NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Shopping
Chapter 3: Shopping
I checked the seasonings and spices in the kitchen and, armed only with my sword, headed out into town in casual clothes. As people caught sight of me, they all hurried past with fearful expressions.
From now on, I’ll have to demonstrate through actions to gradually change their perceptions. Fortunately, since I also patrol around the capital, I know the location of the shops without needing to ask for directions.
Receiving the cold stares of the residents, I made my way to the shopping district. Unlike ingredients sold in the market, spices were considered luxury items, so I entered one of the stores in the shopping district.
Upon entering the shop, the owner visibly flinched but quickly put on a polite smile, as expected of a merchant.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Knight Commander Vandière. What can I do for you today?”
“…Just here for some shopping.”
“Huh? Um, we don’t stock weapons here, you know? This is primarily a shop that deals with spices.”
It’s understandable that the shopkeeper was puzzled. Since there are cooks in the barracks and all food-related items for camping are prepared by them. Moreover, even if the noble I was until yesterday had visited, he wouldn’t have known what any of them tasted like.
“I understand. I’ll take a look around the store.”
“Of course, please feel free to browse. If you need any assistance, just let me know.”
The spices in the store were imported, so there was quite a limited quantity. Salt was expensive too, not being near the sea… Come to think of it, black pepper is worth as much as gold of the same weight… Man, it’s expensive!!
Fortunately, I didn’t have any hobbies, and I had plenty of money, so I was fine. But if I were just a regular knight, the prices here would have made me turn back. It was a good idea to bring extra money.
I decided to buy salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon for this territory. Unfortunately, I’ll have to give up on making curry from spices; I vaguely know the names of the necessary ingredients, but I’ve never made it from scratch.
I asked the shopkeeper to measure out the amount I wanted for today. In this world, things are generally sold by weight. I handed over a gold coin, which is worth my monthly salary in Japan, for an amount that would probably cost less than a thousand yen back home.
“Shopkeeper, where can I get items like thyme and rosemary?”
“Well, those two are available at the apothecary.”
Apothecary… Ah, right, I remember reading somewhere that herbs are used like medicine because they have a calming effect.
“I see, understood. …I’ll be back.”
“Yes! We’ll be waiting for you!”
Seeming to have recognized me as a valuable customer, the shopkeeper saw me off with a beaming smile. The purchased items were stored in a magic bag, a waist pouch type attached to my sword belt, which had the capacity of a whole carriage and cost as much as a mansion in the capital.
There’s no function for stopping time, but due to the time-delay effect, even if a year passes, only half a day will have elapsed inside the magic bag. It’s a high-end item imbued with magical registration, so only I can use it. Therefore, anything I don’t want others to see can be stored inside.
So, I don’t need to worry about anyone seeing what I buy. Next, I started walking towards the apothecary.
I occasionally saw knights from this territory on patrol, but when they noticed me, they would quickly turn down a side street without crossing paths. I had been quite sarcastic to them, too, so they probably avoided me in anticipation of more sarcasm.
I really need to change the perception of the Third Knight Order before returning to the capital. I remember that when I returned from the border territory of the Marquis, a protest letter from the Marquis arrived at the royal palace, and the fiancée of the Crown Prince, who was being educated in the royal palace, blamed me during an audience… and was later attacked and lost her chastity by the fallen me.
I won’t do it, though!? There was no evidence when she was attacked in the dark, but the Crown Prince became convinced that I was the culprit and began to corner me with confidence.
Before coming to this territory, she had been persistently pursuing me. Rather than liking the noble lady, it seemed more like harassment against the Crown Prince.
It seems that the recent misconduct was due to jealousy of the Crown Prince, whose future had been promised since birth. Before that, it was rebellion against the family that didn’t acknowledge my abilities… Like a child.
In a sense, it’s probably because I grew up knowing only a narrow world. Not knowing how to express anger, not knowing what to do, and as a result, ending up being killed by the protagonist is just too sad.
If I didn’t have combat abilities, I would have just been a disgruntled third son. What I’ve done may not be forgiven, but I can’t help feeling a little sorry for the person I’ve been until now.
“I’m sure… if I turn that corner, there’s the apothecary.”
As I opened the door to the apothecary, I heard a child’s voice.
“Please! This is all I have right now, but I’ll definitely pay you back!”
“I’ve told you, it’s no good! If you don’t have money, then go home! …Huh?! Knight Commander Vandière!? Do you, um, have business at a place like this!?”
The apothecary shopkeeper, who had been shooing away an eight-year-old boy with a flick of his hand, noticed me and hastily came out from behind the counter.
“I’m looking for something. By the way, who’s that boy?”
When I directed my gaze towards him, the boy visibly flinched.