“Get up already, you neet!” (Mew-chan)
“Ugyaaaaaaah!” (Wilhelm)
That startled me.
I was woken up by having my bed flipped over. And of course, the culprit was Mew-chan.
He mercilessly pulled open the curtains in the room. The morning sun was blinding, to say the least.
“Haa. The neet still can’t get up on his own mew?” (Mew-chan)
“And Mew-chan still doesn’t know how to wake me up properly. Ouch, ouch, ouch.” (Wilhelm)
I fell out of bed and didn’t manage to break my fall properly, so it hurts a bit. What a rough morning.
“This is as nice as it gets mew.” (Mew-chan)
Mew-chan smirked. He seemed to take joy in annoying me. What a sadist.
“If you want me to wake you up gently, then you better start working seriously mew.” (Mew-chan)
“That’s a tough condition. Oh well…” (Wilhelm)
I yawned as I tried to get up. Ugh, it’s only nine in the morning. It’s not the time for shut-ins to wake up.
I closed the curtains. Fixed the bed back to its original state. Slipped back under the blanket.
“I’m gonna sleep a bit more. Good night~” (Wilhelm)
“Don’t you dare go back to sleep!” (Mew-chan)
“Ugyaaaaaah!” (Wilhelm)
Once again, I was flipped out of bed.
Damn it. Does Mew-chan have no heart? Well, obviously not. After all, he’s a magical beast.
“Hey, Mew-chan, why do we have to get up early today?” (Wilhelm)
“Because it’s sunny. Ojou has already finished her preparation mew.” (Mew-chan)
Oh, right. I remember now.
“Oh, I see. We might be going to a distant mountain today.” (Wilhelm)
I was still half asleep. Oh well. I guess I’ll do my best at work.
◇
I left the house with Anya, who had tied her hair into a ponytail with a cute ribbon.
Under Anya’s guidance, we first arrived at a place nearby called Bones Magic Shop.
The bell on the door made a pleasant sound as we entered.
It was a bit dusty but had a cozy atmosphere.
There were plenty of magical weapons, potions, books, and daily goods infused with magic lining the shelves. The interior of the shop had a somewhat dark atmosphere, giving off the impression that it was frequented by wizards and witches.
However, there was no shopkeeper in sight.
Anya called out what was likely the name of the shop manager toward the back of the store. Someone named Frankie.
A person came rushing out from the back of the shop.
At first glance, he seemed to be around seventy. His short hair was pure white, and his face was wrinkled. However, his eyes sparkled with youthful energy.
“Oh, if it isn’t Ana-chan! Thanks for coming to play. Come on in, come on in. I have some snacks!” (Frankie)
“Hello, Frankie-san. How are your waist and knees?” (Anya)
“Oh, they could be better! Ahahaha!” (Frankie)
Wait. Didn’t he just sprint out here at full speed?
“Frankie-san, please take better care of your body.” (Anya)
“I’d rather cherish the time I spend with Ana-chan.” (Frankie)
What is this guy even saying?
“I’m more worried about Frankie-san’s health than mine.” (Anya)
“Huh? Then, will you give me a massage? Like stepping on my back with your feet.” (Frankie)
What is he saying so confidently…
“That will only worsen your back.” (Anya)
“That’s not true at all…” (Frankie)
Well, it is.
Oh, Frankie-san is looking at me. He seems conflicted.
“Ana-chan, is this lackluster guy your fiancé?” (Frankie)
“Hehe, he’s my future husband.” (Anya)
It seemed like Frankie-san was struck by lightning with that revelation.
“S-Seriously…? Ugh, is this really all there is!” (Frankie)
Ugyaaah! Please don’t say things like that.
The heart of a shut-in is a delicate fragile thing. Please handle it with care.
“Even I’m more handsome, right?” (Frankie)
“That’s not possible.” (Anya)
There was a resounding shock in Frankie-san’s heart. His shoulders slumped dejectedly.
“Mouu, Frankie-san you always like to joke around.” (Anya)
“Ana-chan, please stop… Damn it, I thought I was better than this pathetic guy.” (Frankie)
Frankie-san glanced at me briefly. He let out a deep sigh.
“Um, Frankie-san, I’d like to request the best throat medicine you have.” (Anya)
“The best throat medicine? Ah, that’s impossible because we don’t have the ingredients to make it. It’s the kind of thing where we gather the ingredients after receiving a request.” (Frankie)
“And what are those ingredients?” (Anya)
Frankie-san pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin.
