“I’ve walked this street so many times, but I just can’t get used to all the people,” Lady Roxy said. “Today there are even more than usual. Even if we’re careful, we’ll never get through.”
“In that case, allow me to lead the way.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I’m your escort, aren’t I?”
“How very reliable!”
Of course, now that I’d said it, I actually had to do it. With my stats, though, I wouldn’t get knocked over. We could push through the crowd without sending anyone flying. Lady Roxy placed a hand on my shoulder as we went, and her thoughts flowed into me.
“Go, Fay! Go! This is fun! Go forth, and the path shall open!”
We bulled into the most bustling section of the street. It was tough work keeping an eye on Lady Roxy as we pushed through the crowds, but it brought me a special pleasure to see how much she was enjoying herself. The effort was worth it for her satisfaction, which I could hear in her thoughts.
“Oh, what’s that?”
At that, Lady Roxy’s thoughts vanished as her hand fell from my shoulder. Something had caught her attention. But I was glad; all that listening in on her thoughts made me feel kind of awkward.
“Fay, come over and look at this! Quickly!”
“Oh, wow.”
In front of us were a variety of beautiful stones placed along a table. The jeweler had set up a stall in front of their shop. These weren’t the high-quality gems you’d find inside, but a collection of modestly priced stones the townsfolk could afford. However, the stones started at one silver coin, so they were certainly expensive as far as I was concerned.
Lady Roxy’s eyes lit up as she took in the brilliant gems. However, I’d never seen her wearing any jewelry. The only enduring image of Lady Roxy in my head was that of her in her white light armor, her holy sword at the ready. The Lady Roxy I knew adorned herself in nothing more.
But perhaps that’s not how she sees herself, I thought as I watched her with the stones.
“I’m a girl too, you know,” Lady Roxy said, a little embarrassed. “I’m allowed to show interest in this kind of thing!”
She must have felt the weight of my gaze. But this version of her, who took these beautiful stones in hand to admire them, was new to me. I had always thought of Lady Roxy as somebody who lived and breathed by the way of the holy knight, but at this moment, she struck me as no different from any other young girl. Perhaps who she was during the day was a role she forced herself to play. I hoped I was overthinking it.
Roxy smiled at me then, and my worries dissipated. “This place is wonderful. Well, shall we move on?”
“Oh? You won’t buy anything?”
“I don’t need to.”
Wondering whether that was really the case, I called out to Lady Roxy as she began to leave. All I had in my pockets were ten copper coins. But what did I have to lose? I clenched the coins in my fist and looked at the girl behind the stall.
“Can I buy anything with these?” I asked.
The girl looked a little unsure of what to say, but then she clapped her hands like she had an idea. She disappeared inside the shop and returned with a wooden box in which there were ten rocks, each about the size of a fist.
“Our jewels come from these pieces of ore,” she said. “We break them open to find gems. Sometimes there’s one inside, and sometimes there isn’t. You can have one for your ten coins. How does that sound?”
The girl was being generous, but it didn’t seem like a good gift for Lady Roxy. If the ore was empty, I would have essentially bought her a rock. I felt bad because the girl had really gone out of her way for me, but I needed to turn her down. I opened my mouth to say so when I noticed the joy on Lady Roxy’s face.
“Are…you going to buy one of those for me?”
“I…I know it’s not much, but…it’d be a token of my thanks. You know, for saving me from Rafasshole that time.”
“No, I’m really happy! Which one should I choose…?” Lady Roxy looked contemplative. “You know, I think it would be better if you picked for me, Fay.”
The pressure of sudden responsibility was astronomical. Lady Roxy was asking me to pick a jewel out of ten rocks! And there was no guarantee I’d even get one with anything worthwhile inside. All I had to rely on was my luck.
Hm…this one!
I selected a rock. Compared to the others, it was neither too big nor too small.
“This one, please.”
“Are you sure? You can still change your mind, if you like.”
