038 Postponing It and Going Back to Sleep
Ethel Tyner.
One of the heroines in the original story, a woman with the alias of a money-grubbing, avaricious, and defrocked nun (sister) who has eyes only for gold and silver treasures.
She is a foul-mouthed priest, or rather, a sister, who has no interest in anything related to making money except for matters of law and skin contact, and who boasts that even the religion she believes in is just a tool to gain trust.
The reasons why she became like this are told in individual episodes, but I will omit them this time.
What’s important is that this woman has eyes only for gold and silver treasures, and unless you raise her favorability considerably, she will calmly deceive even her friends and try to swindle them out of their money.
In other words, that wicked tongue that spouts nonsense like a 60 million medical bill should be cut off and discarded.
“Wait, wait, wait!?? Why do you have a weapon!? Or rather, where did you pull that sword from!?”
“What the hell do you mean by 60 million!? Do I look like such an idiot that I’d forget the formula for calculating resurrection costs? Do you think I’m some kind of sucker who can’t even do simple arithmetic of Level x 1000 gold? Huh?”
“No, that doesn’t make any sense!? What’s a ‘level’!? There’s no way hospital bills are that cheap!?”
“You’re a perfect visual match, but your individual route costs way too much, you damn hag!! Don’t you dare put the event items needed for progression up for auction!? And you made me buy some other weird pot too, I’m going to get my revenge here and now!!!”
“Eh, did I sell that pot!? No, we’ve just met, right!? Scary, this person is scary! Someone, help!! Someone call a man!!”
Damn it! Let go!! Let me go!!
I didn’t think that a blonde elf who was so much to my liking in appearance would be such a money-grubber!!
Give me back the pure heart that was moved by the pre-order bonus poster!!
The character introduction on the official website was completely in cat-mode, deceiving people!!
The individual episodes were well-made, and I was convinced of your money-grubbing character, but even so, give me back my moneyyyy!!
“I thought something was up when I heard the commotion, but what are you doing, still half-asleep?”
“She tried to make a sucker out of me, even though we just met! This is something that should be dealt with, right, Disciplinary Committee Chair Higaki-san!!”
“Aren’t you two still strangers after all!?”
While being restrained by the doctors, I struggled for a few minutes.
Having heard the commotion, our Disciplinary Committee Chair, Higaki Ao-san, came rushing in, still in her patient gown, with the ‘Sword Saint’s’ sword in hand.
Without even looking at the situation, she unhesitatingly slammed the scabbard on my head, smoothly locked my joints, and restrained me, then chased away the surrounding doctors and began questioning me.
I told her that I was the victim, based on the objective facts and evidence from the original story, but she didn’t believe me at all.
I see, so this is what a false accusation is like…!!
“No matter how you look at it, Sakurai is the perpetrator. Rather, you couldn’t be anything but a perpetrator.”
“I’ve been the victim all this time, including the incident with the Disciplinary Committee Chair!”
“That’s because you hurt my feelings.”
“Ah! You said we settled that matter over there, and now you’re bringing it up again!? It’s cowardly to do that just because there are people around!?”
“Um, sorry to interrupt your flirting. Can I talk now? I’ll forget about what happened earlier for now, okay?”
“What? Are you going to charge me for a conversation fee? I won’t give you a single penny.”
“What do you think I am…”
A money-grubber.
Well, whatever, thanks to Higaki, I’ve calmed down a bit. Let’s listen to what she has to say properly this time.
In the original story, the resurrection cost for a character who had died was supposed to be ‘the target character’s level x 1000 gold’.
The amount would fluctuate slightly depending on the game’s progress, but in my case, it should be at most 80,000 gold.
How in the world did that turn into a 60 million digit number?
Even a fraudulent bill would choose an amount that wouldn’t seem suspicious.
The existence of a real ‘Ethel Tyner’ made me almost forget about leveling up for a moment, so spit it out already.
“No, resurrection isn’t something that can be done unless it’s absolutely necessary. And after having that much expensive medicine pumped into you, 60 million is on the cheap side, don’t you think? Have you never been to a hospital?”
When I caught a cold, I gained experience points for status ailment resistance, so I tried to make it last as long as possible and somehow managed to heal naturally, so no, I haven’t.
However, looking at Tyner’s demeanor, she seems to be quite serious, and she says that the bill is not from her church, but from this hospital.
The documents that I was told to hand over when I woke up were indeed official, and Higaki confirmed that there were no problems with them.
I also saw Higaki’s bill, and ignoring the insurance and other reductions, it was still a high amount of ‘3 million gold’.
It seems that there is a discrepancy with the original knowledge I have, or rather… should I say that the medical bills have become realistic?
No, even so, what’s with 60 million? Isn’t that strange?
