Chapter 204 - New Home, and the Next Morning
When I woke up, Fam was praying next to the bed. Nothing has changed.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
Come to think of it, this isn’t an inn. I have to cook myself. When I went downstairs, Myla was sitting alone.
A quiet space, with morning sunlight streaming in through the window, and a woman dressed in monk’s robes sitting on a simple wooden chair. It was like a painting. Sensing us, she gave us a smile. That too was like a painting.
"Have you had breakfast?"
"It hasn’t been prepared."
Apparently, she has no intention of cooking herself. There’s no one in the kitchen. I remembered Fam saying there was an ice room behind the house. The cold air was palpable even from the slightly cracked door, but aside from lots of corn that must be stocked up, no other ingredients were visible.
"Moe prepared the ice."
"Was the corn Fam’s?"
"Yes."
I felt strong pressure from her to make grilled corn, but eating it for breakfast felt a little strange.
"Come to think of it, there were grapes last night."
"There is an orchard on the grounds."
It was night when I went to the bath, so I only saw that trees were growing thickly, but various trees must be planted.
"Grilled corn is for night. Are we going to the market to buy breakfast ingredients?"
"Yes, the market is nearby."
I went outside with Fam and Myla.
Two men dressed as priests were standing at the gate. They were carrying long spears, but they lowered their weapons and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning."
I was surprised to be greeted.
"I forgot to say. When you took the Crystal Core last night, Archbishop Eliza told me she wanted to thank you. So they’re guarding the place. Oh, and they’re going to give us 50 Gold Coins."
"We won’t have money to pay them if we have them guarding us."
Moreover, it feels somewhat coercive and a little scary. Being greeted like that also feels like I’m being pressured. Still, 50 Gold Coins is appreciated. I would have liked them to give us the full 100 Gold Coins for the land as a guarding fee instead of guarding, but they must have their circumstances.
"They said the guarding is free."
I think nothing is more scary than free, but Myla was originally dispatched by the church. I share the money I earn from adventures equally with Myla, but I haven’t paid the church, her employer, a reward. If the church hadn’t lent Myla, it would have been even harder to get used to this life. I should rethink about treating the church coldly. We returned the greetings to them and followed Fam to the market.
"Won’t you have trouble if no one is guarding the gate when someone comes?"
Myla asked.
"Come to think of it, that’s true. Why isn’t there a doorbell anyway? No one will know if someone comes, and anyone can break in."
"That property was the Starunion family’s asset. They don’t use doorbells to announce visitors. They use people."
"...I see."
After all, it’s not a place that suits me.
"Myla."
"Yes, what is it?"
"I forgot to say, it’s dangerous, so don’t go out alone at night. I’ll go with you if you ask."
Her expression softened, and a smile suddenly appeared.
"Kyafu. Mash! How cute!"
She took my arm and clung to me.
We bought kebab sandwiches for breakfast at the market, ingredients for dinner that day, and ingredients that could be stored for a long time and food for the road. Now that I think about it, I could have bought food for a few days and put it in storage, but I didn’t feel like it. I feel like I’ll eventually get tired of it and start preparing ahead, but for now, I’ll live a life going to the market to get used to the city. Also, I need to think about a balanced diet because I’ll continue to cook. I only know the recipes from my original world, and the repertoire between me and Mizuki is limited. Fam only makes what she likes. Myla and Marmie are hopeless. All that’s left is how much Patricia can do, but considering that she wasn’t in the kitchen last night, her cooking skills don’t seem to be good.
"By the way, do we need to buy firewood too?"
"If you put magic into it, it works as a system to generate heat, so if Mash or Moe are there, it’s fine. Magic can be accumulated, so it can be used for about 10 days if you inject it. You’ll eventually need firewood for the fireplace, but it’s stored in the warehouse, so you don’t need it for a while."
Myla answered. She looks like a new bride, talking about the house with one finger raised and looking a little proud.
"As expected of an elf house."
