The next day.
"Three of those 'Barley Teas' and two waters. This should cover it, right?"
"Certainly!"
I had been manning the stall since morning. Because of my ice magic, I was assigned to the beverage station.
"Here you go! Three barley teas and two waters."
"Wow, this is freezing. Just what I needed. Thanks, kid."
"Enjoy! Next in line, please!"
"Two barley teas, please."
I had been dealing with a non-stop stream of customers for several hours when a familiar face appeared at the counter.
"Next—oh, Jeff-san!"
"Keeping busy?"
"Thankfully, yes."
"Give me seven barley teas for now."
"Coming right up."
I quickly prepped the drinks on a tray. "Are you here with friends?"
"Friends, or something like that... You know them too. Look over there."
He pointed toward the edge of the crowd. I scanned the area and spotted some familiar faces.
"Oh, is that Beck and his group?"
The six rookie adventurers were divided up, buying various dishes from our stall.
"You gave them some advice the other day, didn't you? Told them to listen to veteran adventurers."
"I did. Does that mean...?"
"Yeah. Old man Wogan introduced us, so I've ended up looking after them for a while."
"I see. That's a relief. Here you go."
"Right. Keep at it."
After paying, Jeff-san went to rejoin the rookies.
I hadn't expected Jeff-san to be their mentor, but he was highly skilled and shared their slum background. He likely understood them better than anyone else. Even though it wasn't my business, it put my mind at ease.
They eventually finished their food and set off to enjoy the festival. Jeff-san wore a weary but fond smile as he corralled the excited youngsters.
About ten minutes later, another set of acquaintances arrived.
"Yo."
"Welcome!"
It was Wogan, the Adventurer Guildmaster, accompanied by Tigger from the weapon shop.
"Barley tea for me. What about you?"
"I'll have the same."
"Certainly! It's rare to see you two together."
"You think so? We used to be in the same party, believe it or not."
"Really?" That was news to me.
"This was way before I retired," Wogan explained.
"Tigger always had the best eye for gear among us. He was a stickler for money, too, so he managed our party's finances. After retiring, his current job was basically his calling."
"My eye for gear aside, it was only because you lot were so reckless," Tigger countered. "Left to your own devices, you would've blown it all on booze and women before the next sunrise."
"Well, we were young. Besides, it felt like the proper adventurer lifestyle, didn't it?"
I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.
"Don't mind him," Tigger said to me. "And certainly don't imitate him."
"What was that?" Wogan grumbled.
"You two really get along. 'Freeze.' Here you go, sorry for the wait."
"So this is the barley tea."
"Is this enough?"
"Yes, thank you very much!"
The two were about to leave when Tigger turned back as if remembering something.
"You haven't been to the shop lately. Is your gear holding up?"
"Yes, everything's fine. The knives and armor I bought are working perfectly."
"Good. But what about that Katana? I haven't heard a word about it since."
"Ah... could I have a quick word?"
I leaned in and whispered the situation to him. He closed his eyes and sighed.
"To think you solved it that way."
"Sorry."
"As long as it works, I won't complain. How you utilize your tamed monsters' abilities is your business. Just don't do anything reckless."
"Thank you."
He rejoined Wogan, and the two headed back into the city crowds.
"Hello there."
"Welcome!"
Next up was Betta-san, the nun from the church. She was leading a group of orphans. It was already nearing noon.
"Thank you for your help yesterday. You were a lifesaver with Belle, too."
"Not at all. I'm happy to help whenever I can. I'm always in your debt, after all."
The church cared for children without families. Their life was far from luxurious, but the two sisters had carefully saved their own meager funds to give the children allowances so they could enjoy the festival like anyone else.
"Eighteen portions, is that right?"
"Yes, please. Come now, children."
"Please!" they chimed in unison.
"Coming right up."
Their synchronized voices echoed through the area, drawing warm smiles from the surrounding crowd. One child I'd worked with during the bazaar mentioned they were going to tour the stalls today. He bought enough hot dogs for the whole group, grinning with pure, childish joy.
"Here you go. It's quite heavy, so be careful."
"Thank you very much!"
"You're very welcome. Next customer, please!"
"Ya-hoo!"
"Ryoma, it's been a while-nya."
"Have you been well?"
"Four barley teas, please."
Next was Miya and Welanna's party.
"Long time no see. I haven't seen you around lately."
"We were out of town on a job," Welanna explained. "Miya came along, too."
"I'm glad you're back safe. Here's your tea. It's nice and cold."
The customers kept coming in waves.
Squeezing in breaks to eat and rest, I spent the day dedicated to the stall. It was exhausting, but feeling the palpable heat of the crowd and the vitality of the city made my heart race with excitement.
Before I realized it, twilight had descended. The setting sun was little more than a lingering glow on the horizon. Despite that, the surrounding noise suggested the real festivities were only just beginning.
"I'm back! Boss, I'll take over for a bit, so go ahead and grab some dinner."
"Thanks. I'll leave it to you, then."
I went to have an early dinner—which, naturally, consisted of the stall's special hot dogs.
"Eating here again today?" one of the staff teased.
Lately, even during the prep period, I'd been eating our own food. But it was delicious, I could skip the line as an employee, and I could get back to work immediately. It was just convenient.
A hot dog was protein and carbs. Combined with the stir-fried vegetables, the nutritional balance wasn't half bad. If anything, maybe there was a bit too much oil and salt? Still, with the daytime heat and the physical labor, I figured it was exactly what I needed. I had a young body, after all. It'd be fine.
