I Can't Taste it at All

Finished eating lunch, both of us sat up from our seats and went to pay the bill.

Food stalls are basically places where you pay in exchange for goods, and in fact, this shop seems to be a place where you usually pay in advance.

However, it seems that the shopkeeper auntie's confidence in Kuro is so high, as Kuro's her regular customer, it's alright for her even if Kuro pays later.

[Thanks for the food~~ It was delicious.]

[Ah, Kuro. Here's the money.]

[Eh? It's okay. I'm the one who invited you, so I'll pay for it~~]

[No, as expected, that is...]

When we walked towards the auntie to pay the bill, I called out to Kuro who was taking out her purse, but she just said that it's her treat.

However, even if this is just a date for argument's sake and even if she is older than me, I'm still feeling awkward having Kuro, who looks like a young girl, treat me.

[It's alright. Even with this appearance, I still have a decent amount of money.]

[Decent, you say, is there even anyone in this world who has more money than the Underworld King?]

[Eh? Is Kuro really that rich?]

Hearing what Kuro cheerfully said, the auntie spoke with another wry smile on her face.

Kuro doesn't usually wear a lot of accessories and she's mostly only eating commoners' sweets, so I didn't really get the impression that she was rich... The way the auntie is speaking, she's among the top in the world in terms of wealth.

I guess that should be expected from the Underworld King? No, but where does she get her income as the Underworld King?

[You don't know, young man? The Underworld King is the "Creator of Magic Tools". She would obviously get an outrageous amount of money for that.]

[...Ahh.]

Hearing what the auntie said, I began to understand why.

The Seditch Magic Tool Company, which has the largest market share in the world when it comes to magic tools... The Chairman there is under Sechs-san's subordinate, and Sechs-san is Kuro's family. And if I carefully think back upon it, Sechs-san may have said that the Chairman of that company is his subordinate, but he never said that the Seditch Magic Tool Company is his own company.

To sum it up, Kuro was the one who created the Seditch Magic Tool Company huh... In other words, Kuro is in an Honorary President-like position of the world's largest company. With a position like that, she would obviously have money...

[...…]

[Kaito-kun?]

[...Kuro, do you mind I pay for this after all?]

[Eh? Why?]

I understand that Kuro is rich, and I can understand the reason why she insists on paying.

However, as a man, I also have my own little pride, so I wanted to at least pay for our meal.

Granted, the money I currently have was given to me by Lilia-san and I didn't earn this myself, so I don't really think this is something I can say...

Hearing what I said, Kuro tilted her head in wonder. It was quite unusual since she usually seems to know everything I'm thinking about... In the first place, she was the one who wanted to do the standard exchange, and her knowledge regarding stuff would usually be half-baked, so she may just be unfamiliar with this type of relationship.

[...Underworld King-sama. Wouldn't it be uncouth to ask him the reason for that?]

[Eh? Really?]

[Yes, that's right, there are just some things that men can't back down on. Isn't that so? Young man.]

[Ugghhh... Yes.]

It seems that auntie noticed my petty vanity, telling me that with an amused smile on her face, while Kuro was getting more and more curious as she tilted her head.

[Well then, with both of your meals combined, it will be 12R... but since the young man is showing his manliness, I'll just push it down to 10R.]

[Thank you very much. Well then, we'll be off.]

[Yes, indeed. Thank you. Come back when you want to eat again.]

The price was about 600 Yen per piece, which is very reasonable considering its volume. It also tasted good, and I'll definitely come back for more.

However, I feel that this auntie might make fun of me because of this event, so I'm a little anxious to come back...

After paying, I walked away from the store while pulling Kuro's hand, who was still looking at me in wonder.

[So, where are we going next?]

[That's right~~ We just finished having lunch, so let's just take a look around for now. Ah, I think we should get something to drink.]

I said to Kuro as we walked down the street lined up with stalls again, and Kuro replied with a bright smile on her face.

