Volume 2 Chapter 56 The Commotion Of The Checkpoint
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…! …Yeah…”
”Don’t make that face. I’ll treat you to something in the Eastern District.”
”I wasn’t making any face! But I’ll take you up on those meat buns.”
”Having a good appetite is a good thing.”
After that, the two headed back to the central street, aiming for the area opposite to where Oswald’s mansion was located.
They passed through the winding, narrow path they’d taken before and made their way to the Eastern District.
It was still before noon, so they thought they could relax and have lunch before picking up the clothes.
But when they arrived at the Eastern District, the atmosphere beyond the torii gate wasn’t one where they could casually buy meat buns from stalls.
The crowds that had been scattered around the roadside stalls before were now gathered densely near the entrance of the Eastern District.
In front of the crowd, armed knights of the Margrave family were holding up a warrant and loudly explaining something.
The crowd, on the other hand, was in an uproar, like a stirred-up hornet’s nest.
It wasn’t clear what they were saying, but amidst the Western common language, curses in the Eastern common language were also being hurled at the knights.
”Did something happen?”
”I don’t know, but it’s probably best not to get involved,”
Christy said as they aimed to bypass the crowd and take a side street.
But if Kian’s memory was correct, the ones showing the warrant to the Easterners were Waterman’s subordinates.
Though their statuses were different, they were technically Christy’s colleagues. Was it really okay not to say anything?
”I don’t like trouble. If I talk to them now, I might end up having to help with their work.”
”Is there anyone among those knights you’re personally close to, Christy?”
”Of course not. I’ve never even talked to them, and I only know their faces and names vaguely.”
”Then I’ll follow your lead.”
They slipped into the side street without the knights noticing.
After that, they emerged into a quiet back alley and visited the usual clothing shop.
When they slid open the shop’s door, the same old woman who spoke in a suspicious, broken manner came out and showed them the completed Kian familiar’s outfit.
”Wow, it’s vibrant. It’s pretty good, isn’t it?”
”Indeed. The color scheme is very beautiful.”
He nod along with Christy.
What the owner made and dressed the doll in was so detailed, it looked just like the intricate design shown on paper.
First, the Tengu’s Night Wraith outfit.
It had a white hood and a bright orange robe.
The robe was decorated with golden embroidery, and the sash was purple.
The hakama was white.
The tabi (traditional socks) were also white.
The outfit seemed to be layered with several pieces underneath, giving it weight and durability.
It stood out quite a bit, but could be hidden in the shadows when stealth was needed, balancing appearance and defense well.
(It seems like it would block sunlight effectively too.)
Next, the Fox’s Night Wraith outfit.
This one had a fluffy white hood resembling a fox’s head, a white top, and red leg wraps.
Compared to the Tengu’s outfit, it looked more plain, but the red and white colors had a classic beauty.
While it looked simple, like the Tengu’s, it was also layered, providing good defense and light-blocking ability.
”Regenerate of material. Strong much magic resist.”
”It seems to regenerate over time even if it breaks, huh? The material is alive.”
”Let’s try it on right away.”
Kian snapped his fingers and summoned the two Night Wraiths hidden in his coat.
The old woman said nothing as she looked at the wraiths.
She just stared at them quietly.
Feeling a bit uneasy, he dressed the Tengu and Fox in their outfits.
The sizes were perfect.
And the costumes suited their masks very well.
”The seams look sturdy. You did a great job. Thank you.”
”Total cost, seven pieces paper.”
”I feel like you said 5 pieces before.”
”Veeery tight, cost too much money.”
”Got it. You made such good items. I have no hesitation in paying.”
Kian said this as he handed over 7 gold coins and 3 silver coins.
He bent down to meet the old woman’s gaze.
”I might rely on you again if I need more. This is a tip. Please keep it.”
”Thank you.”
”If there are any issues with the clothes, I can come back here, right?”
”Yes.”
”Deal made. Thank you.”
”Me want keep this one also.”
The old woman said this as she handed me a blue and red candy.
She twisted her mouth, missing a tooth, and laughed, saying, “It’s delicious!”
Apparently, she seemed to mistake me for a child or something.
Kian thanked her, accepted the candy, and left the clothing store with Christy.
* * *
Just like on the way there, they slipped past the knights and returned to the main street, where Kian summoned the two familiars again.
The two Night Wraiths, hidden in his coat, pooled on the ground like black shadows, then rose up and took on humanoid forms.
Even though it was in the shade of the alley, it seemed the sunlight wouldn’t disperse their malevolent energy this time.
The two of them stood there as dazed as ever, but they didn’t seem to be in any pain.
”That’s good to see.”
”Yeah, it’s all thanks to you, Christy. Thanks for introducing me to that shop.”
”I’m glad I could help. Seeing you so happy makes all the effort worth it.”
(Next is the weapons. But these two don’t have intelligence, so if I give them anything, it’ll have to be blunt weapons like clubs. It’d probably be more effective to just let them use their ‘spiritual touch’ to drain life force as Night Wraiths.)
After all, attacks without magic power wouldn’t deal proper damage to enemies, just like how Kian used to be.
”Christy, I remember there’s a lot of magic books stored in the basement of the house, right?”
”Yes.”
”Do you have any basic ones? I plan to teach the Tengu how to handle energy (ki), but I want the fox to learn magic.”
”If they’ll use it properly, I don’t mind. That study room was built but barely used. Oh, but there might be notes and sticky tabs all over the books.”
”I don’t mind that. Then, once these guys evolve enough to gain intelligence, I’ll use the study room.”
”Sure, sure. I wonder how many years that’ll take.”
Christy said that, but Kian, who knew how to strengthen wraiths, figured it’d just be a matter of finding a suitable human host.
The ideal would be someone young, healthy, and with magic power, like Sophia.
And someone whose disappearance wouldn’t cause a fuss.
’Elves, dark elves, fox beastmen, etc. Dark elves from Azrael are sold in the slave market.’
(I can’t get it in the East End. There’s a big slave market in a seaside town. I have to go south to get there.)
He’s currently working as a security guard, so he can’t leave the fortress.
It seems like it will be some time before he can really strengthen familiar.
’You can also incorporate a suitable entity for the time being’
(With a murder occurring, I can’t just make a fuss. Now that I’m on the security side, it’s even more so. I should wait and see how things go. It’s not like I need to be reinforced anytime soon.)
Though thinking like that, Kian had an answer.
Those assassins.
Among them were some ‘rare things’ with far stronger magic powers.
For example, the female assassin whom Kian killed at the end.
──If you’re going to eat them, eat them (rare things).
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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