I stood in front of the shop in the imperial capital, having found a steamer, and was ready to make a move.
It seems it was a basket, not a steamer.
"Yes, sir."
"Today, I'll make a little dessert with this."
"A dessert?"
"Look forward to it."
It seems there aren't many desserts in this world.
Fruits and hard biscuits are about the best you can get.
Perhaps the duke or Kassia might have something, but for commoners, that's about it.
Roxanne was happy with caramel flan, so it's understandable.
After returning home, I bought eggs and milk.
Sugar exists in this world, though it's a bit expensive.
It's called kobold sugar, which drops from higher-level kobolds.
I had never made a dessert before.
I think I can make crepes with milk, flour, eggs, and sugar, but I've never made them in Japan or tried them here.
However, with a steamer, I can make a few things.
Since I've never made a custard before, it would be safer not to try it right away, even with a steamer.
The ingredients for custard are milk, eggs, and sugar.
Vanilla essence is out of the question.
Caramel can be made by boiling sugar, so that's doable.
The problem is the quantities and steaming time.
I'll probably need to experiment a few times.
I've made steamed bread before in home economics class.
The ingredients are flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and baking soda.
I have some shell powder from making soap, which can serve as baking soda.
First, I made the dough and let it rest.
While the dough was resting, I took a nap with Roxanne.
I boiled water in a wok, placed the steamer on top, put the bread dough in a cup, covered the steamer with an inverted steamer, and sealed it with a towel and a wooden board.
When steam started coming out, I turned the heat down and asked Roxanne to check it.
In the meantime, I went to the imperial capital to pick up Cery.
"It smells sweet."
When I brought Cery, who smelled of alcohol, back, Roxanne told me.
I didn't think it would smell that sweet, but apparently, monsters can distinguish smells differently.
I took the steamer off the stove and had a taste of the dinner Roxanne had mostly made on her own.
When I took it out of the cup, it was soft.
It seemed to have steamed well.
"Here, try it."
"Yes."
"Itadakimasu."
When I bit into it, it had a chewy texture.
It wasn't bad.
Maybe a bit more sugar would be good.
"Master, it's delicious."
"This is amazing."
It seems they both liked it.
They were eating the steamed bread with smiles.
I need to increase the harem members.
This kind of atonement is acceptable.
I'll make it occasionally from now on.
The only downside is that steamed bread is high in calories.
"Master, this is my gift to you. Please continue to take care of me."
After dinner, Roxanne handed me the clothes she bought during the day.
I stood up and gratefully accepted them.
"Thank you. I'll take care of you too."
"Yes. And this is my gift to Cery."
"Thank you, Roxanne. I'll take good care of it."
Cery also stood up and took the clothes from Roxanne.
Cery seems to be drinking less than when we went to the library.
She also did her duties after dinner.
The kiss was a bit alcohol-tainted, though.
The next morning, after entering Halbar's labyrinth, I delivered the tenth mirror.
"I have a few frames being made. They should be ready soon."
"Is that so?"
"Have you known the broker Luke for a long time, Michio?"
After putting the gold coins in the item box, Goslair asked.
"Not long, but reasonably well."
"He's a very capable broker. I've known him since his apprenticeship, as his father, the previous broker, used to work for me."
"Is that so?"
Luke's father was also a broker.
For brokers, connections with the knight order and nobles are crucial.
Inheriting those connections through a family business is certainly advantageous.
"As a broker, he is trustworthy. If you need to contact me, can I do so through Luke?"
As a broker, yes.
"Through Luke?"
"Since you live in Koolatar, it's quite a journey for me to come. Luke can send regular messengers here."
The mirrors won't end at ten.
If used as gifts, they will need to be replenished.
I need to be able to contact him whenever I have business.
Using Luke, then.
"If that's fine with you, I have no problem."
I agreed and left Bode.
After breakfast, I had Cery fuse monster cards.
I didn't let her do it last night because I was afraid she might fail while drunk.
Would it be okay to do it while drunk?
