Published: July 26, 2025
“Looks like we have a lot of luggage today.”
In the morning, Lutz, who came to pick me up, lightly shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the bundles of cloth stacked inside the basket.
The basket we use when going to the forest was filled with a huge amount of clothes wrapped in cloth. There were clothes for Fran, Delia, and Gil, my blue dress and sash, and also the three-piece set I bought just yesterday.
The outfit I bought yesterday had an ethnic costume vibe and was cute, but it was flawless without any patches, embroidered beautifully, and even had long, trailing sleeves with lace. This wasn’t the kind of clothing children around here would wear. If I wandered around dressed like that, who knows what kind of trouble I might get into.
After being warned by my family, I decided to wear my usual casual clothes like Lutz and go to Benno’s shop, then change at Lutz’s warehouse.
When operating in the northern area, clothing and belongings inevitably become expensive. It’s understandable since those things are commonly used there. However, if you’re known to possess costly items regularly, just going back and forth home becomes dangerous.
The apprentice clothes worn by children right after their baptism ceremony are usually new and prepared by parents, so they rarely draw attention. But if you keep wearing new clothes as you grow, you’ll probably become a target for thieves. Maybe I should ask Benno to prepare a storage place for my luggage as well.
“So, if possible, could you rent me a cheap room?”
While Lutz was changing in his room, I was asked to wait in the back room and tried asking Benno if he could lend me a room.
Benno, who was struggling with a wooden tag, gave me a very serious look and glared.
“I’m fine with lending you a room, but if it’s cheap, it’ll be the attic, okay? …Can you climb up to the attic every time just to store your luggage and change clothes?”
Remembering how I get out of breath even on the fifth floor of my own house, I hesitated.
“If I go up slowly and carefully, I think I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t look fine at all. Rather, don’t you have a room in the temple? What do you do when you have guests?”
“Guests?”
I planned to come to the temple just to charge mana and read books; I wasn’t expecting any visitors. Tilting my head in confusion, Benno put down his pen and looked at me.
“Even when Lutz came to pick you up, you should have been shown to your room, right? How was it before?”
“…Lutz was made to wait at the gate, and a gray priest came to call him to the library. So, are you saying I should negotiate to make the library my room?”
“Why on earth would you say that!?”
“It just slipped out because I wished it could be like that.”
I knew there was no way the library filled with expensive books could become my room. It was just a wish.
“Ha. Whatever… If you don’t have a room, then today you should ask the high priest to lend you one.”
“Huh? Today?”
“Lutz’s job today is to talk to Fran about managing your health.”
“Understood. I’ll consult the high priest.”
After the conversation settled a bit, Benno picked up the bell on the desk and rang it. Then, a maid peeked out from the back door.
“You called?”
“Help her change. Myne, you can use that folding screen to change. The attic is impossible for you.”
Eh? You want me to change here!?
I swallowed the words that almost escaped my mouth. After ordering the maid, Benno picked up his pen and started working again. The maid efficiently unfolded the folding screen to make a changing area. It was so naturally arranged that I felt like the odd one out for hesitating, and I couldn’t think of a good excuse to refuse.
“…Um, Benno, you don’t have to worry so much. I think I’ll be fine if I climb slowly.”
“Don’t use up your little energy before departure.”
My small resistance was crushed by Benno’s words.
He was concerned for me, so it was considerate, and since I’m a little girl, if I think about it, it’s not that embarrassing…? No, no, it’s embarrassing!