Volu 4 Chapter 2: Reunion 2
The Tereshi Diner was a big restaurant, so the travelers that ca to this city would often eat and drink there. At a corner of that restaurant’s warm atmosphere were Elia and the others, chatting as they enjoyed their tea.
“So Sebasu, did you know that Ryouma-san was here?” [Elia]
“I did hear that Ryouma-sama has gone through the mountainous road many tis, but I wasn’t aware that he would have his cart open in this town today.” [Sebasu]
At that ti, Sebasu saw Ryouma’s figure working within the cart through the opening between the people lined up. It was there, that he first realized that Ryouma was in town.
Incidentally, the reason Ryouma was in this town was because Elia had once sent him a letter, informing him that she would use this path to head to Gimuru. Because of that, Ryouma decided to subjugate the bandits in the area. Him deciding to open a cart in this town ca after that.
The rumored person they heard of this afternoon is none other but Ryouma. Sebasu was already aware of that. When Elia found out that he knew, she complained and told him that he should have told her. Right around that ti though, Ryouma entered the store. Promptly, he was brought to where the girls were sitting, and the clerk called the girls attention.
“Excuse . I’ve brought your companion.” [Clerk]
“Sorry, I was late.” [Ryouma]
After a quick bow, Ryouma called out to Eila.
“Elia, it’s been a while. I did ntion it just a while ago, but it’s great to see you’re doing well.” [Ryouma]
“Indeed. It really has been a while, hasn’t it? Ryouma-san, are you doing well too?” [Elia]
“I did ntion it in the letters, but yes... I’m doing fine. By the way, these people are your...?” [Ryouma]
After Elia smiled at Ryouma, he turned to look toward the other girls. The one who received his gaze was Miyabi, who waved her hand.
“Ryouma-han, long ti no see. D’ya still rember ?” [Miyabi]
“Miyabi-san, right? Long ti no see too. Of course, I rember you.” [Ryouma]
“So ya rembered , huh? Ta tell ya the truth, I was sort of wonderin’ what I should do if ya didn’t.” [Miyabi]
“Don’t worry, forgetting you won’t be possible, since the impression you left was quite strong.” [Ryouma]
“The way ya talk makes wonder exactly how it is you’re rembering , but eh, whatever. That aside, how long are ya planning ta keep on standing? Take a sit.” [Miyabi]
Having been told that, Ryouma took a seat, then he began his introductions to Michelle, Riera, and Kanan.
“My na is Ryouma Takebayashi. I believe the two of you have already seen back there in the cart, but in any case, I am the owner of the at bun selling cart and the restaurant, Sli Den Restaurant at Gimuru. But considering that the managent is mostly taken care of by the head chef, I suppose it might be better to refer to as an investor instead. I normally spend my days at ho, researching and manufacturing things. When I’m not, I’m out gathering materials and ingredients for my research while carrying out adventurer work. In any case, it’s a pleasure to et you all.” [Ryouma]
“A pleasure to et you as well. I am Michelle Willdan. I’m the eldest daughter of the Willdan Household, but please refer to as Michelle. My hobby lies in magic formation research.” [Michelle]
“So Michelle-san is a scholar of Magic Formations.” [Ryouma]
When Michelle heard Ryouma say that, her eyes sparkled.
“Are you familiar with magic formations!?” [Michelle]
“I know a little from my grandmother, but it’s nothing more than a little introduction.” [Ryouma]
“As Magic Formations is unfortunately a study that’s widely unpopular, there are few people that know of its existence... Which is why I’m so happy to know that I have so to talk about it with now, Ryouma-kun!” [Michelle]
As Michelle began to grow excited, Riera remonstrated her.
“Calm down, Michelle. We haven’t finished introducing ourselves yet.” [Riera]
“Oh, sorry, please excuse .” [Michelle]
“Seriously... I’m sorry, Michelle has a tendency to sotis prattle on like this.” [Riera]
“Please don’t mind it. There are many people like her amongst my acquaintances, so if anything, it’s actually relaxing.” [Ryouma]
“Thank you.” [Riera]
Said Riera as she sighed, then as her expression stiffened, she introduced herself.
“Please pardon my delayed introduction. I am Riera Clifford. There’s no need to be polite with either. So please just call Riera. In the future, I plan to beco a knight... By the way, a while ago, you ntioned that you did adventurer work. May I know what rank you are?” [Riera]
“My rank? It’s C.” [Ryouma]
After Ryouma said that, Riera thought to herself for a bit, then she said this.
“I see... If you don’t mind, I would like to have a duel with you should the opportunity present itself. I want to know my current strength.” [Riera]
“If you’re fine with , then anyti. There is a good place for that very purpose in Gimuru after all.” [Ryouma]
“Thank you.” [Riera]
Riera bowed, and the next one, Kanan, spoke.
