2-3. The Chant, the Soldier and the Noisy Afternoon
Satou's here. Waving the short cane, rather than a magician I feel like a conductor.
Conductor skill doesn't appear. I'm a bit disappointed Satou.
The harem flag seems to be still so far away.
◇
After I returned to the hotel, I put away the alchemy sets.
I wanted to put it inside the <>, but from what I've heard from Nadi-san during the tour, the item was popular for the wealthy back in the era of the ancestor king Yamato, however, nowadays it's only attainable for the army, higher-ranking nobles, or a very prosperous merchant.
Since it's like that, I can't use it casually. It's not a problem if some thieves caught their eyes on it, but if it was a noble then it could become impossible to continue touring this city.
Following the instruction from Nadi-san yesterday, I fill a bucket full of water from the Hell Water Jug. I dip a cloth to the water and squeeze it. I take out a pot I bought yesterday and put the cloth there.
All right, preparation complete!
It's time for the chant for Dry!
"Lu lula la li lu... la?"
Even though I can read the word, I can't pronounce it! Do I need to read 100 character in one minute fast?
What kind of impossible game is this?
Then, I continued to practice chanting while feeling discouraged but I wasn't able to in the end. Cloth will get dry even if I don't use magic but I'm not happy about this at all.
"Okay! Let's ask for some help!!"
I get up clenching my hand!
When in trouble it's Nadi-san! Let's ask for some advices from Nadi-san.
"Nadiemo~n, please help me~."
Even while feeling like clinging to a straw, I'm heading to the Worker's Guild.
...But unfortunately, Nadi-san is absent.
◇
Since Nadi-san doesn't come back even until evening, I'm going to the bookstore in the central district. There should be other books about Life magic beside the ones I bought.
On the way there, I was called to the clothing store. Apparently, my order has been completed early.
I wonder if the shopkeeper remember when I said that I didn't have change of clothes, so he hurried the order.
Let's receive it after that much trouble.
"It really suits you well."
"Yes, you look like a heir of a big company or a noble."
The shopkeeper and his wife praise me highly.
To confirm the size I take a pose in front of a full-length floor mirror.
However isn't this better than the sample back then? No, it's not a self-praise.
"Indeed, and it's better than the sample."
"That's right! Since it's a rush order, I asked a different tailor than the usual, but this fine lines and sewing are well done, truly splendid! Really~ thanks to the customer, I found a nice tailor."
How do I say it, I feel like apologizing.
After this much, let's just wrap my cloth earlier and wear this new one now.
◇
When I get to the gate I was asked to present the ID card. According to the gate soldier, it seems that some thieves got in after the disturbance, so it's now required to present your identification.
In the plaza, most stores along the main road are open. Because most of the fight happened in front of the castle gate, beside few unlucky shops most are unscathed.
I bought tea leaves in a specialist shop facing the plaza shown by Nadi-san yesterday, I also bought some spices from a spice shop.
On the luxury food store I bought rice, miso, soy sauce. Like I said, why is this fantasy-(abbreviated)?
In front of a tavern in the plaza, a bard is singing a poem about the yesterday's demon and the knights with a full sense of reality.
...Isn't the mysterious silver mask a bastard child of the earl? Such songs are sung. The mask was actually tin but it has been promoted to silver.
Since I relatively enjoyed it, I gave him a silver coin. ...I was a bit ashamed though!
How many detours could it be just to go to a bookstore.
◇
"Satou-san, thank you very much for yesterday!"
Semone-san greets me with smile inside the bookstore. Apparently, today is her turn to look after the store.
"Hello Semone-san. How is the old man's condition?"
"Yes, he was healed with magic, but since he's of age, my grandmother is watching after him to rest for 2-3 days."
Old man, you've got a good grandchild, I'm envious.
I'm gossiping some miscellaneous things to cushion for the real talk.
"You're searching for books regarding the way to practice chanting of life magic?"
"Yes, I was able to understand the explanation on the book I bought before, but I'm struggling to actually chant it..."
"Umm, Satou-san, Life magic skill is relatively easy to remember, but normally you'd need 3-5 years of training to master it. Moreover, even with that much training, 80% people usually end up in failure."
But I got the skill after receiving the life magic once? It's a cheat after all...
"Umm, even if you already have Life magic skill from the beginning, people who can remember the chants are..."
Let's hear it since I have nothing to lose anyway.
"A person who has a gift? Right, There are people who come from long heritage of magician family having magic skill right from birth, but a person like that usually has family members who can use magic..."
