That's enough for today.

"Yeah, but...

Frank was puzzled when Ingrid, the owner of the tavern, told him that his work was finished as he came to take the dishes to the kitchen.
It was evening and the tavern would be crowded in the coming hours. The more people, the better.
When Frank didn't nod, Ingrid pointed her finger at him.

"Listen. I've told you before, you work too much.

Ingrid was worried about Frank, who wanted to work all day and all evening. Even during the preparation time between noon and evening, he would clean the store and buy groceries.
He was only nine years old and didn't even want to play. It is easy for Ingrid to imagine that she must have had to leave her childhood behind at an early age.

I have my days off.

You spend your days off talking to the regulars, don't you?

Frank insists that he's fine, but he points out that he's still dealing with customers on his days off. The customer must have told Ingrid when she came to the store, even though it was outside the store. It's not information that should be revealed, but it's not good to be presented at this time.

I just ran into the customers and talked to them for a while.

I told them to come back at the end of the day, coincidence?

Frank was at a loss for words. Because of his sales habits, when a client thanks him for his advice, he will advertise for him to come to the store. It's his nature, but it's also true that he's intentionally promoting the store.
Ingrid saw through this intentional point, and Frank had no words to reply.

I'll be sure to ask for help when you need it. Just eat this with your brother and go to bed early.

Yes, sir.

Ingrid pointed to a wooden tray on which there was enough food for two people. Frank followed her words and took the tray to the room he was renting.
The back of Ingrid's tavern is a living space, and the third floor room, which is close to the attic, is accessible via an external staircase. The room was originally used as a storage room, but Frank and Timo, who followed him, are now using it.
The rent is deducted from their salaries, and they are able to share their meals as they do now, which is a good living for two men. In fact, the food we cooked on the way to the royal capital of Arbentroth was simple, mostly baked goods.
In order not to disturb Ingrid and her husband, Frank brought the food to his room. The room, which had no partitions, was large enough to accommodate two beds without feeling too small. There were easy to assemble cots at both ends of the room, and a table and chairs in the middle of the room.
As I was placing the food on the table, I heard footsteps approaching from the outside stairs.

I'm hungry, it smells so good.

Go wash up first.

Oh, that's not fair.

You don't want to eat?

I'll go.

Frank silenced Timo's frustration with his hunger with a single glare.
Timo works as a steeplejack, so the more work he does, the dirtier he comes home. At this time of day, the bathrooms are empty because Ingrid and the others are at the store, so Timo can use them.
Timo came back with a raven's bath. When Frank warned him that his hair was still wet, he tried to shake his head like a dog to get rid of the water, and Frank scolded him by throwing a hand towel in his face.
Tired of the whole exchange, Frank let out a frustrated sigh. He then took a seat and said a pre-dinner prayer. Timo hurriedly followed suit.
After the prayers, Frank started to eat with good manners and Timo started to shovel food into his mouth. In the middle of the meal, Timo took out an envelope from his pocket as if he remembered.

"Boy, there's a letter from Roman's father.

"Then give it to him.

Frank immediately slapped Timo on the head and took the envelope from his hand.

You know what they say about information, freshness is everything.

I just remembered something.

As Frank opened the envelope, he made the same point he had made before, and Timo, lowering his eyebrows, made an excuse. Timo resumed eating while Frank started to read the contents.

Timo, who had finished eating first, asked, "What is it, kiddo?

Timo, who had finished eating first, asked, and Frank, who had just finished reading, squeezed the letterhead in his hand.

"Your brain is .......

Are you young?

Both of you!

When Timo mentioned one of the candidates, Frank replied angrily, "And the other one, too!

Frank said angrily, "Ingrid's mother's food is getting cold.

I'll eat.

Timo pointed out the remainder of the meal, and with a stern look on his face, Frank resumed eating. The well-behaved Frank ate quietly during the meal. Timo was afraid of being scolded with a silent stare, so he too kept quiet until he was finished.
He finished eating, cleaned up the dishes, and took a bath before returning to his room. When he opened the door to his room, the sternness of his expression did not change.
Timo spoke to Frank as if he was still in his usual state.

"So, what's going on?

"My ...... brothers said something stupid to my dad.

Frank sat down on his bed and answered Timo's question.
The letter was from one of Frank's father's men, a caring man who had been looking out for Frank, his fifth son, since he was a child. As a result, even when he went to a neighboring country, he would contact his father's family as needed to let them know how he was doing.
This time, it was about the behavior of his first and second sons, with whom he had a disagreement.

