Probably 15 or 16 years old. Family name unknown, and probably came to this town with some kind of circumstances.
Has a lovely smile, and courteous customer service. A shop where you can feel relaxed, plenty of customers come by here. One of the reason it is popular is the exquisite cakes and coffee.
Some days ago, it surprised me than even spirits come to her shop.
From her interaction with the spirits, it seems she is used to a relationship with those other humans as well. Hence she shows even respect to us Demis without prejudice.
Though I don’t know the reason why she is hiding her true nature. But I believe that it’s not because she herself have sinned in any way. We (Demi) are very sensitive to criminals, but she does not smell like them in any way.
Speaking of which, she did say she had just been heart broken. She was probably sent far away with the palimony from breaking up and cutting off the ties with a rich noble….. No but, despite that it seems she’s enjoying her life every day. Or is it just because she is optimistic?
“…”
The more I think about it, the more mysteries envelop her.
Suddenly, I could hear a faint sound from nearby. A sound not from the kitchen, sounds of small footsteps like those of squirrels and rats. Turning back, I could see a cluster of something yellowish-green beside the table seat. Looks like it was trying to hide behind the one of the chair’s feet, but I could see its butt protruding out…. It’s a spirit.
Although I have ever seen a spirit walking around in the forest, but to be able to see so many spirits in such close distance is a first for me recently. A spirit of a flower bud, still colorless. Or so Rhonya says, a regular visitor of hers.
I wonder what circumstances brought the spirits to start coming over to her shop. Additionally, if they are shy creatures, they would not even come close to a human town much less a human’s shop. To begin with, what made the spirits become close to her.
… If only I know the spirit’s habitat, I could find out something about her (Rhonya) hometown.
Staring deeply towards the spirit hiding behind the chair’s feet without realizing it, I could then hear Rhonya’s voice.
“Fufu. It’s in observation mode right now” Rhonya, looking over to me from over the counter then made a weird smile.
“Looks like it took a liking to Sena-san’s tail. So it is currently observing Sena-san for a chance to touch it again”
“……Hmmmm, what a careful one”
“I think it would take some time, but I am sure it will know that Sena-san is a good person. So please let them touch it again when that time comes”
The spirit who kept on showing and hiding its face. Ah, there’s 3 of them, I could see them all.
Although I would let them touch it now if they wanted to…. But, I guess it’s fine. I’ll let them have their way.
Rather, I too want to continue my observation. The target, it’s Rhonya.
The first time us 4 came over, I could feel that Shize took a liking to Rhonya. Maybe something happened while we took a short nap then. Shize has sharp intuitions, and is adept on how to judge people. Anyways, it just shows that we could trust her.
I would like to bring Shize and Rhonya closer to each other. But, Shize is a free-hearted one, and also stubborn as well. It would be difficult even for me to set them together.
-That moment, I could hear footsteps not owned by the spirits which made me reminiscent. A few heavy footsteps by the porch outside the shop. But it was not Shize or the others either.
Cling clang.
A rougher ringing of the bell than usual. Momentarily, a pungent smell reached me which made my face frown. Looking over, there was 4 bad-looking people who came in. A smell, mixture of sand, iron and steel. Probably a mercenary. The ones who came fighting around in our territory.
“Welcome”
Even when it’s a customer unbefitting the shop, Rhonya still greets them warmly. Just like when we first came. Although greeting the customers with a smile no matter the situation is something inevitable, I do wish that she learns to sense some danger.
“Why, what a cute lady it is!”
“I heard you’re single ey? Pour me some alcohol! Alcohol!”
They probably came by knowing there’s not much good shops around here. This town is our (Demi) territory, and not knowing that we frequent this place. What idiots.
Seeing how these bad-looking guys would try to threaten the townspeople, I have no choice but to intervene. Well, we are mostly active by this time of the day so it should be fine, I guess.
The guys started laughing vulgarly, and licking Rhonya with their eyes. Even when such a gaze was sent towards her, Rhonya’s smile did not break apart.
