Chapter 196 – The Cat Burglar in the Confession Room

Just in case, I asked my lovers and Bella which items they would pick. I want to know what you want among the magic tools you will receive as a reward for the exploration quest.

“So, what are you going to choose among the magic tools? Just looking at the catalog, there are not one or two useful items. Surely you wouldn’t choose something like a consumable potion that ends after you drink it?”

I asked with anticipation, but the answer I heard was the same from all three.

“Are you going to choose a love potion? You promised Kay from the beginning to choose a potion. It’s time to prove who’s more attractive.”
“That’s right-! It’s time to drink the potion and make the dreamer fool around!”
“I need a love potion too. It’s something I really need right now. I really need it if I’m not going to be single this winter.”

Laughter flowed out of the three people who answered without hesitation.

Does it make sense to put aside all the long-lasting equipment and choose potions?
If you become more attractive here and now, are you thinking of making me a good boss?
Rebecca and Kate’s eyes are unusual. They’ve been staring at me like hungry hyenas for days.

I feel like I’ll be eaten the moment I’m off guard!

“Let’s go to the magic tower quickly!”
“Rebecca. Before that, it’s first to stop by the adventurer’s guild and report the exploration results. That way, our performance will be properly delivered to the Magic Tower.”
“Okay, so let’s move quickly. We’ll finish all the exploration quests within today.”

It was the moment when he came out of the underground labyrinth and came up to the stream of Yoensu. Before we could enjoy the bright sunlight coming down from the sky, we left for the adventurer’s guild.
As soon as I arrived at the guild reception, I reported all the results of the exploration to Wendy.

Research data on space magic.
A structure called [Space Distortion Device] Found in the deepest part of the labyrinth.
In addition, several antiques with traces of time.

“You’ve worked hard, adventurers! I’ll settle your pay right now!”

Wendy calculated our performance straight from her seat. She is natural, but because she was the first to explore the deepest part of the labyrinth, she achieved results that were incomparable to others. Not only did she get the maximum reward, but she was also able to receive the magic tools that the Mage Tower decided to provide.

“Here is the silver coin given as a reward for the Exploration Quest. If you go to the Mage Tower right now, you will receive the magic tool you want. I have finished contacting the person in charge of the Mage Tower.”

Indeed, like a competent receptionist, the work is done very quickly. After a while, I had a money bag with 50 silver in my hand. Remuneration was also paid to the numerous companions who had followed me into the guild.

Hannah’s party members, and Ninggard’s wizards. The number of people was quite large, so the reception desk was crowded. The people gathered at the moment the money was paid dispersed in an instant. Everyone will go their own way.

“Bella! I’ll be staying here for a few more days, so I’ll visit you if I have time. I’ll take the kids and analyze the ancient artifacts in the labyrinth some more. I need to find a way to get them to the temple somehow.”

When it was time to disperse, the wizards of Ninggard, including Delia, left first. The exploration quest is over, but they are on a mission to retrieve an ancient artifact. It seems that he intends to re-enter the labyrinth immediately after finishing the maintenance.

It has nothing to do with me anymore. There is no reason to go into the labyrinth after the exploration quest is over, and there is no desire to collect antiques. You’ll never run into that half-elf kid again.

“We’ll go back home now too. We’ve been stuck in the labyrinth for too long, so we want to bask in the sunlight. You can take the love potion yourself.”
“Thank you everyone for following Tempo-!!”
“Strong and healthy sunshine! It’s warm.”

Then Hannah’s party members left. Suddenly, there were only four people left at the adventurer’s guild reception. Me, my lovers, and Bella. We wanted to immediately get the rewards provided by the Mage Tower, so we immediately left the guild and moved to the Mage Tower.

However, it was when they all arrived at the Magic Tower.
We heard an unexpected story from the wizard of the Mage Tower.

*

“I have been contacted by the Adventurer’s Guild. You are the adventurers who have solved the quests ordered by us. Now that you have confirmed your identity, you are welcome to enter the tower.”

The one who guided us to the Magic Tower was a wizard named Jacob. Jacob, who worked on the lowest floor of the Mage Tower, was a practitioner who paid rewards for exploration quests to adventurers. We were able to follow Jacob and be guided to the warehouse where the magic tools were stored.

“You can choose the item you want from among the magic tools in this warehouse. These are magic tools made by the alchemists of our Mage Tower. The quality can be guaranteed.”

Inside the warehouse, the magic tools listed in the catalog were seen in real life. Demonic swords that spew flames, gauntlets that emit lightning, and other enchanted equipment. From the point of view of an adventurer, just looking at it makes your mouth water.
If it’s a magical tool made at the Mage Tower, it’s a masterpiece. The quality is different from the magic tools sold at street magic shops. It’s a pity that each person can only choose one.

I seriously thought about what to choose from the countless options. However, the female members who came with me did not have any worries.

“Jacob! Where is the love potion here? I’ve seen it in the catalog. I remember all the effects of taking it. It was said to increase the user’s charm to the maximum.”
“Oh, you mean the love potion?”

Rebecca stepped up as her representative, raising her hand and asking a question. In the warehouse, the equipment looked fine, but there was nothing that looked like a potion. Jacob put on a bewildered expression, as if he hadn’t expected to be asked such a question.

