Happy Life
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thought about it and decided that I'll put another five into charisma BEFORE THE SKIP, perhaps
Over the last day and a half, activities such as reflection, mindless sitting on the bunk, and equally mindless pacing back and forth in the cramped "guest room," kicking up clouds of dust, had proven themselves ineffective as means of killing time. All the prayers for re-reading were finished quite quickly; meditation also proved inefficient—at one point Ayano began to nod off and nearly tumbled off the bunk.
Fortunately, the kind guards did not confiscate everything she had with her. Taking out a "cherry" pencil, she opened a diary whose empty pages invited her to fill them with every possible piece of information that came to mind. Despite being decorated with an intricate ornament, it looked as if something was missing.
Twirling the pencil in her palm, she thought for a long time, then set to work.
Half a day was spent illustrating the title page:
Lacking practice and knowledge of theory, through trial, error, and correction, she managed it—albeit not in color and rather clumsily.
Wiping sweat from her forehead—it was quite warm in the cell—and stretching her fingers, she decided to add something more and depicted a symbol in the corner of each of the first few pages:
Finally, with a sense of duty fulfilled, she slammed the diary shut and sprawled out on the bunk. That's enough for today.
...
...
...
About half an hour passed; body and mind had rested, but interest in her current situation in life had not increased. With a heavy sigh—more fitting for a weary old man than herself—she sat up on the bunk, opened the diary again, and this time decided to use it for its intended purpose.
Deciding to forgo unnecessary rambling prefaces, for now she chose to dryly bring the surrounding environment into a digestible form.
Entries are laid upon the snow-white pages in a language and script that only another Nihonce would be able to decipher:
I. Suburbs
1. Playful Rabbit - a casino for fat cats and respected people. Unceremonious toward debtors.
- Bajena - sukebeno-usagi. Claims to come from a noble house, but manners and greed suggest otherwise. At risk of being evicted (crossed out)
2. Ideal - an agency for "filling the world with beauty," high standards.
- Mei Jingo - model manager. Gives the impression of an insincere person, but this is confirmed neither by words nor actions; a professional. Perhaps a problem with my perception.
- Photographer - I watched him the whole time and he never tried to look where he shouldn't. Unexpected.
3. Magic Academy - school for mages, funded by the state budget. Graduates may be sent to the mines.
- Suzuya Minako - student. Magical girl; perhaps rehabilitates villains with pink beams of love and highly values true friendship (unverified).
4. Art Academy - academy of arts (unverified)?
- Midorikami KimochiVaruy - concierge, gatekeeper. Rude temperament.
5. Golden Hole - golf club, an expensive pleasure.
- Venge Lexicon - guard. A dandy bored with life, a bookworm.
II. Port
1. Tentacle - shop for imported goods, wide selection of katanas.
- Bronislava - saleswoman. Physique does not match assumed age.
- Kripov Evgeny - owner. Spiritual advisor, knows more than might seem at first glance. Manners are slippery, but not unpleasant.
III. Business Center
1. Dawn - printing house.
- Aquamarine Nadia - editor. Passionate professional, sacrificing health for enthusiasm. Perhaps masking a diet behind this.
2. Iron - gym full of sweaty men glancing at each other.
- Futo Dai - administrator. As much as his appearance does not fit the workplace, he is equally adept in business acumen.
3. Hunters Guild - club for daredevils. Amuse themselves by running through swamps.
- Game Pheasant - guild chief. Does not look happy.
4. Community of Imperial Veterans - fund to help the disabled and families of those affected while serving imperial interests, funded by the state budget.
- Merci Arigat - community leader. Proud of his work, patriotically minded.
5. Pam-pam (or something like that) - cafe, standard assortment.
- Liberacion Krzysztof - waiter. Friendly manners, nothing unusual.
6. Chronos - accessory shop, significant price range.
- Quant Quentin - employee. Unclear if he took a pseudonym because he started working in this field, or vice versa.
7. Upgrade - makeshift workshop.
- Viresenser Aiko - employee. Tiny, looks like a doll, but wields a hammer taller than she is. Eyes create an inviting and hypnotic impression.
8. Labor Guild - contract organization.
- Evtich Zhelidrag (they can come up with anything) - leader. A rye-rice man, gives an impression of reliability.
9. Commonwealth of Imperial Workers - trade union and employment bureau.
- Draco Mellis - hero of the empire, veteran of a special military operation, politician, leader, and fighter. A man of strong convictions who doesn't mince words. Specific appearance, mixed impressions.
10. Adventurers Guild - dubious contract organization.
- Light Lucina - responsible person. Energetic woman; she will seek revenge when I am killed on one of their assignments.
IV. Ceremonial District
1. Diablo - spicy food restaurant.
- Tellus Minerva - waitress and cashier. Despite an exhausted look, behaves correctly.
- Chef - exists in the form of clattering and grunting from the area closed to visitors.
