“You’re kidding… this is a river? This is a sea…”
Water as far as the eye could see. Across the horizon, land hazed in. Like when I went to Aomori’s Cape Ōma as a kid and you could see Hokkaido — that feeling. Like maybe Tsugaru-Strait wide…
Six days after we set out, we’d finally reached Belfast’s southernmost town, Canaan. From here we’d take a boat to Mismid’s town across the water — Langley.
As you’d expect from a town linking Belfast and Mismid, demihumans were thick in the streets. Dog and cat beastfolk, of course; winged-people with wings on their backs; horned-people with horns on their foreheads; dragon-people with scaly patches and thick tails.
The humans and demihumans of this town apparently get along well.
When we reached the riverbank (it looked like a port, frankly), all sorts of boats sat at the docks. But all small, some medium-sized — no large ones.
Sailing-style — but not many-sailed; the impression was simple sailboat. The boats carry someone who can use wind-element magic, so the crossing takes about two hours, and these are sufficient.
We left the carriages here and took boats over. The Mismid side had similar carriages waiting.
Boat formalities I left to Origa-san, Galun-san, and the Mismid contingent — I watched the street stalls open near the boats.
“Ah, that one’s selling crafts.”
“This one’s silk fabrics… so many things on sale here.”
Arma and Yumina, beside me, murmured as they looked over the wares. Last town on the Belfast side — souvenir shops everywhere, makes sense.
“Oh? Touya-san, look…”
“Hm?”
In the direction of Yumina’s gaze, in front of a stall arraying brooches, rings, necklaces and other accessories — there stood Lyon-san, with a difficult face, deliberating. He went to send a letter to the palace, I thought.
Lyon-san was apparently torn over which accessory to buy. But — those are women’s, aren’t they? Aah — got it. So that’s the situation.
“Lyon-san, souvenir for family?”
“Eh? T-Lord Touya!? No, well — for, uh, my mother — yes! For my mother! I thought I’d get her something…”
“Heeeh.”
His magnificent flailing made it instantly clear it was not for his mother. Out of mercy, I’ll let it go.
“Lots of accessories on sale. Right — Arma, pick one. As a memento of Belfast — a present from me.”
“Really!?”
Arma chose a brooch from the lined-up accessories. Grape-shaped, with amethyst set in the grape-fruits. Fox and grapes… reminds me of that fable.
“Suits you, Arma.”
“Eheheh, thank you so much.”
Watching Arma laugh delightedly, I paid the stallkeeper. And — got the info Lyon-san probably wanted to know.
“Does Origa-san like brooches like this too?”
“Mm — Big sis prefers floral designs. Especially this Erius flower, here — she’s always buying them.”
Saying that, Arma pointed to a hair ornament on the stall. A cherry-blossom-like flower, plain but lovely.
At her words, Lyon-san’s face brightened. Figured.
“All right, we’re off. Lyon-san, you should head back to the boat too. Departure’s soon.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll be right back.”
We left, and a bit later when I glanced back, I could just see Lyon-san at the stall, having an Erius hair ornament wrapped.
“Well played, Touya-san.”
Yumina praised. Caught, then. The sister of his crush hadn’t noticed though.
“I’d have liked a present too, just then.”
”…Sorry.”
“Well, eventually I’ll get a ring on the left ring-finger, and that’ll satisfy me.”
She turned a brimming smile on me and clung to my arm. Should I have bought some accessory…? Cost too high, that.
Thinking that, we headed back to the boat.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Quick crossing.”
“Two hours one way, indeed.”
Elze and Yae stepped off the boat carrying the box with the vanity mirror to be presented to the Mismid king. Behind them, Arma and Yumina with luggage, then Kōhaku, and finally me with Linze on my back.
”…Sorry, Touya-san…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t worry.”
About an hour into the boat ride, Linze got seasick. Reading a book on the boat will do it… I tried [Recovery] just in case but it didn’t help. Status condition, I’d think. Why?
