Verna’s Secret

With nothing left to do that day, Kent and the others decided to return to their hut for the time being.

“Kent-san, since we have some time now, shall we try this right away?”

As soon as Caro entered the hut, she took out the mandrake she was holding and said that to Kent.

Until a little while ago, she had called it cute, but after hearing that it could become a stamina tonic, Caro seemed to have become more interested in using it than in doting on it.

“Well, we have no more business today, so I suppose it is fine to have a day like this.”

Kent also decided to accept Caro’s suggestion.

“Master… It seems that will be impossible.”

““Eh?””

At Al’s statement, Kent and Caro, who had started getting motivated, felt as if a nail had been driven into them and let out strange voices. Then, suddenly, the door opened.

“Kent, Caro. I heard from Father that you became free today. We shall go play at once… ahem, ahem, I mean, go on an inspection.”

Without even knocking, Verna entered the hut and declared that.

“I will relax in the hut, so please go ahead. Ah, I will take care of this.”

Al showed absolutely no intention of going, took the mandrake from earlier, and saw them off. Half-forcibly, Kent and Caro ended up being taken by Verna into town.

“Kent and Caro, you have seemed busy since coming here, but what have you been doing?”

Verna spoke to Kent and the others on the way to town.

“Well, what we are doing now is agricultural guidance, I suppose.”

Kent answered.

“Could it also have something to do with the off-season vegetables that have recently been circulating in this town, and with the abundance of vegetables now available, to a degree that would have been unthinkable before?”

Ever since Kent began the farmland reforms, the harvested vegetables had been circulating in the market at reasonable prices, and if limited to this town alone, the food situation had improved considerably. Of course, at the Town Head’s house, where Kent was staying, the meals were mainly vegetable-based, but the quality of the food served had improved dramatically. The farmers were also able to earn cash income by selling their surplus vegetables to merchants who came from Tior. Then, by spending the money they earned, the entire town became more lively.

“Well, it might be somewhat related.”

“At first, after Kent and the others came, it seemed only Father was helping you, but then Mother and my older brother began helping on that side as well, and now I am managing the house by myself.”

“There is a shortage of manpower right now, after all. Almost everyone in town with free hands has come to help. I am sorry for placing a burden on you too, Verna-san.”

“You do not need to worry about that. However, aside from procuring ingredients, I have not gone outside recently, so this is the first time I learned that Kent and the others have been working for the sake of the town.”

As they walked while talking about each other’s recent situations, they soon arrived in town. The town had settled down as if the chaos caused by the early morning mandrake commotion had been a lie, and it showed its usual bustle.

“Now then, you have not paid attention to me until now, and since this has become a precious day off, we shall play a lot… ahem, ahem, we shall inspect the town.”

Verna cleared her throat and said that.

“Verna-san, I am sorry we could not keep you company because of our circumstances. Let us enjoy ourselves a lot today.”

Caro said that with a smile.

“Th-that is right. But this is not play, it is an inspection.”

“I understand. It is an inspection.”

Verna answered in an embarrassed manner.

“Oh, if it isn’t Kent and Caro. Are you on a date today? Being young sure is nice.”

“Oh my, aren’t those Kent and Caro? Are you going out today?”

Kent and Caro were called out to by the people they met in town. As they interacted with various people through agricultural guidance, it felt as if they had somehow become part of the town before they knew it. However, no one called out to Verna, who was with them.

“Kent-san, the townspeople’s attitude toward Verna-san is strange, isn’t it?”

“I thought so too. When it goes this far, it feels unnatural.”

Caro said that so Verna could not hear. Kent also felt something was off about the townspeople ignoring Verna.

“Mister, may I have this and this?”

“Sure. Thanks.”

Verna seemed to converse normally when buying and selling at shops, but she did not talk any more than necessary. If anything, the response felt businesslike. There were not many shops in the town itself, but as they went around to several of them, a fair amount of time passed, and Verna said she had to prepare dinner, so they decided to return home.

After returning home, Verna parted from them because she had to prepare dinner, and Kent and Caro headed to the Town Head’s office.

“Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask the Town Head.”

Kent began speaking to the Town Head, who was in the office. Then he asked about the way the townspeople treated Verna.

“I see… So something like that happened…”

The Town Head thought for a little and began speaking.

“My daughter has what I would call a slightly troublesome symptom, or perhaps characteristic… It has no effect within the family, such as with me or my wife, but at some point, she developed a constitution that makes it difficult for ordinary adults to recognize her. As you know, she also ends up taking a domineering attitude toward people her own age who can recognize her, and as a result, she has become completely isolated in town. It seems that even adults who do not recognize her can notice her if Verna herself speaks to them, but there are many times when they do not notice her unless she speaks first. Well, perhaps we should consider it fortunate that she has not used that to do anything bad…”

The Town Head answered about the townspeople’s reaction toward Verna.

“It seems to be what is commonly called recognition interference.”

“Kent-san, do you know about it?”

Kent said that while remembering the contents of light novels he had read back in his original world. Caro seemed interested in what Kent said and asked him about it.

“What I know is from the world of stories. For example, becoming transparent and invisible, or making it so no one pays any attention, like a stone lying around there… From what I heard from the Town Head, Verna’s condition feels closer to the latter.”

“Is there no way to solve it? If things remain like this, Verna-san is too pitiful.”

When Kent made a guess based on his limited knowledge, Caro asked whether they could somehow solve it.

“If possible, I also do not want my daughter to feel lonely, and if it is something that can be solved, I want it solved. However, I have asked various people about this, but I was unable to obtain any good answers.”

The Town Head said that regretfully.

“If it is fine for it to be from the world of stories, I know someone who is knowledgeable about this, but I cannot guarantee that it will go well.”

“If there is a possibility, I would like to rely on it. Would you please introduce that person to us?”

Kent had someone in mind who was knowledgeable about this sort of thing, and when he mentioned it, the Town Head seemed interested.

“However, right now, running the territory is the more important matter, and the knowledgeable person I mentioned is in Tior, so I cannot talk to her unless I return once. Would it be all right if we deal with this another day?”

“This is something that could not be solved until now, so if there is a possibility, I will wait. Please take care of my daughter.”

They ended the discussion this time by deciding that Verna’s matter would be considered on a later day. This matter would end up being resolved easily at a later date, but that story would have to wait for another time.