Chapter 65 - Volume 3 (1/2)

Ow! Ow ow ow!」

Instead, I heard the man cry out. I opened my eyes, and the scene in front of me made my eyes open wide.

「Let go of me! Ow ow ow!」

The hand that the man had raised to hit me with was being pinned by an unknown tall figure. That figure was wrapped completely by a long cloak, wearing a deep hood, which, at my height, made it impossible to make out the face. Aside from the figure’s tall height, I could tell nothing else, age and gender were both a complete mystery. The figure let go of the man, and he fell to the ground pathetically.

「Hey, are you all right?」

「Shit! What the hell do you think you’re doing?」

I stood dumbfounded. The men that had accosted me became enraged. But the mysterious figure showed no sign of worry. It slipped past the men’s punches as if dancing, and took from its pocket a bundle of short poles connected with a chain, which was studded with red orbs that resembled magic gemstones. The figure pulled on the tip of the chain and the bundle changed into one long pole. I pulled the name of that strange weapon from the previous me’s knowledge: Ah, I see, it’s called a sectional staff.

While I was processing that, the figure wielded his staff, and swung it once through the air. The men began to tremble in fear, but, as if not able to admit defeat, they rushed on the mysterious figure once again.

「Bastard!」

But the difference in skill was obvious even to an amateur like me. The staff cut through the air, at times thrusting, at times sweeping. In the blink of an eye, the three men have been forced to the ground. I could do nothing but watch.

「Um, excuse me!」

「Don’t screw with me! Stop right there!」

As the mysterious figure silently turned to leave, one of the men arose staggering, and taking out a knife from a belt wrapped around his thigh, rushed at the figure. I instinctively jumped at the arm holding the knife, but I was one step too slow.

「!」

Bright red flew through the air, but not my blood. The mysterious figure held his arm, and turned around.

「Heh. Serves you right!」

The figures staff mercilessly came down on the man’s head, and he fainted. I let go of his arm. The only people still conscious were me and the mysterious figure.

「Is your injury all right?」

「…」

In response to my question, the figure said nothing. This was awkward. Extremely awkward. I had some amount of confidence in my communication ability, but being met with absolute silence this whole time, I had no idea what to do. It was like Edi when he was very young. He would only ever say the minimum amount necessary. This figure in front of me had the same feeling.

Putting that aside for a bit, the mysterious figure folded its staff and put it away, and then crouched down and picked up the book and bookmark off the ground. Knocking the dust off, it held them out to me.

「Ah…」

I took them and examined the bookmark. Because of the men’s rough treatment, the paper had gotten slightly twisted, but the pressed flower appeared unharmed. I sighed in relief. I looked up at the mysterious figure, but it had already moved and was about to disappear into an alley.

「Please wait!」

I ran up to it and grabbed it’s cloak. I sensed a somewhat annoyed feeling, but I ignored that and bowed deeply.

「This bookmark is an extremely important possession of mine. I cannot express my gratitude.」

「…」

As expected, no reply. That was fine. I took out an embroidered handkerchief from the pocket of my dress coat.

「I am extremely sorry about your injury. I am afraid I can do nothing more than stop the bleeding.」

A red line of blood ran down the white skin under the torn cloak. Because the cut was done with a sharp knife, it was likely that the cut ran deeper than it looked. I wrapped the handkerchief around it and tied it tightly. I nodded, satisfied with my work. Next, it would have to go to a doctor or a priest and get it treated.

It would be nice if I could use spirit or light magic, but while I had some amount of knowledge, with regard to actual ability, I had none. All I could do was use the handkerchief to stop the blood.

「This will do for now. Please take care.」

Then, I looked up at the figure’s face. At this distance, I could peek under the hood, and what I saw there was

「…?!」

I swallowed. What I had seen under the hood was not a face, but a mask. Covering the entire face, a silver mask. Neither masculine or feminine, but a detailed mask that had a dove, wings outspread, carved into each cheek. The symbol of peace. That was proof of involvement with the temple that worshipped the goddess.

「Ah…」

I released my grip on the figure’s arm, and in the instant, it flourished it’s cloak and disappeared into the crowd of the main street. I could only watch, dumbfounded as it left.

***

After the figure left, I once again went about buying groceries, and made my way back home. As for what happened to the three men that accosted me, I left them with the knights that were stationed near the market.

It would have been fine just to leave them there in the alley, but letting those guys go without punishment might mean that they would do the same thing again. Particularly with the Great Festival approaching, the knights ought to handle these things.

Fufufu, the ruined groceries had gotten their revenge. The wrath of food was frightening. Thinking that, I stirred the pot.

「Now then, this looks about right.」

I ladled out a bit of the carefully simmered vegetables and sausage soup into a small tasting dish, and started to blow on it. Judging that it was cool enough, I tasted it, and the umami of the vegetables and salty seasoning of the sausage melded into the perfect flavor and filled my tastebuds. I smiled. That one was done. The flavor wouldn’t clash with the main dish, an herb-seasoned whitefish, either.

「It’s about time for him to get back… ara?」

Speak of the devil. The magic gem affixed to the doorway of the kitchen began to sparkle. That reaction meant that the master of the house had returned.

It looked like today he had been able to leave at the prescribed time. Thinking that that was quite a rare event, I extinguished the magic gem that provided a heat source for the pot, washed my hands, and headed to the entrance.