Chapter 12

"Whoa?!"

A girl, standing in the middle of the room in just her underwear, hurriedly tried to pull the red clothes from the bed onto her body and fell over.

She looked to be around 10 years old. She was rather thin overall.

Something she was holding flew out of her hand and rolled to my feet. It was a metal rod about 15 centimeters long with a spherical decoration at the end, resembling a lollipop on a stick.

I picked it up and helped the girl to her feet.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes... Ah, that's it!"

The girl, flustered, reached for the lollipop... no, the mysterious rod.

I didn't mean to be mean, so I placed it in her hand, and she let out a sigh of relief.

I have no interest in a naked little girl, so I turned around and said, "Hurry up and get dressed."

"It's fine now."

When I turned back, a girl in a red dress stood there. She had dull blonde hair tied with a string at the back of her neck. Her hair had a slight wave, either from being wavy or of poor quality. Her face was very cute, and she would likely grow up to be beautiful. She had a Western look with rather deep-set features.

"So, what were you doing?"

"I am the daughter of the Whale Inn, and my name is Narnia. Welcome."

I see, you're the daughter. So, what were you doing in just your underwear? Is it because of puberty?

"I was cleaning! I didn't want to dirty the new clothes I just bought! Besides, it's rare for guests to come at this hour..."

"Then why didn't you just wear them from the start?"

"Because... I wanted to wear them..."

Ah... I can kind of understand, but it's a child's judgment, isn't it?

"Is the cleaning done?"

"...Not yet."

"Then get to it."

I'm not the type to offer help or say you don't need to do it. If this is your job, you should do it properly.

She pinched the hem of her dress and looked sad for a moment but quickly switched gears, holding the lollipop... no, the metal rod with the ball in the middle of the room.

"Ah, guest, please step back into the hallway."

"Huh? Okay."

It doesn't look like she's cleaning, but I shouldn't get in the way. I stepped back a few paces.

"...Hmm! Clean... clean... there!"

Holding the metal rod with both hands, Narnia muttered, and the metal ball glowed, spreading throughout the room.

What was that just now?

Ignoring my surprise and questions, she swept the floor efficiently with a broom and dustpan. After a quick bed-making, she turned around cheerfully and said, "Done!"

"Hey, what did you just do?"

"Have you never seen it before, guest?"

She puffed out her flat chest proudly and waved the mysterious rod.

"No, I haven't."

"It's a cleaning tool imbued with the power of aether."

"Aether tool?"

It sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I heard it.

"It's a tool that allows you to use one aether technique... but really, don't you know this as a merchant?"

"…Why do you think I'm a merchant?"

"Because you're wearing fancy clothes I've never seen before, and you have glasses, but you don't seem like a seasoned traveler, so I thought you might be a new merchant."

Narnia pointed at my nearly broken shoes. Shoes are one thing, but glasses mean a merchant?

"You have good observational skills. I'm a new merchant from a distant country. I invested all my money in a ship to make a big profit, but it sank with the cargo."

"Wow. That's a shame. This country is putting a lot of effort into maritime trade, so if you had a new trade route, you could have made a fortune."

I made a mental note of that.

"Ah, I sewed a few silver coins into my clothes, so I can start over."

It's a complete lie, but my conscience doesn't hurt at all.

"Sure, a merchant doesn't fall without getting up. Since I have a second chance, I won't waste it. By the way, that aether tool is amazing."

"Hehe, it's the inn's treasure. Cleaning aether tools and lighting aether tools are relatively affordable, but they're still expensive."

"How much do they cost?"

"The price changes daily, but it's probably more than 5 gold coins."

I know the value of copper and silver coins, but I have no idea about gold coins. If it's a million, I can't afford it. I wanted to get a variety of them because they seem convenient.

"But... it's almost like magic, isn't it?"

"Magic?"

Narnia tilted her head at my mutter.

"Magic is like the impossible power in fairy tales or an exaggerated depiction of aether techniques, right?"

"Are those two different things?"

"Aether techniques are scientifically proven, but magic only appears in fairy tales. If you call aether techniques magic nowadays, people will laugh, hehe."

She giggled at the end, probably to show how embarrassing it is. But she's quite knowledgeable and well-read for a girl.

"How old are you, Narnia?"

"Huh? I just turned 12. Hmm, propose to me when you're richer, okay?"

The girl looked up at me with a very disappointed face, which is impressive but not interesting to me.

"Hehe, I'll become rich in no time, so don't regret it."

I ruffled her head, and she smiled like a child and said, "Then take your time!" before going to the next room.

Yeah, it doesn't seem like a bad inn.

There's one thing that surprised me.

The window in the room. It's basically made of wooden boards, but a palm-sized piece of glass is embedded in the center to let in some light.

This way, even when it rains, is windy, or there's a sandstorm, some light can still come in. The uneven quality suggests either a technical issue or the use of cheap materials. I have a feeling it's the latter.

It's firmly embedded, so it won't be easily stolen. I looked around the room again.

There's one narrow bed. When I lifted the sheets, I found straw inside. It had a surprisingly good smell. The blanket was quite worn out, but it didn't smell bad when I got close. They might wash it frequently.

I see, Hagg's assessment seems accurate.

The wooden window is currently propped open with a stick, offering a view of the main street below.

The street is wide, but there's not much traffic. Occasionally, a carriage passes by. The town... no, the country seems to have a small population for its size. There are many things I need to do, but... I want to rest today.

"I'm at my limit..."

I collapsed onto the straw bed and fell into a deep sleep like mud.