TNZKMA 102

１０２

 

 

 

Even after I promised not to go to the Southern Section alone, I was still haunted by the magical allure of shrimp.

The next day I went to the market, but the shrimp were no longer for sale. I wondered when they would be available again. The harder they were to obtain, the more I craved them. My conversations with the grandpa next door were also about shrimp. According to him, a former fisherman, those shrimp were delicious.

Grandpa listed the names of shrimp and other fish I had never heard of, passionately explaining how delicious they were. I really want to visit the market in the Southern Section.

 

Right in the heart of the town, there’s Central Square, which apparently has a market too. Unlike the plaza in the Eastern Section, which only has a fountain, the Central Square has a huge market. Goods and people gather there from all directions: north, south, east, and west. Plus, since the priest’s main residence is also in Central Square, it’s sort of a gathering place for the wealthy.

Next to the priest’s residence are the homes of the officials. While the priesthood is hereditary, becoming an official requires passing an exam. So, while priests end up wealthy, officials are just a bit better off than the average person.

But anyway, because goods, people, and money all converge there, Central Square is said to be incredibly lively. I’d like to visit it someday.

 

However, grandpa says that even the Central Market isn’t getting much fresh fish anymore. If you really want it, you’re better off heading to the market in the Southern Section, particularly the South-Southern Section.

From where I live in the East-Eastern Section, it would take a whole day to walk there. If I rode a horse, it might take about three hours. There are some stray horses nearby, but I wonder if they’d let me ride them.

 

 

It seems that Saine is wrapping up his work for the year. The sky is turning into a red dusk. The season of monsters is beginning. Saine finishes his work earlier than other bodyguards.

Saine isn’t waiting for the Ceremony, and we’re not short on money at home. So he finishes work early. The reason doesn’t matter. I’m just happy to have Saine at home for the next six months.

 

Today, I cling to Saine and to go to the market in the southeast section of town witohut going to the Reincarnators Association or the Men’s Club. We’ll go to buy a pot that will fit the stove that the carpenter brother who lives next door and the farmer brother who lives across the street made together.

The stove had been finished for a while, but I hadn’t gone to buy the pot. Just walking to the market in the southeast section is exhausting enough. I didn’t have the courage to walk through that market carrying a pot. I had planned to go buy one with Saine, but when he returned, I was so happy that I forgot about the pot and ended up not buying one.

 

As always, the crowd makes me feel like my legs are going to give out, but today, with Saine by my side, I feel okay. Saine pulls me close, and we step into the market together.

It’s strange, isn’t it? When I walk with Saine, I can move smoothly without bumping into anyone.

 

When Saine wasn’t here, I visited the Guards Guild many times. When guards finish their job, they visit the guild first.

I used to go there with that thought in mind, but eventually, I found myself visiting just to be around the same guards as Saine. There’s something about the atmosphere that feels similar, you know? After going there many times, it stopped feeling intimidating.

 

When I first went to the Guards Guild, the guards at the entrance glared at me, making me feel intimidated, almost like I was going to run away. But now, they all smile and beckon me over. They tell me to come sit down and become my conversation partners.

Today, after buying the pot, we’re going to the Guards Guild. I’m looking forward to it. Just like Saine, there are guards who have finished their work for the year, so there should be more people than usual.

 

The farmer brother also likes to cook for himself just like me. Thus, he had a pot to cook rice with. He made a stove matching that stove so I’ll buy a pot the same shape as his.

With this, I obtained a pot that fits perfectly with our stove. The lid is heavy, and the pot is thick, so I bet we’ll be able to cook delicious rice with this.

 

When I first reincarnated, the pot I was aiming for was a thousand ale. But this is 1500 ales. I was told that if I want to buy something then it’s better to buy the better one, so Saine bought it for me. The lid fits better on this pot than on the thousand ale pot.

What was it called again? Penny wise, pound foolish. I remember Haruka’s grandma used to say that like it was her catchphrase. Don’t waste money, but don’t go for the cheap stuff when you buy, either.

Saine always chose the expensive option without hesitation.

