In the shopping district of the Wingeds…… The shops have their usual unique designs, and while we breeze through them in the air, the place felt different from the typical shopping street in my mind. Anyhow, for the time being, as we browsed through a variety of shops, my gaze turned towards a sundries store.
[……That’s a rather unusual brush. However, since they’re selling quite a few of those, it must be a popular item, right?]
What caught my eye was a certain brush. The brush itself was wide and had soft bristles, but what was distinctive was the handle, which was adjustable and could be lengthened significantly. It also had several bendable sections…… It seemed like a brush intended for reaching places that are hard for one’s hands to reach.
I wasn’t particularly concerned about it, just curious that a brush like that also exists…… but there were an unusually large number of them being sold. Is a specialized brush like that really in high demand?
[Ahh, I understand my sworn friend’s curiosity. To answer that question, those are brushes for our wings.][A- Ahh, I see! That’s why they’re designed that way…… It can also reach places like the base of the wings on your backs.]
With Amel-san’s brief explanation, I understood. The unique angle of the brush was designed to clean the base of the wings, much like using a back scratcher…… So they’re something specially made for the Wingeds.
[For the Wingeds, the beauty of our wings is important, and everyone makes sure to take care of them. There’s even a belief that if your wings are dirty, your heart is dirty too. But ironically, wings tend to collect the impurities of the world. Therefore, it’s necessary to periodically clean them.]
[Fumu fumu, I see. By the way, since these items are displayed together with those brushes, are those large plastic-like items for wings too?]
It makes sense that the Wingeds value the beauty of their wings. Since they move while flying, dust and other particles can easily stick to feathers. So, wing brushes are essential and in high demand.
With that in mind, I considered that the seemingly unrelated items in that sundries store might all be related to wings…… so I asked Amel-san for clarification.
[Yeah, that’s something we put over our wings when bathing. When our wings get wet, it feels like having a heavy weight on our backs, which many Wingeds dislike. During bathing, we avoid getting our wings wet and use special brushes dampened with a small amount of water for cleaning feathers.][Indeed, with the Wingeds’ wings being quite large, they would become heavy if they absorbed water. Moreover, they would likely take a long time to dry.]
[Those who can use magic simply wash their wings and dry them with magic. That’s what I do for my wings…… But sadly, the vast doors of magic’s depths aren’t open to everyone. Only the chosen ones can handle their wings this way.]
There are just so many people around me that can use it so I sometimes almost forget, but in the Human Realm, not many people can use magic–———- only around 20% or so. If the Wingeds follows this ratio, 8 out of 10 people wouldn’t be able to use magic, so there is indeed a demand for such products.
[Now that you mentioned it, Amel-san’s wings do have a fascinating shine to it.]
[Ehehe, you think so…… Being praised like that makes me embarrassed. But since I’m also a Winged, I take care of my wings meticulously. Their color and luster are something I’m quite proud of. My wings are black, so having any sort of dirt on them is quite conspicuous, and I’m quite careful about this. My sworn friend to be able to tell that makes me so happ——— Hrrn!? E- Erhem…… Well, anyhow, that’s how it is.]
Perhaps, for the Wingeds, receiving compliments about their wings is quite a cherished gesture. Even Amel-san seemed genuinely pleased, speaking in her natural tone……
However, what I said wasn’t just flattery———- Amel-san’s wings are truly beautiful. Looking at the other Wingeds, most have wings in white, gray or light brown, so Amel-san’s black wings really stand out.
Black wings were apparently the sign they’re a Special Individual, and since Amel-san seems to be the only one with such a characteristic among the Wingeds, her black wings symbolize her uniqueness. It seems she takes great care in maintaining them.
In fact, I personally also pay a lot of attention to the shine of Bell and Lynn’s fur, and since I often use a soft brush to clean Lynn’s feathers, I understand the effort involved in grooming one’s wings. To achieve the level of care Amel-san has for her wings would require meticulous attention, and I think she did a splendid job at that.
Well, putting that aside…… Brushes for wings huh…… There might be some here that could be useful for brushing Lynn, and perhaps for Bell as well, so for the time being, I’ll make sure to check out all the brush-related items around.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [He’s as doting of a parent as usual.]
? ? ? : [Kaito-san has always been really particular when he’s brushing Bell and Lynn after all.]
