- Dinner at the Inn -
Before I went into my room, I excuse myself to Fuyumi, and going straight inside my room after. Well, we will meet soon after for dinner anyway. So I take this chance to take a bath.
The room is simple, there's a wooden bucket with water and some towels next to it. A small towel and a bigger one. Next to it there's a small bottle filled with some water inside. I checked it and it has a Rose like fragrance, I bet that this used as a replacement for soap?. And the most important part is, toilet. It existed! The sitting toilet I mean. So, I called off my magical equipment and goes naked inside my own room. I've locked the door anyway, what could get worse?
I take the bucket and some towels to the toilet with me. I warmed the water with [Mana manipulation] by manipulating and tempering the temperature with [Mana], and pour down the fragranced water from the bottle to the bowl after. Then, I take the small towel and begin to clean myself up by wiping up my bodies. Once I'm done, I dried myself up with wind magic which combined with some fire magic mana to give off such a warm wind. I don't need spell for this kind of magic. Just a simple [Mana] control.
I called out my equipments back from my [Inventory] and they automatically equipped on and re-sized to fit me, the owner and wearer. I also called out my [Black Ayakashi], hooking its scabbard up to the left side of my belt and walk to the chair and table with drawer next to the bed. I pull the chair with me to the window, placing the chair right next to the window and open it. Due to my heigth, I need the chair to life myself up higher.
It is only from a second floor but the fantasy view it gives still an amazing sight. Down on the streets, there are people from combined races and creatures. The fresh nature air which carried the wind breeze really soothe my mind. I took my time there looking at the activities of the villagers for quite some time until my door knocked.
'Knock knock knock..', Sounds made from the knocked door. I get down from the chair, and walk toward the door to get it. I opened it, and saw a Human male with well built muscles and wearing a daily clothes. On his right belt bag, I can see cloth gloves which a little bit off from the bag.
"Apologize for disturbing you. Irumi-dono, was it?", the man with well built muscles asked in polite manner.
"Yes, I am. Just Irumi is enough. Umm, who are you sir?", I replied and asked back politely and plainly while looking at him. I kind of tilted my head a little backward to be able to see his eyes clearly as he's taller than me.
"Oh yes, sorry. How impolite of me.", he scratched his back of the head while apologizing and smiling warmly. "I am Dan, a worker from this Nightingale Inn. Pleased to meet you, Irumi.", He answered with a warm accent trying to be polite.
"Oh yes Dan-san, the pleasure is mine.", I smiled. "Do you need any help?", I asked.
"Grace-sama was calling for you. She said the changes are ready. And also, there are some people waiting for you downstairs.", He said.
"I see. Okay then, let's go down.", I replied while moving out. Then, I'm pulling my room's door behind me to close it while walking out, and lock it after.
I turned by back after locking it. He smiled while nodding gently, I reply with a nodding my head a little as well. We walked through the hallway to the stairs which leading downstairs. He took the lead and I am following right behind him. He has a nice guy face on him despite having those big mucles all over his body. I was imagining he would fit to be like somekind of a Gladiator from some movies back in my previous life with such body. Ofcourse, it is if, he was paired with those Romanians Armor.
Once we reached downstairs, I can see Grim and Fuyumi sat on a round table with 4 chairs. Grim waved at me, Fuyumi then turns his back to wave and smile at me too. I waved back as I followed Dan to the receiptionist where Grace is.
"I beg my excuse then, Irumi.", He asked in a polite manner to me as we almost reaching the receiptionist table.
"Yes, thank you Dan-san.", I replied and bowed my head down a little to show some appreciation toward his service.
Then he left, I greet Grace whose busy reading at some book there and did not realize that we were there.
"Hello Grace onee-san.", I greeted her. She turns her head up from the book to see who's greeting her.
"Oh my, Hi Irumi-chan. By the way, do you have a coin purse with you?", She greeted me back and jump straight to the point after.
"Umm, No?", I answered with my index finger below my lips. "Why is that?", I asked her, a little confused.
"Oh, nothing in particular.", she smiled. "It just happened that I have this cloth-made small coin purse for you. I was thinking you might need it as I didn't spot you're carrying any with you. If you want it, I can deduct 1 silver coin for the service and it's all yours.", She offered.
"Sure, Grace onee-san. I'd like to take it.", I accepted her offer.
"Allright then!", she clapped her hands as she said the words in a cheerful manner. "Here it is, I've prepared them for you. 92 silver and 4 copper coins inside it.", She shoved the purse bag with coins inside it to me. I reach my hand to answer her gestures, with the "hands down" impression. As my palm directly below the bag purse, she dropped it on my palm. I saved it right into my inventory as soon as it touches my palm.
