Kays Translations

Chapter 100: Romi’s Family Comes to Visit 

　It seems that the number of patients in the Royal Capital has dropped dramatically. Today, the disease control law was lifted.

　Although the number of customers was slow, Romi and her family, seven in total, came by for lunch.

　All five of their children look very much like her. Romi’s genes are strong.

“We are here at last. We’ve been waiting for the law to be lifted. My house is open for business tonight.”

“It seems that the wave of sickness has subsided. Please take a seat here. I will bring chairs for the little one,  so please wait a moment.”

　I converted the chairs in the kitchen into children’s chairs like the ones you see in family restaurants and carried it over to Romi’s table.

“Oh my, there are chairs like these. I’ve never seen them before. Where did you get it?　I want to use at home too.”

“I made them with magic. I have a little bit of magic in me.”

“Really? You can use magic?　Magic that can make chairs sounds convenient. Well, I’d like to order two chairs. How much will it cost?”

“If you bring me chairs, it’ll be two bundles of firewood per chair. If I were to provide chairs, three bundles of firewood per chair.”

“then I’ll take three bundles of firewood!”

　Romi didn’t really react to the words “Making a chair with magic,” if a wizard heard that they would probably think (What does that mean?).

　Romi was in charge of the family, asking everyone what they wanted to eat and putting together the orders. Seven dishes: hamburger steak and white rice, pasta, hamburger, pizza, fish and chips, katsudon (pork cutlet served on top of rice), and omu-rice. They were all going to share.

　All the dishes were ready and the table looked like a party. The kids were overjoyed, exclaiming, “Wow, wow, wow!” The other guests looked at Romi and her family with kind eyes.

“It’s delicious!” “Can I have some of that please?” “Mom, try this. It’s the best.” “I want to come here again.” “Can I have another serving?”

　Everyone was talking to Romi, and her husband was listening with a smile. Her husband was the bartender at the bar. He seemed like a gentle man, and looked at Romi and the children with a soft gaze.

　After emptying all the plates, Romi and her family left. As I was taking down the plates, Sandor looked at me with amused eyes.

“What is it?”

“No, nothing. I just thought that you attract certain people.”

　 Sandor was amused by my association with Romi. You noticed that Romi and her family are beastmen, didn’t you?

　My encounter with Romi started when I chose the shop, so it’s not like I attracted her to me, but oh well.

　That evening, I decided to go to Romi’s bar for a drink. I loaded two children’s chairs on casters and pulled them around. Romi was delighted and said, “Thank you! I’ll deliver thee firewood tomorrow.”

　But that wasn’t the end of it. She pulled me by the arm to a deserted seat and began asking me questions in a quiet voice.

‘I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Could it be that you were the one who provided a large amount of potions during the epidemic?　I had never heard of anyone with magical powers making chairs. I wondered if you might be a great wizard.”

“……Yes, I made those potions.”

“I knew it. Thank you, thank you!　Just tonight, I’ve heard from more than ten customers that you saved. They all said they felt better as soon as they drank that potion. Thank you so much for making such an amazing potion and giving it away for free.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

　Romi wrapped her hands around mine.

“I thought folks like me could only drink commercial potions. But those don’t really work too well.　My youngest child caught that disease. I bought a commercial potion and gave it to him, but it didn’t work at all. I thought my child would be fine, but then his fever wouldn’t go down and he couldn’t eat anything…”

　Romi’s tearful eyes glistened more than usual in the light of the lamp.

“I thought he was going to die, so I hid myself and cried. But after I gave him the potion, he drank some soup a little later, and the next day he ate some bread and rice porridge. From then on he made a rapid recovery.”

　Romi wipes the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingertips as she continued her story.

“Even if the worst had happened, people around me would have thought, ‘With five kids, what can you do if you lose one’. But you know, for a mother, every child is precious.”

“Of course!”

“So I can’t thank you enough, Mai. You are a legendary wizard to me “

　That’s what Henry said before.

“Does everyone in this country know about the legendary wizard?”

