Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Shawn and Loren
Loren stopped her brushstrokes and widened her eyes.
She soon flashed a delighted smile and waved her hand.
"Oh, Mr. Row. What brings you here?"
"I came to buy something, but no one was around. Thought I'd lend a hand since you looked bored."
"Ah, I see. The bookstore elder said he should let you know, but he must have forgotten."
Loren set her brush down for a moment and wiped her hands.
Her gaze shifted to Merthesia, who was peeking out.
"Mer came too? Hi, Mer!"
"!"
"Haha! Loren mentions you often, so I figured you two were close."
Perhaps because Merthesia, who had been hiding all along, approached Loren.
The general store owner, watching right beside us, let out a hearty laugh and patted my back.
I glanced around.
Sure enough, no one but Loren was in sight.
Alternating looks between the general store owner and Loren, I spoke up.
"Daughter-in-law?"
"Yeeeeeeees?!"
"Haha! Right, right. This girl's my prospective daughter-in-law!"
"...I see."
"Yes?! N-No, that's... um...!"
Loren's face flushed bright red in an instant.
Her eyes wide and mouth agape, she flailed her hands frantically.
The brush slipped from Loren's hand, spinning as it flew off into the distance.
Without retrieving it,
Loren fidgeted anxiously, glaring at the general store owner while stomping her feet.
"Ah, Uncle! Making jokes like that again! Really...!"
"Hehe, not a joke—it's the truth. The whole village knows she's in that kind of relationship with my boy."
"Who? Who?! No, no! We're just...!"
"What do you mean 'no'? Their eyes are just like your aunt and me back when we were courting..."
"Uncllleeee!"
I plugged my ears against the scream that seemed to shake the village.
Meanwhile, the culprit Loren pursed her lips and pressed a hand to her cheek.
Her face grew even redder until she finally hung her head and plopped down in a heap.
A pitiful groan escaped Loren.
Mer, who had also been covering her ears,
toddled over and gently stroked Loren's head.
"......"
"Haha! Comforting her big sis? What a sweet little girl!"
"What's that? What're you talking about?"
I turned at the familiar voice.
A young man approached, holding the brush Loren had flung.
He was definitely the owner of the mushroom skewer stall Merthesia always stopped at in the village.
"Why're you yelling like that, Loren?"
"...Auuuu."
Catching his eye, Loren whipped her head away to hide her even redder face.
'Come to think of it...'
Was it winter?
A conversation with Hubert flashed through my mind.
"Who's Shawn?"
"That mushroom skewer stall you frequent. The young guy selling there—his name's Shawn. Loren's childhood friend. He's about four years older, I think."
"Aah..."
According to that talk...
"Wedding gift?"
"Pardon?"
"Rowwww!"
Loren's shout rang out thunderously once more.
At the even louder scream,
my ears rang to the point my vision whitened.
But Loren, who had deafened everyone's ears, wore an even more distraught expression.
"That's really not true?! We're not anything yet?!"
"Yet?"
As I tilted my head,
the general store owner laughed boisterously and slung an arm around my shoulder.
"Hehe, what else? Hasn't gotten the proposal yet! Listen up, take after your old man—in moments like this, strike fast! Land a solid one—bam!"
"Uncle, stooop!"
Loren's voice was on the verge of tears now.
Shawn looked flustered, sighed, and scratched his head.
"Father, enough teasing."
"Teasing? Why not make it official right now?"
"Well..."
Shawn turned his head away too.
He hid his flushed cheeks, but his redder ears betrayed him.
A peculiar silence settled.
"Hmm..."
"??????"
Shawn with head turned,
Loren with flushed face.
Moments later, the two facing each other wore subtle expressions.
Soon Shawn extended a hand to the slumped Loren,
and the general store owner—nostrils flaring as he stifled laughter—clutched his belly and roared with laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Youth! Pure youth!"
"Youth?"
The general store owner patted my shoulder, clearly delighted.
"Look at 'em now—no words needed, it's plain as day. Obviously..."
"Stop! Stop it! Please! Enough, Uncle!"
"...Father. We don't have time for this."
At their sharp glares, the general store owner shrugged.
"Fine, fine. Back to work."
The general store owner waved dismissively and stepped back.
His mouth twitched with barely contained mirth all the while.
"Customer's helping out, so chit-chat ends here. ...Name again?"
"Row."
"Right. Mr. Row, mind moving those wooden planks over there?"
The moment I nodded, Loren frantically waved her hands and jumped in.
"No, no! Uncle! How can you ask Mr. Row to do that?!"
