Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 205: Things That Stir a Man’s Heart
The shop sold only peculiar-looking keychains.
They weren’t the cute, stylish ones you might find in Japan — these were eerie, unsettling trinkets that radiated a strange charm.
No wonder Joel was drawn straight to it. It was, well… the kind of place that irresistibly appeals to a man’s curiosity.
“Are these meant to be accessories?”
“No, no,”
The old woman behind the counter cackled.
“Each of these dolls has a special effect. Heh heh, some folks buy them just because they look neat, though.”
Her voice caught me off guard — I’d been talking to Sheila, but apparently the answer came from the shopkeeper herself.
She wore a kimono-like robe, and her wrists were covered in countless prayer beads.
Everything about her — her clothes, her tone — screamed “suspicious.”
And yet, precisely because of that, it almost felt like these keychains might really have some kind of power.
“I see… So what kind of effects do they have, exactly?”
“Now, don’t ask me that. I’ve heard one of them can make you more likely to get into an accident, heh heh heh.”
Her response didn’t exactly inspire confidence — if anything, it made me question whether she wanted to sell anything at all.
Still, that only made me more curious. Maybe that’s the strange pull of flea markets — the more dubious it looks, the more you want to buy it.
“Excuse me! How much for one of these?”
“Any of them are one silver coin apiece. You buying?”
“For one silver? I’ll take one!”
“Thank you kindly, heh heh heh. Pick whichever you like.”
“…I’d like one too. Is it alright if I take this one?”
“Oh, you’ve got a good eye. That one’s special — I put my heart and soul into making it. I’m sure it’s got quite the effect.”
“Really? Then I’ll take it.”
Pulled along by Joel’s enthusiasm, I found myself buying one of the spooky keychains too.
Joel looked a bit jealous of mine after the old woman’s comment — the one about it being “made with extra care.”
Meanwhile, Sheila looked utterly baffled, as if she couldn’t comprehend why either of us would spend money on such things.
It felt a bit like those cheap sword keychains you buy on school trips and regret later — but hey, this was a festival atmosphere. No harm in indulging a whim now and then, especially for just a silver coin.
“Heh heh heh, thank you kindly! Come again, won’t you?”
“Great start, right? Sato-san, your skull charm looks awesome!”
“Thanks. I think your crow one’s pretty cool too, Joel.”
“…I-I don’t understand either of you.”
Sheila looked genuinely shocked by our exchange.
Yeah, this was definitely “guy humor.” Time to let her pick the next stop.
“Alright, Sheila, it’s your turn. You choose the next shop. The last one was totally for me and Joel.”
“Really? Then… I’d like to check out that one.”
She pointed toward a shop bustling with customers.
From here, I could barely make out the details, but it looked like they were selling rings — lots of them.
“A ring shop?”
“Rings, yes, but I think they’re magic tools. Most of the customers look like adventurers.”
Indeed, many of the shoppers looked battle-worn and practical. The shopkeeper — a young woman this time — gave off a calm, trustworthy aura.
She felt more like Shannon from Lanzole than the creepy old lady we’d just met.
Given Sheila’s instincts and the promising vibe of the place, we decided to take a look.
Just as we reached the front, the customer ahead of us finished paying — perfect timing.
“Welcome. Looking for something specific?”
“Not really, just curious. Are these rings… magic tools?”
“Yep. All handmade. Single-use only, but I’d say the effects are pretty solid.”
“Single-use, huh… Do you have any recommendations?”
“That blue-stoned one there. It’ll obliterate any monster below a certain strength level.”
The sheer power of it left me speechless.
Depending on when you used it, that could be incredibly useful — but with all my tamed beasts around, I’d be too worried about misfires to ever wear something like that.
“That’s amazing! I want one!”
“Kid, it’ll cost you one platinum coin. Still want it?”
“P-platinum!? Never mind!”
Joel’s enthusiasm instantly deflated at the price tag.
To be fair, for something that powerful, one platinum coin wasn’t unreasonable — but still far beyond our budget.
“Seems a bit above our price range. Do you have anything cheaper?”
“Let’s see… Ah, that one with the white gem. It can summon a wight to fight alongside you for one minute. Weakest kind, but it’s handy for buying time.”
“That’s a neat effect. How much?”
“One gold coin. So? Interested?”
“I’ll take it for sure.”
“I want one too!”
“I’d like one as well.”
For once, even Sheila seemed intrigued.
We each bought one of the wight-summoning rings — single-use magic tools, similar to Shannon’s magic orbs, though a bit pricier since you could wear them like jewelry.
Still, they felt like a worthwhile investment.
We’d only just started exploring the flea market, and already, we’d found a bunch of fascinating items.
The lively, festival-like atmosphere had us in high spirits — and I couldn’t help but think, coming to Renovy was already paying off.