Shop 8

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Chapter 8. Purple Smoke In the Wilderness

Divinity.

The term "level" is attached, so there must be stages.

Come to think of it, I feel like I've been told "insufficient deity" several times before.

Leaving aside why the deity level has increased, let's try things that didn't work before and see if they're added to the list.

"Ah... a pork cutlet sandwich!"

Something that once got rejected should be good.

-Approval granted. SHOP items have increased-

Oh! Just as I thought!

I quickly checked the SHOP list - Pork Cutlet Sandwich = 379 yen - was added, so I promptly purchased it.

Current funds: 18,844 yen.

"I don't really get it, but I can buy new items now. Should I eat half?"

I peeled off the plastic from the sandwich and offered one of the two pork cutlet sandwiches.

It looks delicious with plenty of sauce and cabbage.

Some people consider cabbage in it to be unconventional.

But I don't mind as long as it tastes good.

"Oh! Isn't this pure white bread! Let me have it!"

Perhaps due to the size of my hands, the sandwich looked small when held.

I devoured it in one bite.

"Ohhhhh! Wh-what is this? It's delicious! The sweetness of the bread, the richness of the meat, and the flavorful black sauce enhance it even more!"

"Is this a food review?"

It seems like he enjoyed it, so it's not a problem.

"Are there more of these? Can I still buy them at the god's store?!"

"Huh? Oh, you can buy them. 379 yen each. I don't really understand the pricing criteria, though..."

"I'll buy them! This won't be nearly enough! And it's ridiculously cheap!"

"It's about the same price as in my original world. There was a store called a convenience store, where people could buy them 24 hours a day."

"I see. If a store were open late at night, the guards would probably come flying over."

"It was a peaceful country."

"That's a good thing. Well, give me two of these."

"Sure thing."

First, two pork cutlet sandwiches, leaving 18,086 yen. 

After receiving a silver coin, my funds changed to 19,086 yen.

There was a difference of about 242 yen.

I handed two packs of pork cutlet sandwiches and 242 yen in coins to Hagg.

Now my funds return to 18,844 yen.

"Huh? What's this?"

"It's your change."

"I haven't seen a small change like this in a while. Don't people usually use it? But more importantly, this meat bun. Muhuhu! This is it! This is it!"

"It's called a pork cutlet sandwich. It's made by sandwiching pork cooked in oil."

"I see. Truly a godly meal."

I should eat something too. 

Honestly, I don't have much of an appetite. 

No, I'll force myself to eat.

So, I washed down kombu (kelp) and mayo chicken onigiri with water.

I feel a little nauseous.

My remaining funds are 18,614 yen.

Before I knew it, I took out some alcohol and sipped it while chewing on the pork cutlet sandwich.

Sake sounds good. 

Wait a minute, isn't it nicotine rather than alcohol? 

Nicotine! 

Cigarettes! 

Give me cigarettes! 

I'm running low on nicotine!

"Whoa!? What's going on all of a sudden?"

-Under consideration... Rejected.-

"What did you say?! Not being able to smoke is unacceptable! Give them to me!"

"Hey, Akira... What are you..."

While Hagg worriedly spoke to me as I shouted towards the night sky.

I didn't care about that at all!

-Under consideration... Rejected-

"I can't think without cigarettes!"

-Under consideration... Rejected-

"Don't keep saying the same thing! Show some flexibility!"

-Under consideration...-

"If you keep rejecting, I'm going to lose it!"

-...-

"Akira?"

-Approved with conditions. SHOP items have increased-

Oh!

After checking the list, I saw it. 

There it is!

-Cigarettes = 4,600 yen-

What the heck is this price? 

It's outrageous! Damn it!

So, this is what they mean by "conditions attached"!

My necessities outweigh my principles. 

I quickly purchase cigarettes.

My remaining funds are 14,014 yen.

That was a significant drop.

Well, it's better than not being able to smoke. 

I take one out and light it with a lighter. 

The feeling of relief only comes when my lungs are filled with nicotine.

"Oh. You're the type who does this too. So am I."

Hagg smirks, takes out a pipe from his waist and lights it from the campfire.

"You have cigarettes too?"

"When it comes to cigarettes, this is the usual. Let's exchange."

After exchanging and taking a puff simultaneously, we both choked.

"Cough! Th-this is intense. It's not strong, but it's something."

"Cough, cough! I accidentally took a strong puff without moderation. The scent is nice, but it's a bit unsatisfying."

We ended up laughing at each other's reactions.

"I might get used to it, but I prefer this one in general."

I light a paper cigarette again. 

Unless there's a significant reason, I'll stick with this.

It's become quite expensive, so I need to cut the number.

"Now, let's go to sleep tonight. We'll reach the town tomorrow."

"I really want to sleep in a bed."

Come to think of it, I left the bed behind. 

Maybe I could have stored it in the container?

It's too late to think about it now.

The campfire was almost extinguished.

――――

Hagg prepared breakfast for us. 

Since he only wanted water, I handed him a bottle, and he treated us to a kind of porridge with a hint of salt. 

It wasn't particularly delicious.

But it seemed like something travelers often ate. 

When I asked if it was okay not to have pork cutlet sandwiches, he said that once people take a bite, they won't be able to stop eating, and they'll want to have a drinking party. 

If I'll eat, I should do it leisurely in town, he added.

I'm satisfied since I got to try local food. 

After walking for about two hours, the cliffs gradually lowered, merging with the coastline. 

Then, man-made structures came into view. 

Is that a tower?

"No, that's a lighthouse. I heard there aren't many ships around here because the sea is rough... Although, the information I heard might be quite outdated."

He confidently identified it as a lighthouse even though there was quite a distance. 

It seems Hagg's eyesight is quite good. 

Well, it's no match for me with my glasses correction pushing beyond 20/20 vision.

"Isn't Hugg from around here?"

"He says he's traveling. This area is the western edge, so he has no local knowledge or information."

The western edge, huh? 

Since I can see the sea to the right, right is west, and we're heading south.

"Speaking of which, what will Hagg do when you reach the town?"

"I'll earn some travel money for a while. I'll go to the blacksmith guild and do some day labor. If everything goes well, I plan to open a repair shop somewhere."

"I see."

"What about you, Akira?"

"Oh, I'll think about how to earn money after dedicating that symbol to the church. Maybe I'll ask around to find out where the three churches in the town are."

"I'm not sure if there are all three churches in the town ahead."

"If that happens, I'll ask around and earn some travel money. We'll take the same inn for now but act separately. If you have any questions, you can ask me at night."

"That sounds good. I appreciate it."

And so, after all this time, we finally arrived at a place where people live in this world.