★★07: Fruit Seller Sylvia★★
“The steemed mage over there!”
Hubert, with his blue hair and blue eyes, stopped in his tracks and looked around. There, he noticed a woman with turquoise hair and eyes, sitting on the ground, gazing up at him.
“Are you a water mage?”
He was asked with a courteous smile.
“Yes, indeed. Are you the one who called for me?”
It had been about two weeks since she started selling fruits here. Initially, she knew nothing and almost died when she set up her stall at the market. The taxes imposed by the merchants were truly terrifying, and she experienced it firsthand this time.
So, she kept looking for a better place and eventually found herself near the castle gate. The gate was always frequented by mercenary groups or knights coming in and out. Approaching them directly, she offered samples of her fruits and vegetables, which led to quite a satisfying profit.
As she kept observing people, she began to understand why they could easily identify her as a mage at first glance.
People with magical abilities had their hair color and eye color perfectly matched. The higher the magical power, the more vibrant and intense the colors, while lower magical power manifested as pastel hues with lower saturation.
However, just because someone had matching hair and eye colors didn’t mean they were all mages. There were distinct differences between mages and swordsmen. It was easy to tell the two professions apart. If someone wielded a sword and had a sturdy physique, they were a swordsman. On the other hand, if they had a delicate or plump physique and wore robes, they were a mage.
In this world, hair color and eye color also directly corresponded to the elemental affinity. Those with the fire element had red hair and crimson eyes, while wind element users had green hair and emerald eyes.
Therefore, looking at the man with deep blue hair and eyes, coupled with his lean physique and draped robe, the conclusion was evident – he was a water mage. Moreover, a water mage with considerable magical power.
“Yes, I am a water mage… but why did you call for me? Are you also a mage? What brings you here?”
With refined language and an elegant demeanor, the man’s presence made Sylvia slightly flustered. Since coming to this place, she had learned that nobles were the first group to be cautious of.
But if she suddenly said, ‘It’s nothing,’ or ‘I must have mistaken you for someone else,’ it might raise suspicions. Resolute in adhering to her true occupation, Sylvia asked, “Are you in need of any fruits or vegetables, sir?”
Hubert gazed at the woman in front of him and fell into deep thought. Although his mercenary group hadn’t come this way, he had been loitering around, awaiting an opportunity. He had been searching for fruits and vegetables, as their provisions were running low. Unfortunately, the produce at the fruit shop he found in the nearby noble alley wasn’t as fresh as expected.
“Could you show me a few samples in advance, perhaps?”
Hubert asked cautiously, feeling both delighted and suspicious. How could she appear right at the moment when he needed it the most?
Feeling his inner turmoil, Sylvia smiled warmly and nodded in response to his request.
“Of course. Let me first offer you some samples to taste, and then you can decide.”
Those who had tried the fruits and vegetables she sold always came back for more. She took out tomatoes, bananas, and oranges from her spatial bag.
Hubert’s eyes widened at the sight of the unfamiliar fruits.
“This is a tomato, right? And the others are bananas and oranges, I suppose. Well, let me try one.”
Peeling the banana with ease, Sylvia handed it to Hubert. He took a bite and his eyes lit up with delight. It was juicy and incredibly sweet, with a unique fragrance. His mouth watered as he quickly finished the banana.
“Next, let me show you how to open an orange. Watch closely.”
She deftly inserted her thumb into the top of the orange, separated the peel, and then used both thumbs to split it into two halves.
“The peeling can be a bit tricky, but once you taste it, you won’t forget it.”
She handed one half to him.
“Peel it slightly and then take a bite into the juicy flesh.”
Hubert followed her instructions and his eyes widened in surprise. It tasted completely different from the fruits he had just eaten. It was refreshing and sweet. He eagerly devoured the orange and couldn’t resist trying the tomatoes too.
“How much do you have of these?”
“Let’s see, I have 200 oranges, 10 bunches of bananas, and 300 tomatoes.”
“I’ll take everything.”
Hubert pulled out his spatial bag from under his robe. With lightning speed, he finished the calculation and received all the fruits from Sylvia’s spatial bag.
Satisfied, he put the bag back into his robe and thanked Sylvia. He felt a brief moment of guilt for doubting her, even though there was no need for suspicion at this point. Habits were sometimes intimidating, even when there was no reason for them.
“Oh no, your hands are covered in juice.”
