Third Arc: Fifteenth Chapter

"To think you were the one who came up with slippers, milady. I had no idea, but even so, I was terribly rude. And thanks to you our stock has sold out clean across the board. You truly are something."

The heavily made-up clerk wiped the sweat shining on her forehead and gave a wry smile. If she wiped that hard, wouldn't her careful makeup come off? I had been on edge about it for a while now. Ah! See, the color of her forehead is changing. Aaah, that handkerchief is an amazing color.

Right now we were being treated to cold juice in the reception room at the back of the shop.

It had been fun to do some sales promotion after so long. Maybe because it had been a while, I enjoyed myself so much that I even pitched products not yet on the market here, and while I was at it, I used Michael as a model to show off men's riding boots too. I had brought along all sorts of shoes as a gift for Lady Remie's husband, and it was a real blessing they came in handy. Sissi, who rushed the boots over from the inn, wore a look of exasperation, though.

As a result my voice had gone terribly hoarse, but it paid off, because the shop's owner offered to do business over the goods, and so we were waiting for that person to arrive. Without even planning it, I looked set to expand my sales channels in Lumelica, and I was very excited.

Ahh, a beer after work... it was a shame it wasn't that, but the juice was exceptional.

"Oh, not at all, oh-ho-ho... by the way, do you have any beer? ...No, I mean, I'm so glad you seem to understand the proper way to use slippers."

"Well, that slippers are indoor footwear was quite the blind spot. And that they help with dieting, no less. I mean to try it myself right away."

The clerk stole an envious glance at Lady Julia's lovely legs, then nodded once and turned her eyes back to me.

"By the way, beer? What might that be? If there's anything you'd like, I'll arrange it right away..."

In her eyes as she offered this was a glint of interest she couldn't quite hide. She was probably hoping there might be a new seed of business in it. Scratching my cheek, I opened my mouth to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Well, beer is a drink made from barley... it's, you know, yellow and all fizzy, and you go glug glug glug, and... oohhh..."

Once I started remembering, I couldn't stop. I wanted a drink so badly my hands were itching.

"L-Lady Cosette? Are you all right?"

Lady Julia fretted over me as I writhed, but with my past-life memories flooding back one after another, I was by now at death's door.

Watching me like that, Michael spoke, with a thoughtful air.

"I don't know this 'beer,' but there's something like it. A drink made from barley. It's a commoners' drink, though, not much liked by nobles. I love it! Ha ha!"

"Whaaaaaat! There is?! Hah! Could this be a dream?! No, if it's a dream, then at least let me have one sip first...!"

What a thing. To think there was beer. This alone made me feel, from the bottom of my heart, that coming to Lumelica had been worth it. ...No, wait. I don't yet know if it's the real thing. On this matter, of all matters, I refuse to get my hopes up for nothing.

I made my face as serious as I could, straightened up, and turned to face Michael.

"Ahem. Michael!"

"Wh-what is it?!"

Michael was rattled by how serious my face was, but this was a matter that important, so of course he was.

"That drink made from barley, I want to drink it! Please, please, pretty please!!"

No good. My true feelings leaked right out, so there had been no point putting on airs.

"Pff! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

As if to slice through the awkward air in the room, a hearty burst of laughter rang out. When I turned toward the voice, a tall man with copper-red hair stood in the doorway, bent double, clutching his stomach and laughing.

"Um, and who might you be...?"

Laughing out of nowhere, what a rude fellow. But who was he? As I asked, wary, a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Elliot! How long are you going to laugh! It's rude!"

Pushing aside the man whose fit of laughter wouldn't stop, the one who came into the room was Lady Remie, her splendid ringlet curls swaying gracefully as ever.

"Lady Remie...!"

Lady Julia and I stood up from our chairs with a clatter and rushed over to our dear old friend. Lady Remie, unchanged from before, no, far, far more beautiful than before, wore a contented smile and made a graceful curtsy.

"...Julia, Cosette. It's been a while. Thank you for coming all this way! To be able to meet you again like this... it makes me truly happy."