There are so many people passing in front of the Schenker family house that it is incomparable to normal days.
Today is the thanksgiving festival, a festival to thank the sun god.
It is an ancient festival that is paired with the harvest festival in fall when we express gratitude to the moon god.
My master, Sawadi-sama, was busy preparing for the house for a while ever since he decided to put on a performance and a stall in front of their house.
The event was composed of performances using a food stall and during the intermission, the food stall used won't be selling food.
Master, as one would expect from a merchant family, was very logical in terms of t.h.e.o.r.y.
There are many things I did not understand because I was only educated as a pet slave however, I don't doubt a single word he said.
Sawadi-sama will be at their school festival so we will be doing it ourselves and we can only practice a lot.
Thanks to that, I've been exhausted lately although I think I've become the best pepperoncino maker in the world.
-0-
「What's this?」
「It's a pasta dish made of wheat called pepperoncino.」
「Hey, young lady, you're so cute. Can I please get one?」
I handed the wooden plate of pepperoncino and a wooden fork to the sloppy-looking uncle and received nine pieces of copper.
I think it was expensive but I don't know if it's because today is a festival or because the smell of it is outstanding or because it's a dish they've never seen before that it's quite popular.
My appearance and cooking skills probably have a little bit to do with it too.
「Hey, it's time!」
「Yo! I've been waiting for you!」
Mince-san, who had been staring at the hands of the clock with a spear on her hand, raised her voice, and the crowd around her cheered.
Mince-san is taking care of the silver pocket watch she recently received from master and she doesn't let anyone around her touch it.
Master was too bold or too thoughtless to give such an expensive item to a slave or maybe, he's still just a child?
「Seele, do it」
「Understood.」
Today, we have two jobs: sell pepperoncino at the food stall and use that stall to put on a play that master has devised.
Even Hunt, who can recite poetry and is very smart, said she couldn't write a play, so I guess people who became mages have different brains.
「Please be quiet. We are about to start a dedication play starting now so please be quiet. You can't buy food until we're done so please understand.」
「What is that oneechan saying?」
「She's saying you should shut up.」
「Oh」
「….it is a story about two stalls selling pepperoncino at night and their two customers. The title is "Peperoncino Time".」
「Yow!」
「Good luck!」
「Roast-anego! I'm rooting for you!」
The audience is already hooked up because of Hunt's performance earlier.
Some of them were there when we did the play earlier. I'm nervous.
The stall facing the street turned sideways, Mince-san brought a chair and sat down in front of me and the play began.
「Oh, peperocino clerk-san, I plate please.」
「Welcome, I'll prepare it right away.」
「Hmm, it's awfully cold, isn't it?」
「Heh, it's been very cold here recently.」
「We, scalekin, are weak to cold and I feel like I'll stop moving because of it.」
「Heh, you're right.」
「How's business? Not so good? Well, it will get better sooner or later as long as you.don't.give.up.」
「Thank you very much for your words of encouragement.」
「Yes, you're right.」
「Ah, that sign with arrow hitting the target, what does it mean?」
Mince-san points to the cloth sign hanging on the stall.
「You'll be hit g.o.o.d.l.u.c.k. heh」
「Good luck. I'm somewhat of a gambler too so I'll be your patron from now on.」
「Heh, thank you very much.」
I served the pepperoncino I had made on a painted plate I had borrowed from master.
「Oh, you're done already. I'm really glad about this because the people of Torquiva are short-tempered.」
「Thank you very much, heh.」
「You're using a good plate. They say the food you eat tastes better if the dish looks good so I'm very pleased.」
「Thanks, heheh.」
Mince-san slurps up the pepperoncino with a lively sound.
I remember practicing it many times while choking because I couldn't make this sound.
「Yeah, this pepperoncino tastes luxurious.」
「It's just our secret ingredients.」
I didn't really put anything.
「The smoked meat is sliced thickly too, is this okay?」
Mince-san picked up and showed the sliced smoked meat exaggeratedly as Sawadi-sama taught.
「This store is very particular about that.」
「I'm glad I tried this store. Then, I'll go here before I go to the casino from now on.」
「Thank you very much.」
「As for the payment, it's only for a few coins so give me your hand. 」
「Heh」
I put out my hand to Mince-san.
Mince-san drops the copper coin pieces in my hand, counting the number one by one.
「One, two, three, four, five, six, what time is it?」
「Heh, it's seven.」
「Eight, nine, thanks for the feast.」
「Thank you very much.」
Fuhh, I managed to perform without any mistakes.
Hunt comes forward again and introduces Roast-san, who emerges from the shadows of the Schenker family's gate.
「She finally appeared. This woman has been watching their conversation from behind all this time.」
The red hair fishkin, Roast-san, came slowly, folded her arms in a slightly hunched stance, and began speaking in a clear voice.
「Hey, what's with that lizard woman?
She's talking too much for a plate of pepperoncino.
She said it's so cold.
Even though it is spring, it is still cold at night, even a child knows that.
She also said she'd be lucky because of a sign of an arrow hitting a target.
Only adventurers would be happy if they hit anything.
And what was that?
She said you're fast, didn't she?
That's none of her business, that idiot.
And the dish is good?
What is she, a pawnshop connoisseur?
And the secret ingredient? Isn't that pepper?
That idiot just said pepper was a secret ingredient.
And what's more, the smoked meat is thick?
How can you tell if that little thing is thin or thick? Ridiculous.
....hah.
I remember it all too well.」
The audience burst into laughter.