I really wished the shopgirl hadn’t said that. I’d finally made up my mind, and now she was knocking the supports out from under my confidence. I had a feeling she was getting a real kick out of my predicament, too.
Wait. Of course!
I was so high up on cloud nine from just hanging out with Lady Roxy that I’d forgotten I had Identify. I could use it to solve the whole dilemma in a heartbeat. To start, I analyzed the piece of ore I’d just passed to the girl. It seemed as though lady luck had indeed smiled upon me.
“Yes,” I said. “That’s the rock I want.”
“Okay, that’ll be ten copper coins. I hope you find something pretty.”
I paid and took the piece of ore in hand. I wasn’t sure what to do. Maybe I could tie a ribbon around it before I gave it to Lady Roxy? Then I noticed that she was already standing there with her hands out, waiting. It seemed she wanted the stone immediately. I placed it in her open palm.
“Here,” I said. “I know it’s small, but it’s a token of my gratitude. Thank you.”
“No, no,” Lady Roxy said. “Thank you !”
She seemed so happy with her ore. Then, suddenly, she seemed so ready to break it open.
“Let’s have a look inside!”
“You’re going to do it here?!”
“Yes! I can’t wait until I get back home!”
Lady Roxy deftly crushed the rock in her bare hands. A holy knight’s stats were no joke. The girl at the counter gaped. Of course she did! Here was a seemingly ordinary girl, doing with her bare hands what anybody else would have to do with tools. The only people who could do something like that were holy knights. I watched in fear, scared that Roxy would blow our cover any second.
“Fay! It’s a gem! There’s a blue gem inside!”
There it was. A clear blue gemstone, just as my Identify skill predicted!
We high-fived in celebration, and I heard the joy in Lady Roxy’s heart flicker into me through Telepathy. “I’ll treasure this.”
She wrapped the gem in a handkerchief and placed it in her pouch. I was pleased to see her happy, and I owed it all to Identify.
Lady Roxy was in high spirits, and it seemed she had an idea. “This is a really wonderful present,” she said, “so now it’s my turn to do something for you! I wonder what we should do…?”
She gazed at me, deep in thought. As I waited, my stomach rumbled. Lady Roxy’s eyes lit up at the sound, and she smiled brightly. I had a feeling I knew what idea had just occurred to her.
“You’re always so hungry, Fay! Let’s go get something delicious to eat!”
It was a very attractive proposition, and one I couldn’t refuse. What an angel my lady was, asking me what I wanted to eat!
Hm, what do I want…? Meat, perhaps? No, no. I can’t just be selfish about this.
Then I remembered that, over tea one day, Lady Roxy had said she adored fish. In that case, I knew just the location. Well, the truth was, when it came to decent fish, I only knew one place: my old bar.
“I know a place,” I said. “Their fish is excellent.”
“That sounds perfect!”
“I should warn you: it’s a place for people of my background, so it’s loud, rowdy, and not very refined or cultured.”
“Why, that sounds even more perfect!” Lady Roxy clasped her hands to her chest in excitement.
Not the reaction I expected, to say the least. I wasn’t s
ure how to respond. “Huh?”
“You forgot our mission, haven’t you, Fay? We’re also here to observe the lives of the townspeople.”
“Oh, right. We are, aren’t we? Wait…what do you mean, ‘also’?”
“Ah…”
I’d been so distracted by Lady Roxy’s delight that I’d completely overlooked our mission. I didn’t know what she meant by that “also here” business, either—observation was the mission’s main objective! I tilted my head as Lady Roxy cleared her throat.
“Never mind that,” she said. “Let’s head to this fish place of yours already. Come on! Now!”
“Okay, okay, I’m going! Don’t push!”
“Excellent. Let’s go.” With that, Lady Roxy marched ahead without me.
“Lexie,” I called out, “you’re going the wrong way. It’s over here!”
“Oh?” she said, hurrying back. “Well, you should have said that earlier!”
Why was she in such a rush? There was no need to hurry. The bar was sure to be quiet over lunch. Perhaps she was just hungry and wanted to get to the fish as soon as possible. Or maybe she was curious about the kind of bars townsfolk visited. In any case, she’d know soon enough.