"What are you going to do?

Timo knew that Frank was thinking when he fixed a stern expression on his face, and he knew that he had reached some conclusion when he opened his mouth. Timo knew that he would not be able to understand even if he heard the details, so he only asked how Frank would act.



I'd like to let them go, but judging from their stupidity, they'll probably say something even if they stay here.

The eldest son in particular has inherited his father's unprincipled nature. He does not think twice about involving other family members or subordinates for his own sake. In fact, there is a sense that he takes it for granted. That is why Frank has kept his eldest sons as far away from him as possible.
However, from the contents of the letter, it is easy to imagine that if his father listened to the words of the eldest sons, Frank would also be exposed to the fire. It's easy to imagine. Someone has to stop them, but there are very few people who can and will stop the eldest sons.

It's a pain in the ass, really.

Frank lets out a heavy sigh and covers his face with his hands. So, he didn't realize that Timo was waiting for his answer with a smile in his narrow, fox-like eyes.

...... "Well...

Frank looks up slightly. There was a hint of determination in his eyes.

I'll have to tell him.

"Good point, kid!

Timo smiled triumphantly at Frank's answer. Frank's eyes were fixed on Timo's foolishness in affirming the fact that he hadn't even heard what had happened. He's going to follow him as a matter of course.

You can stay here if you want.

"Why not? Of course I'm going with you, kid.

I see.

As was the case when we came to the country of Arbentroth, Timo would not budge from his decision to accompany me. Frank knew he wouldn't listen to him, so he just nodded.

"Boy, you've changed a bit.

"What?

Timo muttered, Frank tilted his head and got a happy smile.

"Before, you wouldn't have gone to see him. He was always strong, but now he's even stronger.

Frank's orange eyes rolled back in his head. I still hate seeing my first and second sons. I even think they're different. But this may be the first time I've ever wanted to talk to them.
Frank was surprised by the unexpectedness of Timo's revelation, even though it was about him.

It's good to be here.

Timo, who was not concerned about the cause of the change, laughed and said so, and Frank also laughed as he let out a breath.

"Yeah.

Frank laughed as he realized that he didn't mind the change.


A boy and a girl were talking in front of a store with an appetizing aroma.

I think it's the place of the beautiful boy I saw before.

"Really?

"Yeah. Absolutely!

The girl is unhappy, but the boy encourages her to continue.

I was going to ask her out, but Zaku said he was going to a friend's house. I was going to ask you out, but you said you were going to a friend's house.

I don't get to hang out with you much anymore, Mariya.

I know, I think you should give me some attention too.

Oh, by the way, you said there's another boy who's really cool. Are you sure he's not going there?

No. Zaku, you give me a weird look when I tell you that Leo and I are close. And he comes over and plays with us.

I guess when you work for a noble family, you get to know people from that side of the family.

Frank listened to Marija's story with a smile. When he came to buy bread on an errand, he pointed out that Marija, the baker's daughter, was not in good health, and he became her advisor. Since we cannot talk inside the store, we are both sitting on the edge of the flower bed by the wall in front of the store.
Frank feels strangely comfortable as he listens to her advice, or rather, her complaint.
Why is it that we get more information from others than from ourselves?
She has met him as an apprentice gardener at a nobleman's mansion, and she has met him personally, but she has heard very little about the nobleman from him. Marija, with whom I'm talking now, has told me that he has friendships with children of noble or somewhat wealthy families.
Frank thinks it's strange that he is not a quiet person.
Frank knows from experience that most people like to talk and are not very good at listening. Even the shy ones either don't say much or can't articulate it well, but they do talk in their thoughts. So most people will talk about themselves if they have a listener to help them put their thoughts into words. That's how Frank gathered his information.
So, Frank thinks he is strange for not talking about himself.
There are people who don't talk about themselves, but those people either know the importance of information or have something to hide. There are also a lot of smart or inedible adults who lead conversations but don't talk about themselves. He is unusual because he does not fit any of these criteria.
It's as if he thinks he's worthless. ......
Frank thought about it and thought that he might be right. He's the kind of guy who takes pleasure in assessing his own worthlessness. Frank couldn't understand how he could affirm his worthlessness without self-deprecation.

He must have some kind of strange imprint on him.

It's even alien to him, considering he's at an age when his need for self-affirmation and approval should be strong. As far as Frank has seen or heard, there is no one around him who would unconsciously imprint such a negative image on him. In fact, as far as his parents are concerned, it would be impossible.
In other words, he has fixed values that no one has imprinted on him.

