Chapitre 127: Galliant Island (3)
Shirone and his group rented a carriage outside the port and headed to the western resort. The wide stretch of sandy beach was beautiful even from afar. Numerous bustling shops and accommodations were built like mountain village houses along the mountain.
The place Rian rented was a villa located halfway up the mountain. Like a building for nobles, it had enough space for four people, and the view where the sea opened up was satisfying.
Shirone looked at the sea from the terrace. The blue sea surged and flowed towards the white beach.
While watching people calmly bathing in the sea, he could momentarily forget the unpleasant dispute at the port.
Shirone and the others packed their belongings and lit a fire in the fireplace. After that, they gathered in the living room and relaxed for a while.
Having left in the morning and being in the afternoon without eating anything other than snacks, they were hungry.
Tess, thinking about what kind of food to eat to spread rumors that she ate well, clapped as if she had come up with a good idea.
"Okay, why don't we cook ourselves?"
Rian turned to her with a surprised expression.
"What? Can you cook?"
"Huhu, of course. Did you think a swordsman can't cook?"
"It would be the case if it's military-style combat rations."
"What do you think people are! I'm telling you I can cook well!"
Rian made a surprised expression. He hadn't thought that the girl who looked like a vagabond would say she was confident in her cooking.
But this was exactly what Tess wanted. If she could imprint a different side of her in Rian, this trip would be a great success.
"I'll cook the most delicious dish for you, so you just need to buy the ingredients. How about that?"
"Hmm, is that so? Honestly, it's a bit strange to go out and eat on the first day, right? Shirone, what do you think?"
"I'm fine too. The food you cook outdoors is always tasty, isn't it?"
Amy cautiously opened her mouth.
"So... should I cook too?"
All eyes focused on Amy. Of course, it didn't seem at all like she could cook unlike Tess.
However, they didn't expect the demanding person to prepare food for someone else by herself.
Tess felt Amy's heart with the intuition of a woman.
'It's specifically for Shirone, right? Hehe, she has a cute personality that's different from what she seems.'
Tess fully supported her. If this opportunity allowed the two to reconcile, it couldn't be better.
"Great. Let's have a cooking showdown! Rian vs Shirone! You two go get the ingredients, and we'll prepare ourselves to cook. How does that sound?"
Everyone agreed, and Shirone and Rian headed to the market with the list of ingredients that the girls had written.
As soon as the boys left, Tess, standing side by side washing dishes, looked at Amy with playful eyes and asked.
"Is this your first time?"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I know just by looking at you. Wasn't this your first fight with Shirone? I could clearly see that you were nervous even while arguing."
Amy hurriedly turned her gaze to the dishes.
"It's not a fight, not the first time, and certainly not a lover's quarrel."
'How cute how she denies it'
It's said that mages are sinister because their inside and outside are different, but in this case, it seemed quite cute.
"Still, you keep a meticulous list of ingredients. Right? Hooh, now that I see it, are you being cautious?"
Amy stopped washing the dishes and started thinking.
Only among girls, it wasn't something she couldn't say. In the end, she gave in to Tess's probing and poured out her true feelings.
"Shirone... sometimes feels weak."
"That's quite poetic."
Amy laughed shyly, thinking it was strange even for herself.
"But it's true. Should I say he's transparent? Like he could disappear at any moment right in front of me. It's probably because Shirone has a different perspective than others."
"It could be. Most people view the world from their own perspective. But some people expand their vision to include others' perspectives. Usually, those people are called empathetic."
"Hmm, by that standard, I'm definitely not empathetic. I have no idea what others think."
"Me neither. But Shirone is different. He's kind and considerate, but the most important factor is his different perspective."
Tess smiled as if realizing something.
"Ah-ha! So, you mean he didn't stand up for you against those jerks. Right? Isn't that it?"
Amy scratched her cheek embarrassed.
"Well, that's... But if he were just a naive guy, I would have thought of it that way. But Shirone is different. Somehow…"
"A different perspective? What other perspective is there besides that?"
Amy raised her index finger and pointed to the ceiling.
"Perhaps an omniscient point of view?"
"Omniscient…?"
"Yes. When Shirone starts to see the world from an omniscient point of view, he faints. He becomes different from us and any other human being. That's probably because he has an extremely high point of view that sees even his own existence as nothing more than a mere dot."
Amy vividly remembered it even now. The moment Shirone unhesitatingly opened his Immortal Function to save all the students.
"How could he do that? It was different from suicide. Giving life for others was a thousand times harder than choosing death for one's own pain.
"When Shirone becomes transparent... the boundary between him and others collapses. He becomes one human being, just like everyone else. From that viewpoint, looking at the world, what do you think Shirone governs? I believe it's balance. If one side of the scale tilts even slightly, Shirone wouldn't hesitate to move to the other side. Even if that scale is death."
"Hey, that's impossible. Where would such a person exist? That's literally a prophet, isn't it?"
"But it's true. Because I'm the one benefiting from that balance. No, all the students of the magic academy were saved by Shirone."
