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Vol 1: Chapter 14
The public market seems to be open for anyone to open up business if they pay the Commerce Guild. There were many stalls in a large stone plaza.
The stalls were kind of similar to Japanese flea markets, such as selling handmade accessories, dried fruits, and there was also a stall selling food which looked like soba noodles sizzling on an iron plate.
Apparently, the food sold varies depending on the location.
(Well, I guess that’s true. It’s hard to decide which to buy if there’s too many choices.)
「…All people talk about is the mine.」Mimino-san said suddenly.「Can’t you hear it? Everyone is talking about that.」
「–Did the Six Mine stop running?」
「–If it weren’t, they wouldn’t be sending out that many soldiers.」
「–Apparently, the Duke has not stepped out of the castle due to that.」
「–Wait a minute. Didn’t the Duke go to the mine?」
「–What is the reason?」
「–If the mine stopped, the city will go into a decline.」
「–I’m sure it’s just temporary.」
Just listening a little, you can hear the interaction between the customer and the store owner.
Although the information was not entirely accurate, everyone was talking like the mine was in danger. Was that mine so important to Achenbach Dukedom?
「Good grief. This country is overly dependent on skill orbs.」
「Yeah…」
「The mine ceasing might just be a good wake up call for them.」Mimino-san said, smilingly, but I couldn’t smile.
「…Reiji-kun? What happened?」
「Oh, nothing, I’m okay.」
「Really?」
Mimino-san casually held my hand. Although there was a height difference between us, it felt like we were a teenage couple. No, no, what am I talking about… couple and such. I get so worked up over holding hands because I have never had a girlfriend.
「The stalls over here seem to be selling medicinal plants.」
I was brought back to my senses by Mimino-san’s words. Many street stalls spread cloth on the ground and lined dried leaves on it.
「Ohhh!」
I went around looking at the stalls in high spirits.
Many of them were selling common medicinal herbs and spices. Rather, most of them were spices. Some sold spices in jars, but they were sold by weighing it on a scale and the prices were quite high.
It didn’t seem like the grass I was looking for was here.
「Is there something you want?」
「U-Umm… I don’t know if Mimino-san knows, but…」
I explained to Mimino-san about the leaf. A leaf that is divided into 5 like autumn leaves, and the tip is further divided into 5. It’s a leaf that I call “Double Autumn Leaf” in my mind.
「What’s that?」
It seems that even Mimino-san did not know about it, and she adorably tilted her head.
…Oh wow, that’s cute. A 20 year old can’t be this cute.
「A leaf that even a Halfling herbalist doesn’t know? Tell me, too.」
A nearby bearded ossan got up, and came closer.
「What? A phantom leaf that even a Halfling herbalist doesn’t know?」
「Hey, a secret leaf of the Halfling Village?」
「What did you say? A legendary leaf cultivated by a Halfling elder?」
Ossans came out of their stalls as the word spread more and more. And they’re all greatly exaggerated! Only the words “Halfling” and “leaf” match!
Despite being surrounded by ossans, Mimino-san calmly conveyed the characteristics of the leaf I mentioned to her.
「It’s that, isn’t it? The leaves of the icy tree.」
「Silly. That leaf is a three-pronged fork.」
「I’ve seen it. It’s a coral reef in the Kruvan Holy Kingdom.」
「There’s no way it’s in the sea.」
Everyone was saying a lot of different things, but it was hard to find the right answer. Or perhaps I should say, it is that rare of a material?
Then, I was wondering if I should ask about the deep silver metal and the squirming earthworm-like creatures.
「Fofofo. What is all this noise?」
An old man with long brows hanging over his eyes and a shiny bald head appeared, walking with a cane.
「Elder.」
「It’s the Elder. We can finally identify it.」
「Elder.」
The herbalists at the market stepped aside, opening a straight path towards us.
「Boy. This man is called the “Walking Herb Dictionary”.」
「I-Is that right? What is his name?」
「Don’t know.」
(Don’t know?)
「Fofofo. It seems like you are talking about some interesting grass… Hmm?! A halfling?!」
He took a sudden 180degrees from his gentle air.
「Damn Halfling herbalist… Have you come to invade human territory again?」
「E-Elder. This person is a travelling herbalist. Not a vendor came to invade the market.」
「I won’t believe it! I won’t speak anything when there is a halfling!」
(But you haven’t talked about anything yet, though…)
And he was stealing glances at me – trying to see how I would react, I guess? – which was annoying.
「…Well, Mimino-san, shall we leave?」
When I urged Mimino-san to leave,
「Are you really okay with that!? They say that I am a “Walking Herb Dictionary”! I may know things which no other herbalist knows!」
(Uwaa, so annoying… This is impossible. I get tired just by dealing with this person.)
Though I was thinking of leaving quickly, Mimino-san said,
「Reiji-kun, I will wait over there. So, go talk to this person.」
「B-But…」
「Don’t worry about it. We’ve got nothing to lose.」Mimino-san said, and distanced herself from me.
(Guu… I don’t want to talk to someone who speaks badly of Mimino-san.)
「So, what kind of leaf do you want, boy? A leaf to drown in pleasure?」
(Does this person sell drugs, too?)
In conclusion, the old man knew the “Double Autumn Leaf”. Far from that, he actually had it in his possession.
The leaf is a so-called “Leaf of Life Tree” and is a valuable item that can only be obtained in the forest governed by the High Elves.
However, I was able to buy it with the “pocket money” that Dante-san entrusted to me. The reason was that “Leaf of Life Tree” is precious but only High Elves know how to mix them, so it was just seating as a part of his collection, it seems.
「Fofofo. I suppose, in this way, I will entrust someone with the “Leaf of Life Tree” that I have inherited from the previous generation.」
「Thank you very much. But I’ll be going now.」
「Yes. It started when I became a disciple of the previous generation…」
「Is this story going to be long? I can leave, right?」
He berated me about children these days lacking manners and such, but I was finally released.
「…Halflings, you see, are certainly good herbalists. But some of them are bad because of their obsession with money. You better learn that, boy.」
The old man told me that at the end. I wonder if the old man was being thoughtful towards me in his own way by keeping Mimino-san away?
Even so, Mimino-san is Mimino-san. I don’t want you to lump them all together.
With mixed feelings, I gazed at the “Leaf of Life Tree” that was much larger than the palm of my hand. It seems that it has been several decades since it was picked, but it looked so fresh that you would think it was freshly picked from a tree a second ago. Looking through 【World Ruler】, I saw that various possibilities were sleeping in this leaf.
「Oh, Reiji-kun. Looks like you’ve gotten what you wanted.」
「Mimino-san…」
I bowed, as Mimino-san approached me with a smile.
「I’m sorry. Due to my selfishness, I made Mimino-san go through something bad.」
「Eh!? D-Don’t worry about that. There are Halflings who invade the market like the old man said. That is why many people hate us.」
「Still, it doesn’t have anything to do with Mimino-san.」
「If Reiji-kun understands that, then that’s okay with me. I don’t have to care about what other people say, right?」
「But…」
And Mimino-san gently stroked my head.
「…But show that leaf to me later, okay?」
「Yes, of course!」
And just as we were laughing together,
「T-There you are! Mimino-san, Reiji-kun!」Non-san ran up to us, out of breath.「Hurry up and come to the Adventurer’s Guild! The person Reiji-kun gave the medicine to is–」
Mimino-san and I exchanged glances… and started running.