I nodded in response to Kuro's words, patting my chest in relief, as it seems that she will not be pursuing the matter as advised by the shopkeeper auntie for the time being.

It seems that she also had some recommended shops for drinks, so Kuro pulled my hand and brought me to a stall... To a shop that somehow looks like a small greengrocer.

[Hello~~ Do you have some Seal Fruit?]

[Oya? Underworld King-sama, welcome. Seal Fruit, right? Yes, there's a good one here.]

The man who seems to be the shopkeeper smiled at Kuro and said a few words in return. It seems that she's a frequent visitor to this area.

Listening to Kuro's request, the owner takes out a black spherical object about 30cm in diameter.

Is it that Seal Fruit? It kinda looks like an iron ball though...

[What about the hole?]

[I'll open it myself. I will just put two straws in it.]

[Yes.]

I would have paid for it again if I could, but Kuro refused to back down this time, saying "This time is on me.", so I just left it to her.

Kuro receives the mysterious black sphere and two straws from the shopkeeper and pays him money.

But still... It seems that there are also straws in this world huh. I wonder what they're made of? I don't think it's made of plastic, but based on its color, probably wood? Or perhaps, is it made with some sort of grass? This might also be something passed on by those who hold the role of Hero back then.

[By the way, Kuro, what the heck is that?]

[It's called Seal Fruit, and sealed within its husk are lots of fruit juice. The husk covering it is hard, so you have to cut a hole in it to drink the contents.]

In short, is it something like this world's coconuts? It certainly does resemble it now that she told me that... Putting aside the fact that it's all black though...

[Incidentally, I think the husk is about as tough as steel? I heard that these were sometimes used to make armor.]

[...And how can you make a hole from a fruit with a husk as tough as steel?]

" "

Correction, it isn't something similar to coconuts... It was completely different from a coconut.

I got to touch it for a bit, and it certainly looks incredibly hard.

But if it's as strong as steel, seriously, how can you make a hole in it? Wouldn't it be impossible unless you have a drill or something like that?

[Eh? I could just do this though?]

[...Wha?]

In response to my doubts, Kuro just nonchalantly pointed at the husk of the seal fruit with her finger, and easily poked a hole in it as if it was something easy to do.

...Wait a sec there, let me get this straight.

The Seal Fruit is a coconut-like fruit filled with juice inside, and its husk is as tough as steel, that it is even used to make armor.

And now, Kuro just easily punched a hole in it with her finger... Which means, Kuro can pierce through iron with just her finger? The heck, that's scary.

[Stop, let's put that aside for now. Kuro, that is... you only punch through one hole, but why are there two straws in it?]

[Eh? I mean, when you're in a drink, both people have to drink in the same glass, right?]

[......]

Aaahhhhhhhhhh, shhheeeeetttt! I should have noticed it earlier.

Kuro has not only gained one-sided knowledge regarding my world, but she's also not very knowledgeable about love affairs.

And that is why we ended up in this situation. Two straws for one drink, just like the ones that couples do.

[Come on, Kaito-kun. Drink along with me!]

[......]

No no, please wait a second there. I've got something very important to tell you.

We're not in a cafe, nor are we inside a shop. It's early afternoon, and we're in the middle of a busy street.

Eh? Seriously, right here? You want me to drink that together with you, right here? Doesn't that completely look like a penalty game!? No no, I would seriously die from embarrassment if I were to do that!

[No, I...]

[...Kaito-kun, drinking together with me... Do you hate it?]

[...I'll drink it. Yes.]

I somehow tried to get away from that embarrassing situation, but I immediately caved in when I saw Kuro's eyes staring at me with a forlorn expression on her face.

There was nowhere... for me to escape at all!

Slumping my shoulders, and gulping the saliva that gathered in my throat... I spent the next few minutes playing back the scene of my humiliation, drinking juice with Kuro right in the middle of the road.

Dear Mom, Dad—— I heard that the juice from the seal fruit is very tasty, but in this situation—— I can't taste it at all.

//==========

<Author's Notes>

No one escapes from the Underworld King.