“It’s called a Pink Truffle… It might be dangerous for Ana-chan to go alone. If Ana-chan had sword skills like Mama Angelina, it wouldn’t be a problem.” (Frankie)
“Oh, I’ll be with Anya, so it’s fine, right?” (Wilhelm)
“By the way, I didn’t ask for your name, what is it?” (Frankie)
“It’s Wilhelm Wondersky.” (Wilhelm)
“Ah, Robert’s kid, huh? Are you done being a shut-in?” (Frankie)
“Well, it is as you see. Are you a friend of my father’s?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah, we drank together the other day. He was seriously considering tampering with the family registry to make the eldest son into the second son. He doesn’t want you to take over the family.” (Frankie)
That old bastard… There’s no way he could do such a thing.
“Well, leaving that aside. I’m strong, so there’s no problem.” (Wilhelm)
“It seems so. By the way, who needs the medicine?” (Frankie)
Anya explained the situation.
The saint of the church had severely hurt her throat recently and the doctor said that curing her would require the best throat medicine around.
Since the saint sings a lot at this time of the year, she wanted to receive treatment as soon as possible.
“Oh, that’s tough. The saint is especially busy at this time of year. Well, if you can bring the ingredients, I can make it in a day. Both of you, do your best.” (Frankie)
Anya and I enthusiastically agreed.
◇
The quest “Get the Best Throat Medicine for the Saint of the Church” has begun. It’s a C-rank quest.
The stage is set here, in a place called Ghost Valley.
During the rainy season, mist always hangs in the air, making it a damp place. It’s full of rare magical beasts and plants, so adventurers often come here seeking rare materials.
The required material for this quest, the Pink Truffle, only grows in this place during this season. It seems to store strong magical power, and when mixed into medicine, it’s said to have powerful effects.
Let’s do our best for the saint.
“Wil-sama, there it is! That must be the Ghost Mountain Cat that Frankie-san told us about!” (Anya)
“You’re right. It looks exactly like as the name suggests.” (Wilhelm)
Floating low amidst the mist, there’s a mountain cat with a ghostly appearance. Its fur is white with black stripes like a tiger. It looks much fiercer than the cats in the town.
Its legs are wriggly like ghosts, but it is standing upright as if it were on two legs. Its hands are pointed downwards, giving it a ghostly appearance.
By the way, this magical beast has a keen sense of smell and has a tendency to dig up buried Pink Truffles in the soil.
According to information from Frankie-san, we need to take the Pink Truffles from its nest… or rather, have it give them to us.
“However, the problem is how to scare it. It seems that when that magical beast gets scared, it gives up its treasure in the nest, in other words, the Pink Truffles. It’s an interesting yet somewhat troublesome creature with its unique behavior.” (Wilhelm)
Now, how do we scare it? Perhaps making a loud noise would work.
“Wil-sama, I have an idea.” (Anya)
Anya puffed out her chest proudly.
Her chest is still small. It seems it will take some time before it starts to sway.
“You seem confident. Well then, let’s see what Anya can do.” (Wilhelm)
“Yes, I’ll do my best!” (Anya)
Anya cutely ran towards the Ghost Mountain Cat. The Ghost Mountain Cat raised its hands high in a threatening pose. How adorable.
“Hello, Ghost Mountain Cat-san. I’m going to scare you~ If I do it well, please give me a Pink Truffle, okay? Now, watch me closely!” (Anya)
What is she going to do? Will she raise her voice?
For some reason, Anya untied her ponytail.
Then, she lowered her head and brought her long hair forward.
Anya’s face was completely hidden by her hair. Can she see anything in front of her like that?
She directed her face, hidden behind her hair, towards the Ghost Mountain Cat.
Ah, I see. That’s the thing adults often do to entertain little kids, right? They cover their face with their hair and say, “I’m a ghost~” to amuse the children.
“Yes, I’m a ghost~. I’m very scary~” (Anya)
Anya lowered her hands like a ghost.
Then, she swayed her body like a ghost.
Ah… how cute…
I can’t stop grinning ear to ear. I want to thank the heavens for allowing me to meet such a cute girl in this lifetime. Thank you, God.
Anya sways back and forth. So cute.
Anya raises her hands high. So cute.
“I’m scary~ I’m really scary~ Right~? Right~? Please be scared~ G-Gao~?” (Anya)
The Ghost Mountain Cat stared at Anya intently. It placed its hand on its chin and seemed to seriously contemplate Anya’s actions.
However, it seemed to have no effect whatsoever.
The Ghost Mountain Cat gave a deliberate, mocking laugh. Then it gave Anya a taunting look as if saying, “Is that all you’ve got? Pfft.”
“Gaaaaaaan!” (Cat)
Anya, shocked and at a loss for words, collapsed on the ground, her knees folding beneath her as she put her hands on the ground.
I went over to Anya’s side. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder.
