Magic Warrior Chapter 39 (Patreon)

Rilfana's Anxiety

Back in the innkeeper's room, I changed Rilfana's skirt and shoes, which were stained with muddy water.

I leave the room with Rilfana, who is still looking delicate.

I think it's about time for the 2 PM bell to ring, but then most of the clothing stores would be closing up store, so I decide to hurry to the clothing store.

"Oh my, welcome! Did you find some clothes you need more work on?"

It was the third day in a row that I had been to the usual clothing store with an elf shopkeeper, because I didn't have much time and I preferred to go to a store that I was familiar with.

There seem to be a few customers there today. I can hear them playing with each other in the fitting room, probably among friends.

I explain the situation to the elf clerk and tell her that I've come to buy a new skirt and shoes, as long as I can pick them up before I leave tomorrow.

"I see. All of our products are handmade, so we don't have the same ones, but I'll go look for something similar!"

I'm a little sorry that the products here are handmade, or that we ruined them so quickly, even though it wasn't our fault.

The elven clerk's tone is laid back, but she does what she has to do and works fast. I'll leave it to him as usual.

"...Mina-sama, I'm sorry."

"It's not for Rilfana to apologize, so don't worry about it. Don't worry about it.

"Yes..."

Well, Rilfana is not in good spirits, as if she cares too much.

It's not Rilfana's fault, no matter how I look at it, and it's not something to be that concerned about.

I do as Claire does and pat Rilfana's head.

"Ugh."

Rilfana moans, more embarrassed than disgusted.

"How about around here? I don't think it's a size that needs any alterations."

The elf shopkeeper brought me some shoes and a skirt to try on Rilfana, and I decided to pick out a couple of shoes and a skirt to buy. I didn't have in mind that they would be ruined, so I bought an extra pair.

Considering my sewing skills, I would have to wait for the market in the village or have my mother make them for me.

"Big Sis, let's buy this one too."

Claire comes in with two yellow ribbons.

For a moment I think they won't stand out on Claire, who has red hair, but I guess they are for Rilfana. They would look good on her pale blue hair.

"I'll add this one for you!"

The ribbon that Claire added was an added bonus. She gives me so many extras that I wonder if the management is okay.

"Huh, you look cuter when you smile than when you make a face like that."

The clerk patted Rilfana's head. Rilfana is kind of the type of person I want to take care of.

◇

After paying at the clothing store and walking out, the clerk began preparing to close the store.

We must have been the last customers of the day, because when the people who had been there before us opened the door to pay their bill and leave, we heard the bell ringing at 2 PM.

"Shall we have dinner at the restaurant just before the inn?"

"Is this the place that smelled delicious?"

"Yes, yes, I was wondering about that."

Rilfana, still in a daze, is being pulled by Claire's hand.

The restaurant is located in front of the inn.

The sign reads "Galdea Restaurant". It is located near the center of town and may be a long-established restaurant.

It is dinner time, and a good smell wafts around the restaurant.

"Come on in. Sit wherever is available.

I enter the restaurant and see a short man. No, it was a dwarf.

He is probably the owner of the restaurant, wearing a potholder and a rugged apron. His beard seems to be shortened for hygienic reasons.

All the dwarves walking around the town had long, magnificent beards.

The number of customers was probably less than 50%.

There is a kitchen with cooking utensils in the center, surrounded by counter seats.

White steam was coming out of the pots and pans, and it seemed to be going out through a ventilation fan attached to the ceiling.

Around the perimeter of the restaurant, there were several tables that were probably for groups.

When the three of us sat down at an empty table, a waitress came up to us.

"Welcome. Here is the menu. If you can't read the words, you can order whatever you want.

"I'll decide after looking at the menu."

The waitress, with her large rounded ears and apron like the owner's, also looks like a dwarf.

Dwarves are a race of people who look completely different from men and women. Men are stocky and muscular, with deep wrinkles and beards that are clearly visible even when they are young, making them look older, while women, on the other hand, are closer to humans and shorter, making them look younger. On the other hand, women look younger because they are shorter and more human-like, even looking like children depending on their facial features.

Perhaps the restaurant is run by a married couple.

The menu includes fried rice, sweet-and-sour pork, meat wraps, spicy gumbo, ramen noodles, and other dishes.

There are other items on the menu, but it seems to be a Chinese restaurant.

The menu has simple pictures and explanations, but they are not very well drawn and the explanations are too simple to understand.

The description of "spicy ganbe" only says "ganbe" and "spices. The picture could have been taken in any way.

