Volume 7 Chapter 9 An Unexpected Encounter
As a result of buying things at the bazaar with Moruru, Windy, Gold, and Sylvia, I ended up getting lost.
"Where am I...?"
I thought that since Moruru was with Windy, they must be keeping an eye on her. So, I'm the only one who's completely lost.
I never thought I'd get lost at this age. But when I think about it, I've never left Karditsa before, so it's no wonder I got lost. I let out a sigh.
But I should be somewhere in the bazaar. If I take my time and look around the shops, I'll find my way eventually.
...Worst-case scenario, I can use gravity magic to fly and head back to the inn. I'm an adult, so I can do that much.
So, I decided to change my mood and enjoy the bazaar. As I glanced around, I saw many interesting shops.
"Hey, Boy! Our shop has a lot of rare items! Come take a look!"
When the shop owner said that, my curiosity got the better of me. "Then I won't hesitate..." I said with a smile, and started browsing the goods.
As I looked around, I saw that the shop was filled with items that didn't seem to fit in with the atmosphere around here. I asked the shop owner a question.
"Are you a traveling merchant, old man? I don't see many of these items around here."
"Yeah! You've got a good eye, Boy! That's right, I'm a traveling merchant. I brought all sorts of things from the Sumerian mythological region, which is located a bit east of here."
"Huh?"
I saw a dazzling gemstone. "Don't even think about stealing it, Boy. It's expensive," the shop owner said with a sly smile.
I opened my second eye, Ajna Chakra, and raised the corner of my mouth as I replied.
"The ones on display are fakes, right? If you're going to handle expensive items, that's only natural."
"Whoa! You've really got an eye for this, Boy. So, can you tell what this is? I got it specially ordered from over there."
The shop owner took out a small box and opened it. When I saw what was inside, I let out a nostalgic "Oh!" and exclaimed.
"Glasses! Wow, it's nostalgic. Come to think of it, I've never seen glasses in Karditsa before."
"Heh, Boy, you're really good at finding great stuff, aren't you? This is one of the products of the advanced civilization in the Sumerian mythological, just like Boy said ―― it's a 'glasses' artifact that compensates for weak eyesight."
"That's not an artifact, isn't it?"
Artifacts are magic items you find in dungeons, aren't they? Glasses are different, right?
I replied calmly, and the shopkeeper was taken aback, going "Ugh..." Yeah, this guy's trying to rip me off, thinking I'm rich and will buy it at a high price.
Still, I kind of want to buy it as a memento. I have good eyesight myself, but it's got a nostalgic feel to it, like a relic from my past life.
"I'll buy one. At a fair price, of course."
"One gold coin."
"Don't look down on me!"
I glared at him, and the shopkeeper raised his hands in a defensive gesture, saying "Just kidding, Boy You're scarier than I thought..."
"But it's a valuable item, so it's expensive. Even if it's not an artifact, it's 3 silver coins."
I thought about it. If it were an artifact, 3 silver coins would be a steal, but... in Japanese yen, that's around 90,000 yen... I could've bought it for 20,000 to 30,000 yen in my past life.
"Five big copper coins."
"Copper coins?! You're looking down on me too much, Boy! That's not even worth talking about."
"One silver coin."
"No way, that's still too cheap. How about 2 silver coins and 5 big copper coins?"
"Two silver coins."
"Hmph... fine, I guess. See you around!"
I handed over 2 silver coins and received a small box containing the glasses. It's a bit pricey as a memento, but it's within my pocket money range.
I don't usually spend money anyway. Our allowance is distributed equally (except for Sandra), and I don't really buy things.
I said "Thanks" and decided to leave the scene.
I strolled around, looking at the surrounding shops. Along the way, I suddenly thought of trying them on, so I opened the box and put them on.
"Whoa! It's really cool! Haha, nostalgic!"
I thought back to my past life. I didn't really like glasses back then, but now they're kind of interesting.
As I walked around, I bumped into someone.
"Ow!"
"Whoa!"
The woman who ran into me and fell over. I was walking really slowly, so it's more like she came sprinting towards me and crashed into me.
But I'm not a bad guy, so I couldn't just leave her there. "Are you okay?" I asked, offering her my hand.
The woman was wearing a thick, knit outfit and a hat, with rich, blue long hair. Her gaze was sharp, and she glared at me... no, wait, she was just trying to size me up.
"I-I-I-I'm so sorry... I-I-I-I-I didn't mean to bump into you, I swear! It's just that my eyes aren't very good, and I couldn't see..."
She was talking a mile a minute, trying to explain herself, but didn't even notice my hand. What a clumsy person, I thought, and it was kind of cute, so I gently grasped her hand and helped her up.
"Wa, ah..."
"Are you hurt?"
"I, no, I'm fine..."
"That's good. Is your eyesight bad?"
"Ah, yes, well, I've been overworking myself lately, and I couldn't see things clearly, that's all..."
This person is interesting. She's super otaku-like.
I used to be a hardcore otaku in my past life, and now I'm feeling a sense of camaraderie with this kind of person.
When I see someone like this, who's a bit of a klutz, I want to help her out. It reminds me of my own sharp, edgy days, and I get that feeling.
So, I remembered the small box I was holding, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Umm, it's like, fate or something..."
"Huh, what...?"
