25. Every Morning
25. Every Morning
"What's so special about a shabby shop like this."
"Is that the first thing you say the moment you walk in?"
"...It's not like I'm wrong, -yo."
A noble girl had walked in while I was passing time, keeping the shop open as usual.
However, with a little bit of politeness added.
It seemed Katrina had come to my shop because of that kid, Noah.
The reason a girl who wasn't one of the students who usually frequented the convenience store would come here like this was obviously because of Noah.
There couldn't possibly be any other reason.
"Are you here to buy something?"
"...Not really."
I wonder, is she trying to maintain her pride even in this state?
Katrina, who wouldn't meet my eyes properly and was acting all coy, was quite funny.
At first, I just thought she was rude, but she turned out to be a surprisingly interesting girl.
"Then why did a noble young lady come here?"
"It's not like there's any reason not to come."
"No reason?"
"-yo...."
It seemed her feelings for Noah were genuine.
At the very least, it was a feeling that couldn't be treated as fake or a joke.
"Pfft...."
That must be why a noble and rude young lady is acting like this.
If it weren't for Noah... it was certain she would have acted rudely, just like when she first entered my shop, and remained impolite.
But seeing her act like this just because she was caught having feelings for Noah... it was quite a young-lady-like appearance.
Of course, she wasn't exactly truly girlish, polite, or graceful.
But she did have that unique, naive, young-lady-like quality.
"So, what am I supposed to do."
"About what?"
"...The thing you mentioned last time."
"Umm...."
Part of me wanted to tease her more, but if I kept teasing her, she might do something weird for no reason.
Wouldn't it be better to treat her reasonably well?
Besides, in any case, she seemed to be Noah's friend.
Even if one side held feelings that weren't just friendship.
Still, there wasn't much reason to treat the kid badly.
Actually, it's better to help nobles like this to some extent and get along with them.
Even if Vivian wasn't that kind of person, there was basically no reason to get on bad terms with nobles.
Nobles were the kind of people who could be helpful in any situation, and that was the kind of world it was.
"First of all, the kid is a bit dense, right?"
"...That's true, -yo."
"So, if you beat around the bush or use that noble-style way of speaking, he won't understand. He'll only take your words at face value."
"......Ah."
Does she have something in mind?
It seemed Katrina had realized something.
Even though I wasn't exactly flirting with Noah, I knew well that the kid was dense.
Just seeing how he never understood even when I told him not to be so direct, it was obvious.
"...I once asked him to visit my family's estate during summer break before the break started."
"And?"
"...I got ignored, too......."
"That's probably because you beat around the bush. You should've just said it simply. 'Do you want to come to my house?', 'I want to see you during the break, shall we meet?'."
"......."
It's unfortunate, but that was the right way to handle a guy like him.
I hadn't met Noah's childhood friend often, but.
It was easy to understand when I thought about the girl who would just talk about doing something simple instead of beating around the bush when Iris talked to Noah.
"What people commonly call.... 'Woman-speak', you shouldn't use that."
"......."
"Noble tone? That's not the problem, it's just 'Woman-speak'. Even when deciding on a meal menu, just keep it simple and direct. When you don't want to eat A, say you don't want to eat A. When you want to eat B, say you want to eat B. That's the only way that guy will understand."
After all, men are all like that.
I've been living as a woman for 28 years now, but aside from that, I also have the days I lived as a man.
And I still largely perceive myself as a man.
I know I can't just conclude that I'm not a woman after living for 28 years, though.
But it was difficult to deny my past life, too.
And I didn't really have any intention of denying it, either.
"Young lady, did you understand?"
"...In my own way, -yo."
"If you understood, that's enough. Try doing that next time you meet Noah."
"......."
Wouldn't this be enough for the first lesson?
I actually think it's an excessive reward for a girl who came into my shop and was rude to me.
"Huh?"
"......."
Besides, my teaching her something was originally a joke, and it was something like revenge for her being rude.
But in the end, I thought I gave her a pretty good tip.
"...How does the shopkeeper know about this?"
"Hmm.... Just because? I've lived much longer than you, so this much is nothing."
"......."
"Use honorifics, young lady."
"...I got it, -yo."
Personally, I think the girl named Iris has much more potential.
But it's not like she doesn't even have a chance.
In fact, she might even turn the tables through an opportunity.
I wasn't exactly rooting for anyone; I just wanted whoever ends up dating Noah to make things a little more comfortable for me.
*
"Noona."
"......Sigh."
"...Why are you sighing? Did I do something wrong again?"
