Chapter 200: Granny |
Morale Support: Scherzo
Patreon: https://patreon.com/ScherzoTranslations
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Inside the villa area, there were no horse carriages available for rent. However, there were few people walking around at night. Through the railing, one could see that most of the villas had lights on, so it wasn’t too dark. For Reiner, this was considered a post-dinner stroll.
The roads had signs, so he didn’t get lost and quickly walked out of this residential area.
Outside the residential area was a commercial street, brightly lit with people coming and going, enjoying the night.
Reiner noticed that many young people were wearing uniform robes, likely the uniforms of the Astar Advanced Magic Academy. They were either gathering in taverns, raising their glasses, or discussing something in cafes. Some were happily chatting in front of roadside stalls.
This reminded Reiner of his own student days, sneaking out of school after studying to have a good meal with friends at the streets called “Backstreet” found in every university.
A smile unconsciously appeared on his face as he strolled along the street.
“Would you like some local pastry rolls? Iced coke is also available.”
She called out in a low voice, but most pedestrians didn’t stop. For them, the food in those shops was more appealing than what an elderly person of unknown origin was selling.
Some drunken young people even drove away the old lady, disdainfully treating her as if she carried some contagious disease, and even lifted their wine bottles.
“Get lost, old lady, don’t come near us.”
The person spoke with a nasty tone, and those around him had already restrained him. Seemingly intoxicated, he vented all his daytime frustrations with harsh words toward the unfamiliar old lady.
He kicked the cart, causing it to lose balance and overturn on the ground. The fragrant pastry rolls scattered on the ground. What a pity.
Reiner witnessed all of this. He had no intention of meddling, but the student who caught his eye had different thoughts.
“Dude, what are you looking at? You unhappy?”
He was completely drunk, his gaze unfocused, seemingly retaining no sobriety.
His companions looked embarrassed, apologizing to Reiner with their eyes. They saw Reiner’s first level mage emblem and thought he was a fellow student from the same school.
“Darn, that guy ruined my thesis again. He must be doing it on purpose. Do I really have to pay him?”
The drunk suddenly burst into tears, his face flushed. He loudly complained about something.
It seemed he had completely forgotten about Reiner. His classmates pulled him away, leaving behind the overturned cart and the old lady cleaning up.
The old lady remained silent. Although the fallen food was no longer edible, she picked them up one by one with her hands and put them into a bag, preparing to throw them into the public trash bin. The old lady’s movements were slow but very earnest.
“Granny, don’t bother picking up.”
Reiner said and immediately used Mage Hand to quickly clear the ground. He also helped lift the cart, causing the old lady to raise her head.
At night, despite the streetlights, visibility was still limited. Reiner saw the eyes of the white-haired old lady, which were not numb but clearly shining.
“Thank you, young man.”
She obviously also regarded Reiner as a student from the academy. Using a towel that seemed to have been used for a long time, the old lady wiped her hands clean. From the cart’s cabinet, she took out a bottle of black beverage and handed it to Reiner.
“This is a token of gratitude for your help.”
It was a bottle of Crescent Coke.
“This beverage from the south is very popular among young people. You probably haven’t tried it before.”
“No, I’ve had it before. Thank you.”
He had not only tried it but was actually the inventor of this novel beverage that was currently popular across the continent.
Reiner smiled, took the bottle. It had a simple packaging without a mage card, specifically designed for resale by steam trains, airships, and some miscellaneous merchants.
The glass bottle was especially cold, condensing dewdrops on the surface. It seemed that some cooling method, like ice, was used in the cabinet to maintain the low temperature of the coke. Although the old lady was old, she seemed quite knowledgeable about new things.
He skillfully opened the bottle, took a sip, and the taste was as good as ever.
“Granny, you shouldn’t sell things on this street. Most people are attracted to those shops. You can try the clothing commercial street.”
Reiner casually suggested, but the old lady shook her head.
“My legs aren’t agile. I live nearby and can’t walk too far.”
She spoke with a slightly northern accent. Clearly, this old lady wasn’t from Tristan.
Reiner nodded and took another sip of the coke.
Since the bottle needed to be recycled, he simply stood beside the old lady, planning to finish drinking before leaving.
“By the way, you students studying magic at the school, do you know how to meet the members of the Thesis Review Committee?”
The old lady, seeing Reiner’s good attitude, asked.
“Thesis Review Committee? Why do you want to find them?”
Reiner was a bit puzzled. This old lady certainly wasn’t a mage, and she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would be waiting at the door hoping for her thesis to be reevaluated. What did she want with the Thesis Review Committee?
“Haha, I have a thesis here and want them to take a look.”
The old lady’s words surprised Reiner, but he didn’t show it on his face. Instead, he asked calmly.
“Granny, did you study magic? How can you write a thesis?”
Upon hearing Reiner’s words, the old lady smiled, somewhat helpless.
“It’s not me who wrote the thesis. I don’t even recognize a few characters. This is my son’s thesis.”
Reiner frowned at this point.
It seemed that the son’s thesis was rejected, and he wanted the Thesis Review Committee to reconsider. However, he was unwilling to do it himself and even sought the help of his mother.
Moreover, after a brief examination of this old lady, she didn’t seem so old. Her hair was already white, and she wore very old clothes, patched up in many places. Her hands were covered in calluses, clearly the result of long-term labor.
For such a foolish idea, he even dragged down his own mother. This kind of parasitic behavior made Reiner a bit contemptuous.
Reiner was glad he hadn’t revealed his identity. Otherwise, this old lady might have pestered him to review the thesis. He finished the remaining coke, handed the bottle back to the old lady, and after some thought, he took out two silver coins, discreetly putting them in the old lady’s pocket.
Although he didn’t have much sympathy for people immersed in their own world, considering the old lady’s hard work for her son, Reiner showed a bit of generosity.
“Granny, I think you should advise your son to focus on the right things and not waste time on those elusive things.”
Finally, Reiner gave a piece of advice and left without waiting for her response. He called a rental carriage at the street corner and left the street without looking back.
