Chapter 431 – Gifts and Faces

000

As he made his way from the palace to the streets, Quon noticed that he was receiving strange reactions from passers-by.

Surprised by the look on Quon’s face her, those who were ‘stunned’immediately looked at her chest her, and passed by while letting out a sigh.

It was embarrassing for the person concerned, and it was only thought to be rude, but I could feel that they were not acting that way out of malice.

“Something. Should I wear a hat to cover her face?”

Quon, feeling a little embarrassed for some reason, pats her bangs.

Perhaps, her own face her seems strange to the people of her eastern country her.

She naturally has such worries, but Cleon talked while looking at such a Quon.

“I think it’s okay if the gaze is burdensome…”

Of course, it was not only Quon who drew her gaze of her, but also Cleon who was walking beside her.

Of course, it was probably because he was a member of the Dark Horse clan and was a stranger, but it might be because he was already known as a swordsman named ‘Dark Horse’, as Riomes had talked about earlier.

‘Come to think of it, she was the woman who defeated that orc-like man yesterday… She was wearing a hat on her head.’

Perhaps those who became knights wore hats on their heads because they felt burdened by such gazes.

“Is Cleon okay?”

When Quon questions Cleon, who has a thoughtful expression on her face her, Cleon nods her head.

“For me, there’s no problem. Getting attention is the same everywhere. Rather than the negative gazes I felt in the royal capital, I think this place is better than just looking at something strange.”

I heard that the Eastern country was a country that did not suffer too much damage even in the battle with the Empire, and that it was a place that was not so involved with the dark horse clan historically.

So, it must be far from the feelings of fear and anger towards the dark horse family that kingdom people naturally have.

“…I see. Cleon, even in the royal capital…”

After hearing Cleon’s story, Quon lowered his head a little, then shook his head.

“Yeah. As expected, the hat is fine. I’m going to go like this too.”

“…Is it.”

What Quon must have been thinking in that short time, Cleon imagined a little, but she smiled small as she nodded her head in her favor her.

Entering a street with a large number of people passing by in earnest, even though the number of people unexpectedly increased, the gaze towards Cleon and Quon decreased.

While each of them is busy with their daily lives, they walk down the street, and solicit customers with goods in their hands at the store.

A person drinking a bottle of alcohol during the day, or a blacksmith banging a hammer.

Quon seemed to be a little overwhelmed in the midst of a group of people who were literally intertwined without distinction.

“It’s the capital of a country, but it seems more like Elesia than a royal city. Well, Elesia was a rural area with not as many people as this.”

At Cleon’s words her, Quon nodded her head.

In addition, unlike the royal road, where there were quite a few people who seemed a bit sluggish because they were drained of energy every night by Astaroth, the people of Asteris, young and old, all had their eyes full of life. .

That much, it seemed that life force was overflowing.

Whether it was the influence of this land, or whether it was caused by the training of ‘ki’, I didn’t know now.

Everyone seemed to be doing their best to live now.

While looking around the city like that, walking along the road I walked with Demis yesterday, Quon touched his hand as if he had come up with something.

“Spit! Come to think of it, I was invited, but can I go empty-handed?”

“I just wanted you to come unilaterally from that side, so isn’t it different from being invited?”

“Still, you should be polite. The temple is a place where shamans who are respected by the people live, similar to the royal palace.”

Quon’s words made Cleon feel like “Is that so?”, But because he’s just lived his life of his, Cleon does not have much of a sense for choosing such a gift.

“Let’s buy something around here. Maybe something like fruit…”

Saying so, Quon looked around.

It was good so far, but Cleon suddenly realizes something about her and tells her.

“…But you don’t have any money.”

“… Ah.”

Okay. When I was living in the royal capital, I had no problem using the savings I had saved during my adventures and the gold because I received help from the Tromeia family, but now this is the Eastern country.

Of course, the currency used was yeopjeon other than gold.

“No, that’s right… We were penniless right now…”

Her face darkened as if she had remembered the words of Kuondo and Cleon.

She seemed terrified that she had no money on hand right now, as she befits the girl who was in charge of her household account her at the party.

“Ah. But if it’s gold, wouldn’t it be possible to exchange it at the Dark Dragon Company? Since we’re also dealing with the Kingdom, we’ll be able to exchange gold and money from the Eastern countries.”

“That’s right!”

After talking about what Cleon came up with to reassure Quon, the fact that she still has no money in her hands her doesn’t change.

Then, in the end, will I have to go empty-handed?

Thinking the same thing, if Cleon puts his hand her in her pocket her.

A tingling sensation was felt in his hand her.

“Yes?”