"It's nothing...."
That's right, they're still just young kids.
They were only 17-year-old boys and girls, after all.
There was no way there would be any sudden changes for kids like that.
They weren't in a rush for marriage or dating like my friend Vivian, so they would probably take things slow.
There's no way Noah would suddenly stop coming.
Unless it was something like him suddenly doing something weird and getting some girl pregnant, that is.
"Why did you come here?"
"Ah, it's nothing major. I got cut by a sword while training today."
"......What?"
"Because of that, I wanted to buy a potion or some bandages if you have them."
"......?"
I naturally expected him to come for some trivial reason as usual.
But the reason he gave was something more concerning than I thought.
It wasn't a problem of having feelings for the kid, but something to be worried about on a basic level.
"What were you doing when you got cut by a sword?"
"I got cut while training with my master."
"...What?"
"I was sparring with real swords, and my strength just gave out for a moment."
I was so dumbfounded by the kid talking about such a serious matter so nonchalantly, it was beyond belief.
He was the one in pain.
I truly didn't know he would talk about it so casually.
"Haaa.... That, what is it.... Go inside the break room and sit down for a bit."
"Yes?"
"Just listen to me and go in quietly."
"Uh... yup."
There's an infirmary, for goodness' sake.
I wanted to ask what his intention was in coming all the way to the convenience store, but.
I wasn't such a piece of trash that I'd yell at an injured kid, so I just... stowed the kid in the room and took out a few items from the convenience store.
There was an infirmary anyway.
I had just stocked them for a "just in case" situation, things that didn't usually sell well, so it wasn't a problem....
I just didn't know they would be used like this.
"Sigh...."
It's so frustrating.
These men, even though I was a man once, too.
I don't know why, but even in a different world, they're all the same when it comes to these useless things.
It won't kill me.
It's fine.
Will I really die?
Because of these three phrases, I feel like the percentage of men who die... is seriously over 40%.
"Hey. Show me the injured part."
"Ah, yes. Just a moment. I have to take my clothes off."
"......Your back?"
"Yes."
"......Sigh."
How on earth do you train to end up with an injury on your back?
I had a lot to say....
But there was something I had to say before that.
"......."
"I'm bleeding a little back here. Would a bandage be okay?"
"You, you crazy bastard...."
"......Why?"
After all, people don't have eyes on their backs.
Because that's what people are?
He wouldn't be able to properly know about the wound on his back, right... that's probably it.
"...You need to use a bandage, not a band-aid."
"...Is it that big?"
"You were cut across half your back. Thankfully it's not near your waist, but from your shoulder to... your ribs."
"......Aha. That's why it hurt."
"Huh......."
Seriously, if Noah's parents were standing here instead of me... they would have seriously scolded this kid while hitting him on the head or somewhere.
He has a wound bigger than a palm on his back, yet he's acting like this.
I'm truly dumbfounded.
"Aack...!"
"Tsk."
"...Why are you hitting me?"
"I hit you because I was dumbfounded. Dumbfounded. What kind of idiot gets such a big wound on their back and comes to a convenience store instead of the infirmary, a hospital, or a church?"
"Ah......."
"I won't charge you for the medicine or bandages. Take one more hit."
"Ack......."
Of course, there was a time when I had much bigger wounds than Noah, and I'd done more dangerous things, too.
But I was an adult back then.
At least I didn't do that when I was a brat like him.
Back then, I was an adventurer, and at least I got paid for it.
This kid isn't getting paid, he's paying tuition, and he's even sacrificing his vacation to train.
What on earth is that teacher doing.......
"Haaa... seriously, shouldn't you report that teacher of yours?"
"It's not like that?"
"...Sigh. I'm the stupid bitch for worrying."
Sighing heavily, I applied some potion and ointment to the kid's back.
The wound was quite large... so it might have left a scar if left alone.
But even if Vivian didn't know much else, she supplied only the best things when it came to these... household medicines, so it wouldn't leave a big scar.
As long as he applies the medicine periodically and uses bandages to keep unnecessary bacteria out.
...But this kid is a man, he didn't even know there was a huge wound on his back, and he's the kind of guy who asks a stupid question like if a band-aid would solve it.
"...You, from now on, come to my house every morning and evening until this wound heals."
"......Yes?"
This is the only way.
Just by looking at him, I know he won't apply the medicine, he won't change the bandages, and it'll end up scarring.
And before that... he's clearly the kind of kid who would peel off the scab that forms as the wound heals, saying it itches.