Chapter 32: Chapter 31 – Alchemy skill

"Delicious!"

"I'm glad that you like it, I wasn't sure since I made it in a hurry before coming."

That's a total lie, ever since my Item Box froze time for the items inside, I've been making tons of food. The garden with the stat-boosting plants is growing bizarrely fast with the combined effects of the plants themselves and the holy water from the Heavenly Watering Can. The taste is much better than normal ingredients, and since I want to raise my stats with them anyway, I made countless dishes using them.

"Hiro-sama's cooking! I misjudged you! How can you be so strong and yet have other talents?!"

"No need to hold back if you want more, I have another box with me."

This time I came prepared, instead of the cursed potato sack I brought a backpack with me! I stole it from the dark guild last time I visited, but that doesn't matter.

"Really? If you're really okay with it, I'll take everything."

"Yeah, that's fine. Rather, I'm happy that you like my food."

I smile at her. It's always nice to hear that someone enjoys something you made. I won't let the help of skills discredit my efforts, either!

"Say, Hiro-sama... I've been wondering, but, umm, how old are you?"

Woah, she looks super uncomfortable. But my age? I wonder why...

"Hm? Why are you suddenly asking for my age?"

"Because, you see, since you can fight multiple Goblin Elites that are at least level 100, and stay in, even if it's 'just the outer regions of', the Black Devil Forest for such a long time. That's why I thought you have to be at least 100 years old, right? But you don't just have combat-related skills. Your non-combat skills are also at an incredibly high level. Not only that, you even started learning alchemy with me, so you must still have a decently high life expectancy. With the overall level of your skills, I'd think you are surely over 150 or 200 years old, but then it wouldn't make any sense to learn alchemy since you would probably never be able to get it to a high level and make use out of that skill."

"Huh?"

At least a hundred years old? What? What is she talking about? I'm an old geezer?

"Eh?"

I'm dumbfounded by her words and reasoning. She, too, is staring at me with a visible confusion on her face.

""...""

Nothing changes for a moment while I process what she just said.

"Silvia..."

"Yes...?"

"How long do humans usually live?"

No, I want to reword that, that sounds like I'm some alien trying to gather data about humans to fit in... Whatever...

"Huh?"

"Ehmm, I mean, like... You said I'm an old man?"

"Umm, Hiro-sama...?"

This is so awkward. I want to die.

I feel so... I mean, what is this sudden culture shock?! I never thought I would receive a culture shock like this, I should've talked about life expectancy with Jubokko. No, why would a normal person think that there's such a big difference between the two worlds in that aspect?! This isn't my fault!

"Silvia, can you keep a secret?"

"Eh? A secret? Y-yeah!"

Honestly, I can't find a good answer. If I say the truth, she'll wonder how I am so strong when I'm only 16. If I lie about my age, saying that I'm an old man, my behavior from just now would be extremely weird. I also can't blame my imaginary faraway home country since humans would still age the same way no matter where you live in the same world, additionally my power level would still be off with that explanation.

"Wait for a second, please."

With a serious expression on my face, I pull out a coin from my bag.

"Okay...!"

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Silvia also has a serious expression, but it quickly changes to a confused one.

If I get Heads I tell her the truth, if I get Tails I lie! I didn't have a coin near me, so Google had to suffice.

Sigh

Grabbing Silvia's arm, I teleport us to my house.

"EH?"

We arrive before she can even react. Now, how far should I go? No, I can't pull back, let's tell her everything. I've been wanting to have someone on my side for a while now.

"This is my house."

"Ah? But I thought... You have a house in a forest?"

"To be exact, this is the Black Devil Forest..."

"..."

A blank face.

"You should sit down at least."

"Yes..."

After we sit down at my garden table, I continue.

"I come from a different world."

She opens her mouth as if to say something, but closes it again. Opened. Closed. Opened... Closed. And now she is back to a blank, confused stare.

Was that too much at once? Maybe I should have started with something easier, so I could have worked my way up? I think it would be better to leave out the sage, maybe. Actually, what else do I have to say? That's about it, no?

"So, yeah, I think I'm a bit more powerful because I got a title for being the first person from another world. To be clear, in the world I come from things like a status or skills do not exist.

And I'm not an old man but 16 years old..."

After not reacting for a while, she finally talks in a defeated tone.

"Huuuu... This is all a bit too much... Are you being serious? No, we are suddenly in the Black Devil Forest, so you teleported us? That alone should be proof enough for what you say... You mentioned another world? Can I also visit it? Hiro-sama's world?"

"Hmm, sure, but you have to always follow me. If you do something weird, things could end up bad for us, okay? Also, I need your measurements to prepare some clothes for you to wear in my world. Can you hold your arms up?"

"Ah, sure..."

I take out a measuring band, luckily, I had one prepared to secretly take her measurements for when she went to sleep. Because I wanted to prepare a gift, of course!

Still deep in thoughts, she does as I say, not reacting to my touches at all. Very obedient.

After I finish taking her measurements, I move her arms back down.

"So, when did you plan to come and visit?"

"Tomorrow is too early, how about the day after? That way we could both prepare."

"I have school during weekdays. Is it okay if I come to get you after that?"

"Mm!"

For some reason, both dates and measurements are the same as on earth. The reason I took her measurements myself instead of asking her was that she was deep in thought and as a true gentleman, I obviously wouldn't want to disturb her. Yep.