“If that’s the case, what kind of work should we start doing tomorrow to earn money?”
“…Huh?”
Kalia suddenly blurted out something strange, leaving me with a blank expression for a moment.
“Well, if we make some money, it will help you out. We can’t just stay in your personal house without paying anything.”
“You don’t really need to bother paying, though.”
I quickly shook my head.
“Even when I was in the kingdom, I never heard anyone ask me for anything.”
“That’s because everyone knew what you were doing in Irellexia. They couldn’t possibly charge someone who was dispatched as an honored guest to save the world.”
“By that logic, didn’t you also come here on a mission from the goddess? I’m sure it wasn’t something simple to accomplish, either.”
Even though they didn’t arrive with the strength of a hero, each of them had extraordinary abilities that couldn’t be ignored.
Kalia carried the impressive title of the youngest knight commander. It wasn’t a position handed to her because she was a duke’s second daughter; she had earned it through her own efforts and skill.
Her swordsmanship surpassed mine, and the sight of her wielding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other while dominating the battlefield was the very image of a knight from old tales.
Of course, it made sense. She was my swordsmanship teacher in that world, after all.
“I don’t know the exact reason why you crossed over here, but you all must have your reasons. So I have no intention of taking anything from you. It’s not right to demand payment from people who came here to help this world.”
“…….”
At my words, Kalia looked at me silently for a moment, then gave me a small smile.
It was a smile that felt like it teetered between being beautiful and handsome, somewhere in the middle.
“In that case, I’ll gratefully accept your hospitality without protest. But if any financial problems arise, do let me know. I’ll find a way to cover any extra expenses.”
I couldn’t imagine what could possibly make my finances unstable here, though.
I had enough wealth to buy luxury sedans for all four of them without a hitch, so just hosting them wouldn’t be an issue.
But from Kalia’s perspective, it made sense to be concerned since she didn’t know how much things cost here.
“Don’t worry about money. Ah, right. Is there anything else you need?”
I planned to ask the others too, but Kalia was the most straightforward about such matters.
Fia would surely just say she’s fine since she’d rather endure discomfort than inconvenience others.
Dana had a subtle sense of pride, so she wouldn’t openly mention anything she lacked. And Arna, well, practically everything must feel inconvenient for her—being an elf outside the World Tree and all.
That’s why it was best to ask Kalia first, address any concerns she raised, and then check with the others individually. This method had proven effective back in Irellexia, too.
“Hmm, for now, I’d say clothes.”
Kalia answered promptly, as if affirming my expectations.
“Not just mine, but Arna’s, Fia’s, and Dana’s as well. The clothes we’re wearing stand out too much in this world. Actually, it’s not just the clothes; even our appearances feel somewhat out of place here.”
I had noticed that too when I was in Irellexia. People who looked like me—essentially, those resembling ‘Asians’—were almost nonexistent, even among the Eastern traders who risked their lives to sell goods. If anything, my appearance was closer to someone from India.
It made me wonder if there was a land even farther east than the place Irellexia called the “easternmost region.” I never got the chance to confirm it, though.
At a glance, they looked like typical Europeans, and Kalia’s vivid red hair was likely a natural color, albeit not one commonly seen.
Even in a cosmopolitan city like Seoul, where there are plenty of foreigners, the appearance of our party members stood out quite a bit.
Fia’s pink hair, for instance, was entirely natural. In Irellexia, colors like green or blue hair—completely nonexistent here—were not all that unusual.
Arna’s pointed ears were another standout feature. They weren’t just slightly pointed; they were at least twice as long as human ears, impossible to miss even if you tried not to notice. In fact, even in the kingdom, elves were so rare that they always stood out when among humans.
Still… yes, it was clear that sorting out their clothing first would be a good idea.
“Clothes… for now, I’ll lend you some of mine. When we have time, let’s go out and buy some together.”
“Can’t you order them with that device from earlier?”
“It’s not impossible, but clothes need to fit properly.”
While I could buy a measuring tape and take their measurements, ordering clothes online without trying them on could easily lead to disappointment. And women’s sizes, in particular, were much more complicated than men’s.
Fortunately, I had clothes prepared in advance by the goddess, so I wouldn’t have any issues.
And judging by a quick glance… well, it felt a bit awkward to think this way, but at least none of them seemed like they’d have trouble fitting into my clothes in terms of chest size.
Did the goddess use her own body as a reference when creating mine?
…As I entertained this slightly irreverent thought, I continued talking with Kalia to make sure there wasn’t anything else causing discomfort.
*
“Once we came inside, I didn’t notice it much, but… the air outside felt rather polluted.”
As expected, Arna seemed particularly sensitive to it due to her elven physiology.
In truth, even as a human, there were times when the air in Seoul was so bad that I could feel its effects directly. Without a mask, my throat would sting.
“I’ll make sure to get some masks just in case.”
“Masks? Do you mean something like a face covering?”
“Not exactly. It’s more like something you wear over your mouth… um, maybe think of it like a balaclava, but it’s not for hiding your face. It’s purely for medical purposes, to prevent spreading diseases or for the opposite reason, to protect yourself.”
“Ah, you mean like what battlefield medics wear over their faces?”
Although Irellexia’s civilization was centered on magic and divine power, it still had a basic sense of hygiene.
Thanks to divine power, pandemics were almost nonexistent, but they understood the dangers of foreign substances entering wounds and that those treating the injured in concentrated areas could themselves easily become infected.
“But if the air is bad enough to require such things, is it really just because I’m an elf that I notice it?”
“Well, not really. It’s a side effect of technology and the pollution it brings, I suppose.”
Strictly speaking, there were countless factors beyond just Korea contributing to the issue, but I didn’t have the knowledge or expertise to explain it in detail, so I left it at that.
“It seems the technology of this world doesn’t come without its downsides.”
At Arna’s comment, I nodded in agreement.
That’s why people are exploring various alternative solutions, though it seems there are still many hurdles to overcome before these issues can be resolved.
*
After introducing each of their rooms and explaining the various functions of all the buttons around the house, time had flown by.
“If we had something like a small golem, it would’ve been so much more convenient,” Dana said wistfully.
She had a point. While calling it a robot might be a bit of a stretch, magic was unparalleled when it came to creating something that could move autonomously. Magic power itself could serve as the energy source, and the materials were usually stone, earth, or wood, though metal could be used if necessary.
On top of that, the most important part—the mechanism for movement—didn’t even have to be physically connected. It could float in mid-air and function as if it were a drive system. Now that I thought about it… wasn’t that kind of like superconductivity?
I was a bit excited, wondering how fascinated Dana would be when she learned about such concepts.
“Tomorrow, I’ll have to head out for work. So I’d like you all to stay at home for the day. As for things like buying clothes or learning how to spend money, I’ll guide you tomorrow evening when I’m back.”
“What kind of work is it…” Fia asked with a worried expression, and I quickly waved my hand to reassure her.
“It’s not about money. Like I said, we’ve got more than enough, so there’s no need to worry. It’s just that… well, my sister works at the same place.”
“Oh…”
At my words, the party members all nodded as if they understood instantly.
“Thanks for understanding. When I get back tomorrow… oh, right, I’ll explain how to order dinner ahead of time to Dana.”
Since I’d likely be back late, it was better to handle that in advance. At this, Dana’s face lit up with visible excitement.
Fortunately, the large discount store would still be open just long enough for us to buy everyday clothes, even if not anything fancy.
…Though going to the church at that hour might be a bit tricky.
Maybe I could postpone that a little?