“I didn’t know that someone who wanted a potion as a reward would really appear…”
“What! You’re not thinking of putting it in the catalog and saying it’s gone now, right? We’ve been toiling in the labyrinth for days to get a potion!”
“Oh, no. I prepared the love potion, but an accident occurred while storing it. A thief broke into the magic tower and stole all the love potion. What is it? He was a very new thief.”
“There’s a thief who only stole the potion? What the hell is he doing?”

It is said that he left all the normal magic tools and stole the love potion. Aside from being a great thief who can penetrate the Mage Tower’s surveillance net, I can’t understand his way of thinking at all.

What are you going to do if you steal a lot of love potions?
Are you thinking of giving dating advice to singles?

“Sorry, adventurers. We’ve also formed a separate search team to track them down, but we haven’t heard from them yet. I heard that it was the work of an ‘alchemist’ with great skills, but that’s all they found out. As for alchemy, the professor at the Mage Tower They say he’s good enough to be on par with them.”
“Haa… That’s why the love potion isn’t here.”
“Ah, Ahhhhh. It’s not fun.”
“Nonsense.”

Rebecca, Kate, and Bella let out a heavy sigh at the same time. All the female members were making faces that were drained. These are the members who stayed in the labyrinth for over a week just looking at the love potion. If it turns out that there is no potion now, the power will be released.

‘Good.’

It worked out well for me. There was an opportunity to raise the specs of the party members without wasting the right to acquire rewards on potions. Jacob’s voice resonated as he tried to recommend equipment because he wanted to have a chance at this time.

“—-Actually, there is only one bottle left. I’m talking about the love potion. There’s something that the thief couldn’t steal. I kept it myself just in case.”

Jacob pulled out a vial containing a suspicious liquid from his bosom. A psychedelic pinkish liquid glistens in a glass bottle. A love potion popped up from an unexpected place.

“That, is that a love potion? A potion that turns anyone into a peerless beauty if you just drink it?”
“That’s right. Drinking this increases your charm to the highest level for just one day. It’s a perfect potion to use when confessing to the opposite sex.”

There is only one bottle of love potion. The moment the truth was revealed, Rebecca, Kate, and Bella stared at each other. In an instant, an exhilarating tension flowed between them.

“It’s just one bottle.”
“I will. Rather, it became fun.”
“…”

Wait for a sec.
Isn’t there an option to share a bottle of elixir among the three of us?

“How about this for both of you? Share a love potion with three people.”
“Rebecca, do you want to share a drink? I don’t like it-.
“I don’t even want to share the love potion with you guys. I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to be less effective.”
“Pheheh! You trash bitches… Actually, I think the same way. There’s only one man, but there’s no point in sharing the potion with three people. It’s nice that everyone is honest.”

I was wrong! The option of dividing by three was not available to them from the beginning. My lovers and Bella looked at each other and gave each other mischievous smiles. The three women were killed in that they were very shameless about their desires.

Who gets to win the love potion? Is it also Rebecca? Because the desire to compete is the strongest among the three.
Being an unmanned person, it is also noteworthy that his physical strength is quite high.

‘Let’s eat some popcorn.’

It is impossible to dry it after it has caught fire anyway. It could be that the atmosphere is getting serious if you intervene for no reason.
I decided to quietly step back and watch the lovers and Bella go head-to-head.

“Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors neatly.”
“Yeah-? If you fight with that, Rebecca unnie wins unconditionally. Her dynamic vision is a monster, so she knows what she’s going to do.”
“If Rebecca-san covers her eyes, I’ll agree. If I cover her eyes, I think we’ll be able to compete fairly.”
“Okay! Luke, come over to me and cover my eyes. Be the referee.”

I decided to cover Rebecca’s eyes. I went behind Rebecca and covered her eyes with the palm of her hand. Without a long delay, the game started immediately on the spot.

“Everyone, I’m going to make a wrapping cloth.”
“Don’t play tricks, Bella-sama. Where are you starting the psychological warfare?”
“Psychological warfare is also skill, if you look at it.
“Ha-! Then I’ll bring out the scissors. What about Rebecca?”
“I’ll bring out the scissors too.”

Just listening to the words, it was confirmed that Bella would be eliminated in the first match. However, the moment they played rock-paper-scissors, the aspect of the match changed considerably.

Poof!

All three reached out their hands at the same time. They all had different hand shapes.
Bella is the cloth, Rebecca is the scissors, and Kate is the rock.

“It’s a draw.”
“Huh, huh? Did you really make a wrapping cloth? Of course I thought it would be a gourd! I just thought you would make anything!”
“Kay! Did you really throw a rock? Did you hit me for betrayal first?”
“Ah, no, where is betrayal in the world of competition…”

My lovers, who had been united, began to divide.
Kate is involved in Bella’s psychological warfare. Although she may be lacking in physical skills, Bella is a master of psychological warfare.

After that, she competed several times, and Kate was the first to be eliminated.
Rebecca, whose vision is sealed, is also pushed by Bella.

“The pattern is simple, Mrs. Rebecca. You have a habit of using the scissors in succession. Are you going to use the scissors again?”
“It’s not like that-!”

Poof!

Rebecca, who said otherwise, brought out the scissors again.
What her confrontation Bella held out to her was, to her surprise, her fist.
It is a fist filled with tenacity for the love potion.

“—-I won. The time has come to escape from the position of village chief of Solo Village. It’s been a long, long time.”