T/N: Hello my lovely readers! Your friendly neighborhood firefly, Hotaru-chan, here again with another chapter of Takeru’s adventures!
This firefly would like to apologize about the names of people and places here, I have a hard time translating non-Japanese proper nouns into a somewhat close enough English version of them, but this firefly really tried! Anyway, here goes!
“Brother, until when do you intend to stay in Tolmi?”
“I’m ignorant to the world’s common sense, after all. Before I head for the city center, I will have to study some common general knowledge within the village. That said, I would have to stay here for a little while.”
“Hahahaha! I don’t know what you could learn from such a remote countryside, but all of ’em here are good-natured fellows. That also includes me, alright!”
“That seems to be the case, isn’t it?”
“Ahahaha! You’re good! I’ve taken a liking to ya, brother!!”
Even though a huge guy whom they only saw for the first time came, they welcomed me without making an unpleasant face. If this village was said to have been associated with danger, then the villagers would have shown more wariness towards me. Most probably, either the defensive network might be solid or they might not have been exposed to that many dangerous experiences. The fence that surrounds the village didn’t look that sturdy, so there must not have been much danger around, it must have been peaceful.
“I’m Jerome.”
“I’m called Takeru.”
“I can’t buy the Moonlit Night Grass. There’s no one to buy it around here, after all. If I bought it and let it wither away, the merchant who frequently comes will beat me up. I’m sorry but, could I get you to sell it to a travelling peddler or around the Belkaim area instead?”
“Understood.”
“If you’ll be staying for a while, then go to the Gallop inn. Well that’s the only inn this village has though. If you tell them my name, then I think they might charge you cheaper.”
“Thank you very much.”
I shook hands with Jerome and put the Moonlit Night grass back into my bag.
After asking about the location of the inn for the second time, I purchased the whole jar of white candies that was placed on the counter.
When I handed out the candies to the kids who were waiting in front of the store, they jumped up in delight, and drew near again asking me to carry them or give them a ride on my shoulder.
As I entertained the children while being laughed at by Jerome who had come out to the storefront, their parents came to retrieve the kids one at a time, while bowing their heads.
Apparently, it seems that it was time for dinner soon. I separated from Jerome for sure this time, and headed for the inn.
++++++++++
“Hello〜”
The inn with a sign that had Gallop written on it was bigger and brighter than the general store.
Even in the village, the two-storey structure is one of the larger buildings, and its appearance is more impressive than any of the houses. It has the smell of timber.
At the front entrance is the counter, on the right side is something like a dining hall, and behind that is the kitchen.
From the counter, a lady with a nice physique smilingly responded to my entry.
“Yes, yes, welcome”
“I’ve come with the recommendation of the general store’s master, Jerome-san.”
“Oh, my! Hah– I see. So, rare things do happen. Is brother a traveler perhaps?”
“That’s right. I’m called Takeru.”
“I appreciate the courtesy, I am the landlady, Confia.”
“Greetings.”
Once we were through with our greetings, the landlady looked up at me as if seeing something rare.
“The kids were making a racket about how a huge traveler came to the village. So that was you?”
“That seems to be the case.”
“Haaaah∼, just as they said, you’re huge, aren’t you? Fufufu, sorry, it is not often that I get to meet such a tall and fine big brother such as yourself.”
I knew it , my height is outside the norm.
“I would like to trouble you for quite a while, but do you have an empty room?”
“You’re the traveler that Jerome seems so have taken a liking to after all, so I’ll make it cheaper for you. Originally, it would cost you 500 Reib per night without meals, but I’ll make it 500 Reib with meals included. How’s that?”
“That would be much appreciated.”
One night is five bronze coins, so two nights would be one silver coin worth 1,000 Reib.
To start with, I would like to acquire general common knowledge within this village, so I intend to stay for around ten days.
I took out five silver coins. This should probably be the right amount.
“My stay might be extended, but here’s for ten days worth, if you’d please.”
“Yes, indeed*. If you need a boxed meal, please let me know the night before.”
[T/N: The nuance here implies that she has indeed received the right amount. ]
“In that case, may I get tomorrow’s lunch as a boxed meal?”
“Alrighty. Normally, you get it for 50 Reib, but I’ll give your first one for free.”
“Thank you very much.”
“As you can see, we also have a diner, and it turns into a bar at night. It becomes the most boisterous place in the village, so if it gets too noisy, just tell me.”
“I understand.”
I received the keys from the landlady and went up the stairway which she lead me to. We entered the room with a door, inlaid with a certain red stone, within the innermost part of the corridor.
With my height, any room would feel cramped, so I can’t be picky. To be able to sleep and wake up in a room with a roof on it, is already a luxury in and of itself.
The room is six-tatami mats in size* and has a sense of neatness. It has a single bay window, a bed and a small closet. There was also a round table and a chair.
[T/N: One tatami mat is approximately 1.53 square meters. For more info, click here. (=^_^=)]
This was for 500 Reib with one meal included. I don’t know whether this is cheap or not, but to me, it could be said to be cheap.
The landlady’s personality seemed nice too, and the bed is not too hard.
“Now then…”
I took off my robe as well as the boots. I also took my socks and checked the smell [T/N: YUCK! Why!? (>_<) ]. Mysteriously enough, it didn’t stink. I opened my bag to check for a change of clothes.
There were two inner shirts made of mythril silver thread, two thick turtleneck shirts, two ordinary shirts, two pairs of leather pants, and four pieces of underwear. I’m glad the underwear was a boxer-type. I was worried about what I would do if it was loincloth.
I took out an ordinary shirt and a pair of pants made of soft material to use them as sleepwear.
For toilets, they have pit latrines. It is only now that I realize the wonders of the nostalgic button-flush toilets, and washlet toilets [T/N: Sample]. Since it’s only on the first floor, I need to be careful not to drink too much fluids before sleeping. It’s not because I’m scared of the dark, alright!
“By the way, what do they do about baths?”
(To be continued)
Hotaru World 