“Well, Anya, I thought it was pretty cute.” (Wilhelm)
“C-Cute wasn’t what I was going for! I was trying to be scary! Even the neighborhood kids were really scared of me.” (Anya)
I somehow doubt that. Those kids probably think the same deep down. They must think that Anya is cute. Because she really is.
“I won’t give up.” (Anya)
Anya stood up straight, determined. She scooped her hair back with both hands.
“If it comes to this, then I’ll use force like a true adventurer. I’ll make it scared through my display of strength.” (Anya)
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.” (Wilhelm)
Anya drew the slender and cute sword she had strapped to her waist. Although she also brought her beloved staff, it seems like she wants to gain more experience with the sword.
“Alright, here I gooo~! Ghost Mountain Cat~!” (Anya)
*hop hop hop*
Anya approached the Ghost Mountain Cat with a series of small jumps.
Huh? What’s with Anya’s weird movements? Is that some trendy move among girls these days?
Hmm… Well, that’s just full of openings. If she keeps jumping like that, she won’t be able to put much force into her attacks or defense.
The Ghost Mountain Cat looked quite bored as it watched Anya.
Closing the distance at about ten times the speed of Anya, it delivered a cat punch, or rather a cat uppercut.
Oh no, she got hit. Well, with all those openings, it was bound to happen.
Anya soared up to the height of the nearby trees.
“Kyaaaaaaa!” (Anya)
“Nyannn!” (Cat)
As Anya fell, the Ghost Mountain Cat launched her into the air again with another uppercut.
Then, as Anya descended, the Ghost Mountain Cat uppercut her once more.
And again, the Ghost Mountain Cat uppercut her as she fell.
What an aerial combo! Who knew that it could do that?
Well, it’s clearly just toying with Anya at this point. Anya isn’t coming down either. With her limited combat experience, there’s no way she can escape from that combo.
“Kyaaaaaaa! Wil-samaaaaaa!” (Anya)
Anya’s eyes are spinning. It’s only a matter of time before her stamina runs out completely.
“Anya, I’m coming!” (Wilhelm)
The Ghost Mountain Cat is ranked C. While it might be strong to Anya, it’s super weak to me.
I leaped up with a speed that the Ghost Mountain Cat couldn’t perceive, rescued Anya princess-carry style, and gently set her down at the base of the tree.
Ah… Ugh… Damn it…
I got a bit too carried away. My muscles are screaming in protest.
Looks like I’m gonna have sore muscles again tomorrow. I should’ve refrained from going all out with the jump, especially since it has been a while since I went out.
But muscle pain won’t hit until tomorrow. If I’m going to get muscle pain anyway, might as well go all out today, right?
“Youuuuuu! You’re the reason I’m gonna have muscle pain!” (Wilhelm)
I decided to take out all my frustration on the magical beast. The Ghost Mountain Cat seems utterly perplexed by what just happened. Ignoring its expression, I give it a belly punch and send it soaring into the sky.
The Ghost Mountain Cat flails around in midair.
“Hahaha! That’s what you get! Don’t think a C-rank monster like you can defeat someone as excellent as me!” (Wilhelm)
With all my frustration packed into my fists— I punch the Ghost Mountain Cat, continuously launching it into the sky.
Jumping from tree to tree, I keep attacking the Ghost Mountain Cat, never letting it touch the ground.
After about twenty combos, the Ghost Mountain Cat’s eyes start spinning.
Ha, easy. I lower the Ghost Mountain Cat to the ground.
It bows its head in surrender. Essentially, it’s admitting defeat to me.
“Seems like even monsters have a culture of bowing down…” (Wilhelm)
“It’s so cute how it curls up with a hunched back.” (Anya)
Indeed, it’s kind of cute.
The Ghost Mountain Cat guides us to its nest. Its nest is located in a thick tree trunk, about a three-minute walk away.
Entering the nest, the Ghost Mountain Cat carefully brings out a large sword with both hands. It then gently offers it to us.
It’s a trait of monsters like the Ghost Mountain Cat to offer important treasures when they feel threatened. So, I guess it’s asking us to forgive it with this sword.
But where did it find such a big sword? Is this really its treasure? It looks quite valuable though.
“Hey, that’s not what I want.” (Wilhelm)
The Ghost Mountain Cat flinches. It crosses its arms and looks down diagonally, thinking. Hmm, it seems to have had a sudden realization.
It goes back to its nest and brings out another treasure.
It offers it to me smoothly. It’s a shady book with a picture of a pretty lady on the cover. It grins mischievously and tries to hand it to me.
