298-In the house of Tornell




 
Well, I'm getting a little hungry. I guess we should get going.

'Hmmm, yes. It's probably just about time.

 When we had finished our seafood soup and small crabs in the square, Eric and I sat up from the bench.

'Where are we going?'

'This is my friend's house where we built the sandcastle together. It looks like he's making some decorations, so we're going to see.

I'm going to buy a souvenir!

Heh, I see.

 Me and Meena replied that, and sister Elinora replied as if it didn't matter.

 Elinora sis isn't interested in getting dressed up.

''Well Elinora, let's go too.

'What? Me too?

 Luna-san's words startled Sister Elinora.

''Well yes. Elinora is beautiful, but she's too uninterested in dressing up. That's a shame.''

I'm not trying to dress up or anything to be popular, you know?

 Sister Elinora doesn't have to dress up to be popular in the bare minimum. Or rather, the lines you just gave are the ones that make all unattractive women the enemy.

''Well it doesn't matter if you're popular or not, I think it's just pure fun to dress up. Because just wearing something you like will change your mood.

Well, maybe that's not so hard to figure out.

 She said that and lightly touched her blue hairpiece, Elinora said.

 It's not only the black one she always wears, but also the red polka-dot pattern on a white background that I bought in the capital, purple, blue, and other colors that she uses depending on her mood.

 I'm genuinely glad that I bought it as a souvenir and that it is being used.

''Well the ornaments we have are beautiful. You don't have to buy them, let's go see them. I, Elinora and I want to go look at them together.

Okay, okay....

 Luna-san pulls her hand away, and Elinora sister takes her hand and stands up, looking a little embarrassed.

 When it's a girl, this kind of interaction is somehow like that. It's the most uncomfortable thing for boys to do.

 If Eric pulls my hand while saying something like he wants to shop with me, I'm confident I'll slap him. And Eric isn't the kind of guy who can spout such honest dialogue in the first place. I suspect that there's something behind this.

''Well I know what you're thinking. Let me tell you that's the same for me.

 I looked at Eric with a chill in my eyes and he noticed and said something like that too.

 Why is it that boys and girls have different forms of friendship? No, should we go into the personality differences between the sister and brother in the first place?



 ◆.


 We walked out of the square where the villagers had gathered in a group and walked for a while towards the sea.

 I've been told in advance that this is what looks like Trunel's decoration shop.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to find it.

You're only a decorator using materials from the sea, so you're very particular about the exterior!

 The decorative shop is whitewashed like the rest of the houses. However, the walls are embedded with shining shells and pieces of magic stones, just like in Sand Castle Misfirito, which gives the store a sense of taste.

 Small magical stones are gathered together to form shells or represent waves.

 The design is somewhat similar to Quina's, but it's much finer and more delicate than that one. Maybe Quina's mother did it.

'Well, we'd better get in now.

 Eric knocked on the door after taking a good look at the exterior design before entering the store.

 Then Quina, who looked somewhat tempered, said as she opened the door.

''S-sorry, it's a bit of a rental right now, so I'll see you at a later date - ah! Master Eric!

Hmm? What do you mean it's a private charter?

 Although the number of people had increased a little, I had told them in advance that we were heading there. To begin with, it's not a high-class restaurant in the royal capital, and I wonder if the restaurant will ever be rented out?

Oh, uh, what do I...

 For some reason, when Quina was tempted, a familiar blond-haired, blue-eyed man...or rather, Father Nord, came out from behind it.

'Did Al and the others come to see the souvenirs too?'

Yeah, kind of.

 I see... So, the Nord's father and his party, who were out at sea on a boat, also came to Tornel's to see the souvenirs.

 It was a lord who appeared as if by surprise, and a dragon slayer who came from the outside, but is also a legend. The Quina family must be fearful and full of tension right now.

''Quina, since they are Aegal-san and our sons, can we let them into the shop?''

'Oh, yes! Of course, please do!

 Father Nord asks, and Quina says something funny as she blushes.

 A normal village girl is bound to get nervous when being approached by a handsome man like Nord-Dad, isn't she?

 Somehow I understand the situation, and Quina, her face red with nervousness, leads me inside the store.

 Then something glittering and dazzling pops into our vision. It is the light emitted by shells caught in the sea, magical stones, coral, and demon fangs, or what appears to be the reflection of light. It was a natural, beautiful glow, different from the glittering gold and jewels.

 We walked along as if the ornaments were inviting us, taking our breath away at the sight.

 Bracelets made from processed and joined pieces of demonic stones, small rings, and key chain-like items combined with demon fangs, claws, and shells were displayed on wooden boxes, walls, and storage boxes filled with silken cotton, and the room was filled with ornaments.

'Welcome. Please make yourself at home.

 As I was walking along at random, a brown-haired man approached me modestly. Upon closer inspection, I saw that he had the nostalgic face of someone similar to Tornel, and his eyes were the same jade color as Tornel's. He doesn't have any missing front teeth, but he's probably Tornel's dad.

'Yeah, thanks.'

 I really don't want them to care too much, but that would be hard to do with all these faces. If I were in the opposite position, I would definitely be nervous.

 The truth is, I wanted to take it easy with Tornel, Quina and their parents, but with Father Nord and his family around, that would be a bit difficult.

 I think I'll just take a look at the whole place and sneak in a few minutes to talk to them later.

 But some idiot didn't notice that kind of atmosphere.

''Oh! Master Alfried! I'm going to show you some of the proudest creations I've ever taken from the sea!

'Hey, you're an idiot! How dare you speak to my lord's son! S-Sorry, sir, my stupid son!

 Tornel's dad who apologizes profusely, slapping Tornel's head for talking to me so casually.

 I feel terribly sorry before I told him it was okay to be casual when we played with him the other day.

'No, it's fine. No, that's fine. It was his idea to come here today. 'Hey, Tornel,'

'Oh, yes, dad!

 I spoke to him like a friend, and he replied stoutly, holding his battered head.

 Then, as if afraid of his father.

I thought you were delusional about being friends with a nobleman, but is it true?

So you've been telling me for a while now that it's true!

You were suspected of something by the neighborhood kids, weren't you? What's going on with you on a daily basis?

Oh, that was just them being skeptical!

My brother can be a bit vain sometimes.

 Tornell, who states something somewhat excuse-like, and Quina, who tells a truthful story.

 It's obvious who is right.

I see. So that's why the children I met at the river were so suspicious. It's no wonder they suspected I wasn't a nobleman.

No, that's because you have an air of mediocrity about you that's not noble.

It's disgusting.

 When I was convinced I was on my own, Eric interrupted me as an afterthought.

 Since he cares about me, don't play around with that.

''Ho, really make friends with the nobleman... no, but...''

 Tornell's dad surprised Tornell and us, but he hesitated, glancing at Nord Dad and the others.

 'I guess that means the kids can get away with it, but the adults can't,' he said.

'Oh, we don't have to worry about our kids getting along with the village kids all the time,'

'Me and Aegal don't mind either. Rather, our Eric doesn't have many friends of his own age, so I hope you will continue to be friends with him.

'Hey! Mother! Don't do it!

 Understanding Tornel's father's concern, Mother Elna and Natasha follow up with him.

 Eric seemed very embarrassed by Natasha-san's follow-up.