BXBX NOVEL Chapter V3C68
“Eh … erm, you too … that … erm.”
Marina glanced at me repeatedly from behind the shadow of the female shopkeeper — Kannon.
… It felt like her personality was totally different from before.
“I’m also a Wanderer.”
“I see … erm … yes, erm.”
We’re totally not conversing.
When I thought so, Kannon sighed as she returned the black mask she took onto Marina.
As a result, her expression changed,
“Oo, I didn’t expect to meet a fellow countryman in such a remote place. I’ll disregard your act of suddenly referring to me as ‘you’. Let us drink fine sake together till we’re intoxicated tonight to celebrate our reunion.” (TL: The ‘you’ used is a term used to call people of equal or inferior status.)
” … Kannon … I’d like to ask just one thing, Marina is …”
“Yeah, she has a fear of strangers to the extremes. When she puts on the mask enchanted with magic to treat shyness, her personality changes. Her real name is Malina but when she’s in this personality she calls herself Marina.”
A mask enchanted with magical power?
… It’s just a mask no matter how I look at it though … maybe she’s been tricked?
Nevertheless, it’s fine if it really treats her fear of strangers even if she’s deceiving her so I’ll keep quiet about it.
“Marina, are you a slave? If you’re a Japanese then you should have received some special blessing so you shouldn’t have had to struggle to live?”
“Yup. It wasn’t a struggle. My blessing is the ability to release unique jobs, in other words, I can cause the ability of an Archmage to bloom — Ah … Kannon, please … mask … return it.”
Kannon snatched the mask and Marina … no, Malina sat down on the spot weakly.
“You may have noticed but her job is Street Performer or a specialized job for street performances. It was also the first time I heard of such a job. But, she has this personality … there’s no way she can conduct street performances so she used up her money and became a slave.”
” … Why exactly did you become a Street Performer?”
“To … Torerul-sama … when I told Torerul-sama that I wanted a blessing that will allow me to get along with various people … she chose this job for me because it would be able to get along with a lot of people.”
So that’s why she became a Street Performer huh.
Rather, Torerul-sama, she definitely chose it irresponsibly.
She most likely didn’t think about what would come after.
“Hence, I bought her, gave her a mask that would eliminate her fear as a present and we traveled the world with the 2 of us but …”
” … Please, Kannon, don’t leave me behind.”
“I told you right. I have promised old acquaintances to do certain tasks so I’ve decided to sell you here. Tentatively, I did mention that I will give Malina your freedom if you earn more than 10000 sense by your performances. Currently, how much have you accumulated?”
“1820 sense …”
“That means, I will be selling you to the son of the chief at the border town on Dakyat side famous for being a womanizer.”
“No … no way … I … I, can’t do anything.”
“It doesn’t matter that you can’t do anything. The other party came to me on their own accord.”
” … No way.”
Malina was already in tears.
“Ah … fine, I understand. Then, I’ll think about it if you safely finish my errand.”
“Errand?”
“Yeah. I was requested to deliver this kitchen knife to the proprietress of the inn living in Dakyat’s capital, Feruit. If you return before I finish packing up, I’ll bring you along for my journey.”
” … No way … that is impossible on my own.”
Kannon covered Marina with the mask.
Upon doing so, the Malina that had collapsed in tears stood up, pointed at me and declared.
“Fellow countryman there. Descendant of the hero that descended from the land of the rising sun.”
“No, my successive generation of ancestors were common folk. I’m not the descendant of a hero.”
“Such trifle doesn’t matter. How about it? Do you require the escort of an Archmage? If you’re going to Dakyat, if you decide now, I’ll escort you for free.”
I thought for a moment and decided to ignore it,
“Sorry, we’ll manage ourselves.”
and said so. Since she somehow looked like she would be a troublesome child.
“What? Do you still not believe in my ability? If that’s the case, I shall show you my prized trick.”
Saying so, Marina took out 7 balls from her pocket.
Rather, you, you just naturally called it a ‘trick’ yourself!
“With my Floating Magic, I will freely manipulate these 7 balls!”
Saying that, she began tossing the 7 balls.
Upward and downwards, to the left and right, and even behind.
The balls all bounced off the walls and goods and sometimes they collided against each other but they all returned to her hands.
With those strange ball movements, the scattered gallery reformed.
“How is it, this ball movement as if they are alive!? This is precisely a taboo magic. By injecting transient souls into the inanimate balls, it is a secret art that manipulates balls just like rabbits that leap out and return.”
Er, you, didn’t you just say it was Floating Magic just now. Rather, it may be very advanced but it is simply just juggling.
