Chapter 2: The Mysterious Ring and Breakfast

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/3/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

What was that.
The ring glowed, and then it talked.

“Eh, what, a ghost?”

I would really rather not have ghosts in the church.
Ugh, my heart is hammering.

“…What even was that, seriously.”
“—Confirm. By ‘what,’ do you mean me?”
“It talked agaaaaain!?”

I scramble back.
Window behind me. Worst case, I go out that way.
Then around to the front and get the little ones out. Yeah. That’s the plan.

Ah, have Sister Naria exorcise it, or…
No, ghosts are probably too much even for her?

“—I am not a ghost: I am an interface for interpersonal communication.”
“…Ha? What?”
“—I am an interface for interpersonal communication.”
“Interpersonal commu… uh, so you’re not a ghost?”
“—Negative: I am an interface for interpersonal communication.”
“You’re not a ghost, then?”
“—Affirmative: I am an interperson—”
“No, that’s enough of that.”

An interface for interpersonal communication, huh.
You’ve said it enough times. I remember.

Anyway, I don’t really get what it’s saying, but… we can talk, apparently.
Also, apparently not a ghost.

“…Uh. Do you do bad things?”
“—Negative.”
“Are you on my side?”
“—Affirmative.”
“…Got it. Then I’ll hear the rest later. Can you wait?”
“—Affirmative.”
“All right… hup!”

I pick the ring up, gingerly. No problem.
It isn’t glowing anymore. Just an ordinary ring.
…Looking closer, what’s this even made of?
If it’s silver, maybe it would sell for a lot.

I set it on the parcel for now. No change. Hmm.
Well, for the moment it doesn’t seem to be a bad one.
I can’t imagine a ring could do much mischief anyway. First things first: do what I have to do.

∞∞∞∞

“Come on, sit down. We’ve got bread today.”
“For real!? Yay!”

I set a piece of the bread I was given on each plate.
There’s also the same red-bean soup as this morning, fried potatoes, stir-fried vegetables.
All easy to make, all filling.
We’ve got a lot of kids at that age, after all.

I’d like to feed them meat and fish, but that’s expensive, so not every time. If that’s how it is, I at least want them full.
Luckily the farmer uncle sells us beans and potatoes cheap. I’ll take that gratefully and make plenty.

All right. Everyone together: “Itadakimasu.”

∞∞∞∞

I’ve finished the cleanup and I’m drinking tea after the meal when Sister Naria sits in the chair beside me, smiling.
Yeah. She really is beautiful.

“Say, Ouka. What was that parcel? It sounded as if you were screaming.”
“…Mm. It’s hard to explain. Tomorrow okay?”
“Oh, I see. Was it really from the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“I checked the brand, but… I have zero memory of anything that would explain it.”

Also, a talking ring is way too meaningless.
What even is that thing.

“If something happens, you come to me.”
“Nn… by the way, Sister Naria, can you exorcise ghosts?”
“Things without a physical form are outside my jurisdiction.”
“Thought so.”

Even a martial sister who can split brick can’t do ghosts, apparently.
Well, yeah. Obviously.
…That ring had better not actually be a ghost.
If it comes to it, maybe I throw it in the river.
I don’t want to bury it and have something grow, either.

∞∞∞∞

And so, back in my room.
I pick up the mysterious ring and turn it this way and that.
Nothing different from the first time I saw it.
It doesn’t even glow this time.

…I still can’t tell what it’s made of.

“Hey, Mr. Ring. For now, tell me your name.”
“—Unable. I have no individual designation.”
“Eh, you don’t have a name?”
“—Affirmative.”
“Hmm. Then for now I’ll call you Ring. Okay?”
“—Affirmative. This unit’s designation has been set to Ring.”

All right. I’m starting to get the hang of this.
It’s like talking to a shy kid.
You wait slowly for their answers.

…That said. I have way too many things I want to ask.

“So. Ring. What’s an interface for interpersonal communication?”
“—Paraphrase: an object the previous Master made so that it could speak with Ouka.”

Nmu? Speak with me? No, hold on, before that.

“How do you know my name?”
“—I was configured with you as this unit’s Master.”
“So say it so I can understand.”
“—Paraphrase: I heard it from the previous Master.”
“Ah… so if I ask that person, I’ll understand everything?”
“—Affirmative.”

You’re hard to follow.
Can’t you do something about that.

“Mmm. Hmm… and where is that person, by the way?”
“—Search: no match. Unknown.”
“I see. Then can you tell where Glad-someone in the capital is?”
“—Search: match found. The Adventurer’s Guild in the royal capital Eucria.”
“Ah. That one you can find.”

Hnn. What do I do with this.
Asking Ring doesn’t really get me anywhere.
The previous Master, who seems to know what’s going on, is who-knows-where.
The only thing I do know is Glad, at the Adventurer’s Guild in the capital.

The capital, huh… the capital. Three days by shared coach.
It costs money too… what to do.
Well, I could take it out of what I’ve saved for the road.

…Then again. Believing everything a talking ring says is a bit, I don’t know.
I don’t know. I just get the feeling it isn’t lying.
…I’ll put it off for now.

“Next, then. What are these toy handguns?”
“—They are magic-gun devices exclusive to Ouka.”
“The ‘exclusive to me’ part is also a thing, but… magic-gun devices?”
“—Paraphrase: guns that fire mana instead of bullets.”
“Eh, what. Those exist?”
“—Affirmative.”

Mmu. Why would something like that get sent to me.
Exclusive to me. Made for me? Why handguns?
If the previous Master made them, is it someone I know?

…No good. Too many things I don’t understand.
Hmm. The moves I can actually take are throw it all in the river and pretend I never saw it, or go to the capital and ask.
But throwing it away, though.
Shipping a parcel isn’t free. I don’t think this is something that gets sent for no reason.
That said, the capital, though. Mmmmm.

Anyway, tomorrow I’m off work and school.
I’ll try talking to Sister Naria.