Part 40: Part XXXI: Hear the Wish of a Miner

Part XXXI: Hear the Wish of a Miner

Tanya's events happened in a weird sequence for me, but mostly because I haven't gone to Salt Desert much (too out of the way). I got a few events with her when I went to make the Salt Flower bloom, then not much for a long time, then I completed Ernie's events, then Tanya's events started soon after. Another character whose events are just following the breadcrumbs.



Yes, of course! You can ask me anything.

Okay... Huh? Why are you smiling?

Hehehe, I'm just happy that you came to me for help. You're always looking after me, so please, ask away.

Okay, well...faaaarrr to the west of here, there's this girl who's been working really hard.

A girl...? Does that mean...I can assume that this is "that" kind of topic?

Wh-What kind of topic?

You know, like a girl that you have affections for...

Not at all. She's even younger than Nio. Ayesha, you really do like those kinds of stories, don't you?

Hrgh, I'm sorry...

Well, this girl is saving up her money to fulfill her dream, but... It seems like she's really struggling to reach her savings goal. I want to help her out in some way, but I just can't think of anything...

I see. By the way, what is the relationship between you and this girl?

It's just a normal business relationship. Although, we are friends. I but what she has for sale, and then I go sell it to other stores.

I see. Then there's an easy solution!

Huh? What would that be...?

You just have to buy an item from her at a very high price!

Hmm...I've thought about that, too, but that'll only help temporarily. Plus, I believe that, as a merchant, that's something I shouldn't do.

Hmm, I guess you're right... In that case... Maybe you could just buy more of her stuff at the same price per unit...

No. I can't just buy more than I can sell...

No worries. That's where you get to prove your skills, Ernie!



Demand for salt doesn't suddenly increase or decrease, so I'll have a huge surplus if I simply buy a lot. As a merchant, it's hard to help her out...

Hmm, I feel like I haven't helped at all... Huh? Wait. A girl who sells salt... Could you be talking about Tanya?

Huh? Ayesha, how do you know her?

I met her a while ago. I see, so it's Tanya...

I'd really like to help her out. If you come up with any ideas, could you please let me know?

A way for Tanya to save up money... Okay, I'll think about it.

Thanks. Well, I'll be going now.

(A way for Tanya to make money... It'd be great if people started buying lots of salt... Maybe making salty food popular... But how could I do that? Hmm, I don't think I can come up with an idea right away, but I'll try to keep it in the back of my mind.)

I haven't seen Tanya for a long time now. I should go visit her! The salty hot spring



Oh, Tanya, are you working here today? You seem to be in a great mood. Did something good happen?

Hehehe, I'm actually on my way to a good thing. I'm gonna go take a bath. Oh, would you like to join me, Ayesha?

Huh? There's a bath in a place like this?

Yuuup. Further down from here, there's a hot spring. You can rinse all your sweat off, so it'll feel so nice.

(A hot spring...? My skin does feel all icky from the sand and salt and dust...) Yes! I'd love to go with you!

Okay, then I'll take you there!



Being able to see the horizon in all directions...it feels miraculous to take a bath in a place like this. I'm sure no one's watching, but being naked outside makes me nervous.

Hahaha, please just relax and enjoy it. No one's trying to watch us. No one even lives around here in the first place. The hot water here has salt in it, so you'll float to the top if you stretch out your arms and legs.

Let's see... Oh, you're right! This is so cool and marvelous...

It's springing out from the salt lake, so it's good for treating frostbite and back pain. Plus, it makes it harder to catch a chill after bathing. If it wasn't so hard to get here, I'd tell everyone about it.

I see. So it has all sorts of beneficial effects... Maybe it's something in the salt...

It's not the same as your medicine, but the power of salt is amazing!

The power of salt... Oh, that's it!

Huh? Is something wrong?

If people used salt for more than just cooking, like this, it'd sell much better.

Hm? Used like this...?

Yup, Tanya, I just thought of a great idea!

Uh, congratulations?

Hehehe, I better go tell Ernie right away! ...But before that, I need to thoroughly enjoy this. Haaah, it feels so good...

If people knew how good this felt, I'm sure salt would become way more popular! I've never been to a hot spring before, so this was a really amazing. Thank you so much, Tanya. My shoes always get stuck in the sand whenever I go to Salt Desert, so I never thought there's be something this wonderful in the desert.



I see...medicinal hot springs bath salts... Yup, that's an interesting idea!

Plus, if it's for a bath, you'll need more salt than you use to cook with. This plan will totally kill two birds with one stone!

I think so, too. Now all I need are cute paper bags and a written description of the effects before I can sell them... Yup, I think this will work!

Woohoo! Tanya will be so happy!

Leave it to me. All right, now that this is decided, I should...

Prepare the paper bags to package the salt!? If you'd like, I can draw the package design and...

