The Final Straw III

"Ehem, let's move on to the main topic."

Once Kanna had finished her coffee and regained her composure, she went into her motive for seeking Carolyn, besides expressing her gratitude.

"Now, I realise I might sound hypocritical, given what I just warned you about, but do you have any more of those herbs you gave me? I'm willing to pay for them. I think I can get through work if I drink that herbal tea once a day or two."

Kanna felt awkward as she gave her request. She plainly told Carolyn that she was too willing to give gifts, yet she still wanted something from her. Of course, Kanna planned on paying a fair price so it wouldn't be a gift, but it still made her feel uncomfortable.

On the other hand, Carolyn was glad to help, but there was a problem.

"I'd love to help you, but that was actually the only batch of those herbs I had."

While the herbs could be found in the wild, they only grew in mountainous areas and the Amber domain was famed for its lush plains, so it was unlikely that she could find any nearby.

"I, see. I guess it can't be helped then."

Kanna was disappointed, but she accepted the news without a fuss. She was responsible for buying groceries in her family and would pass through flower shops from time to time, but she had never before seen the herbs Carolyn gave her, so she had already guessed that they weren't normally available on the market. Once the possibility of getting more from Carolyn was crushed, Kanna resolved to keep fighting until she got used to her work situation or taxes went back to normal.

"Wait, I might not have those herbs, but I think I can do something about your fatigue."

"Really?"

"Yes, I know some massage techniques and I've used them to help the farmers in my village. It won't be as effective as the herbs, but once I relieve your body of its built-up tension, you should find it easier to stay focused."

"That sounds good. Would today be okay? I'm good for the rest of the day, but tomorrow probably won't work."

"Yes, today is fine, but would you mind helping me with something first?"

"Of course not. What do you want my help with?"

"Well, you see..."

Carolyn then explained her trouble clothes shopping, which Kanna empathized with.

"I understand you 100%. Of course, we want to look pretty, but with only limited funds, there's no choice but to search for the best deals. Still, you don't have to worry because my years of suffering through the same problem haven't been wasted."

"I see. It sounds like you've been through a lot."

"We'll be here until the next morning if I tried to go through all of my story. By the way, where are you working?"

"The Continental Courier Service."

"Wow! That's impressive."

"I just had the fortune of getting a recommendation."

"What's wrong with that? No matter how skilled you are, if your potential employer doesn't know it, it's the same as having no skills at all. That's why connections are very important for getting work."

"Now that you mention it, that makes sense."

"Right? I also thought about working there, but new roles tend to be filled internally or by people recommended by those that are already employees."

"Is that so? If you'd still like to work there, I can ask if there are any free positions."

"No, it's fine. I have other plans now."

Kanna didn't expound on what those plans were, but there was a glimmer in her eyes.

Soon after, Kanna settled the bill before Carolyn could stop her and brought Carolyn clothes shopping. As a village girl, Carolyn had little exposure to current fashion trends, so she trusted the decision to Kanna. Kanna led her to several stores to try on clothes, and halfway through, it was pretty obvious that Kanna was just having fun dressing her up, but Carolyn was also having a good time, so she didn't mind.

They eventually settled down and chose a set of five outfits for Carolyn at a cost of eight silver coins, along with a leather messenger bag for 2 silvers. By then it was around 3 in the afternoon. Though it was only five outfits, Carolyn could mix and match them to create more combinations. She might still hear some snide comments, but it wouldn't cause any problems from a professional standpoint.

"Thanks for all the help, Kanna."

"It's fine. I had a lot of fun shopping with you. It's been a while since I could relax like this."

"Me too. This is the first time I've gone shopping with someone, and I'm really glad it's with you."

"You sure know the right words to say. It would be nice if, again..."

Kanna's voice softened as she thought about how unlikely it would be that they could go shopping again given her busy hours and lacking funds, but Carolyn didn't want to let gloom take over.

"We definitely will. No matter what."