"Thank you for-", She stopped her words with suprised looks right after she saw the bag vanished. "Is that [Inventory] skill, Irumi-chan?!", She asked with a smile.
"Um.. No?", I began with short reply. Trying to hide my nervousness. "It was a [Spatial magic] that I used for storing little things. Its [Magic formula] connected to these sphere like objects embedded on my gloves's cloth. It is not unlimited though..", I explained with made up excuses, trying to stay in my composure to be more convincing.
She looked in to my eyes after hearing that answer for some seconds. She closes her eyes and smiles again. "Allright, I believe you. Thank you for your patronage.", She followed it with a bow of appreciation at me.
"Likewise Grace onee-san.", I bowed back. as I pulled back my head, I saw her smiling at me with those cute Onee-san's eyes and glasses. Then, I proceed with walking to the table where Grim and Fuyumi are.
'[Spatial magic] with no mana trace, huh? Fufufu.. I wonder why she hid such thing. Interesting..', Grace murmured on her mind as she looked on Irumi who's walking away from the receiptionist desk, smirked a little.
I pull the round chair from a vacant seat between Grim and Fuyumi and take a seat after. Their eyes following my movement.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"So, Irumi-chan..", Grim started the topic with him looking at my blade.
"Umm? Is there something wrong with my blade?", I asked. Making a confused face.
"Ahaha No..", he laughed slightly. "It just that, people usually not carrying armaments while feasting. They put them on the shelves there.", Grim answered while pointing the shelves which filled with armaments with his thumb.
"Ah.. I see.", I learnt a new common sense of this world. "Excuse me for a second then.", I excused myself while standing up. Both lf them nodded gently to answer my excuse. Then, I began moving myself to the shelves after.
I loosen the hook from the scabbard with my left belt when I reached the front side of shelves. While I'm still at it, a tall Demon-like race came to the shelves as well. He has small horns pointed out from his head, small portion of his fangs caming out from his mouth, and wearing a black and red steeled armour set. He put 2 of the blades which like my ayakashi with dark red scabbards and silver hilt with black and blue colors linnens mixed on it. He was suprised when he looked at me putting down my [Black Ayakashi] which is full in black color on the shelves.
"...Blade, huh?", He asked while standing there firmly.
"Y-Yes.", I got nervouse when hearing his heavy voice asking me. I'm still holding on my ayakashi awkwardly.
"...I see..", he replied with his plain face expression. "Do you mind if I se-..", He asked my permission while shoving his hands toward my blade trying to reach it. I instinctively grabbed his hand before his hand reaching my blade and he stopped his word.
"Unfortunately... Yes, I do mind. Mr. Adventurer.", I cut in his words.
"...Hmm, I see. I understand. I apologize...", He said while he tried to pull his hand gently. I released my grasp as I felt he was pulling his hand back. He bowed his head afterward to me. I bowed back answering his apology. He's really like a warrior in fantasy stories. That thougt was popped up within my mind.
"...You.", he said while pointing his glare at me. "You have a good grip for a young Human girl.", He implied. Then, he turned his back and walk away from me heading to Grace's desk.
I am quite confused with his words. I thougt I didn't put any force when I grabbed his hand. Then, I tried using [Appraisal] on him, trying to see any available information of him.
[???????]
Lv. 100(31)
Occupation: ????
Class: [Blade Path Warrior]
????
[HP]: 100%
[MP]: 23%
[STA]: 41%
Absurdly, the apprasial letting me know his level but not his Name, race, and Occupation. I stopped my dilly dallying and walking back to the table. I sat one the same position. Grim and Fuyumi who looked at the whole scene from the shelves incident were looking at me.
"What is it, Grim-san, Fuyumi-san?", I asked calmly in confusion leaving some innocent taste in it.
"Gah! Fuyumi, you tell her.", Grim sighed and shaked his head. His actions made me a little bit uneasy, I look at fuyumi direction hoping to get somr answer.
"Nothing much, honestly. It was about the demon race guy you met at the shelves. Grim just exaggerating it.", He answered.
"Eh?", I got even more confused. "Who was him? Did I do something improper?", I asked, starting to feel insecure.
Grim was ordering the foods for us as I asked at Fuyumi. He didn't ask what we want to eat but, there's not many options for it anyway. The inn only offered the mass cooked food which rolled daily.
"Hmm.. How to say it?", he crossed his left hand below his chest, his right hand's finger rubbing on his chin, and his right hand's elbow was pressing on the back of his left hand which crossed below her chest. Closing his eyes, leaving the impression of taking a deep thougt over something. "He was a prince in the [Demon] kingdom. The first brother of 3. He left the throne to his brothers which by the end ended up the 3rd prince become the current demon king. The first, Him, left the throne because he chose to see the outside world with his dual wield blade. As for the 2nd, he chose to be the general and guardian of, somewhat-whatever it was I forgot, in the demon kingdom.", Fuyumi implied some explanation.
