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 77

“All right. I’ll go into the Tenth Spring.”

When Kachua nodded quietly, the men stirred in surprise and relief.

“Ah, thank you so much!”

“We’ll never forget this debt for as long as we live!” they said one after another, voicing their gratitude.

“Then, I’ll be the one to go” Ann volunteered, but Kachua shook her head.

“No, I’ll go.”

“Eh? You, Kachua?”

“From what the『Friendly Family Group』and the 『Silver Dawn Corps』said, it doesn’t seem like the person is killed right away. Besides, if something happens, I don’t know if Laura-chan or I would be able to save you properly, Ann. But if it’s you, then I don’t have to worry.”

“Then I should—” Laura started to say, but Kachua looked at her and spoke firmly.

“No, Laura-chan, you have an important role. If I get hurt, I’ll need someone who can heal me.”

“……”

“I think I’m the best suited to act as the decoy.”

“It’s too dangerous, Kachua-san” Bernhardt said, trying to stop her.

“But just think about it—if Miss Ann were the one to go, the culprit would definitely be on guard. But if it’s me, they’ll surely let their guard down!”

Kachua argued passionately.

“Well, that might be true…”

Kachua looked like an ordinary woman no matter how you saw her. She didn’t seem strong at all, so the culprit would likely underestimate her.

“Besides, I can bring weapons and armor with me. It would be hard for Ann to take her spear into the hot spring, but if I bring my ladle and pot lid, the culprit would probably think,『Oh my, this person must’ve absentmindedly brought her cooking utensils with her!』”

“Eh, really?”

Laura couldn’t help but blurt out.

After much discussion, it was decided that Kachua would be the one to go to the Tenth Spring.

“Um…”

Amakichi, who had been silently listening to everything while sweating nervously, finally spoke to Kachua.

“Dear guest, are you really going to the Tenth Spring?”

“Yes, that’s what I’ve decided.”

“Are you sure, kero? It might be dangerous, you know.”

“Maybe there’s nothing there, and maybe I won’t be of any help… but someone’s life is at stake. I want to do whatever I can.”

When Kachua answered, Amakichi said,

“Understood. If you’ve made up your mind that firmly, then I won’t stop you. I’ll go speak with Lord Gama, the master of the springs, and get permission for you to enter the bath. Please, return safely, kero.”

“Eh, really?”

Kachua had completely forgotten that the Tenth Spring had been sealed off, meaning permission from the hot spring master Gama was required to enter.

“Yes, as you said, dear guest, there could even be a culprit among the frogs themselves. I’ll secretly inform Lord Gama of your plan.”

“Thank you, Amakichi-kun.”

“The name is Kachua-san, right? Truly, thank you. Please use this.”

One of the members of the Silver Dawn Corps handed Kachua a metal ring.

“What is this?”

“This is one of our inventions. It can protect the wearer from any attack just once. It breaks after a single use, so it is not very useful in the long run, but it should completely block the first strike.”

“It used to be much bigger, but we miniaturized it so it would not stand out.”

Now it looked like a thin golden anklet with a matte finish, so at a glance you would not even notice it was being worn.

Apparently, until not long ago this invention had been a large bracelet about five centimeters long, and the female members used to take it off while in the hot spring because it was uncomfortable.

“Thank you.”

Kachua promptly slipped the anklet onto her foot.

“Kachua, if anything happens, signal us right away. We will come immediately.”

“Okay.”

Those words came from Ann and Laura.

“We will hurry over as well” Bernhardt added.

“Sorry to drag you into this. You are the only one we can rely on. But if anything strange happens, run away at once.”

The members of the『Friendly Family Group』frowned with worry.

After Kachua consulted with the Gamma Team about how to communicate in an emergency and they worked out the details, they decided to carry out the plan.

＊＊＊

To lull the culprit into a false sense of security, Kachua headed alone toward the Tenth Spring.

The path leading to the Tenth Spring was now sealed off, so there wasn’t a single soul in sight.

However—

“Amami-chan.”

On the way, Kachua spotted Amami, one of the frog girls who worked in the esthetics section and called out to her.

The three frog girls looked very similar, but they could be told apart by the patterns on the ribbons they wore on their heads. Incidentally, Amami’s was a blue ribbon with polka dots.

