Chapter 54

I came out of the blacksmith's shop, breathing heavily.

If it weren't for someone, I wouldn't have needed to rush out like this, but because of their strange words, I had no choice but to take extreme measures.

I put down the culprit who caused this situation and rubbed their cheeks vigorously with both hands.

"No more weird talk outside! People will misunderstand!"

"Owie, I did it for you."

You did it for me?

I appreciate the thought, but that goodwill almost got me thrown in prison!

This is a typical situation of good intentions but bad results!

Annoyed by her attitude of trying to sell me out to prove her actions weren't wrong, I grabbed her cheeks and stretched them out.

"Uweee."

Although her expression didn't change, judging by her flailing arms, it seemed the disciplinary education was having an effect.

Gotcha, you little rascal!

As I stretched her cheeks like rice cakes, she seemed to be enjoying it immensely.

That should be enough for her to reflect on her actions.

I pulled hard and then let go, making a sticky sound.

She held her cheeks with both hands, and it looked like there might be a slight tear in her eyes.

Ugh.

I shouldn't be weak to this.

It'll spoil the child!

Thinking that, I looked down at Asti resolutely.

In response, Asti looked up at me with teary eyes.

"...If Master likes this kind of thing, I'll endure it."

While saying something that makes me look like trash!

"Hey, don't say it like that!"

"You looked happy when you were pulling my cheeks..."

"When did I look happy!"

Of course, her soft cheeks were cute, and her funny appearance made me laugh, but!

It certainly wasn't because I was happy!

"...Oh ho."

"Wait, Miss Muyeon? It's not like that. It's not what you think."

I desperately denied it as Muyeon made a sound like she understood something, but...

"...So Mr. Tanton prefers doing it rather than having it done to him..."

She was muttering such things to herself.

"Stop! It's not like that!"

"Hii, hiiek!?"

Only when I shouted loudly to stop her did Muyeon's expression return to normal.

This assassination maid.

This was clearly another attempt to bury me socially!

No wonder she's been so proactive lately.

And because of what she just said, her own wrongdoing has completely disappeared.

Where did she learn such advanced rhetoric?

Anyway.

This wasn't the important thing.

Her sudden unnecessary words broke my train of thought.

The blacksmith, Simtol.

I thought he'd be a typical grumpy old man, but I was glad things went better than expected.

When I saw how lenient he was with children, I thought he might be a kind-hearted person, and it seems that was true.

"Anyway, I'm glad things worked out well."

"Y-Yes! Actually, I was thinking of pestering him for about two days, but I'm relieved it was resolved so easily."

...Pestering such an old man.

I was starting to think Muyeon might actually be spiritually enlightened but just playing a character.

Otherwise, how could she think of coming back to this blacksmith's shop to nag him?

Well, whatever the case, it's good that I can now have a custom weapon made.

"Miss Muyeon, thank you. Thanks to you, I can finally get a proper weapon."

"...But, for someone with Mr. Tanton's style, wouldn't gauntlets or knuckles be much better than a sword...?"

"Let's go!"

"Eek!"

This person is talking nonsense.

As they say, lance knights are efficiency-oriented, while sword knights are romantics.

The reason other knights aren't mentioned here is because they're either too niche or unorthodox.

And you're telling me, of all people, to be a martial arts type?

I might as well quit being a knight and go live happily with wild Outer Gods like the Hunter.

You might think that way because I borrowed Bell's power against the Dragon Slayer, but fighting using an Outer God's power consumes too much stamina.

It literally uses up a day's worth of life force.

If a battle drags on, it would shorten my lifespan, so I wanted to refrain from using it unless absolutely necessary.

I want to live a long life, after all.

Phew.

Now I really need to go to the marketplace.

Talking according to the flow of consciousness, I didn't even realize how much time had passed.

"I think I need to go to the marketplace now. I have some things to investigate."

"Oh, is that so? Hmm... I have something scheduled soon, so I don't think I can go to the market with you."

"That's a shame. It would have been nice if we could go together."

I responded to Muyeon's words with a subtle smile.

Of course, it's just a facade.

It's better to walk around alone to gather information about Outer Gods.

Although Muyeon knows some of my circumstances, talking might reveal things I'm hiding.

That wouldn't be a good situation.

Unless there's enough plausibility to explain the situation later, it would only increase distrust towards me for now.

Above all, it's strange for two knights to stick together and ask information brokers in shady places about Outer Gods, isn't it?

"Oh, you're disappointed?"

"...Well, yes. I guess so?"

Muyeon's face suddenly started to redden, and she repeatedly tried to say something but stopped.

What's going on?

Then she squeezed her eyes shut, shook her head vigorously, and...

"W-Well, have a nice walk!"

"B-Be careful on your way!"

She ran off, emitting more steam than White Mask's train.

What was that all about?

Did I say something wrong?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't figure it out, so I decided to ask Muyeon the next time I get a chance to meet her.

It's awkward when she suddenly acts like that.

***

After Muyeon left, I walked around the area.

I was worried I might have to go back to the Hearth to ask for directions, but fortunately, there was a fairly crowded marketplace not far from the blacksmith's shop.

Unlike the typical medieval market atmosphere we usually imagine, there were no merchants hanging things on pillars to sell.

They didn't even put things on tables; everything was in baskets placed on the ground, and the merchants sat on the ground looking down.

Perhaps they were afraid their gaze might meet the Giant of the Snowy Mountains while selling goods.

Moreover, being a bit far from the Hearth, the merchants, unlike the customers, were wearing thick clothes.

