Once the flow of customers started to die down, Maki and Chiharu talked about all the mistakes they had made.
“First, maybe you shouldn’t have handed him the change like you would in Japan?”
Chiharu pointed out.
“But, I couldn’t exactly throw it into his hand.”
“That’s true. But you didn’t have to hold his hand like that.”
Chiharu said as she took Maki’s hand and pretended to put change into it.
“This isn’t a convenience store. I mean, the girls seemed happy. Even older women seemed happy. Now that I think about it, even the older men were happy.”
“Ohhh. I just cannot help that I’m an expert at customer service.”
“You might want to tone it down. It’s important that we don’t stick out.”
This time, Chiharu didn’t stick out at all. It was because people thought that she was a child who was too young to be interested in anyone. It was a rather comfortable feeling.
“Also, you really need to stop shouting ‘Rasche!’ every time you see someone that looks dog-like. That guy wasn’t even the right color.”
“Uhhh. But, didn’t he look like a younger Zynis who had turned into a human?”
“He did! I got a good look at him while you two were getting busy!”
Chiharu said dreamily.
“It was like if you took Zynis’s kind eyes and made them sharper. Same with the jawline. Add some youth and irony as well. If only he had some dog ears.”
“You sure studied him, Chiharu.”
Maki was impressed.
“Stories are more enjoyable when you get to watch instead of having to be the protagonist.”
“That’s true.”
Chiharu knew this after being abducted several times.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ed! And Aaron.”
The two of them had returned from selling oranges.
“We were talking about how trouble sucks when it happens to you, but it’s fun for everyone else to watch.”
“You’re terrible.”
Chiharu and Maki said and then burst into laughter. However, Edwy looked at them seriously.
“You must be talking about that ash-colored youth. What happened!”
“Ed. Be careful. This is not the place to talk about it. We should return to the inn once.”
Aaron also looked serious. Maki and Chiharu stopped smiling and nodded. And with that, they decided to return to the inn earlier than scheduled.
As it was still too early for dinner, the four of them gathered in the room together. Maki had been quiet up until now. She sat down on the bed and then asked them the question. Chiharu sat next to her and looked at Edwy.
“So, what about that guy with ash-colored hair?”
“Yes. I know him.”
“And you, Aaron?”
“I don’t know him directly. Not me.”
There seemed to be a hidden meaning there. If not him, then who?
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I just wasn’t expecting to see him. So I needed some time to recover.”
Edwy sighed and then sat down in the chair. It was rare to see Edwy like this.
“Maki. Did that ash-haired man look like anyone to you?”
“Huh? Me and Chiharu thought he looked like a young Zynis. But surely…”
“Yes. He’s Zynis’s son. His name is Dilon.”
Maki and Chiharu looked at each other.
“Ah, so that’s why they look so similar.”
“So that’s why he’s so handsome.”
“Handsome?”
Edwy asked. But they ignored him.
“Wait, but he didn’t have the ears?”
Chiharu said. Edwy’s reply was most surprising.
“Ah, he must be using a special form. He has turned completely human. Apparently, it’s quite difficult to do, and I’ve never seen it done before.”
“A special form!”
What a fantastical idea. Chiharu said excitedly. No. No. This was no time for that.
“But isn’t it strange that a beastman came all the way here, and is even doing it in disguise?”
“That’s why I was surprised. However, they weren’t trying to hide from us either. They were acting quite boldly. Whatever it is, I don’t think it is something that would be bad for Midland.”
Interesting.
“If anything, we look more suspicious.”
“Well, I’m sure they’ll at least want to know what we are doing. I suspect that they will try to contact us.”
Edwy sunk even deeper into his chair as he said this.
“The problem is knowing how much to tell them.”
“True.”
As Aaron and Edwy talked, Maki asked them with a puzzled expression.
“Why not tell them everything? We’re allies, right?”
“If they knew that we brought the Saintesses to such a dangerous place, do you think you would be able to continue to move so freely?”
“Oh, I see.”
“Dilon is quite stubborn. It wouldn’t be so bad if Ortha was here too.”
Who’s Ortha? Maki and Chiharu seemed to say. And so Edwy explained.
“Ortha is Zynis’s daughter and Dilon’s older sister. She is a lot more accommodating.”
“I see.”
Maki and Chiharu nodded. And then Aaron said,
“We don’t need to tell them everything. Especially the part about these two being Saintesses.”
“Yes. We’ll figure the rest out as we go along.”
The four of them nodded and decided to meet at the dining hall after they prepared.
Maki arrived first and sat at the counter, where she began to talk with some of the staff. Almost every inn had a bar, and many people from around town were present. After a while, the doors opened and the young man with ash-colored hair came in with another young man.
Everyone’s eyes turned towards them at first, but they quickly lost interest. However, the man with gray hair looked straight at Maki.
