Roche did not return to the store for two nights, but Shiori had no idea how serious it was.
Roche is an adult man over his thirties. This was different from a child not coming back. Still, if this was Japan, Shiori would have reported to the police at least…
“Perhaps he’s staying at someone’s place?”
She considered that possibility first. For example, a woman’s house or a friend’s.
“Hmm …”
Regardless of the possibility, something was not clear. Roche seemed to be popular, but he didn’t seem to have a specific lover, and she doesn’t think there was someone close enough to him to be called his « friend ». (TLN:『友達』という爽やかな間柄の人物がいるとも思えない -> she doesn’t think there is someone he has a refreshing relationship with who can be called a “friend”. Refreshing relationship sounded a bit weird but maybe I should keep it…)
Besides, even if he did stayed at someone’s place, given Roche’s surprisingly detailed personality, he would always inform Shiori beforehand and say, “Be sure to lock properly” It is unlikely that he would suddenly stay overnight without notice for two nights.
In this case, it was better to think that Roche may be in trouble.
Yesterday, Shiori was in the store all the time, just waiting for him to come back, but today she decided to go outside and look for him.
Shiori was nervous and locked the store restlessly.
Roche is a careful and cautious man, but she was worried that he is safe.
The store temporarily closed, she put on a thick shawl and went outside to search for Roche.
A chill and dry wind passed through the alley. Shiori shrugged in the cold and looked around the store for the time being. She was worried if he didn’t fall down somewhere.
Roche isn’t the type to get drunk or to drink himself into stupor. So, at least, she didn’t think he would loose consciousness on the way home when sodden with alcohol.
Since the season extended for the past few days, if you lose consciousness along the road, it may be possible to freeze to death.
Shiori’s body shivered at this unpleasant thought.
I wasn’t really conscious of it, but I seem to rely more on Roche than I thought. Shiori thought so.
If Roche cannot be found, I don’t know what to do. What about the store? What about the job? It has been two months since Shiori came to this world.
I can’t do it alone yet. Of course, the first concern is Roche’s safety, but at the same time, I also think about myself and my work.
Like a lost child, she was nervous and uneasy.
After looking around the store, she headed towards the main street and went around Roche’s favorite shops. A bar with a calm atmosphere, a small tobacco shop and a shop that purchases rare herbs from foreign countries.
However Roche was nowhere to be found, and none of the shopkeepers knew where he was.
After searching around the city all day, Shiori couldn’t even find a clue.
“Honestly, where did you go…”
She muttered at a loss. The color of the sunset illuminating the city in red was somewhat eerie, and Shiori’s frustration raised.
The felling of “being insignificant in a different world”, which she didn’t get at all recently, was now clinging to her body, making her feelings dark and heavy.
There were no one with the same values as her who can be consulted at such a time -no parents, friends or police- it was painful. It was the first time Shiori thought so since she came to this world and now she was a little homesick.
Some people in this city have become familiar with Shiori, such as the bakery woman and the son of the fruit shop. But when she asked them about Roche, they just laughed saying “Surely he was going secretly to his lover’s.”
It’s not a big deal for them to have a man of good age staying out for two nights. “It’s ok, he’ll be back eventually” they said leisurely.
However, even if they say that, Shiori’s anxiety didn’t disappear.
When she was wondering if there was anyone else she could talk to, the first thing to appear in her mind was Krust.
But she immediately shook her head and rejected the idea.
Krust is now out of reach. The hero who is engaged to this country’s princess is no longer a person one can approach as easily as before.
Sadly, Shiori dropped her gaze down.
She sighed after a while and switched her mind. She tried to recall the reason why Roche was going out before he went missing.
Recently, Roche didn’t tell Shiori where he was going, that day too « I’m going out for a bit », that’s what she felt he said.
“I guess it’s the back customers.” (TLN: the ones Roche sells illegal potions to. Sorry, I don’t know how to phrase it properly so I let it as Google-san put it.)
Most of Roche’s business is related to them.
Shiori groans while frowning. It might be a bit annoying if the back customers were involved in his disappearance. After all, Shiori doesn’t know anything about their matter. Roche was in charge of selling aphrodisiacs and energizers, but she has never followed them before.