“This way, Lexie.”
“Okay!”
Lady Roxy trailed after me with a grin. It seemed she was genuinely looking forward to this. In my opinion, it was indeed something to look forward to; the cozy old bar, the friendly barkeep, the delectable fresh fish… Just thinking about it made my stomach rumble so loudly that Lady Roxy heard it from behind me.
“Oh, Fay,” she giggled, “you really can’t wait, can you? Shall we run?”
“No, no. I can’t have you do anything like that. I’ll be fine. I can endure!”
But no sooner had I spoken the words than my stomach groaned again.
Dammit, Gluttony, help me out a little here! Please don’t embarrass me in front of Lady Roxy!
The rumbles persisted. Lady Roxy grabbed my hand with an eager smile. “Come on, let’s run! It’s this way, right?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to pull!”
“You’ll be fine! Come on!”
She was so forceful I wasn’t sure who was escorting whom anymore. But my stomach didn’t care about my concerns. It groaned again, as though urging me forward. Lady Roxy held her sides from laughing so much.
Well, at least she’s having a good time…
From the thoughts I could read from holding her hand, she seemed as happy on the inside as on the outside. I guess now I knew that if I wanted to make her laugh, I could just let my stomach do the work; she giggled all the way to the bar.
“Oh, that was hilarious,” Lady Roxy said.
“It was just a rumbling stomach…”
“My apologies, Fay. I’ve just never met someone with such a hearty appetite. I think it might always make me laugh! Come now, don’t be so sulky. Let’s eat!”
I pulled myself together, and we walked inside. It was still early afternoon, so the bar wasn’t very crowded. The customers were mostly a few groups of travelers, merchants, and adventurers who’d just finished their meals and were chatting among themselves.
Now, where to sit? There was my usual spot at the counter, but now that I was with Lady Roxy, a table seemed like a better idea. I scanned the room and found one table was still free.
“Lexie, shall we sit over there?” I asked.
“Hm… Well, where do you usually sit?”
“At that corner spot at the counter.”
“Well then, let’s sit there. From the counter, we can also watch the bar staff at work.”
Lady Roxy didn’t just want to observe the other patrons, but the staff as well. That made the counter seat perfect. I took her where she wanted to go, at which point she promptly sat on my stool. She had stolen the spot I had defended for five years!
“What’s wrong, Fay? There’s a spot next to me.”
“Uh…sure.”
I grudgingly took the stool next to a very satisfied Lady Roxy. I couldn’t seem to get comfortable in this seat I wasn’t used to.
“Hm. Hm!” Lady Roxy nodded. “I see, I see. So this is where you sit when you come here to eat. This was worth checking out!”
Why was it worth checking out?!
If I came back tomorrow, I wouldn’t find Lady Roxy sitting there, not in a million years. This was a one-off experience, and it suddenly made me nervous. I didn’t know whether I’d be able to relax while we ate.
“Well, you don’t really need to see the stuff I do…” I said.
“Nonsense. You’re a servant of the Hart family now. As your master, it’s worth knowing these things about you. Probably…”
Lady Roxy picked up a wooden cup on the counter and examined it. She’d said that last “probably” almost under her breath, but I still heard it. I had no idea how to reply to it, and was grateful when the barkeep appeared.
“Welcome! Well, well, what’s this? Fate, you’re not alone today! And would this young lady happen to be your…lover?”
I couldn’t believe the words coming out of the barkeep’s mouth. Even though she was in disguise, Lady Roxy was still a holy knight. On top of that, she was a member of one of the five esteemed families of Seifort!
The noble Lady Roxy and her peasant servant, lovers?! It was beyond unbelievable. If she decided to have me killed out of disrespect because this comment hurt her feelings, I would have no right to defend myself. That was how dangerous the barkeep’s words were.
I watched nervously as Lady Roxy crushed the wooden cup she was holding with a single hand. I stared at the crushed cup, jaw agape. Was she…angry?
