The place Illness-san and I teleported to with her Teleportation Magic…… I think we’re in the Demon Realm, but it’s an area I’m not familiar with. In front of me was the entrance to a large cave? No, I think it’s something like a tunnel.
[The night markeeeet is just past heeeeere.]
[Where is this place in the Demon Realm?]
[We’re in the Western Demon Reaaaaalm. Because of the surrounding mouuuuuuuntains and the terraaaaaain, this place is in the shade most of the daaaaaay. You can’t see it at niiiiiight, but there are big mountains surrounding this plaaaaace.]
I see, it’s a very secluded place. Listening to the explanation, I followed Illness-san into the tunnel. It was dark, but there were Illumination Magic Tools set up near our feet that lit up our path, so we could walk normally without any problems.After a short walk, I saw a light ahead, and when we passed through the tunnel…… I found a miraculous scene.
It had the image of a flea market at night, with various items for sale on both sides of the road.
It seemed to be reasonably busy, and there were quite a few people here…… but many of them were Skeletal-type creatures that looked like Liches, or Devil-like Winged Demons, people which I don’t often see in the royal capital.
[This is amazing. It’s really large-scale……]
[Each area is divided to some exteeeeeent. The area we arrive in riiiiiight after the tunnel sells daily necessities.]
[I see. What are you buying, Illness-san?]
[Some groceriiiiies~~ Nothing that needs to be immediately bouuuuught, so it’s okay to look at other stores as weeeeeell.]For my sake, who was a first-timer at the night market, Illness-san told me that we were in no hurry to do her shopping and that it wouldn’t be any problem to browse through the other stores.
Since it was my first visit to the night market, I decided to accept her kindness and browse the area that was selling daily necessities.
Thereupon, I immediately noticed something of interest in one of the stalls…… How should I say this…… Some were sort of skeletal figurines and the others were interior decorations made of bones.
[Ohh, you Human, brud? How ’bout it, wanna buy sumthin?]
[Hmmm, do you have any recommendations?]
I asked the shopkeeper what he would recommend. Incidentally, the shopkeeper was also a Skeleton-type Demon.
[These ones o’er here are hunks and beauts, so dec’rate your room with ’em and it’ll look spectacular.]
[……I- I see……]
I didn’t know…… There are hunks and beauties among Skeletons huh. Eh? How could you tell? Is it a difference in the shape of their craniums or something like that?
To be honest, I can’t even tell apart their genders by looking at them……
As I was looking at the products, puzzled by the shopkeeper’s words that suddenly made me feel the difference in common sense between species, I suddenly saw something that looked familiar…… a figurine that looked like Sechs-san.
[Arehh? Could this one be……]
[Ohh, as expected, even if yer Human, ye’d know ’bout Sechs-sama, right? How ’bout it, it’s quite well-made, yeah? I’m proud of the way I’ve managed to capture his dandiness in such exquisite detail.]
[H- Huh……]
How the heck would I know that!? Heck, I didn’t even know Sechs-san’s features were considered dandy in the Skeleton society until just now!!!
[……U- Ummm, they’re all good, but they just don’t really fit the atmosphere in my room……]
[Zat so? Too bad. If you change your mind, come back and buy stuff in my place.]
[Y- Yes.]
Trying to lie my way out of getting skeletons in my room, I left the storefront, and walked a small distance away from that stall before whispering to Illness-san.
[……Illness-san, can you tell the difference between those things?]
[I don’t know the specific detaaaaaaails, but I heard that it’s determined by several factoooooors, such as the color of the booooooones.]
[S- So that’s how it is. To be honest, all of the skeletons looked the same to me.]
[Kuhihi, that’s the same for meeeee…… If you’re looking for interior decoratiooooons, how about we check out that stooooooore?]
Looking in the direction pointed at by Illness-san, I saw another distinctive store. How should I say this…… The owner was a very big owl.
It’s amazing, it’s considerably fantasy-esque……
[Welcome. It’s quite rare to see a Human customer here…… Oya, I see curiosity on your face. Is this your first time seeing a Hororo?]
[Yes, I’m sorry. I was a little surprised because I haven’t seen your species in the city where I live.]
[Us Hororos are generally only active at night and we don’t live in the Human Realm, so it’s not surprising. Anyhow, browse through my wares if you like.]
[Yes. This is…… a feather ornament?]
[They’re specially processed feathers that make a beautiful sound when the wind blows. It makes a nice sound if you hang it near a window.]
I guess it’s something like a wind chime? It’s a reasonable size, and I’m a little curious to hear what kind of sound it makes.
[How much is it?]
[7 R for one, I’ll sell it to you for 10 R if you buy two.]
[I’ll have two then.]
[Here you go~~]
They looked interesting, so I bought two and thanked them before moving on with Illness-san.
On the way to the store, I offered one of them to Illness-san.
[Illness-san, if you’re alright with it, here you go.]
[Is it alriiiight?]
[Yes. Since we’re at it, it’s a commemoration that we went here together.]
[Well theeeen, I’ll gratefully accept it. It’s wonderful that every time I hear the souuuuund, I will remember the time I came here with Kaito-samaaaaa.]
Even though the person herself said it casually, hearing Illness-san suddenly say something like that made me feel a little embarrassed.
However, the expression on the smiling Illness-san’s face was warm, how should I say this…… I could feel her motherliness overflowing with kindness.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Somehow, I can imagine Illness looking at Kaito with an affectionate smile on her face. She’s probably also smiling at the exchange between Kaito and the shopkeeper…… D*mn it!]
? ? ? : [Hoohhh…… Even when you’re calmly analyzing, you started swearing when you felt the sweetness. While demonstrating your analytical skills, you still haven’t forgotten your original role…… It’s just as usual huh.]
Serious-senpai : [……Having that preface…… Isn’t this the pattern where you’re supposed to conclude things with “you’ve grown up”?]
? ? ? : […..It’s as if you haven’t grown up at all.]
Serious-senpai : [That’s completely the opposite!]
