Is there an event going on?
What is that?
Mr. Kururu!
The Kalta Festival?
Yes. It's been held for a long time.
I attended the festival a century ago.
Wow.
And the greatest highlight of all is the Hunting Festival.
Hunting Festival?
Skilled archers enter the woods to shoot beasts.
Wapow! It's incredibly intense.
Wapow!
I'm sure it's quite the spectacle.
For the past several years, an elf named Mr. Kururu has won every year.
Kururu? That guy?
Wel...come?
It's an elf.
I...
I want to put my brother to shame!
Huh? What?
Drugstore
In Another World
Today's Prescription: Part 1 Come Here Beast Lure
You want to put your brother to shame?
I am Ririka, Kururu's younger sister.
Ririka
Kururu? Oh, you mean the popular Mr. Kururu who wins the Hunting Festival every year?
Yes. But starting this year, my brother will be running the event
rather than participating in the hunt.
Oh... I see.
So I will be participating in his place.
Uh-huh.
I heard there's an incredible alchemist in this town named Reiji.
I'm not alchemist, I'm a pharmacist.
And you should know that I can't make a medicine that will make you a better archer.
What?!
She really was planning to ask for one.
I was actually hoping you could make a medicine that would make
a terrible archer like myself win!
I can't do that.
And it sounds even harder than just making a medicine
that improves your archery skill—
But I heard you can make any medicine!
Medicines can't fix everything!
If you want to become better with a bow, why don't you have your brother teach you?
My brother always treats me like a child.
He says archery is a bit too difficult for me.
So you came here for a medicine that would do something about that?
I want to put my brother to shame.
If I win the Hunting Festival, he'll have to recognize my skills.
Huh? Hold on.
Ow.
Oh, sorry.
She already worked hard doing what she could.
She came to me because that wasn't enough.
Fine. I'll help you.
What? Really?!
But I can't make a medicine unless I know how skilled you are.
Good point.
Also, I can't make you a medicine that will make you win or make you a better archer.
All my medicine can do is support your skills.
I understand.
Woof, woof.
Wh-What? If you're got something to say, spit it out.
I-I know I suck.
Let me see your hands.
Wait, wha—
If you're in pain, you should say so.
If saying so would make me a better archer, then I would.
Noela.
Woof?
Bring me a potion.
Woof.
Here, take a sip of this.
This medicine recovers stamina.
It should have some effect on cuts and blisters, too.
I never said it hurt.
You should accept the kindness of others.
It's tasty.
You're starting to hit the target.
It's not like I couldn't hit it at all to begin with.
Even so, if this is how you perform with a stationary target,
with the unstable footing of the forest and a moving target...
Noela, you can shoot a bow?
Woof?
Archery isn't so simple that an amateur can just—
Woof! Master, I hit it!
That's amazing, Noela.
H-How did she do that so easily?
Woof.
Woof!
Master, archery is fun.
Ms. Noela, you're going to crush the spirit of that elf over there.
Actually, it's already been crushed. Give it a rest.
Woof?
I know I'm a trash elf who sucks at archery.
She's clearly getting depressed!
Uh... Okay, why don't we measure the distance at which you can hit the target?
What?
Here? This distance?
No, calm down. I decided to help this girl.
Is there a problem?
There's no way beasts would come within shooting distance or stand still for you.
Actually, that might work.
What? Did you come up with an idea?
I'm going to have you practice with a short bow.
A short bow?
It certainly may improve my accuracy at short range, but only children use short bows.
Can a terrible archer afford to worry about appearances?
That's our plan. In other words,
if you can improve your accuracy with a short bow
and hit targets within a few meters...
Then I'm guaranteed to win!
It's done!
Woof!
Master, this smell will definitely work.
I hereby announce the opening of this year's Hunting Festival!
We've been waiting!
Look. Ririka's using a short bow, when she's not even a child.
And she's Kururu's sister.
Pathetic.
Let the hunt begin!
I'll definitely put him to shame!
The hunt ends at sundown.
My brother won last year with a record of 16 beasts.
That's my target.
Open that bag at the location we picked out beforehand, and then...
They really came!
This lure will draw beasts to you.
Fire your arrows once they come within range.
That's all you have to do.
Come Here Beast Lure
Come Here Beast Lure.
A very powerful medicine that produces a smell attractive to monsters and beasts.
Calm down.
Draw them to you.
Fire your bow at the distance we practiced at.
Now!
I did it! That's one!
Huh?
Calm down.
Here, the beasts will approach in single file while avoiding obstacles.
You're not going to go hunt them. They're going to come to you.
It's just like Reiji said!
Don't be scared.
I'm not scared!
Huh? What's that sound?
What?! A whole bunch of them came?!
This medicine is too effective!
There's no end to them!
This year's winner is Ririka!
She set a new Hunting Festival record with 89 beasts hunted.
We honor the champion Ririka with a commemorative—
Huh? Ririka?
During the hunt, I always heard Reiji's voice in my head.
It encouraged me.
I want to tell him that it's all thanks to him.
And then, I'm sure that...
Kirio Drugstore
Reiji.
Mr. Reiji, which shelf does this medicine go on?
Oh, that goes...
Wait until you hear what Ms. Noela was doing.
What in the world?
Woof? What's wrong, Ririka?
