My Reincarnation Skills Are “Playing With Dolls” and “Playing With Clay”, but What Am I Supposed to

Chapter 12: The Bookstore and the Flower Vendor

After finishing breakfast, I was asked by the old lady if I would stay tonight as well, so I hesitated but paid for one more night. However, I didn't mention dinner because I planned to eat outside.

Miss Karenna had told me to come to the mansion in the evening, promising a reward. I thought she would probably let me have dinner at least.

If not, I could always go to a food stall or another tavern.

I'm not confident in my table manners, but even more so, I don't understand the common sense of this world. Especially when it comes to how to behave when invited by nobles.

However, even if they provide meals, I doubt they would ask an unknown outsider like me to stay overnight, so it's better to secure accommodations.

However, now I only have two silver coins left. It's probably less than 10,000 yen.

I secretly hope that Karenna will give me a generous reward.

But she probably won't say, "Here's your reward, darling." Well, this is a different world, so anything goes.

At the very least, I should rely on others to live worry-free in this world. Maybe I can get a job at the mansion. Can I actually do that? However, I'm not confident about what I can do in this world.

Since there's no point in worrying, I decide to take a walk around the town to gather information about this world. It's like sightseeing.

It's amazing progress that a neet otaku like me, who used to be a shut-in, wakes up with the sunrise and goes out after breakfast. That wouldn't have been possible back there.

Since I've stayed for consecutive nights, I can leave my belongings in the room.

I neatly placed the vocabulary book for the journey to the entrance exam, which is now useless, on top of my folded down jacket, so it's clear that it's not trash. I put it in my backpack, put Lina inside, wrapped an old cloth around my belt instead of a sheath for the sword, and decided to head out.

Based on yesterday's experience, it seems that even if I walk around town with a sword, I won't be treated as a criminal. Plus, it's better to have it for avoiding trouble.

My common sense has been shattered in just one day around here.

As I step outside, it seems that apart from food and drink establishments, there are fewer people compared to yesterday evening. However, there's a bit more liveliness this morning.

I guess it's because of the rural area; they tend to wake up early.

Along the castle wall, I head towards the gate I entered yesterday. Several farmers, who seem to be selling vegetables, are lined up on the street with straw mats laid out. It must be a morning market.

A small cart, pulled by a trionma, passes through the relatively narrow road along the wall. It seems to be carrying firewood.

I still haven't seen any horses. Are they not present in this world? Just as I was thinking that, a covered wagon emerges from the central street, right when the gate comes into view.

It seems to be heading out of town.

Looking at it this way, trionmas are indeed much smaller than horses. It's a bit pitiful that two people are riding on it. But with its smaller size, trionmas must have some advantages like being able to pass through narrow roads and being easier to raise.

Horses here aren't like thoroughbred racehorses, but more like draft horses or harness racing horses, sturdy and stout.

I can't see who's inside the carriage because of the curtains, but on the driver's seat sits a man dressed in a relatively clean, blue-dyed hakama-like garment, which seems to be made from grass and trees. So, it might be something like a stagecoach with passengers.

When I consciously use my identification skill, it displays "<Coachman Level 3>", so that must be the case. The innkeeper didn't seem to have a job, but they have coachmen here.

The carriage stops just before the castle gate, and the coachman looks around and shouts loudly.

"Heading to Douglas! Heading to Douglas! Anyone going?"

Seems like a stagecoach heading to the city mentioned in the conversation. It's like a morning bus that goes from the outskirts to a big city.

A man who looks like a traveling merchant, carrying a shoulder bag, and an old woman holding a basket of vegetables head towards the carriage. Their levels show as "<Merchant Level 2>" and "<Farmer Level 9 (Elderly)>."

Level 9 is the highest I've seen among people in this town. But what does "(Elderly)" mean? It feels impolite.

The merchant quickly pays and boards the carriage, but the old woman asks something to the coachman.

"It's 4 copper coins and 5 sen coins!"

Either the coachman has hearing problems or he's conveying the price in a loud voice. Sen coins? So, there are different units of currency below copper coins. It must mean 4.5 copper coins.

Speaking of which, the gate soldiers, who were warriors Level 2 that I saw yesterday, are now two warriors, Level 2 and Level 1 respectively. Are they assigning the younger ones to morning duty? Is it alright?

After that, I passed through the square in front of the gate and continued walking clockwise along the castle wall. Then, after going for a while, I luckily found the shop I had been hoping to come across.

It was a bookstore.

In a medieval-like world, there might not be any printing technology yet, so I didn't think there would be books readily available. If I were to classify this place, it would be like a "general store," with various miscellaneous items on display. However, in one corner, there were things that looked like books.