“Next up is . Na’s Kanan Shuza. My family’s been working as magic tools craftsn for generations. So I’m studying both as a magic tools craftsman and as a jeweler. It’s a pleasure to et you!” [Kanan]
“It’s nice to et you as well.” [Ryouma]
“By the way, I heard you ntion just a while ago that you manufacture things. Can I know exactly what it is you make?” [Kanan]
Ryouma appeared to be a little troubled as he answered Kanan’s question.
“If I were to put it briefly, a lot. dicines, smithing, woodworks. I also make kitchenware such as pots and knives, and even the steaming baskets I used in the cart from before. I make weapons too, but I’m usually making things that are needed for daily life or farming tools... If there’s anything I specialize in in particular, then I guess it’s dicine and magic staves.” [Ryouma]
“You really do make a lot. Ah, as for , I specialize in grinding jewelry.” [Kanan]
Hearing that, Ryouma asked.
“Kanan-san, do you make jewels right from the grinding stage? A jeweler I know buys his from a specialist that specializes in grinding, which he then uses to create his ornants.” [Ryouma]
“There are people like that, but the Shuza Family works from the grinding stage to the engraving stage. Because of that mbers of our family are able to create products all on their own. Part of the reason is because of the necessity in ensuring that the materials used are compatible for magic tool purposes, but it’s mostly because our family’s made up of stubborn craftsn who don’t want others interfering with their work. Of course, there are also cases where several people work together to make a single product, but that only really happens between a pupil and a master that’s been together for a long ti. We don’t really buy jewels from external sources.” [Kanan]
It was in this way that the introductions concluded, and Ryouma and the others got to know each other. There, Ryouma finally ordered. And Michelle asked him a question.
“Do you frequent this store?” [Michelle]
“Yes, actually. I usually have my als at this restaurant whenever I drop by this town. At first, I was planning on having the leftovers of the cart for supper, but since nothing would be left for t to eat, I decided to eat out instead.” [Ryouma]
“Well, that at bun really was delicious after all. Still... you seem to be famous here for so reason, and not just because you’re a regular or anything. Is there sothing going on?” [Michelle]
This is actually sothing that the others have also been itching to ask.
At first, they thought it would be rude to just enter the store without ordering anything, so they figured they should order sothing light while waiting. But when they entered the store, and ntioned they were waiting for Ryouma, the female clerk they were talking to realized that they had already eaten so at buns from the cart, and she told them that they didn’t have to forcefully order sothing if they’re only waiting for Ryouma.
It shouldn’t be strange to see custors who take up seats without ordering to be a nuisance, but despite that, no one saw them as a bother.
“It’s probably because I order a lot and co here frequently. Moreover, I also helped out a lot of tis with the expansion of the town. I used my earth magic to create the area they are building the new lodging on now, you see? Also, each ti I would co here, I would order food enough for 10 persons’ portion.” [Ryouma]
Hearing that, not only Michelle, but even Sebasu and the others were shocked.
“10 peoples’ portions every ti?” [Michelle]
“Ryouma-san, did you always eat that much?” [Elia]
Having been asked like that, Ryouma explained himself.
“No. I eat the sa as a normal person. A single person’s serving or maybe two at most. The one eating the remaining food is... I think the three of you who dropped by the cart might have noticed it, but there is another person working at the cart alongside . The one who eats a lot is that.” [Ryouma]
“...There was another person?” [Elia]
“There was. But he was working by the cookware at the back, so he didn’t stand out.” [Riera]
“I saw him too. That guy had the sa face as Ryouma. Is he your twin?” [Kanan]
Ryouma chuckled when he heard Kanan’s words.
“We’re not twins. Actually, he’s not even human.” [Ryouma]
Everyone else except for Sebasu was shocked. Sebasu had t Ryouma many tis in these past two years, so he already had a good grasp of the situation.
“He’s actually a sli.” [Ryouma]
“A sli?” [Kanan]
“It’s a mimic sli, a sli with the ability to mimic. I have it mimic my appearance to help out with the cart whenever I put it up. And instead of a salary, I feed it a lot. It may look like a human, but it’s really a sli deep inside, so its digestion is really fast.” [Ryouma]
“So that’s why you’re ordering 10 people’s portion every ti...” [Michelle]
“They even gave us so ‘service’ thanks to that.” [Miyabi]
“It’s because I’m an important custor. Besides the people of this shop are all good people and really adaptable.”
As Ryouma said that, the food finally ca. The waiters lined them up before Ryouma, and Ryouma paid them in chips. Then he began to eat. As he was eating, he asked sothing that bothered him while they were introducing themselves.
“By the way, why is Sebasu-san the only escort? Is that really ok?” [Ryouma]
The one who answered that question first was Michelle. She threw her chest out as she said.
