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TSR V2C12: FRESHMAN ARC ⑫ -SHOPPING AT THE CAPITAL’S MARKET-
Alan, who had been entrusted with the role of being Miss Charlotte’s bodyguard, quickly executed his unique skill: Stalker (likely to be at level 97) and demonstrated how the security police works.
The fourth period ended and the mage students started moving to their separate classroom. Somehow, Alan was acting strange
... I was told that he was acting strangely, occasionally stealing glances at the surroundings, while sneaking around the circumference of Miss Charlotte.
Thanks to Alan’s creepy movements, Miss Charlotte became the center of attention and looked downwards in embarrassment.
Ritz-kun was somehow trying to walk somewhere else. Hey, Ritz, if you are a friend, you should have tried to stop him.
The problematic Katrina faction were making an, “What the, why is he behaving so weirdly
...eww,” expression but there were no signs that there were going to attack. Could it be that all this was planned as part of Alan’s strategy

?
Would it be good to continue Alan’s bodyguard operations like this? It seems that he has completely blocked of the Katrina clique’s offensive though.
Days later, when I was in the library having the regular study sessions, Miss Charlotte was vehemently telling me how, “Alan as a bodyguard is a little too

.” As expected, she didn’t like the way Alan was doing it so the job of a bodyguard was delegated to Ritz.
Yeah, that’s right, it was impossible from the start. Sorry, I should have stopped him earlier.
After being given the sack, Alan indignantly cried out, “Why—!”
Nevertheless, either because of Alan’s uncanny way of keeping a lookout or because of Ritz, who casually followed her, their efforts bore fruits as harassment towards Miss Charlotte stopped altogether.
Sometimes Miss Katrina and my line of sight would cross and as though we bumped, “Ough!” She would turn away.
Mr Alan, you haven’t done anything to Miss Katrina right? Right?
I did mention to Alan that overdoing arguments with Miss Katrina might be a good strategy, but is it effective in reality?
Should I stop him?
Though, for now, the focus of gossips had already turned to the next big event before any confrontation occurred between Alan and Miss Katrina.
Yep, from my experience of a student lifestyle, I estimate that a major event happens every year and the major event for this year is happening soon.
After all, we would be having an excursion. We are going to leave the campus, descending from the capital to the forest on the outskirts!
Just kidding, it’s not an excursion but a “Magic Sink” study trip.
The Magic Sink is simply speaking, a barrier that prevents demonic beasts from intruding human habitats.
I too, had experienced an attack by a demonic beast.
It was a day in the mountains when I had a taste of that extremely dreadful experience. The one who protected me from that scary demonic beast was Kou-okaasan, the nice gu
...nice sis. And, that explains the mystery behind why that demonic beast didn’t cross the river. The mystery behind it was this Magic Sink, it seems.
From what its name implies, could it be draining magic from the river? Not performing this Magic Sink ritual regularly would cause the barrier to weaken and allow demonic beasts to break through the barrier. It is a very important event. If that kind of demonic beast enter our homes, it would be a pandemonium. It wouldn’t be a scenario where farmers would be able to tend to their crops carefreely!
It was something that had to be done regularly, and since it was that special, it was included in the normal curriculum as a school event. Thus, every year, this big event would occur.
It was a school event and while it basically involves the students studying magic, the other students are like, since this is a mage activity and we can’t use magic, let’s just have a look!
That being said, it appears that the residents in the vicinity would file complaints if we went there as an entire school, therefore, the student population was broken down to a number of groups and was sent to different places.
Which means, an excursion! Better yet, it looks like we are staying for the night there, so it can be considered a field trip? Yay, I’m hyped!
Building on the enthusiasm, on our day off in the week, I brought along my henchman to the market in the Capital.
I mean, we need to prepare some snacks, don’t we!
The market was totally crazy. The market at Rainforest was amazing but the Capital’s market far exceeds that.
There were many people as though it was a festival and the number of stalls was astounding.
There was something like meat skewers being sold, fruits that were cut into edible sizes, a chicken drumstick (with bone), or a thin crepe-like dough which had vegetables, meat/fish wrapped into it
...All of it look delicious!
However, my allowance was limited. I wanted to grab all of them, but I can’t do that. I do have my allowance from Bashu-san, however, it was decided that I can only freely use allowance given by Kou-okaasan when I help out at her store. I need to use my money prudently.
