OKIH 45

Previous Chapter  |  Next Chapter

Chapter 45

We entered the place that we were directed to, and immediately started competitively comparing the souvenirs.

The items that we brought out resepctively were our prided knick knacks.

There was a designated place for men and women, but we've gathered in the males' room for the moment.

"My~, t'was quite the fulfilling day. There were nothing but beautiful people in town. It's  wonderful! Pointed ears, really from fantasy!"

"Precisely. Age is usually reflected on the body but that's not the case for them. I'm really jealous!"

"Kawazu-san, you're being dragged into Taro's pace? Hey heey~ lookie here! A tool with Elven seal! They said it's made with Mithril!"

What the dragonfly joyfully took out was completely for the said fairy's size, which was surprising. It's definitely for her.

"They even have somethig like that, but a tool for a souvenir......"

"I also bought a chisel!"

"I didn't feel like buying anying except if it's for me...... what did Sailor Soldier buy?"

"For me...... it's this?"

Sailor Soldier said that and showed her hand. It looked like there was nothing there but that wasn't the case.

There was a jingling sound everytime she moves her hand.

This must be what they call a chain mail.

Now that I think about it, Sailor Soldier doesn't have anyone to buy souvenirs for.

"So you're wearing it under the Sailor outfit, I understand"

"Isn't it fine? It's a thin and light protective gear"

"No no, doesn't it suit you?"

"I-is that right?"

Sailor Soldier looked a little happy, and it's probably because she thinks she won't look any different if it's under her clothes but......

"My, but in the end it's a Sailor Soldier"

"Yea that's right......"

If you don't like it that much, then change.

Sailor Soldier was already adamant though.

"Still, I feel uneasy. This way, won't there be a lot of inconvenience when you're doing something so deceiving?" 

Sailor Soldier anxiously inspected her purchase, but I listened to her words with bitterness.

"'Deceiving' is a foul description, weren't they the ones that said everything was half-priced? And even so, we still properly bought things, didn't we? Wouldn't it be weird to run away once we were called?"

"Is that so? For me, I left once I felt it was becoming troublesome"

So you did something like that, Sailor Soldier.

With such care and attentiveness. Feeling one's own minuteness.

"Aah, well yea, honestly I originially didn't think that we would be able to go shopping. Moreover, the country's top at half the price, in an Elven country"

"Aah, it seems that Elves had built a community with the same structure as the humans'. Speaking of the high-elves with a lot of magic, the Fairy Queen said that they're a privileged class. It can't be helped if they refuse us and we couldn't buy souvenirs from them"

After saying that, what Kawazu-san brought out was an Elven cookie-like treat.

"Didn't I tell you to take a picture of the package and boast to the Elder Dragon?"

The dragonfly said while she seems to have bought her own share and was gnawing on one, I got a piece and it was pretty good.

"......that's right. But don't you think we overdid the brainwashing after all?"

Since Sailor Soldier seemed to be exhausted in worry, I handed the five yen coin over to her.

"It's not brain-washing, it's hypnosis. It's of a lighter disposition. Those people just sold the stores' items at a more reasonable price"

It's too much of me misunderstanding our conceptions.

We~ll we got everything at half the price thanks to something unnecessary.

It seems like the most remarkably person in this country could buy anything at half the price.

I just wanted some service from the shop counter.

Just between us, don't you feel thrilled with the lapse of virtue?

One more thing, for me, there was a handicap that I would normally find difficult to talk about.

"By the way, aren't Elves the same as fairies, but you saw it as well right? The treatment from the people in town" (K)

"I thought it's because....... we're outsdiers?"

Sailor Soldier didn't seem to know, so Kawazu-san shook his head.

"No way! The townspoeple won't part the road to avoid us just for that reason. Everyone was afraid of this idiot. It's best not to get involved with frightening things. But elves have intelligence and their sky-high pride won't let them show it.

Especially when the source of their fear is in the form of a human.

They weren't able to do anything in the end, so they just hastily adapted that attitude.

Anyway, if you take the servile attitute, it might be respectful. That's why it would be easier for beasts, since they could just run away"

"'We're not scared of someone like you at all!' -something like that. Thinking of that, here's the 5yen coin of hypnosis. It's a countermeasure to their refusal. We could buy goods without too much fuss. I just wanted to borrow the power of a little magic, and it's not that powerful. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble just to prepare this."

A support from magic is many times more efficient than actual threats.

It would have been better if we could've talked it out, but that's impossible.

Worst case, I'd thought about running away half-crazed, and just being able to talk would be a good result.

Though I can't deny that there was a part of me that really got carried away.

The 5-yen coin really is no good when talking about suggestions.

"...... yea, indeed, being able to buy stuff in that situation would be weird"

Remembering the situation from earlier, Sailor Soldier also nodded reluctantly.

"It's because this guy is not normal in so many ways. It would've been preferable if you obediently stayed in the accomodations, and not create any waves" (K)

"T-that may be right"

Sailor Soldier was relieved thanks to Kawazu-san's unnecessary comment.

"No no no no. You guys could talk well even though you were also sightseeing here and there! If a man is equipped with his travel diary, he wouldn't head straight to the in, would he? Even though I've been stuck at the bottom of the rankings. I'll be beaten by Suke-san once again......"

"...... what are you doing, really"

Sailor Soldier's eyes were cold.

She's probably getting fed up with me.

But thanks to it, I was able to get plenty of materials.

However, I had a tiny miscalculation concerning Naito-san.

Since the townspeople seem to dislike the dark elves more than us.