V. Emerald District
1. Grace - bookstore.
- Ravenstein Belyana - saleswoman. Very bad at writing haiku.
2. Phantom - otherworldly shop.
- Bors Gaheris - owner. Apparently has seen much and was a prankster in his youth. Sinister impression, but manner is courteous.
- Lolita - saleswoman. (space left blank for now)
- Sakuya - merchandise. (space left blank for now)
3. Ornament - sewing shop, they also do custom work.
- Alexandra - employee. Seems a bit shy.
4. Rumor - shop of imperial grandeur.
- Krea - employee. Rude; unclear how she was even hired here.
5. Leaf - herbalist shop, tinctures for all occasions available.
- Nake - seller. Likely spends a lot of time contemplating existential angst.
VI. Center
1. Souvenirs - gift shop.
- Philledela - saleswoman. Doesn't believe in superstitions, but loves money.
2. Archive - city library, educates for free.
- Na (no frills) - librarian. Looks like someone's relative who was put in as a replacement.
*******
Nearly catching a spasm from prolonged writing in an uncomfortable position, Ayano leans back and cracks her neck with a crunch, rubs the fingers tired from the pencil, then—her eyes. The work turned out to be duller than she expected, but at least she would no longer get lost in such a large city, which is impossible for a newcomer to keep in their head—and she had seen only a small part of it.
Stretching out on the bunk again, she sighs deeply and closes her eyes, deciding that a short nap here wouldn't hurt. However, just as her consciousness began to sink into slumber, a crash, screams, the clang of weapons, and the stomp of many pairs of feet in heavy boots echoed from the depths of the building, vibrating through her entire body.
Sitting up on the bunk, the miko folded her arms across her chest and froze in anticipation. She didn't have to wait long—when someone burst toward her door, peering through the "loophole," she didn't even need to respond to that gaze—it was clear from the mumbling on the other side of the door who it was. The "breaker" soon departed, having failed to penetrate the door—which was funny in its own way, because since the moment of her "settling in," Ayano had reinforced the entire perimeter of the cell with protective ofuda; otherwise, a surprise would have awaited him.
What happened next is known only to Kami; some time later she herself was led out of confinement and placed before a princess who had arrived at the scene from an unknown where and when.
- Hime-denka, - the priestess bowed. - Please accept my apologies that our meeting today takes place under such troublesome circumstances. I did not mention your name during the interrogation so that you would not be disturbed by trifles, but unfortunately, this proved insufficient.
Over the last day and a half, activities such as reflection, mindless sitting on the bunk, and equally mindless pacing back and forth in the cramped "guest room," kicking up clouds of dust, had proven themselves ineffective as means of killing time. All the prayers for re-reading were finished quite quickly; meditation also proved inefficient—at one point Ayano began to nod off and nearly tumbled off the bunk.
Fortunately, the kind guards did not confiscate everything she had with her. Taking out a "cherry" pencil, she opened a diary whose empty pages invited her to fill them with every possible piece of information that came to mind. Despite being decorated with an intricate ornament, it looked as if something was missing.
Twirling the pencil in her palm, she thought for a long time, then set to work.
Half a day was spent illustrating the title page:
Lacking practice and knowledge of theory, through trial, error, and correction, she managed it—albeit not in color and rather clumsily.
Wiping sweat from her forehead—it was quite warm in the cell—and stretching her fingers, she decided to add something more and depicted a symbol in the corner of each of the first few pages:
Finally, with a sense of duty fulfilled, she slammed the diary shut and sprawled out on the bunk. That's enough for today.
...
...
...
About half an hour passed; body and mind had rested, but interest in her current situation in life had not increased. With a heavy sigh—more fitting for a weary old man than herself—she sat up on the bunk, opened the diary again, and this time decided to use it for its intended purpose.
Deciding to forgo unnecessary rambling prefaces, for now she chose to dryly bring the surrounding environment into a digestible form.
Entries are laid upon the snow-white pages in a language and script that only another Nihonce would be able to decipher:
I. Suburbs
1. Playful Rabbit - a casino for fat cats and respected people. Unceremonious toward debtors.
- Bajena - sukebeno-usagi. Claims to come from a noble house, but manners and greed suggest otherwise. At risk of being evicted (crossed out)
2. Ideal - an agency for "filling the world with beauty," high standards.
- Mei Jingo - model manager. Gives the impression of an insincere person, but this is confirmed neither by words nor actions; a professional. Perhaps a problem with my perception.
- Photographer - I watched him the whole time and he never tried to look where he shouldn't. Unexpected.
3. Magic Academy - school for mages, funded by the state budget. Graduates may be sent to the mines.
- Suzuya Minako - student. Magical girl; perhaps rehabilitates villains with pink beams of love and highly values true friendship (unverified).
4. Art Academy - academy of arts (unverified)?
- Midorikami KimochiVaruy - concierge, gatekeeper. Rude temperament.