Carriage rumble fine, boat sway no good. Well — I had an acquaintance who got seasick but not carsick. Maybe similar.
Off the boat, I took in the town of Langley. This is the demihuman kingdom now — Mismid. Two hours by boat doesn’t transform things in a flash, but compared to Canaan on the Belfast side, demihumans outnumbered humans.
Stalls were open here as on the other side, but most stallkeepers were demihumans. Many races on display. Impressive.
“Bigger town than I thought.”
”…This is still on the Belfast side, that’s why, perhaps.”
Linze answered quietly from my back. As we observed the streets and followed Origa-san’s lead, three carriages — same as the ones we’d left behind at Canaan — sat waiting.
“What do you think, Touya-san? If Linze-san isn’t well, shall we rest today and depart tomorrow?”
Origa-san asked, concerned.
“Ah, I-I’m fine. Once off the boat, much better.”
Linze got down from my back. Elze sidled in close and murmured to her sister:
“You can stay piggybacked longer, you know, Linze~.”
“Sis-Big sister! Wh-what are you saying!? Are you saying!?”
Linze rebuffed sharply. Couldn’t see her face, but the ears were red. Ah well — long-piggyback would be embarrassing, sure.
“Then let’s depart in an hour. I’ll go send a letter to His Majesty.”
“Ah, th-then I’ll come too. Anything could happen!”
“Yes — Lord Lyon as well, then.”
Origa-san laughed gently and the two walked off together. Heartwarming, somehow. I think I get how matchmaking-as-a-life-purpose feels now.
“Lord Touya, no big towns from here for a while. Best to stock up on what you need.”
The wolf-beastfolk Mismid guard captain Galun-san told me, and we agreed to meet back in an hour and shop separately.
Kōhaku in tow, with Yumina, I bought emergency rations, tea leaves, small things at stalls. …Hm?
I scanned around, sharpening my senses. …My imagination?
“What is it?”
Yumina caught my odd behavior.
“Ah… felt like someone was watching me. Probably imagined.”
“Perhaps someone watching Kōhaku-chan, since he’s rare?”
In Mismid, white tigers are sacred. Mustn’t kill, mustn’t capture. If I were leading Kōhaku on a leashed collar, I’d be lynched. Strict stance: Kōhaku follows of his own free will. Inconvenient, but.
“No, Master. There is most certainly someone observing us. Not me, but you, Master. Currently their presence is fully suppressed.”
At Kōhaku’s mind-message, I scanned again. Who. Better stay on guard.
After that, I bought about ten of an unfamiliar fruit (shape like a Western pear, color orange, smell apple) and we got back to the others.
At the carriages, everyone was assembled — we were last.
“Now we’re all here. Let’s depart.”
At Origa-san’s call, the guards began to board the front and rear carriages. We were the middle one. Elze and Yae took the driver’s seat; the rest of us were about to board the cabin when I spotted a hair ornament with a cherry-blossom-like flower glinting in Origa-san’s hair.
“Oh, that hair ornament is lovely. Suits you.”
“Eh? Th-thank you.”
Yumina was sharp-eyed and praised it; Origa-san laughed softly, somewhat shy. Lyon-san handed it over when they slipped out together. Nice.
“I’d like to receive a hair ornament like that from someone special too. Giving such a gift as an expression of feeling — that’s something a gentleman should do, I believe. Of course, a hug or showing it through actions would be even better…”
“Right — let’s depart!”
As the conversation drifted into dangerous waters, I scrambled into the cabin. She might be the type to hold a grudge, surprisingly. True — gifting only Arma and nothing for Yumina was bad…
But hugging her in compensation isn’t something I can do. Need to think of something… Wait — if I gift only Yumina now, that’s its own problem.
A “lover’s gift” reading would be bad. Gift the other three too, frame it as everyday thanks — that should keep things from sticking.
Once in the cabin, I pulled up image searches on my smartphone for the latest accessories, planning to make gifts for the four with [Modeling].