Nevertheless, what’s amazing is that those balls were made of wood. Although it seemed like a wood material that is slightly soft, it won’t bounce as well as rubber balls.
Despite that, her juggling was perfect.
So this is the true value of a Street Performer huh.
Five minutes later, there was a Marina with a pleased expression collecting the mountain of copper coin donations.
“How is it, my super magic?”
“Even if you ask me for my opinion …”
“I’ll ask of you too. This girl, she’s like this when she has her mask on but originally she was apparently a Hikikomori girl with stranger anxiety. I’ll be worried if she goes on an errand on her own. I’ll even give you the Rod of Aklapios as present if you agree now.”
That is definitely a rip-off of the Rod of Asklepios. Furthermore, it’s quite sloppy.
If I searched the search engines for the Rod of Aklapios,
【Rod of Asklepios was found. Do you wish to re-submit your search as Rod of Asklepios?】
it’s a rip-off to the extent that something like that would occur.
The 1% increase in magical power is also dubious.
To be honest, 1% can be treated as within the range of error depending on a person’s physical condition on that day.
“Ha~ … well, I have various things I want to ask about so there’s no helping it. In exchange, please pay for your own share of the cross-border tax and town entry tax. Also, please do your best on your own to return from Dakyat town to here.”
“Negotiations established. Then, this. The documents that allow you to become this child’s master, the kitchen knife, and the letter addressed to that proprietress. Properly deliver it okay.”
“Is there a need to become Marina’s owner?”
“She won’t be able to cross the country border if she’s not with her master because she would be suspected of being a runaway slave right?”
If that’s the reasoning, then how would she return?
Would she be able to cross the border with her owner not present?
Or, would we have to look after her for the return trip as well?
I’ll definitely not want that.
“Haru, Carol, so she would be joining us for now but well, she doesn’t look like a bad person anyway.”
I guess there won’t be any issues with just bringing her along.
The 2 of them also agreed.
“By the way, is it alright to leave the doves alone?”
“Eh? Aaaa! Please come back! Taro! Hanako! Ichiro!”
Marina waved both her hands grandly towards the sky.
After that, it took about 10 minutes for the doves to return and we, with one additional Street Performer, rode the horse carriage and headed towards Dakyat.
~Side Story The Real Identity of Kannon~
Once the horse carriage Ichinojo and others were on was out of sight, Kannon collected her goods and deftly climbed down the rope ladder that was lowered off the bridge.
Incidentally, she sank the rocks that were used to house the sword and staff to the bottom of the river.
She thought that since they were rocks that were originally picked up from there, it was not an act that anybody could blame her for.
Then, when she was about to enter the small hut built on the floating wood tied in the style of a raft, Kannon noticed a presence inside.
“I remember telling you to wait until tomorrow.”
Swelling with anger, Kannon spoke to the man inside through the door.
Then, the door opened.
Inside was a red-haired man wrapped in a black mantle.
As he hated the sun the most, his skin was white to the point of being pale.
No matter how much he’s told that it was an awful farce for him to have hair red like the sun, he really liked that hair color.
Due to that, he did not cut his hair for a couple of hundred years, causing it to extend to around the middle of his back and it was tied up using a thread of dragon’s beard.
“It’s been a long time, third general of the Demon Lord army, Vampire Earl Valf.”
“It’s been a long time. You’ve sure become good at mimicking humans, Devil Kannon.”
At the same time he said that, Valf’s malice strengthened, causing the 2 horns that Kannon was hiding to appear.
“One corner of the seal on Demon Lord-sama has been lifted. I’ve told you that we don’t have time. If your business is completed then hurry up and begin your work. You have an order from Field Marshal-dono to investigate the Arundel Kingdom. I will have you immediately embark on it.”
“What will Earl be doing?”
“I have business to take care of in Dakyat. Even now I have new pawns that are moving for me.” (TL: ‘I’ said with a nuance of arrogance – Wagahai)
“New pawns … are you using humans as toys again to play around with? What a disgusting hobby.”
“Aren’t you the same? Did she say Malina? She’s an interesting talent. I also want to obtain a chess piece like her.”
When Valf said that, Kannon’s malice swelled.
Valf’s pupil which were black were dyed red as blood.
“You will not be let off lightly if you put your hands on Malina.”
“It seems like you take a fancy to humans quite a lot. Very well. Even though she has an unusual job, it’s a strange job that is not suited for battle. I’ll leave her be. Don’t forget, Kannon. Demon Lord-sama’s resurrection is close.”
Valf left with those words and his figure disappeared with black smoke.
Then, Kannon who was alone snorted and said.
“Naturally, I know such a thing even if you don’t mention it.”