CH 8

「Oh, are you lost?」

It was a girl about 2 to 3 years older than me who asked from the other side of window. Her translucent blue hair styled in bob cut is cute, and she also gives off the impression of an energetic girl.

Because she was wearing the same red iron breastplate that soldiers wore when I saw them in the city, this girl might also be one. Even so, it feels like she’s a little too young, and I haven’t seen any soldier around her age, not until now that is.

「Playing pretend?」

「No, that’s wrong, I am a proper knight member! ……although I’m just an apprentice」

「H~nn」

When I looked at her directly with doubting eyes, the girl corrected her posture and spoke once more properly introducing herself.

「Aries Royal Knight Apprentice, Lutie・Esta・Aries」

She was standing in straight and proper posture which makes you think that she definitely belongs to the Royal Knights.

But it’s the extended name that I’m more interested in.

「Aries, your name, same with the King?」

Because her last name was the same as the Ruler of this country, I asked if she was a relative or something, but she shook her head in denial.

（It’s probably because they are not related）

When I was thinking that it might just be a popular family name, Lutie finally opened her mouth to confirm what I wanted to know.

「There’s just a little circumstance to it, but if you really want to know, it won’t really be bother to tell you」

「Is that so」

Well, I’m not really that interested anyway. I then turned towards the industrial area since that’s where I was planning to go. I would like to inquire if it’s fine for me to go there.

「As I thought, you are definitely lost, right?」

「Nope」

「Lutie, guide that girl around, and while you’re at it buy some stuff from the stalls when you return」

Even though I said it was wrong, the old soldier who came out from the back of the station asked her to guide me back. He looked like a muscular grandpa at the peak of his life with white hair was already visible on his head. He also had the atmosphere of a veteran, but because he’s supporting his body with a cane, I don’t think he’s fit for fighting anymore.

Lutie was just an apprentice knight, and there are a lot of people here to serve as watchers for the garrison, and most of them only need to reply by the window.

Telling her to guide me might just be an excuse to let her go out and play, but well my aim is actually the industrial district, and I’m not really lost though……

「Yes! But well, this child was saying that she’s not a lost person……」

Lutie is such a good girl that she even reported it to her boss.

「What? So she’s not a lost child huh. It’s a pity then. So she’s not really a lost child huh. Is that really so」

That’s really disappointing…… is what the old man was murmuring. As I have expected, this old man was setting it up for Lutie to go out and have fun, well if it didn’t really bother them then I’ll help a little.

「Um, but still new to this place, can help check it out」

I then point my sight to the old man to confirm. Oh, his eyes were shining brightly, probably because he realized that this time he found a comrade. I will also be able to look around the city, so it will be a win-win situation.

「Okay then, you can be her guide! You can come back later Lutie」

「Yes! Then, it will be my duty to show this child around! Is there any place you want to head to?」

「There」

I pointed at the industrial district. Lutie nodded in confirmation then saluted to the old man.

「Well then, let us depart」

「Wait for a moment」

The old man disappeared inside the office walking with a cane, but immediately came back afterwards and gave us some coins from his pocket. It was around 500 griss that was given to Lutie.

「It’s pocket money for the both of you, you may also use the rest for yourself Lutie」

「Am I also included in this?」

「Jou-chan, it’s fine, even if she’s only guiding you, that will serve as compliment for playing with Lutie」

「Nn, then its fine」

「But, but, I also have my—–」

「Annoying. It’s a festival right now, and there are a lot of people around doing patrols and assisting, even the people who have retired and children of those who work here. If anybody asks why are you not patrolling then you can tell them『Griffit ordered me to go and play』」

「Hai! I understand」

「Let’s go」

「Then again, let me guide you as we go」

「Umu」

Waving to the old man Griffit, we finally left the station.

The place we are headed to is called 『North District』 which has become a trade and industrial area. The metal works factory and other workshops are still up and running. Even though there is a festival the sound of clanging metals can still be heard.

There’s a shopping area away from the factories which is the place where they do transactions and accept orders.

