Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku - v01 (w01-1 w03-3)

by Ainana Hiro

  I bought tea leaves in a specialist shop facing the plaza shown by Nadi-san yesterday, I also bought some spices from a spice shop.

  On the luxury food store I bought rice, miso, soy sauce. Like I said, why is this fantasy food?

  In front of a tavern in the plaza, a bard is singing a poem about the yesterday's demon and the knights with a full sense of reality.

  ...Isn't the mysterious silver mask a bastard child of the earl? Such songs are sung. The mask was actually tin but it's promoted to silver.

  Since I relatively enjoyed it, I gave him a silver coin. ...I was a bit ashamed though!

  How many detours could it be just to go to a bookstore.

  ◇

  "Satou-san, thank you very much for yesterday!"

  Semone-san greets me with smile inside the bookstore. Apparently, today is her turn to look after the store.

  "Hello Semone-san. How is the old man's condition?"

  "Yes, he was healed with magic, but since he's of age, my grandmother is watching after him to rest for 2-3 days."

  Old man, you've got a good grandchild, I'm envious.

  I'm gossiping some miscellaneous things to cushion for the real talk.

  "You're searching for books regarding the way to practice chanting of life magic?"

  "Yes, I was able to understand the explanation on the book I bought before, but I'm struggling to actually chant it..."

  "Umm, Satou-san, Life magic skill is relatively easy to remember, but normally you'd need 3-5 years of training to master it. Moreover, even with that much training, 80% people usually end up in failure."

  But I got the skill after receiving the life magic once? It's a cheat after all...

  "Umm, even if you already have Life magic skill from the beginning, people who can remember the chants are..."

  Let's hear it since I have nothing to lose anyway.

  "A person who has a gift? Right, There are people who come from long heritage of magician family having magic skill right from birth, but a person like that usually has family members who can use magic..."

  There is no need to learn from textbooks... is what she wanted to say, eh.

  It can't be helped, I'm just gonna buy vocal training and acting related books.

  Let's start improving my flow of speech.

  ◇

  The magic shop facing the main street is covered with something that looks like a tarpaulin. It's closed just as I thought.

  "Hello, nimble onii-san."

  Turning my head, there, a girl wearing a plain yet elegant one piece tilts her body forward while looking at me with upturned eyes. With a slender body and long straight bob hair, she's a charmingly beautiful girl.

  "Hello soldier-san, you're wearing a lovely dress today."

  >[Lip Service Skill Acquired]

  Please don't interrupt my talk...

  "Ehehe~, since we seldom have rest, there aren't many chances to wear this~"

  "About yesterday, have your bone fractures healed?"

  "Yes! I want to say that, but the place where it break still occasionally hurt so I thought of going to the temple."

  Just to make sure, she's the soldier I saved from a tree yesterday.

  "Can you not heal yourself?"

  "There is no healing method in wind magic you know."

  I see, each element has their own forte.

  "Ah~ Zena is boy hunting~~!"

  "Oh, it's true, Putting aside the face, he's well dressed, furthermore, he's younger! You're good, Zena."

  "You girls, please don't make fun of her. Even though she's a late bloomer, that girl works hard, let's just watch over her warmly."

  I wonder if they're soldier-san's friend, some noisy girls are standing in front of a shop's entrance while whispering to each other closely. There's a subtle insult mixed in oi.

  Soldier-san's name is Zena eh, it's a good nutritious sounding name.

  Zena-san is opening and closing her mouth silently with a red face. This kind of reaction is cute~

  "Y, you're mistaken. I'm just thanking him for saving me yesterday."

  The three girls harden a bit after hearing that.

  "By saving you, don't tell me!"

  "That silver masked hero-sama?!"

  "It can't be!　He was brandishing a sledgehammer and a two-handed axe together you know? This delicate looking boy can't possibly do that."

  "No… that's not it."

  Zena-san's word doesn't reach the three girls.

  "But isn't his height match?"

  "Isn't the color of the hair different? That gentleman was blond."

  "And he's not using a mask."

  "Mou, please hear me!"

  Zena-san shouts with her whole body!

  The three girls finally pay her an attention.

  "This man carried me who wasn't able to move due to injury to the relief station yesterday!"

  "Ah, you mean that kind of [[helped me]]."

  "But then, that's a golden opportunity in a way!"

  "Don't liken her with you, Zena doesn't have such resourcefulness in her."

  Yep, it's noisy. This is for Zena-san to meddle with. The three of them feel like they're cheering for her with no malice or sarcasm, they probably cherish her.

  I wonder if it's a good time to interrupt them.