“Kero!?”

Amami jumped in surprise and trembled slightly, but upon seeing Kachua, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, it was you, dear guest. What brings you here?”

The two (?) of them talked as they walked.

“I’m thinking of entering the Tenth Spring.”

“Eh, the Tenth Spring?” Amami’s already round eyes widened even further.

“Yes, I’ve received permission from Lord Gama, the master of the springs.”

“But the missing person case hasn’t been solved yet, kero.”

“Yes, but since I’m here, I wanted to try it at least once. Isn’t the Tenth Spring the blackest of all the baths in the village?”

“It’s true, it’s pitch black and a wonderful bath, kero. It’s the pride of this hot spring village, but I’m worried, kero.”

“By the way, Amami-chan, what brings you here?”

“I’m on my way to visit Grandpa Daruma, the one in charge of the Tenth Spring, kero,” Amami said, showing Kachua the basket she carried, filled with rice balls and simmered dishes.

It was only for a moment, so Kachua didn’t notice—but the simmered dish was made with grasshoppers.

“Oh, I see. You’re very thoughtful.”

“Yes, we take turns visiting him. I was actually a bit scared, so I’m glad I ran into you, dear guest.”

“Oh my, scared? You mean because of the missing person case?”

There hadn’t been any missing frogs so far, but since it happened around this area, it made sense that they wouldn’t want to come near it.

“That too, but since the incident, Grandpa Daruma has been acting a little strange,” Amami said with a sigh.

“Strange? How so?”

“I feel bad saying this about a sick person, but even though his complexion is awful, he keeps smiling. It’s… unsettling, kero.”

Just remembering it made Amami shiver.

“Smiling?”

“Yes, it looks like he’s forcing himself to smile, kero. Like this—only around his mouth.”

Amami demonstrated by pressing her fingertips to the corners of her mouth and pushing them upward.

“I see…”

“That’s why I don’t stay long. I just leave the food and head straight back, kero.”

“This is the Tenth Spring” Amami said as they arrived at the gate marking the entrance.

“If you’re going inside, dear guest, you might want to greet Grandpa Daruma first.”

“Oh, you’re right. Then I’ll go with you.”

Kachua decided to accompany Amami.

Next to the hot spring stood a small hermitage—that seemed to be where Grandpa Daruma lived.

In the Eastern region,『hermitage』referred to a small hut, and just as the word implied, the house wasn’t very big.

It was a thatched-roof building with a rustic charm, but perhaps because it was near the site of the disappearance, everything about the place felt disturbingly eerie.

“Grandpa, it’s Amami. How are you feeling?”

Amami knocked on the sliding door, and from inside came the weak voice of an elderly frog. “Oh, Amami, come in.”

“Excuse me, kero,” Amami said as she slid open the door.

Inside, the floor was covered with tatami mats, and because no light was on, the room was dim.

There, a large frog lay stretched out on a futon.

He was noticeably larger than Amakichi or Amami, and if he were to stand up, he would probably be taller than Kachua.

Grandpa Daruma, whose body seemed to move stiffly, slowly raised his upper half and turned his gaze toward them.

“…!?”

The moment she saw him, Kachua’s whole body shivered as a chill ran down her spine.

Just as Amami had described, Grandpa Daruma was emaciated and looked as if he were suffering terribly, yet his mouth was twisted into an unnatural, forced smile.

“Thank you for coming” he said.

“Y-y-yes. I brought you something to eat, kero,” Amami replied.

She hopped forward four or five steps, placed the basket she had brought a short distance away from him, then leapt back with astonishing speed to her original spot.

“Thank you. And who might that be?”

Grandpa Daruma turned his gaze toward Kachua and asked.

“This person is a guest who came to bathe in the Tenth Spring, kero” Amami explained.

“Yes, that’s right. May I take a bath? I already have permission from the spring master” Kachua said.

Upon hearing that, Grandpa Daruma’s smile deepened even further.

“Oh, is that so? Please, take your time and enjoy yourself,” he said.

“Ah… th-thank you…”

Kachua trembled, a wave of fear running through her body.

“Then, let’s go, kero, dear guest.”

“Y-yes…”

Kachua and Amami quickly left the hermitage.