Sorry for the late update! Been busy with RL stuff.
Chapter SS1: Shared Umbrella
Translator: Tseirp
Zoltan was nearing spring.
During this period, Zoltan would have shorter daytime for half a month but there was heavy rainfall every day.
The Mineral Dragon, who is familiar with the weather, said that during this season, the direction of the wind changes and the wind from the southern ocean blows in which causes the rain.
With that rain, the cold winter wind disappears and the temperature of Zoltan quickly turns to resemble spring.
“Sheesh, this is a terrible rain.”
I commented as I looked at the rain hit the window.
The shop was closed today.
Lit and I were planning to take a joyride on a small boat on the river but the rain didn’t seem to let up.
“Mu―”
Lit regretfully looked up at the black sky as she looked through the window.
“Let’s give up, Lit. We can’t beat the weather.”
“If only I have spells like Yarandorara!”
“Yarandorara may be able to manipulate weather but she rarely uses such spells.”
Even a master of Spirit Magic like Yarandorara would have to expend most of her magical power to cast Control Weather but that did give her the option to freely change the weather within a 5 km radius.
She could turn storms into clear skies, or cause terrible catastrophes such as covering towns with blizzards or calling down rain in the desert.
But doing so would affect the animals and plants so Yarandorara disliked controlling the weather.
Ares could control the weather to a certain extent as well but he could only manipulate the weather native to that particular land and season … Yarandorara had bickered with Ares before for using magic to control the weather on impulse.
At that time, I tried to arbitrate but … I seriously wanted to not be involved with their quarrels.
Ares hated to change his decision and would not bend while Yarandorara would not be content until he accepts that he has done something wrong.
Danan, who is usually quick to get into fights, would make things worse by commenting that ‘Are they seriously having a fight with words over something like this’ and it would turn into an even bigger fight that I wanted to draw away from.
“Red, you’re frowning.”
Lit extended her hand to my face and began ma.s.saging around my temple.
“Relax, relax.”
“Thank you, Lit. I’m fine now.”
Lit laughed with an ‘ehehe’.
Even though the journey was so tough, I think I can forgive anything if I have this smile following it.
I loved Lit so much and had the urge to embrace her tightly with both my arms.
And so I hugged her tightly.
“Wha!? What’s with the sudden affection? Ehehe.”
“Do I have to have a reason to hug Lit?”
“Nope.”
Lit replied with her own arms wrapped around my body.
We spent some time in each other’s arms as we listened to the rainfall.
☆☆
“So what should we do today?”
After embracing each other for a little while until we were a little sweaty, we separated and Lit asked.
“Where? But the rain doesn’t seem to be letting up.”
I looked out the window but the rain didn’t show any signs of slowing down.
Lit crossed her arms and pouted.
It’s out of topic but it’s a great sight to see when Lit crosses her arm and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s get accentuated.
“I can’t think of anything now but it’s frustrating to give up on a date with Red and lose to the rain!”
It seemed that Lit didn’t feel like losing today.
“Yeah. That said, boating in this rain would be bothersome. The river would likely rise too.”
“Yup, let’s give up on that. But I want to go out.”
I opened the window slightly.
The rain seeped through the small gap and soaked my hand.
“Going out seems to be hard.”
Lit thought about it as she walked around the shop.
I smiled at her actions while I thought about how I could spend time together with Lit today as well.
Looking outside, I saw several Downtown children walking playfully in the rain.
“That’s it.”
I slapped my fist on my palm when I looked at the two children walking in the rain.
“Let’s take a walk together today.”
☆☆
The rain that signals the end of winter was cold and it would relentlessly deprive the body warmth of anyone walking on the road.
Most of our breath came out as white and melted in the rain.
“I guess it will remain cold for a few more days. Last year the temperature gradually increased after the rain began.”
“Yup.”
“This hand warmer probably won’t sell any longer. I guess we have to think of some new spring product.”
“Yup.”
Lit has been red and looking down since just now.
She hid her grin with her bandana and occasionally looked at me sideways.
“Leaving that aside, it’s great that Lit has an umbrella.”
I said with a laugh.
Lit and I were strolling in the rain.
Lit and I were wearing our usual clothes, without a raincoat.
In exchange, I held a large umbrella with my left hand.
The umbrella used for rain was not a common tool. Made with durable waxed cloth, these umbrellas were typically used by n.o.bles and carried by their servants.
For traveling, it was more common to see coats that cover the entire body or mantles resistant to rain that covers the head.
More importantly, even the cheapest umbrella cost 4 Peryl. Adventurers would rather spend 2 quarter Peryl to purchase water-resistant mantles.
“Yup, I didn’t imagine such a happy use for an umbrella.”
Lit muttered bashfully.
Lit and I were walking with our arms linked under one umbrella.
Sharing an umbrella.
The children just now were holding a large leaf to act as an umbrella and below it, the two of them stuck their bodies close together.
After seeing that, I thought of having a date with Lit while sharing an umbrella since it was raining.
Sharing an umbrella was certainly a little embarra.s.sing but today I noticed that Lit was even more embarra.s.sed than usual.
Lit wasn’t initiating any conversation and was only replying to me. But her entire body was emitting an aura that screamed that she was having fun.
“Ah, Lit. Do you want to enter some cafe to rest?”
“I want to walk together a little longer.”
“All right.”
As expected, she seemed to be enjoying sharing an umbrella.
Of course, I enjoyed it too.
While walking in this cold rain, I could clearly feel Lit’s warmth from our touching bodies.
Because of the pouring rain, our walking speed naturally slowed down.
We leisurely strolled down the path we usually took with half the usual speed.
“It would be spring soon. The trees here will probably flower soon.”
“I was born in the northern country, Princ.i.p.ality of Logavia. We had to endure the winters and spring was anxiously awaited.”
“I left Logavia before winter fell but I heard that winter there was terrible.”
“That’s because it is an inland country to the north. I thought the battle with the Demon Lord Army would extend until winter.”
“Were you all able to get enough firewood after that to keep warm?”
“We were able to loot the Demon Lord Army after all. So we could import them from the Princ.i.p.ality of Sunland or the Republic of Berria … ahaha, that’s what I heard. In any case, winter was not something I enjoyed.”
” … How about now?”
“Winter with you is enjoyable. The cold winter and this rain as well, they are reasons for me to stick close to you. Thinking of it that way, it’s regrettable that winter is going away.”
Lit stuck her body closer to me.
“Fufufu … this is happiness, this is true happiness to me. Walking together with Red in the rain like this makes me so happy. Sheesh, Red is so crafty. I love it.”
“Ugh.”
This girl, I thought she was too embarra.s.sed and couldn’t talk but then she suddenly punched me hard.
It was a critical hit.
If Lit wasn’t supporting me, I would have fallen to my knees.
However, with the umbrella in my right hand and my left hand in Lit’s arms, I could not hide my reddening face to Lit.
I see, so it is hard to talk much when you are too happy.
I didn’t talk much and the two of us just walked.
It was enough to listen to the rain and enjoy the time we have together.
Today was a great day too.
☆☆
“By the way, this umbrella is pretty good, is it from Logavia?”
“I kept everything I had from Logavia. Occasionally, the request location for my adventurer work overlapped with my government affairs as princess so I would store my dress and such in my item bag to defeat monsters and change clothes and return after that.”
“The Tomboy Princess, right.”
“Do you hate having a Tomboy Princess?”
“Of course I love her.”
“Ehehe.”