The Earth-san Has Leveled Up!

2-14. Fashion Show

Katsuo Bushi’s room was a tatami room of about 12 mats.

In the center of the room was a folding table, and the closet had futons.

The view from the window was a breathtaking spot with a sea of clouds, a bridge with red railings, and cherry blossoms.

Though small, it was a nice room.

The inn also had a hot spring, and it seemed that guests who rented a party room could use it.

At 500 Guineas per person… Since it’s not Japanese yen, I’m not sure if it’s expensive or cheap.

Moreover, guests of this rank receive one meal ticket.

According to the brochure, the food options were divided into ingredients, preserved foods, and prepared dishes, and the meal ticket allowed you to choose one prepared dish that would normally cost 150 Guineas.

After entering the room and unpacking, I immediately proceeded with various synthesis enhancements.

Since Meiko and the others had decided to rest at the inn for only an hour, I reduced my magic power by just enough to recover in about an hour through synthesis enhancements.

While Meiko was working, the two of them quickly glanced through the brochure and noted the number of pages.

After consuming a certain amount of magic power, Meiko also lay down with them and looked at the brochure.

The lineup sold at the general store in the Mugen Torii dungeon was as follows:

―――――

※ Unit: Guineas

Various food items: 10～150

Sundries: 10～300

Low-grade recovery potion: 300

Mid-grade recovery potion: 1000

Various status recovery potions: 100～500

Dungeon beginner ‘Weapons’: 800～2000

Dungeon beginner ‘Body Armor’: 500～4000

Dungeon beginner ‘Part Armor’: 300～1500

Skill accessories: 1000～2000

Magic stone case: 300 Guineas

―――――

Food items increased in price in the order of ingredients, preserved foods, and ready-to-eat items.

Sundries included convenient items like paper, pens, ropes, and lighters.

Low-grade recovery potions were pills that could heal moderate damage such as lacerations down to the bone or minor internal injuries. They could also recover fatigue.

Mid-grade recovery potions were pills that could heal serious injuries like fractures or internal damage. They could recover fatigue and minor status ailments.

Status recovery potions were pills that could cure poison, paralysis, and other ailments up to a moderate level. What constituted “moderate” for poison and such was unclear to Meiko and the others.

These pills came in cases of four each.

There was a note in the description about recovery potions.

They consume the user’s magic power when used to take effect. The amount of magic power consumed depends on the severity of the injury. Reducing magic power means they might not be something you can use casually during combat.

The beginner dungeon equipment, as identified by Meiko’s synthesis appraisal, were weapons and armor marked as 0/125.

There weren’t many weapons, but there were a lot of armor pieces.

The effects were beginner-level and mostly the same, but the designs were quite varied.

As a result, the booklet devoted many pages to weapons and armor.

Both weapons and armor were designed in a Japanese style reminiscent of spring.

Skill accessories were items like rings and bracelets, with straightforward names like Bracelet of Strength.

The magic stone case was interesting; it could apparently store up to 10 kilos of magic stones.

It was a great item that only felt as heavy as the case itself.

It was a belt-mounted item, shaped like a slightly rounder dagger sheath.

Meiko suggested to the other two that they should definitely buy this.

There were three girls here.

They chose their armor with extreme seriousness.

Not a single one of them would compromise.

Though the money was initially split, the three of them decided to pool all their funds since they were a community bound by fate.

Girls’ shopping takes a long time.

Even if boys think all the clothes look the same, girls see them differently.

In fact, genetically, women often have superior color perception, giving them a wider range of choices.

As a result, they realized they didn’t have enough money, so they decided to buy Lulu and Meiko’s weapons first.

Meiko bought one fire grimoire and a saber.

She already had a saber at home, but since she didn’t have it with her now, she decided to buy one.

Lulu bought a ninja sword.

Lulu’s main equipment was a small sickle, so they wanted her to have something a bit more substantial.

Though there were suspicions that ninja swords were fictional, they were being sold here.

They also bought low-grade and mid-grade recovery potions and a magic stone case.

Remaining funds: 9630 Guineas.

The magic stone case was attached to Meiko’s waist.

With shopping done, it was time to hunt.

It was still 4 PM, so they had about two hours of downtime.

Or rather, since they had been resting since just past 3 PM, if they stayed in the safety zone, they would be kicked out at 3 AM the next day, so they had no choice but to go out.

Before that, Meiko asked the cat fairy a question.

“Cat-san, do the enemies change at night?”

“You ask a lot of questions-nya. If you weren’t a first-time customer, I’d charge you for this level of questioning-nya.”

“Cat-san, don’t say that! Come on, Lulu, Sasara, smile for him!”

“Huh!?”

“Nfufu!”

“Nipaa!”

When Meiko said the line she had always wanted to say at least once in her life, Sasara was bewildered by the unreasonable request, Lulu laughed innocently without understanding, and Meiko herself laughed.

“Nya~, as a cat, human females are a bit… I can find them cute if I think of them as pets-nya?”

But the cat fairy wasn’t having it.

Meiko’s smile froze.

