Volume 11 - CH 9

Vol 11 Chapter 9

“Uwaah, uwaah! Yuuji-nii, it’s a ship! It’s the first time Alice saw one! It’s so big!”

“Ooh, you’re right! Does it advance with that sail? Even so, ships are a romance, right~”

On the dry riverbed of Premie city, Alice’s excited voice resounded.

Yuuji answered her with a smile.

Incidentally, Yuuji was half naked. He had finally become a pervert.

No, that was not it. Yuuji had gone to Premie city specialty- the riverside sauna.

Furthermore, with Kevin’s judgment, he booked the sauna.

‘Human ships are large, aren’t they… Yuuji-nii, where did that ship come from?’

‘Just a second, Riese’

Interpreting Riese’s words, Yuuji asked Kevin.

By the way, this time the men were wearing briefs, and Alice and Riese were wearing clothes exclusive for hot springs that the sauna had rented out. The two of them were not getting excited. Never mind the nine year old Alice, Riese was already twelve however. Apparently elven ladies are modest. Their bodies that is.

“Going naked is already problematic unlike the previous time as expected,” they said and so it became a clothed sauna time. 

Riese took off her knit cap that she had been constantly wearing since coming to the city, and exposed her elven characteristic ears. For that reason Kevin had reserved the entire sauna. It was for a short time so it was not a considerable sum and it seems it was something influential people from the city occasionally do.

“Where did it come from, she asks? It came from downstream, so it likely must be from the royal capital. There is the possibility of them being attacked by aquatic monsters, but they have different amounts of goods they’re carrying. There are many merchants with dreams of getting rich quickly you know”

“Oh really… By the way, aren’t there any small ships for personal use? Like for travelling…”

“Mr Yuuji, there are hardly any. Small ships would certainly be attacked by aquatic monsters. Even if you hire experienced escorts, it would be bad if it gets dragged into the water by having a hole opened in the bilge where we can’t reach. The bilge is more or less reinforced, but…”

“As for the large ships, the aquatic monsters  simply get the mistaken idea that they “would likely be defeated by a large enemy” and would not attack” Kevin continued. Even so there apparently had been many incidents where they had been attacked and sunk.

“Huh, I see. So water transport isn’t worth it then…”

“Yes it isn’t. You’re relying on fate whether you yield a profit or go bankrupt. Neither Gaegus company where I have studied under nor my company are getting involved in water transportation”

Kevin so said and gazed at the sailing ship.

Incidentally , the ship was a so-called walkaround ship with a shallow draft. When moving up a river, it would appear to move forward by occasionally receiving the wind caused by magic in its sail.

Yuuji interpreted Kevin’s talk and let Riese, who was waiting for an answer with sparkling eyes, hear it.

The next day after finishing their conversation with the feudal lord.

Kevin, his two exclusive escorts, Kotarou and the guild master Salomon. Surrounded by the escorting adults, the two girls went to look around Premie city.

Along with a suspiciously acting Yuuji who raised his camera, that was stored in a handmade black box, to his chest.

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Alice, Riese, hold my hands, okay? Don’t let go, you hear!”

“Okay~” answered the two girls to Yuuji’s words.

After coming out of the sauna, the group seemed to have finally headed to sightseeing the city of Premie.

Yuuji held Alice’s left hand, and Alice’s right hand was held by the elven girl Riese. Walking beside Riese as her escort was the adventurers guild master Salomon. 

Walking in front of them was the guide Kevin and the cheery tail wagging Kotarou.

Walking behind them were Kevin’s two exclusive escorts. Were Kevin’s escorts fine with this? Well, Kevin himself held the nickname ‘Fighting Peddler’. When needed, he would fight, rocking his well built body. Probably.

The group exited the main street and headed to the open air market. Riese opened her eyes wide.

Both people and houses were mixed in any case.

‘Uwaah… humans are amazing, aren’t they! They’re all jumbled up!’

Riese told Yuuji with a smile.

She seemed to have been surprised at her impression just like when Yuuji visited Premie city for the first time.

Various men and women were walking.

