Translator: Shizukuku

Editor: Lilia

Read at Watashi Wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 137 – Handshake

[ Well, the Holy Grail’s fragment chooses the person, so it’s not too much to worry about. It can identify those with malicious intent. ]

“O-oh, is that so?”

My heart was pounding, and I stammered out my response.

I thought I was cornered, but it should be okay, right? Wait, but what if the beastman wanted to take it from me?

Jhal Gar-san looked at me with a knowing grin as I was panicking about that.

[ So, don’t be so hasty. I’m not going to do anything bad. You know it’s a fragment of the Holy Grail and you can use it, right? So that means the young pharmacist isn’t a bad guy. ]

“Eeeeeh?! Wh-what?!”

How did he figure out that I had it?!

Crash also had a very wary look on his face and had stiffened up.

[ Nah, when the two kittens in front of me puffed up their fur in alarm as soon as I mentioned the Holy Grail fragment, I knew that either you had it or you knew where it was. Didn’t I tell you we have sharp eyes? It’s obvious when someone’s on guard. ]

Jhal Gar-san laughed with a deep bass sound, and the two of us huddled together and watched him warily.

He mentioned being able to see the color of souls. He could also see emotions. Did that mean I couldn’t lie?! If I couldn’t lie with a straight face and a calm demeanor, he’d see right through it. Yeah, that would be impossible.

I couldn’t manage that kind of deception. Crash probably couldn’t either.

I gave up on hiding it and opened my mouth with a sigh.

“Most likely, I have the fragment of the Holy Grail.”

With an amused expression, Jhal Gar-san looked down at me.

“I call it the [ Alchemy Cauldron ], but it’s probably the Holy Grail in reality. I suppose I have to return it…”

If I returned it now, Sage-san’s quest would never be completed. Oh, but I didn’t bring it with me today. I wondered if he could wait for me to return it.

[ Hmm, technically it’s not allowed, but I still owe you for the drinks. That thing is designed to break if someone tries to use it for evil, so it should be fine. Besides, you’re in a fake body. If someone with a real body had it, I’d make them return it without question. ]

“Really?! That’s great! I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete Sage-san’s quest…! Thank you so much!”

After being told that I didn’t have to return it, I was so happy that I stood up and shook Jhal Gar-san’s large hand enthusiastically.

“Mac!”

[ Whoa! ]

Crash called my name in surprise, and Jhal Gar-san also made a surprised sound when I suddenly grabbed his hand, and I realized what I had done. Ah, I touched him!

I panicked. 

“…I’m not cursed, right?” 

I glanced at my status worriedly. Surprisingly, there was no curse indicator.

[ Wow, that surprised me. No one has tried to touch me for hundreds of years. You’ve got guts, young man. Listen, you’ll be cursed if you touch my petrified parts, so don’t touch them, okay? But in my current state, with the petrification lifted, you won’t be cursed, so it’s fine. Feel free to enjoy my fur as much as you like. ]

“That’s a relief…”

Crash seemed more relieved than I was and relaxed his posture.

I gently let go of the fluffy hand and laughed awkwardly to cover up my embarrassment.

[ That was pretty nice, a handshake. Hey, could you do it again? ]

Jhal Gar-san looked down at the hand I had shaken, wiggled his fingers, and hesitantly extended his hand again.

“Ah, yes. Sorry for being so abrupt.”

When I shook hands with him as he requested, Jhal Gar-san still looked surprised, but then he squeezed my hand, shook it up and down enthusiastically, and grinned somewhat happily.

I guess it was lonely being here alone all the time. After not being touched for hundreds of years, perhaps he cherished this kind of warmth. It was amazing how a simple handshake could make him look so happy.

Jhal Gar-san held onto my hand for a while, then with a small sigh of relief, he gently let go.

[ Thanks. I’ve been away from this kind of thing for so long… ]

“Jhal Gar-san…”

[ Sorry about that. Could you apologize to that handsome golden man for me? Please tell him I apologize for touching his mate without his permission. ]

Jhal Gar-san scratched his head vigorously and looked away awkwardly.

[ And you’re going to help that sage with the Holy Grail fragment, right? I’ll keep quiet about it, so do what you need to for him. ]

Jhal Gar-san deliberately laughed heartily, as if to change the subject.

Then, he took a swig from the barrel and intentionally spilled some at his feet. Oh, was he starting to petrify again?

Jhal Gar-san must have thought that too and poured the rest of the alcohol over his head.

[ Hey, I’m having fun, so could you keep me company a little longer? It would be a waste to turn back into stone. ]

Licking the alcohol that dripped down his face with his tongue, Jhal Gar-san peered regretfully into the empty barrel. He deftly licked the last few drops, let out a small sigh, and set the barrel down on its side.

His expression looked like a dog waiting expectantly for a treat, so I pulled out another barrel from my inventory.

The moment he saw it, Jhal Gar-san’s eyes lit up. He was really an expressive beastman.

“Um, can I ask you a question?”

Crash, who had been silently observing our interaction, spoke up decisively.

Jhal Gar-san turned towards Crash, curious about what he wanted to ask.

“Sage-san… I’ve heard that he traveled with my mother in the past… perhaps, could it be that Sage-san is the sage who is said to have perished in the battle against the Demon King?”

Crash had asked the exact question I wanted to ask.

Jhal Gar-san wore a slightly troubled expression in response to the question. He glanced around, then looked down at Crash and hesitated before speaking.

[ I suppose that sage would prefer to be considered dead. Are you guys close to this Sage fellow? If he taught you the ancient magical language, you must be close… What to do? I do owe him a drink, though. ]

After groaning for a while, Jhal Gar-san sighed, as if giving up, and opened his mouth to speak.

[ Yeah, that’s right. ]

“I see… so that’s how it is.”

Crash nodded repeatedly, as if trying to absorb Jhal Gar-san’s words.

“Thank you very much.”

Crash bowed to Jhal Gar-san and said to himself, “Now I understand why he started hanging around our place. That’s good. I see.” He seemed to be satisfied, and his expression softened.

“Crash?”

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, it’s just, I’m happy.”

“Happy?”

When I tilted my head in confusion, Crash nodded again and downed the remaining alcohol in his cup.

“I see. He didn’t just show up randomly. That place was Sage-san’s home from the beginning… Grandpa, Grandma, he’s alive…”

Crash muttered something incoherent like “That’s good,” and hugged me. Maybe he was getting drunk. He might be the type to cry when he was drunk.

Looking at his face up close, I thought I saw tears welling up in Crash’s eyes.

“Wait, but hold on! Then why does Sage-san look so young?”

“Oh, true. He looks about our age or just a little older.”

Crash suddenly straightened up and shouted, and his next question was something I was also curious about. As soon as I spoke up about it, Jhal Gar-san and Crash’s eyes locked onto me.

Eh, eh, what?

[ Surely he doesn’t look the same age as the young pharmacist, does he…? ]

“Around the same age as Mac… Mac, do you know what you look like?”

“Eh, do I look that young?!”

When I saw their regretful gazes, I felt unexpectedly shocked and dismayed.

My avatar… wasn’t its appearance already aged compared to reality?! Did that mean I actually looked younger in real life…?

It was a more painful blow than a slap to the face… I was utterly defeated. 

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QC Note: This series will take a break for a week.