Chinese spicy food...I can think of two, but they are totally different depending on whether the ganbe is tofu or shrimp, so I'm not going to try them this time.

"...Do they have ramen?"

Rilfana, who is sitting beside Claire, is muttering to herself as she and Claire look at the menu.

Perhaps her lack of energy was causing her to be distracted, but her ladylike tone was also broken.

"It says 'wheat flour noodles in vegetable broth', is that good?"

"I've never seen ramen before."

"Hmmm, if Rilfana-chan doesn't know about it, maybe I should try it?"

Is there something on the menu that even Rilfana doesn't know about? Maybe it's because ramen is not like aristocratic food. The noodles would get too soft if left out.

"I'll have that, too."

"Then, me too."

There was a possibility that I would get something different from what I was imagining, but I was tempted to try it because of the topic, so I decided to give it a shot.

The ramen that was brought to me was a tonkotsu (pork bone broth) type of ramen, similar to what I know.

The soup seemed to be made from pork and vegetables. The noodles were frizzy and easy to get involved with. It was topped with chashu pork, leek, and dark green algae instead of seaweed.

There were a fork and chopsticks on the tray. There was no bamboo ladle. It was bad manners, but I put my mouth directly on the bowl and took a sip of the soup.

The thick tonkotsu broth was well seasoned, and I could tell that the broth had been thoroughly prepared.

I picked up a pair of chopsticks and ate the noodles, which were somewhat firm and hard.

When I was slurping the noodles, Claire tried to imitate me. She was struggling to slurp it up and chew it all up.

"Claire-sama, I thought you could use a fork."

"Big Sis and Rilfana-chan both eat so well..."

I looked closer and saw that Rilfana was dexterously using chopsticks to eat.

I heard that it is surprisingly difficult for people who are not used to eating with chopsticks to slurp up the food.

I remembered that Rilfana's DEX dexterity was B. I am convinced that it affects that aspect as well.

Ramen tastes good after a long absence. I finished it without saying a word.

Claire seemed to have given up halfway through and switched to a fork.

I wonder if it would be difficult to make it by myself because I needed Brine. Flour is available in the village. I wonder if the automatic correction of cooking skill can help.

◇

"It seemed small, but I'm full."

"Ramen noodles are bulky, aren't they?

"What? Are you sure?"

"It will be digested soon, don't worry."

I returned to my room at the inn, laughing at Claire's worried face as she clutched her stomach.

I left my changed skirt and shoes behind as I hurried out.

"Big Sis, do you think washing them will remove some of it?"

"No, you have to let the mud stains dry completely before removing them, or they will spread the opposite way."

"Rilfana-chan, you know a lot."

"When I was little, I tried to cover up the stains on my clothes when I sneaked out to play and washed them with water, but the housekeeper's maid got mad at me..."

"Oh, Rilfana-chan was quite naughty? Well, let's just hang it up until it dries.

"Mmm, that was a long time ago."

Claire hung them on hangers so that they wouldn't get dirty around them.

"There we go, I'm going to take a bath first, I have an early day tomorrow!"

Rilfana is sitting up in bed, though she makes the necessary reply.

She seems to have regained some of her energy after eating, but she still doesn't seem to be in good shape.

I sat down beside Rilfana. I looked into Rilfana's face.

"Rilfana, do you still care?"

"...I've been so nice to you, but I can't give you anything back, I've been causing you so much trouble...."

"Well, I don't think so..."

Somehow, I put my hand on Rilfana's head and stroke it around.

"I think you're too uptight, so it's fine if it's appropriate."

"Ah..."

"Ah...? I don't remember this happening a long time ago." You're too uptight! Can't you be more normal?"

I can't remember who it was. But I think it was someone important.

In my life in Japan, I didn't have a little girl with whom I often played with.

"I'm out! and what is Big Sis doing?"

It seems Claire has just gotten out of the bath, her eyes sharp as she strokes Rilfana.

"Big Sis, you're not getting all the attention! You'll have to take over!"

He backs me out of the way and takes the spot where I was sitting.

Rilfana was also taken aback.

...Well, let's leave this to Claire and go take a bath.

◇

I woke up in the middle of the night.

"Ugh...gusu...daddy...mommy..."

I hear Rilfana's stifled cry from the bed by the wall, her back to me.

She may have been depressed from a small trigger and remembered a lot of things when she was so tense.

Somehow hearing her voice made my heart ache, so I quietly got into Rilfana's futon and hugged her from behind.

"Ugh!"

"It's okay, it's okay, okay?"

"...Un."

--I gently patted Rilfana as if putting a child to sleep until she fell asleep.