“Well, I’ll take payment in exchange for information-nya.”

“Nge!?”

“To answer your earlier question, the enemies do change at night-nya. If you fought them now, there’s a high chance someone would die-nya.”

“Seriously!”

Meiko was startled by the sudden decision to charge for information, but the information disclosed was enough to blow away her fear.

Meiko had been thinking of suggesting they try fighting the night enemies around here.

There was no guarantee of a safety zone ahead, and she thought now was the chance to get used to the enemies while the safety zone was nearby.

She thought it made sense, but the cat fairy’s words turned that idea on its head.

It wasn’t just a different type of enemy within the same rank; enemies from a higher rank would appear, which was out of the question.

The three of them exchanged looks and decided to play it safe at night.

Since they could leave their belongings in the room, they stored the contents of their backpacks in the room and set off to hunt.

The side of the mountain they were on was already dim due to the direction.

Meiko and the others, fearing the night, didn’t venture far from the safety zone and avoided mapping the area.

Near this location, there was also a bridge leading to the other side of the mountain.

They were curious about investigating the other mountain, but if a mid-boss appeared on the bridge, they would be in trouble.

Having played some RPGs, Meiko saw the 100-meter-long bridge as a prime boss location.

Meiko skillfully used her two grimoires and fought decently with her newly bought saber in close combat. She was a balanced-type warrior.

Lulu wielded a ninja sword in her right hand and a small sickle in her left.

Meiko thought it might be hard for an amateur to handle, but perhaps due to the effect of [NINJA Techniques], Lulu’s dual-wielding improved as she trained while moving.

After 5 PM, it became almost as dark as night, and Meiko and the others fought near the safety zone.

After 6 PM, lanterns lit up, and they retreated into the safety zone.

Pointing the tip of her saber into the bottomless darkness, Meiko glared and said,

“Just wait. I’ll get stronger and take you down someday…”

It was a declaration from the safety zone to an unseen formidable enemy.

Lulu watched Meiko’s bravado with a look that said, “This is educational.”

The results of their hunting during downtime were 20 Usagi and 14 Ichimatsu dolls.

Selling all their magic stones and drops netted them about 2000 Guineas.

Considering they didn’t move much due to fear of the night, it was a decent result.

The fact that enemies came in pairs and they had bought weapons probably contributed.

Since drop items fetched a surprisingly high price, if they ran out of money, they planned to sell some of the materials they had saved for synthesis.

Drop items were generally more expensive than magic stones, so selling everything could add about 5000 Guineas, but they also wanted to do synthesis enhancements, so it was a tough call.

With the resulting 11600 Guineas, they decided to spend it all.

They had already decided what to buy, so it was time to shop under the cat’s guidance.

“Cat-san, Cat-san, can we shop again?”

“Nya nya. Welcome back-nya. What do you want to buy-nya?”

“We’re looking at armor, but how do the sizes work?”

“When you equip them, they fit your body-nya. But once equipped, the size is fixed-nya.”

“I see, thanks.”

With their curiosity satisfied, it was time to shop.

Meiko and the others, with their notes and brochure in hand, chattered excitedly at the counter.

Nya nya nya, the cat fairy was a bit flustered.

They ran out of money.

In fact, they were quite short.

To make up for it, they sold some of the materials they had saved for synthesis.

Body armor was expensive, and buying a full set cost around 2000 Guineas per person.

Since what Meiko and the others bought was classified as light armor, they managed with that, but armor sets were all expensive, with the most expensive being 4000 Guineas. This was for a full set of samurai armor, which cost twice as much as the next most expensive body armor.

No one bought the armor sets.

Aside from the issue of whether they could move properly in heavy armor, considering only safety, it was very attractive equipment, but they simply didn’t have enough money.

They decided to trust the cat’s words that ‘dungeon-made equipment is overwhelmingly stronger than surface-made equipment.’

Moreover, the issue of whether they could move properly in heavy armor couldn’t be ignored.

They bought a lot of the cheapest part armor, starting at 300 Guineas. They spent a considerable amount on this.

It seemed that the harder the material used, the more expensive the item tended to be.

Meiko and the others were lucky to have obtained a large amount of money in the dungeon, but if they were to gather the money by selling enemy drops, it would be a very tough journey.

The 12500 Guineas they got from the treasure chest was about what they could earn by working from morning to evening around the fairy’s general store, selling magic stones and drops combined.

And given the safety zone’s mechanics and the dungeon’s characteristic of stronger enemies at night, it was extremely difficult.

After shopping, it was time for the grand reveal.

To make it more fun, they decided to do it one by one.

First up was Sasara.

“Foooooh!”

Lulu waved her hands, staring at the transformed Sasara.

Meiko screamed “Hyawaa!” and took tons of photos with her smartphone.

Sasara’s main outfit was a Taisho Roman-style hakama.

The top was a cherry blossom-colored furisode with cherry blossom patterns, and the bottom was indigo hakama, both of which suited Sasara’s flaxen hair perfectly.

Her flaxen hair was tied up with a hairpin featuring cherry blossoms and butterflies playing.

