An Adventurer Mom, Who Awakened [Housewife] Skill Through a Login Bonus, Is Making the Most of Her Adventurer Life With the Weekly Flyers She Gets! - Chapter 44

“T-This is… the Acorn Chalice…”

The Acorn Chalice, a material for the Supreme Status Ailment Removal Potion said to be found on the ninety-ninth floor.

It was far larger than any normal acorn, but the color and shape of the object the man held aloft were unmistakably that of an acorn.

The top portion of the acorn had been cut off, and the inside hollowed out.

Since『chalice』means a cup or vessel, it truly was an 『acorn』 ,『chalice』.

Because the ninety-ninth floor was still far beyond their reach, Kachua and her companions had never gathered exact information about the Acorn Chalice.

All they knew was that it was a difficult-to-obtain item that could be acquired by triggering a special event on the ninety-ninth floor.

Of course, they had no idea what the conditions were for triggering the event, nor did they know what the Acorn Chalice looked like.

“That’s…”

Is that the real Acorn Chalice?

Before Kachua could ask the man, Jessica rushed over to him.

“Please! Please let me have that Acorn Chalice!”

The man looked at Jessica and, apparently recognizing her, said, “Ah, Jessica. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has. Please, I’ll pay any price! Please, let me have it!! Bernhardt Den—sama!”

Jessica bowed her head to the man, desperation plain on her face.

Kachua was startled by Jessica’s overwhelming intensity, but there was something else that surprised her.

“Ah, so this is Denden-mushi-san.”

This was Bernhardt, the benefactor Jessica had once formed a party with. His nickname was “Denden-mushi” (Snail).

As a friend of both Ann and Jessica, Kachua thought she should at least greet him.

Looking closely, she noticed a drawstring pouch tied to his bag—the very one embroidered with the phantom beast『Roa-chan』that he had bought at the bazaar back then. It seemed he was using it regularly.

Maybe he’s not such a scary person after all, Kachua thought as she turned toward the man and spoke.

“Are you Denden-mushi-san? I’m Kachua, a friend of Jessica and Ann. I’ve heard you helped Jessica a great deal in the past…”

“Stop! Kachua!”

In the middle of her sentence, Jessica cried out in a voice like a scream, halting Kachua.

“?”

“That’s disrespectful! Kachua, that man is His Highness Prince Bern=Luvald, the Second Prince!”

Between commoners and royalty there was a strict class divide, and ordinary citizens could not address royalty directly.

In Kachua’s country, under absolute monarchy, speaking to a royal without permission could be considered lèse-majesté—punishable by death or imprisonment, with no room for complaint.

The Bern=Luvald Jessica knew was not the kind of man who would punish a citizen for such a reason but even so, Jessica could not allow it to happen. If she had to, she was prepared to commit this disrespect herself, fully aware of the risk.

“「「「Eh?」」」”

Except for Ann—who had no idea about such matters—the rest of the Gamma Team was struck speechless by the shocking revelation.

In the suddenly silent room, Laura muttered under her breath:

“…He’s not a pretty boy.”

＊＊＊

“I’m sorry, Jessica, but the Acorn Chalice is something I’ve dedicated to Ann. I cannot give it to you” Bern=Luvald said.

Hearing his voice again, it was clear that, despite his rough and rugged appearance, it carried a certain noble quality.

At his reply, Jessica turned next to Ann.

“Senpai! Please, I’m begging you! Let me have the Acorn Chalice!”

The look of desperation on Jessica’s face was far from normal. Her expression was filled with a fierce urgency as she pleaded.

“Jessica. I’m sorry, but even if it’s you asking, the answer is no. We can’t hand over this Acorn Chalice” Ann replied firmly, though with an apologetic tone.

But Jessica didn’t give up—she pressed on.

“Senpai!”

Seeing this, Kachua stepped in.

“Jessica.”

“Kachua.”

“Listen, we’ve been searching for the Acorn Chalice for a long time too. Even if you ask us for it, right now it’s absolutely impossible. Let’s talk it over another day, alright? So for now, just go home, okay?”

Kachua and the others had also been pursuing the Acorn Chalice.

It wasn’t something they could give away so easily.

“……”

Jessica looked around at the faces of the Gamma Team members, then said, “…Alright. I’ll leave for now,” and walked out of the room.

As they watched her go, Og spoke up.

“I never imagined Jessica-san was also searching for the Acorn Chalice…”

“What a coincidence.”

First the Rare-Rare Mushroom (sliced), and now this—what strange coincidences.

They had both been able to obtain the Rare-Rare Mushroom (sliced), but『sharing』the Acorn Chalice would be far more difficult.

“Bern, you should go home too” Ann said to Bern=Luvald, who remained.

“Alright. Let’s talk alone later. I’ll be waiting for you tonight, Room 501 at the Galfa Hotel.”

With that, Bern=Luvald pulled up the hood of his cloak.

“…!”

The Gamma Team shuddered.

In an instant, Bern=Luvald’s presence vanished. They could still sense that he was『there』yet for some reason their attention slid away from him.

If he kept silent, they would likely forget he was even there at all.

“Then, Ann, I’ll be waiting for you tonight.”

Leaving those words behind, he disappeared from the room.

＊＊＊

For a while, no one spoke, the room falling into silence.

“That was a top-grade item with recognition-inhibiting magic. I’ve never seen one before” Rick said with a sigh, sounding impressed.

Indeed, with that cloak on, even someone as conspicuous as Bern=Luvald could live here without being noticed by anyone.

“……”

An awkward air settled over the room.

The team members had countless questions they wanted to ask Ann—where to even start and whether they should be asking at all.

What was her relationship with Bern=Luvald? What were they supposed to do with the Acorn Chalice they had just received?

And yet, the thing that left the biggest shock was—

Laura muttered once more:

“…He’s not a pretty boy.”

Why had Bern=Luvald gone from a delicate, ethereal beauty to a rugged, musclebound figure?

At that moment, there was a knock at the door, followed by, “Here’s your dessert pudding!” as the pudding arrived.

“Shall we eat for now?” Kachua suggested, and everyone took their seats again.

Kachua had half-expected that no one would have much of an appetite, but that turned out not to be the case.

The dessert was Big Bird’s Surprise Pudding—a pudding made from the eggs of the giant bird monster, Big Bird.

Rather than being served individually, it came as a massive bowl—bigger even than the Acorn Chalice—filled to the brim, from which each person would scoop out their own portion.

And, as a bonus, a pitcher full of caramel sauce was provided, allowing everyone to pour on as much as they liked.

“This is so good.”

“Delicious.”

“Yes, it is” they agreed, as the room once again filled with a warm, relaxed atmosphere while they ate their pudding.

“So, Ann, what will you do? Are you going to the hotel?”

Buoyed by the sweet mood, Kachua asked Ann.

“Ah… that” Ann said, tilting her head back, her tone evasive.

“Um, is the Acorn Chalice real?” Og asked.

“I think so. He’s not foolish enough to hand over a fake.”

“How did he get it?”

“How? He probably went to the ninety-ninth floor.”

Ann answered casually, and everyone gasped.

“The ninety-ninth floor!”

“I’ve heard only A-rank teams can go there.”

“I wonder what His Highness’s team is like?”

As the Gamma Team members speculated, Ann said,

“I think he’s alone.”

“H-he—what, His Highness went to the ninety-ninth floor alone?!”

Kachua let out a shriek.