Mr. Nobu’s Otherworld Chronicles

Up the stairs, we see something like a fountain. The room looks similar as the one with the withered fountain earlier.
One thing differs from that room, there"s something enshrined in the bottom of the water. Is that a pedestal? It"s hard to see from afar.

"T-this is it! This is the water!!"

Kagura-san sounded ecstatic. This wavy water is what she"s been searching for huh.
Lemme see, here"s the result of its appraisal.

Dense Magic Water
Quality: Good - Enclosed Mana: 30/30
Water with very dense mana. It has about three average magicians worth of mana enclosed within.

Hohou. Huh? Isn"t this the same high quality water Tama-chan usually drinks?

Kagura-san scoops the water with her hands and drinks it. And then she chants something in an unfamiliar language.

Wait a minute. You"re using the art to transform your body back already?
It"d be bad in many ways if you did that with those outfits.
Kagura-san, stooooop, if you don"t change first....

Kagura-san transformed back to her original size. Of course, the shabby dress and the string panties couldn"t hold her as they got torn apart.

"It"s back. My body"s back, n.o.busada!"

She turned to me and made a large gesture to show her joy. The bouncing part of her body is bouncing around all over.
Looks like she hasn"t noticed her state. My line of sight are nailed down on the huge twin hills and the black meadow.
Kagura-san tilted her head in confusion to see me not speaking a word.

"W-what"s wrong noja? Why aren"t you saying anything...."

She seemed to find it strange, she traced my line of sight and realized the state she was in.

"Hywawaaaaaa. D-don"t look. Don"t look at meeeee."

She crouches down in a hurry while hiding her body. I"m sorry, it was truly a sight so much that I couldn"t manage to avert my glance. It"s been meticulously saved in the newly created secret folder in my brain.
I turn around and wait for Kagura-san to finish changing. I could hear sounds of rustling clothes. How do I say it, at times like this, even the tiniest sounds of rustling could be heard.

Zuzuzuzuzuuun.

Deep thumping sounds and tremors happened again. Are these repeated tremors from the ant nest collapsing?

"A, aaaaaaaaaa"

Kagura-san who was changing in a hurry wailed in despair.
I run up to her and see that the Dense Magic Water pool that should have been there is gone, and you can see the bottom. It"s clearly visible now, there"s a sword enshrined on a pedestal-like thing.
I took a sidelong glance at the dejected Kagura-san and descended down to the bottom of the fountain.

It wasn"t really clear from above, but the thing enshrined at the bottom was a single katana.

I carefully approach it and take it in my hand.

Lunar Cat
Quality: High - Enclosed Mana: 21/21
Material: Positive Force Life Tree - Soul Steel - Magic Steel
One of the only three Living Soul Katanas whose performance changes depending on its user. Merely maintaining its blade requires an enormous amount of mana, thus rarely anyone could wield it.
Gift: 【Regeneration】 【Hardening】 【Back Blade - Un-slash】

I get what"s going on somehow after appraising it. Someone must have enshrined it under the Dense Magic Water in order to maintain its blade. It"s probably correct to think  that the blade didn"t rust even under water because it was constantly supplied with mana. All facilities in this cave must have been for storing this thing.

I create earth wall into stairs and climb up the fountain.
Might as well try unsheathing this thing.

Hmmph!

Huh what? It won"t come off!?
I calm myself and put my hand on the grip.
Nuoou. I can"t draw it out. Is there a trick to this?
I should test it out once we get back. Ah right, I"ve got to discuss what we should do with this.

"Aah, Kagura-san?"

Ah, she looks like she"s about to cry and has a look like she"s decided on something. I haven"t been with her long, but I somehow know that this face means she"s going to go off and disappear somewhere.

"Fuuh, this would mean that I have to go back to the wandering days. n.o.busada, I"m really glad that I was able to go on a journey with you in the end."

I have to ask one thing to Kagura-san who"s asking for a handshake, looking like she"s about to disappear anytime now.

"No well, about that. Would it be a problem if the magic water you need has better quality and enclosed mana than the one earlier?"

"Hm? Well, the better quality the more expensive it is. There is no problem noja. Besides, that level of magic water would need every last bit of mana from three to four average magicians just to be made, you know? You"d need a vast sum of money were you to purchase it."

Eh, really? Does that mean Tama-chan who"s been having it as her meal three times a day is actually a celebrity?

"Well, I can easily provide you that level of magic water... I mean, Tama-chan has been having it everyday."

I produced the magic water as I said that.

Dense Magic Water
Quality: High - Enclosed Mana: 40/40
Water with very dense mana. It has about four average magicians worth of mana enclosed within.

...Kaguras-san was stunned to see the magic water I created in my hand.

"Wha?"

...Explanation time again...

"..J-just what was all those hardships for..."

She went down on all four and fell depressed. Err well, I"m sorry about it.

After looking down for a while, she resolved on something and turned her sight at me. The hint of pa.s.sion in her eyes that are looking at me must just be imagination right?

"No-n.o.busada. I will have you take responsibility for inspecting every inch of my body noja!"

Yes!?

Right when I was frozen by the sudden claim, she forcefully put her lips on mine.
My mind can"t catch with the sudden progression of events. The sweet fragrance peculiar to women tickles my nasal cavity.
After what feels like a long yet short time, Kagura-san separates herself and speaks while locking eyes with me.

"This is a deposit. You will provide me one month worth of Dense Magic Water as your responsibility. I"ll also make sure to compensate you."

"For Kagura-san, I don"t really mind giving..."

"No, I"m grateful for the gesture, but you cannot do that. Did you know that high quality Dense Magic Water is one of the ingredient for Extra Potion and the likes? If I were to buy it, even 2000 mani a bottle would be cheap."

Eh!? It"s that much? I won"t have money problem if I make use of this... No no wait, spreading it carelessly would put me in danger instead. Quick cash scheme would bring in too many danger, let"s not go with it. If those greedy Alchemist Guild bunch or something were to took a whiff of it, we"d have no idea what they"d do.

"Then, how about you put your body up..."

"Wha!? ...Un, t-that"s one possibility... Being sought after by a gentleman isn"t so bad in itself... *mutter mutter*."

"...and help me if I"m ever in trouble. Wait, she"s not listening!?"

Kagura-san is muttering something, but I can"t hear her well. Well, I"d be fine with her helping me as an a.s.sistant in my quest every time she ask the water.
Anyway, getting suddenly kissed was surprising. Wonder how many years ago was that, I didn"t have one after becoming a withered old man in my former world.
My body now reacts too much, it"s problematic though. However, my reason still manages to stop me from getting to the act right here right now.
I do carry the desire to make it happen some day, but I still lack so many things at present, gotta bear with it, bear!