"Thank you, Mahaha!"
Riko excitedly hugged Mahaha and placed her unfinished bowl of noodle soup in front of him as well.
"Mahaha! Mahaha!"
Mahaha was delighted too. He poured Riko's noodle soup into his large bowl and happily slurped it up.
"This could be considered a kind of equivalent exchange." Boss Lady sighed softly and translated for Riko. "Mahaha was saying that the soul bound within the carved whistle has been freed, and you have gained a new friend."
"Mm!"
Riko nodded vigorously.
The instant she held the White Whistle, Riko could clearly feel it beating in rhythm with the heart in her chest.
Mithras—
She was definitely still alive!
She merely continued to exist in another form, accompanying Riko on her adventures!
After Mahaha finished the noodle soup, Riko poured the various pieces of garb—miscellaneous items she had traded from the Fallen Ones, along with the exploration tools she carried, onto the counter. She asked Boss Lady, "Um, since Nami Village doesn't have any currency, I don't know what you need, so please pick whatever you want."
"I don't want any of that."
Boss Lady smiled faintly, lifted the pot lid, and pointed at the "noodles" flowing through the hot broth. "Everyone judges value differently. My value in Nami Village lies in cooking food and bringing happy smiles to my customers' faces. The price my customers need to pay is to gather the ingredients for these noodles from the ravine beyond the outer perimeter behind the cave where the village chief lives. One jin per person will be enough."
Riko had no objections, but—
"Are you worried about the Ascension Curse?" Boss Lady smiled. "Don't worry. In this space, no one will be affected by the Ascension Curse."
"That's not why." Riko hurriedly shook her head. With the Dragon