"The luggage is all loaded."
"Thank you, Airi-chan."
The large handcart is piled high with luggage. There are large items and small items.
I loaded almost all of this by myself. Amazing, right?
I had errands today, so I took a break from self-training.
An acquaintance of the izakaya owners built a new home, so I have been helping with the move since morning.
In modern Japan, you could just hire a moving company and be done with it, but there is nothing like that in Rukongai.
We have to load large items like cauldrons and chests onto the handcart by hand and transport them using human power.
If we had an ox, the transport would be easier, but unfortunately, we couldn't arrange one, so we will pull and carry it by hand from here.
"Even so, to clear away this much luggage almost by yourself..."
"Well, I am training to become a Soul Reaper, after all."
I get a little proud at that evaluation and puff out my chest.
If spiritual power becomes strong, the body also activates and becomes stronger. I am not training for show. The current me has become stronger than the average man around here. That is what you call the results of training.
You might wonder about a woman boasting about her strength, but my height itself is much taller than the average man around here. So, even if I am strong, it doesn't feel that out of place.
"Right... So, looks like you'll get a pass from Danzōmaru-san this year?"
"N-Next year for sure..."
I look away at the owner's comment.
"How many years has it been?"
"T-Ten... years..."
"...I hope you can pass."
"Yes..."
...Yes, that's right. Ten years! It's been ten years!! I am still training under Master.
People around me say things like, "Shouldn't you give up already?" or "Just inherit the izakaya as is."
I am told that incredibly often. To the point where even I start feeling like doing so.
But I have become able to handle a sword, and I am being taught unarmed fighting too. I am learning Hoho (Step methods), and Kido is so-so...
...Yeah, I have become able to do it so-so!!
After all, I can fire a few shots, and it feels like Blut is starting to manifest little by little.
Using Blut somewhat strongly to create a load and increase training efficiency—I wonder if that is effective...? —Surely, it should bear fruit eventually.
I haven't even stood at the starting line yet; I can't stop at such a halfway point!
"Well, leaving aside the talk of passing or not. Shall we depart soon?"
"You're right. Then, I'll move it."
I grabbed the handle and pulled with all my strength, and the large handcart slowly started to move.
I said it earlier, right? It would be easier if an ox pulled it, but we couldn't arrange one. So, I am pulling it instead.
This massive load! Me! Pulling by hand! To the new house! Walking!
Fine, whatever.
Since I have been smoldering for ten years, use me as you like for this much.
"Airi-chan can move it alone..."
"Really, she should just work at my shop forever instead of becoming a Soul Reaper..."
I will pretend I didn't hear the words of the owner and his friend, which sounded somewhere between admiration and exasperation.
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"Landlady, the additional order is ready."
"Okay. Then I'll carry this, so go ask for the order over there."
"Yees."
I helped with the move during the day, but the shop is open properly at night. So, I must not slack off here either.
If there is a good thing, it is that since I have been doing this for ten years, I was taught how to prepare food. Until now, it was just taking orders, serving, cleaning up, and accounting. Now, I have become able to make the shop's dishes generally.
I have been trained to the extent that I can somehow run the shop even without the owners.
I wish my Soul Reaper training would improve this much too...
"May I take your order?"
"Let's see..."
While pretending to think about the order, the customer's hand slowly reached out for my butt.
I slapped that extended hand away with a smack.
"Oops, no touching allowed."
"Che! Airi-chan's intuition has gotten sharp lately..."
Since the hand was extended from almost a blind spot, he must have assumed I wouldn't be able to see it. While lightly rubbing his slapped hand, he tries to laugh it off.
"Can't be helped. Add the usual, plus boiled fish as an apology fee."
"Yes, thank you for your patronage."
Apparently, a rule has been established among the regulars lately: "Can you touch her without being noticed? If noticed, order an additional dish."
As for me, let alone agreeing to it, I haven't even heard about it.
"What, you failed too?"
"Tell me about it. The old days were good."
"However, she shouldn't have been able to see it, so how did she notice?"
Fufufu, they are wondering.
I haven't spent ten years dodging the sexual harassment of drunks for nothing.
Surprisingly! I have become able to perceive via spiritual pressure! I can now sense things even in my blind spots.
It is not perfect yet, and I can only notice easy opponents like drunks, though.
It seems it will be a long time before I can use this in combat...
But my skills as a masseuse are steadily improving.
Recently, rumors have called more rumors, and neighbors gather here too. I am super popular!
If only I could grow this smoothly as a Soul Reaper too...
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]