Yes, our evolved service was converting the previously website-based Kawashima Points to an app. Along with that, we also started the drone delivery service for daily goods and groceries that I had mentioned to that laid-back regular. And if we could do that, the reverse was also possible – a drone pickup service for monster materials hunted in dungeons and the like.
“That’s right! The drone services can now be used through the app!”
“Ah…by the way, is that delivery free?”
Sliding down his balaclava halfway, the laidback Kimu san took a drag on the cigarette in his mouth as he asked. I smiled and pointed to the app’s explanation on my tablet.
“Pickups are free, but there’s a flat 25 point fee to use the delivery service.”
“Ah…so there are even more ways to drain my already lacking Kawashima Points…”
Slumping his shoulders next to him was the bespectacled Yoshida, who always wore a plate carrier. He was another regular who had introduced his wife as one of our part-timers.
Rumor had it his wife’s points were mostly spent on cosmetics and household conveniences, though. While I couldn’t pry into their household affairs, I hoped he’d understand this would also increase ways to earn points.
“By the way, the materials we’re currently purchasing look like this…”
When I showed them the purchase list on the tablet, the two took it from my hands and swiped through it intently. Their faces were quite serious as they studied the list.
“So it’s not just magic stone this time, huh?”
“This seems pretty tough, doesn’t it…?”
“To make up for it, we’ve added a bunch of new merchandise you can exchange for…ah, feel free to check the pickup-delivery tab too…”
Well, it took some time for adventurers to start selling us materials last time too. Back then, I also went around recruiting regulars like this, and it gradually spread by word-of-mouth.
However, longtime regulars from when I started this shop like Abukuma and Kaneki had both joined our company along with their parties, so there weren’t many left I could easily chat with. In fact, the only ones were this party and maybe a couple more from the Tokyo third dungeon era.
That said, there was always turnover among adventurers…as some parties retired, new ones would show up. In fact, we even had a new addition at our shop.
“Hungry, Tonbo?”
“Sierra, just wait a bit, okay?”
So, today Sierra had come down dungeon along with me and Mars as usual. When she first said she would come along, I refused, saying “It’s not safe.” Mars and I are protected by barriers, so we can come dungeon without worry. If she could get inside the barrier too it would be fine, but I certainly couldn’t take on protecting two people myself.
However, Sierra insisted “It’s totally fine” and wouldn’t listen, leaving me troubled…but then Mars, who had seen our exchange, vouched for her saying “Sierra is strong, so it’s okay.” With that endorsement, I brought her along on a trial basis after registering her as an adventurer and telling her not to get ahead of us. But in the end, Mars’s words proved completely correct.
“Come to think of it, I’ve been wondering about that kobold of yours…is she a new company hire?”
“Something like that, I’m Sierra.”
“Well, she’s kind of like a bodyguard for Tonbo.”
Indeed, Sierra was so strong she could’ve been hired as a bodyguard without issue. By the time she reached this plaza, she had swung her massive long-handled hammer like a twig to easily kick aside the armors of any small monsters she encountered, scattering them. Being a homunculus, was Sierra’s physical makeup different from regular kobolds?
“Sierra, keep an eye on Tonbo.”
“Yea, she’s saying that about me.”
In a sense, Sierra’s words rang true, but having it said in front of an acquaintance was still a bit embarrassing. I handed her a bag of popcorn to shut her up for the time being.
“Well, you don’t need to worry about it too much…”
“Yeah, it’s not that big a deal really…”
Kimu san took a drag from the cigarette gripped between his pointy lips and scratched his chin. Operating a tablet with one hand, he tapped the ashes into an ashtray with the other.
“At a glance, it does seem the material types will be tricky. Not really something you can hunt for casually.”
“The new product with drone retrieval and delivery is appealing too, but party compatibility with monsters is also a factor.”
Exhaling a puff of smoke, Kimu san passed the tablet back to me.
“But I suppose we’ll probably end up making deliveries until we accumulate a decent number of points.”