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” said Lady Roxy. “My hand slipped—I didn’t mean to destroy your cup!”
“It’s fine,” said the barkeep. “Sometimes adventurers lose control of their stats and break a couple. It happens. Nothing to worry about. I must say, though, you’re much stronger than you look, little lady. And just so we’re clear, the cup will be added to your bill.”
Far from being angry, it looked like Lady Roxy was excited. It seemed as though the barkeep wasn’t going to push her about the cup, either. This was a bar, after all; drunken adventurers broke things all the time. One wooden cup wasn’t something to cry about.
In any case, I hastily ordered our food and drink to make sure the barkeep wouldn’t go saying any other troubling things.
“Barkeep, your freshest fish, please! And some bread to go with it!”
“What’s wrong? No wine today? I daresay a little wine would work wonders on those nerves of yours, don’t you think?”
“I’m fine! I don’t need it, really!”
After he made fun of me, the barkeep disappeared into the back. I already knew he would be asking me all about this the next time I came by. But I wasn’t going to tell him a thing!
Next to me, Lady Roxy sat there smiling, and suddenly she crushed my wooden cup too. I heard her whisper to herself repetitively. “Oh my, how troublesome. I guess…I guess people must think we’re a couple. Oh my, how troublesome… Yes, how…how very troublesome…”
The counter was quickly becoming a heap of scrap wood. I couldn’t understand it. Lady Roxy was always in complete control of her stats. Why was she slipping today?
In any case, we needed more cups.
“Barkeep! One cup, please! Uh, actually, make that three, just in case!”
As I expected, as soon as our food came out, Lady Roxy immediately crushed another wooden cup. I couldn’t tell whether we’d come to eat food or destroy cups. The barkeep gave a wry chuckle and brought out another.
The fish was savory and flavored just right, and we devoured it hungrily. I was relieved to see Lady Roxy with an appetite again. According to the maids at the manor, she was so busy with work lately that she wasn’t eating much. They were worried about her, but seeing her now, I felt things would be all right.
“Are you okay?” Lady Roxy asked. “You’ve been staring
at me this whole time.”
“I’m just relieved,” I said. “Recently, you’ve seemed so tired.”
“Oh…you all knew, didn’t you? I tried to act the same as usual, but…”
“Lexie, everyone loves you. They’re always worried about you.”
As she heard that, Lady Roxy began folding her fork into knots. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Ordinary people couldn’t handle metal as if it were clay!
“Does that mean…you too, Fay? Do you…do you…?”
Just as she was about to finish her sentence, the barkeep returned with another wooden cup.
“Here you go,” he said. Then, with a pleading look in his eyes, he added, “I beg of you, however, please don’t break any more.”
“Ah. Y-yes, of course. Thank you very much.”
After the barkeep’s interruption, that particular conversation flowed out of sight, and Lady Roxy didn’t mention it again. I was curious about what she’d wanted to say, but seeing her there, blushing and inhaling her food, it just didn’t seem to matter anymore.
Our lunchtime seemed to slip away as swiftly as we could enjoy it. At times, the barkeep came over to us with pointless banter. Rumors were his specialty, after all. They were the kind of thing I heard all the time; this merchant had a new baby, that merchant from the east had been attacked by goblins and almost died.
But Lady Roxy, now disguised as a regular townsperson, couldn’t get enough. It seemed this was exactly what she’d wanted to know. As a holy knight, she couldn’t easily learn any of these things—how the kingdom’s people lived and what they thought about.
To the townspeople, holy knights lived on an entirely different plane of existence. We hesitated to say much of anything to them. Even for me, as Lady Roxy’s servant, the idea of bothering her with trivial, everyday conversation seemed out of the question. Lady Roxy herself might not mind such indiscretions, but the head servant, who managed the rest of us, would never let such behavior slide. To do so would be to invite a severe lecture at least .
Berserk of Gluttony (Light Novel) Vol. 1 Page 9
