Chapter 1-28 : The Girl And The Gentleman Parted Ways
Walking down the street through the shopping district, Elle saw a lot of fancy stores here and there selling jewelry, dresses, paintings, furniture, weapons, and many other things. However, the one that caught Elle’s eye was porcelain.
Many stores were selling plates, jars, and decorations made of porcelain. That was probably why this city was called Porcelain Blue.
Just looking at the beautiful goods they sold through the display windows made Elle feel happy.
After walking for a while, a cute-looking shop with a red brick and white roof came into view. There were toys and stuffed animals displayed on the shop window. It seemed to be the Long Tail Factory.
「Thank god, they’re open. They don’t have fixed days off, so we don’t know exactly when they’re open. Sometimes they’re always open for an entire month, and sometimes they’re closed for weeks. You’re lucky, Little Missy.」(Gilbert)
「I see. So this is Long Tail Factory.」(Elle)
Most shops had signs that said, “Open”, but the sign hanging on the door of the Long Tail Factory was different. It said, “You Are Invited”.
Elle thought it was a bit unusual.
「Well then, I think it’s time we part ways.」(Gilbert)
「Mr. Forster, thank you for taking me here.」(Elle)
「I’m the one who should thank you. I had so many problems and I was feeling down because of that, but I feel so much better now after talking with you. I’m so glad to meet you, Little Missy.」(Gilbert)
「I’m glad I could cheer you up, and I’m glad to meet you too.」(Elle)
「Are you sure you can handle everything by yourself from here?」(Gilbert)
「Yes. I’ll go on my own.」(Elle)
「Ahh… I’m really worried about you… Bluntly say, I want to take you home right now.」(Gilbert)
「Uhh… You know what it’s called? Kidnapping.」(Elle)
「Haahahaha! True.」(Gilbert)
Seeing Elle frown, Gilbert couldn’t hold the laughter. He then stroked Elle’s head and smiled.
「Well then, Little Missy, may there be light in your life.」(Gilbert)
「ー!!」(Elle)
Elle’s heart skipped a beat when she heard those words.
She remembered clearly that her master, Moritz, said the exact same words right before he breathed his last breath. (ch 1-2)
「Th, those words! Where did you learn them?」(Elle)
「Hm? It’s the Great Spirit, Celestate’s words of blessings.」(Gilbert)
「The Great Spirit, Celestate…?」(Elle)
「They are the guardian spirit of this kingdom.」(Gilbert)
「I see…」(Elle)
「These are not just words. These words have power. You can think of it as something like a spell that consumes a small portion of the user’s mana and converts it into a blessing.」(Gilbert)
「It consumes mana?」(Elle)
「Yes, but just a little bit. It’s so little that you don’t even notice it. However, it shouldn’t be used lightly. Long ago, there was a priest who gave blessings to hundreds of people at once and he died after he ran out of mana.」(Gilbert)
「…..」(Elle)
Elle had been wondering what those words meant, but thanks to the nobleman, she learned that Moritz blessed her with those words back then.
It might be little, but thinking that the fragments of her master’s mana resided inside her made her chest feel warm.
Remembering Moritz’s last moment, Elle recalled when he said an unfamiliar name. She asked Yoyo if he knew that name, but she couldn’t say it. (ch 1-3)
「…Eh…?」(Elle)
However, now not only could she not say it but she also couldn’t remember it.
It felt so strange. She still remembered it when she asked Yoyo, but she couldn’t now.
「Little Missy, is something wrong?」(Gilbert)
Noticing Elle made a confused face all of a sudden, Gilbert asked.
「Ah, it’s nothing.」(Elle)
「…If you say so. Well then, may we meet again.」(Gilbert)
Gilbert held out his hand. Elle grabbed it and shook it.
「Mr. Forster, may there be light in your life too.」(Elle)
「Thank you. Remember. If you encounter any trouble, you can come to me anytime.」(Gilbert)
「I’ll keep that in mind.」(Elle)
After shaking Gilbert’s hand, Elle turned around and walked toward the Long Tail Factory.
Meanwhile, Gilbert watched Elle’s back as she walked away and murmured to himself.
「That little missy… I wonder if she is… No, that can’t be…」(Gilbert)
He then started walking toward his mansion on the other side of the district.
◇◇◇
Before entering the shop, Elle stopped and looked at Yoyo.
「Yoyo, do you remember I asked you if you knew a name Master said before he died?」(Elle)
「Ah, I remember. You couldn’t say it out loud, right?」(Yoyo)
「Yeah. Back then, I felt like something was preventing me from saying it out loud, but… now I can’t remember it… I can’t remember that name.」(Elle)
「Huh? You can’t remember it? A kid with an excellent memory like you?」(Yoyo)
「Un… Now I feel like something is preventing me from remembering it… Is it also Master’s doing?」(Elle)
「Hmm… There’s no other explanation. As I told you before, he must have cast some kind of spell on you to make you forget that name slowly.」(Yoyo)
「You may be right… But why…?」(Elle)
「Beats me. Well, we can talk about it later. Let’s go inside.」(Yoyo)
「Un.」(Elle)
Elle nodded at Yoyo, proceeded forward, and opened the door.
「Wow…」(Elle)
As soon as she entered, she was greeted by hundreds of toys, dolls, and stuffed animals lined on the shelves all over the shop.
They looked adorable, especially the stuffed animals. However, their eyes looked somewhat real. Somehow, Elle felt like they were staring at her.
Behind the counter, there was a middle-aged man with a scar on his forehead and a cloth wrapping his hair.
With his scary-looking face and his muscular large body, he looked more suited to working in the army than in a cute toyshop like this, but he seemed to be the shopkeeper.
He was like someone from a world full of war and blood who got lost in a dream world full of fluffy adorable things.
He reminded Elle of the unfriendly-looking lady at the general shop that also sold toys in the port town.
She wondered if the people selling toys were mostly scary-looking like them.
When she approached him, the shopkeeper smiled at her and greeted her.
「Welcome, Little Lady. I’ve been waiting for you.」(shopkeeper)
「Eh? Have been waiting for me…?」(Elle)
Elle was confused.
She didn’t understand how, but it seemed that the man was expecting her visit.
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