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The Guards Guild is in the Southeastern Section, and although there is a market in the Southeastern Section, it only deals mostly with weapons, farming tools, miscellaneous goods, and bars.
It also has some food stalls but it’s nearly non-existent.
When we left the Guards Guild, the sky was turning red. It will take a little over an hour to walk from here to the market in the Northeastern Section, and it will probably take 30 minutes even if we hurry.
The South-east Section’s* market may be closer but I’ve never been there and I’m not sure if they have ingredients there. Besides, once we enter the Southern Section, it will take over an hour to get home from there. (TN: Sorry, I’m so confused about this part.)
It will take around 30-ish minutes if we hurry towards the market in the Southeastern Section, an hour if we walk normally from the market to the house, a bit over 30 minutes if we hurry. It will take about two hours to go, shop, and return.
As the one in charge of the kitchen, it’s a mistake that must never be made. I don’t care about me, but Saine’s meal!
[Sorry! I’ll go buy the ingredients for dinner. Go home first and wait for me, okay?]
Saine stopped me who was about to run off with one hand.
[I’m going, too.]
[Why? If you need something, I’ll get it for you on the way.]
When I confusedly asked, Dole laughed beside Saine. He sure loves to laugh, this guy.
[I’ll also go. The timing’s just right, I’ll fulfill my promise to you earlier. Grilled ras meat.]
[Really!? Will it be okay?]
Saine nods when I look at him, and he pokes Dole’s shoulder with a *bam*. No, that’s not the sound of being pokes, right? That *bam*. But Dole didn’t even raise an eyebrow as if he felt nothing.
[You don’t need to come. I’ll feed him.]
[Don’t be reserved. I just had an incidental income so my pockets are warm.]
[If you’re going to eat, I’m also going with you.]
[You, too, don’t come. If you’re a priest, you probably have a house in the center. Going home is closer than going to the market. Go home and eat your mom’s cooking.]
[My mother died, and I don’t have a wife.]
[Don’t you still have servants?]
[I hired some, but they won’t mind. No matter where their master eats his meal, they’ll manage by themselves.]
For some reason, they’re disagreeing a lot today. Although, I’m about to eat my long-desired roasted food and I’m going to eat dinner with my new-found friends so I can’t help having fun.
[Isn’t it fine? Let’s eat with everyone. It’s definitely more fun to eat with more people.]
I take Saine’s arm with my left hand and Olphynn’s arm on my right and start walking. Even if the one-way trip takes an hour, it’s fun when you’re with your friends.
Since I finished shopping at dusk, it was my first time coming to the market in the evening. There are lanterns in every storefront, and it was shining with orange light. It’s a familiar market but I’m getting excited.
There are also children in this world but there were only adults in the market at night. The population density is higher than the after and all of them are bigger than me, and it’s as crowded as the Southeastern Section’s market. I feel like I’m about to get lost so I grab Saine’s arm. A big hand immediately wraps around my shoulders.
My height barely reaches Saine’s chest. If it’s Olphynn, the top of my head just about grazes the top of his shoulders. There are also a lot of men who are bigger than Saine in the market, really, it’s suffocating.
I can only see someone’s big back in front of me and there is only someone’s chest or belly at the back of my head. The air is too thin. Moreover, there are only men here so it stinks of sweat. I’m somewhat used to Saine’s scent so I don’t mind it, but the market at the end of the day stinks of men, huh.
I was having a hard time breathing and perhaps Dole noticed that, Dole turned to the front. Olphynn is on my left. The three surrounded me and I can finally breath. There was a space around me.
The market is on a normal street. It’s not a particularly wide street.
The width of the streets in this world depend on its purpose, but those that have markets are normal streets and not the main streets. That’s why there are stalls on both sides of the street that’s about 3 meters wide.
The market continues up to about 50 meters. There’s a crossroad in the center of the 50 meters market, and its corners also lead to another markets.
In other words, there is a market of 25 meters up, down, left and right starting from the four corners.
The 4 corners are at a small square. Usually, it’s called a crossroad but it’s empty. It’s not like the one where Olphynn was swimming in the fountain, it’s just that, a four-corner space.
