CH 57

57. Shopping

The next morning, I left home to do my daily training.

Today too, Grandma followed me in silent.

I passed through the residential area and continued on the promenade, but Grandma who silently followed me was the same as yesterday, eerie.

STEP!! STEP!! STEP!!

Only the sound of footsteps echoed in the early morning.

When I was doing calisthenics in the usual square, Grandma stared at me.

“Those shoes are rather worn.”

For some reason, Grandma was concerned with my shoes.

“These are the ones I bought quite some time ago.”

The athletic shoes I wore were the same ones I had used in middle school gym class.

I bought new training clothes, but I didn’t care much about the shoes.

They looked like they hadn’t been used much, so I thought they were still usable, but yeah, they were a little faded and looked bad.

“It can’t be helped. I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Really?”

“Giving my grandson a pair of new shoes, is nothing special.”

“Thank you.”

Favors, after all, should be received honestly.

“Then let’s go shopping today. Can you tell Aki?”

“I understand. But, Sis said she would go to the library in the morning.”

“I see. Well then, let’s go out in the afternoon. For her… right, she should have proper sports clothes.”

“Ah… that’s right.”

Namu Amida….

When buying shoes, you should choose them according to how they should be worn, right?

I didn’t really care whom I was going with, but I felt like I had just done something bad to Sis.

After all, Sis rarely went to the library, but she did. Probably because she knew that she would be forced to do special training at home.

“There is a big sports store ten minutes away by bus, should we go there?”

“Sure, I don’t mind. Is it in a shopping street with a supermarket?”

“That’s right.”

The place wasn’t big, but it was a pretty convenient place because almost anything was available there.

When I returned home after training and told Sis the details, she muttered “Eh!?” and her body trembled in instant.

I don’t think there’s an earthquake though?

……Well, I guess she can guess what would happen.

“Just think this as filial piety.”

“T-T-T-T-That’s right.”

For some reason, Sis seemed to want to go back to the library.

◇

When I told Mom I would go shopping with Grandma, she asked me to buy a few other things.

It was something we would need for tomorrow’s barbecue.

“Firestarter huh……”

It seems that a Firestarter is a solid mixture of charcoal powder and fuel.

It seems that it catches fire easily, and if you put charcoal on it and leave it alone, it will be easier to start the fire.

But… Isn’t it best to start with flammable wood shavings, like twigs and branches, fire them up, and use them to fire the charcoal?

……Well, there’s nothing like that in the garden, so I guess, we’ve no choice.

After eating lunch, the three of us got ready to go shopping.

We were sent off by Mom and left home.

Sis’ complexion is… not good, but it’s probably better not to say anything about it.

“Come to think of it, grandmother, those are safety boots, right?”

“Oh, you know about it?”

“Yeah. Not just for the toes, but it supports the stepping, right?”

“Right, and it has shock absorption.”

“When I tried to hold it yesterday, it was really heavy.”

Did she jog with it? Crazy…

“Because of my work, I sometimes drop my luggage, and I don’t always walk on concrete. Plus, there’s also a toe puff inside. This has saved me many times you know.” 

Normally, the luggage would be transported by a forklift, but Grandma’s destination wasn’t limited to places where such things could fit. 

Mechanization was advancing in the special ward, but that couldn’t be said everywhere in Japan.

Parts were delivered directly to the construction site, and there must be places where the scaffolding was poor. 

“So, it’s not just driving.”

“That’s right. Many places don’t have enough people after all. More than that, you knew about safety boots, huh? I thought you’d never seen one.”

“Well… I have a lot of interests.”

If I had stayed in my original body, maybe I would have worn it to work after graduating……

As we walked, I spotted a group of people arguing a little further ahead. 

“Grandmother, look there.”

“……hm?”

Looking closely, I could see several women surrounding one woman.

Even from afar, it was clear. The women surrounding were furious. 

“What a disturbing atmosphere… ah.” 

Normally, the passersby would pretend not to see it. Maybe because they didn’t have enough courage. 