Kanna didn't have much hope, but she smiled when she heard those comforting words.

With the shopping complete, Carolyn didn't forget what she had promised Kanna.

"So, would you be alright with doing the massage at the inn I'm staying?"

She didn't need a special place to do the massage, but there was a message oil she wanted to use that was in her room, so she would have to go back for it.

"I don't have a problem with that. Now that I think about it, what inn are you staying at?"

"The Wild Boar Inn. Have you heard of it?"

"I think so. Isn't it that place with a tavern that's popular among ruffians?"

"So that's the reputation it has. I suppose it's not far from the truth."

"I haven't heard of any incidents, but are you really okay in a place like that?"

"Well, the patrons can definitely be a little vulgar, but the innkeeper and her family treat me well. If it wasn't for the innkeeper, I wouldn't have been able to get my current job."

"So they're the one who gave you that recommendation? That's unexpected. Do you think I could meet them?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll introduce you if they're there."

"Thanks."

"It's no problem. But why do you suddenly want to meet them?"

"They seem to be an influential person so I want to connect with them. Oh, and of course I want to thank her for taking care of you."

"You're really honest, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry..."

Kanna felt like burrowing her head in the ground after her verbal gaffe. There were many reasons, but one of the main reasons behind her friendless life was that she exposed her true thoughts when it came to things she was passionate about, no matter how it might sound. It didn't happen during work, but many girls had had issues with her after she admitted she found work or reading more fun than hanging out with them. She believed Carolyn was different from them, but with her mouth, this relationship might not last longer than usual.

"Don't be. The innkeeper is my great benefactor, so even though you're my 'big sister', I wouldn't let you meet her if you lied to me about your reason."

"Guh! It's unfair to sneak attack me with 'big sister' like that."

Carolyn chuckled as she watched Kanna's miffed expression. When she talked about connecting with Margaret, Carolyn could see ambition in her eyes, but those eyes were as pure as a child talking about their dream. She wanted to know what dream she was aiming for, but she couldn't find it in herself to ask.

Maybe, she was afraid. Perhaps if she heard of the bright future Kanna envisioned, she would stay to see it come true. But that couldn't be allowed. At least not until she completed her journey.

"Welcome back, Carol. You brought a friend, huh?"

When Carolyn returned to the inn with Kanna along with her, they found Marco at the front desk using a dumbbell. His dumbbell seemed to be made from scrap metal, but in his eyes it was fine as long as it had the right weight. The sight of the weightlifting receptionist confused Kanna, but Carolyn avoided touching on the matter.

"Yes, this is Kanna."

"Um, it's nice to meet you."

Since Carolyn didn't say anything, Kanna assumed that his behaviour was normal in the inn and avoided the topic as well.

"Me too. I'm Marco. We're not too strict on bringing people over so you two can have fun as long as you don't disturb everybody else."

"Thanks. Is Miss Margaret in?"

"No, not right now."

"Okay. We'll go up to my room now."

Once the two passed the front desk and were on the staircase, Carolyn apologized.

"I'm sorry. It looks like I won't be able to introduce you to her."

"No, you don't have to apologize. It's just a matter of timing. Besides, I still have your massage to look forward to, don't I?"

"Yes, you certainly do."

Once the two reached the second floor, Carolyn sensed a gaze from her hidden neighbour, but as soon as she glanced in their direction, they closed the door again. She wished they would at least exchange greetings with her, but it looked like their relationship would stay like this for the time being.

"Carol?"

Unlike Carolyn, Kanna hadn't noticed the peeping neighbour, so she didn't know why Carolyn was staring at one of the doors. Rather than explaining, Carolyn chose to continue with their original objective.

"It's nothing. This is my room."

Carolyn's room was functional to be polite, but Kanna was also a practical person, so she didn't have an issue with the lack of decorations.

"It's nice."

"Thanks. You can lie down on the bed while I prepare."

"Okay."