abcnovels
Chapter 13 - Invasion of the Vertical Curls
Chapter 13 - Invasion of the Vertical Curls
Chapter 13 - Invasion of the Vertical Curls
Chapter 13: Invasion of the Vertical Curls
“Master, Master. Rollierolls, came.”
While I was shut up in the medicine room, Noela came in while saying such a thing.
Rollierolls? What the heck is that?
Right now, Noela should be tending to the store, In that case, it’s probably about a customer.
“Master, is called. By rollierolls.”
“Eh. Me?”
What am I wanted for, I wonder.
Wait, just what is rollierolls?
When I headed to the store, there was a single girl standing in front of the counter.
Aah, so that’s what she means by rollierolls.
It’s just like Noela said. Her long hair was curled vertically.
She has some degree of elegance to her face, and she’s only a little bit restless.
She’s wearing a dress with just a little bit of Gothic influence to it.
“Welcome. What can I do for you?”
“And I suppose you are the owner of this pharmacy?”
At a glance, she seems around the age of a middle schooler.
She’s a girl with quite a haughty way of speaking.
I feel like I’ve met someone with a similar attitude just recently...
“Yes, my name is Kirio Reiji.”
“You may call me Elaine Fein Doran Vargas.”
“Haa, okay.”
Was she displeased with my “And so?” attitude? Elaine struck the counter repeatedly.
“’Okay’ is not the correct response! Shouldn’t you show me more respect?”
“... Look, Miss. If you want respect, then you should first be respectful to your own surroundings. That’s the first step to becoming an adult. Okay?”
I don’t really have the rights to say it about other people, but at least I’m not as bad as this kid.
“P,please don’t treat me like a child!”
And that’s why you’re still a brat.
“I’m being called to attend a dinner banquet together with Father the day after tomorrow. I’m a fine lady.”
“Heh-. I see. ... And, what did you come to buy? Do you have enough money? I didn’t put out any candy, okay?”
Elaine struck the counter again.
“’Heh-. I see,’ is not the correct response. That’s something you should be more surprised about! ... Mou, that’s enough. I didn’t come to buy anything.”
“... Then what did you come here for?”
Ahem; Elaine cleared her throat.
“I had heard about you from my Mother.”
“And who is your mother?”
“Her name is Flam.”
“A-. Madame Flam. ... which means you’re Madame Flam’s daughter?”
“As such.”
And Elaine made a proud pose with both hands on her hips.
So that means she’s a noble.
Is that why she’s so arrogant and making such a proud pose?
“I heard of you from Mother. That you’re a prodigy that defies the gods.”
“Just what were you told?”
“You trained hard to make a secret rejuvenation medicine, and made Mother young again, correct?”
“Just what were you told?”
She hasn’t gotten a single thing right so far.
“If you are able to make such a thing, then you will surely be able to make what I want.”
“Whether I can make it or not depends on the time and materials needed, right?”
“Then, what I want is medicine to make me popular –“
“Like hell I can make that -!”
That’s something I want.
“Why?! You’ll listen to Mother’s request, but you won’t listen to mine? Changing your attitude based on who your customer is isn’t very praiseworthy, don’t you think?”
Elaine pursed her lips in a poor mood.
Popularity medicine.
... Aah, an image comes up from Drug Discovery Skill, so I can’t say it’s impossible, huh?
But the ingredients are...
“By the way, when do you want it?”
“The day after tomorrow!”
“Sorry, but that’s impossible. Listen here, I told your mother the same thing, but when you tell me so suddenly, there are things I can do and things I can’t do.”
“... But you made Mother’s medicine, didn’t you...?”
“That was just a medicine made according to the request with a different effect. It actually wasn’t rejuvenation medicine.”
Elaine, who had thought that I’d give an okay to anything that was requested of me, was silent.
“... Do you have any other business? If not, then I will switch with Noela and leave the store to her.”
“Noela?”
“The beastman ... I mean, the werewolf girl who was at the counter earlier.”
Since Noela gets made when you say beastman.
“Master, can’t get it wrong! Noela, different, not beastman! Noela, werewolf!”
While saying that, her cheeks will puff out.
It’s cute, so I ended up unintentionally saying it.
Whether it’s a werewolf or a beastman, I haven’t seen any other than Noela, so I have absolutely no idea what the difference is between a beastman and a werewolf.
“It’s fine if you don’t switch with her. Why can’t you do it? You’re the genius alchemist, right?”
“In the first place, I’m not. I’m a pharmacist. Understand? I’m someone who makes medicine.”