I think it’s like a house that uses all its energy with electricity, but I keep quiet because it won’t be understood.
"The system that accumulates magic and the technology using magic circles is more of the dwarves’ field than the elves, you know?"
"Now that you mention it, there were items with magic put into them in my equipment."
I have an image of dwarves as blacksmiths, but it seems that even among them, there is technology that uses magic.
"Yes. The barriers on the monster-repellent stone pillars on the road are also like that."
Myla added an explanation.
"I had no image of dwarves using magic."
"Elves, dwarves, and demons are special races. Among them, elves and dwarves are said to be races created by the intermingling of gods and humans. Elves have high magic power and are skilled in its use. On the other hand, dwarves do not have as much magic power as elves, but they are skilled in accumulating and processing magic power."
"A god gave birth to a human child? Is it one of the five pillar goddesses?"
I’ve been wondering about this since I heard about the elves. Which of the five pillar goddesses? Now, if Racshell were to have a child, I wonder what would be born.
"It’s the elves and dwarves of the Fifty Gods. But, they are male gods, so they left their children in humans."
There are gods called Elven and Dwarven in the Fifty Gods. I have to be careful not to get confused and tangled up by being a bit confusing.
"Wait. Aren’t they saying that it’s just the other way around? That the mother race gives birth to them."
"That’s a story after the gods’ war. But, both the elf and dwarf races may be part of the human race in a broad sense. The influence of the gods was too strong."
I don’t understand it, but I understand it. I turn my thoughts back to the dwarves. The miracle power controlled by the church and the power to seal magic in the basement may be the technology of the dwarves. Then, they might also have the power to break curses. Next time I have a chance to meet Caracina or Petra, I’ll try to confirm it.
"Are there lights that light up with magic or outdoor lights?"
"If it’s not like the flashy lighting you saw on Longhorn Street, you can probably buy them at a store run by dwarves. I think it will be expensive though."
When we returned to the gate, there was a person wearing baggy clothes with the shrine soldiers. They were hugging a large barrel.
"Petra… is it?"
When I asked, she nodded.
"Can’t you tell from my appearance?"
She raised the rim of her glasses slightly. She looked like nothing more than a stranger, but I introduced her to Fam and Myla.
"Well, come in for now. It’s not breakfast yet. If you like, let’s eat together."
"I’ve already eaten, but I’ll keep you company."
We gave kebab sandwiches to the gatekeepers who were guarding us and entered the house.
Mizuki, Marmie, and Patricia were in the dining room. Patricia, seeing me, blushed and averted her gaze as if panicking. After rubbing her chest so much in the bath last night, can she still be embarrassed? Myla became speechless at her attitude.
"Did you add another one?!"
"...Patricia and I are a set. You can’t count us separately."
Marmie replied. Patricia frowned and looked slightly uncomfortable next to her. She looks very uncomfortable. seeing her condition, Myla sighed deeply.
"So, Petra, what about that barrel?"
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
"This is from my grandpa. It’s an ale to celebrate my new home."
The barrel was placed on the floor. I tried to move it to the kitchen, but it wouldn’t budge. I thought it wouldn’t matter much because she lifted it easily, but the barrel was full to the brim. While I was struggling, Petra noticed and carried it to the back of the kitchen. And then we all snack on kebab sandwiches. Grapes and Ayran were lined up on the table. I want to drink tea or coffee, but there wasn’t anything sold in the market. The amount of distribution that ordinary people can buy doesn’t seem to be much. Next time, I’ll ask Claire to prepare it for me.
"By the way, the repair of the sword requires defeating monsters in the dungeon, right?"
Petra nodded.
"Magic seeds dropped by Area Guardians on the 4th and 5th floors of the Crystal Palace."
"...We only just became C-rank adventurers recently. They’re extremely weak. Also, magic seeds don’t drop easily. I have some magic seeds. Is that not good enough?"
"You know there are types of magic seeds too. It has to be one dropped by that monster."