I'd heard people say that this exact train of thought was a trap you only realized once you got older... but since I'd never had health issues in my previous life, it didn't feel real. Without a hint of hesitation, I ordered four hot dogs and a plate of stir-fry. After pouring my own tea, I left the money and looked for a seat.
Ah, that table looks like it's opening up.
Three women at a four-person table looked like they were finishing. They stood up. I slid into the seat as they left.
"Itadakimasu."
I took a large bite of a hot dog. The soft bread gave way to a snap as the casing burst, flooding my mouth with meat juices. The tang of the ketchup made my mouth water even more. Despite the volume, I finished them off with ease.
"Ladies and gentlemen—!"
Prenance's voice rang out. Even though I was sitting near the entrance, his voice carried perfectly over the festival din.
As he announced the start of the performance, three dancers took the stage. As they began to move to the music, the boisterous crowd naturally fell silent. I'd seen their rehearsals many times, but the actual performance was magnificent.
Perhaps it was the influence of fiction from Earth, but I'd always imagined dancers wearing revealing outfits. These women, however, wore costumes that were quite conservative. They wore thick one-piece dresses layered with colorful frills. Their sleeves and hemlines were long, and the girls lightly grasped their skirts as they performed nimble steps.
There were weights sewn into the hems of the skirts, so when they spun, the fabric puffed out dramatically. Because of that, the men in the front row often leaned in for a peek, earning them icy stares from the women. I even saw one father get smacked by his wife.
"It seems to be a grand success."
"Yes, thanks to everyone. ...? Guildmaster!"
I turned to find Grisiela from the Commerce Guild. Behind her were Branch Master Taylor and a young man I didn't recognize, who was carrying a tray.
"What brings you here? To a place like this, I mean."
This was the first time I'd ever seen them outside their respective guilds.
"It's bad for the health to stay cooped up," Grisiela said.
"On occasions like this, we old-timers make a habit of walking the city together," Taylor added.
"I see. Would you like to join me?"
"Don't mind if we do."
"Excuse us. Ah, sorry for making you play the luggage carrier."
"It was no trouble at all. Please, don't worry about it."
I wondered who the young man was. I'd assumed he was a guild employee, but he didn't have that vibe.
"Forgive my late introduction. My name is Arnold Bernheid. You must be Ryoma Takebayashi-sama?"
He knew who I was? I offered a polite greeting in return.
He appeared human, lean, and likely in his late twenties or early thirties. He was dressed impeccably, giving off an aura similar to Calm, but his sharp eyes and black-rimmed glasses made him seem rather stern. I was certain we'd never met.
"Pardon me, but have we met somewhere before?"
"We have had no direct contact. However, I have heard much about you through official reports."
"Ryoma," Taylor interjected, "this fellow is the replacement for that director at the Town Office who got sacked. You remember the massive cleanup?"
"Ah, so you're the one."
I'd heard a replacement had arrived. So this was him.
"The rumors have reached my ears. Not only did you provide the catalyst for the administrative reform, but you also assisted with the cleanup. Furthermore, I understand you made a significant contribution to the city just the other day."
That last bit must have been about the Tunnel Ants.
"Thanks to your actions, my workload was significantly reduced, allowing me to focus on disciplining the staff."
"I only did what I thought was right. I'm glad it helped."
"I truly hope you will continue to use your talents for the city's benefit in the future."
Apparently, he'd wanted to meet me since he took the post. However, his schedule had been packed with transitions and disciplinary hearings. He couldn't very well summon me just to offer thanks, and since he was busy investigating embezzlement and collusion, he'd avoided any contact that might look suspicious. He seemed like an incredibly upright, if stiff, individual.
Then again, that was exactly what the city needed right now. If he was trying to avoid causing me trouble, I appreciated it. As long as I could maintain my lifestyle and business, I had no problem cooperating.
"You have my gratitude," he said. "Due to my position, I cannot grant you special treatment, but I will ensure that you are treated fairly according to the law and protected from any undue harassment. Of course, should you continue to contribute to the city, I will report those facts to my superiors, which may result in certain privileges."
"He's got a roundabout way of saying it, but he just means he'll be impartial," Grisiela teased.
"Contributions worthy of privileges aren't exactly easy to come by," Taylor added.
"I simply meant that I have high expectations," Arnold clarified.
"Let's go with that, then."
"Knowing him, he might actually pull it off one day..."
Grisiela's gaze drifted toward Serge's stall. "...Did you put ideas in his head, Ryoma?"
"Now, whatever do you mean?"
I didn't think I could fool her, but I feigned ignorance anyway.
"By the way, Ryoma-kun," Taylor asked. "How are you finding life in the city? It's been a while since you arrived, but there are always inconveniences one only notices after living somewhere for a bit."
"Go ahead, tell him," Grisiela nudged. "This old man is only worried because he doesn't see you often."
"Let me see... things are certainly different than they used to be, but I haven't run into any real inconveniences. If anything, being able to shop whenever I want is incredibly convenient."
Still, I thought to myself. I was born in Japan on Earth, died, and came to this world. From the Gana Forest to Gimul... I'd come a long way.
To my left were my employees. To my right were my business partners. In front of me, the troupe I'd recently befriended was performing, and beside me was the head of the Town Office.
Among the customers today, there had been Dancebell, the bookstore owner's son. The elderly pharmacist. The neighborhood wives who helped with the festival prep, and the guild staff who remembered me from past jobs.
The number of people I knew had grown so much.
I didn't know which was better—living in the forest or living here. The forest had its own unique appeal.
But...
"Hmm. Judging by your expression, you're doing just fine," Taylor noted.
"Yes, I believe so."
My current life wasn't bad at all.
As I savored this quiet happiness, the night slowly deepened around us.