Despite her elegant appearance, her accessories included arm guards, a hachimaki, and a saber at her waist.

However, this emphasized Sasara’s inner strength.

The lace-up boots did a great job of pulling the whole look together, evoking the era of civilization and enlightenment.

The balance between elegance and ruggedness was perfect… but.

The bunny ears poking up above the hachimaki on her forehead added a touch of playfulness.

Ha, that girl is a modern swordswoman!

No… she’s a cosplayer.

Something like that.

“How do I look?”

“Super cute!”

“Chou kawaii!”

In response to the two’s synchronized praise, Sasara pouted, turned her head to the side, and tucked her hair behind her ear.

She didn’t seem entirely displeased.

Next was Lulu.

While Lulu was changing, Meiko continued to praise Sasara.

She gushed about how cute and beautiful she was. Sasara, blushing, said, “Please stop,” but didn’t seem entirely unhappy.

Then Lulu appeared.

“Nin nin!”

“Hyaaaa!? L-Lulu-san, isn’t that a bit too bold!?”

“Bakayaro! Sasara, this is what a KUNOICHI is supposed to be like!”

Lulu struck a ninja pose, and the innocent Sasara couldn’t help but comment.

But Meiko, who watches late-night anime, nodded in approval and took more photos!

Lulu was dressed in a kunoichi-style outfit.

Her main outfit consisted of a sleeveless red kimono with a hem about 15 cm above the knee.

The bottom was… spats!

The kimono was tied with a wide black obi, forming a large bow at the back.

The kimono’s pattern was pale red cherry blossoms and butterflies. The obi was a glossy black-to-purple gradient.

Her thighs were fully exposed, but from the knees down, she wore leg guards, and on her feet were high socks with tabi and sandals.

Her upper arms were bare, but from the elbows down, she wore cloth arm guards and hand guards.

Her long hair was tied up with a hairpin, adding to her stylishness.

The ninja sword was strapped to her back, and the small sickle was at her side.

Meiko had seen the outfit in the brochure beforehand, but seeing it in person made her think again.

There’s no way she’s hiding like this!

Especially the breasts emphasized by the obi and the white cleavage visible through the kimono.

Moreover, the spats visible under the short kimono hem.

And the crowning touch was the bunny ears on her head and the bunny tail on her butt.

She would be the center of attention wherever she went.

“Nin nin! Nin nin nin nin! Nfufu! Niniin!”

Lulu seemed extremely happy, her excitement palpable.

She ended up rolling around in front of Sasara and Meiko, chanting “Nin nin!”

“Funaahh, Niniin! Teshii!”

For some reason, Meiko also started chanting “Nin nin!”

Then she slapped Lulu’s butt with a “Teshii!”

No particular reason.

“By the way, how did you manage to tie that obi so well?”

“This? It’s like this, see? Amazing, right? Nfufu!”

It was a peel-and-stick type. Officially known as Velcro.

Finally, it was Meiko’s turn.

In her underwear, Meiko fidgeted with her chest.

Sasara, hiding her bonk-yuu-bon, “Sharan!”

Lulu, flaunting her bonk-yuu-bon, “Yoeen!”

Herself, “Sss… Nipaa!”

Like the punchline…!

Damn it, damn it!

Milk. I’ll synthesize and strengthen with milk when I get back!

And then, the grand reveal.

“Foooooh, so cute desu!”

“It suits you very well!”

“R-Really? …Mufuu!”

Meiko struck a pose.

Wearing something cute and being praised by friends would lift anyone’s spirits.

That’s what girls are.

Creatures who praise their current selves and strive to make their future selves shine even brighter.

Meiko’s outfit was a female onmyoji-style attire.

At first glance, it could be mistaken for a miko outfit, but the brochure described it as such.

Her main outfit was a white hunting robe and red hakama.

The hunting robe is what onmyoji wear as their upper garment. However, the one sold here had strange cuts at the shoulders.

The hakama had an unusually long slit, almost challenging the very definition of hakama.

The white high socks with tabi protected her exposed thighs. They were white and cute, Meiko’s favorite item, and everyone else bought them too.

Her shoes were thick-soled sandals, adding 5 cm to her height.

Dungeon-made shoes seemed to have some walking assistance function, as they could walk normally in them, so they decided to buy them. For Meiko, 5 cm was a big deal.

Her face still had a lot of childishness, but combined with her outfit, it made her look strong instead.

In a social game, she would be a high-rarity character for sure.

Additionally, everyone wore chokers around their necks, covering their throats.

They had been using Ichimatsu doll belts as substitutes, but since the store sold them, they bought those.

They also bought fingerless gloves. The color variations were rich; Sasara chose white, and Lulu chose red.

Meiko, by the way, chose black. The coolest. According to Meiko.

The cosplay vibe was strong.

And the equipment looked quite powerful.

However, even with all this, it was all beginner-level equipment.

It seemed the dungeon, or perhaps the shop fairies, encouraged cosplay.

Naturally, with such outfits, a photoshoot was inevitable.