These school buildings were also the reason Ms. Nadine had set up her library in this section.
“Here we are,” the young man said with a smile.
He and I had stopped in front of a house that was sectioned off by a small fence. Compared to some of the buildings located in this area, it did not appear like much at first, but while the building only consisted of one story, it was clearly of a higher quality than the buildings surrounding it. Unlike most of the buildings in this part of the city, which were all made of wood and brick, this one was made of limestone, a material that was more often used by nobles.
“This home once belonged to a successful merchant,” the young man said. “It had been built by him for his mistress to live in. Sadly, his mistress passed away during childbirth, so he sold the house to us. I don’t think he wanted to retain something that reminded him of her.”
I nodded as I listened to the story. “Can I take a look inside?”
“Of course.”
The man used a thick key to unlock the gate. I followed him up to the house, where he used a different key to unlock the front door, which led into a small entrance hall. I studied the hall for a second before nodding. It was several dozen meters long from the entrance to a door at the opposite end, and wide enough that Lin would have no trouble fitting through it.
“Come.” The young man beckoned to me. “Let me show you the rooms.”
The hall was connected to each room. There were five in total. On the left was the so-called family room and the kitchen. The family room was about three times larger than my bedroom, and while there was no furniture, the floor was made of carpet instead of wood or stone. Carpet was considerably more expensive. The kitchen had a stone floor and was about a third smaller than the family room. There were two stone ovens. One was meant for boiling, frying, simmering, and stewing, while the other was meant for grilling and baking.
“What do you think so far?” the young man asked.
I nodded. “It looks fine so far. I have no complaints.”
He beamed. “In that case, let me show you the last three rooms.”
The last three rooms were the master bedroom, the secondary bedroom, and the bathing room. The bathing room was located between the two bedrooms. It featured a stone tub that was about twice the size of my wooden bathtub. The tub was built into the ground, shaped like a square, and had steps that allowed a person to walk in. It wasn’t full right now, so I could see how deep it was, which I judged to be about a meter. Meanwhile, the master bedroom and secondary bedroom were merely large rooms. Once again, there was no furniture.
“While you do have a tub, there is no running water beneath this house, I’m afraid,” the young man said. “If you wish to fill the tub, there is a canal just behind your house that you can retrieve water from. The canal runs through the backyard, which is also sectioned off by a wall, so you’ll have your privacy. There is also an outhouse out back, so you do not need to use a public toilet when taking care of business. May I know your thoughts?”
“I think this place will work,” I said slowly. “What is the price on this house?”
With a beaming smile, the young man answered me. “It’s 46,000 valis.”
I took in a deep breath. That was 4,000 valis less than the amount I told him I was willing to spend. Judging by how cunning this man seemed to be, I was sure he’d found this home precisely because it was just a little below my targeted price range.
Still, the house was nice. It was large enough that it could fit two people, which was all I needed right now, and it had a nice-looking bathtub that even Lin would be able to fit inside. I’d have to buy furniture at some point, but I could do that later. I had the money.
“I’ll take it,” I said at last.
“In that case, Mister Veiger, let us go back to my office.” The man’s smile widened. “I just need you to fill out some paperwork, and then you’ll be the proud owner of a brand new house.”
* * *
It took around one hour to fill out the paperwork. It was mostly just me signing several documents that would go to the Eieren Family for safe keeping. They apparently liked to keep documentation of all the people who bought homes from them.
After I signed the papers, I gave the man 46,000 valis in exchange for the keys to the house. However, while I was eager to begin moving everything in right away, I couldn’t do anything more today because I had to work. It was my turn to close the library.
Kari wasn’t there when I arrived. She came around an hour after me. By that point, I had finished cleaning everything and most of the people who came were regulars by this point, so they didn’t actually need my help. The moment she appeared, the two of us snuck off to the second floor.
If I was being honest, I felt a little bad about using the time I should have been working to talk with Kari, but before she had shown up, most of that time had been spent reading anyway. There was only so much a person could clean before cleaning became redundant and pointless.
That day, we did not talk about adventure stories and exploring dungeons. Kari asked me many questions about Spiritual Techniques, how they were made, how they worked, and advice on using specific ones she was practicing. I answered her as best I could. Given that I had studied the creation of Spiritual Techniques in depth from various sources in my previous life, I was fairly well versed in how they were created.
“It seems you’re learning a lot of different Spiritual Techniques,” I said at last.
Kari nodded. “There are several Spiritual Techniques I would like to learn because of how useful they sound. I think I’m currently practicing… about ten.”
I frowned. “At the same time?”
“Yes.” Kari must have noticed the chiding tone in my voice because she paused for a moment. “Is that bad?”
“Well… not necessarily.” I frowned and thought about how to put this. “You can still learn ten Spiritual Techniques at the same time and not have any problems. However, if you are practicing ten at the same time, then you aren’t devoting yourself to mastering them. I think it’s more important to master a Spiritual Technique than it is to just learn it. A Spiritualist who has mastered one Spiritual Technique to perfection is a hundred times more dangerous than one who has learned ten different Spiritual Techniques but mastered none of them.”
