Chapter 439 – The Unbelievable Experience & Shopping
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“It’s that shop over there,” I pointed at a candy store alongside the street so that Elza and the beastchild would know as well.
The candy store possessed a space for eating across the main street. It was a mysterious place combining the atmosphere of a Japanese candy store and a Western coffee shop. Because its exterior consisted of wood and plants, it was different from the other tent booths.
Behind the candy store was a thicket with a streamlet peacefully weaving its way through.
“I know that store! It’s always full with customers! It also has dancers and the music is fun! And it’s got all this wonderful food and beverage like white tea, bean tea, mushroom tea, dango, potato sweeties, drop balls, and Tojil horn candies.”
The beastgirl got all excited. She apparently knew that candy store.
“…The store with the niece tea and sweets aromas, huh?
“Yep! It also smells as if they roast Large Hellzaker Birds. It seems like they also got milk tea and cold sweets besides dango! It’s a store I had been eying for a while now!”
“But…”
“Galassus hasn’t reacted to the black-haired human, has it? Then it’s fine! Besides, he might be a Tazacalf, right?”
“…Yeah, there’s that, but still…”
Elza-san didn’t seem overly keen about having tea with me. She glared at me through her mask. It was only natural, but she apparently was still suspicious of me.
Her Demonic Eyes with the strange ghost-like things rushing about were continuing to attempt finding out my abilities, huh? Though I think those attempts will be in vain, no matter how much she tries it…
The appraisal of that spider-based item called Eight Spider King Judgment Eyes was also repelled. Moreover, even Kazane’s <Genealogy of Ashura>, the appraisal eyes I assume to be probably the strongest in this world, couldn’t see more than a fraction of my abilities.
Well, those are probably no appraisal eyes. They likely allow her to see her target’s constitution and internal mana manipulation.
Elza-san was engulfed by the aura of a martial artist as she tried to grasp me as a being. The grimness of her outlaw mask actually boosted the feeling of tension.
“Bah! And here I’ve been excited for the first time in a good while!”
Seeing Elza’s attitude, the beastgirl clearly became somewhat angry.
Elza-san faced the girl and explained while slightly changing her tone from the earlier remark that I might be a blood relative of the extinct Tazacalf.
“T-That’s not…”
“Even if you try to trick me, it won’t work!”
Hearing the girl’s rebuke, Elza-san reacted by her body jumping lightly as the girl had apparently hit the bull’s eye with her assumption. At the same time, Elza’s demeanor as a martial artist softened somewhat. I could also hear a sigh from her.
The faint breath sounded eerie due to the echo caused by her mask. But, I’m a type of vampire. Even without using <Pheremone’s Touch>, I can tell pheromones apart. I sensed a female sex appeal from Elza-san. Of course, I’d be able to clearly tell the difference between woman and man, if I used <Pheremone’s Touch>, but I won’t do that here.
Thereupon, Elza-san glanced at me, before looking at the beastgirl.
“…Aris, you’re just thinking that it’s a great opportunity to get your hands on tasty food, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am!”
Elza-san scrutinized the girl’s cheerful expression.
Her childishness is definitely going strong. But anyway, her name is Aris, huh? It might also refer to her race.
They were small, but the cat ears on her head were slightly long like those of elves. It’s quite possible that she’s got blood of elves, humans, and catbeastmen in her.
Hearing Aris laugh, Elza-san let go of her sword’s hilt and spread her arms as if having given up on further resistance. She had evidently folded to Aris’s wish to go to the candy store.
The protector on her right hand was different from the gauntlet covering her left hand with the bug in it. It looked like a simple arm protector made out of stacked metallic loops. It resembled the light ring equipped on my upper arms.
“…Okay, Shuuya, let’s go then,” Elza-san’s tone was slightly stiff.
“Sure. Jody, you too.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Jody nodded, Elza-san also nodded. When walking across the main street, the place with Rollodeen and Higlia kicking up a fuss entered my sight. But, I guess those two have to wait for later.
For now I kept walking along the main street, passing many beastmen.