"This customer... er, Mr. Row said he's good at heavy lifting..."
"That was just politeness! You can't make someone who looks so fragile do that...!"
Loren was judging by appearances too.
The general store owner had done the same,
as had folks I'd encountered while wandering.
Best way to handle it: demonstrate.
I strolled casually toward the planks.
Loren trailed with a shocked look and cried out urgently.
"Wait! You're not seriously gonna lift it?! It's heavy! Mess up and you'll hurt your back...?"
"...Huh."
I grabbed a plank roughly and hoisted it effortlessly.
Couldn't use my tail, so a tad awkward, but a few more were no issue.
Shouldered one plank, then stacked more atop it steadily.
"...Eh?"
I glanced over; Loren's mouth hung open.
Gave her a brief look, then nodded toward the spot the owner indicated.
"There?"
"Y-Yeah."
The general store owner chuckled heartily and nodded.
"Whoa, no bluff after all! Hehe, takes me back to my younger days!"
"Father back then wasn't this strong, I'd bet."
"Quiet, you punk. What do you know?!"
I left their banter behind and walked slowly.
Placed the planks down very lightly and carefully where directed.
In my ear came Loren's dazed voice.
"...You really... lifted it."
"All those too?"
"Haha! Would be a huge help!"
"......!"
Just then, Merthesia toddled up.
Looked like she wanted to pitch in too.
"You wanna lift some?"
"!"
"What're you saying?!"
Loren yelped in alarm and rushed to my side.
"You can't make Mer do that! She's still a kid! Wrists so thin, no strength. And she's cute!"
"...Last part irrelevant?"
"Anyway! No means no!"
"......"
Merthesia's lips pouted out.
Her slightly puffed cheeks were round as chestnuts.
Seeing that, Loren squatted before Merthesia and spoke gently.
"Mer, you rest nearby, okay?"
"......"
"...Don't wanna?"
Merthesia nodded vigorously.
Her clenched fists and gaze radiated determination.
I smiled leisurely at the sight.
"Merthesia wants to help too."
"...R-Really?"
"Yeah."
Loren eyed Merthesia up and down.
Then met her resolute gaze and let out a deep sigh.
"Fine, then let's change clothes with big sis first."
"......?"
"These are no good for working."
"!"
Only then did a flower-like smile bloom on Merthesia's face.
"Go on. I'll pay later."
"!"
"Ugh, fine. You're helping us—on the house."
"Hooo? Us?"
"Ugh, realllyyy!"
Loren scooped up Merthesia and fled the scene.
The general store owner watched them with booming laughter.
A shy smile somehow crept onto Shawn's face as he gazed after Loren.
A chuckle escaped me.
Leaving the springtime pair behind, I quietly moved the planks.
After shifting the entire stack,
and while hauling an armful of bricks as requested—
"......!"
"Hm?"
Merthesia appeared in fresh clothes.
Far roomier than her previous dress:
a loose top and bib overalls perfect for moving around.
Wanting to show me first, she hurried to my side, eyes sparkling.
"Yeah. Cute."
"!"
I set the bricks down neatly and patted Merthesia's head.
Her shoulders twitched as she burst into giggles.
Delighted, her cheeks pinkened and eyes gleamed.
Leaving happy Merthesia behind, I headed for the next bricks.
Merthesia's footsteps pattered busily after me.
She must want to watch and mimic whatever I did.
"Moving bricks."
"?"
"Help?"
"!"
"No, don't make a kid do that!"
Loren's frantic cry stung my ears again.
"...Ears hurt. Bricks are fine."
"Bricks are heavy for kids!"
"She handles heavier."
"......Huh?"
I handed Merthesia one brick.
The child took it in both hands without a fuss.
"Good?"
"...Huh."
"!"
"More?"
"!!!"
Merthesia nodded.
A spark of curiosity hit me;
I stacked bricks atop the one in her arms, one by one.
Soon bricks reached her chin.
Yet Merthesia stood ramrod straight, buried in them.
"Handles it well."
"!"
"...No way."
Loren gawked wide-eyed, looking between us.
Brushing her off, I transferred the bricks from the child's arms to mine, one at a time.
"......!"
"No. Balance tips, you'll get hurt."
"......"
"Start small. Build up once used to it. Like firewood."
"!"
"...Firewood? What're you teaching a kid?!"
Loren clutched her forehead like she'd taken a blow.
Too much hassle to explain.
I shrugged leisurely and turned away.
Toddling Merthesia followed with one brick, beaming brightly.
'If the kid's happy, that's what matters.'
So thinking, I matched my pace to her slow steps.