#105
“Ah…”
Of course, Kipling the cook at Carlisle’s mansion was skilled. Butler Hayden’s coffee-making skills were also exquisite. But a game world was still a game world. The world’s best baker and best barista were still the Kevin and Rosie siblings.
Though seeing their faces was still awkward, if I could taste their bread and coffee, I had more than enough resolve to go there with an iron mask on my face.
“No, well, I really do love your bread and coffee… if it’s okay, I’ll come. Thank you.”
“…Well, do whatever you want.”
After looking at me briefly and muttering her response, a somewhat relieved expression seemed to cross her face.
What was that? Had Rosie been nervous too? Well, it must have taken enormous courage to speak first to someone she’d been so angry with and make a gesture of reconciliation (though Rosie said it wasn’t reconciliation).
It’s not even something I actually did, and truthfully I was only desperate with thoughts of surviving and returning…
With Rosie and others… even when I leave, I think I should sincerely apologize to people I’d had bad entanglements with before returning. It’s just…
I glanced at the people surrounding us, whispering with curious, sparkling eyes, then swallowed a sigh.
Later, somewhere quieter, individually.
I expressed gratitude once more to Rosie for the bread and coffee she’d prepared. Rosie nodded primly and was about to turn away when she hesitated briefly, then leaned her face close to mine. She seemed to want to whisper, so I tilted my head toward her. She glanced at Taro, who was chatting with other people, then quickly whispered in my ear.
“I heard news that you reunited with Carlisle Lightinger. This time, don’t mess around and do well. I’m not just saying this… Lightinger isn’t the person you used to know anymore, so if you betray him twice, he might kill you this time. You really annoy me, but I don’t wish for you to die.”
“……”
Why were my fictional exes so interested in my reunion with Carlisle? Was it the hope that non-recyclable trash gets collected and never released again?
Karin said she’d kill me if we broke up again, while Rosie seemed worried that Carlisle might kill me. Anyway, Karin’s threat to kill me was probably a bluff (at most some punching), and since Rosie didn’t say empty words, maybe she was genuinely worried.
Well… until recently, I’d also been scared that Carlisle might kill me. But now I wasn’t sure. I no longer thought I’d die by his hand. I’d never cheat again anyway… No, before that, Carlisle and I weren’t even really dating.
Once this world’s contamination was resolved, we’d part ways in a different sense, but that meant I’d no longer exist in this world.
“……”
Lately, whatever I thought about seemed to keep leading to this kind of ending. The day to see the ending must be approaching soon. Watching Rosie’s retreating figure, I scratched my cheek.
Let’s get to work. There was a mountain of things to do.
Rosie’s shopping bag contained not only the latte and bread I particularly liked from the bakery, but also pies and cookies baked with wild berries, and coconut drinks made with ice. With Kipling’s prepared lunch box on top of that, despite the considerable amount of labor throughout the day, I didn’t need to drink stamina potions.
The tree planting and seed sowing events proceeded smoothly. Participants were amazed and impressed by the quality of soil from which contamination had considerably lifted, and Taro went around saying it was all thanks to me, making me feel both embarrassed and proud. The reward of reputation increase was also smoothly within sight.
I looked at the main street unfolding before my eyes. Various stalls and booths selling trinkets and food lined both sides of the road. In the plaza, amusement rides for children to play on and various mini-game booths were set up.
The city invested maximum resources and funds for this event. Residents received festival coins that could be used only on tonight’s festival street to enjoy entertainment and food. The used coins would be exchanged for real currency by the city after the festival ended.
Suddenly, a pleasant thrill swept through my entire body.
I could actually experience the festival from the game I loved. When I’d first fallen into this world, it was something I couldn’t even dream of. A festival revival in a world I’d thought was completely ruined.
Eira must be somewhere watching the festival too. I’d actually been hesitating to talk to Carlisle about it, but two days ago Taro had suddenly mentioned that he’d delivered an item and festival coins to Eira on Carlisle’s orders.
‘It’s an item called Nobody, and it just makes it so no one can remember even if you run into people while doing various things. But you two meeting up and going around together isn’t allowed.’
While thinking what a damn control freak, my lips loosened. Though Eira’s contribution to this festival was considerable, it was disappointing that it couldn’t be properly acknowledged, so I hoped this would provide some comfort to her heart.