People in travelling clothes, merchant-like people, people wearing weapons and clad in armor like Yuuji and farmer-like people. As garments were varied, so were the races. People resembling caucasoids and mongoloids as well as beastkins resembling bipedal dogs and cats.

Not only was Riese looking around restlessly, Yuuji was also fidgety, holding a stick in his empty right hand.

What Yuuji was holding was an article made to order by woodworker Thomas. On the tip of the stick was the camera installed, housed inside a black box.

It was a selfie stick. It appears that Yuuji was filming the city’s state in video mode.

‘Riese, I heard this is a city of immigrants from the beginning. That’s why both people and buildings are mixed up’

Yuuji told Riese what he heard from Kevin the other day.

“That’s right, isn’t it!” Riese answered in high spirits as she swung their connected hands back and forth. It was a completely unladylike behavior. It seems the only modest thing was her body. 

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With no troubles in particular, the group arrived at premie city’s open air market.

This was today’s objective.

Not paying attention to the foodstuff, where Riese wished to come to was the clothing area. 

Unlike Kotarou and the escorts who were steeling themselves, Alice and Rieze were looking around while frolicking around.

Riese had put on the knit cap, hiding her elven characteristic sharp ears. It was mysterious how she and Alice appeared like close sisters despite the different hair and eye color. So much that even the stall vendors mistakenly greeted them as sisters. It was possible that it was not unusual to have blood relatives with different hair and eye color in the city of Premie, where various races were mingling with each other.

‘Uhm, but the clothes in Yuuji-nii’s house or the clothes Mrs Yurshelle made are prettier’

While murmuring such words, Riese still looked around her first human city and its marketplace happily. Such Riese suddenly stopped walking.

‘Riese, what’s wrong? Is there anything you want?’

Yuuji, who put his increased physical ability to good use in keeping up the camera, called out to her. It was a waste of ability. No, he had buyers of the video. If the camera shakes would be decreased with his increased physical strength, then it would surely be a valid way of life.

What Riese took notice of was the ornament stall.

It was a store where accessories made of metal, wood, fabric or threads were lined up.

“Lord Yuuji, how about you buy something there? Come to think of it, you have not yet received the goblin and orc subjugation commission rewards have you? Well, with just your portion on the wyvern leather, you would have money remaining even if you were to buy up every commodity on this store though”

Guildmaster Salomon, who was travelling along as Riese’s escort, whispered to Yuuji. Perhaps she heard his voice, Kotarou barked once. Oh my Salomon, you can pay attention to women don’t you, that is unexpected, is what she seemed to say. She was an impolite woman. Is she a beast?

“Okay, you two, you can pick something you like! I’ll give it to you as a present!”

Yuuji informed them in local language and then in elven language.

The eyes of the two girls glittered at once and began making their choice. Kevin, his two exclusive escorts and Salomon gathered around them in order to conceal the two who were focusing. They were like men protecting a girl from a group of geeks.

‘Yuuji-nii, this one’s fine! Let’s get a matching one for everyone; Riese, Alice-chan, Yuuji-nii and Kotarou!’

What Riese chose was an accessory knitted with various colored strings. It was also known as the Misanga on Earth. Nostalgic. By the way, it was the beadless, string-only misanga.

‘Riese, is this fine with you? You can pick much better ones you know?’

‘It’s fine! I mean, this can even be put on Kotarou, right?’

Riese asserted smilingly.

Kotarou swung her tail in excitement and clung to Riese. Thank you, you’re a good girl aren’t you Riese, she seemingly said.

Yuuji, after paying the bill, put the misanga on the two girls and the dog at once.

On the left wrist of Alice, Riese and Yuuji.

And on Kotarou’s neck.

Incidentally, in this world it had no significance of being a carrier of good luck where it would grant a wish if it breaks naturally.

Even so, after putting in a prayer, Yuuji tied the misanga.

That Alice, Riese and Kotarou would stay in good health and happiness.

Yuuji was completely in the mood of being Riese’s guardian.

Well in reality, Yuuji is officially her guardian until Riese returns to the elven country.