Hubert looked at her fingers, now stained yellow from the oranges. Sylvia, eager to part ways with the nobleman, waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s alright, I can wash them at home.”
Upon hearing her words, Hubert infused his ring with magic, and a stream of transparent, blue-tinted water flowed from it. The water swirled around Sylvia’s hands, leaving them clean and spotless.
“Wow…”
“Thank you very much.”
He made a light bow, looking at her now clean hands. He quickly left, thinking about his master, who must have been waiting for him without having a proper meal.
Sylvia marveled at her spotlessly clean hands.
“Indeed, magic.”
Since she started using magic, Sylvia had become quite fascinated by it. Her impulsive and reckless nature had quickly shown progress in plant magic, as she was fully immersed in it without looking back.
At that moment, Sylvia noticed a sparkling object in the distance and looked up. Eringium, whom she had sent home earlier, was now returning with another spatial bag, sweating while carrying it.
As she earned a considerable amount of money, Sylvia had purchased more spatial bags. With her powerful magical abilities, she could produce a vast amount of fruits and vegetables, so she needed the extra space to store them all.
Sylvia had tried to sell a large quantity at once, but the first bag she bought couldn’t hold everything. The spatial bag was convenient as it didn’t take up much space and preserved the freshness of the produce.
Today, however, Eringium had forgotten to bring the additional spatial bag, so Sylvia hid in the alley to avoid attracting attention. As the fairy returned with the bag, it seemed like she was struggling to carry it, and Sylvia welcomed her with a smile.
Eringium, exhausted, plopped down on Sylvia’s forehead.
“Are you okay? Was it too difficult?”
[You have no idea! It’s a hundred times my size!]
Ignoring the fairy’s complaints, Sylvia marveled at her new acquisition of fruits and vegetables. She playfully teased Eringium, knowing that no other human could boss a fairy around like she did.
“Water magic is just amazing. I wish I could use water magic too. Maybe if I had a ring, could I use it?”
Lost in her rapturous thoughts, Sylvia didn’t notice Eringium, who had already flipped her body and buried her nose, now fast asleep. The warm sunbeam falling on Sylvia’s forehead was comforting, and she whispered in awe.
“I really love water magic. If only I could use it too…”
“Ugh, seriously? She fell asleep, it seems.”
Sylvia chuckled as she heard the faint snoring of the fairy.
Setting aside the fruits and vegetables, Sylvia now had her mind set on finding the magic ring. She hurriedly collected the bag Eringium had brought and headed straight to an accessory shop.
Although she had earned enough money to live comfortably for a while, Sylvia believed she could afford a magic ring. However, the moment she entered the store and saw the prices, tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly rushed out.
“Ugh!”
Glancing through the glass display of rings, Sylvia couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
“Ah, really… Aren’t they too expensive? What’s with the starting price of 30 gold coins? That’s the cheapest?”
The money she earned from selling fruits was only 10 gold coins.
But it was only possible because she was selling in a place where fruits and vegetables were scarce. If she were to sell at a normal market, she wouldn’t have earned so much in such a short time. Sylvia had always sold her fruits at fair prices, even when she could have charged more.
If it was only 10 gold coins, she would have gladly given her entire fortune to buy the ring. After all, she could manage to live without meat as long as she had fruits and vegetables to eat. Food was one thing she didn’t have to worry about.
However, asking for three times that amount was just too much. It seemed like an insurmountable price.
Frowning at the thought of the exorbitant price, Sylvia suddenly had another idea and briskly changed direction.
“Sylvia, is that you?”
Now, among the passing people, there were quite a few who recognized her.
“Hello!”
“Did you sell everything already today?”
“No, I had some other errands to attend to!”
“Wait, take this and eat it!”
“What is this?”
Ruben, the owner of the bakery, handed her a paper bag with some bread inside.
“It’s just bread, go ahead and eat it.”
“No, why are you giving it to me for free?”
“Well, last time, I just grabbed some fruits to eat, so consider it payback.”
“No, those were for tasting, and you were supposed to taste them first before buying… But thank you.”
“Well, then next time, let me taste some more. Now, go on.”
Waving his hand, Ruben returned to his shop, and as Sylvia watched him, she couldn’t help but smile.
At first, she thought he was quite grumpy, but he had changed a lot since then. It was a positive change, and Sylvia was growing more attached to this place with each passing day.
‘Oh, by the way… Come to think of it, I forgot to ask the most important question.’