But as expected, the place where the markets intersect became a square. The surrounding houses have been demolished to turn it into a square, and a lot of chairs and tables have been placed. The food bought from the stalls would be eaten here.
During the day, I can buy food at the stall and eat it there. It’s not too crowded and the stall uncle is nice.
But it’s impossible at night. There are too many people and if you eat in front of the stall, you’ll probably get beat up. For the first time, I used the table on the square.
There was a grilled bird on to of the round table. It was a fat and round bird with a golden shine. Woaah~, I raised my hands overhead and cheered.
[Wow! It’s really a grilled ras meat!]
I’m so happy~. Ever since I ate fried ras at a food stall, I have been mesmerized for this bird. Since it’s delicious whether it’s steamed or deep-fried, it’s definitely delicious once it’s grilled. I’ve always desired it but I just couldn’t let go of that 30 ales. I’m now going to eat this grilled meat that I’ve seen even in my dreams.
I buoyantly held the bird and firmly bit it.
[………… Delishus~!!] (TN: Delicious~!!)
It was a taste that didn’t betray my expectations. It has a sweet and spicy sauce, which is also delicious. It’s crispy on the outside juicy on the inside, an ideal grilled taste. It’s grilled on charcoal so it also smells good. It’s also dripping with excess oil, but if you chew it, its deliciousness overflows in your mouth. Even though the sauce is only on the surface, the meat inside is also very delicious.
[Is it good?]
When Dole asked, Yeah, yeah, I nod. It’s crazy good. This is irresistible. As I was greedily eating, Saine ate the grilled meat that he cut up with a knife.
[It’s not bad.]
Eh, what’s with that? Even though it’s very delicious, what does he mean with not bad? If his evaluation of this bird is not bad, was my cooking bad? Could it be that Saine has been forcing himself this entire time? Even though he couldn’t have heard what’s in my heart, Saine patted my head and wiped my stained mouth with his big thumb. (TN: Kyaa~)
[Your cooking is much better.]
[Really?]
[Yeah.]
[I’m glad. I can only fit in with food, after all. If that didn’t work then it makes no difference whether I’m here or not. I’m really glad that it suits Saine’s taste.]
When I feel relieved, my appetite returns and I get to the ras. It would probably be better to eat it cleanly with a knife like the others but I don’t have a knife.
Is it a must-have for everyone here, everyone was bringing a thin knife. Anticipating that, there are no knives in any stall to cut the meat.
[Are you good at cooking?]
Dole and Olphynn are eating with fascination. 3 men ate a single bird in the blink of an eye, they cut a chuck of lamb with the knife and eat it.
Seeing that it isn’t enough, Olphynn stood from his seat. He probably plans to buy something. Probably meat.
[I’m not especially good at it but I do my best.]
And I also want to please Saine. When I said that next and laughed, Dole also laughed amusedly.
[Is that so? Then next time, let me taste it, too.]
[Sure. I can only cook simple dishes but come over and eat.]
I’ve graduated from stir-fried vegetables and meat, and I can now complete a soup dish. I’m going to try stewed dishes next. It’s a Japanese-style stew directly transmitted by Granny Haru. Of course, before that, udon is a priority.
[Ah~ that was delicious. I really love ras.]
[Ohh. But, it’s not really that delicious, right? The ras meat that’s sold in the market.]
Saine also nodded, agreeing to Dole’s statement.
[Eh? It’s delicious.]
[Well, it tastes better than chicken but authentic ras doesn’t taste like this.]
[An authentic ras?]
[There are ras in the forest. What they sell here are bought from beast farmers who raise them as livestock.]
Saine also probably know what that so-called authentic ras is, as he nodded his head and told me.
[The wings of the ras livestock are tampered so they won’t fly away. That’s why its meat has no firmness.]
-[It’s also being force-fed so it can be eaten as soon as possible. They get shipped out half a year after hatching from their eggs. That’s why the taste is indistinct.]
[Is authentic ras more delicious than this?]
[I’ll let you eat it if you want.]
[Really!?]
[Yeah. I’ll probably catch one once we go to the forest.]
I’m starting to look forward to it even more. I thought the market’s ras tasted great but to think there something even greater than this.
