Chapter 4: Buying a House

Chapter 4:
Buying a House

 

EVERY MORNING for the past week, I’d sold homemade potions to the general store. After doing that over and over, I found myself with healthy savings: three million rin, to be precise.

Frankly, I spent every day nervous that someone would rob me. Three million in a week was crazy, right? The fact that I’d made that much meant that Alf, the manager over at the general store, made even more.

According to him, his wife didn’t get angry about money anymore.

Folks from other towns heard rumors about Kalta’s “revolutionary” potion and started visiting to try it, so it still sold quickly. Recently, locals even started treating the potion like a premium beverage, buying it just because they enjoyed the flavor.

Since I made money continually from the potions, I approached Alf with an important proposition.

“You know, I don’t wanna keep staying at the inn. I’d love to live in a proper house, if possible,” I explained. “Are any for sale around here? I wouldn’t even mind renting, though I’d like to buy one, if I can.”

“Hrm, let’s see. There’s one house for sale, but it’s kinda…” Alf beat around the bush. “Nobody even knows who owns the place anymore. It’s so old and busted, folks were thinking about just knocking it down.”

“I don’t mind.”

Noela nodded. “Master and Noela’s house!”

It didn’t seem as if she cared much whether the house was old or new.

“What’s up, young man?” Alf asked. “This seems kind of sudden.”

“Well, I’d like to create medicine in a proper lab. Plus, I was thinking of opening my own shop.”

With my medicine-making skill, I could produce all kinds of treatments. I was sure I could craft medicine this world had never seen before, as long as I had the ingredients. I’d help the townsfolk, make a bit of money on the side, and live comfortably. I just had the feeling that that lifestyle suited me best.

I honestly expected Alf to be against the idea, but instead, he grinned at me.

“Sounds great! As a man, you gotta aim to be lord of your own domain, right?” He patted me warmly on the back.

“Are you sure it’s all right for me to sell potions on my own?”

“What the heck are you babbling about? You mixed the breakthrough potions to begin with, Reiji, my lad. You can do whatever you want with them!”

Looking at the general store’s potion sales, you could’ve described me as a golden goose. Yet Alf had no issue letting me go solo. He’d treated me to lunch, taught me all kinds of things about this world, and been a huge help since I’d arrived.

“I’m gonna keep selling your potions,” Alf added. “The general store’s will be the same price as yours.”

“Ha ha! You’re a lifesaver.”

Alf patted my back once again. Then, leaving the store to his wife, he showed us to the house he’d mentioned. As we drew close to the property, I immediately noticed that there were fewer and fewer people around.

“This is it,” Alf said.

“It’s boarded up.”

“As I said, this is it.”

“Er…but it’s boarded up.”

“I told you it was so bad that folks considered demolishing it, didn’t I?”

I was tongue-tied. This small, one-story building was way worse than I could ever have imagined. I wouldn’t have been terribly shocked if a gust of wind blew it over like a poorly-constructed popsicle-stick house.

“Since nobody knows who owns this dang place, it’s just sat here for years,” Alf added. “The only reason it wasn’t knocked down is, well…” he coughed. “Anyhow, it’s completely free.”

“For some reason, the words ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’ just came to mind,” I replied.

Does some mysterious monster live in there or something? Back in my old world, the place probably would’ve been a hotspot for punks.

“Just, uh, be careful, okay?” Alf left with those mysterious words, making his way back toward the general store.

“Be careful”? Hunh.

“Master, inside! Hurry!” Noela pulled my hand.

Fine. We can take a look, and if things seem really bad, that’s that.

Much to my surprise, the only thing that made a weird noise when we entered was the door itself.

Sure, the place is dusty, but the construction’s pretty solid. And if something’s busted, we can just hire a carpenter, I reflected.

“What do you say we make this our new home?”

The werewolf girl was clearly game, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Noela live here with Master!”

That meant we had cleaning to do; there was no way we could live here as is. I attempted to buy some cleaning supplies from the general store, but the manager didn’t charge me for it. Dammit, Alf. You’re never gonna let me pay for anything, are you?

Noela and I returned to our house—formerly condemned—with a broom, a dustpan, and rags. It took us about two hours to finish cleaning the place. Sure, it wasn’t sparkling, but it was definitely way better than it had been when we got there.

“This place is old, but it’s a legit house,” I admitted.

It didn’t take me long to pick a room as my official laboratory. I sprawled on the floor, my arms and legs outstretched.

That was when I first noticed the young lady stuck to the ceiling.

I’ll just go ahead and describe exactly what transpired.

“Um…so, I’ve been watching you for a while now,” she said, meeting my eyes. “I have a question. Are you this house’s new owner?”

I hesitated. There’s a blue-eyed blonde girl stuck to the ceiling! She’s pretty cute, too. Gah—what am I even thinking?!

“You’re quite skilled with a broom!” she added.

Now she’s complimenting me?!

“Uh…d-do you mind my asking who you are?” I stammered.

“Oh, gosh, pardon me! My name’s Mina.”

“N-nice to meet you. I’m Reiji.”