Is there something like a list of back customers? , Shiori thought with her finger on her lips.
I’ve never seen one in the store, but it might come out if I search in Roche’s room.
But even if there is a list, there should be many noblemen and powerful merchants on the list. Even if Shiori visits suddenly, there is a high possibility that she will be turned away without hearing about Roche.
There was only so much that Shiori can do now.
Since the sun has set, Shiori decides to return to the store for the time being. She must look for the back customer list.
And maybe Roche is back. Those were her faint expectations.
She quickly crossed the city at twilight, entered a narrow alley and followed the familiar path. As she turned around the corner and reached the point where the store was in sight, Shiori stopped and stiffened.
The store’s door is open…
Shiori rushed out, wondering if Roche has returned, but stoped again at the noise she heard. She strained her body listening carefully.
From the store, the sound of someone rummaging around was leaking.
It was a bit far, so Shiori couldn’t look inside the store from where she was. But apparently, several people were moving around.
It’s not Roche. Shiori intuitively thought so.
“A thief……?”
She whispered.
A young man’s voice reached her ear from the open door.
“Be quick! The sun’s setting.”
The voice was excited and slightly haughty. One that Shiori did not recognize.
Occasionally, there was a sound of glasses hitting each other, and Shiori frowned.
Are they moving the medecine bottles?
“Carry the full box to the carriage that’s waiting in the street. Honestly, this place is such a pain!”
The man sighed as if he was fed up.
“Do you want to bring everything?”
Asked another man.
“Yeah, all of it, everything!”
The proud voice replied.
Are they going to steal from the store…? Her ears were ringing and the anger arose in Shiori.
Unknown men who seem to be thieves were ruining the store. Shiori thought that the emotions arising would be fear.
Suppress her screams so the men do not notice, escape from this place with trembling feet from tension, confusion and fear, then seek help from someone. That should be the correct behavior of a normal woman.
However, Shiori headed towards the store with indignation.
She couldn’t forgive stealing important medicines and money. That’s true, of course, but even more than that, she hated the idea of Roche’s shop being vandalized. Maybe she thought so precisely because he, the shop’s owner, was missing.
Besides, there was a sense of responsibility. She had to protect the store instead of Roche.
Sweat slowly spread in the palm of her hand, and the artery behind her ear was pulsating. As expected, Shiori was nervous.
However, she didn’t have enough composure to step back and see her action as dangerous. It felt like her field of vision has narrowed and her eyes were stuck to the entrance of the store. Her feet started moving on their own and carried Shiori to the unforgivable men who were ruining the store.
“What are you doing!”
In spite of it all, isn’t it still scary? Shiori, who stood at the entrance, shouted to the inside of the shop and her voice, which has a higher pitch than usual, trembled in fear.
“Leave the store immediately!” She tried to continue with a strict tone but her mouth was tightly closed and could barely be moved.
Her eyes widened and she stared at the men.
“Wh…what?”
Her train of thoughts stopped at the unexpected scene. She didn’t understand the meaning of it and was confused
Bad men in dingy clothes ruining the store. That is what Shiori imagined.
But right now, in front of her was-
“… a knight?”
She muttered in Japanese.
“I can’t believe it…”
There were four men in the store. They were all wearing knight uniforms and swords. With these four good-looking men inside, the small shop felt more and more cramped.
While feeling their gaze, Shiori finally moved her eyes and checked inside the store.
Medicines that should have been on the left shelf and a bunch of suspended herbs were all packed in several wooden boxes and placed on the floor. The cupboards on the back and right side of the counter were as rough as when they were in the wild. (TLN: カウンター裏や右側の戸棚は、乱暴に漁られた後のように荒れていた. I have absolutely no idea how to be as close to the meaning as possible. I’m sorry.)
Shiori knew that a knight was a person who represents justice. Or was it just an arbitrary assumption because of the impression she had from the gentle and brave Krust?
After all, the ally of justice can’t possibly do mischief.
“Who are you?”
The leader said while glaring at Shiori with an eyebrow raised in disgust.