“My apologies but our shop here does not serve alcohol. But we do have juice and coffee, how about it?”
“Haaa? We want alcohol, I tell ya! Alcohol it is, young lady!”
“And we’re hungry, since it’s after work I tell ya, we wanna have some quick grub hereee”
“If Gauu steak is fine with you, I could make them. However, we do not procure alcoholic beverages so we could not serve you that”
Just like what she did with us back then. She declined what she could not procure and try to provide alternatives instead. As expected, she too dense about her surroundings. Or is it that she feels at ease because I’m here?
“The customer’s sayin that they want it! So bring it out!!” As one of the guys approach the counter, and swept my cup to the floor. And hence the cup broke, and the leftover latte spilled everywhere.
I then stood up and tried to counter back to the guy, but my hand was stopped by Rhonya holding me back.
“This is troubling, dear customer. If you continue making more fuss than this, I will have to chase you out” As Rhonya said to the guy. Her smile dissipated, and a serious expression on her face.
“Chase us out you say? With such a weak body, what can you do huh? Try me then”
“You wanna have some of us too lad? Go away, you shortie”
The other 3 then started coming closer, while laughing vulgarly. Even their breaths smell bad.
Letting out a sigh, I knew this will happen sooner or later. But even so, to think that a mercenary colleague would try to raise a hand against her.
Before her impression of me turn any worse than this, I should quickly transform into my beast form and chase them away. Forcefully, chase these idiots who don’t know the strength of a Demi.
But before I could even transform, my hand was dragged back by her. That instant, a scent of plants and sweets envelop the place.
“This is a warning. Please leave the place immediately, or I will have to use force”
Rhonya with a clear voice, saying so beside me. Holding my right arm tightly with her left hand, she held out her right hand and pointed to the man. Her middle finger had a magic tool, a ring, equipped.
Is she trying to oppose them with that? But she ever mentioned that the ring is not appropriate for self-defense. Unable to do any more than the owner’s own power, and could only lift and move things without touching it.
“We’ll treat you well so, quickly get that shortie away from here, I tell ya. Oh yeah, you shortie, go buy the alcohol. The young lady here will serve as a compensation, that’s great”
“10 seconds. And I will chase you away.. Ten.. Nine..” Rhonya then started counting down with a calm voice. That was all I could hear. All that reached my nose, is her smell only.
“…Zero. –Lead astray those who distort this clean place—“
Moments after her incantation, I could feel magic power. Affected by the magic power, I too almost transformed but I held it back somehow.
“W-wha what!?”
“Is that magic!?”
The guys then immediately turned pale, and their gazes swim around. As if afraid of the atmosphere, but there was nothing there. But the guys were hard stiff and afraid of something.
“A-as if I’ll be defeated by such a magic!!”
“Don’t mess with meeeee,, groaaa!”
Each then brought out their weapons, and targets Rhonya. I then try to block her but—
“I prohibit your entry to this place from now on” From the tip of her beautiful finger, she made a snapping sound. Then, a cluster of light of magic power burst.
The shop’s atmosphere then changed abruptly. One could see a gust of strong wind, but nothing inside the shop moved. Only the door which abruptly opened wide. And so the strong gust of wind enveloped the 4 guys and roughly threw them out of the door.
The wind then calmed, and tightly closed the door. The place then turned back peacefully, without any sound of the bell ringing.
“I shall bring you a new cup of latte” Rhonya then released my hand. Even the fragments of the broken cup has disappeared.
Sensing the presence of people outside, I could not sense their presence of the guys coming back… And here I thought she could only use the healing magic and telekinesis from borrowing the magic tool’s power. Looks like it was a big mistake.
Using illusion magic as if it was an everyday task, and the shop is probably enveloped in a barrier as well. With a snap of her finger, it will then activate.
More importantly, the magic power I could sense coming out from her. She is hiding quite a lot of power. One that is not from just reading a book and tingling with it herself. It was definitely by learning it properly.
And to go to an academy to learn magic requires plenty of money unthinkable for a commoner. Which means, she grew up from a wealthy family.