In addition to giving and supplying magic power, magic seeds also raise stats slightly when taken into the body. The stats that rise depend on the defeated monster. However, the drop probability is low, and they are traded at high prices as rare items.
"If you’re going to defeat monsters on that floor, you can fight while experimenting, so it should work out, but an Area Guardian is impossible. Also, magic seeds are rare drops. You have to challenge it many times to get it. You might not get a drop in your lifetime. I want to have the sword fixed, but I don’t want to risk danger to do so."
I looked at the faces of my comrades.
"That morning, I was at Truls-sama’s before meeting you. According to his senses, your abilities are fine even above the 50th floor of the Crystal Palace. I heard that magic seeds are also common drops. You must have some kind of skill or item. He heard about your fighting skills From your grandpa too."
I thought I hadn’t seen Marmie or the figure of Knight Captain Truls this morning, but he was already there. If he’s here, I’ll be taken away again by force.
"That person has gone where?"
"He said he’d come to protect me and left."
"...By the way, is Petra strong?"
"I’m a B-rank adventurer. I don’t do much dungeon exploration, but I’ve been to the 4th and 5th floors many times."
"Alright, that settles it."
Petra stood up. I didn’t want to, so I crossed my arms and stared at her when Fam stood up.
"Master-sama, let’s go. I think, but that sword is Master-sama’s mental support, isn’t it?"
That sword was casually handed to me by Eidan. More than that, the conversation when I was given the wakizashi has remained in my heart. I have to protect Fam. And I entrusted Sesily and Aila. Myla stood up too.
"I also have a debt I can never repay to Eidan-san. My mace is also a precious thing made by Eidan-san. I kind of understand how Mash is feeling."
Myla took out her mace from storage and wielded it bravely. I should probably keep quiet about the fact that she uses that mace to fight with her sisters. Next to her, Mizuki also drew her sword.
"If that sword is broken, I’ll get sad, so I’m going to get everyone magic seeds too!"
"...Oh, am I the only one who doesn’t have equipment?"
Next to Mizuki, Marmie stroked her wand.
"If it’s okay with you, can I make Lord Mo’s wand for you?"
Petra spoke to Marmie. Does Petra also speak politely to Marmie? I wonder if she was also polite to Marmie. I can’t remember.
"...I have an attachment to this wand, though."
"You can use it as a spare, right?"
"...Understood. Then please."
We began to walk towards the door in order to go to the Crystal Palace. Patricia followed us to see us off. Marmie, noticing her figure, stopped suddenly.
"...Mash."
"What is it?"
"...As Patricia, give me a departure kiss so that I can go."
Patricia was surprised by those words and backed away slowly. Her footsteps echoed on the stone floor.
"Nunahh!" and covered her mouth with her arm in a panic, her face flushed red. "W-W-W-What, I’m still in the trial period! Lord Mo, please do that!"
Marmie didn’t answer, and circled behind her, gently pushing her back. Reflexively, I caught Patricia, who was swaying. Her body was trembling slightly.
"Mash, t-this is my first time."
She averted her gaze with a flushed face.
"I see, I’m…"
I tried to count, but Patricia quickly put her hand over my mouth.
"You don’t have to answer. Please look after Lord Mo. I’ll pray for everyone’s safety to Racshell-sama."
I gently lifted her chin. Patricia didn’t resist, and blurred eyes stared straight at me. Drawn to it, I brought my face closer, and she slowly closed her eyes. When I kissed her lips, a soft and warm sensation was transmitted, and that sweet ripple slowly spread throughout my body. Even after parting, the arms hugging each other didn’t separate. Slowly opening my eyes, her face was right there.
"Patricia…"
As I tried to say the words, I realized that Fam and the others were lined up behind her. Marmie, who had been watching me and Patricia, also noticed that she was in line and lined up at the end. Petra, who was left behind, shrugged as if wondering what to do.
"Are you going to line up too?"
"No, I’ll refrain. I’ll wait outside, so make it quick."
She waved and left.