  "Pleased to meet you, I'm Satou, a peddler. I'm planning to stay in this city for a while, pleased to make your acquaintance."

  "Onii-san, you're really not Zena-cchi's boyfriend?"

  "I just met her yesterday. Furthermore, I only knew her name after everyone here called her such."

  "But but, for Zena to wear a skirt and go on a date!"

  "It is not a date." (Zena)

  "But you never wore a skirt, even on holidays before."

  Zena-san and the three girls who looks like the same age as her are lively exchanging words.

  "I'd love for you to go on a date with Zena-san. This girl, even with her age, never takes a walk with an opposite sex, let alone a boyfriend."

  "Yep, even if she's a fallen noble with no gold or status, she's a good girl. She's flat-chested but she's an adept wind user with promising future as a soldier."

  The remaining two also recommend Zena-san.

  I like her personality. In five years, after she becomes a bit well-rounded, I'd like to make an advance~

  Zena-san stop her quarrel and goes back here.

  "We're not fallen!! My little brother properly inherited the rank. Although it's true that we don't have gold or status in government..."

  So Zena-san is a lower noble.

  ...She didn't object about the flat-chest.

  "Let's stop playing around with Zena-san and go back to the castle. If we're late for the shift, the commander's special training awaits."

  "La~ter~ then, Zena-cchi. Let's hear about various things thoroughly later~"

  "Zena, push through with sex appeal and defenselessness! Show your guts!"

  The three girls reluctantly return to the castle.

  Zena-san is relieved while looking a bit ashamed.

  Hmm? One girl went back here in a trot and gave Zena-san something.

  Zena-san initially has a blank look, but after she understand what the handed over thing is, her face turn bright red. Probably expecting this reaction, the girl is going back to her friends while saying "Good luck~".

  Zena-san secretly puts the thing she got in her pocket, and I don't intend to pursue it.

  Because I'm an adult, yep.

  2-4. The Afternoon Date with Soldier-san

  * * *

  Satou's here. Rather than a hero, I want to be a magician.

  Chanting (aka DTM), such impossible game broke my heart.

  I was healed a bit after the girl's talk with
Zena-san and her friends.

  ◇

  "I'm sorry for all the fuss. They're not bad girls, it's just that it was unusual that I'm with a man..."

  She's coming with upturned eyes. It doesn't feel mischievous like in the beginning, this time it really looks timid.

  "They look like fun people. I don't particularly dislike it."

  "I'm happy if you think that way. That remind me, you looked troubled in front of the magic shop earlier, is something the matter?"

  "Yes, I hit a roadblock in my magic chanting training. I was wondering if they have books concerning chanting practices, but as you see they're closed."

  "Satou-san, you're, ummm is it fine to call you Satou-san?"

  "Of course it's' fine."

  I'm already calling you Zena-san without permission.

  "Is Satou-san not only a nimble peddler but also a magician in training?　That remind me, today you're not wearing gaudy clothes~, I think this one match you better."

  So fixated on nimble part, this person is.

  "I want to be able to use Life magic so I'm training on it, but I just can't get the chanting part right..."

  "Let's see, for wind magic, people usually start with ■■■■　but if they tries to forcefully chant it, it usually come out like, lyu~lia la~lule li la~o. If it's just memorization, then most people can do it."

  Zena-san is tilting her head with "I wonder how I should explain this"-look on her face.

  "Rhythm. Yes, please try to slowly recite the chanting and remember the rhythm. Then while keeping the rhythm gradually increase the chanting speed so it become ■■■■!"

  I see~, however, even if what she said isn't exactly a secret, isn't it still something that shouldn't be easily taught to other people?

  "Rhythm huh... I understand, thank you very much professor. I'll practice hard in that direction."

  "Yes, I'm happy that I can help you."

  Zena-san smiles.

  I should give her something as thanks.

  ◇

  I've decided to go together with Zena-san halfway to the Parion temple in the west district.

  "Speaking of which, how long did Zena-san practice to be able to use wind magic?"

  "The real training was 3 years, but in hindsight, I've done various things during everyday life in preparation to become a magician~"

  I wonder what kind of things? ...I hope it's nothing serious.

  "In order to learn the history of magicians, from when I was a child, I was made to read aloud picture books for children, poem singing, practice to read lines smoothly, abdominal breathing... Toys for detecting the flow of magic. Even the children's plays were for the sake of training to become a magician."

  Zena-san looks a bit gloomy for a second.

  "It's not like I bear ill will toward my parents for raising me like that you know? Learning magic is fun anyway, and I have an objective to fly in the sky someday."