When drunk, there's a possibility of failure.
Since it's a skill, it might not be a big deal.
If she's too drunk to cast spells, the skill might fail.
There's no need to test it.
"Done."
The fusion was successful with a clear head.
Himorogi Rod - Staff
Skill: Double Intelligence - Empty - Empty
The Himorogi Rod was successfully made.
It has two empty skill slots.
"Amazing. As expected of Cery."
"Thank you."
Cery let out a big breath.
She still seems a bit nervous about fusing monster cards.
Using two cards this time was probably tough.
We immediately entered Halbar's labyrinth to test it.
The first group was two Neet Ants and one Minotaur.
I cast Water Storm.
The ants, weak to water magic, were defeated in two hits.
They were wiped out before they could reach us.
I hit the remaining Minotaur with a Fireball.
Roxanne dodged the Minotaur's attack and hit it with another Fireball from the side.
The monster fell.
The Neet Ant (Lv11) took two Water Storms, and the Minotaur (Lv11) took two more Fireballs, totaling four hits.
The Minotaur, which usually takes five hits, now takes four.
Doubling the skill doesn't double the damage, it seems.
With fewer hits, we hunted efficiently.
Even on the twelfth floor, it would take eight hits.
This should be enough to fight.
We progressed so quickly that we reached the boss room.
Opening the door, we found a room with another door at the back.
It was a waiting room.
"Let's try the twelfth floor today."
The Halbar boss, Hachinos, was defeated with Durandal.
He tried to cast spells a few times but canceled them all.
After the boss fight, we entered the twelfth floor.
"The monsters on the twelfth floor of Halbar's labyrinth are Glassbees. They attack from a distance with needles that can poison you."
Long-range poison attacks.
That's serious.
"The monsters on the twelfth floor are strong, but the lack of resistance to magic is a relief. Their weakness is wind magic. Glassbees, like other flying monsters, are weak to wind magic."
After Cery's explanation, we followed Roxanne to the Glassbees.
A large bee was flying.
It was like a bee version of the Neet Ant, with a black body and yellow legs.
I cast Breeze Storm from a distance.
It was too far for a single-target spell to hit.
I should have moved closer, but it was better to cast it first against a new enemy.
When the Breeze Storm hit, the bee shook violently.
It looked effective.
If it were a human, their brain would rattle.
Maybe it's not a big deal for a bee.
I cast Breeze Ball for the second hit.
Then the third.
The Glassbee didn't use its long-range attack until I got close.
As I approached, the eerie buzzing became clear.
Roxanne stepped forward and deflected the bee's charge with her sword.
Cery thrust her spear.
I also cast Breeze Ball from the side.
The sound stopped, and the bee fell.
It dropped suddenly from its hovering position.
Its yellow legs lay on the cave floor.
Four hits.
The same as the eleventh floor monsters.
Perhaps the first new monster on the twelfth floor takes the same number of hits as the eleventh floor, but with the wind weakness, it takes half.
On the twelfth floor of Halbar, using only wind magic should be enough.
Even if Neet Ants appear, four hits shouldn't be a problem.
It seems we can fight on the twelfth floor of Halbar.
The Glassbee eventually turned into smoke and left behind honeycomb.
"The honeycomb is left behind. Can it be used to make candles?"
"The guild will process it into candles. It's not a particularly valuable material, so it's not often bought outside the guild."
Cery explained.
There doesn't seem to be a skill to make candles from honeycomb.
It would be nice if there were.
"It can also be used to maintain leather equipment. May I use one?"
"Sure."
"Thank you."
It can be used as wax, too.
I'll give it to Roxanne when we get back.
I put the honeycomb in the item box, which was running low on space.
Since we can fight, that's enough for today.
It's time to visit the slave trader in the imperial capital.
"As I mentioned before, I'm going to the imperial capital next. What about you two? Are you coming with me?"
"Yes, I'll go with you."
"Um, is that okay?"
Cery hesitated.
"Since you'll be joining the group, I'd like to hear your opinions."