“Being restored to the point where you have no scars or aftereffects after being almost completely carbonized, 60 million is too luxurious to call expensive.”
Come to think of it, I was burned all over my body after taking Higaki’s ‘Serpent Flame’ head-on.
I’m rather impressed by the challenger spirit of the doctors who attempted to resurrect me from that state.
Normally, they would just silently shake their heads.
Hmm, considering that I was able to come back from being carbonized, is 60 million cheap?
No, in the first place, I was resurrected from the ‘Netherworld’, so shouldn’t it be unrelated to what happened to my body in this world? No, but even in the original story, the protagonist was hospitalized for a while after being resurrected… Ah, huh? Damn, I’m getting confused.
“Ah… I don’t understand anymore. Well, if it’s not a yakuza-like situation where I have to pay immediately, I’ll just stay quiet until someone who can explain properly comes.”
“I was only told to let them know when you woke up, so I think it’s better to do that?”
“If you’ve calmed down, I’m going back to my room, Sakurai. Don’t move around when your stitches haven’t been removed yet.”
“Ah, wait a minute. Before that, there’s one thing I want to make clear.”
At my words, Tyner, who was about to leave with Higaki, stopped and turned around.
Her face was bitter, as if she was saying she was mentally exhausted, and she was exuding an atmosphere of annoyance.
Higaki, sensing that, also put silent pressure on her, saying “hurry up and get it over with,” but I, without being intimidated by that, asked Tyner.
“Who hired you to watch me?”
At those words, Tyner’s expression froze for a moment.
I’ll say it again, this woman is a money-grubber and an avaricious person to the core.
She wouldn’t do anything that wouldn’t make her money, and even if she called for help out of the little bit of conscience she had left, she wouldn’t continue to have a relationship with them like this.
If it were Higaki, I could think that she was trying to build connections with the Disciplinary Committee, but it was me, who was supposed to be a stranger.
Moreover, when I woke up, she naturally tried to close the distance with me in a friendly tone, saying, “You and Higaki-san were collapsed on the side of the road—”
“But, how does that make money? If that’s the case, the most likely explanation is that she’s doing this because she’s already received money.”
“…………”
Tyner is silent.
Higaki, seeing this, quietly took up position at the entrance, cutting off her escape route.
Seeing this, I was convinced that my idea was mostly correct.
As expected, this money-grubber was approached by someone and asked to get close to me.
“I am—”
“Well, whatever. I don’t know who your employer is, but say hi to them for me.”
“Hey, Sakurai.”
“Higaki, why are you making such a scary face? Honestly, isn’t it fine? I was just curious, so I asked, but I don’t intend to interrogate you or anything.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“Isn’t it fine? I don’t have anything to hide, and as long as they don’t interfere with my leveling, they can investigate as much as they want.”
More importantly, it’s the medical bill, the medical bill.
And when I can start leveling.
Honestly, I don’t care about the information about who Tyner’s employer is.
I only confirmed it because she was acting “unlike her” from the original story.
Also, if her personality changes in some unknown way and I get attacked for some incomprehensible reason, I’d be in trouble! …I guess I’m still quite traumatized by the Higaki incident.
If she’s still a money-grubber, then I’m no longer interested.
I will continue leveling up, trying my best to avoid getting involved, all to protect my wallet.
In the game, I was quite fond of her, but it’s clear that she’s not the type of person I’d want to be friends with in real life. I understand her circumstances and feelings about seeking money, so I sympathize, but that’s all. Higaki, why don’t you stop standing there and go back to your room?
“Well then, see ya, Tyner-san. Go have fun with some handsome guy somewhere.”
Saying that, I let out a yawn. I was getting sleepy, so I flopped onto the bed. I heard some running sounds behind me, but I didn’t think I had any words for someone who approached me with a lie from the start, so I threw the memory into oblivion. Higaki sighed as usual and poked my back with the tip of her scabbard, so I reluctantly turned my body towards her.
“Haa… I don’t care what happens to you, you know?”
“What’s that about? More importantly, once I’m discharged, I need to find out where Iris is, there’s the medical bill to think about, and I need to discuss our future plans with you.”
“Sakurai, that’s just like you… Anyway, I get it. I get it, so I’m going back to my room to rest too. Don’t cause any trouble while I’m resting, okay? If you do, I’ll really draw my sword and cut you next time.”
Despite her threatening words, she used her sword as a cane and staggered out of the hospital room. I watched her go, then obediently lay down and closed my eyes. Then, my whole body started to feel strangely sluggish, and a strong drowsiness washed over me.
“I wonder if counting sheep will make some Skill appear…”
Muttering that in my hazy consciousness, I was once again drawn into a deep sleep.