Roche did not return to the store for two nights, but Shiori had no idea how serious it was.
Roche is an adult man over his thirties. This was different from a child not coming back. Still, if this was Japan, Shiori would have reported to the police at least…
“Perhaps he’s staying at someone’s place?”
She considered that possibility first. For example, a woman’s house or a friend’s.
“Hmm …”
Regardless of the possibility, something was not clear. Roche seemed to be popular, but he didn’t seem to have a specific lover, and she doesn’t think there was someone close enough to him to be called his « friend ». (TLN:『友達』という爽やかな間柄の人物がいるとも思えない -> she doesn’t think there is someone he has a refreshing relationship with who can be called a “friend”. Refreshing relationship sounded a bit weird but maybe I should keep it…)
Besides, even if he did stayed at someone’s place, given Roche’s surprisingly detailed personality, he would always inform Shiori beforehand and say, “Be sure to lock properly” It is unlikely that he would suddenly stay overnight without notice for two nights.
In this case, it was better to think that Roche may be in trouble.
Yesterday, Shiori was in the store all the time, just waiting for him to come back, but today she decided to go outside and look for him.
Shiori was nervous and locked the store restlessly.
Roche is a careful and cautious man, but she was worried that he is safe.
The store temporarily closed, she put on a thick shawl and went outside to search for Roche.
A chill and dry wind passed through the alley. Shiori shrugged in the cold and looked around the store for the time being. She was worried if he didn’t fall down somewhere.
Roche isn’t the type to get drunk or to drink himself into stupor. So, at least, she didn’t think he would loose consciousness on the way home when sodden with alcohol.
Since the season extended for the past few days, if you lose consciousness along the road, it may be possible to freeze to death.
Shiori’s body shivered at this unpleasant thought.
I wasn’t really conscious of it, but I seem to rely more on Roche than I thought. Shiori thought so.
If Roche cannot be found, I don’t know what to do. What about the store? What about the job? It has been two months since Shiori came to this world.
I can’t do it alone yet. Of course, the first concern is Roche’s safety, but at the same time, I also think about myself and my work.
Like a lost child, she was nervous and uneasy.
After looking around the store, she headed towards the main street and went around Roche’s favorite shops. A bar with a calm atmosphere, a small tobacco shop and a shop that purchases rare herbs from foreign countries.
However Roche was nowhere to be found, and none of the shopkeepers knew where he was.
After searching around the city all day, Shiori couldn’t even find a clue.
“Honestly, where did you go…”
She muttered at a loss. The color of the sunset illuminating the city in red was somewhat eerie, and Shiori’s frustration raised.
The felling of “being insignificant in a different world”, which she didn’t get at all recently, was now clinging to her body, making her feelings dark and heavy.
There were no one with the same values as her who can be consulted at such a time -no parents, friends or police- it was painful. It was the first time Shiori thought so since she came to this world and now she was a little homesick.
Some people in this city have become familiar with Shiori, such as the bakery woman and the son of the fruit shop. But when she asked them about Roche, they just laughed saying “Surely he was going secretly to his lover’s.”
It’s not a big deal for them to have a man of good age staying out for two nights. “It’s ok, he’ll be back eventually” they said leisurely.
However, even if they say that, Shiori’s anxiety didn’t disappear.
When she was wondering if there was anyone else she could talk to, the first thing to appear in her mind was Krust.
But she immediately shook her head and rejected the idea.
Krust is now out of reach. The hero who is engaged to this country’s princess is no longer a person one can approach as easily as before.
Sadly, Shiori dropped her gaze down.
She sighed after a while and switched her mind. She tried to recall the reason why Roche was going out before he went missing.
Recently, Roche didn’t tell Shiori where he was going, that day too « I’m going out for a bit », that’s what she felt he said.
“I guess it’s the back customers.” (TLN: the ones Roche sells illegal potions to. Sorry, I don’t know how to phrase it properly so I let it as Google-san put it.)
Most of Roche’s business is related to them.
Shiori groans while frowning. It might be a bit annoying if the back customers were involved in his disappearance. After all, Shiori doesn’t know anything about their matter. Roche was in charge of selling aphrodisiacs and energizers, but she has never followed them before.
