Kyunei's hand, it got absorbed into the wound on my arm, closing the cut.

In a blink of an eye, my arm got healed completely.

Kyunei is not only a doctor but, also a magician who is good at Recovery Magic.

"Sorry. I'll pay for it."

"It's alright. If anything, just think of it as a compensation for the sweets. Like I have treated you to a meal."

Kyunei laughed as if she did something in her spare time.

"Even so, I was really surprised when you actually came to this clinic."

"Weren't Kyunei-san the one who told me your place?"

"That's because you look so determined, but the point is you nonchalantly came two days later. I thought the next time we would meet was when you rented me."

It's because when I visited this clinic for the first time, Kyunei who saw my face became stunned. She can be described as a pigeon who's been shot by a peashooter. That's how surprised she looked.

"You're the one who will eventually take care of me so, It's only natural that I want to know about you, right?"

Besides, before the subject of rent or not renting, it's very natural for a man to want to get closer even for a little to such a beautiful woman.

"Or, do you hate guys who are openly trying to earn points with you?"

"No. Rather, I like your honesty."

That's good.

Then we enjoyed the conversation while having sweets and tea.

From small talk to situation of my hunting in the forest. Anyway, we engaged enthusiastically in a trivial conversation.

During that time, there's something that's weighing a little on my mind.

Magic --- It's a skill that is naturally known by people, but the Recovery Magic that Kyunei have just used is actually have limited users.

Regarding Attack Magic and Support Magic, although their number is less compared to vanguards such as swordsmans, they are affiliated to the Mercenary Guild. However, there is not much about the users of Recovery Magic.

The technique of acquiring and training Recovery Magic is exclusive to the church. These are kept secret from the normal people. It's a general public knowledge that 'Users of Recovery Magic is equal to 'Priests and Bishops' that belongs to the church'.

Naturally, if you go to the church and pay donation, you can receive treatment, but the donation is quite a lot. Therefore, it is considered a last resort among mercenaries.

Of course, there's also a church in my home village and the bishop who was in charge there can also use it. However, it took him some time to heal the wounds I have made in the forest. Kyunei's skill to cure it in an instant is at least above the village's bishop.

Why is such a woman a clinic doctor? Why is she doing a behind-the-scene job like prostitute?

It would be a big lie if I say I didn't care.

As I was thinking about such things ---.

"... You aren't listening deeply, are you."

I was startled by the words of Kyunei who interjected in the middle of the conversation.

"Wh, what do you mean?"

"You're not good at acting, boy. I completely know what you're thinking about, you know."

I sighed and surrendered at Kyunei who laughed teasingly.

"Why does someone who can use Recovery Magic lives in a corner of this kind of back alley? It's somewhat bothering but....."

And I added.

"Even I, a country bumpkin, knows that stepping into your privacy is a breach of etiquette and rude."

Even if she have her circumstances, it was only about a week since I and Kyunei got to know each other. It's wrong to try to nosily pry into her secrets when we don't have a very deep relationship.

"Well, I'll hear it if Kyunei-san were to tell me willingly, but that would be impossible, right?"

"Yeah. Both you and I still don't know anything about each other a lot for me to do that."

"If so, then I'll wait. Until the day when you reveal it to me, Kyunei-san."