"I see. So basically he's a prince?", I asked back to fuyumi to confirm while I see Grim has been back from ordering the food and joining us back on the table.
"Yes, he was.", he nodded after taking a seat. "But he never likes to be treated as a royalty. A loner and a geezer. Gah!", Grim added to the stories. Face palming himself.
"Hah-haha...", Fuyumi san laugh with an expression like holding some pain.
"So, What's the history with Grim and Him, Fuyumi-san? Grim seemed to resent him so much?", I asked at Fuyumi. Grim stayed in silence hearing my question. Doing nothing while propping up his chin with his left hand's palm looking away.
"Well..", he started it with scratching his left eyebrow. "Back when we were still an active adventurer, Grim was a total muscle head who seek strong opponents to duel on. Like, he's looking for battle experiences from friendly battles or somewhat. Battle maniac stuff or such, I suppose?", Fuyumi said.
"Hoo.. So Grim-san is an M who seeks stronger opponent then?", I smirked at Grim, teasing him. "And then?", I looked back at Fuyumi.
"Hei hei.. It wasn't like that.", Grim wiped his face with his hands and shivered.
"Hahaha, you may call it like that.", Fuyumi responded to my tease.
"Sigh..", he sighed. "Fine. Yes, I was a battle maniac back then. But not in a bad way. I respect every opponent. You know, That guy there even existed when I was still a baby.", Grim chose to told the story of himself by himself, but trying to distract the topic. Sneaky.
"Hmm? When you were a kid?", I asked in a curious mannner, following the currents.
"Indeed Irumi-chan. The story of the throne itself was taken itself back to 600 years back or so.", Fuyumi confirmed.
"Eeeh??!", I shocked. I looked at Grim after hearing Fuyumi's implied explanations, he nodded. "He's sure is a geezer then. And then-And then??", I asked for more.
"Him as an adventurer is truly a remarkable adventurer. He's a very promising A rank adventurer but, he kept on refusing the test for ranking up to S adventurer.", Fuyumi said.
"Mmhmm!", he gallantly confirmed it. "And his experiences in blade wielding as a warrior is also remarkable. I lost to him 4 times straight in the duel.", Grim added.
"Whoa!", I was suprised in a praising manner. "I see. So you lost 4 times? No wonder you're somewhat pissed. Fufufu..", I teased Grim again after.
"Hahaha. Yes.", he laughed, tapping the table. " But, in most duels to anyone else, Grim is indeed showing his developments when doing each round of the mock battles with them. And eventually, he improved and able to defest them from their openings. Even those higher rankers than him also lost at least once from him. Grim talents in martial arts is splendid, if I say it. It's true.", Fuyumi said. He nodded with a little cringed on his face while saying the last sentence, giving the taste like he's saying 'I almost not believing it, but it's true', just from his that body language of his.
"Gah, it is just that he's a monster.", he shaked his head in that gallant pose. "An old monster to be precise. His speed, his movements, and his swings are precise and efficient. Everytime I learned things from my lost in the duels, He always have something up his sleeves. I don't even want to know how many battles he had been through to achieve that. So, It stressed me out looking for a way or openings to surpass him in those battles.", Grim explained.
"Hoo..", I enjoyed myself hearing this story.
"Yes Indeed, he's also called as a merciless adventurer rank tester. Mostly, to those blade wielders which are quite rare in quantity. People tend to choose the double-edged sword path and become a knight to ensure future life for themselves and their family, in some major cities.", Fuyumi said.
"Oh, I see, I see.. He's really strong then?", I asked.
"Yes, I admit he is.", Grim nodded.
"Hahah. He really is. Not to mention he is also a solo adventurer, I think. No one have ever seen him doing requests with a party. Most importantly, he always coming back with no scratch on him.", Fuyumi added more information of him.
"Whoa.. He's a strong lone wolf. Now I understand why his words are plain and straight to the point.", I said.
And then, the food came with Dan as the waiter who brought it to us. His nice guy face added with warm smile coming to us followed with warm greeting and small pleasant talks while putting down the food to the table, really make us feeling more comfortable with this Inn while taking our meals. I wish all of the waiters in my previous world has this warm manner of him.
Then we enjoyed our meals. Continuing some minor stories of Grim duel maniac stories with regular ranked adventurers while at it. And still, due to their exciting stories, I forgot to ask about that guy's name. Well at least we laughed, we talked and we feasted together on that table to our heart content like a family. So, it was another nice and warm memory I got since I came down to this new fantasy world.