Maybe she put something in her pocket her, Cleon took out the thing he was holding while thinking about it and put it in her hand her-

“Ah. Come to think of it, yesterday…”

It was a coin that flew to Cleon, who unintentionally imitated a swordsman when he subdued a woman named Aisha and her subordinates her.

I remember catching it by instinct and putting it in my pocket.

Although Cleon himself did not know how much value this had.

“Quon. First of all… I have this.”

Saying so, when Cleon shows the money to Quon, Kuon opens his eyes wide and tells Cleon.

“Huh? What did you do? This.”

“It’s a bit complicated to talk about…”

Cleon told me about what happened when he went to the temple with Demis yesterday.

Then, Quon nodded his head as if he knew, and looked at the Yeopjeon with a curious expression.

“It’s like the performance fee paid by bards performing street performances.”

“…Certainly. It might be close to that.”

To Quon’s words, Cleon nodded in agreement.

“But, can I buy something with this?”

“Let’s ask first. It seems like there’s a fruit shop over there.”

When Cleon raised his finger and pointed to a fruit stand on the street, Quondo lightly replied ‘yes’ and approached it.

“Welcome, welcome! Fresh sweets that have just arrived from the royal capital-“

The owner of the fruit shop, while watching Cleon and Quon approach, spit out a phrase to greet the customers-

Soon after, I saw Quon’s face in his and was greatly embarrassed.

“What, Miko!?”

“Oh, ah, no… I’m from the capital…”

Quon was equally taken aback, but soon the store owner heard Quon’s answer to his and naturally turned his gaze to Quon’s voluptuous chest armor of his.

Then, he sighs and smiles.

“You mistook a person!”

“Wait, where did you just look?”

Cleon spoke to the store owner with a somewhat stern expression, but Quon raised his hand as if to stop Cleon.

Then, seeing Cleon’s expression his, the store owner shrugged his shoulders as if he was a little frightened and raised his hands as if to calm Cleon.

Judging by the cold sweat dripping from his forehead, I could tell that he was quite sincere.

“Mi-I’m sorry. I was your lover.”

“Okay.”

If Cleon answered like that, Quon’s face would turn red in an instant, but the store owner first grabbed an apple from the fruit stand and handed it to Cleon as if to apologize to Cleon.

“Now, this, this is an apology expressing the will of an apology. Haha…”

It seems that he thought it was an irrational joke at the laughable joke, but Cleon also sighed and shook his head as if the mood to get angry had disappeared.

“So, so? What are you looking for? You two seem to be from the kingdom. Are you looking for the fruits of the kingdom?”

When the store owner also clears his throat and tries to resume business, Quon says “Um” After thinking a little.

“Actually, I was invited to the temple… I’m going to go empty-handed, so I’m going to buy some fruit.”

“Ohh. To the temple? It’s really rare for strangers to be invited to the temple… But, is the temple fruit?”

The store owner murmured as if he was a little troubled. It becomes a worried expression.

“Do you have any reason for trouble?”

“Ah, rather than embarrassing, do you know that there is an orchard inside the temple?”

At the store owner’s words, Cleon nodded.

“Yes. I heard that they grow peaches. And the fact that the seeds are used as medicine.”

“Ah, Heavenly Road. That’s right. There are peaches, but we also grow other fruits. In other words, fruits are the specialty of the temple. Besides, the temple’s orchard has been experiencing poor crops lately, so it’s a bit much to bring in foreign fruits. …”

At the store owner’s words, Kuondo nods as if he understands with an ‘Aha’.

“Surely, then buying fruit might not be such a good option.”

“That’s right. Well, that’s not what I, the merchant who has to sell the fruit, say, but fruit in a temple isn’t such a good idea.”

“So, do you have anything else to recommend?”

When Cleon asks such a question, he ponders something for a while, then says ‘Ah’ and searches the cart behind the stall.

Then, he took out a small box that had been piled up in slightly higher quality gin packaging.

“It may be familiar to you, but… Snacks brought in from the kingdom. Did you say ‘cookies’? If it’s something imported from a kingdom like this, it might be good.”

“…Why are there cookies in the cart at the fruit shop?”

When Cleon asked if something was wrong, the store owner replied with a smile.

“Haha. I’m a member of the Dark Dragon Firm. I don’t really only sell fruit. First of all, I’m only selling fruit with a short shelf life, and I was thinking of displaying this snack at a stall someday.”

“Did you belong to the Dark Dragon Company…”

Somewhere, when Cleon, who found out why he felt familiar in his attitude toward his kingdom people, said that, the store owner nodded.

“Yeah. Hmm? Come to think of it, it seems there was a story that when Herti-nim returned from the kingdom yesterday, he brought a clan of dark demons with him…”

“Ah. That’s right.”