We decided to go to the forest early in the morning the next day. We will stay in the forest until Olphynn’s business is done. It feels like an outing so I’m very excited. Rather than an outing, is it camping? I wonder what kind of bird ras is. We can’t bring lunch boxes but seasonings are a must. I can’t forget the salt and the pepper.
The market price of hiring a guard ranges from 10 000 to 20 000 ales. It looked a bit hard so 50 000 ales. But Olphynn paid 100 000. Although 2 guards got employed in the end, it can probably also be considered that Olphynn’s job is difficult. Unless Saine overcharged him, that is.
I go home while linking arms with Saine. Or rather, I just grabbed Saine’s arm by myself. Saine didn’t say he disliked it and I was skipping while holding on to Saine’s hard arms. I was so excited about tomorrow’s excursion that I was dancing throughout my body.
[Aren’t you scared?]
[Of the forest? Not at all.]
I laugh and shake my head.
[I’m more excited than scared.]
[It’s because you don’t know about monsters. The ones who say that are those who don’t know how fearful those things are.]
[But, Saine is also with me. I’m not afraid of anything as long as you’re with me.]
When I peeked at him from below, Saine was also looking down at me.
[You’re fine as long as I’m with you?]
[Un. It’s scary but I’m not scared. Besides, you’re strong.]
[How can you be sure whether I’m strong or not?]
I was laughed at through his nose. I ‘mu’ in response. (TN: It’s a pout, I’m guessing.)
[You’re strong. Even earlier this afternoon, weren’t you strong? During that brawl, Dole tried to punch you and you dodged him.]
[That wasn’t a serious fight.]
[You’re probably going to say that you were just playing around. I know that, but it’s not good to get hit while playing around.]
My laughter disappears into the darkness. The sun has completely set and the usual pitch-dark night sky extends.
The lights disappeared once we left the market, of course, there are no stylish outdoor lights and the roads became completely dark. It has become so dark that I can no longer tell where the houses’ walls are, Saine unhesistantly keeps walking.
I grabbed Saine’s arm and walked fearlessly. When I’m with Saine, I’m not scared of the dark, too.
Saine is such a marvel. He can push off the uncertainties deep inside me or put wings on me and make me float with just a word. Even towards the darkness which I fear so much, it doesn’t scare me as long as I’m with Saine.
Saine’s arm is firm and warm. I follow the arm that’s guiding me and look up at Saine who isn’t visible.
We will part ways someday. I’ll be sold someday. Someone who isn’t Saine will become my husband. Will I be able to get along well with him? Will that man, who isn’t Saine, be kind with me?
The more I get used to Saine, the more scared I am of the next*. If there’s something I’m scared of when I’m with Saine, that is, when the time comes when we part ways.
I think I’m hopeless. I only keep thinking about myself.
Since I’m insecure, I make requests to Saine. Because I’m scared, my next husband hasn’t been decided yet.
But you see, I believe that I have to think about Saine, too. If I were in Saine’s position, I’d probably want to take the Ceremony again as soon as possible. Next time, the white crest will never be asked again. It seems no one has failed two times in a row so a woman will come out if Saine has the Ceremony again.
I also think that a woman is better than a man. I think so all the more especially when the man is as good-looking as Saine.
For some reason, there are no wh*re house here. Such people don’t exist. Reincarnators are being enclosed by their husbands and it’s impossible for them to have that job. Nevertheless, the men in this world don’t sell their bodies. Well, everyone, even those who have great body shapes and look like they’ll sell, has the same attitude. That’s why there’s no one who celebrates when a male Reincarnator comes out. According to Haruka, all the men in this world are straight.
Is Saine, who took the Ceremony for the first time, a virgin? That big bed was surely prepared to do it with a woman.
Within the darkness, my cheeks turn red.
I wonder how old I was when I died. During that time, did I have a wife or a lover? I have completely no memory of my previous life and this body is brand new. It has the appearance of a 15-6 years old and it naturally has no experience.
Saine isn’t gay so I’m not gay either. Male Reincarnators won’t get an ere*tion unless the men here becomes interested* in them. (TN: Unless their husbands pork them.)
What does Saine want?
Does he want to do it with me?
A bit of strength enter my fingers. Saine’s firm arm flicks my fingers. I felt that that expressed his rejection.