“...? And so you’re an alchemist, right?? That’s what Mother said. ‘To put it simply, medicine is basically alchemy.’”
“Mo-ther-san-! That’s simplifying it way too much! Even if I don’t make popularity medicine, I think that Elaine is a cute and attractive lady, though?”
“Well, even if that’s true.”
“Deny it a little.”
She isn’t embarrassed at all.
Is it something like she’s used to it because she’s a noble? Seems like it.
“As you might imagine, the dinner banquet will have many high-standing gentlemen gathered there.”
“Hm?”
“I have to greet other Houses, dance according to the music, and have a meal. There will be delicious dishes set out such that a commoner like you would faint at the sight.”
I prefer Mina’s homecooked meals more than that kind of exaggerated thing.
“Yeah, yeah. And so?”
“... Lars-sama of the Girald House will be there... so, I ...”
With her face going red, Elaine began to fidget.
Hmm, so she likes this Lars-san?
“And so you want a popularity drug?”
“Yeah... U,um, no, that’s not it!? Lars-sama is the second son of a Count, and it doesn’t match up to the Vargas House, so um, how could I? I’m thinking of aiming for much better gentlemen, so –“
“Ah- okay, okay. I see-. Young mi-ss is an attractive lady after all –“
“You, you’re making light of me now, aren’t you?”
“Yup. Good job figuring it out.”
“Deny it-. You really are making light of me!”
Hahaha; my laughter came flooding out.
“Well think about it normally? You mean that if you don’t use the popularity medicine, then this Lars-san won’t come to like you, right? If you don’t continue to use the medicine, then he won’t continue to like you. What do you think about that? Isn’t it pitiful?”
“Ugugu...! Saying such cheeky things despite being a commoner-!”
“It won’t do to rely on popularity medicine before putting more effort in yourself, right? It’s not just popularity you’re after, right? Isn’t it love you’re after?”
“Ugu...! What does a commoner like you know?”
“Even if you say things like commoner or noble, does social status have anything to do with this?”
“Ugugugugu... how frustrating ... I can’t say anything against that...”
“Hmph.”
Right here is an adult who’s feeling triumphant after shoving an irrefutable argument at a middle school aged girl.
Even though I said it in such a haughty manner, I also have absolutely no clue about it.
I’ve also never put effort into being popular.
“And so, to be popular with Lars-sama, just what should I do...?”
When she said such a thing, it was my turn to remain silent.
“...”
I have to say something; I squeezed out my words.
“Ah- uuuum – that’s right... there’s that. Yeah. Popularity medicine is impossible, but I can make a medicine that could make women popular, maybe...”
When I said so with difficulty, Elaine lurched forward over the counter.
“Is that true!? You can make it!?”
“It won’t be certain popularity, but ... a medicine that draws out Elaine’s charm? If it’s that, then I can, maybe.”
“Money – if it’s money, then I can give you as much as you need! If I return to the mansion –“
“Whack.”
I gave Elaine’s head a chop.
“Kyan!? You struck m,my head!?”
“You’re not acting like an adult, Curls. This is why rich people are; it’s always money, money, money, money. I ain’t taking money from children ... wait a little bit.”
Making Elaine wait in the store, I entered the medicine room and began work.
Mina suddenly poked her head in.
“Um, Reiji-san? Would you like me to serve her some tea?”
“I don’t have any tea to serve that Curls who doesn’t understand how society works.”
Is it because she’s Curls that she doesn’t understand the rules of society, or is it because she doesn’t understand the rules of society that she’s Curls?
Who would know?
“Ufufu, it seems she was having fun, that girl. Talking with Reiji-san. Right now Noela’s thrust into that role.”
Hm? With Noela?
“So you are Noela? This is my first time seeing a beastman, so let us get along –“
“Noela, not beastman-!”
Ah, she stepped on a landmine right away.
DoWith her footsteps resounding, Noela came to the medicine room.
“Master. Rollierolls, Noela, doesn’t like.”
With her cheeks puffed out, Noela is sulkily angry.
While teasing her puffy cheeks, I soothed Noela.
“Noela-san, what about me? What about me?” (Mina)
“Mina, like.”
“Ya-ay!”
Raising a happy voice, Mina hugged Noela tightly.
While that heart-warming exchange went on, my hands worked hard, making medicine.
When I put the usual finishing touches by shaking the bottle, the contents glowed lightly.
[Charm Fragrance: a perfume that features a fragrance with invigorating effect.]
“Alright, done.”
Although I don’t know whether she’ll be pleased with it our not -.