Had the negotiator been anyone other than Naito-san, I think it was possible that the first storeowner might have softened up by even a little bit, it was too obvious and impossible to overlook.

It might be possible that we could have finished without the use of the 5 yen coin.

"Kawazu-san, you guys noticed it too right? What was up with their treatment of Naito-san? Aren't we losing on who's getting more hate?"

"Aa...... well that's"

"Cause they're dark elves, right? Though I didn't think that it would be that severe~"

"Isn't that bad after all?"

I can tell that it's not a pleasant topic from the sour faces of Kawazu-san and Tonbo.

Even I have some knowledge about discrimination.

Back then, I could hear stories like that anywhere, and it wasn't as easy to understand as with the case between elves and dark elves.

Kawazu-san had an unprecedently difficult face.

"I'll tell this to you now. You know that elves prefer pure blood? Dark elves are the greatest abomination for elves. I was also surprised when I first saw it. Dark elves cannot be found in elven villages normally"

"That extent? Aren't dark elves wonderful, though? Beauty can transcend dimensional walls, can't it?"

"......if I may say something in a leap, is everyone as complicated as you?"

I had nothing to respond to that.

And it is there that trouble happens, isn't it a problem of choosing the circumstances?

"So is there no one who would be more qualified as a guide? Are elves idiots?"

"Like I said, it wasn't within their plans for us to go sightseeing, right? They actually wanted us to go straight to the accomodations. If you're going to read deeper, maybe it was just to affirm the hierarchial differences.

This's the top and here's the bottom, and they're enough for the likes of you"

"Aah, I see...... but it's not bad since we got to know Naito-san thanks to it"

"In any case, you've seen their reaction today. And have you noticed that those two are both wearing cursed items?"

Kawazu-san brought up the topic that was disturbing me, and I nodded at the good timing.

"Ah, saw them on the neck and the leg. I had troubled asking about it though"

"Well that's a good performance on your part. It was a proof of slavery"

"......is it the same one that I had?"

Sailor Soldier responded to Kawazu-san's words in discomfort.

But Kawazu-san lightly chuckled and added,

"Ah, they're similar. But it can't be because they were caught. After all, elves don't allow dark elves to enter their village. I don't know the specific reason, but there must be some circumstances around it. Isn't it good that you don't recklessly intervene?"

Kawazu-san hit the final nail in the head, my shoulders dropped and I nodded.

Naito-san and the others also have their own issues.

I don't know for what reason that they insist to stay in the village, but that's because it none of my business as an outsider.

"Hmmm. Well each has their own case. But I might know part of the reason, she was stronger even amongst the other soldiers who showed up."

"Is that so?"

"I saw it with magic"

Kawazu-san gave me words of compliment for this rare magic usage that's very wizard-like.

"...... you seem to be using it more extensively, that's good. And? What were the three sizes?"

"That was it! That's...... it's more than a miracle already. Or a dream? Those are numbers that could only be found in ga......mes"

"......"

"......"

"......ehm"

I felt glares on me, and when I turned my head, the girls were silently covering their chests.

"You tricked me, Kawazu-san!"

"It's the idiot who got tricked. I didn't even know that you'd actually do it"

Kawazu-san shook his head in disapproval.

My back was probably covered in cold sweat.

No, it's a special case this time! It was only a moment of weakness!

I desperately tried to explain, but I can't find the right words.

"It was just done on an impulse! I don't do it all the time!"

But whatever I try to say, the distrustful eyes just became more severe the more I speak.

"The worst"

"Enemy of women"

It was definitely the mud.

In the end, I could only lower my head and do nothing but grovel for forgiveness.

"I'm really sorry!"

I was then chewed up by the two. I definitely saw Kawazu-san standing there laughing.

I'll remember those words down to the last letter! Kawazu-san definitely did it too!

s i d e  Naito

It's close to the accomodations.

I rushed to where it was decided to be a waiting place.

"The task is complete"

While I was saluting, the captain who glanced at me spat out.

"Hm, really a wretched thing, as long as you don't do badly under such a superior"

The captain was also frustrated as he understood the difference of power between them.

I interacted with them for a day, and just magical power is enough to make me tremble.

But to be fair, I did not feel even the smallest hostility from them. 

If I don't show my hand, won't they also not do anything?

I looked at my own right hand, and thoughtlessly placed it near my mouth.

"...... captain, what about them?"

"Just as is, probably sealed away by the Council of Elders. No matter how strong the magical power is, it wouldn't measure up to Elven secrets. You should just continue to guide them"

"But...... do we need to do that?"

The captain's expression became stern the moment it was out of my lips.

Then he strongly hit my cheeks.

The taste of iron spreads in my mouth.

He turned to me with expressionless cold eyes.

"You seem to be misunderstanding something. Don't think we'll accept the dark elve's way. You can just follow our lives like dogs"

"...... khu, I'm very...... sorry"

"Good if you get it. If so, your sins would be forgiven. Strive as best as you can"

This is usual.

I understand, that my existence is not welcomed in this village.

But there's something that I must do.

At the same time, I thought I wanted the same proud existence like that of elves.

Entering it without knowing anything, perfect for falling into a trap. I don't want to think about what elves do.

"...... is this really for the best?"

I don't know if what I'm doing is right.

No, I know for a fact that it's wrong and that's why I feel uncomfortable with myself that has to go along with it.

"Mother......"

Like expressing the emotions that I don't clearly understand.

I muttered a little.

Previous Chapter  |  Next Chapter

Chapter List

Support by buying me coffee~