CH 143

For the next day we had decided to take a look at everything, albeit halfheartedly.

“…Even if it doesn’t go as far as…me being a sword and armor collector, I should have a bit more interest in this town as a normal adventurer. But, as unfortunate and depressing it might be, I can handle everything with my wooden sword anyway,” I grumbled.

In response Sword grumbled as well, “No kiddin’… I mean, look, once I got to experience your laser sword, I’ve started believin’ that I might be fine with that alone. You can’t stab with it, but I got the guns for situations requirin’ piercin’. Somehow I’m recently only fightin’ with the swords I gathered ’cause it’d be a waste not to.”

“The feeling of waste is even stronger on my side. I’m not finding any use for the toys I created myself.” I haven’t even unveiled my long-awaited magenta laser sword. “Well, a laser has its weak points. I haven’t taught you, though. Mr. Amato might know them, but I doubt anyone in this world is aware of them.”

“Ehh!? Seriously!?” Sword was startled.

“That’s why you shouldn’t overestimate your laser sword as an almighty weapon working against everything. If you don’t use it as a trump card, it might stop being a viable option if people find out about the weak points.”

“Okay! I’ll keep it firmly in mind!”

So he says.

＊

We checked all the available stores and entered those of interest, but the process of the clerks only dealing with Sword and him subsequently getting angry and dragging me out…repeated itself. Just as I started to get tired of this, we came out on a plaza-like street.

Over here, vendors were selling their wares at stalls…no, even more amazingly, on cloths that had been spread out on the ground. It was kinda like running a flea market under the blue sky.

Still, I found this method to actually be more fun.

The prices were dirt cheap, and many of the items were, to be honest, trashy. For example all the blunt swords, even an amateur like me could identify.

As we walked along the streets, the touting was really intense, but Sword and I made sure to shut them out with my soundproofing spell. While we aimlessly did some window-shopping, I suddenly spotted the elf I passed yesterday having their own little sale at a spot that was isolated from the others.

“””Ah!”””

They apparently recalled us as well, seeing how they raised their voice instinctively. The pretty elf (gender unclear while their age seemed to be close to mine) was an inhabitant of this town, huh?

And what’s the elf selling…hmm?

I tilted my head in confusion, “What’s this?”

“U-Umm, e-err, you see, a-a wind magic tool…it cuts…paper…and whirls…up paper…with wind…that’s all…”

Paper scraps were fluttering about above a metallic plate. They looked like butterflies, leaves, or falling cherry blossoms.

“…How regrettable.”

“Huh?”

“Instead of just making paper scraps whirl around, it’d be a lot flashier if the paper had proper shapes. For example, butterflies…umm, what kind of monster is it over here?” I looked back at Sword.

“Eh? Are you talkin’ ’bout Poison Butterflies?”

“That’s it! You should cut the paper in such shapes and let them flutter about.”

“Okay, but I doubt ‘nyone other than you would buy ‘nythin’ like that.”

Shut up!

“Then go with flower petals! Cut the paper into petals and add flowers and blooming trees as objects of art. With the bottom made out of metal, it won’t matter whether those objects are made out of paper, cloth, or wood. If you do it like that, it’ll look a lot prettier.”

The pretty elf had stared at me with their mouth agape, but now it gradually transformed into a smile.

“…Right! That’s the scenery I wanted to reproduce!”

“Be more elaborate about it then. No one can tell what it’s supposed to be in its current state.”

The elf nodded cheerfully. Their beaming face had a considerably destructive force. But, it immediately withered away.

“Ah…but right now, funds are more important…”

…..Hmm, I see.

“…So, dear beauty, what kind of gender do you have?”

“Eh? Me? Umm, so far as it goes, I’m a girl…” (T/N: A girl referring to herself with a male pronoun. Or in other words, another gender pun by our author)

Her words became quieter and quieter towards the end.

I see. A boyish girl, huh? Her chest is as flat as mine. That’s why I asked about her gender, though.

“Very well, Ms. Pretty Elf, my name is Indra. As a matter of fact, we’ve come to this town to scout new personnel. Won’t you consider working at the base of Sword – the guy next to me? We’re looking for people who can realize my visions, and as far as I can tell, you meet that condition.”

Sword became dumbfounded. The elf too.

“Eh? Umm? Me? Are you talking about me?”

“Of course, I’m also a beautiful girl, but I’m not an elf, so I’m obviously not meant here.”

“Huh?”

Somehow she answered with another question, but I wonder what part she’s questioning?

“Umm, my name is Planavayuh. Please call me Plana.”

“Nice to meet you, Plana.”

“Umm, that’s………..were you telling the truth just now?”

“Of course. I do tell lies and joke around, but it’d be pointless to do so right now.”

“Hmm, that’s the part where you’d usually declare that your not lyin’ or jokin’, you know?”

That retort was stabbing!

“Umm, then…then! Err! You’re adventurers, right!? Umm, we met at the guild, didn’t we!?”

“Quite so.”

“Please help me then! I’ll come with you people! I won’t mind what you do to me either! So please save my friend!” She said while bowing her head.

I exchanged a look with Sword.

“My friend hasn’t come back from the mountains for three days now. I have no other friend than him and he has always been helping me out. That’s why I thought it’d be my turn to help him this time, but……the request fee was too high for me to pay. For this reason, I was trying to earn at least a bit of money by selling this here…”

How praiseworthy. For such a decent human to exist in this world…ah, she’s no human, but a fairy.

“Then I must charge you with a request fee,” I heaved up her paper-whirling toy in front of her as she was gloomily looking downwards. “Please sell this to me. It might crush your pride, but I want to customize this so that it suits my own taste. That’ll be your request fee. …How about it?”

After pulling a surprised expression, Plana started to smile, “…Okay! Please do!”

Alright, I got permission. This is unexpectedly amazing, isn’t it? It has been designed in a way that hindered the paper scraps to fly all over the place. It’s what you’d call an electric snow dome, I’d say? Moreover, the snow of such items is contained in a dome, but this item has no physical limitations. I really love such toys! I’ll totally customize it to my heart’s content!

＊

As I thought all that, Sword laughed out.

“So you finally spotted somethin’ you like after we walked this blacksmith town from one end to the other, eh? That’s great to see,” he commented while caressing my head.