Even as I felt my own sense of reality continuing to warp, the conversation with Akane-san proceeded smoothly. Then, a look crossed her face as if she had suddenly remembered something important.
"Oh, that’s right! With everything that’s happened, it nearly slipped my mind. I brought a souvenir for ya."
"A souvenir?"
"See, at first I figured you were some terrifying big shot, Kaito, so I thought I’d better curry favor while I could. Besides, even if there was a bit of a risk, the chance to forge a connection with you was too good to pass up. I wanted to make sure I left a good impression."
"Is that the kind of ulterior motive you should be admitting to someone’s face?"
"Depends on the person, I s’pose. If it’s you, Kaito, well, I figure it’s fine. Anyway, I’m givin' you this gift, so I’ll be lookin' for a favor in return someday."
"Ahaha."
In a way, I found myself appreciating this kind of bluntness. I had never been good at navigating the subtle probing and political dancing of high society; having someone frame a request like this, even as a joke, made it much easier to accept.
Besides, having that kind of preamble made it easier to take the gift without any lingering hesitation.
"...But if you were preparing for that kind of opponent, does that mean it's something quite impressive?"
"I’d say it’s worth about three times the annual salary of Frau behind me here."
"That sounds incredibly expensive."
I didn't know exactly what Frau-san's annual salary was, but considering her position as the top aide to the chairman of a major trading company, she had to be earning a substantial amount. Even if we assumed a modest figure, three times that amount would place the gift in a price range that was far too extravagant for a simple souvenir.
"I must advise that three times is an excessive multiplier," Frau-san interjected with a flat voice. "To reduce it to a more reasonable double, I propose an immediate increase in my salary."
"Why are you tryin' to adjust the numbers from that end? Stop talkin' nonsense and just get the box we brought."
Akane-san snapped back at Frau-san, who remained entirely expressionless. Seeing the two of them banter like this made me realize just how close they really were.
Frau-san manifested a Magic Box and withdrew a small, palm-sized wooden box, which she handed to Akane-san. Despite its small size, the craftsmanship of the box was exquisite. If something this small was that expensive, it had to be jewelry of some kind.
"I thought about an art piece or somethin', but everyone’s got their own taste. I went with a safe bet: a valuable gemstone that won't get in the way. It’s the kind of thing where only a handful appear on the market in an entire year."
"Thank you very much for such a generous gift. This is..."
Inside the box sat a fairly large diamond, but unlike a standard one, it had a distinct bluish tint.
"...Is this a Blue Diamond?"
"Yep, a Blue Diamond. Just havin' one of these is a massive status symbol."
"I see... Thank you so much."
To be honest, back when I had gone to excavate Midnight Crystals, Isis-san had given me so many of these that I actually had quite a stash of them sitting in my Magic Box. However, there was no need to ruin the moment by mentioning that, so I simply expressed my gratitude and accepted it.
"I feel like I should offer something in return... Akane-san, is there anything in particular you're looking for?"
"Hmm, well, I don't need a favor right this second, but... I s’pose there is one thing. You wouldn't happen to have a lead on a Highly Skilled Healing Magic User or someone like that, would ya? If you do, I’d love an introduction."
"Healing magic? Are you injured somewhere?"
When it came to master healers, Fia-sensei immediately came to mind. As I asked to clarify, Akane-san scratched her head lightly.
"Ah, it’s not for me, it’s for one of the company members. Unluckily, they got attacked by monsters while out on a shipment and ended up with some nasty injuries."
"The individual in question claimed it wasn't necessary, but..." Frau added.
"I can't just let it go. It happened on the job, and I’ve got a responsibility as an employer. Obviously, since a Fruit of the World Tree is impossible to get, there's nothin' to be done about the arm they lost, but I’ve gotta do somethin' about the paralysis in their leg."
I felt like I finally understood the situation. I also realized that the level of healer Akane-san was looking for wasn't anywhere near the level of someone like Fia-sensei. Fia-sensei could regrow lost limbs as if it were the simplest thing in the world, but that was only because her healing magic was extraordinary. For a normal healer, such a feat was impossible.
In fact, Sieg-san's old injuries would have been fixed in an instant if they had asked Fia-sensei. However, at the time Sieg-san was hurt, Lilia-san and the others only knew of Fia-sensei as Lunamaria's mother's doctor. The idea that a local physician could heal injuries that even royal mages couldn't touch simply never occurred to them, so they had never sought her out.
In any case, there wouldn't be a problem with introducing Fia-sensei to that employee, but I had an even quicker solution.
"I have plenty of the Fruit of the World Tree, so I’ll just give you one."
"...Eh?"
I had a surplus of the Fruit of the World Tree given to me by Lilliwood-san. Although she had told me not to circulate them on the open market, she had also told me beforehand that it was fine to use my own discretion if I wanted to help an acquaintance. In a case like this, it wouldn't be an issue at all.
I reached into my Magic Box, pulled out a Fruit of the World Tree, and set it down in front of Akane-san.
"...Hey, Frau. The Fruit of the World Tree is supposed to be legendary, right?"
"It is so precious that even among the races closely served by the World King-sama, the vast majority live their entire lives without ever seeing one."
"...Is this for real? You ain't pullin' my leg?"
"I can sense a staggering amount of magic power within it. It is undoubtedly the genuine article."
"I see... You've got 'plenty' of 'em... Kaito... You, seriously, knock it off! Just how many years are you tryin' to shave off our lives?! My poor heart can't take this, seriously..."
Akane-san pressed her palm to her forehead as if nursing a sudden migraine, her face a mask of pure exasperation. After a few moments, she looked up and turned her eyes toward me.
"...Kaito, are you really just gonna give me this?"
"Yes, think of it as my way of thanking you for the souvenir."
"No, that’s no good. The value of the gift I brought and a Fruit of the World Tree don't match up at all. I’ve got my pride as a merchant to think about... but rejectin' somethin' offered out of goodwill feels wrong, and tryin' to settle it with money just feels dirty... Ugh."
"If it helps, I can also introduce you to a healing magic user who can fix the lost limb anyway."
"You've got a lead on someone like that too? But... that’s gotta be someone at least Peerage-class, right?"
"They’re Count-class... but they’re currently working as a town doctor."
"Why in the world is a Count-class workin' as a town doctor?! My... my common sense doesn't apply to you at all. What is wrong with this guy?"
I had lost count of how many times she had worn that look of pure shock, but it reminded me quite a bit of Lilia-san whenever I brought a legendary figure home without warning.
Serious-senpai: "That's incredible... No, what's really amazing is Kaito's sheer lack of mercy. He's relentlessly inducing stomach pain in Akane, who probably has a pretty high tolerance. This guy has way too much of a special effectiveness against stomachs."