He's a really weird guy.

"I've got to get Zaku next vacation.



Good luck.

Frank finished his evaluation and Marija came up with her own solution. Most of the time, women complain not to solve their problems, but to vent their frustrations, so they tend to loop. However, Marija, after venting her frustrations, proceeds to think about improvement. This was her beauty and the reason why Frank predicted that she would become a good woman.
Frank smiled and cheered her on in admiration.
He took Marija back inside the store, where he had found a solution to keep her body cool under the cloudy sky that was threatening to snow. Then Frank carried the bread he had bought with him on his way back to Ingrid's tavern.
When he exhaled, the air turned white. As he exhaled, the air turned white and he knew that the snowy season would soon be over.
Thinking about the road ahead, Frank decided to leave when his breath stopped turning white. He knew that the day of his departure was near. Most of the preparations for the trip were already made. All he had to do was to buy the food and report to Ingrid and her husband as soon as the departure date was fixed.
The experience of a snowy winter was a new one for Frank, who was from the south. It never snows in Frank's hometown. It's something you only hear about in stories.
Frank's apprentice gardener told him that the snow was unusually thick this year and invited him to have a snowball fight with the children of the downtown area. It was funny that he was more excited than I was.
When Frank opened the swinging door of Ingrid's tavern, he saw the boy he had just remembered. Frank rolled his eyes at the sight of the boy he hadn't expected to see.

I'm back.

"Welcome back, Frank. Your friends are here.

Hi.

He raises one hand in greeting and Frank wonders why he's there. He smiles at Ingrid. He hands her a loaf of bread, and as she turns her back to the kitchen, Frank silently cocks his chin and tells her to go outside.
When Ingrid returned, Frank turned her down with his usual look.

"Aunt Ingrid, can I come out for a minute?

No, thank you. Don't hesitate to play.

Thank you. I'll be back.

Thank you for the tea.

Frank thanked him with a friendly smile and his companion bowed his head.
They walked to the promenade and sat down on one of the benches. It was cold and there was no one on the boardwalk.

"Well?　What do you want?

Frank asked curtly, as there was no need to make up a story in front of him.

It's late, but here's your fee.

He took the package from the pocket of his winter jacket and checked the contents to make sure it was a cookie with walnuts and other nuts.

What the hell is this?

What's this?" "So, it's a consultation fee. I was able to properly apologize to my daughter because of Frank.

It's too late for that!　And why cookies?

Frank is annoyed by the fact that he gives a wrong answer to his question, and he shouts at him. But he remains stunned and replies as if it were a matter of course.

You said you wanted them to be expensive, so I added nuts to make them more luxurious.

He had only ever made plain cookies before, so it took him a while to get good at it. He said it was difficult to crush the nuts to the right size and to adjust the baking temperature. Another reason it took him so long was that he practiced with the amount of food he could eat so as not to waste the ingredients.
I asked Frank why he didn't use money or valuable goods, but he gave me a completely different angle. I knew I couldn't expect much from him when I asked him for advice in the summer, but the reward was so unexpected that I felt weak.
Besides, although I said so at the time, it was enough for me to receive a single word of thanks. Frank was dismayed at the man's strange sense of propriety in taking a casual remark to heart.

Oh, for God's sake. I'll take it.

That was all he said, and he smiled happily. Too cheap, Frank thought, looking at his face.

"Well, I'm going home soon.

"Yeah.

I don't know when I'll see you again, so I'll just tell you," he said, his expression changing to one of surprise.

I see.

He muttered to himself in order to understand, and repeated the same mutter again after he understood.

It's going to be hard to see you then.

"Yes.

Unlike the noblemen, he could not exchange letters with them. He mumbled his thoughts as if it was not a complete farewell, even though he did not know where his hometown was. Frank nodded, somewhat undeniably.
A moment of silence falls. He doesn't pursue the reason for Frank's return to his hometown. It's not that he's indifferent to the other person, it's just that he's not the type of person to ask questions about things that the other person doesn't want to talk about. I've gotten to know him well enough to know that.
That's why it felt awkward to leave without saying anything.
Frank sat up from the bench and dug the ground beneath his feet with his hands. He scooped up the soil with both hands and worked it into a lump with his hands. Seeing this, he sits up from the bench as well and bends down next to Frank to look into his hands.

He sits up from the bench and bends down to watch Frank's work.



What's that ......?