5. Golden Hole - golf club, an expensive pleasure.
- Venge Lexicon - guard. A dandy bored with life, a bookworm.
II. Port
1. Tentacle - shop for imported goods, wide selection of katanas.
- Bronislava - saleswoman. Physique does not match assumed age.
- Kripov Evgeny - owner. Spiritual advisor, knows more than might seem at first glance. Manners are slippery, but not unpleasant.
III. Business Center
1. Dawn - printing house.
- Aquamarine Nadia - editor. Passionate professional, sacrificing health for enthusiasm. Perhaps masking a diet behind this.
2. Iron - gym full of sweaty men glancing at each other.
- Futo Dai - administrator. As much as his appearance does not fit the workplace, he is equally adept in business acumen.
3. Hunters Guild - club for daredevils. Amuse themselves by running through swamps.
- Game Pheasant - guild chief. Does not look happy.
4. Community of Imperial Veterans - fund to help the disabled and families of those affected while serving imperial interests, funded by the state budget.
- Merci Arigat - community leader. Proud of his work, patriotically minded.
5. Pam-pam (or something like that) - cafe, standard assortment.
- Liberacion Krzysztof - waiter. Friendly manners, nothing unusual.
6. Chronos - accessory shop, significant price range.
- Quant Quentin - employee. Unclear if he took a pseudonym because he started working in this field, or vice versa.
7. Upgrade - makeshift workshop.
- Viresenser Aiko - employee. Tiny, looks like a doll, but wields a hammer taller than she is. Eyes create an inviting and hypnotic impression.
8. Labor Guild - contract organization.
- Evtich Zhelidrag (they can come up with anything) - leader. A rye-rice man, gives an impression of reliability.
9. Commonwealth of Imperial Workers - trade union and employment bureau.
- Draco Mellis - hero of the empire, veteran of a special military operation, politician, leader, and fighter. A man of strong convictions who doesn't mince words. Specific appearance, mixed impressions.
10. Adventurers Guild - dubious contract organization.
- Light Lucina - responsible person. Energetic woman; she will seek revenge when I am killed on one of their assignments.
IV. Ceremonial District
1. Diablo - spicy food restaurant.
- Tellus Minerva - waitress and cashier. Despite an exhausted look, behaves correctly.
- Chef - exists in the form of clattering and grunting from the area closed to visitors.
V. Emerald District
1. Grace - bookstore.
- Ravenstein Belyana - saleswoman. Very bad at writing haiku.
2. Phantom - otherworldly shop.
- Bors Gaheris - owner. Apparently has seen much and was a prankster in his youth. Sinister impression, but manner is courteous.
- Lolita - saleswoman. (space left blank for now)
- Sakuya - merchandise. (space left blank for now)
3. Ornament - sewing shop, they also do custom work.
- Alexandra - employee. Seems a bit shy.
4. Rumor - shop of imperial grandeur.
- Krea - employee. Rude; unclear how she was even hired here.
5. Leaf - herbalist shop, tinctures for all occasions available.
- Nake - seller. Likely spends a lot of time contemplating existential angst.
VI. Center
1. Souvenirs - gift shop.
- Philledela - saleswoman. Doesn't believe in superstitions, but loves money.
2. Archive - city library, educates for free.
- Na (no frills) - librarian. Looks like someone's relative who was put in as a replacement.
*******
Nearly catching a spasm from prolonged writing in an uncomfortable position, Ayano leans back and cracks her neck with a crunch, rubs the fingers tired from the pencil, then—her eyes. The work turned out to be duller than she expected, but at least she would no longer get lost in such a large city, which is impossible for a newcomer to keep in their head—and she had seen only a small part of it.
Stretching out on the bunk again, she sighs deeply and closes her eyes, deciding that a short nap here wouldn't hurt. However, just as her consciousness began to sink into slumber, a crash, screams, the clang of weapons, and the stomp of many pairs of feet in heavy boots echoed from the depths of the building, vibrating through her entire body.
Sitting up on the bunk, the miko folded her arms across her chest and froze in anticipation. She didn't have to wait long—when someone burst toward her door, peering through the "loophole," she didn't even need to respond to that gaze—it was clear from the mumbling on the other side of the door who it was. The "breaker" soon departed, having failed to penetrate the door—which was funny in its own way, because since the moment of her "settling in," Ayano had reinforced the entire perimeter of the cell with protective ofuda; otherwise, a surprise would have awaited him.
What happened next is known only to Kami; some time later she herself was led out of confinement and placed before a princess who had arrived at the scene from an unknown where and when.
- Hime-denka, - the priestess bowed. - Please accept my apologies that our meeting today takes place under such troublesome circumstances. I did not mention your name during the interrogation so that you would not be disturbed by trifles, but unfortunately, this proved insufficient.
My sword, my trusted ally, unphased by my aspect.
