Chapter 68: Festival with Vivienne (XIII).

Kein's POV

The light goddess... is always watching.

I felt goosebumps after thinking of such a deity watching my every move.

"Ah if you don't mind I'll go back to selling my sweets." The old lady looks at her billow before calling out to other people behind us.

"Ubie nuts? Would anyone like some? Only ten silvers..." her old grandma voice was back, it made me think that I was hallucinating a bit before.

"Ah thank you again for the free roasted ubie nuts." I held Vivienne by the hand and Vanilla's leash, she stopped bowing her head down following me away from the old lady who merely softly smiled at us while her figure was slowly going away.

I sighed, feeling tired of all the things that've been happening today. I feel like it's too much and the thought of the light goddess possibly taking form of an old lady is something to be impossible but I mean-

It happens in isekai stories right?

Though when I first came here- I didn't meet any deity that welcomed me or anything like that.

Ah- I haven't actually asked Avery Williams that question, the hero was summoned by [Puronia] to go on an adventure to slay the demon king.

Surely she must have met a deity when she was being summoned- because she's actually really OP to the one she just one shot a wyvern the first time I fought with her.

"Nah it can't be." I shrugged, turning to Vivienne and Vanilla who was acting like normal now after that encounter with that peculiar lady who offered her roasted sweet ubie nuts.

Even if the ever so sassy Vanilla who refuses to take orders from everyone or even bow her head down was clearly bowing back then-

"Nom..." (Vivienne) chomps on her food before noticing her small paperback was out of ubie nuts. "Eh..."

She holds it by the bottom and flips it, shaking it to see that there was nothing left.

"Ngh... Unwa..." she looks at me, seeing that I haven't touched mine. I laughed.

She's such a glutton.

"Here you can have mine so don't cry." I gave her my share and she took it in her hand like it was some sort of blessing.

My heart feels full already just seeing her not going hungry.

"Hmm..." I looked around to see what other places we could visit. I really wanted to see if I could find anyone else I know here but there's too many people.

I suppose since it's the festival I'm sure that the others would be busy preparing so I could take a peak at what they're doing.

"Mama! Thank you!"

"Mm you're welcome. Would you like to walk some more? I'm just going to go meet some old friends before going home." I look down on Vivienne's figure who really just looked like me but with a different eye color of gray. "If you do get tired, I can carry you up."

"Okie Moma! Hand pwease!" (Vivienne) didn't seem to restrict me from visiting my friends and raised her little arms asking to hold my hand.

"Thank you, we hold hands so we don't get separated. Vivienne is really a good girl." I couldn't help but feel my heart melting and getting more attached to this little girl. I held her hand a little tightly but not enough to hurt her because I just felt an immense amount of joy leaving my body.

"Let's go introduce you to mama's friends."

.-.-.-.-.

We walked hand in hand together as we passed by so many people. From adults, children who were shopping to merchants.

My eyes also wandered around the very same stall where Rose was caught stealing an apple to give to a homeless person, now that I think of it. She was technically stealing from someone unfortunate to give it to someone even more unfortunate back then.

She just didn't realize it but everyone was having a tough time.

At least now that the festival is coming up, everyone is doing their best being more active since people from other kingdoms are visiting just to be here today.

I also noticed some races here are mixed, there were elves looking at arrow wares and demi-humans who were riding their ox cart filled with wheat. Dwarfs do their usual business with weapon's trade and some blueprints for sale.

There were so many this year.

What I haven't seen are the demons inside the kingdom, the human's enemies as always. I have seen them outside when I was tasked as a student to fend off a border near where the chances of demon visitors are abundant.

Let me recap all the kingdoms here.

We all know the three human kingdoms [Sprivanto], [Winshern], and where I currently reside [Puronia].

Personally I'm not a fan of [Winshern]. It's where the real Kein's father resided and just left her to starve in Aunt Haren's house where I- got abused so much after taking over her body.

I haven't visited [Sprivanto] but I would like to, big sister Valentina is there and I haven't seen her in a while.

[Beloma] kingdom. It's where half-human and half-animal beast-men live and reside. They are a country with also having a royal family, the rulers being half-human and half-lion.

The kingdom is famous for their high quality meat, restaurants, herbs, spices, and services.

They also have the most highest count slaves because of their unique animal features many wanted them as pets but recently it has been deemed illegal to be a hold captive of a beast-men with that reason only.

[Dwarfar] Kingdom. Famous for their skill in blacksmithing and architecture.

