CH 25.1

On the right, trees are planted to divide the outside from the inside. To the left, the crowd is enjoying their daily lives. At the back, a fountain that creates cool and refreshing air is making a gurgling sound.

As I look up, the sunlight is strong enough to make me feel like it's summer even though it is spring. When I look down, I see a round desk made of wood while shadows are cast by the two of us.

The place where Spica and I are now is Miel's Odori Park, and I collapse helplessly onto the round desk. The reason is obvious, I don't even have time to think about it.

The sound of a musical instrument called a concertina being played, while the sound of a lively voice reading out a story to accompany it.

"A silver dragon emerged from the large devil’s den. The silver dragon priestess who followed it said to the evil impostor in the village, "You are wrong.“ Then the silver dragon roared..."

Even if I don't listen to it carefully, it's a familiar story. I can even grade the content of the song in detail.

First of all, there is no such thing as a silver dragon priestess. And the silver dragon is fake, in fact, I was the one who made it. ...Well, it's a completely different story.

Nevertheless, just listening to it makes my body itch.

The story begins with the claim that it is "the great story from a troop merchant." The story is about a village that was saved by a dragon priestess and her followers. The name of the village is not mentioned, but the word "Devil’s Den" gives an idea of where the story is about.

We both overslept and missed breakfast, so we decided to have an early lunch and listen to the story while eating skewers from an open-air restaurant. ...We almost spew out our meat. Damn, it is a close call.

We walk slowly and leisurely from the village of Parose to the town of Miel, so it is not surprising that a group of traders pass us in the meantime.

I can imagine Lark-kun, the man who had seen us off at Parose Village, happily recounting the events.

"The dragon priestess returned to Den and brought peace to the village. I'm sure she's still watching over the village....”

The sound of applause from the crowd who had been listening rang out. The sound made me feel uncomfortable, and a frown appeared on my face.

I murmur to Spica, who looks at me in shame with a frown.

“...Silver Dragon Priestess."

Thumb!

She throws me on the table and hits me on the arm. But she isn't putting any effort into it, so it didn't hurt at all.

Spica's expression seems as if she's biting into something bitter, and this time I turn to smirk at her.

"... A shrine maiden's attendant"

Oh no, I’m hit with a painful counterattack.

...Okay, I get it. This conflict does not produce anything. Let us live in peace.

I take out a completely chilled skewer from the container, open my mouth wide and bite into it, while the background music is a passionate concertina.

I wonder why I’m out there in the first place. It's not just to eat. I look up at the sky and see not a single cloud in the sky - a perfect day for shopping.

The first place we visit is a market with a wide variety of food products.

From common items such as wheat, potatoes, salt, and ...to things you can't imagine tasting until you try them, such as mako bamboo, dried curagon, exploding grass, and mishmash meat.

The corner with the most unique atmosphere is a collection of edible insects. Spica and I looked at each other and shook our heads. I'm really glad. I guess we both don't like eating insects.

We buy what we can find in the order of ease of cooking and put them in my pouch.

The next stop is a corner lined with specialty stores.

The first store we enter is labeled as a tool store, and it sells a wide range of items, from things necessary for adventuring to consumables.