“I’ll have to throw you a housewarming party, Mr. Reiji!” Mina smiled brightly.

W-well, jeez, ain’t she just the gosh-darn cutest!

I was so flustered that my internal voice morphed into something odd. Ignorant of that fact, the girl on the ceiling clapped her hands together merrily.

“U-um, e-excuse me—uh, can I ask you a question?” I inquired. Is it really okay to question her? Isn’t this a situation I should try to overlook? No, I’m way too curious for that.

“Tee hee! Of course!”

Man, she’s energetic. “So, uh, are you fond of—you know—ceilings?”

“I’ve never been asked that before.”

Nobody’s asked?! Seriously?! What were people asking, in that case?!

“But, well, I suppose so.”

“I-I figured,” I said. “Otherwise, why would you be on the ceiling, right?”

“Precisely. This is all part of the job!”

J-job?! There’s a job that just requires you to dangle from a ceiling, looking at stuff?!

Noela trotted over, her hands on her stomach. “Master, hungry.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. Noela…” I pointed at the ceiling girl, Mina. “Could you look at the ceiling for me real quick?”

Noela tilted her head. “What wrong, Master? Something on ceiling?”

“Huh? Er, yeah. A girl.”

“Hmm? No girl.”

“For real…?”

“For real.”

W-well, gracious, ain’t she a real live ghost! My internal voice was still odd.

Unaware, Mina straightened proudly. “Hee hee! As long as I don’t use my special power, only this house’s master can see me.”

Is that something to be proud of?! Now, I totally understood why Alf told me earlier to be careful.

“I figure that, as long as the house’s master sees me,” Mina added, “it’s fine if the whole family can’t.”

“I-Is that so?” I replied.

I told Noela to go eat at Alf’s place. She rushed out, leaving the house quiet.

“You sure like lying on the floor!” Mina said.

“Er, well, how else could I talk to someone on the ceiling?” I paused, then asked the big question. “Are you a ghost?”

“How rude! I’m no ghost.”

Whoops. It sounded like I’d stepped on a landmine. Sh-she’s gonna haunt me. Really, though, Mina didn’t seem like she planned to take revenge. Instead, she pouted cutely.

“Then what are you?” I continued. “Noela couldn’t see you.”

“Well, I lived in this house a hundred years ago.”

“In our society, we call someone like that a ghost.”

“I told you already, I’m not a ghost! I stay here on the ceiling and watch over people who move in, ensuring they live happy lives!”

“Nobody asked you to do that.” Even though it seemed like she meant well, that sounded extremely invasive.

“Still, it’s so strange,” Mina continued. “Whenever I make eye contact with a new homeowner, they turn white and pretend they don’t see me.”

“Why am I not surprised?! I totally get where they’re coming from!” I exclaimed.

“Did something give them all stomachaches?”

“Isn’t it obvious?! The answer’s closer than you think!”

“Most people leave the house after a few days without my getting to chat with them. It’s been forty years since there was an owner, Mr. Reiji. That’s why I’m so happy I got to meet you.” Still clinging to the ceiling, Mina smiled.

“How do I get you to disappear?”

“I won’t disappear!” Mina turned away. “Don’t treat me like some ghost.”

“If you’re not a ghost, what are you?”

“Let’s see,” she mused. “Nobody’s ever asked me that before, so I don’t have an exact answer. If I had to explain myself, though, I’d say that I’m this house’s protective deity!”

Mina’s expression announced that she considered that a perfect description.

I imagine this “protective deity” led to the sad situation where nobody wants to live here. “So, how do I get you to go away?” I repeated.

“I won’t! Why’re you being such a big meanie, Mr. Reiji? Why do you keep saying such sad things?”

I’m the “sad” one here. I just arrived in a brand new world, and now I’m talking to a ghost! Maybe I should rephrase the question.

“What do you want, Mina?” I asked. If I could grant her wishes, she wouldn’t have lingering regrets, and maybe she’d pass on to the next life.

“What do I want? Um…I just want the residents here to lead happy lives.”

“Noela and I just have to lead happy lives?” I repeated.

“That would certainly satisfy me.” Mina flashed me a smile as bright and warm as the sun outside.

The problem was, “happy lives” brought me back to my original request that Mina leave. That’d be the fastest way to make me and Noela happy, right? Still, it didn’t look like that’d happen anytime soon. Well, whatever.

“I guess I’ll get ready to open the shop, then,” I concluded.

“Oh! I’d love to help!” Mina left the ceiling, landing gently on the floor.

“You can do that?!” I cried.

“When I descend, I can’t keep an eye on you anymore, so my job—”

“Yeah, yeah, your cushy job just watching from the ceiling. I get it.”

“Hey! That’s mean, Mr. Reiji!”

“Is it?”

“You could act nicer, at least! You’re going to hurt my feelings!” Mina stuck her tongue out angrily. Then her expression changed entirely. “Mr. Reiji?”

“Yeah?”

She flashed me the brightest grin I could imagine. “I’m having a lot of fun right now.”

“Is that right? Good for you.”

The house was old and haunted, but I renovated it into a drugstore nonetheless.