As she continued walking diligently toward the only library in the castle, Sylvia sighed, realizing that she hadn’t asked the most fundamental question yet.
Where could the real Sylvia have gone before the other Sylvia arrived?
With the fundamental question stored in her mind to ask the fairy later when she returned home, she entered the library. Sylvia was completely engrossed in the study of magic runes.
After borrowing some books from the library and feeling pleased, she returned home. Placing her bag down, she picked up the small fairy that was still lying on her head.
Sitting on the single sofa, she gently shook her hand.
“Wake up.”
[Hmm, hua.]
The fairy finally woke up with a yawn, wondering why the bag was so heavy and why she was lying there for so long.
“Hey!”
Raising her voice slightly, the fairy jumped up.
[Hm? What’s wrong? Couldn’t sleep well. Why were you roaming around so much? You shook me so hard.]
“Oh dear, you’re such a sleepyhead. How can you sleep so well on my head?”
[Huh, I didn’t sleep well. What’s with all that shaking? It was so bumpy.]
Playfully, Sylvia tugged at the chubby indigo hair.
[Ouch! What are you doing? Can’t you let go?]
Resting her elbows on her thighs and looking up at the fairy, Sylvia asked seriously.
“I want to ask you something.”
Blocking her fingers with both hands and grumbling, the fairy glared at Sylvia with triangular eyes.
[What? What is it? Let go of me!]
Before the agitated fairy could fly away, Sylvia quickly enveloped her body with her hands and lifted her up to meet her gaze. Something about her question seemed to startle the fairy, and she shrunk her neck hesitantly.
After a moment of silence, Sylvia asked in a soft voice, “Eringium, then where did the original Sylvia go?”
Caught by her question, Eringium sighed deeply with her neck fully extended.
[You finally asked!]
“No, I was also confused. Think about it. I woke up in a strange place. There was a weird fairy I had never seen before, and I had been transformed into a new body. I had no money, no food, didn’t know anything about the cost of living here, or even where ‘here’ was. I knew nothing.”
Listening to Sylvia’s rapid stream of words, Eringium replied in a grumbling voice, [Aethernum-nim’s magic transported you, and Aethernum-nim’s magic designated this body for your soul. When I found it, this body already had no soul.]
“No soul?”
★★07: Fruit Seller Sylvia★★
“The steemed mage over there!”
Hubert, with his blue hair and blue eyes, stopped in his tracks and looked around. There, he noticed a woman with turquoise hair and eyes, sitting on the ground, gazing up at him.
“Are you a water mage?”
He was asked with a courteous smile.
“Yes, indeed. Are you the one who called for me?”
It had been about two weeks since she started selling fruits here. Initially, she knew nothing and almost died when she set up her stall at the market. The taxes imposed by the merchants were truly terrifying, and she experienced it firsthand this time.
So, she kept looking for a better place and eventually found herself near the castle gate. The gate was always frequented by mercenary groups or knights coming in and out. Approaching them directly, she offered samples of her fruits and vegetables, which led to quite a satisfying profit.
As she kept observing people, she began to understand why they could easily identify her as a mage at first glance.
People with magical abilities had their hair color and eye color perfectly matched. The higher the magical power, the more vibrant and intense the colors, while lower magical power manifested as pastel hues with lower saturation.
However, just because someone had matching hair and eye colors didn’t mean they were all mages. There were distinct differences between mages and swordsmen. It was easy to tell the two professions apart. If someone wielded a sword and had a sturdy physique, they were a swordsman. On the other hand, if they had a delicate or plump physique and wore robes, they were a mage.
In this world, hair color and eye color also directly corresponded to the elemental affinity. Those with the fire element had red hair and crimson eyes, while wind element users had green hair and emerald eyes.
Therefore, looking at the man with deep blue hair and eyes, coupled with his lean physique and draped robe, the conclusion was evident – he was a water mage. Moreover, a water mage with considerable magical power.
“Yes, I am a water mage… but why did you call for me? Are you also a mage? What brings you here?”
With refined language and an elegant demeanor, the man’s presence made Sylvia slightly flustered. Since coming to this place, she had learned that nobles were the first group to be cautious of.
But if she suddenly said, ‘It’s nothing,’ or ‘I must have mistaken you for someone else,’ it might raise suspicions. Resolute in adhering to her true occupation, Sylvia asked, “Are you in need of any fruits or vegetables, sir?”