Mina and Noela looked at me.
“What is it?”
“For some reason there’s a pleasant smell.”(mina)
“... It smells good when you put it on.” (reiji)
“Reiji-san, I also want to try putting it on...” (mina)
“Un, that’s fine.”
“Ah~ but is it okay? To use it on me...”
“Then let’s not.”
“Aa~, don’t pick on me-!”
“Haha. Afterwards, okay? This is going to be handed over for Elaine’s use.”
So saying, I returned to the shop.
“I,is it done!? Popularity medicine!”
First, Elaine, who had gotten worked up on seeing me, has to calm down.
“I said it before, but this isn’t popularity medicine. ... It’s a perfume with a pleasant smell. I’ll teach you how to use it now, so use it how I show you. – With just this, you’ll go up one level as a woman.”
Gulp; Elaine’s throat made a slight sound.
“U,up one level, as a woman...! I feel like this will make me popular.”
“This only has a pleasant smell, okay? It’s possible that Elaine’s own attitude, expressions, and conduct could spoil it all.”
Elaine gulped again.
“I, I will take that to heart...”
She’s cute when she’s obediently honest in this moment.
I dribbled the liquid in the small bottle on Elaine’s wrists twice and rubbed them together.
“Ah. It smells good... I feel like it only has a bit of a scent, is this fine?”
“If you put on too much, it will have the opposite effect and be unpleasant.
“Is that so ... You’re quite the knowledgeable person, aren’t you?”
“It’s just that you didn’t know about it.
“Mu. Shouldn’t the way you speak to me be better? I’m the daughter of the Vargas House that governs this town, you know?”
“Ah, right. Anyway, next is the neck.”
“Even if we’re talking about status, you just won’t acknowledge it, I see.”
What a weird person; with that, Elaine chuckled.
“There isn’t much left, so there’s only enough to use a little on important occasions.”
“Un. That’s fine.”
When my simple lecture was over, with a flurry of steps, the old butler from before came into the store, out of breath.
“M – my lady, I’ve been looking for you –“
“Oh my. I’ve been found. ... Reiji-sama, thank you very much for this medicine. With this, I will bid you good day.”
Grasping the edges of her skirt gracefully, Elaine bowed her head.
Looks like Elaine went out on her own.
“... Do your best at the dinner party?”
When I said so, Elaine flushed red.
“ – wh-, what is it, a,all of a sudden... E,even if you didn’t tell me too, I’m a girl who’s just overflowing with attractiveness, so th,there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Turning to face the other direction, Elaine left with the old butler.
She’s at the age where you fall in love with love, so there are a lot of things that can go wrong, but I think it would be good if that perfume helps out.
And then two days later.
Elaine came by herself once again.
“... Why are you here? The dinner party is tonight, isn’t it?”
“That’s~ um, I’m not going to go.”
“Why again?”
“Wh,when I thought about it, gentlemen who speak frankly... are more preferable... to me ... I,I, someone who doesn’t mind status or origins is ...”
Her voice is tiny.
As she speaks, Elaine shrank more and more.
“... I prefer someone who is brimming with ability, you know...?”
“Haa... I see.”
“I don’t like arrogant mannerisms, and there are a lot of nobles who wear their status on the nose.”
“That’s a boomerang! That’s a huge boomerang!”
It’s like she’s talking about her own traits, this young lady ...
“I believe those are not suitable for me. And, when I really thought about it, Lars-sama’s face isn’t all that too my liking.”
“Aah, I see. ... Well, it’s fine. And, so what do you need today?”
“There isn’t really anything in particular, but is there anything I can help with?”
“Help with, you say, well – ... huh? ... You’re wearing that perfume?
Pyon; Elaine made a small jump.
“Ye – yes-! Today, um, I’m wearing it-! I,is it unpleasant...?”
“No, that’s not it. It’s a pleasant smell. But why are you purposefully...?”
When I glanced towards the inner rooms, Noela was standing there with her arms crossed.
“Master, rollierolls, no.”
... I totally don’t understand what she means.
And so, until the old butler came to get her again, Elaine stayed in the store, chatting away.
When Elaine left, Noela came into the store.
As if trying to drive the leftover smell of the perfume away, she batted her hand in the air to scatter the smell.
... Why is she doing that?
Mina is giggling.
“A rival for Noela has appeared.”
“What the heck.”
Hmph; making a rough, nasal sound, Noela came back.
“Master, rollierolls, no.”
“? Aah, un.”
When I responded suitably, Noela gave a satisfied nod.