“...Huh?”
“Aren’t you mercenaries?”
Ceres already went back to her usual way of speaking.
“You people risk your lives for a living, so how can you go around disrespecting the God? You’ll be punished for that. On a day like this, you should at least offer some flowers and decorations. Then the God might look kindly on you and feel a little more inclined to save you when you’re in danger. Don’t you think?”
“W-Well...”
Bang!
“Are you buying or not?”
“...I’ll take one.”
The mercenaries flinched when Ceres slammed her hand down on the counter. They all nodded at once. I can’t be the only one who feels like I need to buy a flower if I want to eat my stew in peace, right?
...Wait, wasn’t the owner an atheist?
...Yeah. An atheist.
...She was the one who asked why anyone would buy holy water from the temple. She even said, “What kind of holy water is sold by priests who only care about money?”
And yet, that same owner...
“May the God’s blessing be with you.”
...was doing this.
The mercenaries could only shudder as Ceres handed them their flowers and clasped her hands together with a serene expression, as if she hadn’t just been angry moments ago.
***
“Huh?”
“What are those?”
Cheion and Kainel stopped when they entered the shop. Every mercenary sitting inside had a red flower in hand.
“Wow, look at the regulars. I didn’t know they were all so devout.”
“......”
The mercenaries gave Cheion awkward smiles before quietly eating their stew. They’d been practically forced to buy the flowers, but it was fine.
I bought one so I could eat my stew in peace. It’s only one flower, after all.
“May the God’s blessing be with you.”
Flinch.
...How many times have they heard that today?
The mercenaries ate even faster. They should get out of here as soon as possible. If they stayed any longer, they had a feeling they’d end up buying something besides flowers.
“...Ceres?”
“...What are you doing?”
Cheion and Kainel felt the same way. The sight of Ceres approaching with her hands clasped together was so unlike her that Cheion instinctively hid behind Kainel, who also frowned slightly.
“Did you two offer flowers at the temple?”
“...Flowers?”
“You know what day it is, don’t you?”
Ceres pointed to the stall outside the shop.
“I’ll give you a discount since we’re acquainted.”
“Um... sorry, but mages don’t exactly get along with the gods. What if I suddenly gained divine power and lost my mana?”
“I abandoned the gods three hundred years ago. When someone died...”
“......”
...Why are you two taking this so seriously?
Ceres clicked her tongue at their firm refusals. Then again, maybe selling flowers to those two was a bad idea.
“Then you two can go work.”
“Work?”
“See that over there?”
“......?”
Ceres pointed toward the bakery across the street. Two young, handsome men were standing outside, enthusiastically selling flowers and temple goods. The bakery owner had hired them temporarily for the event.
There’s no way it’s a coincidence that they’re both so handsome.
The owner definitely did that on purpose! How unfair!
A crowd had gathered in front of them, all eagerly buying their goods. And most of them were women!
Well, I suppose that makes sense.
If the goods are the same, of course people would rather buy from someone good-looking.
“So you two should go out there and sell some things, too.”
“Us?”
“Yeah.”
“......”
“......”
Just like that, the two of them were chased right back outside the moment they stepped into the shop.
***
“Flowers for sale! Flowers! Miss, how about a flower? You may be pretty as a flower yourself, but you still need to offer a real one to the God.”
“Oh my, I’ll take a whole bouquet.”
“Me too.”
Cheion was having the time of his life. With his easygoing manner and friendly smile, he quickly drew a crowd. Before long, he was selling flowers and temple goods as fast as they could hand them over.
“.....”
Meanwhile, Kainel could only stand there and stare. At this rate, Ceres was sure to give him an earful...
But he couldn’t exactly sell things the way that man did. Should he threaten people into buying something?
“Excuse me, mister.”
Just then, a little girl approached Kainel. She looked about eight years old and was dressed in the finery of a noble family. With her sparkling eyes and adorable face, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) she was a child anyone would want to pat on the head.
“Are you selling everything here?”
“...Yeah.”
Thinking he might finally have his first customer, Kainel did something unusual and bent down to meet her eyes. The girl blushed before suddenly shouting,
“Daddy! Buy this big brother for me!”
She pointed straight at Kainel.
“.....”
Kainel was at a loss for words. When he looked up, he saw a man hurrying toward them from a distance.
“Haha, you silly girl. You can’t buy people. I’m sorry. Please forgive my—gasp!”
The man, who had been smiling as he apologized for his daughter, suddenly froze.
Am I seeing things?
He hurriedly rubbed his eyes, but the man standing before him didn’t change. The “big brother” his daughter wanted him to buy was none other than Grand Duke Persia.
“Why? Can’t I buy this big brother? Why? Why?”
Oh, no!
The man hurriedly covered his daughter’s mouth. You little rascal! Who on earth are you asking me to buy? His sweet little girl had never seemed so troublesome.
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t be sold.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m already taken.”
Despite the man’s horrified expression, Kainel simply bent down again and calmly met the girl’s eyes.
“Already?”
“Yeah. I already belong to someone.”
“Aww...”
“No, no. You can buy me.”
Just as the girl began to tear up, a familiar voice came from behind them. It was Cheion.
Cheion must have been listening for some time, because he walked over with a broad smile and gently patted the girl’s head.
“I’ll give you this one cheap. Want to buy him?”
“...What about you?”
“Huh?”
“Have you been sold already, too?”
“...Me?”
“Dad, then buy me this one!”
“Pfft.”
Cheion burst out laughing. The girl’s father, who still hadn’t recovered from realizing that the man before him was Grand Duke Persia, was thrown into a panic all over again.
“You rascal! You can’t buy and sell people. I’m so sorry—gasp!”
The man hurriedly scolded his daughter before turning to apologize to Cheion, only to freeze again.
L-Lord Cheion?!
After Grand Duke Persia, the next person his daughter had asked him to buy was Cheion, the Master of the Magic Tower and the Second Imperial Prince.
“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“Waaah! Buy both of them for me!”
“I’m so, so sorry!”
The man quickly hoisted his daughter over his shoulder and hurried away as if fleeing the scene.
“Pwahahahaha!”
“......”
Cheion laughed heartily as he watched the father and daughter leave, while Kainel gave him a long, hard stare.
Thud!
“Ow! Why’d you kick me?”
Kainel kicked Cheion hard.
“Do you really want to sell me that badly?”
“No, but she’s crying. Don’t you feel sorry for her?”
“Then sacrifice yourself.”
“I’m already spoken for.”
“Who bought you?”
“Obviously Ceres... Ow! Stop hitting me!”
Step.
Just then, someone approached the two men in the middle of their squabble.
“Huh?”
Cheion was the first to notice him.
“Haha, what brings you here, Cheion?”
The newcomer greeted him with a bright smile.
“Veilks!”
It was Veilks.
***
I wonder how those two are doing.
It wasn’t until things finally quieted down that Ceres remembered the two men selling goods outside. There seemed to be quite a crowd around them, but she couldn’t tell whether they were actually making any sales.
Mine is much better.
Ceres nodded to herself as she looked toward the bakery workers—her competitors. Whatever they were like, her own people certainly weren’t lacking in the looks department.
Jingle.
Just then, the shop door opened. The little bell above the entrance rang.
“Ceres! We have a customer.”
Cheion was the first to step inside. Someone followed right behind him.
“Good to see you again.”
It was Veilks.
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