I Wanted a Cute Girl to Cast Healing Magic on Me, So I Kept Protecting My Allies—and Ended Up with an Overprotective Party - 12

Chapter 12: One Gold Coin

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As we passed through the grasslands, a town came into view. It wasn’t surrounded by defensive walls like the city of Galiano, but it still seemed like a fairly large town in its own right.

“There’s a carriage from here that goes to the village where I live.”

“Oh yeah? So it departs from quite a large town, huh.”

Honestly, I was surprised. I’d been picturing something more like an isolated, run-down rural bus stop, so this was unexpected.

“This town is famous for having the most carriage stops.”

“As expected of Karinka-san, You really know your stuff. Is it because you’re an A-rank, that you end up traveling to a lot of different places for work?”

“That’s right. Sometimes I take a request from the guild in one town, travel far away to complete it, then report its completion at a different guild nearby, and from there take on another request and travel again. It happens pretty often.”

“You sound really busy. Doesn’t that leave you with no time to relax or have fun?”

“That’s not necessarily true. I enjoy just being with Sara and Mint. Being able to travel around with those two is the best, don’t you think so too?”

“I agree. Spending time with people you get along with—it’s definitely fun.”

When we entered the town, we found it was quite beautiful. The stone-paved streets were neatly laid out, a clear river ran through the middle, houses had chimneys and bay windows, and there was an open-air market where people were selling a variety of things like vegetables and fruits.

There was a middle-aged woman picking up fruit and inspecting it, a young couple selecting items together at an accessory shop, and children chatting on benches. No matter where you went, you could hear the sound of people talking. The town was bustling and full of life.

Since the town had many carriage stops, it seemed a lot of people came here to shop from other areas.

“Well then, let’s head to the carriage stop that goes to your village, Emil.”

“Ah, Rikuto-san, there’s somewhere I need to go first.”

“Somewhere you need to go?”

“Yes. I have to ask an apothecary to mix an elixir for me.”

“Oh, that’s right. If you bring your own ingredients, it’s way cheaper than buying it, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. So I absolutely have to go before returning to the village.”

After that, we started walking around to find the apothecary. The store signs didn’t have letters, but illustrations, so you could usually figure out what kind of shop it was just by looking. Thanks to Karinka-san’s guidance, we found it in about fifteen minutes. She really knew a lot beyond just combat knowledge. She was very impressive.

When we entered, we saw lots of shelves lined with bottles of various sizes and shapes. The contents seemed to be liquids in all sorts of colors. Depending on the type of status effect, the medicine used must vary.

There might even be temporary status boosting potions—like doping agents. At the counter stood an older woman with a calm expression. When we walked up to her, Emil spoke, looking slightly nervous.

“Um, I’d like to request a potion to be mixed.”

“A potion? Then go on back.”

Following her guidance, we walked past the counter to the back of the shop and entered another room, also filled with shelves. But this time, the contents of the shelves looked suspicious—bottles with plant roots, pieces that looked like monster parts. The room suddenly felt much more dubious.

“Karinka-san, is this place really okay?”

At times like this, I figured it was best to ask the dependable big sister type.

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying. But don’t worry. This is a trustworthy shop.”

Hearing Karinka-san say that with such confidence made me feel oddly reassured. At the counter stood a young woman—a beauty with a mole near her eye and glossy lips. She wore a black robe and a pointed black hat. She definitely gave off the vibe of someone who could mix up some powerful potions.

“Um, I’d like to request an elixir.”

When Emil said that, the woman showed a slightly surprised expression.

“Oh? It’s been a while since someone asked for an elixir.”

“I have the ingredients!”

Emil said that and started pulling out a series of strange items from her item bag. A dragon’s magic stone, a suspicious root, suspicious herbs, suspicious liquid… There were lots of things that made me want to ask, “Where on earth did you find that?”

“This is amazing—you even have a dragon’s magic stone.”

Since she seemed surprised, I decided to ask her a question.

“Is a dragon’s magic stone really that rare?”

“Oh, absolutely. Only adventurers A-rank and above can hope to defeat a dragon. Most people would have to request a guard or gathering job instead. I’d say defeating a dragon requires a hefty reward and service fee.”

It was true that when I had the guild put in the request, I paid quite a bit of money. That reward should’ve gone to Karinka-san and her team.

“And mixing the potion does cost money, you know. I run a business after all. It’s cheaper than buying the potion outright, sure, but haven’t you already spent quite a bit of money for these ingredients alone?”

Emil had said she was scammed by those blonde-haired jerks and didn’t have any money left. It looked like it was my turn to step up again. I still had some gold coins left from the goddess after all.

I reached into my so-called wallet—a stiff leather pouch that was hard to use—and tried to pull out a gold coin.

“I have money!”

Emil said that without a moment’s delay, making me turn to her in surprise.

“Are you sure? I thought that blond guy’s party took all your money.”

“Well, actually, I got some magic stones from the monsters we defeated in the dragon’s nest, and Karinka-san gave them to me. I sold them yesterday.”

When did that happen? …Oh, right. That moment when Karinka-san called only Emil over on our way back from the dragon’s nest. Emil took several coins from her wallet and placed them on the counter. There were even some gold coins mixed in—a decent amount. It must’ve taken a lot of work to earn all that.

“Will this be enough?”

“Hmm… You’re just one gold coin short, I think.”

Emil’s village apparently didn’t even have a guild. No wonder she didn’t know the market rate.

Well, I can just cover the rest.

This time, I tried again to take out a gold coin from my wallet—but then Karinka-san’s words stopped me.

“Then I’ll pay for it.”

“Eh!? I can’t trouble you any further than this!”

Emil waved her hands in protest.

“No need to worry. This money was yours to begin with.”

“Ours…?”

“That’s right. I got this money after completing a certain request.”

Karinka-san placed a gold coin on the counter and continued.

“That request was the last one our party ever took. And through it, I met two very special people. I wanted to see through what they were trying to accomplish to the very end. So I’d like to use this money for those two.”

“So that means… It’s the reward we prepared to pay for the escort job…”

Receiving payment for completing a request was only natural. That applied to Karinka-san too. So if she wanted to use it for herself, no one would complain—not even me. I would’ve wanted her to use it for whatever she liked. And yet, she said she wanted to use it for us.

She was probably well-off as an A-rank, not struggling for money. But that wasn’t the point. It wasn’t because she had money—it was because this single gold coin carried her sincerity.

“Emil, let’s accept it with gratitude.”

“…Yes. Thank you, Karinka-san!”

“You’re very welcome!”

And so, Emil obtained the elixir. After that, we took the carriage to her village—and finally arrived there.

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