The Kari from my timeline had known twenty-five different Spiritual Techniques before reaching the Third State of Spiritualism, but all of those were ones she had practiced one at a time. It was Kari who told me it was better to be a master of one than a master of none. This did make me wonder why this Kari was trying to learn so many Spiritual Techniques at once. Perhaps a slight divergence had occurred because of my interference? The last time around, I had not challenged Grant Leucht to fight me in the Spiritualist Grand Tournament, after all. It could also be that Kari had practiced like this at one point and stopped this method of training after learning she would have to marry Grant Leucht. I really couldn’t say.
“Yes, I think I see your point,” Kari muttered with a nod. She gave me an embarrassed smile complete with a healthy blush. “You seem to know a lot about Spiritual Techniques.”
“Well, I have been studying Spiritual Techniques and their creation for a while,” I admitted.
“Because of the Spiritualist Grand Tournament?” asked Kari.
“Not quite.” I couldn’t lie to Kari no matter how much easier it might make my life, so I tried to explain without telling her that I had come from the future. “There was a time in my life where something happened, and I wanted to study Spiritual Techniques so I could learn how to create my own.”
“A time in your life?”
“A very dark time,” I added with a sad smile.
Kari hesitated for a moment before giving me a slow nod. “I think I understand.”
There was a brief pause in our conversation as Kari scooted a little closer. While her cheeks were flushed a slight red, she still brought her face a littl
e closer to mine, staring into my eyes as if she were searching for something, though I didn’t know what.
“Hey… do you mind if I ask you a question?” she finally asked.
“Not at all.” I turned slightly so I could face her. Now I was sitting with one leg on either side of the bench. “What do you want to ask?”
Kari looked at the table and bit her lower lip, seemingly hesitant about something. I waited for her. It seemed like she wanted to ask something that might be difficult for me to answer, so I didn’t want to rush her.
“How much… do you love me?”
The question startled me for a moment, but I didn’t need to think about my answer for very long. “There is no one in this entire world who I love more than you. I would do anything for you, if it would make you happy.”
“Anything?” Kari glanced at me from the corner of her eye.
I nodded. “If you asked me to do it, there is nothing I wouldn’t do.”
“What if… I asked you to kill someone for me?”
“I would do it.”
Kari sucked in a deep breath. Then, in an even more tentative voice, she asked, “What if the person I asked you to kill wasn’t a bad person?”
“It’s cute that you’re trying to use this kind of psychological tactic to make me question whether I’d kill someone for you.” I grinned at the girl, who had the decency to look away like a child caught stealing snacks before dinner. After studying her for a moment, I shrugged and answered her. “The girl I fell in love with is an adventurous young woman who is kind, polite, and doesn’t wish harm upon people who don’t deserve it. If you were the kind of woman who asked me to kill people who didn’t do something to warrant death, you would not be the woman I fell in love with, so the question itself is moot.”
“I… I suppose so.” Kari nodded as she followed my logic. “I’m sorry for asking such a weird question.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. You should feel free to ask me anything.”
Kari nodded again, bit her lip some more, and then asked, “but you would really do anything for me?”
“So long as it makes you happy,” I said, which caused a small, joyous smile to bloom on Kari’s face.
While I wasn’t sure what the purpose of her questioning was, it seemed like my answers had satisfied her. She changed the subject back to Spiritual Techniques. We talked until it was about time for me to close up. Oddly enough, Kari decided to wait for me until I had finished closing the library. I’d given her an odd look and questioned why she was sticking around when she should have been heading home, but she just smiled and said she wanted to spend a little more time with me.
After closing up the library, I glanced at Kari, who was still smiling that small smile.
“Are you heading back home now or…?”
“I thought I would walk part way home with you,” she admitted. “You live that way, right?” She pointed down a specific route. “You take this street every day. I can reach the Imperial Royal Palace using this route, so I thought I’d walk with you until we had to part ways.”
“I understand.” I ignored the fact that I knew Kari took a carriage to get here, accepted her explanation with a nod, and held out my hand. “In that case, shall we get going?”
“Yes.”
Kari’s lips widened into an even bigger smile as she took my hand and we began walking. I think she was getting used to physical affection, or at least certain levels of it. She’d probably burst with color like a steamed lobster if I hugged her, but at least she didn’t blow up with embarrassment when I held her hand. Actually, these days it was often Kari who initiated contact first.
A lot of people stared at us as we walked by, but I knew they weren’t staring at me. I knew for a fact that the men, at least, were all directing their gazes toward Kari. She was wearing a delicate white dress that seemed thin, allowing the lovely curves of her body to be displayed. This dress also possessed slits on either side to allow freedom of movement, but that also meant her legs were exposed as she walked. The sleeves had cutouts along the shoulders and were voluminous near her hands. Aside from her gorgeous figure and outfit, the elegant bearing she possessed was enough to cause heads to turn.