It was an ironic scene, gloomy yet lively, characteristic of Rondan.

Yet they seemed sincere about selling their products, as each merchant was raising their voice to urge people to buy their goods.

It was startling to hear voices from the ground if you were walking absentmindedly.

From the moment we entered the market, Asti, like me, kept looking around curiously as if all this was new to her.

For me, it was because this was the first time seeing such a scene since being transmigrated into this world.

...Having been raised as a slave all her life, this must be her first time seeing such a scene.

I held Asti's hand to avoid losing her, and she looked up at me.

"There are a lot of people. Hold on tight so you don't get lost."

"Yes."

She answers so prettily.

Walking around the market holding hands seemed to make Asti feel like she was with her parents, and her expression looked subtly excited.

I thought it might be a good experience for Asti too, so I felt we came to the right place.

Now that we've looked around enough, I need to find an information broker.

Seeing Asti staring intently at the food with the same look she had this morning when asking to be petted, I wanted to buy her everything in sight, but there wasn't time for that.

After all, I came to the market primarily to buy information.

Valuable information is always found in old books in the corners of libraries and in the back alleys of gloomy markets.

Considering the order, I decided to visit the market first to avoid wasting too much time at the library.

Thinking this, I tried to change direction, but Asti suddenly stopped in her tracks, almost making me fall backward.

"Asti?"

As I called out to her and saw her, an "Ah" involuntarily escaped my lips.

Her gaze seemed fixed on something, and soon she started looking back and forth between me and the object with 'that' look.

I wondered what could make her show such an unyielding attitude this time, and it turned out to be a prettily made pink macaron.

Hmm.

I see.

She's at an age where she'd crave sweets.

Seeing her send such an intense gaze, I thought it might be okay to buy her one.

"Hello, how much are the macarons?"

"3 silver coins."

A rough-looking man said, holding up three fingers.

Just from his appearance, he looked like someone with a lot of experience, so there was no need to doubt the taste.

"Which color do you want?"

"...Hmm."

Asti started looking around at the macarons.

It seemed to be a serious but happy dilemma, as Asti couldn't easily make a choice.

Yes, even this time of choosing is a happy moment for children.

Fortunately, Asti's deliberation didn't take too long, and she pointed at one macaron.

"Ah."

Of all things, it was a macaron made of white meringue and red cream.

...It seemed quite meaningful, but I decided to believe she just chose her favorite color and let it go.

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

After receiving the macaron from the shop owner, I immediately handed it to Asti.

"Try it."

"...Yes."

Asti took it but couldn't easily put it in her mouth.

Maybe it was too pretty to eat.

"Next time we come to the market, I'll buy you one more, so eat it without worry."

"...Really?"

Ugh.

Her uncharacteristic way of asking made me imagine what kind of life she must have lived, and it didn't feel good.

"Yes, if you like, we can come every day."

"...Thank you, Master."

I smiled at Asti, and now she seemed to think about eating it, carefully putting the macaron in her mouth.

After chewing a few times, her eyes gradually widened, which was really cute.

I should bring her here often.

If she likes it this much.

"...Mother used to give me sweets occasionally. It was delicious."

She must have been kidnapped by illegal slave traders after all.

I should have beaten them up more back then.

"No, Mother educated me as a slave and then sold me."

"...Huh?"

It seems like something I shouldn't have heard just flew by?

Did I hear that correctly?

What kind of crazy mother would educate her own child as a slave and then sell them?

I felt like I was about to burst with indignation.

Yet Asti herself calmly took another bite of the macaron and slowly swallowed it.

"Mother was a strong person. Perhaps she'll become even stronger in the future. There must have been a reason for sending me away... ugh."

I was listening to Asti's first confession, but suddenly she made a pained sound.

"Are you okay?"

"...My tongue got cut on the cookie part."

Asti looked at me and stuck out her tongue.

...Huh?

"W-What are you doing!"

"Here."

The place she showed me, with her pronunciation slurred, was near the base of her tongue.

There really was a red mark.

"I get it, so put your tongue back in!"

"Yes."

Asti answered briefly and started eating the macaron again.

As if nothing had happened, Asti showed a pitiful appearance.

But was it just my imagination?

It seemed that Asti's pause in speaking wasn't just because of the macaron.

***

I wandered around with the mindset of trying to find something, but it wasn't as easy to encounter information-selling merchants as I thought.

They're usually hidden somewhere, but this level of invisibility seemed a bit too much.

"Brother, what are you looking for?"

As I kept circling the same area, one merchant asked me, but of course, someone selling things in broad daylight wouldn't know about such things.

Sigh.

I thought there would be at least one, but there's none at all?

I even wandered through alleys that felt like I might end up "showing off my organs" if I went in wrong, but there was still nothing.

It seemed like there really wasn't anyone.

I might not have another chance if not today.

Should I look for a separate building where a volunteer army might be?

Just as I was about to leave the market and head towards nearby inns...

"Why are you wandering around so much? If you're looking to buy information, I can give you a good deal."

I froze at the voice suddenly whispering in my ear.

Was it because the content was related to what I had been looking for?

Well, that's about 30% of the reason.

But more than that.

The voice sounded familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before.

I slowly turned towards the direction of the voice, and there was...

The distinctive brown hair and sharp eyes - unlike before, now full of mischief and passion.

And waving the arm that should have been missing, with that characteristic playful expression.

"Hehe, long time no see."

There stood Agartha, looking more gallant than before.