There is no need to learn from textbooks... is what she wanted to say, eh.
It can't be helped, I'm just gonna buy vocal training and acting related books.
Let's start improving my flow of speech.
◇
The magic shop facing the main street is covered with something that looks like a tarpaulin. It's closed just as I thought.
"Hello, nimble onii-san."
Turning my head, there, a girl wearing a plain yet elegant one piece tilts her body forward while looking at me with upturned eyes. With a slender body and long straight bob hair, she's a charmingly beautiful girl.
"Hello soldier-san, you're wearing a lovely dress today."
>[Lip Service Skill Acquired]
Please don't interrupt my talk...
"Ehehe~, since we seldom have rest, there aren't many chances to wear this~"
"About yesterday, have your bone fractures healed?"
"Yes! I want to say that, but the place where it break still occasionally hurt so I thought of going to the temple."
Just to make sure, she's the soldier I saved from a tree yesterday.
"Can you not heal yourself?"
"There is no healing method in wind magic you know."
I see, each element has their own forte.
"Ah~ Zena is boy hunting~~!!"
"Oh, it's true, Putting aside the face, he's well dressed, furthermore, he's younger! You're good, Zena."
"You girls, please don't make fun of her. Even though she's a late bloomer, that girl works hard, let's just watch over her warmly."
I wonder if they're soldier-san's friend, some noisy girls are standing in front of a shop's entrance while whispering to each other closely. There's a subtle insult mixed in oi.
Soldier-san's name is Zena eh, it's a good nutritious sounding name.
Zena-san is opening and closing her mouth silently with a red face. This kind of reaction is cute~
"Y, you're mistaken. I'm just thanking him for saving me yesterday."
The three girls harden a bit after hearing that.
"By saving you, don't tell me!!"
"That silver masked hero-sama?!"
"It can't be! He was brandishing a sledgehammer and a two-handed axe together you know? This delicate looking boy can't possibly do that."
"No… that's not it."
Zena-san's word doesn't reach the three girls.
"But isn't his height match?"
"Isn't the color of the hair different? That gentleman was blond."
"And he's not using a mask."
"Mou, please hear me!"
Zena-san shouts with her whole body!
The three girls finally pay her an attention.
"This man carried me who wasn't able to move due to injury to the relief station yesterday!"
"Ah, you mean that kind of [[helped me]]."
"But then, that's a golden opportunity in a way!"
"Don't liken her with you, Zena doesn't have such resourcefulness in her."
Yep, it's noisy. This is for Zena-san to meddle with. The three of them feel like they're cheering for her with no malice or sarcasm, they probably cherish her.
I wonder if it's a good time to interrupt them.
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Satou, a peddler. I'm planning to stay in this city for a while, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Onii-san, you're really not Zena-cchi's boyfriend?"
"I just met her yesterday. Furthermore, I only knew her name after everyone here called her such."
"But but, for Zena to wear a skirt and go on a date!"
"It is not a date." (Zena)
"But you never wore a skirt, even on holidays before."
Zena-san and the three girls who looks like the same age as her are lively exchanging words.
"I'd love for you to go on a date with Zena-san. This girl, even with her age, never takes a walk with an opposite sex, let alone a boyfriend."
"Yep, even if she's a fallen noble with no gold or status, she's a good girl. She's flat-chested but she's an adept wind user with promising future as a soldier."
The remaining two also recommend Zena-san.
I like her personality. In five years, after she becomes a bit well-rounded, I'd like to make an advance~
Zena-san stop her quarrel and goes back here.
"We're not fallen!! My little brother properly inherited the rank. Although it's true that we don't have gold or status in government..."
So Zena-san is a lower noble.
...She didn't object about the flat-chest.
"Let's stop playing around with Zena-san and go back to the castle. If we're late for the shift, the commander's special training awaits."
"La~ter~ then, Zena-cchi. Let's hear about various things thoroughly later~"
"Zena, push through with sex appeal and defenselessness! Show your guts!"
The three girls reluctantly return to the castle.
Zena-san is relieved while looking a bit ashamed.
Hmm? One girl went back here in a trot and gave Zena-san something.
Zena-san initially has a blank look, but after she understand what the handed over thing is, her face turn bright red. Probably expecting this reaction, the girl is going back to her friends while saying "Good luck~".
Zena-san secretly puts the thing she got in her pocket, and I don't intend to pursue it.
Because I'm an adult, yep.