#12 Hairpin and Attraction

It was just at the right time since we were also thinking of going to eat, so we take Yae with us and enter a restaurant. However, she wouldn’t receive anything from people that she didn’t know, or something, so she wouldn’t eat.

[We would like to hear stories of your memories of travel from Ishen. In exchange, we will offer you a meal. This is not just giving, but a trade.]

And so we began ordering after saying that. Easy.

[…Hee, so Yae-san on a warrior’s training journey?]

[Mogumogu(chewing)…indeed. My household has been a family of samurai for generations de gozaru. Older brother will succeed the house so I left on a journey for the sake of polishing my skills de gozaru yo. Gokkun(gulp)]

[ I seeー, you’ve been through hardships. That’s admirable]

Elsie felt admiration for Yae, who was eating skewered beef. It doesn’t matter but, I think Yae had better decide whether to eat or to talk.

[Then, what will you do from now on Yae? Do you have a destination in mind?]

[…Zuzu〜u(slurping?), mogumogu…In the royal capital…gokkun, a long time ago, my father was taken care of so I’m thinking of visiting there de gozaru yo. Zuzu〜]

Yae answered my question while slurping on kitsune udon. I said don’t answer while eating.

[What a coincidence, we are going there for our job too. Ne, why don’t we go together if you like? We can still fit one more person on our carriage; that should be easier for Yae right?]

[Truly…hafuhafu(blowing hot food)…gozaru ka? Although I don’t hope for it de gozaru ga…hafu…mogumogu, is someone like me…gokkun, alright?]

Yae who is stuffing her cheeks with takoyaki is staring in wonder at Elsie’s proposal. But, how could you eat so much!? How many plates does this make!?

[It is no problem, right Touya-san?]

[Ah? aah, I don’t particularly mind…]

The food expenses will skyrocket if we take this child to accompany us, which gives me a different kind of worry.

Because Yae seems to be satisfied for now (Yae alone swallowed up a Hamburger, skewered beef, yakitori, kitsune udon, takoyaki, grilled fish, sandwich, beef steak) we pay the bill (泣 (T_T)) and leave the shop.

On our way back we decided to meet up again tomorrow, and when we were returning to the inn I suddenly remembered, ‘wait?’ and asked Yae about the thing I was doubting.

[Where are you going to stay Yae?]

[Ahー, eto, sleep in the open air de gozaru…]

That’s right. She’s child is penniless isn’t she….

[Something like camping…. Come to our inn and we’ll pay for another room]

[Sleeping alone in the open is dangerous desu]

[No not at all, apologies but I can’t receive so much favour…]

Well now, she won’t accept money even if it was given normally. Okay…What shall I do. That sort of reserved part is also Japanese-like.

[Yae, can you sell that ornamental hairpin to me?]

[Hairpin…de gozaru ka?]

Yae picked up the hairpin which was attached to her hair. A spotted pattern of yellow and brown.

[That is a bekko(tortoise shell) hairpin right. I’ve wanted it for some time. I was thinking of giving it to a person who I’m indebted to]

[Bekko?] (TLN: ッコウkatakana)

Elsie tried to put the unfamiliar word in her mouth.

[It’s craftwork made from the shell of a tortoise. It’s a high-quality item in my country]

Frankly, I don’t know much, but if I’m not mistaken that should’ve been the case a long time ago.

Of course, it’s a lie that I wanted it for some time. It’s a pretext to hand her money. Elsie and Lindsey seem to have taken notice of it and strongly encouraged for her to do so.

[It is no problem for me if you are satisfied with something such as this de gozaru ga…]

[Negotiation complete. Then, this is the payment]

I receive the tortoise-shell hairpin and in exchange I grasp a gold coin from my wallet.

[This, this is too much de gozaru yo! I can’t possibly accept this much! de gozaru]

[It’s fine, It’s fine. Just accept it. It seems Touya really wanted that hairpin. Hora, hora, let’s go to the inn]

[No, wai…Elsie-dono !?]

Yae is taken along with Elsie who is forcibly pulling her arm. Lindsey came to ask me while watching those two get further and further away.