His copper eyes blinked in surprise, "No? Frank's copper eyes blinked in surprise. Frank wonders about the contradiction of a glowing mud dumpling, but he doesn't want to make one, so he stops mentioning it.
Frank wraps the clump of dirt in his hands and puts magic power into it. Then, with a hint of light, the lump of earth in his hands transformed into a smaller stone.
The lump of earth in his hand transformed into a smaller stone. It was a yellow crystal with the color of orange trapped inside.

I didn't know earth magic could do that.

That was all he could say with a hint of admiration.
Even though I had shown him a spell that clearly required a large amount of magic power to perform, he didn't seem to have any suspicion that I wasn't some kind of nobleman. He is only surprised by the fact that geological transformation is possible.
Frank found it funny that he was really off in a strange way.

If I just wanted to get the money, I could do this. But you know what?

"You have to get the blood flowing, don't you?

He was about to continue when Frank was taken aback. Frank grinned, glad that he had remembered and understood what he had said.

No. This isn't going to make you any money.

You can make a temporary profit by creating gems. But if you do this inexhaustibly, the value of the jewels themselves will decline, possibly even collapse. Besides, the wealth of one's own generation will easily dissipate when one dies. It would be meaningless.

This is what my brothers do not understand.

My brothers and I share our father's love of money. But the value of money to Frank is different from the value of money to the eldest sons. The eldest sons are happy as long as they make a profit and can afford luxury. They think it is enough if they can make a profit and have luxury, and if they can get additional money from somewhere else. They mistakenly believe that there is an inexhaustible supply of money.
That is why he has never shown this power to his brothers. I'm sure his brothers look down on him as an incompetent. It is easier for Frank to be lambasted, and so far he has been fine with it.

So, I'm going back to break my brothers' noses.

What he, who is only two years old, understands, my oldest son, who is already an adult, does not understand. It's a disgrace to our family to leave them in pain any longer. I don't know how long it will take to convince him, but Frank has already made up his mind.

"Good luck with the sibling rivalry.

Frank chuckled, not just annoyed, but amused at the mere mention of sibling rivalry. It was his way of cheering them up, but it sounded as if they were about to get into a fistfight, not an argument.
It was too much to think that actually hitting him might be a good idea. It would be quite a shock to be hit by someone who had not even responded to you. Just imagining the expression on his face is exhilarating.

Here's a parting gift for you.

Frank smilingly placed the yellow crystal in his palm.
I was reluctant to go to see him, but his cheering made me look forward to it. I gave it to him as a thank you.
He stared at the yellow crystal with puzzled eyes, and then grasped it tightly.

Thank you. I'll treasure it.

With a carefree smile, he thanked Frank. Despite its size, there was no sign that he wanted to sell it. Frank thought that he was really a greedy man, even though it was just a stone in his possession. And that's just like him.
Frank stands up and stretches once. He also stood up and put the yellow crystal in his jacket pocket.

"...... Zak.

"What?

You could be a little more greedy, you know.

I'm living my life the way I want to.

No. I don't know what to say. ......, you seem to do what you want when other people want what you want.

I'm not sure how to describe the lack I feel for him, Frank said. It's not patience or resignation, it's just that he puts the interests of others first and doesn't seek his own interests. That's what I sense in him.

"It doesn't matter if you want to get ahead in life or be popular with women, if you feel even a little bit like that, you don't give up.

"Well, it's not like I want to be great. Me.

Frank is getting annoyed by the lack of motivation in his reply.

If you're a man, you've got to be tougher!

"But I'm not a mobster...

But I'm not a mob," he muttered, and Frank felt uncomfortable. He didn't know what "mob" meant, but it sounded as if he wasn't even on the stage. It seemed to Frank to be the cause of his lack of desire.
Something snapped in Frank, perhaps because of his anger.

"Well, I'll prove it to you!

"Huh?

I'm following in my father's footsteps, pushing you out. So don't give up on me when you get what you want, Zaku!

Frank himself had never thought of following in his father's footsteps, thinking he was out of his league from the start. However, when he became frustrated with his lack of desire, he realized that he too had been in a state before he gave up.
If you think about it, the best way to make your dream come true is to take your father's position. A vision of the future opened up in Frank's mind, and it was a wonder that it had not occurred to him before.


He was taken aback by Frank's declaration.
Then his copper eyes softened as he received a challenging look.

All right.

He smiled happily, despite the fact that he had been promised something that seemed to involve him.
As if inspired by their decision to sprout in secret, the first buds of the butterbur sprouted from the flowerbed beside him.