"By the way, have you been well, Lili?"
"More or less. And it's Lili, not Riri. Please pay attention to your pronunciation, An."
"Got it, Riri."
"I said... *Sigh*, never mind. Do whatever you want."
Ignoring everything that had happened just moments ago, Lili and I exchanged greetings.
But that didn't mean the mood between us was particularly warm.
That was one thing; this was another.
"Thank you for helping me when things got difficult. But why were you looking for Lili?"
"Just what I said earlier. I need to head down into the Dungeon, and I need a Supporter to help carry the load. So, if you're not busy, could you come with me?"
"The Dungeon? At this hour?"
"The sun hasn't set yet."
"It will soon. It's almost time for everyone to start preparing dinner, An."
"I'll buy you a meal."
"What's on the menu? Don't tell me... those, uh, An-special emergency rations?"
"Yep."
"Ugh, anything else?"
"Nope."
"...Goodbye."
"Hey, hey! Hold on a second. Don't decide so fast."
"Lili never wants to torture her precious sense of taste ever again."
"Now, I don't think it was that bad."
"That's only because your tongue is so dull, An. Anyway, Lili absolutely refuses."
Business was business.
There was no point in letting personal feelings interfere.
The problem was that I was the one currently clinging to her and begging.
Professional Supporters as capable as Lili were rare.
Besides, searching for another Supporter now would be a waste of time.
More than that, it would just be a pain.
I'd rather spend a little extra and take the easy road.
Besides, the emergency rations were just an excuse to begin with.
...Probably.
"Haa, you really are something else... Fine. I was serious about paying you more than last time. How about a 6.5 to 3.5 split, with you taking the 3.5?"
"3 to 7. Lili has already finished her labor for the day and is exhausted, An."
"Since when did you switch careers to highway robbery? Absolutely not. I have to keep something for myself. 6.4 to 3.6. How about that?"
"Not a chance. 3.5 to 6.5."
"You've got to be kidding... 6.2 to 3.8."
"3.7 to 6.3."
"6 to... no, this is tedious. Fine! Let's just be fair and split it 5 to 5! Deal?"
"Hehe, deal!"
Price negotiations concluded!
Damn it, if I'd had a tangerine, some rum, and a gun in my hand, I could've negotiated a much better deal.
...Which was just nonsense, of course.
Honestly, I'd expected to spend about this much from the start.
I knew I was making an unreasonable request of her.
Considering Lili's skills as a Supporter, this kind of compromise was no issue at all.
Going down with her was genuinely convenient.
If anything, the usual 7-to-3 split had been the shameless one.
I hadn't mentioned it because she seemed grateful even for that.
Still, I didn't let that show and continued to grumble.
If I revealed my true thoughts to this little brat—who looked cute but had a heart as black as coal from everything she'd been through—she might just strip me of every last cent.
"But! As usual, I get first pick when we divide the loot. And if you get caught skimming off the top like you did the first time, I'm taking everything. Got it?"
"Wh-what are you talking about!? That was ages ago! Lili doesn't do such nasty things to An anymore!"
"Sure, sure. Just try not to get caught."
I chuckled and patted the panicking Lili on the head.
Mm, yep. Just the right height.
Still, it was meant as a sign of friendliness; I wished she wouldn't be so terrified.
Sure, I had been a bit irritable back then.
But compared to the other magi I knew, I'd been remarkably polite.
*Come to think of it, that incident was how I met Tiona, wasn't it?*
About two years ago, I believe.
At the time, just as I am now, I had hired a Supporter to help gather materials for my research in the Dungeon.
That Supporter was Lili, and back then, she had a very problematic habit of sticky fingers.
Well, she's still a bit like that, but she was far worse then.
Her methods were far too risky and precarious by my standards.
The fact that she tried to stab me in the back without knowing who I was said it all.
She probably doesn't realize it, but it was only because it was me that she got off so lightly. If it had been any other magus, she would have been dead long ago, her corpse left as monster feed.
Then again, there aren't any magi like me in this world, so perhaps it's a moot point.
Regardless, for that reason, I had been delivering some "loving discipline" to Lili while holding her by the nape of her neck. That was when Tiona, who had entered the Dungeon alone for some reason, happened to stumble upon us.
And naturally, a fight broke out.
Tiona had a surprisingly strong sense of justice, so she couldn't just ignore such a scene.
She had this odd vibe, like an aspiring champion of justice.
Though her domestic skills were incomparably lacking.
*The outcome was a bit dicey, but after that scuffle, I managed to calm her down with an explanation. After spending a bit of time together, we ended up forming a good bond.*
In that sense, Lili was also an acquaintance of mine.
Just like the Hiryute sisters, the fact that she allowed me to call her "An" was proof of that.
I never permit such familiarity unless I have acknowledged someone as a true acquaintance.
Given that I am essentially "borrowing" a life here, I believe such standards are only natural.
Because of that, I was aware of her difficult circumstances.
Despite our rocky start, I had seen many of her strengths—her diligence and her competence. If possible, I actually wanted to hire her as my assistant.
I wouldn't have considered it originally, but after hiring her as a Supporter on and off for two years, I realized the girl was unexpectedly brilliant.
While she might not be cut out to be a full disciple, I thought she would be perfect as an assistant to help manage the shop.
As for her aptitude as a magus, I would have to investigate that more thoroughly later.
If that worked out, I might finally have a disciple of my own in this world.
If the Great Big Ben London Star Familia heard this, they'd probably send me a giant middle finger as a congratulatory gift.
Though I can't see any of them anymore.
"All right. Before we start, let's grab something tasty to get in the mood. I don't want my first meal to be emergency rations either. But let's get something from a street stall so we can eat on the way."
"An, why don't you just start tomorrow instead?"
"Rejected. To me, time is more precious than gold. At least gold can be bought with money; time cannot."
"*Sigh*, fine. Lili will go buy something to eat."
"I want a sandwich. Be back within fifteen minutes. And bring the change and the receipt."
"Yes, yes! I know!"
"And don't try to save money by buying something cheap. Get something nutritious. We're pulling an all-nighter on the first day."
"Ugh, if that's the case...!?"
"I increased the sugar ratio in this batch of vitality potions, so it should be fine. ...Probably."
"I don't trust you with anything involving taste, An."
"Just hurry up and go."
"Yeees~"
Our conversational flow has been pretty good lately.
Maybe it's finally time to casually float the idea of hiring her.