Today is day of Sunday School.
Before going to the church, Nicola and I went to『Gauche Construction Store』to pick up Delica and Yuuri as usual.
「「Boss~! Let's go to the church~!」」Nicola & Mark
After Nicola and I simultaneously shouted like that at the entrance of the store, Delica came out.
She has recently gotten taller and looks a bit more mature.
However, her chest was still….flat.
「Good morning. Mark, Nicola.」Delica
「「G' Mornin'~ Boss~☆」」Nicola & Mark
She made a slightly embarrassed face when we greeted her cheerfully.
She seemed to be starting to feel uncomfortable to be called 'Boss'.
「Good morning, you two.」Yuuri
After a moment, Yuuri came out and greeted us.
He didn't look as shy as two years ago.
Perhaps because Delica always took him outside and played with us.
And after exchanging greetings with Yuuri, I immediately asked Delica something about her that bothered me.
「Boss, why did you stop saying anything about being an adventurer lately?」Mark
「Ma-Mark! Ssssttttー!」Delica
Delica suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me away from her house.
Nicola and Yuuri immediately ran after us.
As we headed for the church, Delica told me the reason.
「Actually, I had registered with the Adventurer Guild without telling anyone. But when I told Mom, she got angry and said, "You can live peacefully in this town! So don't throw away your life by being an adventurer!"」Delica
「Eh? But, didn't your mother know that you want to become an adventurer?」Mark
「Well, yeah, I always said, "I'll become an adventurer!" a couple years ago, but Mom didn't take it seriously because I was still a small child. Dad doesn't mind if I became an adventurer, tho.」Delica
「I've never seen Mom so angry like that…」Yuuri
Yuuri muttered and shrugged his shoulders.
「After that, Mom and I fought over my future, but I've managed to calm her down by giving up on being an adventurer and tell her that I'll aim to become a town guard instead. Therefore, when I turn fifteen, I'm going to take the exam to become a town guard.」Delica
Delica's mother must be really worried if her only daughter wants to become an adventurer.
Well, I can understand because I knew it was a dangerous job.
「I've heard stories about children running away from home because their parents were against them being adventurers. But I don't want to make my mom sad. I'm glad enough that she allowed me to become a town guard.」Delica
「But, Boss. I once heard from Brian that you can't be a town guard if you fail in the recruitment exam. What are you gonna do to prepare for it?」Mark
「Umm… It seems that there will be a written test and practical test. I can study for the written test at the church library, but for the practical test, I think training under Gill oji-san won't be enough. I was thinking about training in a dojo, but I can't pay the monthly fee…」Delica
Delica sighed.
So, she's in need of money now, huh?
Talking about perfect timing!
「Then, why don't you work at my parents' inn? We are looking for a helper.」Mark
「Really? I'd love to!」Delica
Delica answered immediately.
But then she made an expression as if she just remembered something.
「Ah, but I also have to help my parents with the store. Will I have flexible working time?」Delica
「Umm. I think you will. But you should come to my house and talk with my mom about that.」Mark
「Okay. If I can work at your place later, you'll be my senpai, then!」Delica
「Haha. You're right.」Mark
「Yayー! I'm looking forward to work together with Boss!」Nicola
Nicola jumped in joy.
『Gehehe~ If she work at our inn, I'll have more time to slack off~』Nicola
...This slacker little sister…
Leave her aside.
Anyway, I've completed the mission from Mom.
Suddenly, Delica clapped her hands once.
「Oh, that's right! Speaking of working, my dad and I are going to set up a seesaw in the nearby village in the near future. Well, even though it's a nearby village, it takes a day to go there. Mark, you wanna join us? Of course, Nicola too.」Delica
「Eh? Is it okay if we're coming too?」Mark
「Of course. Because my dad could make the seesaw thanks to you. Yuuri and my mom will be staying to manage the store, so only me and my dad will go. To be honest, I want a friend to chat with during the trip.」Delica
「I see. A village, huh? I want to go there for once. By the way, will you be hiring an escort?」Mark
「No, I think. We'll be just passing the grassland by carriage after all. I've been visiting that village with my dad a few times, but I've rarely seen monsters on the way. Even when we encountered monsters, my dad would defeat them with his sledgehammer!」Delica
Heeー Delica's dad is quite strong, huh?
Well, he is a macho after all.
