The woman I’d just run into appeared to be a former Hero-role. She was on the petite side, standing a little over five feet tall, and was dressed in an outfit resembling a traditional kappogi apron.
Her black, chin-length hair was tucked under a headscarf, giving her the distinct look of a proprietress at a traditional diner or izakaya. Even though she had to be older than me if she was a former Hero, she possessed a remarkably youthful baby face. If someone had told me she was twenty, I wouldn't have questioned it for a second.
"Wow, it’s true... A fellow countryman has finally wandered into my shop. Come on, we can't just stand around talking out here. Get inside."
"Wait, are you sure? I thought you weren't open yet..."
"That's true, but for a fellow Japanese person, I’ll make an exception! I’ve been dying to talk to someone from home for ages... Oh, look at me getting ahead of myself. Do you have a moment?"
"Oh, yes, it’s not a problem."
As she spoke with a bright, cheerful smile, it was obvious to any observer that she was in high spirits. Even if she’d been the Hero summoned right before Mitsunaga, it would have been twelve years since she last met someone from Earth. Her excitement was only natural.
While thinking this, I followed her lead into the shop. The interior felt like a hybrid between a diner and an izakaya, complete with a long counter. She gestured for me to take a seat and promptly set a glass of water down in front of me.
"Well, let's start with proper introductions. My name is Kaori Mizuhara. As you’ve probably guessed, I’m the Japanese woman who was brought here as the Hero-role for the Hero Festival twelve years ago."
"I’m Kaito Miyama. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kaori-san."
"Oh, you can just call me Kaori. Most people in this world don't use family names, so I'm used to my first name. I'll call you Kaito-kun, if that's alright?"
"I understand, Kaori-san."
Kaori was bright and personable, and through my Sympathy Magic, I could feel a wave of genuine joy emanating from her.
"I just assumed you were younger and went with Kaito-kun," she added, "but you aren't a Hero from even further back, are you? I mean, you definitely don't look like you're pushin' forty..."
"No, I’m twenty-two," I replied.
Technically, my age was a bit complicated. I’d gone back to Earth for two months, which equated to one year and eight months here, so the actual time since my last birthday was a bit messy. I was essentially twenty-three, but for simplicity’s sake, I stuck with twenty-two.
"Phew, okay, you are younger. But wait... that's strange. If I remember right, the Hero for the most recent festival was someone else, wasn't it? I’m sorry, the shop was so packed back then that I only caught a glimpse. I might just be misremembering."
"No, you’re right. I wasn't the Hero."
I explained that I hadn't been the intended summon, but rather one of three bystanders caught in a summoning accident alongside the actual Hero, Mitsunaga. Kaori’s jaw practically hit the counter.
"Wait, what?! A summoning accident?! I had no idea that was even possible... You poor thing, that must have been a nightmare."
"Oh? I assumed everyone knew."
"Not a chance. Information like that doesn't filter down to regular people like me."
It made sense. While the nobility knew my circumstances, the common public was largely kept in the dark. Most people probably weren't even aware an accident had happened.
"It's fine. I’m enjoying my life here now. In fact, I’m glad I got dragged along."
"I’m glad to hear that. Say, Kaori-san, since we’ve met, should we register each other’s magic power for the Hummingbird?"
"H-Hummingbird?"
Her smile faltered, replaced by a strained, twitchy expression. Had I been too forward? I wondered if I should have waited until we were better acquainted.
"Kaito-kun, look. Do you realize how much magic tools cost?"
"Um, well..."
"A Hummingbird tool... it basically just sends messages, right? But it's more expensive than a flagship smartphone!"
"I guess it is..."
"Besides, none of my friends have one, so I don't own one either."
I realized then that my perspective was severely warped. Everyone I hung out with used Hummingbirds as easily as people back home used phones, so I’d assumed they were universal. But Kaori was right; for most people, the cost-to-benefit ratio was terrible.
I thought of Sieg and Luna—they seemed "common" compared to the nobles, but one was a former Vice-commander and now a Security Captain, and the other was a retired top-tier adventurer turned personal maid to a Duchess. Both were high earners.
Sieg even sent seventy percent of her salary home to Rei and Fia, yet she never seemed short on cash. She did it out of guilt, though her parents were actually saving every penny of it in a secret fund for our future wedding. Rei’s words, not mine.
Leaving that aside, it was clear that even though I thought I was being grounded, my financial sense was still skewed. Kaori’s view was the true "commoner" perspective.
"I mean, I could eventually save up for one," she continued, "but if I’m spending that kind of money, there are way more useful things on my list."
"Like a Magic Box?" I asked.
"Exactly. Running a restaurant, a Magic Box is a necessity, but they’re ridiculously expensive. I managed to get a low-end one, at least."
She pulled out a pale orange magic crystal. Its purity looked quite low.
"This barely holds as much as a small wooden crate, and it still cost more than that refrigerated case over there. I’d love a bigger one to store all my ingredients, but it's just not happening."
"I see..."
"So, Kaito-kun, do you have a Magic Box?"
"Uh, yeah, sort of."
"Can I see it?"
I didn't see any harm in it, so I summoned my Magic Box in the palm of my hand. Kaori recoiled in shock.
"Is that... a black crystal?! No way! I’ve never seen one of those in real life, only in magazines!"
Serious-senpai: Now that I think about it, even the maids at Lilia’s mansion are basically the elite if they’re working for a Duchess.
???: True. If you don't count his fellow students, this might be the very first time Kaito has actually befriended a genuine commoner.