A white-haired old man was sitting at the back of the shop. He was a "Merchant, Level 11."

Impressive, reaching the highest level. But this person doesn't have the "(Old)" tag attached to his name.

"Excuse me. These are books, right?"

"Can't you tell just by looking?"

It was a reaction like Lina's. Just as I thought that, something squirmed inside my backpack. Even though I didn't say it out loud.

"Um, do you have something like picture books for teaching children how to read and write?"

That's my purpose.

I want to learn to read and write little by little. Otherwise, the things I can do in this world are likely to be quite limited.

"Hmm, quite admirable. Having the eagerness to learn how to read and write is a commendable thing."

Huh? I didn't say I wanted to learn, though.

"No, um, not for me but for a child I know..."

"There's no need to be embarrassed. Taking the first step is always courageous for everyone. Nowadays, the young ones in this town give up on everything without even trying, but what you set your mind to will never be in vain!"

Somehow, he's strangely passionate... Who is this old man?

It was a mystery, but the old man at the general goods and antiquarian bookstore had found a picture book with various writings hidden in the back of the store. It seemed to have been handwritten with poor quality ink on a parchment-like material, and the condition was not great, but it was exactly what I had been wanting.

Could this be the equivalent of "alphabet" in this world's language? There were 29 characters, 10 numbers, and simple words with each character as a prefix, accompanied by pictures representing their meanings. The first character, like an "a," was present. It was truly a picture book that seemed suitable for teaching children the alphabet.

And so, in order to learn it on my own, the old man took the trouble to repeat the pronunciation of the 29 characters three times each and let me hear it.

He said the cost of the picture book was only two and a half copper coins.

Considering it was a book from a time without printing technology, even though it was a used book, I thought it might be a bit too cheap.

However, the old man looked pleased and said, patting my shoulder, "If you learn to read and write with it and make good use of it, then it's worth more than enough."

I hadn't experienced much kindness from others, so I felt a little awkward and couldn't properly express my gratitude.

After that, I bought yakitori from a food stall for an early lunch and walked around. It was cheap, but the meat smelled and wasn't that great. Every time I saw a sign or something, I stopped and compared the characters in the picture book to them.

Like English, even if I could read the spelling, I didn't understand the meaning, but there were some that I could vaguely guess, like probably meaning "tavern" or something.

"Oh!"

I was walking without looking ahead and bumped into something, snapping back to reality.

When I looked, a young woman was sitting on the ground, and flowers were scattered around her.

"I'm sorry!"

She must have fallen because I bumped into her. She seemed to be a flower vendor.

I noticed her as I reached out to help her up, despite the display showing "<Merchant LV1>."

She was dressed shabbily and had no makeup, but upon closer inspection, she was a delicate beauty.

She was probably around 20 years old or so.

"No, I thought I would ask if you could buy it for me, so I suddenly stepped forward..."

"No, it was actually my fault. I was so engrossed in the book that I wasn't looking ahead. Are you hurt?"

Together with her, who was apologetic even though it was my fault, we gathered and picked flowers.

I have absolutely zero knowledge about flower types. Aside from the flowers, there's a faint pleasant scent coming from the girl next to me. She looks a bit too thin, but the curve of her waist hidden under a long skirt is splendid.

"Thank you very much."

She took the trouble to say thanks while her gaze was directed not at me but at the book she held against her side.

"A book, is it?"

"Well, um, I was thinking of learning the letters... in this world, that is."

Because I'm socially awkward.

"I love books too. It's nice to be able to read and write, you know? I truly think it's great that I learned how to do it."

She seems quite poor, but she can read and write. The literacy rate in medieval times and such was supposed to be quite low, but maybe it's different in this other world.

No, she's a level 1 merchant, so maybe she learned to read and write for business purposes.

Although it doesn't seem essential for selling flowers, there might be some circumstances.

But even so, it's impossible for me to have a rare skill like having a lively conversation with a beautiful girl I just met.

Still, I mustered up my determination and exchanged some harmless words with her when I suddenly came up with an idea.

"Um, actually, I've been called to the Lord's mansion this evening. When visiting an important lady, is it customary to bring flowers or something like that?"

"To the Earl's daughter, you mean. That's amazing. Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I think it would be appreciated as a social etiquette. However, what I currently have is not something that can be offered to noble people..."

Good, it seems I didn't make a mistake. And she seems knowledgeable about such matters.

The flower vendor girl said that if I liked, she could prepare better flowers and deliver them. Her name is Leda. Finally, I got to hear it. Nice job, me.

Since she might be busy with her supplies, I handed her several copper coins in advance and asked her to deliver them to the inn.

I kept staring absentmindedly at her figure as she left, thanking her repeatedly.