Toy Shop - 43
Because the two princesses were walking through the capital, people from every social class, whether commoners, merchants, or even nobles, eagerly approached them whenever they had the chance.
"Your Royal Highness, please accept this gift!"
"A small token for the princesses!"
"I hope this pleases Your Highness!"
Wherever the group went, gifts were constantly being offered to Noria and Brea, each person hoping to earn even the briefest smile or word of gratitude from the kingdom's beloved princesses.
…
Fortunately, Noria and Brea had been taught from a young age never to casually accept gifts while outside the castle. No matter how sincere the gesture seemed, they always politely declined with a warm smile.
As they continued through the bustling marketplace, Marc's attention was suddenly drawn to a peculiar wooden building tucked away along one side of the street.
A carved sign hung above its entrance.
It depicted a small twirling carriage.
"Huh?"
Without thinking much of it, Marc wandered toward the building and stepped inside.
It turned out to be a toy shop.
The moment he entered, his eyes lit up.
Shelves lined every wall, each one filled with beautifully carved wooden toys. Animals, miniature houses, knights, dragons, tiny wagons, and all sorts of figures were neatly displayed throughout the shop.
"Whoa...! there's so many!"
A hearty laugh echoed from behind the counter.
"And every single one of them was carved by hand."
Marc's eyes sparkled even brighter.
"Really? That's so cool!"
The shopkeeper couldn't help but smile at the boy's genuine excitement.
Then his gaze shifted past Marc.
His smile froze.
"...!"
The moment he recognized the two princesses entering the shop, his eyes widened in alarm. He hurried out from behind the counter and bowed deeply.
"Y-Your Royal Highnesses! Welcome! I-I apologize, I didn't realize it was you."
Noria gently raised a hand.
"You don't need to bow so deeply."
She smiled reassuringly.
"We're just looking around. Please don't mind us."
"O-Of course! Please, take your time, Your Highnesses."
The nervous man finally straightened himself.
Brea looked around the shop with genuine admiration.
"May I ask your name?"
"My name is Tert Titra, Your Highness."
"I see."
She smiled warmly.
"Mister Tert, you have some wonderful wood carvings here."
For a brief moment, Tert simply stood there.
Something stirred inside his chest.
Pride.
Gratitude.
...And an ache that never truly disappeared.
His gaze wandered back toward Marc, who was still enthusiastically examining one wooden toy after another. Not far behind him stood Bell, quietly observing the shop.
"...Thank you," Tert replied softly.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"They're... my son's favorite."
His eyes lingered on the toys.
"He'd probably be around your age now."
Noria and Brea exchanged confused glances.
Bell, however, quietly understood what Tert meant.
"Oh?" Noria asked with a smile. "Does your son help you carve all these amazing toys, Mister Tert?"
A gentle smile appeared on Tert's face.
"Yeah..."
"He helped me a lot."
"He's... such an amazing boy."
Noria smiled, unaware of the weight behind those words.
"Looks like he inherited your passion for wood carving."
Tert softly shook his head.
"...Actually..."
He reached toward one of the wooden toys on the shelf and carefully picked it up.
"He's the reason I started carving in the first place."
His thumb gently brushed across the toy's smooth surface.
"Especially toys."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"He loved making wooden toys. We couldn't really afford to buy expensive ones, so he'd always try making them himself."
A faint smile remained on his face.
"...I'd just help him along."
Bell slowly walked over until he stood beside the old craftsman.
Looking at the wooden toy in Tert's hands, he spoke gently.
"Then I'm sure he is really proud to have a father who always supported him."
The words struck deeper than Bell had intended.
Tert's shoulders trembled.
He quickly raised a hand to cover his eyes.
"..."
But the tears refused to stop.
No matter how hard he tried to hide them, they slipped between his fingers one after another.
Noria and Brea froze, startled by the sudden change.
Neither of them understood what had happened.
Yet...
For some reason, neither felt it was right to ask.
The shop fell into a quiet silence.
Across the room, Marc finally noticed the faint sound of someone sniffling.
"Hm?"
He turned around.
The moment he saw the shopkeeper wiping away tears, his eyes widened in complete confusion.