But, when I was watching, one of the people nearby rushed. 

“I’m going to stop them.”

“I’m going too.” 

The surrounding women were pushed.

Being caught off guard, they were slapped. 

“You guys, what are you doing?!” 

Grandma intervened, so I took the surrounded woman’s arm and pulled her away. 

“Stay away, old hag!”

“Seeing one person bullied by many people. You think I will leave it alone, hah!!?” 

They flinched for a moment at Grandma’s declaration, but maybe they were annoyed at the idea of losing to the old woman’s pressure, they took a step forward. 

But Grandma was standing with her arms crossed, not moving. 

“…………”

“…………” 

The glaring contest continued.

As for the woman I was protecting… She looked ahead without batting an eyelash.

Do you really need our help…?

“…tch, let’s go.”

They glanced once in my direction before leaving the scene.

All that was left behind was the woman and us.

The woman didn’t look like a high school student. A little older than Sis… perhaps, in her early twenties.

“Are you okay?”

When I asked the woman if she was safe, she brushed her long hair down her back…

“Jeez, this is why commoners…… hmm? this is, quite rare for such a place”

“Eh?”

The woman looked at me and muttered something like that.

“The more I look, the more I like your face. You, shall be allowed to serve this I.”

“Eeeh?”

Serve…? What is this person talking about?

“That body, I can’t wait to tast… Ouch!?”

The woman had been hit on the head by Grandma.

“What are you saying in broad daylight…? Seriously.”

Slowly, I took three steps away from the cowering woman.

◇

Why did the woman argue with them?

Without asking in detail, I could already guess the reason. Just by the way she spoke, normal people would surely get upset.

“What a bunch of unrefined people.”

“With that kind of attitude, normal people will get angry you know.”

I may have helped the wrong person.

“It’s just as my dear mother said. In here, there are many people who lack the spirit of service.”

“…..She’s a noble.” (low voice)

Grandma sighed and told me quietly.

Do nobles look down on people in such a natural way?

When I send a gaze, Grandma told me, “Some are like her.”, as if she knew what I wanted to ask. 

“So, young lady, why are you here?” 

Grandma stood in front of me, as if to hide me. 

“Hmm… I wanted to take a taxi as soon as I came here, but it didn’t move.”

“Did you enter your destination?”

“Course of course.”

“What about the payment?”

“Payment shall be made when I reach the destination.”

Ah…… If I didn’t have this body knowledge, I would have done the same.

“The special ward only operates unmanned taxis, so you’ll need a credit card, a mobile phone linked to your bank account, or a transportation IC card, young lady.”

“I don’t have anything like that….. So, since I couldn’t take the taxi, I got on the bus, and now I am here.”

“…………” 

Grandma held her head.

Don’t you know the basic knowledge for living a life?

Or do you usually live on an uninhabited island?

“What about cash?”

“Of course, I have. My dear mother gave me some.”

“Then let’s do this. You can’t use cash for an unmanned taxi, but I’ll pay for you… But, give me the amount in cash. Of course, one of us will be riding with you in the taxi.”

“I see, what a wonderful idea.”

The woman clapped her hands.

“T-then, I’ll go with you!”

Sis, who had been silent until now, raised her voice. This desperation to run away from shopping was as clear as day.

“Hmm. Then, you there, come.”

The woman seemed to have no objections.

Grandma looked at Sis but said nothing.

For some reason, Sis was excited and called an unmanned taxi from her smartphone.

“This I, isn’t stingy, so don’t worry about money. I’ll pay you double the price, enough for you to go back.”

Even though the woman couldn’t take a taxi by himself, she seemed somehow bossy.

Soon, an unmanned taxi arrived.

“Then I’ll send this person. Grandmother, I’m sorry I couldn’t go shopping with you. Take-chan, take care of the rest.”

“Yeah, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Then, I’ll go.”

The taxi left with the two of them inside.

I wonder if all nobles are like that…

For some reason, I felt so tired even though nothing in particular happened to me.