"No, I mean, it was a bargain just now, and it was quite expensive, but I just bought something."
I opened the small box and handed her a pair of glasses.
"...Huh?"
"How's that? It was a bit tight on me..."
"...T-the world, it's so clear..."
The woman's narrowed eyes, which had been squinting, suddenly opened wide behind the glasses. And with that, her impression changed completely, and I realized she was a beauty.
"Wh-Wh-What is this? A-Amazing... The world is so beautiful!"
"Hahaha. That's great. It's useless to me, but if you like it, please go ahead and use it."
"Eh, ah, ee? But, we just met, and you're already..."
"Well, that kind of thing happens, doesn't it? If that still bothers you, buy me something the next time we see each other. "
"U, ah, e... Yeah."
The woman's face turned bright red as she looked down, nodding. She looked around 20 years old, but her childish behavior made her seem even younger, which was strange.
And then, I spotted Windy and Moruru's shadows. Perfect timing, I thought, and said, "Well, then..." as I started walking.
Just then, the woman called out to me.
"Ah... Ah, no, I mean, my name is Terin."
I turned around, blinking, and replied, "Yeah?" What a cute name.
...Something about this feels familiar. Have I heard that name somewhere? Hmm...
"Uh, so, what's your name, then?"
"Ah..."
Is she really going to return the favor? I only bought it on a whim, so it's not a big deal.
But if she's going to ask me like that, it would be rude not to answer. I smiled lightly and replied.
"My name is Wade."
"――――Eh...?"
"Well, maybe we'll meet again sometime."
I walked away with a light step, feeling good about what I had just done.
* * *
Terin was frozen as he watched Wade walk away, a boy who easily gave him a mysterious tool to wear glasses.
Her limbs were small, but they were definitely trembling. "Wade, Wa, De..." she muttered, her heart racing as she took a step forward.
He was a refreshing young boy, a few years younger than her. Terin, who had never been treated kindly by a boy with that kind of atmosphere, felt her face grow hot just thinking about it.
"Fate, the beauty of the world, that refreshing and lovely smile... Ah, ah, what is this feeling?"
For Terin, who had lived a life like a bookworm, falling in love with a real person was a first-time experience.
Basically, Terin had dedicated countless loves to the charming characters in adventure stories and myths. Real men, with their physical bodies, were terrifying.
But the boy was different. With his unconditional kindness, he simply changed Terin's world. Terin didn't know the beauty of a city dyed in the evening sun. Nor did she know the lively joys of a bazaar.
That's why she think...
Why did that boy have to be 'Wade' of all people?
She walked for a while, turned into an alleyway, and made a few turns. Then, She found a door hidden in the shadows, unlocked it with a key, and entered.
There, 3 people were chatting in the living room.
A young man with a bandage over his eyes. An intelligent elf woman with long, golden hair. A small, elegantly dressed elf girl. And herself, looking out of place.
She wondered why she was mixed in with these special individuals. Then, she remembered a colleague who was executed by the authorities, and she shook her head.
"Welcome back, Terin."
"Y-yes..."
Prompted by the young man, she took a seat. Then, he opened his mouth again.
"Well, it seems we've all gathered at the scene ―― and coincidentally, we've all encountered Wade the Slow, our target for this time. Let's reintroduce ourselves."
She was taken aback. How did he know that? But the young man smiled, crossing his legs.
"First, I'm Arthur the 'Oath', a platinum-ranked Sword adventurer. Next..."
"I've been fighting alongside Arthur for a long time. I'm Alkei Fragrance, the Sage of the Forest and the chief alchemist of the 'Fragrance of the God'."
The young man with a bandage, rumored to be 'Oath' Arthur. Next to him was a refined, middle-aged elf woman, Arthur's companion and alchemist. The Sage of the Forest, I suppose, is an elven research institution.
Next, a small elf girl... or rather, a young girl opened her mouth.
"Is this one next? This one is Princess Cecilia Princi Akasia of the Elf Akasia clan. I have come to marry Margrave Birk at the request of the Roman Emperor."
Finally, the gazes of all 3 fell upon her. Uh, my heart trembled, she scolded herself, and Terin introduced herself.
"I-I am... Terin, a member of the 'Emperor's Golden Stealth Weapon Squad' and the 'Great Rune Storyteller'..."
Wow, 'Oath' and the elven alchemist exclaimed. She felt a heavy burden from the grand, unfamiliar title, and she looked down, feeling overwhelmed.
'Oath' said.
"You're a reliable team, indeed. I've known Alchei's reliability for a long time, and Princess Cecilia is an indispensable existence to control this political struggle. And―――."
'Oath' looked at Terin. Terin "huh" and shrunk, burying her head in her shoulders.
"It's amazing that one of the 5 members of the 'Emperor's Golden Stealth Weapon Squad' in the vast Roman Empire is willing to lend a hand. This war will surely be enjoyable."
Ah, 'Oath' smiled, his eyes hidden behind his bandage.
"Let's think about how to take down our target, Wade, and his group."
Terin trembled. The emperor's orders were absolute. If she disobeyed, she would die. She received a high salary, and betraying them was unthinkable.
However, the enemy was, surprisingly, that cheerful and kind boy, Wade.
"...Uh."
Between her first love and sense of duty, Terin wavered.
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