When Cleon responds like that, the store owner shows a surprised expression once again.

“Oops! I never thought you’d be that guest.”

“I don’t think it’s anything to be embarrassed about… Anyway, then I want to buy that cookie.”

After talking that far, Cleon shows the coin he was holding.

“…Can I live with this?”

“Huh? Ahh… Is it a ‘fighter war’?”

Cleon frowned, thinking that another strange word had appeared in his words.

“A knights war?”

“Yes. The culture of throwing money coins at the swordsmen is quite old, but every time there is an opinion that throwing real money is not morally wrong. A few years ago, it was made… Toss it to the swordsmen You can think of it as an yeopjeon for Jugi-yong.”

When Cleon said that, he looked at the coin he was holding.

“…So it’s not real money?”

“No! First of all, it has value. It is not right to not repay the people who have worked hard for the peace of this city. However, it does not have a fixed value, and the store owner who receives it does not If you like the target, there are inns that give you the most expensive room for even one exchange rate, and conversely, even if you pay 10 exchange rates, there are shops that don’t offer a cup of tea.”

“Hey~ That’s an interesting tradition.”

Quon nodded, but Cleon just tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Well. If you are Herti-sama’s guests and have already contributed to this city as knights.

“…Is it okay? It’s not like I’m losing money.”

When Cleon asked a little worriedly, the store owner smiled and answered.

“Of course, I have no intention of losing money. It’s not a world where everything is made of ‘material values’.”

“…Is it.”

Cleon listens to him, he nods as if he understands a little, and he hands him the coin he has.

Then, in his hand, the box of cookies the store owner had been holding a moment ago was placed.

“Thank you for purchasing! See you next time!”

“Yes! Thank you for talking in many ways! I will come again!”

When Quon bowed his head and walked away from the store with Cleon.

All I could see was the storekeeper’s figure waving his hand while laughing until it was barely visible.

“I’m glad you’re a good person.”

“Yeah. And… I think they’re good at business.”

At Cleon’s words, Quon tilted his head.

“Because I caught two regulars.”

“Aha… Huhu. That’s right.”

Quon laughs a little as if he understands.

Now that the preparations were complete, it was finally time to head directly to the temple.

001

“What, Miko!?”

The gaze is directed downward.

A sigh of relief is let out.

“Is this pattern again…”

Fortunately, this time it was a woman guarding the gate of her temple her, so Cleon didn’t make a stern expression like before, but Quon covered his chest her with her arms as if he was a little embarrassed.

“Kuh, keuh. I’ve been told to guide us inside when the ‘foreign shrine maiden’ visits. Are you ‘Quon’ by any chance?”

“Ah, yes… That’s right. I am the priestess Cleon talked about.”

When Quon replies that to the woman standing her guard her, she nods her head as well.

“If you go inside, there will be a priestess who guides you. Follow her and go to the main hall.”

At the woman’s words, the two opened the entrance that had been blocked with the spears in their hands, and Cleon and Quon went through it and climbed the stairs.

Just like when I came yesterday, there was a barrier that hindered my perception around the huge red door, and I could see that I could only go in and out under that door.

Then, a priestess who looked like the young priestess who had handed the bell to Cleon yesterday stood calmly there, wearing a fox mask on her face her.

“…”

She looked at Quon’s face and, like her other characters her, looked a little surprised. Soon after, he nodded her head in greeting.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Quon. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Yes, yes…”

In response to such a polite greeting, Quo also bowed her head in response, but it seemed that she herself could not even guess why she would be treated so politely.

However, whether it is or not, the young shrine maiden raised her head and spoke to the two.

“You can enter the inner part of the barrier. Cleon-nim, please join us.”

“…Me too? Well, I was thinking of doing that from the beginning.

Originally, I’m going to say no, but first, if Cleon and Quon also follow her words her and go inside the barrier–

“Wow…!”

Quon raised his voice at the changed scenery around him, a little startedled.

I couldn’t tell because of the barrier that distorted perception from the outside, but inside the barrier, trees with various flowers in full bloom densely, as if stood filling the ground.

All of them are landscapes like some other world, to the extent that if you think of them as trees that bear fruit, you would hardly expect a bad harvest.

“This way… There are a lot of trees, so don’t get lost. You have to follow the stone road.”

“Ah, yes…Four!’

The young priestess said so to Quon, who was looking at her landscape enthralled her, and she proceeded at a steady pace, leading Cleon and Quon.

Passing through the shadows of countless trees and smelling the fragrance of the flowers, it seemed that the boundary between reality and fantasy was becoming blurred.

The trees must have been moved by the wind, but they seemed to be waving as if they were moving of their own volition.