[…Is that hairpin really expensive?]

[Who knows? At the very least, if it’s genuine then it should be valuable in my country, just that I don’t know the market price.]

[One gold coin even though you don’t know?]

[I guess so, I heard it’s a nice item and besides doesn’t this look expensive. I don’t think I’ve suffered a loss]

I put away the hairpin in my breast pocket with a laugh and we also begin walking towards the inn.

Afterwards, Yae got a room in the same inn as us without problems and after staying here for one night, she became a travelling companion on our carriage.

We leave the town of Amanesk and go further north.

This country, Belfast kingdom is located in the west of the Europa continent and is the second biggest country in the west.

Hence, once we are separated from the town, the houses became sparse and before long we see nothing besides mountains and forests. I wonder if the population not so high for this country.

The level of people and carriages we encounter that come and go in two hours alone, greeting or not greeting, seems to increase as we get closer to the royal capital.

As usual I’m shaking in the wagon while looking at a glimpse of Yae in the driver seat. Yae can also drive the horse perfectly so from then on it resulted to the three of them taking turns. I’m feeling increasingly ashamed, what is this sense of uselessness…….

I started studying magic from magic books, but this is by no means in order to dispel this feeling. (TLN: pun intended)

We came to know and confirmed after being taught magic by Lindsey that I can use several non-attribute magic.

At the start was Elsie’s non-attribute magic [boost] because it was useful, so we tried whether I can do it and it was activated easily.

In other words, It became clear that as long as I know the magic name and the effect of the non-attribute magic, I can activate it roughly 100% of the time. The twin sisters became shocked beyond surprise. Well, i’ll consider it a good thing because there’s no doubt this is convenient. Thank you, Kami-sama.

But, there is a little problem. Non-attribute magic is close to personal magic. That means it’s not spread as much in the world. Therefore, I had to buy a book with various non-attribute magic from the past written on it if I intended to learn any usable magic.

But, there is also a problem in this. There’s just too many. The amount is almost at the same level as a phone book.

What’s recorded is only the magic that individual can use, magic to lengthen the time of smoke of an incense stick, magic to make the colour of tea more vivid, magic to smooth off splinters from wood and so forth, There were also magic with considerable limitations. More precisely, almost everything is like that.

I don’t even know to what extent they can be used, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to memorize everything from the beginning. Honestly, however, even with God’s memory enhancement, I don’t have confidence remembering the phone book.

Trying to find useful magic in the phonebook is to put it bluntly, bothersome. It feels like looking for a needle in a desert. It’s tiring. Having said that, I don’t really have anything to do besides this, and thus I run my eyes across the book pages……oh?

[Magic to pull small items towards your hand……huh. I wonder if that’s usable]

[Why don’t you try? desu]

Lindsey comes to take a peek. That’s right, let’s try it first.

[Aport]

However, nothing happened. huh? But there was a feeling of pulling something….

Elsie who was similarly shaking in the carriage, called out to me who failed the magic.

[What were you trying to pull?] (TLN: pun intended)

[Yae’s katana. I wondered if she would be surprised if it suddenly disappeared. hmm……aah, is it the size? Small items is written after all]

Once more, this time I activate it with an even clearer image.

[Aport]

[fuwaa!?]

We heard Yae’s panicked voice who is sitting in the driver’s seat.

The braided rope that bound Yae’s hair was in my hand.

[Success desu ne. It’s useful depending on the usage, but it can also be frightening]

[Frightening?]

[Because, their belongings disappear while not even knowing. With this, you can do such things like pickpocketing as you please right?]

[Indeed…. It’s scary if you think about it. Like that, you can steal all kinds of things such as money and jewelry…]

[…..You won’t do that right?]

[……Please don’t do it, ok?]

Elsie and Lindsey starts appealing with scornful eyes. How rude.

[I won’t do those kinds of things. Still, with this can I pull things like underwear as well…?]

Elsie and Lindsey suddenly increase their distance from me. It was a joke.

[Excuse me〜, my hair is fluttering with the wind de gozaru ga……]

I return the braided rope as soon as Yae turned around. ah, I forgot.