Is there something like a list of back customers? , Shiori thought with her finger on her lips.
I’ve never seen one in the store, but it might come out if I search in Roche’s room.
But even if there is a list, there should be many noblemen and powerful merchants on the list. Even if Shiori visits suddenly, there is a high possibility that she will be turned away without hearing about Roche.
There was only so much that Shiori can do now.
Since the sun has set, Shiori decides to return to the store for the time being. She must look for the back customer list.
And maybe Roche is back. Those were her faint expectations.
She quickly crossed the city at twilight, entered a narrow alley and followed the familiar path. As she turned around the corner and reached the point where the store was in sight, Shiori stopped and stiffened.
The store’s door is open…
Shiori rushed out, wondering if Roche has returned, but stoped again at the noise she heard. She strained her body listening carefully.
From the store, the sound of someone rummaging around was leaking.
It was a bit far, so Shiori couldn’t look inside the store from where she was. But apparently, several people were moving around.
It’s not Roche. Shiori intuitively thought so.
“A thief……?”
She whispered.
A young man’s voice reached her ear from the open door.
“Be quick! The sun’s setting.”
The voice was excited and slightly haughty. One that Shiori did not recognize.
Occasionally, there was a sound of glasses hitting each other, and Shiori frowned.
Are they moving the medecine bottles?
“Carry the full box to the carriage that’s waiting in the street. Honestly, this place is such a pain!”
The man sighed as if he was fed up.
“Do you want to bring everything?”
Asked another man.
“Yeah, all of it, everything!”
The proud voice replied.
Are they going to steal from the store…? Her ears were ringing and the anger arose in Shiori.
Unknown men who seem to be thieves were ruining the store. Shiori thought that the emotions arising would be fear.
Suppress her screams so the men do not notice, escape from this place with trembling feet from tension, confusion and fear, then seek help from someone. That should be the correct behavior of a normal woman.
However, Shiori headed towards the store with indignation.
She couldn’t forgive stealing important medicines and money. That’s true, of course, but even more than that, she hated the idea of Roche’s shop being vandalized. Maybe she thought so precisely because he, the shop’s owner, was missing.
Besides, there was a sense of responsibility. She had to protect the store instead of Roche.
Sweat slowly spread in the palm of her hand, and the artery behind her ear was pulsating. As expected, Shiori was nervous.
However, she didn’t have enough composure to step back and see her action as dangerous. It felt like her field of vision has narrowed and her eyes were stuck to the entrance of the store. Her feet started moving on their own and carried Shiori to the unforgivable men who were ruining the store.
“What are you doing!”
In spite of it all, isn’t it still scary? Shiori, who stood at the entrance, shouted to the inside of the shop and her voice, which has a higher pitch than usual, trembled in fear.
“Leave the store immediately!” She tried to continue with a strict tone but her mouth was tightly closed and could barely be moved.
Her eyes widened and she stared at the men.
“Wh…what?”
Her train of thoughts stopped at the unexpected scene. She didn’t understand the meaning of it and was confused
Bad men in dingy clothes ruining the store. That is what Shiori imagined.
But right now, in front of her was-
“… a knight?”
She muttered in Japanese.
“I can’t believe it…”
There were four men in the store. They were all wearing knight uniforms and swords. With these four good-looking men inside, the small shop felt more and more cramped.
While feeling their gaze, Shiori finally moved her eyes and checked inside the store.
Medicines that should have been on the left shelf and a bunch of suspended herbs were all packed in several wooden boxes and placed on the floor. The cupboards on the back and right side of the counter were as rough as when they were in the wild. (TLN: カウンター裏や右側の戸棚は、乱暴に漁られた後のように荒れていた. I have absolutely no idea how to be as close to the meaning as possible. I’m sorry.)
Shiori knew that a knight was a person who represents justice. Or was it just an arbitrary assumption because of the impression she had from the gentle and brave Krust?
After all, the ally of justice can’t possibly do mischief.
“Who are you?”
The leader said while glaring at Shiori with an eyebrow raised in disgust.