“Ah, it’s you.”
“Oh, from the market. What do you want?”
Maki said casually. The man scratched his head for a moment and thought.
“You. Where’s your…uh, older brother?”
“Huh? Oh. I’ll go and call him then.”
“Thanks.”
Maki slid off her chair and ran up the stairs to the second floor.
“Oh? Have you made new outsider friends then?”
As the two sat down at a table for four, the waiter talked to them. While he was teasing them, it wasn’t malicious.
“Well, meeting them in Highland is quite a coincidence. I thought we could trade business information.”
“Of course. If I knew you guys were coming, I would have told all the women in the town.”
“Please don’t. I enjoy their company, but not when there are so many.”
“You poor thing.”
The rest of the customers laughed when they heard this. It didn’t take long for the others to come down from the second floor.
“Let’s go to a table where all six of us can sit down.”
The one selling the scales said. But Maki stopped them.
“It’s fine. Chouze and I will eat at the counter.”
“That would be best.”
Aaron agreed. And so Maki and Chiharu nodded and moved to the counter, where their feet dangled above the floor.
Dilon and Corete admired how well-mannered the children were as they turned back to Edwy and Aaron.
“So, it is you, Edwy.”
“It’s you. Dilon.”
They seemed relieved now that they were certain. They ordered their dinner and finished their introduction before the ale arrived. It was a calm atmosphere.
“They sure are good-looking.”
“My eyes are blessed.”
“The one that’s not Dilon looks more like Rasche in color.”
“Chiharu, weren’t you the one who just told me to stop doing that?”
“Oh, right.”
As they giggled, someone called to them from the other side of the counter.
“You two seem to be enjoying yourselves.”
“Just look at them at that table. Aren’t they all handsome?”
“I suppose. But they’re still just men. No matter how good-looking.”
The man said with a shrug as he poured himself another cup of ale.
“More importantly, this place is about to be filled with a lot more drunks.”
“Got it. Chouze, let’s go back to our room.”
“Yes.”
They got off of their chairs and headed to the table.
“Ah, Norfe, and Chouze. You should go and get some sleep. We might be going out after this.”
“Okay.”
They nodded at Aaron and then went upstairs.
“What good kids.”
“Uh, yeah. Though, they can be tough.”
“I see.”
Aaron and Edwy had strange expressions, which puzzled Dilon and Corete. They would soon find out what they meant by that.
Once the flow of customers started to die down, Maki and Chiharu talked about all the mistakes they had made.
“First, maybe you shouldn’t have handed him the change like you would in Japan?”
Chiharu pointed out.
“But, I couldn’t exactly throw it into his hand.”
“That’s true. But you didn’t have to hold his hand like that.”
Chiharu said as she took Maki’s hand and pretended to put change into it.
“This isn’t a convenience store. I mean, the girls seemed happy. Even older women seemed happy. Now that I think about it, even the older men were happy.”
“Ohhh. I just cannot help that I’m an expert at customer service.”
“You might want to tone it down. It’s important that we don’t stick out.”
This time, Chiharu didn’t stick out at all. It was because people thought that she was a child who was too young to be interested in anyone. It was a rather comfortable feeling.
“Also, you really need to stop shouting ‘Rasche!’ every time you see someone that looks dog-like. That guy wasn’t even the right color.”
“Uhhh. But, didn’t he look like a younger Zynis who had turned into a human?”
“He did! I got a good look at him while you two were getting busy!”
Chiharu said dreamily.
“It was like if you took Zynis’s kind eyes and made them sharper. Same with the jawline. Add some youth and irony as well. If only he had some dog ears.”
“You sure studied him, Chiharu.”
Maki was impressed.
“Stories are more enjoyable when you get to watch instead of having to be the protagonist.”
“That’s true.”
Chiharu knew this after being abducted several times.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ed! And Aaron.”
The two of them had returned from selling oranges.
“We were talking about how trouble sucks when it happens to you, but it’s fun for everyone else to watch.”
“You’re terrible.”
Chiharu and Maki said and then burst into laughter. However, Edwy looked at them seriously.
“You must be talking about that ash-colored youth. What happened!”
“Ed. Be careful. This is not the place to talk about it. We should return to the inn once.”
Aaron also looked serious. Maki and Chiharu stopped smiling and nodded. And with that, they decided to return to the inn earlier than scheduled.
As it was still too early for dinner, the four of them gathered in the room together. Maki had been quiet up until now. She sat down on the bed and then asked them the question. Chiharu sat next to her and looked at Edwy.
“So, what about that guy with ash-colored hair?”
“Yes. I know him.”
“And you, Aaron?”
“I don’t know him directly. Not me.”
There seemed to be a hidden meaning there. If not him, then who?
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I just wasn’t expecting to see him. So I needed some time to recover.”
Edwy sighed and then sat down in the chair. It was rare to see Edwy like this.
“Maki. Did that ash-haired man look like anyone to you?”
“Huh? Me and Chiharu thought he looked like a young Zynis. But surely…”
“Yes. He’s Zynis’s son. His name is Dilon.”
Maki and Chiharu looked at each other.
“Ah, so that’s why they look so similar.”
“So that’s why he’s so handsome.”
“Handsome?”
Edwy asked. But they ignored him.
“Wait, but he didn’t have the ears?”
Chiharu said. Edwy’s reply was most surprising.
“Ah, he must be using a special form. He has turned completely human. Apparently, it’s quite difficult to do, and I’ve never seen it done before.”
“A special form!”
What a fantastical idea. Chiharu said excitedly. No. No. This was no time for that.
“But isn’t it strange that a beastman came all the way here, and is even doing it in disguise?”
“That’s why I was surprised. However, they weren’t trying to hide from us either. They were acting quite boldly. Whatever it is, I don’t think it is something that would be bad for Midland.”
Interesting.
“If anything, we look more suspicious.”
“Well, I’m sure they’ll at least want to know what we are doing. I suspect that they will try to contact us.”
Edwy sunk even deeper into his chair as he said this.
“The problem is knowing how much to tell them.”
“True.”
As Aaron and Edwy talked, Maki asked them with a puzzled expression.
“Why not tell them everything? We’re allies, right?”
“If they knew that we brought the Saintesses to such a dangerous place, do you think you would be able to continue to move so freely?”
“Oh, I see.”
“Dilon is quite stubborn. It wouldn’t be so bad if Ortha was here too.”
Who’s Ortha? Maki and Chiharu seemed to say. And so Edwy explained.
“Ortha is Zynis’s daughter and Dilon’s older sister. She is a lot more accommodating.”
“I see.”
Maki and Chiharu nodded. And then Aaron said,
“We don’t need to tell them everything. Especially the part about these two being Saintesses.”
“Yes. We’ll figure the rest out as we go along.”
The four of them nodded and decided to meet at the dining hall after they prepared.
Maki arrived first and sat at the counter, where she began to talk with some of the staff. Almost every inn had a bar, and many people from around town were present. After a while, the doors opened and the young man with ash-colored hair came in with another young man.
Everyone’s eyes turned towards them at first, but they quickly lost interest. However, the man with gray hair looked straight at Maki.
“Ah, it’s you.”
“Oh, from the market. What do you want?”
Maki said casually. The man scratched his head for a moment and thought.
“You. Where’s your…uh, older brother?”
“Huh? Oh. I’ll go and call him then.”
“Thanks.”
Maki slid off her chair and ran up the stairs to the second floor.
“Oh? Have you made new outsider friends then?”
As the two sat down at a table for four, the waiter talked to them. While he was teasing them, it wasn’t malicious.
“Well, meeting them in Highland is quite a coincidence. I thought we could trade business information.”
“Of course. If I knew you guys were coming, I would have told all the women in the town.”
“Please don’t. I enjoy their company, but not when there are so many.”
“You poor thing.”
The rest of the customers laughed when they heard this. It didn’t take long for the others to come down from the second floor.
“Let’s go to a table where all six of us can sit down.”
The one selling the scales said. But Maki stopped them.
“It’s fine. Chouze and I will eat at the counter.”
“That would be best.”
Aaron agreed. And so Maki and Chiharu nodded and moved to the counter, where their feet dangled above the floor.
Dilon and Corete admired how well-mannered the children were as they turned back to Edwy and Aaron.
“So, it is you, Edwy.”
“It’s you. Dilon.”
They seemed relieved now that they were certain. They ordered their dinner and finished their introduction before the ale arrived. It was a calm atmosphere.
“They sure are good-looking.”
“My eyes are blessed.”
“The one that’s not Dilon looks more like Rasche in color.”
“Chiharu, weren’t you the one who just told me to stop doing that?”
“Oh, right.”
As they giggled, someone called to them from the other side of the counter.
“You two seem to be enjoying yourselves.”
“Just look at them at that table. Aren’t they all handsome?”
“I suppose. But they’re still just men. No matter how good-looking.”
The man said with a shrug as he poured himself another cup of ale.
“More importantly, this place is about to be filled with a lot more drunks.”
“Got it. Chouze, let’s go back to our room.”
“Yes.”
They got off of their chairs and headed to the table.
“Ah, Norfe, and Chouze. You should go and get some sleep. We might be going out after this.”
“Okay.”
They nodded at Aaron and then went upstairs.
“What good kids.”
“Uh, yeah. Though, they can be tough.”
“I see.”
Aaron and Edwy had strange expressions, which puzzled Dilon and Corete. They would soon find out what they meant by that.