  But there is no other road to choose from the beginning...

  "Satou-san. Why does Satou-san want to learn life magic?　Is it because it's useful for business?"

  "No, since there is no bath in the inn, I was thinking if I have magic then I wouldn't have to take a bath outside..."

  Ah, she's amazed.

  She looks me in the eyes directly, and bursts a laughter.

  Is it that interesting?

  "Ahahahaha!　Th, this is the first time I've seen a person who has such reason for wanting to become a magician."

  Seemingly hitting the spot, Zena-san's laughter doesn't stop.

  "Is it that strange?"

  I think that it's relatively proper reason though.　Don't you want to make inconvenient thing easier?

  "It is strange!"

  An immediate answer.

  "Because if you have the drive and the fund to learn life magic, isn't it faster to just build a bath in your house? And you can just buy slaves for the job of boiling the bath."

  It's like that huh~

  I will do things I could do myself!　I'd like to think like that, but even over here, it's normal to hire people to work, since the labor costs seems to be cheap.

  ◇

  "Mister, please buy some flowers."

  When we got to the west street, a little girl carrying a small knitted bag filled with flowers immediately stops us.

  The little girl stops while holding out a flower. I've catch sights on her various time before but this is the first time she calls out to me.

  I wonder if people accompanied by woman are easier sells?

  She's well thought out even though she's just a little girl.

  "Okay, how much is it?"

  "A penny for a bundle."

  I receive the flowers in exchange for a penny. The little girl happily thank me and go toward the next customer candidate.

  I present the flower to Zena-san.

  Zena-san looks surprised.

  No well, there is no other choice than this isn't it?

  "Umm, is it fine to take it?"

  "Yes, I'd be troubled if you don't receive it."

  Since I can't throw it away.

  Zena-san bites her lip while looking very happy.

  Huh? Is it something to be so happy about?

  ...Well, I guess it's fine as long as she's pleased.

  "That's right, Satou-san. Do you have any business after this?"

  "No, after chanting practice I have noting in particular "

  ...There's alchemy, but I can do that anytime.

  "Th, then, why don't we go to the street stalls on the way to the temple?"

  "Yes, I'm fine with that. If possible, I'd like you to tell me the specialties of this town."

  Zena-san probably never had experience of inviting someone herself, her face turns bright red halfway during the suggestion. Since it's just me, you don't have to be so tense you're fumbling words.

  That remind me, when was it decided for me to go along until the temple? She did me a favor regarding the secret of chanting, and I shouldn't complain since it's a date with a girl.

  "Specialties is it?　Leave it to me!"

  She's full of confidence. I could expect something, maybe.

  ◇

  "This is made from sweet potatoes, steamed sweet potatoes are filtered to become jams which then kneaded together to make breads. It's a Seryuu city's specialty from long ago."

  Something that looks like sweet potato kneaded for bread huh. Quite a subtle presence...

  "These are deep fried bat wings spread with black miso."

  It seems that Zena-san doesn't know the cuisine's name either. The shopkeeper who couldn't stand shutting his mouth any longer tells us. ...It's Dragon Wing Fries.

  It seems to be foods said to bring luck.

  "And then these are things I'm taught by Lilio. Ah, Lilio is the smallest girl from the trio earlier."

  Putting aside the girl's name.

  The thing that Zena-san recommends is ...light brown?　...I wonder what is it?

  For the time being I bought two serving for two pennies from the stall's uncle seller.

  I guzzle the brown liquid using the straw plugged into it handed by the uncle seller.

  It's a starch syrup!

  "Starch syrup huh. It's nostalgic~"

  "You knew about it~"

  She looks a bit disappointed. I should have been surprised ...I'm sorry.

  "The starch syrup that I know is colorless and transparent, I didn't know what this was."

  "Noble-sama, the colorless transparent syrups are high-class items made using expensive grains and sugars, this one is intended for commoners and uses sweet potatoes, gabo fruits and malts so it's light brown."

  The uncle seller interrupted with overreaction.

  Who's a noble? He didn't say it to Zena-san only.

  "Mister, I am commoner you know. I got to drink the colorless and transparent syrup from an acquaintance long ago. I didn't know that it's a luxury."

  I mean, it's 200 yen a pop on the f
estival.

  Afterwards, we enjoy ourselves by going around various stalls while plodding the crowds. It's a good afternoon.

  2-5. The Temple, the Beastkin Girls and the Stone Throwing Afternoon

  * * *

  Satou's here. "Every cloud has a silver lining", I'm contemplating such phrase.