"It's fine, Cery."
"Come to think of it, Roxanne was there when I joined. I'll go with you too."
Roxanne and Cery will come, so we flew to the imperial capital's adventurer guild.
We headed to the location of the slave trader's office, which I had heard from Alan.
When we arrived, we found a corner surrounded by a wall.
A grand building stood in the compound.
The gate was also impressive.
It seems they are doing well.
"Is this it?"
"It seems so."
The wall might be to prevent slaves from escaping.
The gate was open, so we entered.
A man immediately came out.
"I've come with an introduction. I want to speak with someone from the shop."
"Understood. Please come this way."
I handed over the letter of introduction, and the man led us into the building.
He showed us into a room next to the entrance and left.
"Welcome. I am the head of this chamber."
After a while, a different man entered.
He was a slave trader (Lv6).
"Nice to meet you."
"Please, come this way."
The slave trader led us to a back room.
We sat on sofas, and three cups of herbal tea were prepared.
Since I had given the letter of introduction, they wouldn't mistake Roxanne and Cery for slaves.
"I'll just pretend to drink the herbal tea."
I only pretended to drink it.
It's hard to trust a place involved in human trafficking.
Maybe I shouldn't say that, given that I'm buying slaves.
"I've seen the letter of introduction from the slave trader Alan in Baire. You're looking for a blacksmith, I hear."
"No, I don't need a blacksmith anymore."
"I see."
The slave trader glanced at Cery.
He must have recognized her as a dwarf.
I'm not selling her.
"I'm looking for a woman who can fight in the labyrinth."
"Do you mean a combat slave for adventurers or explorers? Any other conditions?"
"Someone who can speak Brim language."
A young and beautiful one would be nice, but I don't need to say that.
"In the imperial capital, most of the demand is for combat slaves for adventurers and beautiful household slaves for influential people. We have a selection that should suit your needs. I'm sure you'll find someone you like."
"I hope so."
"Shall we go to the room where they live and have a quick look? If you find someone you like, we can call them in for a meeting."
He understood without me saying it.
He'll screen them by looks.
"Alright."
We followed the slave trader upstairs.
Roxanne and Cery came with us since it was a women's room.
"The second floor has older women and combat-inappropriate female slaves. If you'd like, I can show you the second floor later."
"That won't be necessary."
I don't want to be suggested anything strange under the pretense of expanding our forces.
The slave trader glanced at Cery but quickly backed off and led us into a room on the third floor.
"An explorer is looking for a party member. Those who can speak Brim, please line up here."
The slave trader lined up the slaves.
There were about ten.
Not many.
Some looked uninterested, others curious.
Better than the slaves in Baire, who all seemed uninterested.
It seems the demand for combat slaves in the imperial capital is high.
Still, with so few, it was over quickly.
The best one was a woman who looked and seemed somewhat motivated.
We were led to the next room.
Ten is too few.
They seem to be housed in separate rooms, not crammed together.
The next room had no particularly beautiful women.
After checking other rooms, there were no standout candidates.
It's unrealistic to expect someone on Roxanne and Cery's level.
I'll have to compromise.
"Are there more?"
"The next room has only those who haven't had male experience. They are more expensive as combat slaves, but—"
"That's fine."
So that's a category.
Slaves who can speak Brim were called and lined up.
There was one beautiful woman in this room, but she clearly lacked motivation.
She didn't even look at us.
I see.
She's aiming for a rich marriage, as Cery mentioned.
She knows she's beautiful.
She thinks she can manipulate a wealthy master with her looks.
Entering the labyrinth is troublesome and dangerous, so she'd rather avoid it.
Beautiful women aim for a rich marriage.
Those who can't aim for a rich marriage go for combat slaves.
Roxanne and Cery, who are both beautiful and can fight, are rare.
If I buy her, she might have to fight.
Is that a good idea for combat strength?
"Next room, please."
"Sure."
We entered the next room.
A few women lined up.
After they lined up, a cat-eared girl stood up from the back.