Reminds Me of the Old Days (2)
As expected, Pelle turned her head away from me with her usual icy gaze. Yeah, that's right. Someone like Pelle has to hold the center together. That way, these cheeky little...
"Hey! Get lost!"
Marim, who had been resting her elbow on my head, snickered and stepped aside. Francois gave my head one last pat and said,
"We need to open up soon anyway, so let's all eat first."
We settled around the table in front of the fireplace. Suddenly, flames roared to life in the previously empty hearth—Aterugar must have lit it from upstairs.
"Master. Isn't the table too high? Shall I bring something for you to sit on? Or would you like to sit on my lap?"
Della knelt beside me, looking up with a stream of chatter.
"Blonde bitch! Don't spoil her too much. She'll turn into a brat."
Ukun guffawed as he chugged his beer. Idi sat across from me, propping her chin on both hands, grinning like an idiot as she stared. Marim, catching my eye, rolled hers and stuck out her tongue. Pelle... well, Pelle was on my left, arms crossed, looking down at me.
Kosa and Aterugar skipped breakfast as usual and hadn't come down. Kosa would be getting ready alone on the third floor before heading to her astrology room on the second. Aterugar was probably lounging in her room, doing who-knows-what.
Thank goodness Celereja had gone to the temple at dawn—she hadn't seen me like this. If the saintess spotted her shrunken hero, she'd cling harder than Della or Idi ever could. Kinda scary, honestly.
Soon Francois brought out food wafting delicious aromas: creamy bean soup, grilled sausages and bacon, tomatoes, chunks of cheese, and bread.
"Bertrand. What do we do? I made bean soup without knowing this would happen."
"Francois... I can eat anything... My mind's still sharp, I told you."
Francois smiled and set a child-sized spoon and fork in front of me—the kind we kept for kids bringing their little ones.
"Haha... damn... this is something..."
I let out a hollow laugh and picked up the spoon. Marim smirked mischievously at the sight.
"Hearing adult words from a kid's mouth is hilarious."
I shot her a glare, scooped up some bean soup, and shoved it in. Chewing the beans rolling around my mouth, I felt something off. The taste was... subtle? Why so much green, beany flavor...? Shit... looks like my taste buds shrank too...
I couldn't swallow, but spitting it out after bragging? No way. I glanced at the others, mouth full.
Suddenly, Pelle thrust her palm under my mouth.
"If you can't eat it, spit it out."
Already at my limit, I spat it right into her hand.
"Sorry, Pelle."
She said nothing, just wiped it off with a napkin.
"What the hell, Master! You said you could eat beans!"
Marim yelled gleefully at the sight. Her own bowl had a pile of strained-out beans.
"Sorry, Francois. Seems my taste changed too."
"It's fine, Balder. Sausage and bacon should work."
Idi tossed in a line, beaming happily at me.
"No beans needed... Eat something else..."
Della, kneeling beside me, diced the food with fork and knife.
"Exactly. Even your picky eating is cute."
Ukun clicked his tongue in disbelief.
"Aigoo... Spoil her like that and she'll grow up rude..."
"Quiet, Mr. Ukun! Master? Ah, here."
Della speared bread and sausage, popping it into my mouth. Mm, this is tolerable.
"How about this?"
"No... tomatoes are a bit..."
"Bacon then?"
"Sure."
Ukun marveled at my pickiness.
"Ha, kid tastes are picky as hell. Just eat what's given."
"Mr. Ukun! Don't say bad words around a child!"
"Bullshit. Is Balder your kid? Jeez."
Ignoring them, Della fed me lovingly. Idi just watched, untouched food. Francois too. Marim scarfed alone, even swiping a fat sausage from Idi's plate. Pelle stayed arms-crossed, staring as Della fed me.
This... is an awkward meal all around...
After eating, I headed straight to Kosa. In her incense-filled room, she greeted me with a mystical smile.
"Welcome, Master. Need help climbing into the chair?"
Damn. Blind as she is, she knows everything going on.
"Nah, I'm not that small."
I climbed up and faced her.
"Fell asleep fiddling with that weird thing from Lurtjog's nest, and woke up like this. Any epics with something similar?"
"I checked my memories right after hearing. Plenty of old folks reincarnating as kids after death... but nothing about shrinking overnight like you."
Kosa's epic collection spans ancient tales. No matching story? Hm...
"Then check what happened to me last night."
"Of course."
She wove her fingers complexly over the table, reading my past. After a moment, she nodded slowly.
"That black orb seems the cause."
"Explain."
"Right after you slept, faint light from the inscriptions on its surface. Then your body started shrinking gradually."
"Know what it is?"
"Sorry, no."
Hmm... so the orb did it... now figure out what it is...
"Thanks, Kosa."
"My pleasure."
I left and headed upstairs.
Aterugar lounged on her bed, playing with a rabbit doll.
"Hey, lizard. Got a question."
She sat up slowly, eyeing me.
"Heh...? What's with the look?"
"Can't you tell? Turned into a kid."
"Why'd you shrink all sudden?"
Her eyes narrowed, a sly smile forming.
"Cut the crap. I wanna ask something."
"Ask. But don't think me shrinking makes it legal for weird stuff. If that's your pitch—reject, decline, nix, refuse, no dice, buzz off, pass."
I waited silently through her rant, then asked,
"The black orb from Lurtjog's treasure chest."
Her mocking smile froze.
"That... why...?"
"Fiddled with it last night, fell asleep, woke up like this. Know anything?"
I pulled it from my pocket. She gasped, recoiling.
"D-don't know... I said in the nest... no idea...!"
Remembering the chest scene, she snorted flames, shaking her head.
"Put it away...!"
"Sorry."
No answers from her. I apologized again to the wall-hugging dragon and left. Maybe Pelle knows.
Found Pelle in the yard with Ammugar and Orkog mid-chat. Their cart brimmed with dragon sculptures. Monster fans, up since dawn, huffed clouds as they ogled—fresh Rosens travelers and long-term guests.
Since Aterugar rumors spread, long-stayers boomed. Rosens is a pass-through; usually one-two nights max. But I scheduled her flights irregularly, mostly low-crowd times. They stayed indefinitely, hoping. Waiting meant eating, bathing, shopping, buying demon crafts. Monster fans are loaded.
Ammugar and Orkog's eyes bulged at me. Heard from Pelle, sure, but seeing's different.
Pelle glanced indifferently.
"Not cold?"
"Nah. Ammugar, perfect timing."
He adjusted his glasses, incredulous.
"Hero... you really turned into a child?"
"Yeah. Cut to chase. Know what this is?"
I showed Lurtjog's black orb. Monster expert Ammugar took it curiously.
"From Lurtjog's treasure chest...? Let me see..."
He inspected the inscriptions.
"Know what it is?"
"Hmm... hoo... aha... like this..."
Weird mutters, then handed it back gravely.
"Hero... that's... a truly nasty item..."