[Elmer]

“Welcome!”
“This is delicious.”

Various vioces of people can be heard everywhere. Matthias and I went together to the Imperial Capital’s shopping district that’s very crowded.

I soaked up the smell of food, the sweet fragrance of flowers and all other aromas in the town blending exquisitely.

There were also several people in the town I went to when I was in the main residence of West Vern family, but the enthusiasm in this place is even more prominent.

“We can stop by here later if you find something you’re interested in. Let’s gather the necessary things first.”

I must have looked around too much since Matthias said that with a wry smile.

We pa.s.s through the shopping district and went ahead steadily. The people gradually lessened and I have a feeling that the shops became bigger, too. The place is by no means deserted, rather it’s more appropriate to say the entire street is quiet.

“It is here.”

Matthias stopped in front of a certain shop. It’s obviously a high-cla.s.s store judging from its appearance. The sign board appears to say its a supplier for aristocrats.

The door was opened and we entered, the inside of the store had a lot of goods that took up much s.p.a.ce.

When the shop a.s.sistant saw Matthias, he told us to wait as he offered us seats and said that he’ll immediately call the manager, but I decided to look around the shop instead.

“Is there anything you find satisfactory?”

I found a brooch of a dragon that resembles Kioran inside a gla.s.s case and the salesperson called out to me when I stared at it.

“Ah… yes…”

“Please take your time looking at it.”

He said that with a pleasant smile that is evident in his whole face. It was a business smile but I felt like it was born out of training thoroughly.

I got satisfied looking at it and briefly went back to where Matthias was. Matthias was sitting elegantly with his legs crossed and even drinking tea gracefully. There’s a pink drink placed in front of my seat. I hesitated momentarily because of its ominous-looking color but then sat down on my seat and placed the straw in my mouth. A refres.h.i.+ng taste that’s contrary to its appearance filled my mouth. Yes, it’s delicious. I’ll investigate what kind of juice this is so I can offer it in my shop.

I whispered into Matthias’ ear softly.

“If I say so, there’s so much… shadows.”

How many times was I called out when I was looking around? The number of customers is too small compared to the number of shop a.s.sistants. I suppose the aristocrats most likely summon the people from the shop to their houses so there’s no need to particularly visit.

“I’m sorry.”

I only said my impressions when I looked around, but Matthias’ face stiffened and then said sorry with a very apologetic expression.

“I didn’t mean that it’s Matthias’ fault particularly.”

That’s true. Therefore I don’t really mind at all. Really, Matthias sometimes give answers that’s out of topic.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. It’s been a long time, Matthias-sama. Also…”

“This is El-sama.”

A middle-aged man who introduced himself as the manager came out from the inner part of the shop. After finis.h.i.+ng his greetings, the manager began to display the clothing articles in a row. It appears like I have to choose what I want from among them. I don’t know how to select what’s good so Matthias a.s.sisted me in that. I was told that I can pick them up and take a look at them so I did so carefully as to not drop them. There’s no price tag… I felt nervous and sneaked a look at the person beside me, but Matthias just started purchasing one after another without changing his expression.

“I don’t really need them so much.”

“Is that so? Ah, please deliver all of these to the estate.”

He’s not listening to me at all. Rich people’s shopping is frightening. In the end, Matthias and the manager started having a long conversation about something. I got bored and decided to take a look outside.

It seems like the talk will take a while so it’s alright as long as I don’t go too far. I’ll come back after looking around for a while.

I opened the heavy door and began walking aimlessly.

I entered a narrow road that extends left and right a short time later, the number of shops suddenly decreased and I can’t see any traces of people around.

“It’s only this much?!”

I heard the snarl of a dangerous man after turning along the alleys a few times.

I got curious and tried to peek from a hiding spot.

“N…o…No…”

There’s a little girl along the wall. Three large, ill-bred men was surrounding that girl.

This is clearly an extortion scene.

There are no people around. The only person who can save that girl is me. What should I do? My heart began beating fast. Should I do it? Can I win?

Our physique are different. I completely lose when it comes to strength. However, magic exists in this world. It’s dependent on the other party’s reactions, but I may be able to catch them off-guard using magic. I can do this. Those guys will not extort money in a place like this if they’re strong in the first place.

I can help that girl if I succeed and even if I can’t, there’s still the chance to run away. If I’ll lose… that’s right. I’ll get on Kioran and escape immediately.

A man grabbed the girl’s collar and pushed her to the wall. I need to hurry… no one noticed me yet.

First of all, let’s summon a medium-sized Kioran… but I don’t have my flask right now. If I don’t have a core, I can’t summon Kioran. The invocation requirement of my summoning magic is that I need to wet my hand before I can do anything.

I slowly retreated from the alley when my back hit something, it looks like this became someone’s house at some point.

I suddenly noticed that there is a barrel next to me.

I don’t know if it’s because it’s frequently opened, but I easily lifted the cover of the barrel, then I peeked inside gently.

It’s water. It looks like I’m lucky. It’s a barrel for collecting rain water.

“I’ll borrow it for a bit.”

After saying that in a low voice towards the house, I soaked my left hand and then pulled it out. Large drops of water dripped and soaked the ground.

“Kioran.”

Please help me, I thought, then recalled the appearance of my impertinent dragon through closed lids.

“You called?”

I heard a familiar voice at once. It’s like the sound of a heavy thing being dragged along.

“…Kioran.”