“Yeah, we’ll likely have to hunt for a day or so too. This is a bit of a cheat, huh?”
The two chuckled wryly.
“Thank you very much!”
“I mean, this drone delivery service is bound to become a lifeline for adventurers, right? It’s a bit different in nature from previous convenience items.”
“You’ve got a point, being able to receive support supplies in a pinch and alert the administration in dangerous situations. It feels more like a rescue service than just delivery.”
“Well, initially we did conceive it as more of a mobile extension of the store…but after getting input from various people internally, we incorporated those aspects as well…”
The person who compiled all that gathered input and fleshed out the service wasn’t me, of course. It was Iida-san, the former leader of the Ebisu Hedgehog party who became department head in place of Abukuma-san. I was merely an observer, but I was impressed by how capable the leader of an adventuring party could be.
“With this service structure, I think materials will keep coming in until everyone accumulates a decent number of points. We’d like to save up a bit more too.”
“We’re still short on air conditioners for everyone, so yeah…”
The opinions of Kimu san and Yoshida-san largely aligned with what we had heard from the former adventurers in the company.
“I’ll spread word about that app to some familiar faces too. Not saying anything could cause issues, you know?”
“We’ll do the same, but do we get any points for referrals?”
“Sorry, there’s nothing like that…but thank you!”
“Well, you’re starting to sound like a CEO, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, back then I thought it was some kind of scam for sure…”
“My apologies about that time…”
After I deeply bowed to the two who had supported us since the Tokyo East four dungeon days, someone tugged at my pant leg. Keeping my head bowed, I saw Sierra mimicking me, squatting down and holding out an empty popcorn bag.
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After much running around, the Kawashima Point App had finally begun to take hold and the retrieval system was slowly getting on track. Around that time, a major incident occurred within the Kawashima family household. It was on a clear, star-filled night of the full winter moon.
“Noodles are ready, grab the zaru!”
“Sierra will get it.”
“Huh? Where’s Tonbo?”
“Potty.”
While such a conversation played out, I finished my business and absentmindedly opened the bathroom door. And as I poked my head out of the bathroom…I saw the back of a white-haired girl reaching up towards a shelf set above the sink.
“Huh?”
I closed the bathroom door once, then opened it again. And peeking out once more, there was the familiar shaggy-haired Sierra holding out colander platter to Hime.
“Am I just tired or something?”
Muttering to myself, I returned to the living room, where Hime- Princess with her hair in three braids worriedly looked my way as she portioned noodles into the zaru bowls.
“What’s wrong, Tonbo?”
“For a second there, I thought I saw Sierra as a human girl…”
“What’s that about?”
“Yeah, I dunno…”
As I scratched my head thinking I probably shouldn’t have said that, Sierra tugged at the armpit area of my sweatshirt a couple times.
“Tonbo.”
“Yeah, Sierra?”
“Like this?”
With a clang, a pot fell into the sink. I’d have probably dropped whatever I was holding too. Because the Sierra tugging at my shirt had transformed into a white-haired human girl.
“Whaaa!!!”
“You…Sierra? More importantly, put some clothes on!”
“Eh!? Tonbo, who’s that!?”
“Tonbo, what’s wrong?”
And that girl was completely naked…
After the commotion settled, we gathered around the kotatsu. The girl who seemed to be Sierra had been dressed in one of Hime’s tracksuits for the time being. With a childishly innocent face on a elementary school-aged body, she was sticking her hands out from the oversized tracksuit bottom, playing with the hems.
“Is it okay if I call you Sierra?”
“Yup.”
“Sierra, why’d you suddenly turn human all of a sudden?”
“Couldn’t reach it….”
“Could it be because of the full moon? Like you’re a wolfman or something?”
“Well if that’s the case, turning from a wolf into a human would make her a wolfwoman, right?”
As the three of us babbled on about irrelevant things, Sierra stuck her hands out from the tracksuit hem, squinting contentedly.
“Sieras were made for infiltration ops, so we can transform our appearance to suit the infiltration target.”
“Transform? So you can take other forms besides this one?”
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