Suddenly Saraten in my left arm telepathically exclaimed, 『Vessel! Thou have succeeded in hitting on them, haven’t thee!? Not bad!』
『We’re just going to drink some tea. Still, a fallen holy sword knows the concept of hitting on others?』
『A-Anyone would know at least this much!』
Saraten got apparently pissed. I felt how she tried to force open the wound on my left palm a bit. I heard she also “injured” Fate God Ashura
Hmm, speaking of wounds…I’m a Light Demon Lucival, and yet I got “injured on my palm” as if having gained a new hand line.
As I thought all that, I felt a chill travel down my spine. I shouldn’t provoke Saraten too much.
I focused on Helme so as to allow my mind to rest a bit, 『Helme, you want to eat some sweets as well?』
『I would love to, but I will hold back for now』
『You will? How unusual』
『This place is in the beastmen’s sphere of influence. Moreover, we’re on a main street. Even if Divine Princess Higlia-chan might be nearby, it’d stand out if I suddenly rushed out of your eye』
『I see. Sorry for that. I’ll buy you sweets or delicious-looking food for later』
『Thanks!』
Helme-chan was looking forward to tasting the food as she disappeared from my view while breast-stroking.
At that point, a wagon passed diagonally in front of us. Probably because it was used for the Sea of Trees, it had lots of wheels and its axles were thick. It also came with blades for pruning.
The dwarven and tiger beastman warriors, who were riding that wagon, looked surprised when they spotted me, but continued down the street on their wagon.
For an instant, they reminded me of the adventurers who had explored the underground together with me. But well, this place has lots of beastmen and dwarves.
As we kept going, the number of souvenir stalls run by Sea of Trees beastmen increased in number. The stall owners looked like Puyuyu, but it was hard for me to discern whether they were actually sonzol or telpod. Seeing how they had four fingers per hand, I suppose they’re telpod.
Eventually we spotted goods stacked on flat, wooden racks. It was all sorts of items like rosary-like bracelets, semi-transparent glass bottles filled with blood, hairpins made out of monster bones and fangs, a hairpin with a pretty butterfly design, realistic-looking wolf figures, and dreamcatcher-like wall decorations.
Maybe dreamcatcher decorations are popular among ancient wolfmen? Is it a crest standing for a clan?
I spotted plates with pretty, silver nashiji-like coloring. They had God Wolf Hurley-sama drawn through silver dust.
As I wondered about that, we advanced through a business street with many souvenir shops. At that point, Jody came to a halt in front of a certain store.
She had singled out a beautiful orchid ornament which matched her boyish hair style. Seeing how it’d look good on her, I’ll buy it.
“――Shopkeeper, please sell me one of those pretty hairpins.”
“Sure thing,” the Puyuyu-look-alike answered with a deep voice that reminded one of an old fishmonger.
However, his abnormally cute, curly fur didn’t match with his voice at all. Unconsciously I ended up staring at that shopkeeper. Just like Puyuyu he smiled broadly as if to show off his white teeth. His small, round eyes were the same, too.
Ugh, he’s so adorable.
“If you want it, fork over the money, friend.”
Whoa, what a powerful voice. He’s cute, but that old man’s voice gives me quite the creeps. Either way, I paid him in copper and silver coins.
“Thank you for your purchase!”
The shopkeeper moved swiftly, handing me one of the hairpins. After receiving it from him, I immediately passed it to Jody.
“Shuuya-sama…this is for me…?”
“Yep, it suits you, Jody.”
“…I’m so happy. Thank you so much. I will cherish it…”
“Come on,” I snatched the hairpin from Jody as she was raving on and inserted it into her hair.
“Shuuya-sama…”
Jody’s eyes trembled. I was smiling, but Jody seemed to be on the verge of tears. She pressed both her hands against her chest as if to emphasize her to big titties.
In the meantime, my eyes were drawn to a wooden shelf. As I was planning to buy something befitting for Ciel’s reddish purple hair, I searched around.
Oh, found one. It doesn’t match with Jody’s, but this should do just fine. I picked up the hairpin and paid the coins to the shopkeeper.
“Jody, this is for your partner Ciel…” I handed the ornament I had just bought to Jody.