Thanks to lifting the burden from my heart, I could focus on enjoying the festival with a pleasant mood.
I also confirmed that Seiz had set up a festival booth in front of his workshop. I’d been planning to visit out of loyalty, but seeing the tremendous crowd swarming in front, it didn’t seem necessary.
Seiz initially had no intention of participating in the festival. He seemed firmly convinced that people wouldn’t buy things he made. But the heating items, cooling items, simple water purifiers that could further upgrade Eira’s purification potion functions, and air purification items that Seiz made were essential daily necessities that people absolutely needed.
Actually, price was also an issue. Seiz couldn’t do business that would only result in losses after selling. I’d managed to convince him to participate by adjusting things so he could offer them cheaply with city support, but by now he might be regretting it, fed up with the crowds.
He’s not going to be so pissed that he won’t take my commissions anymore, right?
But Seiz was also someone who enjoyed making things and receiving people’s recognition for those things. Maybe he’d feel pride and satisfaction knowing so many people wanted his items.
It would have been nice if Eira could sell directly too.
Eira’s potions were literally ‘survival’ essentials in today’s world. Stamina potions, healing potions, and now even purification potions. Not one of them wasn’t important.
However, Eira was banned from entering the village, and the potions she made were also prohibited items. Since there were no potionists at Eira’s level, I couldn’t pretend someone else made them and sell them instead. Fortunately, an unexpected entity solved that regret.
Namely, that person sitting in a suspicious tent in that corner, giving card readings while simultaneously laying out and selling Eira’s potions.
“Welcome. I was waiting.”
The secret merchant, wearing something like a Venetian carnival mask, gestured to me.
“……”
As I stared at him, he shyly fiddled with his mask.
“I prepared this specially for the festival. How is it?”
“…It suits you.”
Half was lip service, but anyway it was much better than a pitch-black mask or paper box.
I looked around inside the tent. The black-painted interior was dim with lots of glow-in-the-dark stars stuck up twinkling, and the light from incense candles and lamps created a mysterious atmosphere quite befitting a fortune-telling place.
Only, besides Eira’s potions, he was laying out and selling all sorts of miscellaneous things on the stall, and while only the agreed-upon Eira’s potions had reasonable prices, the other miscellaneous items—bracelets, mirrors, cups and such—were ridiculously expensive compared to their ordinary appearance.
Will customers even stop by like this?
“Everything will sell. Don’t worry.”
Seeing that I looked worried, Bisang said optimistically. Honestly, as long as Eira’s potions sold well, I didn’t care whether the other things sold or not. I didn’t know what this guy did, but he didn’t seem like he’d starve to death from not selling things.
“Well, alright. Good luck.”
It wasn’t like my worrying and staying here would particularly change anything, and he’d handle it himself. I offered my greetings and was about to turn away. But Bisang’s gloved hand grabbed me.
“You need to get a card reading.”
Ah, right. I’d promised to act as a shill. I looked around. The number of people passing by had increased quite a bit, but because there were so many foods, sights, and entertainments for the first time in so long, not many were showing interest in the small tent in the corner.
Would it really help if I sat here getting a reading? Well, in some sense I was also a celebrity, so there were quite a few people glancing at me. Maybe they’d be curious enough to wonder what that person was doing over there.
“Alright, let’s see, card reading.”
I sat down on a crappy chair like a fishing chair. Taro also crouched down beside me with an excited face, and Bisang began shuffling cards on a low table covered with dark blue velvet cloth.
“What should I read for you?”
When I asked, Bisang asked back.
“What are you most curious about?”
What I was most curious about. Honestly, I didn’t believe in any kind of fortune-telling and just thought of it as idle entertainment. But when you actually set up like this and ask, it strangely makes you feel serious.
Two things came to mind at Bisang’s question. One was naturally the matter of whether I could return home or not, and the other was… absurdly, about Carlisle. Since he was such an incomprehensible guy, I was curious about what Carlisle was thinking, and if I ended up returning, what would happen to my relationship with Carlisle…
What do you mean what would happen? Nothing would happen. How is that even a question?
I cut off my own absurd train of thought. How far was I going to be swayed by connections in a virtual world? I needed to focus only on the one goal of returning and get my head straight now.
Steeling myself to think only of one extremely realistic goal, I looked at Bisang.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