"Ehhh...?? What happened?"
The question almost left his mouth.
Almost.
For reasons he couldn't explain, something in his chest told him that now wasn't the time to ask. So he quietly closed his mouth, looking back and forth between Tert and Bell, waiting in silence.
Bell glanced at Marc, Noria, and Brea.
None of them asked what had happened.
Not a single question.
A small smile formed on Bell's face. Somehow, he felt a little proud of them.
After a few moments, Tert hurriedly wiped his face and let out an awkward laugh.
"Ah... oh wow... Hahaha... This dust sure can sting your eyes."
Noria, Brea, and Marc all shared the same thought.
"...(• ▽ •;)... That's some really powerful dust..."
Bell quietly chuckled at their expressions before playing along.
"Yeah... Dust can be pretty annoying."
The warm smile on his face was enough for Tert to understand.
"...Thank you."
Without saying it aloud, the gratitude was clear.
Wanting to change the atmosphere, Tert suddenly clapped his hands together and put on a bright smile.
"Alright! What do you all want? I'll give each of you one free toy. Just pick anything you like!"
Marc's eyes instantly lit up.
"Woah, really?!"
Tert laughed and nodded.
"Yep! But only one, so make sure you pick your favorite."
Marc grinned from ear to ear.
"Alright! I will!"
Tert then turned toward the princesses.
"You too, Princess Noria, Princess Brea. I don't know if you'd be interested in simple wooden toys like these, but please, feel free to pick one."
Noria smiled and gently shook her head.
"That's not true, Mister Tert."
"We'd be happy to accept your offer," Brea added. "Thank you."
The three children happily began browsing the shelves, each carefully looking over the countless wooden carvings.
As Tert watched them, he noticed something.
Bell hadn't picked up a single toy.
Instead, he simply wandered around the shop, quietly admiring the craftsmanship behind each piece.
Curious, Tert walked over to him.
"Not interested?" he asked with a friendly smile. "Or do you just not like wooden toys very much?"
Bell lightly shook his head.
"It's not that."
His eyes wandered across the shelves, studying the carvings one by one.
"I'm already happy just being able to look at all these wonderful wooden toys."
He picked up one of the figures for a brief moment before carefully setting it back down.
"I don't dislike them. If anything..." Bell smiled. "I'm more interested in how they were carved and shaped. Seeing the work that went into making them is already enjoyable."
Tert quietly stared at Bell.
Those words...
They reminded him so much of his son.
Bell had come up with the answer almost instinctively.
The truth was, he simply felt he was mentally far too old to be excited over toys anymore. But instead of refusing the gift outright, he chose a response that was both honest and considerate of Tert's feelings.
Not long after, Noria and Brea each found something they liked.
Noria happily held up a small wooden Lupan, its tiny carved features surprisingly detailed.
"I'd like this one."
Beside her, Brea smiled as she picked up a miniature wooden crown.
"And I'll take this."
Tert's face brightened.
"Those are both wonderful choices!" he laughed. "I hope you enjoy them."
The two princesses smiled and thanked him.
Now only Marc remained.
He wandered from shelf to shelf, peeking into every corner of the shop.
"There's so many..."
Every toy looked interesting.
Every shelf had something different.
Every time he thought he had found the one, another carving caught his eye.
Noria and Brea couldn't help but giggle as they watched him endlessly circle the shop, completely unable to decide.
Even Tert laughed.
Finally, he walked over and crouched beside Marc.
"Hey, kid."
Marc looked up.
"I've also got wooden figurines of famous people."
He smiled knowingly.
"Is there anyone you really admire?"
Marc placed a finger on his chin and thought hard.
"Hmmm..."
Then his face suddenly lit up.
"Oh! Do you have a The Greatest Mage figurine?"
Tert blinked in slight surprise before bursting into laughter.
"Of course I do!" he said with a grin. "What kind of toy shop doesn't have The Greatest Mage?"
He chuckled as he stood back up.
"Alright, alright. Give me a moment. I'll grab one from the back."
"Yes!!"
Marc pumped his fist excitedly as Tert disappeared into the back of the workshop.
As the old craftsman walked toward the shelves, he couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder.