It seemed that I had to hold on to my spirit strongly so as not to be tempted and dragged away by them.

Even right now, the desire to throw oneself toward the small flower fields outside the road grew stronger.

“Quon.”

Cleon held Quon’s hand tightly.

He must have felt Quon’s eyes shake a little, but he was able to quickly return to reality with just that.

“Ah, yes… And thanks, Cleon.”

“…How far do we have to go?”

After entering the barrier, I walked for a few minutes, but it seemed that I hadn’t reached my destination yet, so if Cleon asked me that question.

The young shaman saw and looked back at her to answer.

“We’re almost there. Please be patient.”

“…Yes I’m okay.”

Quon answered while wiping the sweat on his forehead, and after proceeding to a certain extent as the young priestess said, he stood in front of a building that was one step bigger than the buildings in the barrier that he had seen on his way here.

The entrance was made of paper and was firmly closed.

“This is the main hall…?”

Cleon, in the presence of intense magical energy that he felt from the inside, he held his breath without realizing it.

There wouldn’t be anything hostile, but even so, I couldn’t loosen my guard.

The young shaman stood in front of it for a moment, took a deep breath, and then spoke.

“Daemunyeo. ‘Quon’ has been brought.”

Then, after a while, a slightly matured voice returned from beyond the door of the main hall.

“Okay. Let them go inside, and you go back to practice.”

“All right.”

At the words of a woman presumed to be the Great Miko, the young Miko bowed her waist toward the invisible object, and then she looked back at Cleon and Quon.

“If you go inside, the Maiden will greet you.”

“…What kind of person is the great priestess?”

“…If you meet him in person, you’ll know.”

In response to Cleon’s question, the young priestess avoided her gaze as if it was a bit difficult to answer.

She couldn’t decide if it was a discipline within the temple, or if it was a question that was difficult for her to answer sincerely.

When Cleon and Quon looked at each other’s faces and nodded.

I passed the young shrine maiden and opened the entrance to the building called the main hall.

OK-

Whiik-!

Sound cutting through the air.

The two people, who were pulled by an energy that they did not know whether it was wind or gravity, were in a large room before they knew it.

In a typical Eastern style room, sitting on the ground is the default, with two cushions placed.

And – on the other side of the cushion, there is a desk with paper and a brush for writing calligraphy.

Also, if your gaze moves beyond that.

With both of her knees on her knees, the shrine maiden was sitting in her seated posture.

On her face her, like her young shrine maiden, was a mask imitating a “Fox”.

With both of her hands resting on her lap her, she fixed her eyes on ‘Quon’ under the mask.

Her shrine maiden’s attire was much more colorful than the shrine maiden’s we saw earlier, and had many decorations.

For a moment, when silence continues as we look at each other.

A voice came from the priestess.

“Welcome, Quon. Sorry for the late greeting. To be honest- I was surprised.”

Quon and Cleon also made surprised faces as if they were surprised at the more informal tone than expected.

“Are you the godmother?”

“Yes, that’s right. And you, yesterday, received the material as a token from Grandma Quartz- No, this introductory phrase is a little strange.”

She clears her throat for a moment, then speaks again.

“The magic swordsman who fought to save the fate of the poor princess from darkness. Cleon. Right?”

“… Right.”

Cleon thought that Herti could not have told anyone such a story.

If so, this must have been something she figured out on her own.

That’s why, without denying it, if you look straight at her.

She soon brings her own hand to her mask her.

“This mask is something worn according to the temple’s teaching that you cannot be an ‘individual’ in the land of gods.

As she said that, she loosened the straps that held her own mask.

Soon, the fox mask was taken down.

“…!”

Both Quondo and Cleon couldn’t hide their surprised expressions when they saw her face her.

The reason why the widened mouth and open pupils do not close easily is-

This is because the face underneath the mask belonged to ‘a girl who resembled Quon and a twin’.

Besides, even her hair is green like Quon’s and blue eyes.

Seriously, the same face to the extent that it is doubtful whether it is the same person.

Only then did Cleon turn her gaze to the part of her chest that was her she-her granddaughter her.

There, there was only a flat ‘flat’ that was clearly female, but not even the slightest bump was visible.

“…What the heck, is this-?”

Quon, unable to hide her embarrassment, covers her mouth her with her hand and asks her a question.

Then, the Great Miko smiled and spoke while bringing her index and middle fingers to her mouth her.

“First, let me introduce myself. My name is Tokoyo.”

As if she noticed Cleon’s gaze her, Tokoyo, who met her eyes her with him, winked at her and answered in a light tone.

“The current head priestess of this temple. She is an existence whose mission is to protect the divine tree and the East from evil things.”