Late Night Snack

18th day of Aluvard (approx)

My apartment is not very large compared to some of the castles I have seen looming across the river. Even closer to here, there are some estates that seem larger than this entire building. I believe Lady Nomura's apartment is larger than mine, though I have never seen inside. This world, like Impalia, has many different homes, of all sorts and sizes.

This particular building is large enough for four people to live together. There is me, Lady Nomura, and the two people downstairs. I have a small kitchen, and a space where I can sit and look out the window. There is a small room that holds a toilet, and another room where I can sleep, but lately the heat is enough that I prefer to bring the futon into this larger room and sleep close to the open window. There is no bath, but it is pleasant, and I have no complaints.

I've never had a home of my own, outside of the palace, and even that I find difficult to think of as a home. It's true I lived there until I was fifteen, but my role as the ninth princess meant my relationship to the palace was cold. I can imagine what a sword must feel like when it's left alone in an armory.

When I was eleven, my father briefly entertained the idea of marrying me to a duke from the far outskirts of our domain. He was quite advanced in years, close to fifty years of age, I believe, though the exact number escapes me. His duchy had managed some feat that was worthy enough of praise to move the hand of the king, yet not so astounding that it should merit more than marriage to the ninth princess. I do remember that for a long time I stayed in my quarters, trying to imagine what married life to somebody so much older than me would be like. It was entirely outside of the limits of my imagination. I had only met my parents a few times, so I could not use them as a baseline for what married life would be like, aside from assuming it involved sitting far apart without acknowledging each other.

I suppose, given that I exist, they must have been intimate at least nine times, though it was difficult for me to picture it.

I asked my maid, and she told me that it would be better if I were taken by the demon lord and torn into pieces than to be handed over to that man. She wept as she spoke, but I was taken to understand it was because of a similar experience that had befallen one of her sisters.

So it was probably a stroke of luck that the church divined my blessings, and named me the Hero.

The marriage was called off and that duke was given some other sort of reward. I was taken from the palace and trained until I was thirteen, at which point I took part in my first sortie. I rode at the head of the royal army after that for two more years. At age fifteen I saw my father one last time.

He looked down at me from his throne, and I was only allowed to look up as high as his feet, so I couldn't see what his face looked like. He said either "good luck" or "good riddance," and then the court sent me out to the west in search of the demon lord.

Sometimes, as I journeyed around the wilderness, looking for that devil, I would wonder what it would be like to have a real home. Maybe if I had married that old man it would have been a fate worse than death, but maybe it would still be a home of sorts.

Having said that, I believe his entire duchy was eventually ravaged by wraiths and wiped clean off the map, so it probably wouldn't have been a home for very long in any case.

---

Aiko walked through the night toward the convenience store. As always, there were still plenty of people out, either returning from work or heading back out into the night, or just killing time. The people of this world were always active. Even in the very early hours there was always somebody here or there.

Her stomach rumbled, and Aiko put one hand on her belly. She'd come out looking for food.

When she arrived at the convenience store, she was greeted by a cheerful voice.

"Welcome! Take a look around! Oh! Miss Steamed Bun! Welcome back! Haven't seen you for a while!"

Aiko's eyes narrowed at the overly personal greeting. There was a young woman wearing the store uniform, leaning over the counter, smiling at Aiko. She had a plain looking expression, and her eyes were permanently half closed.

The other worker behind the counter was a young man who seemed devoted to lifelessly moving the fried food around in its glass container. He said nothing.

Aiko narrowed her eyes and tried to remember if she had ever met this person before. If she had, it hadn't made much of an impression. Still, the girl continued to grin at her with those annoying half closed eyes.

Aiko pointed a finger at the girl.

"Dead fish eyes!"

"Ah hahaha, I get that sometimes." The girl seemed not at all bothered.

Aiko sighed. She didn't understand how people in this world worked. She decided to ignore the girl as best as she could and get what she'd come for. Aiko took a carefully measured number of coins from her pocket and placed them on the counter.

"I'll have—"

"One steamed bun. Right? Paid in cash. Coming right up."

Aiko ground her teeth. "Y-yes."

The girl brushed the other worker out of the way, and opened the glass cabinet for hot foods with one hand while she plucked a pair of silver tongs from beneath the counter with the other. Clipping the tongs together, she scooped out the largest bun from the middle of the display and slipped it into a paper wrapper.

"That's exact, so no change. Way to go! Here, have some extra mustard."

The girl pulled a fistful of small yellow sachets and put them on the counter for Aiko.

Aiko didn't particularly like the mustard. It was too spicy to have in one go. But it was free, so she took it anyway. She could decide what to do with it later.

"Thank you," Aiko muttered. She took her steamed bun and, glaring one last time at the cashier, headed for the exit.

"You're welcome! Come again! Don't be a stranger! Oh! Miss Steamed Bun! You should be careful!"

Aiko looked over her shoulder. The girl was back to leaning on the counter.

"Weird stuff happening again lately. Dogs that look like ghosts. Strange birds. Like the old days, you know. Be careful out there, OK?"

Aiko nodded, and left the convenience store.

Outside, there were still plenty of people milling about. Aiko closed her eyes and tried to see how far she could push her senses.

There was definitely something out there. Not moving, and just far out enough that she couldn't quite tell what it was. Just far out enough that its psychic presence bled into the busy night. It was not getting any closer, but Aiko was sure it was looking at her.

Feeling suddenly cold despite the humidity, Aiko shuddered and started back towards her home.

She was too weak. She needed to train.