“T-Thank…you,” Jody thanked me with a hoarse voice, her emotions clearly showing themselves in her two eyes.
The glittering tears accumulated into droplets at the inner corners of her eyes and spilled down.
I can tell what sort of being Ciel must be for Jody. She’s a kind, former Death Butterfly Woman.
Jody received the hairpin and held it both hands as if embracing it at her chest.
『Your Excellencyyyy! I want one too…』, Helme got excited in my left eye for a change.
『I’ll give you mana later, so endure for now』
『I would be alright with that blood bottle! Come one, Itasha, you tell him as well. Our current vessel is extending his upper lip, so it should be possible for us to get him to buy us something decent』
『I’m…fInE. I’m too much of a MonSTeR to be gIVen someThinG by mashtah!』
Itasha…what a funny, little weasel girl.
Just as I was pondering whether I should answer Saraten and her underling, Aris approached Jody. Aris’s eyes were sparkling as she looked up to Jody with truly childish eyes.
“Hehe, are you interested in me?”
“Mmh. Jody-oneechan, that pretty…hair ornament suits you…”
Hearing that comment, Jody smiled in good humor. After wiping her tears away, she bent down, lowering her body. Because of that, her line of sight now matched with Aris’s. While revealing a motherly expression, Jody extended her hands towards Aris.
Jody wasn’t holding her big scythe. She was unarmed.
“Eh?”
Seeing Jody’s motion, Aris worriedly looked up to Elza. She touched the necklace at her chest with her small hand. The sinister mana spilling out of that necklace coiled itself around her fingers.
I don’t know whether Aris is noticing that mana, but the necklace’s mana and Aris’s own mana moved from her fingers, along her arm, to the knitted bracelet on her wrist, fusing with it.
“…”
Elza nodded reassuringly at Aris. Seeing that, the little girl sighed in apparent relief. And then she looked back at Jody’s hand, scrutinizing her palm.
While watching that palm, she showed a childish expression that was overflowing with curiosity as if she was expecting something to happen. As soon as she saw that, Jody smiled gently.
“This is my thanks for having praised me!”
With those words, she created beautiful, white moths from her palms in something akin to a sleight of hand.
“Whaaa――”
Aris got startled. She covered her mouth with her small hands.
“…White moths, huh…?” Elza muttered with admiration echoing in her voice.
But, despite that, she didn’t drop her guard as she had placed a hand on the hilt of her two-handed sword that was peeking out from behind her shoulder. After casting a fleeting glance at me, Elza continued her observation of Jody.
The look she dropped on me was probably her checking my reaction to her looking at Jody with Demonic Eyes. Well, it could also be my imagination, though.
Jody soothed, “It’s okay. You’re people who are of interest to Shuuya-sama.”
Jody had sensed the power in Elza’s eyes. From her attitude and the quality of her words, I felt that she was appealing for no weapons being needed.
Jody lifted both her hands, “Now, off you go――――”
The white moths obeyed Jody’s words which were filled with power and mystic arts. They flapped their wings furiously, flying off at once.
“How pretty…,” muttered Aris, and I thought so as well.
A single, glowing, white moth joined a group of silver fireflies while drawing a crimson trace in the air. It looked as though it was searching the mysterious world created by the the Twin Moon Goddess. Soon it vanished while fluttering ephemerally.
That whole scene was, to be very honest, quite beautiful.
『The white moths clad in blood engender the same atmosphere as Viine’s Extra Skill, but Jody’s seem to be more like Light Demonic. Your Excellency, it would be proper to turn Jody into a bloodkin』
『Yeah…』, I agreed with Helme.
Jody was showing an angelic expression as she nonchalantly and honestly acted so as to try to make Aris happy, but…she might have done the same even back when she was a whimsical Death Butterfly woman.
Even if it was besides randomly attacking living beings inside and outside Golgonshura’s domain.
Going by her whimsical behavior, she might have saved the children inhabiting the few settlements across the Sea of trees or the beastmen from monster threats, just as she saved the children, Moga, and Nemus out of the vampires’ clutches…
This might also be the reason why legends about the Death Butterfly people continued to linger in the Sea of Trees area over such a long period of time.
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