Certainly, I called for you. My plan already got ruined since you went out with such a large body more than what I wanted. To begin with, why do you come out only at your own convenience?

I placed everything I wanted to say in a long sigh.

Even though I planned him to be hidden in the street corner, two-thirds of Kioran’s body is completely visible.

“Uwaaaaa!!”

“What!?”

The men made a commotion when they saw Kioran.

In the middle of it however, the surprise attack seemed to be successful. The girl will be able to run away this way.

“So noisy. Ah, I’ll just eat you.”

The men started to bawl and screamed towards Kioran who idly made such terrifying remark.

“Food…Cho…”

Kioran opened his mouth greatly and tried to bite on the men who started running away.

This had become an unexpected development. I though he can only use his tail for intimidation but Kioran appears to have more impact more than what I’ve imagined.

It looks like he’ll eat them any moment now. Kioran can’t be stopped!

“My… lovely food…”

Wrong!

I instinctively thought of a retort for the words he let out.

Right then, I realized that the girl I intended to help was sitting down while staring motionlessly at our direction.

Maybe she didn’t have the chance to escape immediately.

“Hey, you there…”

“Kyaaaaa!!”

The girl shrieked in fear with a twisted expression when I called out to her, she threw down her belongings and then started running. I watched, dumbfounded, as her back became smaller, but I came into my senses when she disappeared in a corner.

“Eh?”

I drew back the hand that I started to stretch midair. She ran away, even though I only intended to ask if she was alright.

“What happened!?”

The girl’s scream was replaced by Matthias’ inquiry, I looked at him as he ran from the direction where I came from.

“I’m not really sure…”

“Your injuries…? No, there doesn’t seem to be any. Who are these men?”

Matthias looked down on the three men who are now laying on the ground after fainting earlier.

“They tried to rob money from a little girl so I thought I’ll threaten them a little.”

“I’ll hand them over to the guard soldiers. Nevertheless, please don’t do unreasonable things again.”

Matthias crouched down and began to observe the men while saying that.

“… their clothes are frozen.”

“They look cold.”

Just as Matthias said, one of the men’s clothes is frozen. It’s fine if it’s midsummer, but the season is still early spring so I’d recommend to avoid this kind of fas.h.i.+on.

“El-sama’s hand is frozen as well.”

“That’s right.”

My hand is frozen just as Matthias said. That’s always the case since I soak my hand in order to use magic. For some reason, my hand stays frozen even if I stop using magic. I moved my hand and small fragments of ice fell lightly to the ground.

“What in the world is that?”

“It’s only because I used magic.”

I wonder why Matthias was asking? He’s mentioning the things he noticed one by one. Even his expression is strange.

“The shopping is cancelled. Let’s go back to the mansion.”

After falling silent for a while, Matthias talked rapidly as he gripped my arm firmly.

“Eh, why?”

“Let’s return for the time being.”

He gave an answer flatly and went towards the estate’s direction instead of the shopping district.

Even though I wanted to eat yakitori on the way home…

At that time, I didn’t think that everything I believed in for the past eight years will be overturned on that day.

Matthias didn’t take me to the house when we arrived, instead he took me near the lake in the vast forest which surrounds the estate.

He asked me to use magic so I decided to show him that I can completely freeze the water in the lake. The surroundings isn’t warm and I didn’t want to freeze my hand twice this day so I did the same thing as the pond before.

The evidence of my magic, which is an island of ice, buoyantly floated in the huge lake.

“Ice… El-sama… that’s why… therefore, that’s the reason…”

“What’s wrong?”

Matthias had a surprised expression the instant he saw that, but then it turned into delight as if he began to understand something. I, who didn’t understood, asked him what he was talking about.

“I’ve always wondered about it. About the reason for El-sama’s hair color.”

“This silver color?”

I let him lift a bunch of my hair. The hair that was. .h.i.t by the sun, reflected light in the water’s surface, making it glimmer.

Really, how long did I have to persevere since I was born with this hair just to survive?

“El-sama is tremendously strong. Conversely, that’s why all the other colors denied each other. Aristocrats tended to consider pale colors as sign of weakness, but the silver hair is actually an indication for freezing ability!”

In contrast to Matthias’ cheerful expression, I had a pale complexion.

What is he saying?

This is the first time I’ve been surprised so much since I was born.

Even if Matthias complimented me as the strongest, it seems like it isn’t really that true. I deduced that he’s exaggerating, but he usually do that so it’s something normal.

Various thoughts floated in my mind but quickly disappeared like bubbles.

Even if I’m not the weakest, the alternatives for a caffe isn’t really many. Oh, but does that mean I don’t have to build a caffe since I’m not really that weak?

The opportunities suddenly opened for me but I can’t think of anything. I became confused.

What do I want to do? I want to graduate from school properly this time. Then, if I fulfilled that, what happens after that?

It’s been eight years since I’ve been born in this world. It seems long but short, and short but long. I’ve experienced various things during that time. How should I live the second time?

“El-sama, are you feeling unwell?”

I was lost in thought and must have shown a serious expression, Matthias appeared worried when he looked at me.

“It’s nothing.”

I came to my senses and replied with a laugh.

I want to be something. It’s not like I’ll die any time now. Thinking about it from now on is fine.

Even if a coffee shop might be my last option, I feel like there’s also a certain charm in having a job where I can offer people a place where they can relax.

I’ll take my time thinking. I’ll work hard to become what I want, if in case I find some other things I prefer more.

“Let’s go back.”

Matthias looked relieved when I said that.