“Sister-in-law!!”
I woke up to a voice calling me and saw Jasmine looking down at me next to my bed. I looked at the clock and saw that it was earlier than my usual wake up time. But for some reason Jasmine woke up at this hour.
“What’s happen?”
Jasmine laughed at my question and sat down on the bed.
“What day will it be tomorrow?”
I tilted my head at her words.
‘Tomorrow… I know. Isn’t it Saturday?’
As I enjoyed living a semi-unemployed life in a duke’s house, the concept of days of the week disappeared from me. As I was thinking, Jasmine opened her mouth without even having time to reply.
“I’m looking forward to it!”
Jasmine shouted and ran out of the room. Asking what day tomorrow was and saying she was looking forward to it. Even the most clueless country could understand this. Tomorrow was Jasmine’s birthday. What should I do to make it like it?
Jasmine would have pretty much everything. It’s a special gift that Jasmine will like.
‘Hmm, no matter how much I thought about it, nothing in particular came to mind. What should I do?’
* * *
At the time Fiora was thinking about Jasmine’s gift, there was someone who was worrying about something else.
Baridas sighed while drinking his usual cup of tea.
‘This is not it. The coffee Fiora made was sweeter, bitter, and deep in taste.’
It felt like he was bothering her with something that wasn’t that big of a deal to ask her to make it again. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t concentrate on work because the taste kept lingering in his mouth.
He sighed and eventually got up. He felt like he couldn’t get his work done if he couldn’t drink the coffee Fiora made. He headed towards Fiora’s room without hesitation and was about to knock when the door opened and someone came into his arms. He looked down and saw Fiora looking up at him with her eyes wide open.
* * *
What was this? My eyes widened at the cliché situation that seemed like something out of an old comic book. I was just going downtown to buy Jasmine a gift, but why is Baridas in front of my room?
“What happen?”
At my question, Baridas moved slightly away from me.
“I came because I had a favor to ask.”
A favor to ask? I tilted my head at his words.
‘Ah, Baridas is also worried about Jasmine’s birthday present!’
No matter how much he thought about it, that was the only thing that Baridas would come to him with. He probably knows Jasmine’s tastes better.
“Is it because of Jasmine’s birthday present?”
* * *
Baridas was unable to continue his speech due to the unexpected answer. This was because he had never celebrated his younger siblings’ birthdays. Not even celebrating his own birthday, he couldn’t figure out why they attached so much significance to the day he was born. However, he could not bear to say no in front of Fiora, who cared for children, so he nodded.
At his answer, a bright smile appeared on Fiora’s face.
“I’m going to buy a gift too, do you want to come with me?”
There was a lot of work behind. So much so that he had to stay up all night for two days. He knew that if he left now, things would escalate several times. But he couldn’t refuse Fiora’s words. He didn’t know why, though.
“Of course.”
He regretted the answer he gave, but it was already too late.
* * *
I looked up at him as I boarded the carriage heading downtown with Baridas.
“Where do you want to go first?”
Toy store, flower shop, dessert shop, jewelry shop or salon. It may be a bit early for things like jewelry, but the culture is different. What else does Jasmine like? While I was thinking about Jasmine’s gift, the carriage suddenly stopped. Baridas had stopped the carriage. When I looked at him, he had already gotten off the carriage.
“Would you like to go with me?”
At those words, I held his hand and got out of the carriage. There was a large doll store right in front of where the carriage stopped. There were a wide variety of dolls, from small, ordinary teddy bears to Barbie dolls richly decorated with jewels. As I entered the store, a man who appeared to be the owner rushed out.
“Welcome!”
Baridas responded to his greeting with a nod and pointed with his hand to where the dolls were displayed.
“From here, to here.”
His fingers traced a straight line and scanned the display case. At first glance, it was a row of expensive dolls gathered together. Was that really rich? Every once in a while, I saw rich people doing something like that in dramas or movies and I wonder why they do that no matter how rich they were. I thought so, but they actually do it. When I looked at the store owner out of the corner of my eye, his eyes had already grown as big as they could.
“I will send it to the Duke’s house as soon as it is ready.”
He smiled while his smile had a strong feeling of capitalism. But since Baridas was good at choosing things on his own, why did he ask me to choose Jasmine’s birthday present together? Could it be that it was another request? But no matter how much I thought about it, there was nothing he could ask me for. And if it had been another request, he would have said it himself. First of all, let me buy a gift for Jasmine first.
Shaking off random thoughts and returning to the main topic, I looked out the window of the carriage.
I bought you a dress last time and the toy doesn’t seem to be that good. Then what is there? While I was pondering, a cake shop caught my eye. However, it was clear that Jasmine’s birthday cake was already being made in the Duke’s kitchen, so I didn’t feel any need to buy it.
As I was contemplating a gift, I sighed and an idea occurred to me.
‘That was it.’
“Please go to the magic tool shop.”