“It’s true that there are nobles who like to bring escorts and helpers in groups whenever they travel, but I hate that sort of stuff. Besides, my mom is a researcher of dicine, and my dad’s a researcher in the field of magic formations, so there’re plenty of tis when they go out to gather ingredients and test out their magic. Because of that, I was also advised to put importance on field work. Accordingly, I normally go out by myself. Besides, Sebasu-san is here too, so there shouldn’t be any problems.” [Michelle]
The next one who answered was Riera.
“I might be a noble, but I was still born to a knight family. If it’s just one or two, I’m fairly sure I can protect myself. Besides, if anyone from my family were to ask for escorts when going out, my family would scold them saying, “If you’re aiming for a knight, then you shouldn’t be on the side of the one’s being protected, but on the side of the one’s protecting! Don’t be naïve!”” [Riera]
Riera smiled as she said that. Following after her, Kanan spoke next.
“ and Miyabi aren’t nobles to begin with, so we never had any escorts from the start. Even without escorts, a girl can still travel safely as long as she pays to ride a stagecoach. Unless you’re carrying a lot of money, or carrying sothing valuable, or being target by soone, a commoner wouldn’t really bother hiring an escort.” [Kanan]
Hearing their replies, Ryouma was able to understand. After that, they spoke about a lot of things such as when Elia and Ryouma first t or when Elia and the other girls first t. Ryouma was eating while they were talking, so he was mostly just listening.
Around the ti when Ryouma finally finished eating, they were a lot more familiar with each other, and could speak their thoughts unreservedly. It was then that they decided to travel together to Gimuru tomorrow.
“We’ll see you tomorrow. Let’s et by the east gate.” [Elia]
Ryouma and the others left the store. Then the girls’ group randomly picked a place, opened the Dinsion Ho, entered it, and then passed the night.
Within Sebasu’s Dinsion Ho that was wonderfully partitioned with a partition screen, inside a room where five beds were lined up, were five girls talking amongst themselves.
“Who would’ve thought we’d actually et with the rumored Ryouma-kun in this town? Although we did plan to say hi once we got to Gimuru, it seems our plans were pushed forward a bit...Well, what do you all think?” [Michelle]
As Michelle said that, Riera and Kanan began to think. Elia and Miyabi waited for them to talk.
They have heard all sorts of things about Ryouma from Elia and Miyabi, who would sotis talk about him. But the things they heard were things were all unbelievable things such as a boy who was a year younger than them but could cast interdiate dinsion magic or soone who could kill D Rank magical beasts barehanded. This caused Michelle, Riera , and Kanan unable to decide whether what they were hearing was true or not.
It’s not that they suspected Elia and Miyabi to be lying. It’s just that the stories they heard were really hard to believe. Because of that they made it one of their goals in this trip to et Ryouma in person.
Kanan was the first to speak.
“How to put it... He feels like a normal older brother. The type that could be seen anywhere... I can’t see him being as strong as the stories say.” [Kanan]
“But his body seems to be well-built. He ntioned being a C Rank adventurer, so he should have at least that much strength. In any case, I like how he didn’t look at us with perverted eyes.” [Riera]
“His eyes aside, I’m more interested in his research rather than whether he’s strong or not, but I couldn’t ask him about it at all today... That sli of his sure surprised though. It’s my first ti knowing about a sli that could beco anything it eats. If it eats a goblin, it will beco a goblin. If it eats a dragon, then it can turn into a dragon.” [Michelle]
“He called it a mimic sli, right?” [Elia]
The conversation would sotis stray, but their impression of Ryouma wasn’t bad.
The three who hadn’t t Ryouma until now, especially for Riera who had only heard of rumors of a queer and unknown young man, were wary of him. But after their first eting, they were at least able to understand that he didn’t seem to be a dangerous person, allowing them to relax their guard.
Even though it should have been a given that Ryouma wouldn’t be a dangerous person as he only ca to know Elia thanks to her ducal family acknowledging him, it could be said that Riera having her guard up is due to how serious she was and how strong her feelings were for her friends.
In Michelle’s case, she didn’t’ think of Ryouma as anyone dangerous at all. The only thoughts she had regarding Ryouma was her interest in him as a researcher. From what she’s heard, Ryouma’s an intellectual. Moreover, the chances of him being an alchemist is high. Because of that she can’t help but be restless, eagerly hoping to have a chance to talk with him about magic formation research.
She may not have any proof that he’s an alchemist, but from what she knows, Ryouma is the most mysterious person around Elia. As Elia’s friend... As a researcher... There were many reasons why she wanted to et him. And now that she’s able to et him, she can’t help but rack her head, trying to think of a way to bring alchemy up in a conversation.
As for Kanan, she didn’t hold any special thoughts regarding Ryouma, and was mostly interested in him for being a friend’s friend. Because of that, she never had any preconceptions or bias when they t.
Like this, the girls continued to talk about their impressions until the night grew late. When they reached a point where they could stop, they went to sleep, and retired for the day.
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