Ah! That looks like a graffiti rice cracker there! Ah! There is a piping hot wiener grill there!
N-no good, Ryou. I’m here to buy snacks for the excursion. It needs to be something that can be stored!
As I thought, I turned around restlessly. Alan was beside me, sinking his teeth into a meat skewer.
When did he buy that!
He succumbed to the temptation hadn’t he! Betrayer! In the first place, isn’t it disgraceful for an aristocrat son to be buying from a food stand and eat while standing! I sent a bitter stare his way and, “What is with that stare? If you wanna eat, just say so. 
...I can give you a bite.”
Alan said and held out his meat skewer.
Eh? Really? It-it wasn’t like I was staring at like I wanted it but—, it was a reproachful glare blaming Alan for not considering his allowance. Well, if he says so? I think I would just try it—.
With that kind of feeling, I snatched the skewer from Alan without reservations, and took a bite off the meat.
It was beef—! Yummy! Softer than I expected! It wasn’t muscular, and could be chewed. The simple taste of sweetness, salt and pepper can be said to be as good as THE肉 filled my mouth. This was you call a meat merry-go-round!
By the time I realised, I had finished the entire skewer! Oh no, sorry, Alan, I didn’t mean it. Hehe!
“Ryou! Why did you eat everything! I only ate a small piece of it! Good grief, I tried to stop you but you didn’t stop.”
Did you try to stop me? Sorry, when I was eating it, I was riding on the merry-go-round of meat, so I didn’t notice at all. Sorry.
However, I don’t think Alan would write off his resentment with just me laughing embarrassingly and sticking my tongue sticking out. His grudge for food can be quite scary.
“Sorry. It was too good so I unconsciously ate all of it. Let me buy something and we can eat it together.”
No choice. I was at wrong here so why don’t I just shave off some of that important allowance?
“Together

? Well, in that case, I will forgive you.”
Alan appeared happy as he mumbled. Alright, he forgave me.
What shall we eat next? Since we ate meat earlier, how about something sweet? Alan likes sweet things too.
Oh! Something like that it would be awesome! Roasted apple wraps! It’s something like an apple pie!
“Alan, how about those roasted apple wraps? 
...um, what? That group of two over there
...”
As we approached the apple wraps store, we spotted the people in question.
Ah, I knew it!
“Isn’t that Charlotte and Ritz? Are they shopping for things for the outing, I mean, Magic Sink learning journey?”
Ritz and Charlotte were at the store. Charlotte jumped up and down in delight when I turned and noticed her.
“Ryou! Yeah! We were really able to meet up! I heard Ryou was going to the market to do shopping so Ritz and I decided to go shopping too, but because there were so many people here, I didn’t think we would encounter one another!”
Eh! You came chasing after me? I’m so happy! Speaking of which, isn’t this a date with Ritz? Ohoho! Hyuu—Hyuu—!
“I am also glad we met, Charlotte. I wanted to tell you about it before going to the market, but you weren’t at home so I thought you were away from home.”
“That was probably when I was tending to the school’s flower beds! I am always there watering the flowers in the morning. I hope to see tree spirits by interacting more with plants. Though I haven’t gotten any results from it.”
Charlotte replied cutely while laughing embarrassingly.
Oioi, Ritz, so you are bringing such a cute girl along, huh? Being a diligent escort? Ehh?
Keeping my behaviour of an old man sexually harassing others in check, I took a look at Ritz and saw that Alan had already struck a friendly conversation with him.
Did Ritz come looking for Alan like how a Ritz would? Those two are such close friends.
“Since we are all here, why don’t the four of us walk around the market together!”
I called out, and thus, we shopped in the market together.
Ritz and Charlotte had enjoyed their roasted apple wraps so Alan and I decided to get ourselves one too.
After handing half a piece of the roasted apple wrap to Alan, his face turned gloomy in dissatisfaction.
“Didn’t you say we eat it together
...”
He muttered.
Did he noticed that his half was slightly smaller than mine? Damn, his sharp. I caved in and gave him the bigger half instead. You better be grateful to boss’ generosity!