“Hey, wait a minute. I don’t need that. Why would a monster consider such a book as a treasure?” (Wilhelm)
It looks utterly shocked. Like, “Aren’t we comrades?” kind of expression. How rude.
Well, I admit, there’s a part of me that’s curious to see what’s inside. But I’ve worked hard and gotten sore muscles for a reason. I won’t lose sight of our original goal.
“Don’t you have something more pink?” (Wilhelm)
As if it understood, the Ghost Mountain Cat clapped its hands.
It returns to its nest and brings something else. I take it and inspect it.
“Wait a minute, aren’t these pink panties for girls? And they look like something a teenager would wear. Sure, they’re pink, but come on. You’ve got quite the taste!” (Wilhelm)
I can’t accept this, especially in front of Anya. It’s not appropriate educationally. I show my disapproval, hoping to return it.
The Ghost Mountain Cat seems puzzled, putting a hand to its chin as it ponders. It starts looking at me, lost in thought.
“Um, could we have the Pink Truffles, please?” (Anya)
The Ghost Mountain Cat flinched and looked straight at me. It was Anya who spoke, not me.
“It’s Pink Truffles. Pi-nk-Truf-fles. A rare delicacy1 buried in the ground.” (Wilhelm)
The Ghost Mountain Cat turned away, sweating profusely. It even started whistling casually. Was it trying to play dumb?
“Well then, let’s see what you have.” (Anya)
Anya walked towards the nest, startling the Ghost Mountain Cat.
“Nya! Nyan!” (Cat)
The Ghost Mountain Cat desperately tried to grab onto Anya’s skirt to stop her.
“Ah, don’t grab my skirt! Wil-same might see my panties!” (Anya)
That’s it, keep going!
“Nyaa! Nyan Nyaaa!” (Cat)
Almost there, just a bit more. Yes, that’s it, you can do it, Ghost Mountain Cat. Don’t give up, Ghost Mountain Cat. For my sake.
“Eek! No, stop it! I said no!” (Anya)
Oh, wow, ohh…
Well done, Ghost Mountain Cat. Thank you. I won’t forget this favor.
“If you give us the Pink Truffles, then I won’t enter the nest. So please, let go.” (Anya)
The magical beast seems to understand what she is saying.
With a heavy sigh, the Ghost Mountain Cat released its grip on the skirt and slumped its shoulders before heading into the nest.
Anya’s face turned bright red. With teary eyes, she glanced at me for a moment.
“Did… you… see…?” (Anya)
“Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything.” (Wilhelm)
“Well, that’s a relief. I thought today’s black lace panties were a bit too mature for me.” (Anya)
“Huh? They were pink checkered ones, weren’t they? It was super cute— Uh, whoops.” (Wilhelm)
Anya gave me a stern look.
“Wil-sama, ecchi desu.” (Anya)
“No, that’s not it, Anya!” (Wilhelm)
The Ghost Mountain Cat returned from the nest.
“Nyaa…” (Cat)
While looking incredibly reluctant, the Ghost Mountain Cat held out a bunch of pink, round objects in both arms.
Oh, good timing!
“Wil-sama, I’m sure these are the Pink Truffles!” (Anya)
“Yup, it is. We did it, Anya!” (Wilhelm)
With that, the quest was complete. We high-fived each other. The topic of panties was behind us. Victory!
“As expected of Wil-sama! Being able to complete a C-rank quest so easily!” (Anya)
We shamelessly took all the dozens of Pink Truffles.
The Ghost Mountain Cat looked sad.
Pink Truffles seem to be the favorite food of the Ghost Mountain Cat, so maybe it’ll find more in the soil.
Huh? Anya seems to be rummaging through her backpack. She hands something to the Ghost Mountain Cat.
“If you’d like, please have these. They’re my homemade cookies.” (Anya)
The Ghost Mountain Cat adeptly unwraps the paper package to find plenty of cookies inside.
But the Ghost Mountain Cat looks uninterested.
With a bored expression, it takes just one cookie and puts it in its mouth.
Suddenly, the Ghost Mountain Cat’s eyes widen. It presses its paw to its mouth, surprised. It seems like it enjoyed it.
As expected of Anya. A happy ending indeed.
“By the way, Anya, do you have any cookies for me?” (Wilhelm)
“I’ll make some more for you later.” (Anya)
That’s disappointing… I wanted to have some of Anya’s homemade cookies too.
I’m sure she made them as a snack for me. Oh well…
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Cat clearly played smash bros or something to be able to combo that much.
Apparently, ghosts can make physical contact with things. Maybe it only got its name cause it looks like a ghost but the characteristics are of a tangible being.
If you still can’t picture what the cat looks like, just imagine a cat on two legs and its lower body is the squiggly bit of a ghost.