Chapter Ninety-nine: …And Talking About Hair (´・ω・`)
After that, I came to my senses when a kebab was pushed into my mouth with a cheerful "Rin, you eat too!" The chewy bread, crisp vegetables, and meat grilled with some kind of spices exploded with flavor in my mouth… I wonder what spices these are…? There’s a faintly sweet smell and a bit of bitterness… it skillfully suppressed the strong meat odor while transforming the flavor… I had the impression that "spices" were quite expensive in eras with underdeveloped transportation networks, but being a port town, maybe they’re easier to obtain here.
“…This kebab is delicious!”
“Right? The price is reasonable, the portion is big, and it’s popular among adventurers too.”
“Your cooking is good too, Rin! But I like this kind as well.”
“I totally understand! This is the kind of flavor you suddenly crave!”
I can see them grilling huge chunks of meat on rotating spits in the back of the shop. This is definitely a "restaurant taste" that can be prepared in large quantities! Taking another careful bite, I realize the sauce inside is also delicious. It seems some kind of spice or herb is used here too…!
…Come to think of it, the fact that they can use what are probably imported spices in a casual eatery suggests there’s a good supply… which likely means there isn’t any monster trouble or tension between countries, I guess.
“After we finish eating, shall we look around the market a bit more? Rin, you haven’t really explored this area much, have you?”
“Mm. There are… many shops…”
“It sounds fun, but we’re supposed to meet at the Wildcat Pavilion in the evening, right? I’d like to finish shopping first, and if we have time left, we can look around!”
I appreciate the invitation, but seeing how excited they were earlier, I can’t help but suspect… that their real goal is to go on an eating spree…
Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed probably mean well… I feel a bit bad about doubting them.
…
…Or so I thought at one point.
As soon as we left the kebab shop, I desperately tried to pacify Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed who were about to embark on an eating tour, and somehow managed to accomplish our intended shopping!
What the heck! My intuition was right after all!
…Well, they did show me various shops and helped with price negotiations, which resulted in buying a few skewers and such, but if I think of it as snacks, well… For someone not used to markets like me, it was very helpful indeed.
“That was incredibly delicate needlework! I can’t believe it was done with embroidery!”
“Mm. Honestly amazing.”
“The colors and vibe seemed like they would really suit you, Aria. I should have bought it after all…”
“…I have plenty, so… it’s fine…”
“But I want to see you looking even cuter! I mean, you’re plenty cute as you are, and I could look at you forever, but a dressed-up Aria is a whole different story!”
What we’re talking about now are the flower motif hair ornaments and brooches sold at a stall that looked like a wagon bed turned into a shop. Is it called three-dimensional embroidery? They combine embroidered petals to create three-dimensional flowers! The stitches were so fine, uniform, and amazing!
The most beautiful was the 3D embroidery using transparent thread made by spider people! Using transparent thread to create a transparent fabric base, then embroidering with the dyed thread while maintaining transparency, it sparkles like a jewel when sunlight passes through it! This… this… even a dried fish turned fossil like me can’t help but think "Wow, that’s nice!”
But the one who fell in love with it the most was Mr. Ed, who seemed to particularly like a pale pink flower ornament. Unfortunately, the jewel-like transparent series was quite pricey, so Mr. Ed had to give up on buying it. Now he’s gently stroking Ms. Aria’s hair, murmuring regretfully. Ms. Aria, being so openly wooed, had her usually white cheeks tinged rose-pink, looking a bit troubled, embarrassed… and somehow happy, as she tightly gripped the hem of Ed’s clothes.
…Should I say "How beautiful is their closeness," or "Damn lovebirds, go explode"… Well, they both look happy, so I guess it’s fine!
…By the way, that lizard-person lady who came to sell the three-dimensional embroidery from a nearby village—I wonder how dexterous she must be to do such fine embroidery with those sharp claws and rugged fingers—said that she visited Ellarge about two weeks ago as well, and both then and now, she wasn’t attacked by any monsters worth mentioning on the way.
Really, is there even a need to purify monsters by summoning a saint?
And these are the kind of people who would summon someone and then discard them in the wilderness for being "useless," you know? In my case, that bias is a big factor in why I can’t find any positive image in this "saint summoning"…
“Rin, Rin, you shouldn’t think too hard about it, okay?”
“We’re going… to find that out…!”
“…You are right! We can make judgments after we gather information!”
…Before I knew it, my hands were held by Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed. I thought they were just flirting in front of me a moment ago, but somehow I ended up in this alien-like state connected to them again… Both of them are smiling gently as they pull my hands.
…Yup, that’s right! We won’t get anywhere unless we move forward first!
‘Hey, hey, if you worry too much, you’ll lose your hair! I know that!’
“Gomamiso, zip it. Don’t talk about hair like that outside.”
Yup. Gomamiso, read the room a bit more!
Apparently, only tamers can hear the voice of their familiar, but I felt like I made eye contact with a bald uncle who was running a shop nearby… so I gently admonished Gomamiso…
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