Kamisama Shop de Cheat no Kaori

Chapter 154. The Bumpy Family And The Flirty Waitress

[The Beautiful Water Jar Inn]

The illustration on the sign was exactly a deformed version of the “Endless Water Jug.” Could all the shops in this town have similar names?

Lost in such trivial thoughts, I parked our camper van at a cart space, not the carriage stop. A boy ran over, staring wide-eyed at the vehicle.

“It’s a bit unusual, so keep an eye on it. Make sure no one touches it.”

I handed the boy ten copper coins—about 100 yen.

Remaining balance: 453,321 yen.

The restaurant was spacious but packed with heat and noise. All 13 tables were full, but one opened just as we entered, so we sat down.

“Let’s have an early lunch.”

“Yeah. I’ll order something to-go for the girls in the van.”

“Sure. Can they eat solid food?”

“…Probably not. I’ll cook for them later like usual, so don’t worry!”

“Sorry about that…”

A question suddenly popped into my mind.

“By the way, when humans become vessels for them… do those creatures feed them?”

“Well…”

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“When someone becomes a vessel, their body… gets altered a bit. It becomes suitable for the beasts’ reproduction. Some scholars claim the vessels absorb nutrients from the beasts’ bodily fluids.”

“Heh… No doubt about it.”

“…You knew, Faf?”

“Heh. Of course. Human scholars are quite competent.”

“Uh… I don’t mean to pry, but… how exactly are you and Faf related? Ah! I didn’t mean it weirdly!”

“I get it. No need to panic. This guy? Just a freeloader.”

“Heh… And I also dine without paying. But I did fork out some cash, didn’t I?”

“Technically, yeah.”

“Heh…”

“I still don’t get it.”

“It’s fine. I don’t either.”

“Hmmm. This doesn’t sit well with me.”

“She’s a girl so tough she can mess with Hagg and Yaralai. We have no way of controlling her at the moment.”

“Wait, really?!”

“Hmm. Saying ‘mess with’ is a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“Agreed. Not fair.”

“Dad… I mean, father…”

“Lalaila, stop correcting yourself. Just call me dad.”

“Eh? But…”

“We’re family, right? No need to overthink it.”

“O-Okay.”

Honestly, discussing Faf is a waste of time, so I’ll let it slide.

We placed our orders for meals and to-go dishes.

Remaining balance: 444,521 yen.

After finishing our meal quickly, I checked the job board.

“Not much good stuff.”

Yaralai frowned.

“What were you looking for?”

“Strays or large beasts.”

“Hm. Since we’re in a populated area, the big game gets hunted quickly by other hunters.”

“Probably.”

“So, what now?”

Yaralai silently pointed to a parchment, and I leaned in to read it.

Substitute Hunt: Stone Coyote. Blood-draining required. Direct delivery. (Good condition: 14,000 yen) 【Commercial Guild】

“Doesn’t sound great…”

“Really? I thought it paid better than some hunts.”

“There are too many hunters around here. Jobs like this for beginners tend to have fewer targets.”

“…Ah, I see. That’s all?”

“Blood-draining is mandatory. It’s time-consuming since you have to do it for each one. Plus, direct delivery is required. How many coyotes can you carry at once?”

“Ahh…”

Hagg’s explanation made it clear this job wasn’t worth the effort.

“It’s not a job anyone willingly takes unless they’re desperate travelers or happen to bag one by chance during a journey.”

“No need for Yaralai to force it, then.”

“I’m no good at thinking. I’ll leave that to Akira and Lalaila. I’ll just earn enough to eat.”

“Yaralai…”

He’s as cool as ever.

“For now, let’s find a base. We can’t stay at an inn with this many people.”

“What’s the plan?”

“I thought I’d check out the slums. I also want to meet up with Eutis if possible.”

Eutis, a woman traveler originally headed west, had ended up in this country’s slum due to some complicated circumstances. Since this wasn’t her problem to begin with, I wanted to release her from any obligation as soon as possible.

I flagged down a waitress rushing past and asked about the slums.

“The slums? Oh, they’ve been expanding for years now.”

The waitress was a busty woman in her early twenties, dressed in a cute townswoman’s outfit. She flashed a sly smile, hinting that a silver coin—1,000 yen—would loosen her tongue further. Crafty.

Remaining balance: 443,521 yen.

“It used to be just in the southeast, but now it’s spread to the southwest, across the main road. The main road itself is safe, though. Lots of demand for property along the road and the nearby alleys. But the deeper you go, the worse the security, so be careful. The area behind this shop and the northern district are fine, but the north side has lots of rich folks. Better tread lightly there.”

The waitress drained the rest of my cheap booze without asking. Lalaila shot her a sharp look, but I didn’t really care about the leftover drink.

“Oh, and don’t bother with the east side. That’s where the castle, council hall, and the Triumvirate are. Stay on the main road if you want to sightsee.”

“Thanks. I didn’t know much about this town.”

“So, have you found a place to stay tonight?”

“No, we’re about to start looking.”

“If you want, I can talk to the inn across the street for you. It’s been tough to get rooms lately.”

“Is that so? I haven’t checked yet.”

I tried to play it off, but the waitress leaned in, pressing her chest against my shoulder and grabbing my arm.

“You’ve got some nice black hair. How about spending the night with me…?”

“Akira! You’re busy! No time for this nonsense!”

With a loud clatter, Lalaila stood up, fuming. Did it look like I was the one hitting on her?

“Sorry, but no time or money for this. If it’s business, though… Ow!”

“I’m not some hooker! Don’t you know how charming you are?”

“…First time hearing that.”

“Well, I’ll back off for now. Looks like you’ve got a scary chaperone.”

“Me?! Why a chaperone?!”

I grabbed Lalaila’s arm, dragging her out of the tavern before things got worse.

“Come again, handsome black-haired guy~”

“Maybe.”

“You’re no fun!”

“We won’t be back!”

Holding back Lalaila, who looked ready to snap, I hauled her outside. No need to get so worked up over some teasing.

Back at the cart lot, the boy from earlier was shooing away merchants and troublemakers trying to get close. Seemed like he was keeping his word.

“Thanks, kid.”

I handed him another 100 yen and popped a candy into his mouth.

“Don’t bite it, okay?”

The boy’s face lit up with surprise at the sweetness, breaking into a smile. Yeah, kids’ smiles are the best.

“Oh, Lalaila.”

“What?”

“Here.”

“…Hm? Mmph?!”

“Don’t bite it. Let it melt.”

“Fngh… Mm… Mmm… Sweet!”

Watching her grin next to the boy, she looked like just another kid. That first impression I had… must’ve been a fluke.

Remaining balance: 443,421 yen.