Chapter 67 (1/2)
Translator: amenymEditor: Anonymous_NekoProofreader: Rinkage
Chapter 67 Decorative Lace Smells of a Swindler
”Hey, Diana. I think I've met that person somewhere before.” [Jirou]
”My my. What a coincidence, my Master. I recall having seen that purple hair too.” [Diana]
”Looking at it like this, it's definitely gaudy.” [Jirou]
”The hair?” [Diana]
”No. The armour… That equipment is unbecoming of a peaceful town like Erishe, isn't it? I personally think that it's super cool. But when it's a single one like that, it only looks like a punishment game.” [Jirou]
”Is that so? I don't feel like it's out of place…” [Diana]
”I guess that the case in this world. But-” [Jirou]
Marina was arguing with the shop owner over something in front of the said shop.
I'd thought she was buying a birthday present for Aurica, but was she intending to buy the product related to the Elves' village?
”- don't they look like they're arguing?” [Jirou]
”It does look that way. Shall we call them?” [Diana]
”… no. Let's observe a little. I'm curious about what Marina will do.” [Jirou]
”It really is a coincidence, my Master. I too think that that is a good idea.” [Diana]
”It sounds malicious when you're the one saying it though.” [Jirou]
”That's a false accusation, my Master. That is just how an elder sister watching over her idiot little sister would think.” [Diana]
”You say it's a false accusation, but you clearly called her an idiot!” [Jirou]
When Marina first came to this town, she was basically fully equipped in a knight's armour and was walking around with a halberd in hand. When she was together with Diana and me, it didn't feel that out of place since Diana was “like that”, but when she was alone, it was terribly eye-catching. Even if that weren't the case, she is a Turk. You don't usually see other Turks on the streets, and there aren't a lot of them in this region.
If one of them was arguing at a booth in a market, it would be super eye-catching.
Diana and I watched on, partly due to interest. If it starts to look dangerous, I'll intervene.
”Why? Why won't you sell it to me?” [Marina]
It seemed that they didn't want to sell it to her.
”Yer persistent. If I say I ain't sellin', then I ain't sellin'. Tsk.” [Shop owner]
That's one curt and unfriendly shop owner.
”… If it's money, I do have it.” [Marina]
”It's not about the money. We sell magical Elves' village products. It'll ruin our reputation if we sell to a fake Elf. Tsk. A Turk dressing above her station…” [Shop owner]
Mm hm… So this is the discrimination against a Turk. Sure enough, they're being persecuted… Not exactly to that extent, but… It's a clear expression of discrimination…
In fact, when she was together with Diana and or me, she didn't come across such discrimination (Chubby aside). That was probably because one shouldn't be outrightly rude to the slave when their owner was around, such a thing as in certain words, manner exists.
When she bought a knight's armour from a blacksmith, then too, the owner was smiling all the way, but he was probably thinking of something along the lines of, 'even though she's a Turk', just like this booth owner.
I wondered if that was why Marina avoided going along with me. It didn't seem like that was her intention, but you could never fully understand what was in the depths of another's thoughts.
”Diana, can you see what is being sold at the booth? They said they're specialties from the Elves' village?” [Jirou]
A High Elf's eyesight is comparable to a Khoisan man's. It's 50 metres away from the booth, but it should be easy for her.
”Eh… Hm… That's… lace? It looks like they're selling lace.” [Diana]
”You mean lace, as in that thing made by weaving threads? That lace?” [Jirou]
”Yes. It looks like a decorative lace shop.” [Diana]
A lace shop? That's rare.
That being said, while I deal in cloth, I haven't dabbled in lace.
”Is lace production prospering in the Elves' village?” [Jirou]
”No… at least to my knowledge, there are no lace weavers…” [Diana]
As I expected, it's a fraud?
Like ”I'm from (the direction of) the fire station”? In this case it's ”from (the direction of) the Elves' village”, I see. It's outdated even for a fraud.
Marina retreated unwillingly, chased away by the owner. She looked back to the shop for a bit, chewing her bottom lip. I don't think she's given up.
Now then, shall I screw this half-baked swindler up.
It's easy for me to buy the lace for Marina or to condemn the owner and reveal the lace as fraudulent goods on the spot.
But my anger will not be dissipated with that. It's not that I'm standing up for justice. I have no mercy for a business rival who's racist.
”Diana, I'll punish that guy, so wait here a little. Depending on the situation, I might need you to cooperate. I'll give you the details later.” [Jirou]
”? Okay.” [Diana]
I approached the sham of a booth.
It seemed like they were selling decorative lace. Tape lace with flower or gra.s.s design, square decorative lace with geometric patterns, and simple lace handkerchiefs.
The one that was most familiar to us was probably lace curtains. But they weren't just any factory-made stuff. Naturally, they were handmade albeit not very well made and the design were not exactly intricate.
Something was written in large font on the signboard, but unfortunately, I still couldn't read the language here. I supposed it was something like ”Laces directly imported from the Elves' village”.
I spoke to the shop owner.
”Uhm, is this the shop dealing in Elves' village products?” [Jirou]