“Lady Kari looks so beautiful today,” one person said with a dreamy sigh.
“Ugh… I heard she had been spotted around here, but I never imagined I’d be able to see her in person.”
“Who is that girl with her?”
“That isn’t a girl. That’s a guy.”
“Wait! What?! Please tell me you are joking!”
“Look! They’re holding hands! Do you think… I mean, you don’t think they’re… you know?”
“They had better not! I’ll murder him if he dares to even think of courting her!”
... Or maybe some of them were just glaring enviously at how we were holding hands. As several conversations happened around us, I glanced at Kari who, from the heavy blush staining her cheeks, had obviously heard every word those people had said.
“Just ignore them,” I advised her. “Let people say whatever they want about us. It’s not like it matters.”
Kari nodded and squeezed my hand. I could tell she was embarrassed, so I was honestly happy that she was unwilling to relinquish my hand despite that.
As we walked, I wondered how we should say goodbye. Would it be inappropriate if I kissed her by this point? I think we were both already aware of our feelings for each other, but I also knew that the Kari right now might not be as receptive toward that sort of physical intimacy. Maybe I should ask if she’d be okay with it? Was that appropriate?
I felt like I was overthinking this, but I was honestly really worried. A part of me just wanted to take this girl into my arms, kiss her silly, and then make passionate love to her, but I was also aware that these feelings and desires might not be shared by the current Kari. I had to tread carefully until I was certain of where she stood and what boundaries she wanted to set.
“I should definitely ask her…”
“Did you say something?” asked Kari.
Her words startled me for a moment. I had not realized I’d spoken out loud.
Looking into Kari’s eyes, I decided that now was perhaps the best time to ask about what her boundaries were in regards to physical intimacy. I opened my mouth, prepared to express these opinions—
“ERYK VEIGER! I HAVE COME SEEKING REVENGE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY YOUNGER BROTHERS!!”
I would never get the chance to say anything. Before I could even open my mouth, a loud scream filled with rage resounded across the street, causing everyone, including Kari and myself, to stop what we were doing.
Chapter 7
The Himmel Family
I paused at the sound of the voice, which was so loud it rumbled across the street like rolling thunder, containing a rage that was difficult to describe with words. It sounded like the man’s voice was a boiling pot overflowing with scalding hot water.
Keeping calm, I glanced at Kari. Her face was a little pale when she heard the shout. However, more telling than her suddenly pale face was the displeased frown marring her lips. It was so small no one would have noticed unless they really knew her, but I noticed.
I turned toward where I heard the voice come from, watching as the sea of people parted to allow an older man in his mid or late-twenties to storm over to us. He looked a lot like those two who had fought me the other night. His sandy blond hair reached his shoulders and was combed back in a neat style. He wore leather armor with a layer of black underneath him. The chestplate adorning his torso was decorated with a house crest, swirling clouds that reminded me of the sky.
“Albert Himmel, what is the meaning of this?” asked Kari, the frown on her face growing to the point where others could now see it as well.
The one known as Albert Himmel suddenly paused when he realized who was standing next to me. He hurriedly moved into a polite bow, though it was still easy to feel the anger radiating fr
om him.
“Princess Kari, I apologize for being blunt, but this matter has nothing to do with you. I would appreciate it if you did not interfere in my family’s affairs,” Albert said with a tone of forced politeness.
“Nothing to do with me,” Kari said in a soft-spoken voice that caused a slight chill to run down my spine. She only used that voice when she was really mad. “You come running up here, screaming at my friend about how you are seeking revenge on him, and you tell me that this is none of my business?”
Albert’s ears turned red when he heard the way she had phrased it. He tried to speak, but his mouth didn’t seem to be working, causing him to open and close it several times. Kari and I could do nothing but watch as he eventually raised his hand and coughed into it.
“What I meant was that your friend here has gravely injured my two younger brothers.” Albert’s face hardened as he mastered his embarrassment. His eyes shifted from her to me, turning into a glare before they went back to Kari. “Alf and Arvid were found gravely wounded the other morning. We brought them back home to heal them and eventually learned that the person who injured them so was none other than your friend here.”
I frowned as Albert pointed at me. His finger was quivering. His entire arm was shaking with his barely restrained rage. I was certain that, if this was not a public forum and Kari not present, this man would have attacked me without hesitation.
“And what makes you think I injured those two? Did they tell you that I injured them?” I asked.
“They were beaten so badly they do not even remember your vicious assault!” Albert all but snarled as he took a threatening step forward. “An eye witness claimed to have seen you beating them senseless in the streets the other night!”
An eye witness? I frowned. So there had been someone present the night before. It was strange that I had not been able to sense them with Spiritual Perception, but that only went to show me how powerful that person was, whoever they were. There were only a few ways to mask someone’s Spiritual Signature and all of them required a near perfect control of one’s Spiritual Power.
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