The texture was as soft as a naan and the apple carried a cinnamon taste. It’s softness and sweetness was really satisfying. Though, if I could wish for more, I rather it had the texture of a pie. The crisp of an apple pie would taste better.
In any case, the prices in this market is really high. Things are around 10 times more compared to a rural marketplace.
The capital is located in an unnecessarily elevated area, so perhaps the cartage charges are higher?
Really no way not to overspend, sigh—.
We escaped the food area and went to the place where pots, cutlery and glassware were sold. Clothes, armour and swords were also sold here, thus, it can be said that this was where mass produced goods made by mages were sold.
We chatted happily while window shopping. Alan had especially much to say, arguing that the products were all so-so and if it was him, he could produce superior ones! As he espoused endlessly on his great erudition, we arrived at what appeared to be the medicinal section of the market.
I was tasked by Kou-okaasan to buy herbs and alcohol because she wanted to concoct a medicinal liquor.
Yup, they are really expensive. Considering that the herbs could be picked for free when I was living in the mountains, it feels rather exorbitant.
After passing through the medicinal area, we arrived at an area where rocks were sold.
What? Rocks? Who actually buys them?
This area had much fewer traffic, but there were more people who were far more serious in assessing the merchandises. What are these rocks anyways? Alan and the rest were in a carefree mode earlier while window shopping, yet they became serious all of a sudden and begun inspecting the rocks.
“Alan, what are these rocks? Everyone is looking at them so seriously
...”
I timidly asked Alan who was holding up the rock and gazing at it.
“Ahh, what I’m assessing is a mineral gem. These are needed as the cost for creating things so I need several of these. School doesn’t provide enough of them. You’ve seen them before when you were at my house, didn’t you? Wasn’t my family’s storeroom stocked full with gemstones?”
Oh, now that he said it, I remember.
I saw boxes with minerals in them that were labelled as things like “metal”, “glass” and etcetera. Those were likely there to show which gems could be used to make their respective materials.
Turning my head over to Ritz and Charlotte, I could see them scrutinising gemstones over at another store.
The gems were contained in boxes tagged with “Fire”, “Ice” and “Lightning” on them.
Are those mineral gems too?
“Miss Charlotte, may I know what you are I looking at?”
“I am looking the ice magical gems. Because I am just a little bit good with ice spirits.”
“Magical gems?”
I tried taking a look at the gemstone myself.
“Yes! Magical gems! Quality magical gems can have spirits dwelling inside them and even if there weren’t any spirits inside, it would be easier to borrow the help of spirits with the use of magical gems!”
W-Wow, these magical gems are incredible!
These are just some ordinary-looking, grey or white or black stones and yet they are special gemstones that hold magic in them?
I imagined them as stereotypical magical gems where fire gemstones would be red, water gemstones would be blue, and etcetera
...it’s misleading when they aren’t sparkling like jewels.
“So, what can you do with the gemstone you are holding, Charlotte?”
“It is an ice gemstone, so when I infuse magic on it, there is a possibility that our surroundings would become slightly colder than usual!”
Ahh, is that so? Somehow it doesn’t sound very amazing but Charlotte’s eyes were glimmering as she said it, therefore, it has to be amazing.
Beside me, Ritz sternly picked up a gemstone from a box labelled “Fire” and examined it. A fire gemstone? Compared to other magical gems, this particular type of gemstone seems to have more variations.
“What can you do with fire gemstones?”
“When manipulating fire with magic, you can use it to create bigger flames and if the magical gem is of good quality, you would be able to manipulate fire without any coals!”
Ritz told me in a somewhat excited tone. Normally, it is difficult to activate fire magic without anything to start a fire, however, it is possible to compensate for that by using a magical gem. That is its supposed use, but that being said, there is a chance that it fails to do anything, so the gem’s power is kinda questionable.
Hmm, from what I can gather, these so called magical gems aren’t all that great


While I preoccupied with thinking, I continued gazing at the gemstone at different angles. As expected, somewhere this stone looks like and doesn’t look like
...could this be?
I purchased a few of each kind of magical gem (fire, ice, lightning) and also bought the glass mineral gem. It wasn’t on discount, but for the noble cause called research, I would be borrowing some money from the allowance Mr Bashu gave me.
With this, I had didn’t have much money left for buying snacks, so I decided to perhaps make my own and bought flour back as the ingredient.