Chapter 239: An Ominous Rumor<ol> <li><strong> An Ominous Rumor</strong></li> </ol>


    * * *


    “There, all done…”


    Rana had finished shoveling the snow in front of the store, and while pping her clothes to cool off the ufortably seeping sweat despite it being winter, she looked up overhead.


    There, proudly disyed above the store’s entrance door, was a wooden sign that read “Parirot Magic Lamp Store.”


    To make it look like a store that deals with magicmps that brightly illuminate the darkness, the letters on the sign were painted in a bright yellow color, which stood out well against the deep blue winter sky.


    “Magicmps” are a type of magic tool, and simply put, they aremps that glow when infused with magic power.


    Primitive magicmps can be created by just processing certain monster materials a little, and because of that, magicmps have been loved and used by people in this world since ancient times.


    Now, if it’s a town of a decent size, magicmps are so widespread that they are used not only to illuminate the rooms of each household but also as streetmps.


    The store that deals with those magicmps is the Parirot Magic Lamp Store, which Rana started with her husband Parirot in this town.


    In addition to selling various magicmps at the store, which they procure from affiliated magic tool workshops, they also undertake instation work and repairs of magicmps.


    Thanks to her husband’s bright and likable cheerful personality, as well as Rana’s beautiful appearance, currently about one-third of the people in the town of Serelirin are regr customers of this magicmp store.


    In other words, it’s quite busy, and it’s safe to say that the business is on track.


    When her husband Parirot, who was originally a peddler, said he would use the wealth he had umted to run a magicmp store in this town, even Rana was hesitant at first.


    After all, although he had dealt with magicmps as a peddler, it wasn’t his specialty.


    It could be said that it was a challenge in a different industry.


    However, Rana believed in her husband, supported his decision, and the couple worked together to build up this store.


    The result is the current busy but happy life.


    Rana’s face naturally broke into a smile as she looked up at the sign.


    “Excuse me, are you open yet?”


    “Oh, yes, thank you foring in this cold weather. We have a fire going, so pleasee inside and warm up.”


    Rana came back to her senses when she was called out to by the first customer of the day.


    She smiled and opened the store’s door.


    * * *


    “Helloooo! It’s Kanantir Magic Tool Workshop!”


    It was past noon when the customer traffic had settled down that such a loud voice echoed in the store along with the sound of the bell announcing a visitor.


    “Ah, yes! I’ming!”


    Waiting for Rana, who noticed the voice and ran to the entrance of the store, was a plump middle-aged woman with her cheeks and nose red from the cold.


    “Good afternoon, ma’am. Thank you as always! It must have been cold, right?”


    “Oh, really! I wish I could be spared from the cold!”


    This woman is Bsato, the wife of the owner of Kanantir Magic Tool Workshop.


    Kanantir Magic Tool Workshop is one of the workshops affiliated with Parirot Magic Lamp Store, and they mainly supply small magicmps for general household use to the store.


    On this day as well, Bsato had loaded two wooden boxes filled with magicmps onto a sled and took her time to transport them all the way here.


    “…Yes, yes, certainly. It’s ording to the order. Thank you very much.”


    Rana quickly inspected the contents of the wooden boxes, then stacked the two boxes, easily lifted them up, and carried them into the store.


    Despite her rtively slender appearance, she is quite strong.


    “Wait a minute, Rana-chan, I’ll help too… Don’t overdo it, okay? It’ll be painful if you hurt your back, you know?”


    “Ahaha, it’s fine!”


    Rana smiled at Bsato, who was looking at her with concern.


    Rana used to hunt monsters to make a living.


    This level of physicalbor is not a problem for her.


    “More importantly, ma’am, how about it? Why don’t you warm up a bit?”


    Saying that, Rana pointed to the stove ced inside the store.


    On top of that ck cylinder burning mes inside, a kettle was spewing steam from its spout.


    “Oh my, hehe, sorry about that! Well, if you insist, I guess I’ll take you up on that offer!?”


    Bsato said that, leaned the sled against the side of the store, brushed off the snow, and stepped inside the store.


    The warm air gently caressed her cheeks, turning the few remaining white particles into water droplets.


    They lined up chairs around the stove and started drinking tea there.


    For them, this tea party was like a break time and also a ce to gather information.


    Anyway, they thoroughly enjoyed several trivial gossips.


    However… this day’s tea party did not pass as just a pleasant time.


    Because among the gossips brought by Bsato, there was one that couldn’t help but stir Rana’s heart.


    * * *


    “Rumors among… the children?”


    When Bsato started talking about whether she knew of the rumors spreading among the children, Rana was first puzzled.


    “You don’t know? My two little ones were making a fuss about what they heard at school…”


    Bsato said that much, then sipped her Zamago bean tea, took a breath, and muttered in a small voice.


    “…Apparently, a cursed child has drifted into this town from somewhere…”


    “!!!”


    A cursed child!


    A ck-haired, ck-eyed child said to bring misfortune to those around them!


    Just hearing those words from Bsato, Rana froze.


    “They say it’s a cursed child with a strange appearance… Hm? Rana-chan?”


    The color drained from Rana’s face.


    Cold sweat gushed out.


    Her body trembled.


    She even forgot to breathe.


    Rana’s mind waspletely nk now.


    She couldn’t think of anything.


    Only the sound of her heartbeat reached her ears.


    “Rana-chan!? Hey, Rana-chan! What’s wrong!?”


    Seeing Rana’s unusual state, Bsato hurriedly put her cup of Zamago bean tea on a nearby table and pped her hands in front of her.


    “Ah… Ha, ha, haa, haa…”


    “Yes, yes, calm down, calm down, Rana-chan. Yes, take a deep breath…”


    “Haa, haa… Ah, um! I’m fine! Ma’am, I’m fine now!”


    Having regained her senses, Rana said that in a hurry and put on an awkward smile.


    “There’s no way you’re fine! Your face is still pale, you know? What in the world happened?”


    “Really… Really, I’m fine. Just, well, I thought it was ominous…”


    “…I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t push yourself, okay?”


    Bsato said that and sat back down on the chair.


    In particr, she didn’t pry into her circumstances.


    That’s the discretion necessary when interacting with neighbors.


    “Well, but you know, that’s just a rumor among children, right? In the first ce, it’s not realistic for a child to drift into this town alone from somewhere else in this season, right? I can understand that cursed children are ominous and frightening, but it’s not something to take so seriously, you know?”


    “Yeah, ahaha, you’re right…”


    Rana forciblyughed and agreed.


    After that, Rana and Bsato chatted about several trivial gossips before the tea party disbanded.


    However, Rana didn’t remember at all what they talked about after that.


    Far from that, even during work after this tea party, she seemed absent-minded.


    Before she knew it, it had bepletely dark outside, and it was closing time.


    With a pale face, she cleaned the inside of the store and locked the door.


    When she peeked into the residential space, her son Ikeranjel had alreadye home at some point, resting his chin on his hand at the desk, ring at his homework, and groaning.


    Rana hadn’t even noticed that her noisy and mischievous son hade home.