 

Saine carried the heavy pot tied with a rope. Even though it’s heavy for me to carry with both hands, Saine held it with one hand. With the free hand, Saine pulled me close, and next, it’s the Guards Guild.

 

 

As I thought when we arrived at the guild, the population density had increased.

During the guards season, this place used to be empty. There were only about five people, and the room felt spacious. But today, even the room that should have felt wide feels narrow. Soon, it’ll be packed tightly, just like when I first came to the guild.

 

I know all the guards in the Eastern section. Including the heroes and the lower-ranked guards, there are 32 guards in the Eastern section.

In the Eastern section, no guards lost their lives during this year’s guard season. But according to Saine, about one guard dies every ten years. One guard loses their life on the job every ten years.

 

The guards who end up dying are not the Dauntlesses. The most dangerous period is from the third to the fifth year for a guard. It’s because they get used to the job and start to take it lightly.

At the Guards Guild in the eastern section, guards in that range of years are given slightly more dangerous jobs. And during those dangerous jobs, they are paired with a Dauntless for tasks that would usually be done alone. This way, they face some danger and it helps keep them on their toes.

Even if it’s somewhat dangerous, having a Dauntless nearby means they can be saved just in the nick of time.

 

This method in the eastern section has been around since Saine was just starting out. Because of this, the Guards Guild in the eastern section has an extremely low mortality rate.

In the guilds of the other three towns, at least one guard dies every year. The eastern section has 32 guards, 23 of whom are Dauntless, while the other guilds have between 20 and 25 guards, with just over 10 Dauntless each.

 

When I reincarnated, I heard that there were about 100 Dauntless in this town. But in reality, there are just over 50.

It’s not like the story about male Reincarnators giving birth to children, but there are a lot of inaccuracies in the local lore here. I guess it’s best not to believe everything too easily.

 

The guards take these kinds of stories with a grain of salt. Rumors are just rumors, and it’s hard to tell if they’re true or not. But since they might be true, they don’t completely dismiss them either. That’s why they take them halfway seriously.

 

Incidentally, the number of priests and the success rate of Ceremonies are both the lowest in the eastern section. The western section, with its high number of priests and outstanding ritual success rate, stands out. After all, the western section doesn’t have any White Crests.

Dole, who lives in the Eastern Section will have his Ceremony performed in the Eastern Section. At least, I think it’ll be nice to have it with the Daryss clan where Olphynn belongs to.  It definitely can’t be a White Crest.

 

But it’s the Priests Guild that decides who takes on the Ceremonies. So, even if I ask Olphynn, there’s nothing he can do about it. Olphynn doesn’t have that kind of influence yet, and I don’t want to jeopardize his position by making unreasonable requests.

Dole knows that Ceremonies performed by White Crests have a high failure rate. If, during the ritual, he sees a white crest on the floor, I wonder what Dole will do.

 

A male Reincarnator is a Ceremony’s failure. Male Reincarnators don’t give birth. As expected, this isn’t told to Dole. This is something that only I, Haruka, Saine, and Haruka’s husband know.

Saine said that he can’t tell the other men about the male Reincarnators, and I think I can’t either.

 

I don’t know when Dole’s Ceremony will be held but since he’s a Dauntless, I think his turn will come soon. Of the 23 Dauntlesses in the Eastern Section, 12, including Dole, have not undergone the Ceremony.

Considering his age, I believe Dole’s turn is pretty early.

 

When I asked him what he would do if Dole’s partner was a male Reincarnator, Saine said he would laugh at him. I thought he was joking, but I could see that he was serious.

No, it can’t be, yup, he’s joking. There’s no one who will laugh at his good friend’s misfortune, and when I told him that, Saine patted me on the head. That guy’s a pain in the neck, not a friend, he said.

Saine is so bashful. I can see how much he gets along well with Dole.

 

 

 

TN: So sorry for the infrequent updates, your translator was unknowingly struggling with a mental illness. I have sought help professionally though(which I didn’t know is actually expensive af). And now that I am aware of it, I will do my best to update at least once a week.