Chapter 69
The shop was filled with strange knickknacks brimming with an exotic charm.
They didn't look like magic tools, and no matter how I looked at it, this was a souvenir shop.
Just as I was starting to feel uneasy, a man who seemed to be the proprietor spoke to us.
He gave the impression of a chubby, genial old man.
"Welcome. Looking for souvenirs?"
"No, Muneyoshi-san recommended this place. I'm Rento, an adventurer."
"Ah, you're the customers he sent."
"I heard you carry kimonos for adventurers..."
"Is it for that young lady?"
"Y-yes."
The proprietor stared at Rinka, as if sizing her up.
"All right. Wait a moment."
The proprietor headed toward the stairs and called up to the second floor.
"Suzu, watch the shop for me."
"Coming~"
The girl who'd been called came downstairs.
"Ah, welcome, customers."
Suzu bowed politely.
She was a girl of about ten, wearing a yellow kimono that suited her well.
"Come with me to the backyard."
We followed the proprietor to the backyard.
It was more spacious than I'd expected.
The proprietor picked up a wooden sword and tossed another one to Rinka.
Was he planning to spar?
There was certainly enough room for it.
"I'd like to see how you move, young lady. I'll attack, so could you dodge as you see fit?"
"Y-yes."
As Rinka took up her wooden sword, the proprietor's presence changed.
Seeing that, Rinka shifted into battle mode as well.
"Then, here I come."
――The signal to begin the bout.
The next instant, the proprietor covered the one-meter gap and launched a thrust with no windup.
Rinka stepped back with her left foot, turning sideways to dodge the thrust.
"Oh? I'll gradually speed up. Can you keep up?"
Just as he'd said, the proprietor launched a thrust faster than before.
Rinka dodged it without difficulty, but the proprietor's attacks didn't stop.
He sent one thrust after another in an unbroken series of movements.
Rinka evaded them using only her footwork.
"Then, how about this?"
He followed up with more than just thrusts: downward cuts, upward cuts, sweeping strikes――.
The proprietor's continuous attacks grew more intense.
Distinctive footwork, flowing swordsmanship.
They weren't like any swordsman's movements I knew.
It was hard to believe he was an old man.
But Rinka wasn't about to lose, either.
Dodging.
Deflecting.
Blocking.
Counterattacking.
Rinka weathered the proprietor's furious flurry of attacks.
"Not bad."
"You were impressive too."
"But you don't seem to be serious yet. Could you show me your full strength, young lady?"
"No, I can't."
"Oh? If you won't get serious, I won't sell you a kimono."
"Even so, I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to kill you."
Rinka fixed the proprietor with a serious gaze.
"Heh. You're a frightening young lady."
The proprietor lowered his wooden sword and relaxed his fighting stance.
Rinka let go of the tension she'd been holding.
The tense atmosphere relaxed in an instant.
"Though it's late, I am Rindou, the 21st head of Yagyu-do. Would you tell me your name, young lady?"
"I'm Rinka."
"Good! I'll make a truly magnificent piece just for you, Rinka-dono."
"Ah, thank you very much."
"This way, please."
Following Rindou, the proprietor, we returned to the shop and were shown to a room in the back.
Shelves lined with bolts of fabric in every color stood against the walls, and a large worktable sat in the center of the room.
MP's eyes sparkled as they said, 'Wow, it's so pretty~.'
"And what's your budget?"
"Please keep it under two million gold."
I had 2.06 million gold on hand.
Most of it was money I'd earned since coming to Melba.
I didn't have any urgent expenses at the moment, and I could easily earn 200,000 gold a day by diving into the dungeon.
The leather armor Rinka was wearing was about what you'd expect an E-rank adventurer to have.
Thinking ahead, I'd decided to go all in and spend the entire amount.
"Would Rinka-dono be around C-rank?"
"No, I only just became E-rank the other day."
"Oh..."
Rindou thought it over for a while, then――.
"There seem to be some circumstances at play, but I expect Rinka-dono will rise through the ranks quickly."
Rindou looked at me meaningfully.
"All right, then. I'll make a kimono that will serve you well even at C-rank. Do you have a color preference?"
"No, not particularly."
"Are there any colors you dislike?"
"Not particularly."
"Would you let me choose for you?"
"Yes! I'll leave it to you."
"Then let's take your measurements right away. Suzu!"
At Rindou's call, Suzu-chan poked her head out.
"What is it, Dad?"
"Measurements."
"Okay."
As instructed, Suzu took a tape measure and measured Rinka's various dimensions.
She worked quickly and efficiently, and the measurements were finished in about five minutes.
"Thanks for your patience!"
"It'll take two days to make. Could you come back the day after tomorrow, sometime in the morning or later?"
"Understood. Then I'll come back the day after tomorrow."
"I look forward to it!"