Oh, um... I wanted to thank Reiji.
Master, Ririka is here.
Huh?
There's nobody here.
Woof?
What should I do?
I think... I think... I'm in love with him.
Excuse me.
Where is the owner?
Right here.
Kururu
Mr. Kururu.
You're the owner of the shop?
What an adorable little boy you are.
Give me a break.
So can I help you with something?
Yes. I'm here to thank the alchemist who helped my sister win today.
I'm telling you, I'm a pharmacist.
Anyway, Ms. Ririka won, then? That's great.
My sister said it was all thanks to you.
Oh...
I'm sure we'll meet again, Reiji.
Personal space!
See you then.
What was that about?
Mr. Reiji, are you busy right now?
No. Is something up?
I wanted to go out with you and Ms. Noela.
Oh, right. I always ask you to watch the store alone. And?
When I set foot outside the store, I immediately return to the living room.
Huh? What does that mean?
Today's Prescription: Part 2 Mother's Brooch
I'm ready over here.
Okay.
I'm over here.
No matter how many times I try, I always end up back on this sofa.
This was originally your house. Is there some reason this is happening?
I'll probably never leave this house again.
Cheer up. Maybe someday you'll suddenly gain the ability to go outside.
Mina, what's wrong?
Ms. Noela!
Fluffy...
If you always return to this spot, then this sofa...
No, is it something beneath it?
Which means it's beneath the floor?
Hey, Mina. Was this room ever remodeled?
Yes, it was.
The family that lived here right after
I became its guardian spirit remodeled it once.
Hmm...
Did you call?
Woof.
All done! Let me know if you need me again!
Is there something beneath here?
I think we'll find something related to Mina.
A ladder?
What room is this?
Was this Mina's mother's room?
Fleuret Family Brooch
Fleuret Family Brooch.
An expensive piece of jewelry set with a green garnet.
The Fleuret Family...
Do you recognize this?
My mother gave this to me.
Since it was precious, I asked my mother to hold on to it for me.
Maybe that's the thing pulling you back to this spot.
Mina, I'm ready.
Okay.
I'm sorry for crushing you, Mr. Reiji!
Just like I thought, once you move a certain distance away from this brooch,
you teleport back to it.
Which means...
Come on, Mina.
But what if—
Woof!
Hooray! I'm outside!
I can go shopping or do whatever else on my own! Mr. Reiji!
If you keep the brooch in your pocket while you walk around,
you won't be bound to the house.
Now the three of us can visit all kinds of places together.
Get off of me! We're outdoors!
I can go anywhere!
Why are you crying?
Because I'm happy!
Me, too!
Mr. Reiji, I'm so happy.
Me, too!
Yeah. Me, too.
Today's Prescription: Part 3 Stomach Acheless
What's the matter, Rolling Noela?
Master, my stomach hurts.
A stomachache?
Did you eat something weird?
I didn't eat anything weird.
There were nuts in the road. I ate those.
That's what you call "something weird."
Mr. Reiji and Ms. Noela, lunch is ready.
I don't want any.
Oh, what's wrong? How unusual.
Her stomach hurts, apparently.
You ate something you found in the road, didn't you?
I'm impressed you knew.
I see some unusual shell fragments in Ms. Noela's hair.
You did this to yourself, Noela.
Master, don't forsake me!
Master...
Okay, okay. I'll make you something for your stomachache later.
Master... Thank you...
I wonder if there's a good way to stop Noela from eating stuff off the ground.
You should scold her.
You think that would stop her?
I have a feeling she eats things not because she's hungry,
but because she's curious how things taste.
They say curiosity killed the cat.
Although in this case, she's a werewolf.
These days, she seems to enjoy chewing expensive rokushou nuts.
Perhaps that's become a habit of hers.
Curiosity and rokushou nuts, huh?
I'll try making a medicine to curb her behavior.
What? You can do that?
It's worth a shot.
Master, Master...
Can you promise not to eat things off the ground anymore?
Yes! I won't do it again!
Noela, you'll pay dearly if you break our promise.
It's done.
Stomach Acheless
Stomach Acheless.
Primarily uses o-Cresol to restore and settle the functionality of the intestines.
Noela, this'll fix your stomachache. Take this.
Thank you, Master.
The Next Day
Kirio Drugstore
Noela, what's the matter? You're back already?
Master, I broke our promise.
I won't eat anything off the ground again.
So bitter. The stuff on the ground was so bitter.
Well, what's done is done. Drink this.
Woof! All better!
Mr. Reiji, those were rokushou shells stuck to Ms. Noela's body.
Why did eating non-toxic rokushou nuts have that effect on her?
It's all part of my strategy.
Bitter α
Bitter α.
A medicine that causes everything one eats to taste extremely bitter.
Not harmful to the body.
You expected Ms. Noela to eat things off the ground?
I mixed it into the Stomach Acheless.
If she keeps her promise, she'll be fine.
But if she doesn't...
I don't like bitter.
You ate more?
I hate bitter food.
Later, my Bitter α was used to
deter animals from digging through the trash and help beautify the town.
Closing Time
Thank you for visiting Kirio Drugstore again today.
Okay, good. Nice work.
Woof, woof.
It's no use.
I'll never finish.
Next Customer
Illustration by: Honda Obon