Marc was practically bouncing with excitement.
That bright smile...
That boundless energy...
For just a moment, it reminded him so much of his son.
A warm smile found its way onto Tert's face.
He reached toward a row of neatly carved The Greatest Mage figurines.
Just as his fingers were about to grab one...
They stopped.
His eyes slowly drifted to another shelf beside it.
Unlike the others, this shelf held only a single figurine.
Tert quietly walked over to it instead.
He gently picked it up, carefully brushing away an invisible speck of dust with his thumb before looking at it for a few silent seconds.
Then, wearing a faint smile, he returned to the front of the shop.
"I've got just the one."
Marc's eyes immediately widened.
"Woaaah!"
He hurried over, staring at the wooden figurine up close as though it were a priceless treasure.
It was beautifully carved, every detail carefully shaped by hand.
"Can... can I really have this for free??"
Tert simply smiled and nodded.
Marc carefully accepted it with both hands.
From that moment on, he couldn't take his eyes off it.
Bell watched the scene with an amused smile.
"He's really crazy whenever anything about my past comes up."
He let out a quiet sigh.
Still...
Seeing Marc this genuinely happy wasn't a bad feeling.
Tert quietly watched the blond-haired boy admire the figurine.
"He seems genuinely happy..."
A gentle warmth spread through his chest.
"I'm glad I chose this one."
Marc suddenly looked back up, his face glowing with excitement.
"Thank you, Mister!"
...
"That smile..."
"Woaa! Dad! Dad! Thank you for making this! I love you, Dad!"
...
"Mister...?"
Tert suddenly blinked.
He had unknowingly drifted back into an old memory.
Looking at Marc once more, he broke into an even brighter smile and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Hahaha! You're very welcome, kid!"
With everyone having chosen their wooden toys, they slowly made their way toward the exit.
Noria and Brea waved goodbye with warm smiles.
"Thank you, Mister Tert."
"I hope your shop continues to do well."
Tert respectfully bowed.
"Thank you, Your Highnesses."
Marc enthusiastically waved both hands.
"Bye, Mister! I'll treasure this forever!"
Tert laughed and waved back.
Bell was the last to leave.
As he gently pulled the wooden door closed, he glanced back through the narrowing gap.
Inside the quiet shop...
Tert lowered himself onto a chair and covered his face with both hands.
Bell understood.
A warm smile appeared on his face before he quietly closed the door.
...
"Woaa... I actually have a The Greatest Mage figurine!"
Marc carefully held it in both hands, staring at it so intently that he nearly forgot to watch where he was walking.
"I'm so happy I could explode!"
Bell laughed awkwardly.
Noria and Brea couldn't help but chuckle as well.
The four continued walking through the lively marketplace.
After a while, Bell glanced at Marc.
"By the way... where's your book? Don't tell me you forgot it."
Marc shook his head.
"Nope! I left it with Teacher Juro."
"I see."
Brea leaned over slightly to admire the figurine in Marc's hands.
"Hmm... Maybe I'll buy a The Greatest Mage figurine too. It looks really detailed."
"I know, right??" Marc exclaimed. "This is so cool!"
Bell looked back toward the direction of Tert's shop, a thought crossing his mind.
"Hey, Noria."
"Hm?"
"Doesn't this kingdom have a local newspaper?"
Noria thought for a moment before nodding.
"It does. My sister and I visited the newspaper office once with Father."
Bell smiled.
"Then maybe you could recommend Mister Tert's shop to the king. If it gets featured in the newspaper, more people around Nerlarnd would get to see those beautifully handcrafted wooden toys."
Brea's eyes brightened.
"Ooo... that's a wonderful idea!"
She giggled.
"I'm sure lots of kids would want a figurine of The Greatest Mage."
Noria nodded in agreement.
"And from the prices I saw, he isn't selling them for much. Children from almost any family could afford one."
"Yeah!" Marc quickly chimed in. "And he's really, really good at wood carving!"
Noria smiled.
"Then when we return to the castle, Brea and I will ask Father if Mister Tert's shop can be featured in the kingdom's newspaper."
Bell smiled back.
"...Yeah."
"I'm sure he'd be happy to hear that."