Tess couldn't close her gaping mouth. One student saved the lives of all the students.
A look of sadness crossed Amy's face.
"I only had that kind of thought. When Shirone stopped me, maybe I'm just a tiny dot observed from that high place. Shirone is different from me. No, he's different from anyone else. That's why he's excellent as a mage, but sometimes he's also disappointing."
Tess gently shook Amy's shoulder.
"Amy, don't think like that. Shirone genuinely cares for you. That's why he asked you, knowing it was a couple's trip. You're different from ordinary people walking down the street. You'll always be Karmis Amy."
Amy smiled at Tess's sincere encouragement. But that didn't change her mind.
How much value can the existence of others have for Shirone?
"Amy, just tell Shirone. 'Why didn't you take my side? I'm so, so upset and frustrated I can't sleep.' If you say it like that, it'll be fine."
Amy smiled and shook her head.
"Shirone probably knows it too. He didn't refute my words because he understood them. Don't worry too much. It'll be resolved soon. It's just that, as you said, it's our first time, so it's awkward."
Tess, with her straightforward personality, was frustrated. If emotions are hurt, shouldn't you call the person involved and sort it out?
However, Amy ended the conversation saying there's nothing to talk about because they both understand.
"Sigh, I don't know how a mage thinks."
***
"Shirone and Rian arrived at the general store alleyway. Since the ingredient list written on each person's paper was different, if they were to look around all the shops sprawling like a maze, they might miss dinner time.
Shirone thought it would be better to split up.
"Let's split here. I think we can return to the villa after buying the items."
"Should we? But can you carry everything alone? It'll be heavy."
Shirone looked at Rian with an absurd expression. No matter how weak he might be, can't he lift garlic, onion, and pepper? Despite having taken the knight's oath, he didn't need to worry about carrying a shopping basket.
"That's enough! I'll do the shopping myself, so make sure not to get lost. You know this is a cooking competition, right? The loser has to wash the dishes."
"Alright! I'll make sure you and Amy get closer by washing the dishes. It'd be better to expect a loss if you want to make up with Amy."
"Invent what? We didn't even fight."
"Eh? Didn't you fight at the port? That's why it's so awkward between you two now."
"Amy isn't so narrow-minded. We just had a little difference of opinion. It's something that can easily happen when we exchange our arguments."
"Haha! Silly, that's what we call a fight."
Shirone stopped talking. It was the same in the past, and it's the same now. He strangely felt a sense of self-disgust when Rian called him silly.
"Anyway, that's enough. I'll buy vegetables first, so I'll see you at the villa."
"Then, I've got to start with the meat. Go for it!"
Shirone stared at Rian, who ran towards the butcher. Just by seeing him run, he couldn't imagine how much meat he'd buy.
Shirone checked the note that Amy had written. He didn't know what kind of dish it was, but there were no hard-to-find ingredients.
However, the quantity of ingredients was larger than Rian's, so he had to diligently work to make it on time.
Shirone wandered for about 30 minutes and bought most of the ingredients. At the same time, he took the opportunity to do some sightseeing, and maybe because it was a resort, there were many unique and mysterious shops.
Vending machines selling products and games were popular, and there was a fair amount of street performances and parades to watch.
A commercial district like this must have a great influx of tourists continuously focusing on entertainment.
As expected, the streets were bustling, and the carefree laughter that couldn't be felt on the continent colored the sky of the southern country.
'Wow, there are many fun shops. I should come here to have fun tomorrow.'
After finishing his shopping, Shirone headed towards the villa.
At that moment, the door of a shop in front of him opened, and a woman fell to the ground as if she had been pushed.
"Kyaa!"
"Kyaa?"
Shirone's head tilted at the strange cry. But he quickly regained his senses and approached.
She was a woman who appeared to be around twenty-five. She had short hair, and the bangs were cut straight across her eyebrows, but thanks to her pretty face, it didn't look ridiculous.
"Why, why are you doing this? What did I do wrong?"
The woman who got up from the ground covered her chest with both arms. She wore a dress that exposed her chest like a bar girl.
Her eyebrows were thin, and her eyes sharp, but her expression in front of the huge man seemed as innocent as that of a herbivore.
"Haha, why are you like that? I'm just asking you to hang out with me."
"I'm not that kind of woman!"
"No, what do you mean you're not? It's obvious when you're walking around a tourist spot dressed like that. So, why not hang out with me?"
The person intimidating the woman is a man named Gamose, who was a famous rich man on Galliant Island. He was a huge man, but his body was full of fat instead of muscles, and his abdominal fat was particularly severe.
However, the power of money seemed tremendous as he was flanked by tall bodyguards on both sides.
"You should come with me when I ask you kindly. Honestly, you're not in a position to refuse."
"Help me! Please, help!"
Even though Gamose grabbed the woman's wrist and dragged her, no one tried to stop him.
Tourists didn't want to get involved in dangerous situations in a foreign place. Plus, the locals feared Gamose's influence."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone