As Mika wished, the group headed to the general store.

Today was one of those days. Gatt, trailing behind them, wore a gloomy expression.

The main street stretching straight from the town’s entrance gate was lined with large shops, but this time, they turned into a side alley, led by Zurah into the backstreets.

Just one street away from the main road, the atmosphere was entirely different. It was more like a lively market—if such a description fit. The narrow alley was too cramped for vehicles, and people of all shapes and sizes browsed the shops at their leisure. Goods were displayed at the storefronts, and shopkeepers called out to passersby.

“The big general store on the main street has a better selection, but I prefer this place,” Zurah said, pointing a little further down the street.

“Look, those cups at that shop are adorable!”

The store in question sold tableware, with its goods spilling out onto the street. The lizardman shopkeeper standing in the aisle seemed to know Zurah, raising his voice in a “Gyaggya!” and waving at them.

Come to think of it, thanks to the translation magic in this world, the local language usually reached Mika’s mind like secondary audio, conveying its meaning effortlessly. But occasionally, there were untranslated sounds like “Gyu” or “Woon.” Perhaps they were just meaningless noises. Strangely enough, Mika quite liked these uniquely otherworldly voices.

As they approached, the shopkeeper looked at Mika and spoke up.

“Hey, Zurah, long time no see. So this is the rumored—”

“Mika. She’s an ogre, but… a very… very normal person. Strong, though!”

Zurah introduced her with some hesitation. Ogres usually appeared deep in dungeons or other places far from prying eyes, but since Mika had been recruited to help deal with the Demon King, nearby residents had been informed about her—complete with a sketch of her face.

On top of that, word of her exploits in the mines and the antlion village had already spread.

Now, when she walked through town, people no longer stared in shock or unease like before. Instead, they seemed more curious, observing her from a distance.

“I see. Nice to meet you, Mika. Zurah’s always in your debt. Welcome to my shop.”

The lizardman (…probably male?) smiled bashfully (…probably?) and offered Mika a handshake.

“It’s an honor to meet the members of Annihilating Poison Mist.”

“Annihilating…? That sounds kinda ominous…”

“Ah, Mika, over here! Don’t you think this cup is nice?”

Dada, perched on her shoulder, flapped his wings and flew over to a shelf. He brought back a wooden cup with some kind of carving on it—it was indeed cute.

Deciding to question the ominous name later, Mika began examining the shop’s wares.

Zurah was chatting amiably with the shopkeeper in a low voice. Every now and then, a “Kyuu!”-like sound could be heard, and though Mika didn’t understand it, it was oddly heartwarming.

Mika picked up a tiny, doll-sized tableware set, examining it curiously.

“Ah, that’s a fairyfolk tea set. They love tea parties, you see,” Dada explained, having returned to her shoulder.

The tea set was made of pink glass, with handles on both sides. The teapot, made of the same material, was shaped like a round kyusu.

The rest of the tableware varied in size, but the designs were all somewhat familiar. Perhaps everyday items naturally evolved along similar lines, no matter the world. Or maybe the ogres who had interacted with this world before had influenced them.

Lost in these idle thoughts, Mika picked up one exotic-looking dish after another, admiring their patterns.

After browsing the shop for a while, they peeked into a few more stores, window-shopped, and eventually left the market district without buying anything.

“It’s almost noon. I was thinking of having Mika try some local food today—would that be alright?”

“Of course!”

“Then before that, let’s stop by here.”

With that, Dada took off from Mika’s shoulder and flew ahead, guiding the way.

They returned to the main street briefly before turning into an alley beside the Adventurer’s Guild, entering a quiet residential area unlike the bustling market from earlier.

After a few turns, they arrived at a small, charming house with white walls and a red door.

“This house is…”