Baridas’ eyes widened at my words. There were only five magic tool shops in the empire, two in the capital, one in the territory ruled by the Marquis Terrill and the Count of Epidos, and one in the Childe family’s territory. Magic tool shops have expensive magic tools, but some items can only be managed by wizards, so they are run directly at the magic tower. But no matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like there was nothing worth giving Jasmine as a birthday present at the magic tool store. Because it was operated for nobles without magical powers, there were many gorgeous and beautiful items, but none of them were suitable for children to use.
At that time, the horse carriage stopped as if it had arrived. When I looked out the window, the white and gold magic tool shop I saw was so grand that it gave me a mysterious feeling.
I let out a low exclamation.
It really was a place like something out of a fantasy novel. As I stood in front of the door, the bell floating in the air rang with a refreshing sound and the door opened. The interior was also colorful and mysteriously decorated, and the lights were floating alone in the sky without being fixed.
As I was in the middle of looking around the interior, a clerk approached me. Her eyes darted up and down me and Baridas. Her expression brightened, as if she had realized who I was.
“What are you looking for?”
I looked around once and opened my mouth.
“Can I see the wand?”
Baridas and the clerk’s eyes widened at my words. Wands, which allow you to more easily control magical power, were not used these days, but in the past, they were considered an essential item for wizards. These days, wizards rarely use it, and its role was to help young children with magical powers control their magic or use magic comfortably. Of course, without magical power, it was just a long, pretty staff.
“Do you know how to use magic?”
The first head of the family was a wizard, but the Chilan family was influenced by its lady and was closer to swordsmanship than magic. Because magical power was almost hereditary, many nobles expected that many outstanding magicians would come from the Chilan family. However, contrary to their expectations, almost no wizards came out of the Chilan family. Still, perhaps due to the influence of the first head of the family, a wizard emerged from each family, but the last record was two hundred years ago. Jasmine was the first wizard from the Chilan family in two hundred years. Also a genius wizard.
Knowing that fact, I said with a confident smile.
“No, I’m giving it to Jasmine.”
* * *
Baridas, who had thought that Fiora would naturally give Eurisia’s music box to Jasmine, tilted his head. It didn’t occur to him that she would gift the wand to Jasmine without even thinking about it.
He knew it too. The magician’s mastery was cut off two hundred years ago.
Wands were not dangerous items and many had pretty designs, so they could be considered toys. Baridas thought, completely ruling out the possibility that Jasmine could be a wizard.
He followed her inside and saw the beautifully decorated wands. Now, the wand was more of an accessory than a convenient way to use magic.
‘I’m sure Jasmine will like it.’
* * *
Among the wands on display, I chose one that looked like a flower, with a stem and petals made of gold and a purple gem in the middle.
“Let’s do this.”
When I chose a wand that looked expensive at first glance, the clerk’s expression brightened even more. She pulled out a wand from the display with a bright smile on her face.
“Yes, we will pack it for you right away. Is there anything else you need?”
I wanted to look at children’s magic books and other things, but I felt sorry for taking up more time from the busy Baridas.
“That’s enough.”
In response to my response, she put her hand in the air, pulled out a long leather pouch, put the wand in it, and tied it with a purple string. I watched her with her eyes wide open. Suddenly, a space appeared in the air, and a pocket and string came out of it. Magic was much more mysterious than I thought.
“Please visit again next time!”
The clerk greeted me cheerfully. I turned around, holding her pocket preciously in my hand. Then a small music box caught my eye. Inside a white music box made of ivory, a pair of crystal swans were swimming gracefully. Perhaps it was made by magic, but a piano melody, not the sound typical of a music box, was being heard. From the music box, the song that came to mind was the song that Ren and Thomas played a few weeks ago.
The image of the children came to mind, and I looked down at it and smiled slightly.
“Let me buy this too.”
Baridas probably thought I wanted a music box and approached the clerk with it. He then quickly paid without me having time to stop him and handed me the music box. The situation passed so quickly that I absentmindedly accepted the music box.
“Is there anything else you’d like to have?”
Only then did I come to my senses and waved my hands. This too was excessive. It was too late to refuse, so I accepted it, but honestly, it looked very expensive, so it was a burden.
“It’s okay!”
Nodding his head, Baridas extended his hand to me.
“Then let’s go.”
* * *
Baridas, riding in the carriage with Fiora, sighed inwardly as he looked at the setting sun. When he thought about the paperwork that would increase tomorrow, he felt terrible. The purpose of visiting Fiora was not achieved. It was at that time that he was wondering what to ask for.
“Baridas, you look tired. Would you like me to go back and make you a cup of coffee?”
Although it was a coincidence, Baridas smiled brightly at Fiora’s words as if she had read his thoughts. He couldn’t even remember how long it had been since he laughed like this.
He answered while stopping the corners of his mouth from continuing to rise.
“Yes, please.”
* * *
I thought as I looked at his bright smile.
‘He really liked the latte.’
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on May, 17.
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