Hubert gazed at the woman in front of him and fell into deep thought. Although his mercenary group hadn’t come this way, he had been loitering around, awaiting an opportunity. He had been searching for fruits and vegetables, as their provisions were running low. Unfortunately, the produce at the fruit shop he found in the nearby noble alley wasn’t as fresh as expected.
“Could you show me a few samples in advance, perhaps?”
Hubert asked cautiously, feeling both delighted and suspicious. How could she appear right at the moment when he needed it the most?
Feeling his inner turmoil, Sylvia smiled warmly and nodded in response to his request.
“Of course. Let me first offer you some samples to taste, and then you can decide.”
Those who had tried the fruits and vegetables she sold always came back for more. She took out tomatoes, bananas, and oranges from her spatial bag.
Hubert’s eyes widened at the sight of the unfamiliar fruits.
“This is a tomato, right? And the others are bananas and oranges, I suppose. Well, let me try one.”
Peeling the banana with ease, Sylvia handed it to Hubert. He took a bite and his eyes lit up with delight. It was juicy and incredibly sweet, with a unique fragrance. His mouth watered as he quickly finished the banana.
“Next, let me show you how to open an orange. Watch closely.”
She deftly inserted her thumb into the top of the orange, separated the peel, and then used both thumbs to split it into two halves.
“The peeling can be a bit tricky, but once you taste it, you won’t forget it.”
She handed one half to him.
“Peel it slightly and then take a bite into the juicy flesh.”
Hubert followed her instructions and his eyes widened in surprise. It tasted completely different from the fruits he had just eaten. It was refreshing and sweet. He eagerly devoured the orange and couldn’t resist trying the tomatoes too.
“How much do you have of these?”
“Let’s see, I have 200 oranges, 10 bunches of bananas, and 300 tomatoes.”
“I’ll take everything.”
Hubert pulled out his spatial bag from under his robe. With lightning speed, he finished the calculation and received all the fruits from Sylvia’s spatial bag.
Satisfied, he put the bag back into his robe and thanked Sylvia. He felt a brief moment of guilt for doubting her, even though there was no need for suspicion at this point. Habits were sometimes intimidating, even when there was no reason for them.
“Oh no, your hands are covered in juice.”
Hubert looked at her fingers, now stained yellow from the oranges. Sylvia, eager to part ways with the nobleman, waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s alright, I can wash them at home.”
Upon hearing her words, Hubert infused his ring with magic, and a stream of transparent, blue-tinted water flowed from it. The water swirled around Sylvia’s hands, leaving them clean and spotless.
“Wow…”
“Thank you very much.”
He made a light bow, looking at her now clean hands. He quickly left, thinking about his master, who must have been waiting for him without having a proper meal.
Sylvia marveled at her spotlessly clean hands.
“Indeed, magic.”
Since she started using magic, Sylvia had become quite fascinated by it. Her impulsive and reckless nature had quickly shown progress in plant magic, as she was fully immersed in it without looking back.
At that moment, Sylvia noticed a sparkling object in the distance and looked up. Eringium, whom she had sent home earlier, was now returning with another spatial bag, sweating while carrying it.
As she earned a considerable amount of money, Sylvia had purchased more spatial bags. With her powerful magical abilities, she could produce a vast amount of fruits and vegetables, so she needed the extra space to store them all.
Sylvia had tried to sell a large quantity at once, but the first bag she bought couldn’t hold everything. The spatial bag was convenient as it didn’t take up much space and preserved the freshness of the produce.
Today, however, Eringium had forgotten to bring the additional spatial bag, so Sylvia hid in the alley to avoid attracting attention. As the fairy returned with the bag, it seemed like she was struggling to carry it, and Sylvia welcomed her with a smile.
Eringium, exhausted, plopped down on Sylvia’s forehead.
“Are you okay? Was it too difficult?”
[You have no idea! It’s a hundred times my size!]
Ignoring the fairy’s complaints, Sylvia marveled at her new acquisition of fruits and vegetables. She playfully teased Eringium, knowing that no other human could boss a fairy around like she did.
“Water magic is just amazing. I wish I could use water magic too. Maybe if I had a ring, could I use it?”
Lost in her rapturous thoughts, Sylvia didn’t notice Eringium, who had already flipped her body and buried her nose, now fast asleep. The warm sunbeam falling on Sylvia’s forehead was comforting, and she whispered in awe.
“I really love water magic. If only I could use it too…”
“Ugh, seriously? She fell asleep, it seems.”
