Dagashi Yahagi, On a Business Trip

Cheers resounded from around one of the Mobile Force arenas.

Merle's Zako had defeated Michelle's Gyan.

The audience cheered at this unexpected result, but it was Merle who was cheering the most.

[I DID IIIIIIT! I FINALLY GOT A WIN FROM MINERVA-SAN!]

[.......]

Michelle silently picked up the disconnected Gyan and walked to the sides.

Michelle is often in a daze lately.

Perhaps, she had been like that since we kissed at Mount Garju.

So much so that she even burnt food, something that has never happened before.

She sometimes goes to the deepest part of the dungeon for her research, and with Michelle being like that, I'm feeling worried.

However, it's also impossible for me to go with her.

The other day, I had a rare encounter with a monster on the 2nd Underground Floor.

I quickly used the C-card Giant Crow and the R-card Zombie Knight and summoned them to get out of the predicament, but I think I would have been injured back then if I made a mistake.

And from what I heard, the monsters in the deepest part of the dungeon are much more vicious than the monsters spawning on the 2nd Underground Floor could only be seen as weaklings.

All I had left was the R-card Stone Golem.

Having that in mind, I picked up a packet of Monster Chips and sat down next to Michelle, who was sitting against the wall.

[You want some?]

[No, I don't have the appetite.]

I opened the packet and found the SR-card Fire Condor.

[Oh, lucky. I got an SR card.]

The blazing condor looked very strong, but Michelle only glanced over it before turning away.

[Oi, oi, what's going on? I'm getting kinda worried here.]

[It won't get out of my head.]

[Huh?]

[I can't get Yuusuke out of my head!]

[Oi, keep your voice down.]

I looked around, but none of the adventurers were looking in our direction because they were too focused on playing MF.

[Hey, you said you were going to go to the deepest part of the dungeon tomorrow, but how about canceling that?]

[Unnn... I think that would be better too.]

If she kept on having this state of mind, she might not be able to get away with just an injury.

[Ummm... Are you that bothered about that kiss? If so, I'm sorry.]

[I'm not bothered by it! That was my best memory. I just couldn't stop thinking about it!]

[Like I said, lower your voice.]

She's a wanted criminal. She could be exposed at any moment.

[How can I concentrate on exploration and my experiments?]

[How would I know...]

I guess she could only rest for a while.

[Why don't you leave the dungeon until you calm down?]

[Unnn... Do you hate me now?]

[Why would I?]

[Getting all worked up over just a kiss, I may be being too burdensome...]

Minerva rested her head on her knees and looked down.

[I don't think so. Let's just take a couple of days off and see what happens. Things will settle down in time.]

[Yuusuke, can I stay with you during that time?]

[Yeah, that would also make me more relieved.]

Michelle spent the whole afternoon leaning against the wall in a daze.

Sometimes, she would let out that "gufufu...." giggles with that very hoarse voice her disguise has and mumble stuff like "I'm not gonna let you go", which seemed to have frightened everyone around.

Perhaps, she was lost in some strange fantasy.

Like, daydreaming about catching some evil monster or something.

Eh? No way she's daydreaming about me, right?

◇

After I closed up shop and came out of the dungeon with Michelle, Baron Essel spoke to me.

It seems he had been waiting for me here all this time.

[Yahagi-dono, I came here to ask you a favor.]

Baron Essel wants a favor, does he want another Elixir?

However, the Baron had something unexpected in mind.

[My territory is a city called Grantham, about 40 kilometers from the capital, and there's a festival there next week.]

[A festival?]

[Yes, yes, a festival to pray for a good harvest this time. Our festival's special event is the Milk Can Carrying Race, in which people carry milk cans on their shoulders and run down a hill.]

[There's no way you're asking me to join that, right?]

I'm the sweets guy, not a festival man.

[No, that's not it. I'd like to ask Yahagi-dono to set up shop in the venue.]

Oh, it was a request for Dagashi Yahagi to set up a stall at the festival to make it livelier.

[We especially want to ask you to sell Mobile Force to the public. The sacred place of Mobile Force may be Yahagi Onsen, but we'd like Grantham to follow the trend.]

[I'm very grateful for your offer, but no matter how hard I try, I can only sell 40 boxes a day. Is that still acceptable?]

[The festival lasts for 3 days, so I would like you to set up shop before the festival. With you setting up on the day before, you will be able to sell for 4 days, making 160 Mobile Force circulating to the public. I think that would be enough this time.]

"This time" he says, does he plan to request this from me again?

[I will provide you a carriage and a place to stay, so by all means, please come.]

Before I could give my final answer, I turned to Michelle.

[Will you come with me, Minerva? I'm unfamiliar with the place, so I need an escort and a guide.]

[U- Umu. I guess I'll help you out, Yuusuke. (A sleepover... I'm not ready to t- take off everything, but I'll definitely be there!)]

[Baron, would you mind if Minerva comes with me?]

""

[But of course. I'm also indebted to Minerva-dono for giving me Elixir. We'll have a suite in the best hotel in Grantham prepared. Please enjoy our festival.]

Michelle needed a vacation, so this would be the perfect opportunity for her.

It would also be a good chance for me to get to know the world.

Alright, this will be Dagashi Yahagi's business trip to Grantham!