「We don’t put stores near the factories. This is in order to keep their manufacturing methods secret, so I don’t think you would see anything interesting around here.」

「I see」

「Oh, right, I still haven’t asked for your name」

「Me, Toto」

「Toto is it. If it’s the shopping area of the north district, then there should still be places that are open」

「Nn」

The shopping area here is quite different from the west district. For example, there are hardly any shops selling expensive items, and the places found there are mainly taverns, inns and drugstores. There are some weapon shops and armor repair shops, but there not as many.

Interesting things to find here, that would probably be some special commodities that are rarely found elsewhere. There were also a lot of specialty shops selling tools and dyes.

After a while we arrived at an open place, where we found so many goods like daily necessities and other cheap products for sale, and they were displayed like in a bazaar.

「……it’s a mountain of treasures」

Even in my previous life, well, something like this has always been an impressive sight for me. Places like those that you could see in shopping malls and home centers wehn they have a sale.

There are tools being displayed that I didn’t know how to use, not to mention the beautifully designed stationeries which we could only stare at. I also bought some rare goods.

「Toto, are you interested in daily necessities?」

「Un, Love」

「Okay, then, you can look around here slowly, I be going somewhere else first」

I nodded and took out my pocket watch. Currently the time is 3 o’clock, so I should still have some time before I have to return to the Inn.

「What about Luu-chan?」

「Adding 『chan』when calling me makes me feel kind of itchy, but I guess it’s fine. You are also free to call me Lutie, you know」

「Okay. But Luu-chan, are you okay with time?」

「U~n……I would like to go over there to check some things before returning」

Lutie pointed at a place where swords and shields were displayed. Some swords were placed on something that resembled umbrella stands, others were placed in jars which were also resembling umbrella stands, so the display isn’t bad but kind of surreal.

「Is that so, then let’s go there」

「Is it fine going along with me?」

「Un, I also want to see」

It’s not like I’m really aiming for anything, I’m just looking around and I’m enjoying it. There isn’t anything that I really want to buy, and I’m satisfied just checking new things that I haven’t seen before.

Something that would you expect if you ever come into a world like this, that would be swords and armors. As expected, I would also be interested to look at things that could be found in weapon shops.

「Oh, what a cute little customer we have here」

When I was looking at a sword displayed in the open, I heard the voice of an onii-san who was sitting in a wooden chair calling over to us. It looked like he was curious about us. But after looking over at Lutie, he looked slightly depressed and scratched his cheek with his index finger.

「I don’t think the soldier-san over there would find anything worth using though since they might just end up breaking」

「Umm, Ah, I’m only an apprentice so……」

「Apprentice is it?」

「Yes, Aries Royal Knight Apprentice, Lutie・Esta・Aries」

「Oh, a girl from the clan of Esta」

The Onii-san seems to have realized something, but I only tilt my head not understanding anything. Then the Onii-san clapped his hands as if he noticed something again.

「Esta clan?」

「Nn, it’s an orphanage at the western district」

Orphanage…… thinking about that I concluded that Lutie was an orphan, but there’s something else that the Onii-san noticed which isn’t related to the orphanage.

Lutie was getting tired seeing my inquiring look, so after a while she heaved a sigh and finally explained it.

「Esta is the name of the orphanage in the western district. Each orphan is given a family name based on the name of the orphanage. And if there are orphans with an exceptional talent among them, they will be further trained, and when their talent finally blooms, the will be given the second name Aries which is a symbol of pledging loyalty to the country」

「I see」

「And that’s why, I am name Lutie Esta Aries」

「Luu, Strong?」

「Even though it’s embarrassing, I’m not really that great…… The only thing I could probably do is 《Protect》someone」

「Pwotek」

I think it’s already good enough if you can protect somebody, and then you can leave the attack to someone else. I see, that is why Lutie was enlisted into the knight order.

「By the way, is there something else you would like to see?」

Ah, we have completely forgotten about the Onii-san because of the atmosphere, and he only gave us a wry smile.

It was really embarrassing, so I ran away pulling Lutie in order to escape.