Sylvia chuckled as she heard the faint snoring of the fairy.
Setting aside the fruits and vegetables, Sylvia now had her mind set on finding the magic ring. She hurriedly collected the bag Eringium had brought and headed straight to an accessory shop.
Although she had earned enough money to live comfortably for a while, Sylvia believed she could afford a magic ring. However, the moment she entered the store and saw the prices, tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly rushed out.
“Ugh!”
Glancing through the glass display of rings, Sylvia couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
“Ah, really… Aren’t they too expensive? What’s with the starting price of 30 gold coins? That’s the cheapest?”
The money she earned from selling fruits was only 10 gold coins.
But it was only possible because she was selling in a place where fruits and vegetables were scarce. If she were to sell at a normal market, she wouldn’t have earned so much in such a short time. Sylvia had always sold her fruits at fair prices, even when she could have charged more.
If it was only 10 gold coins, she would have gladly given her entire fortune to buy the ring. After all, she could manage to live without meat as long as she had fruits and vegetables to eat. Food was one thing she didn’t have to worry about.
However, asking for three times that amount was just too much. It seemed like an insurmountable price.
Frowning at the thought of the exorbitant price, Sylvia suddenly had another idea and briskly changed direction.
“Sylvia, is that you?”
Now, among the passing people, there were quite a few who recognized her.
“Hello!”
“Did you sell everything already today?”
“No, I had some other errands to attend to!”
“Wait, take this and eat it!”
“What is this?”
Ruben, the owner of the bakery, handed her a paper bag with some bread inside.
“It’s just bread, go ahead and eat it.”
“No, why are you giving it to me for free?”
“Well, last time, I just grabbed some fruits to eat, so consider it payback.”
“No, those were for tasting, and you were supposed to taste them first before buying… But thank you.”
“Well, then next time, let me taste some more. Now, go on.”
Waving his hand, Ruben returned to his shop, and as Sylvia watched him, she couldn’t help but smile.
At first, she thought he was quite grumpy, but he had changed a lot since then. It was a positive change, and Sylvia was growing more attached to this place with each passing day.
‘Oh, by the way… Come to think of it, I forgot to ask the most important question.’
As she continued walking diligently toward the only library in the castle, Sylvia sighed, realizing that she hadn’t asked the most fundamental question yet.
Where could the real Sylvia have gone before the other Sylvia arrived?
With the fundamental question stored in her mind to ask the fairy later when she returned home, she entered the library. Sylvia was completely engrossed in the study of magic runes.
After borrowing some books from the library and feeling pleased, she returned home. Placing her bag down, she picked up the small fairy that was still lying on her head.
Sitting on the single sofa, she gently shook her hand.
“Wake up.”
[Hmm, hua.]
The fairy finally woke up with a yawn, wondering why the bag was so heavy and why she was lying there for so long.
“Hey!”
Raising her voice slightly, the fairy jumped up.
[Hm? What’s wrong? Couldn’t sleep well. Why were you roaming around so much? You shook me so hard.]
“Oh dear, you’re such a sleepyhead. How can you sleep so well on my head?”
[Huh, I didn’t sleep well. What’s with all that shaking? It was so bumpy.]
Playfully, Sylvia tugged at the chubby indigo hair.
[Ouch! What are you doing? Can’t you let go?]
Resting her elbows on her thighs and looking up at the fairy, Sylvia asked seriously.
“I want to ask you something.”
Blocking her fingers with both hands and grumbling, the fairy glared at Sylvia with triangular eyes.
[What? What is it? Let go of me!]
Before the agitated fairy could fly away, Sylvia quickly enveloped her body with her hands and lifted her up to meet her gaze. Something about her question seemed to startle the fairy, and she shrunk her neck hesitantly.
After a moment of silence, Sylvia asked in a soft voice, “Eringium, then where did the original Sylvia go?”
Caught by her question, Eringium sighed deeply with her neck fully extended.
[You finally asked!]
“No, I was also confused. Think about it. I woke up in a strange place. There was a weird fairy I had never seen before, and I had been transformed into a new body. I had no money, no food, didn’t know anything about the cost of living here, or even where ‘here’ was. I knew nothing.”
Listening to Sylvia’s rapid stream of words, Eringium replied in a grumbling voice, [Aethernum-nim’s magic transported you, and Aethernum-nim’s magic designated this body for your soul. When I found it, this body already had no soul.]
“No soul?”