「I see. Well then, I'll tell you if I can go.」Mark
「Mmm… You make it sound as if you won't be going.」Delica
Delica bent her mouth into へ (hé) shape.
「No, no. It's not that I don't wanna go. There's a possibility that my mom wouldn't give me permission, so…」Mark
「Ahh, you're right. Anyway, we'll be going in three days. And… I think you don't have to prepare anything in particular. We'll be staying overnight because setting up the seesaw will take a day.」Delica
「Roger.」Mark
An 8-year-old child like me doesn't have many opportunities to go outside the town, so I don't want to waste this chance if possible.
―――――
When we arrived at the church, Nicola and I parted with Delica and Yuuri, and went to the backyard.
Delivering segilia grasses to Sister Lina every Sunday School had become my routine these past two years.
Even though the orphans couldn't make potions, they still could turn them into ointments by mashing the grasses.
When we entered the backyard, there was Sister Lina taking care of the flowerbed.
Recently, I handed over the segilia grasses to Sister Lina here.
I'm kinda nervous because it's like a secret meeting.
Well, Nicola is here too, tho.
When I handed Sister Lina the segilia grasses, she smiled with a bright smile as usual.
「Thank you for always donating us herbs, Mark!」Lina
「I learned a lot from Sunday School, also, Lang and Lina-sensei are always kind to me, so don't worry about it.」Mark
Sister Lina put her hands together in front of me and Nicola, and prayed for us.
「May God bless the both of you with lots of happiness and wonderful things in life.」Lina
Ahh~ I feel healed.
After that, Sister Lina left to store the herbs, while Nicola and I went to the classroom.
When I looked into the classroom from the entrance, Delica wasn't there.
Perhaps she was in the library looking for a reference book to prepare for the town guard exam.
「Aa! Mark onii-chan! Nicola onee-chan!」
As soon as we entered the classroom, some children came surrounding us.
They were 6-year-old and 7-year-old classmates. Our juniors.
Ricky, whose wound I healed before (chapter 43), was also here.
「Good morning, everyoneー」Mark
I replied to their greetings, but as if they didn't care about it, they immediately asked me a question.
「Neeー Neeー Do you bring 'those' today?」child
「'Those'?....Ah, wait.」Mark
I took out some marbles from my pocket (actually from my item box inside the pocket), and handed them to the kids.
「「「Yaaaaayyyー!」」」children
「Don't forget to clean up after playing. Otherwise, someone might step on them, fall, and get injured. If that happens, I won't give you guys anymore marbles. Understand?」Mark
「「「Ye~sー!」」」children
As they replied, they ran toward a wide desk, and played with the marbles on it.
Although I said "marbles", the raw material was stone, not glass, so maybe I should call them, "stone balls"?
Anyway, it was hard to make at first, but after a while, I could make them with a perfect roundness.
So, why did I end up always giving marbles to the kids?
It was about two months ago, when I was practicing earth magic while waiting for the class to start in the backyard of the church.
To improve my ability to control shapes with earth magic, I tried to make a sphere perfectly from a stone.
At that time, there were children who were watching me practicing, and got interested in the stone balls I made, so I gave them the balls.
After that, marbles had become popular toys among children.
It seems that rolling the marbles down a desk (marble race) or making the opponent's marble fall off the table (marble sumo) are the popular play now.
Ahh… It reminds me when I was an elementary student in my previous life, I used my desk as a battlefield and played marbles with erasers, pens, and rulers.
While I was remembering my good old memories when I was a kid, I watched the children playing with gentle eyes.
『Phu,! Onii-chan, your face! You look like an oldman with an 8-year-old child's body!』Nicola
Ugh… this rude little sister…
Well, I thought so myself to be honest.
Indeed, I had been playing marbles with friends a lot when I was eight years old in my previous life, but because I have a mentality as an adult now, I don't feel like playing with these children because it's kinda embarrassing…
Since I've been reincarnated in this world, the only hobby I have is cultivating vegetable fields while training my magic power.
Yeah, it's kinda boring, I know.
That's why I really want to go with Delica and her dad to the nearby village.
Because, you know, traveling is one of the hobbies I had in my previous life. (chapter 5)
But first, I need Mom's permission…
I hope she will give me an OK…
While I was thinking like that, I sat on my seat and waited for the class to start.