“You don’t know the legendary Wizard Rosa?　Oh, Mai, you didn’t even know about the Spring Waiting Festival. Seriously, what kind of mountain  did you grow up?　There are some amazing wizards who appear in this country from time to time. The best of them are called legendary wizards. Rosa didn’t just make a lot of jewels and donate them to the country during a famine. When an epidemic killed countless people, she made potions and distributed them to the common people. It is said that the epidemic was so great that if it weren’t for the potions, the country might have disappeared.”

“Really? I see.”

“But please don’t end up like Rosa in your life too. Mai, I hope you live a happy life!”

A customer seated far away called out, “Romi-san!”

“I have to go. I’ll have my husband deliver the firewood tomorrow. And tonight is on the house. Order whatever you like!”

　And Romi was gone.

　From what you say, the legendary wizard’s life wasn’t a happy one, was it? Let’s ask Henry what it was like.

　When I got home, I called out with a message magic, ‘Sorry for calling so late,’ and asked Henry what Rosa’s life had been like.

“Oh, I see, you’ve heard. But that doesn’t apply to you, Mai, so don’t worry about it. The legendary wizard Rosa made a mistake in her choice of marriage partner.”

“Marriage partner?”

“The legendary wizard Rosa was abandoned by her wizard husband after he cheated on her. Rosa was so grieved that she fell ill with depression and died in her bed. The king was so angry and upset at the loss of his country’s treasure that he had his husband executed.”

“I’d like to know more about that.”

“it’s not a pleasant story to hear.”

　According to the story he reluctantly told me, the legendary wizard Rosa became so famous for her jewels and potions that there was no one who did not know her. From that time on, the relationship between Rosa and her husband became strained little by little.

“Her husband became increasingly cold toward Rosa, who continued to receive accolades, and he made a move on her student, who was living with them.”

“He made a move on his wife’s disciple?”

“Yes. This is a story about a man who was a fool and a scumbag.”

　It’s not a story that I can cheerfully answer with “That’s true!”. It’s quite a shock. It reminded me of the time when my grandmother called me a wild cat of Senju.

　I had made a mistake once too. I remember when my grandmother had told me to stay away from that guy, but I still went for him.

“What’s wrong? If you’re still feeling down, how about I come and sleep with you again tonight?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you. Good night.”

　I see. If my husband were also a wizard, he might get depressed watching his wife constantly being praised. But that would never happen with Henry. He’s an extremely talented and hardworking person, and the kind of person who would be liked by the Prime Minister.

　That’s what I tell myself.

　He and Mr. Henry are completely different. He has nothing to do with me, so I don’t want to think of him.

　Henry seems to have sensed something. Being a worrier, he has been coming to the “hideaway” day and night since the next day. Tonight, as we dine together, he stresses, “I won’t do anything like Rosa’s husband.”

“I won’t be jealous if you are praised by the public.”

“I know.”

“I’m not interested in other women.”

“I know that, too.”

“To begin with I…”

“I know. I’m just now desperately trying to forget about old wounds. I’ll be fine, so let’s talk about something else.”

“Old wounds?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s not a big deal.”

　Damn, I messed up. Henry’s emerald eyes are turning vertical.

“What do you mean by old wounds?　I want to know. I won’t get angry, so please tell me.”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“What old wounds?”

　When it comes to this, Henry isn’t going to back down until I told him the truth.

　I had no choice but to tell him about my past story of dating someone I fell in love with and then being dumped. I knew it would happen, and halfway through the story, Henry’s triangular ears sprouted. His pupils had changed to completely vertical.*I thought it would,

“It’s an unpleasant story, isn’t it? I’m sorry.”

“I was the one who persistently asked you about it. But still, you didn’t have a good eye for men.”

“I can’t say anything when you say that. But more importantly, Henry, your ears are sticking out. You won’t be able to go home unless you tuck them back in.”

　I leaned forward and gently held Henry’s triangular ear with both hands. Mr. Henry said, “That’s not how it works,” and closed his eyes and began to take a deep breath. I wonder if he was thinking of the face of that uncle in the military.

“I’m really sorry.”

“I’m not angry with you. I’m just concentrating right now, so please don’t interrupt me.”

　Although he said he wouldn’t be angry, Henry seems a little grumpy.

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