CHAPTER 51
MIA'S TROUBLE
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"I want to try so many things in this new market."
"And I am starting to feel hungry too." Airi was looking at all the food shops selling dishes she never had tried in her life like a kid.
"I know why not buy something for everyone else with this huge reward money as our appreciation for taking care of us? Especially for Mia. Let's buy her a gift and celebrate together and ask for her forgiveness." Yui jumps right in front of Airi with the new proposition.
"Alright. So do you have something in mind? If she is of the beast kin she might want a brush or hair bands." Airi as usual starts thinking analytically.
"Can't you sometimes be less practical!?" Yui was dissatisfied with Airi's thought process.
"I can't help it. It's only for you that I can find myself getting passionate about it. So, what do you suggest?" Airi decided to now completely leave the situation in Yui's hands.
"I think the best thing to buy would be that something connects the three of our friendship. Mia is such a cute and kind girl."
"I agree if not for her we might have found ourselves in a much more difficult situation than now." Airi in no way could dispute that truth. Airi has always been crude with strangers but she has always believed in the habit of returning back the kindness.
"There's no choice, we will have to go through all the shops then."
"But I am hungry," Airi complains.
After all, it was a surprise she could stay hungry for this long.
"Well, then we will just have to visit all the shops while trying new food and finding the perfect gift for Mia." Yui sounded confident.
"Mission Accepted."
The two girls rushes into the marketplace holding hands and explored the shops closest to the guild.
Whether they were eating new dishes like the dry-roasted hare, glise leaf roll, or Goldhorn cream. They were enjoying themselves to the fullest together.
That's when both of their eyes chanced upon the opposite side of a glass wall with 3 azure crystal bracelets.
"You think that's it."
"There can't be anything else. This looks like fate itself."
The color of the blue crystals adorning the bracelet was simply breathtaking for the three girls.
For Yui, as she said before wearing the three bracelets she could feel connected to her Air and Mia as friends. In her previous world Yui used to have a lot of friends on her athletics team. But whenever she scored a major victory or achievement she realized her friends were bad-mouthing her and started isolating her. It was only thanks to Airi she never felt alone.
And so, she wanted to make proper friends with Mia.
"It's a bit on the pricy side. But that's still a price we can pay."
"You will always be a darling to me. Thanks, Airi." Yui hugs Airi in excitement.
The girls entered the shop and made a big purchase of three azure bracelets costing them 150 gold coins.
While returning to the inn Airi and Yui were full in the belly and felt the need to inform Andri to not prepare their dinner. And so, they hurried on their way to the inn.
But just outside they could see Andri standing and looking worried. Walking from one end of the street back to her inn's gate.
"Andri what's the matter." Yui quickly walked to the front to get the facts.
"Did you see Mia or was she perhaps with you," Andri asked Yui without waiting for a greeting.
"Not at all. We haven't met up with her since yesterday." Airi explained.
"I see. Then I will just have to wait." Andri seemed dejected to hear Airi's response.
"Can you explain what happened?" Yui asked as she wanted to know what occurred with Mia.
"Mia did not return in the afternoon for her meals and now it's sunset already. It will be soon time to close the city gates. She has never been this late nor is there any news of her companions from the dungeon exploration." Andri explained to both Yui and Airi.
"Is it a dangerous place for her?"
Andri was a bit taken aback by Airi's question.
"Yes, it is. Since anything that happens inside the dungeon is the adventurer's own responsibility and any mishap is to be treated as an accident." Andri read out a general adventurer's rule.
"I understand. Andri can you draw us another map to the dungeon." Airi asked a second time for a map of a place. Previously she had drawn one for the church.
"You shouldn't go there it's dangerous unless you are a D-rank adventurer. And also, the gates will be closed by now." Andri objected as if she could see what Airi was planning.
"It will be good if I and Yui are there to respond to any emergency situation in case her party is found injured. We will only be on the lookout."
"Don't worry we will just be at the entrance and bring her right back." Yui cheerfully answered and it reassured Andri somehow.
"That would be a relief. But promise me you won't do anything risky or stupid." Andri held Airi's and Yui's hands tightly.
"You don't need to tell us," Airi answered confidently.
Andri quickly drew up a rough sketch of the dungeon. They needed to pass the city gates and then it was a straight way to the dungeon.
It should approximately take twenty minutes if Yui and Airi run to the place.
But since Yui and Airi had great skills and Airi's super brain they knew they could make it there on time or before anything unfortunate happened with Mia.
"Right, we leave now," Yui said while Airi was reviewing the path.
"Take care you two. I will be waiting for the three of you with the best meal." Andri sent the two girls off.
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