They live in the tallest mountain of Mount Skrafa. They provide the best quality weapons and sell them at a very expensive price.

Now that after getting my cursed sword, I have also known the fact that they collect weapons that have either been blessed or cursed for display.

Dwarfs are strict, extremely loyal to their dwarf king, and would follow him anywhere into battle. They also produce the largest amount of vodka in the world.

The clothes they had were leather-ish and very stylish. They also have knowledge on embroidery for designing their many armors. Other than their weapons, they make good furniture, buildings, and worship the God of Fire/Forgery or the God of the Sun.

[Mermadia] is the kingdom in the middle of the sea.

This is where mermaids, merman, or the fish folk dwell in. They are not considered beast-men or call them part fish because they want to be called mermaids or merman.

Famous for fish, pearls, and guiding the traveler on a safe journey on the sea, being blessed by the Goddess of the Sea.

They probably won't be visiting for the festival.

[Demonum] the final kingdom.

I remember reading the book that Lenard lent me where it only contained a lot of horrible things in it telling about how demons are bastard creatures who just do nothing but destroy, plunder and use humans as their own personal toys.

Kind of hypocritical since humans do the same thing to the beast-men people.

I'm sure there was some misunderstanding that happened throughout history.

Thanks to my military academy lessons I learned that the demon lands were not of good soil, so their place is not good for gardening and growing crops which is why starvation is something we have in common.historical

Though while they may be horrible in crops, in terms of magical power and magical stones they have a lot of it in their underground mines. Specifically ones that could really help powering the magic of the kingdom.

If there was a possible mutual benefit of trades between the two I'm sure that both of them would come to a conclusion that it would be for the best if they became allies- but...

I don't think that will be soon since the King is ordering the heroes to go slay the Demon Lord.

For now the heroes are doing their own side quests at the moment and I'm going to need her to come aboard with mine.

"Oh- my! Is that you, Kein?"

I stopped myself from walking when someone said my name. "Ah! Madam Prisha! It's been a while!" I looked at their figure while I didn't even notice that we passed over their shop.

Madam Prisha showed signs of aging, getting a few wrinkles over their forehead but still wore some thick makeup and contour.

The new pink color of their sign [Magicare] could clearly be seen. It seems that even after all this time, business is still booming because there were so many women inside looking at the products displayed.

I could hear their many voices talking about the many benefits of lotion for your skin and this certainly felt nostalgic too.

I could still see some of the shampoo bottles I've made still on the shelves to be sold.

"It has been a while~! Come! Come! I can't believe it's been so long since you've visited me." (Madam Prisha) tells me motioning to come over.

Ah... right after my military school with all the things happening I couldn't visit the city much and if I did it would only be strictly for business and not leisure. The only people I've really gotten in touch with due to business were Veronica and Peter.

"Sorry! Madam Prisha I got too busy and I couldn't visit."

They looked at me with all eyebrows raised after seeing Vivienne Madam Prisha looked at me in a bit of a shocking manner. "Hmph! Certainly you've gotten very busy! I mean just look at this one-"

They quickly kneel down to meet Vivienne and squish her cheeks with no mercy. "W-Wah!" (Vivienne) couldn't move and stayed still as Madam Prisha inspected her face.

"Goodness me- a splitting image!"

This is the hundredth time I cannot bear to hear another person accusing me of having a baby. "Look at you- so cute! Don't ever become like this woman here! This girl is a player, now don't grow up to be like her." (Madam Prisha) gave me a disappointing stare as they started shaking their head.

"Madam Prisha I would like it if you stopped telling her things that are not true- when did I even become like that?" I yanked their hands away from Vivienne and they laughed.

"Oh no sugar, I can't believe you certainly got busy. She's so cute." (Madam Prisha) closes their eyes and tilts their head. "How old are you now, baby?"

Vivienne blinks for a bit looking at her hands.

Ah- that's right I don't even know how old Vivienne is. We couldn't really force an answer out of her back then and just decided on a name.

"Twis many." (Vivienne) holds up three of her fingers and goodness gracious she knows what three means!

Does that mean someone was teaching her basic math before she got thrown out into the streets? "Oh you're three years old?" (Madam Prisha) gave her a smile before looking up at me.

"So she's not yours?" They ask me casually and I feel a little nerve get hit over my head. I could feel my face getting bashful so I couldn't help myself from yelling-

"Of course she's not mine!"