No, I think I'll go to the hot spring!

Oh, I see...



I need to experience it for myself or I won't be as persuasive when I'm trying to sell it.

Ohhh, I guess you're right. I totally thought that you were just going there to have fun.

I'm sure Tanya would want us to commercialize it as soon as possible, so I need to hurry. I'll head there now. See you later.

(Hmm...I still feel like he's really going there just for fun, but oh well!)

Now Tanya can definitely start saving up a lot of money! Whenever I've seen her, she's always asked about the city. I remember one time I told her about all about the bazaar in Vierzeberg.



Yup, sure. Tanya, you really are curious about the city, huh?

Yes. I've been getting even more curious since I started listening to your stories.

Tanya have you ever been to Hornheim...?

Nooope, I haven't. I've heard it's a city by the shore...

Okay, then I'll tell you about Hornheim. Let's see... Hornheim is a port town that prospers through trade. Various items and people from all over the world... Travel there by hot air balloon or carriage. Your salt gets delivered there, too. The items that flow into Hornheim are bought my merchants, and... From there, they're delivered to different towns.

I see...so there are a lot of other cities... Umm, are there like five?

I'm not too sure, but I think there are more. But from the ones I've seen, Vierzeberg is the biggest. A lot of my friends live there, and there are just so many people.

I think Marion and Linca might have come from a city far to the west, but Tanya definitely never would have heard of those. Riesengang isn't really a city, either. Definitely not like Hornheim or Vierzeberg. There's a lot of villages, though. Just not many cities. I wonder if I'll get to see more in the future.

Oh, you told me about Vierzeberg last time, and that it's a big city.

Yup. I used to live all alone to the east of Vierzeberg... So when I first got there, I was so surprised. There are big bridges and it's surrounded by high walls. There are lots of buildings, too. There are a bunch of shops along the streets that sell a lot of different things. But even with all that, the most amazing thing about it is the bazaar.

What's a bazaar...?

It's held once a month, and people who don't usually have a store can open up a shop. And people come from all across the land to look for lucky finds. I guess you could find some very rare items there. People say that there's nothing that you can't find at the bazaar.



I'm glad I got to listen to another one of your stories. Thank you so much. All of your stories have sounded amazing, but this bazaar is the best one so far!

I know it's a little far, but you should go see it someday.

Hmm, I wonder... I wonder if I could really go there... Oh, and I...have one more favor to ask you...

Huh? What is it? Don't be shy, you can ask me anything.

Well, I don't care what is it, but I really want something from the city. But since I can't go to the city myself, I was hoping you could buy me something... Uh, you can do it whenever you have the time. I can't buy anything expensive...

Sure. I'll look for something that you might like.

Wow! Thank you so much!





(I wonder if I can find something that she might like...)

Oh, are you looking for something?

Ah, yes, I wanted to get a gift for this girl that I know. She lives way beyond Hornheim and... I was wondering what would be a nice city-ish souvenir.

City-ish? I've never heard of that before... But, let's see... If your friend is a girl, maybe clothes, perfume, or something small... I'm sure she'll like an accessory.

Oh, well it's just a gift, so I don't want anything too expensive or she might get worried.

Hmm... Then...what about an embroidered handkerchief? It's also scented and it looks really cute.



Hmm, Tanya...who lives beyond Hornheim... Well, the handkerchief it is! I'll wrap it up right away, so please hold on. All done. Here you go.

Oh, how much is it?

Don't worry about it. It's on me this time. In exchange, can you give her a message? Tell her, "Thank you for all the salt. I use it all the time".

Huh? Do you know Tanya, too?

I recognized her name. I've only seen it on invoices, but... She's the daughter of one of our vendors. Sometimes her packages are delivered with her name as the sender. Plus, not many people live beyond Hornheim, so I just guessed.

I see... Tanya really admires the city.

I know the feeling. When you live in a rural area, you always admire city life. Just listening to the stories makes you think that the city is a fun and sparkly place.

I think...I know the feeling, too. Although, I liked the rural life.

Anyways, she's a regular patron, so let me do this favor for her.

I understand. Thank you for the handkerchief.

I should go see Tanya right away! This handkerchief is really fancy.



Whoa, really! Thank you so much! Umm, it is okay if I open it...?

Of course. The lady at the store helped me pick it out, so I hope you like it.

Wow, this is such a pretty handkerchief! *sniff* *sniff* ...And it smells really nice, too!

It's scented. Also, I thought the embroidery matched you really well. What do you think?

I love it so much! Thank you very much! Oh, how much do I owe you...?

Uh, about that... The handkerchief is a gift from someone, so you don't owe me anything.

But, I can't just accept a gift from someone I don't know...

Hmhmhm, you might not have met this person, but... You've known her for quite a while.

Wh-Who is she...?

The person who gave you this gift is from a store that you sell salt to. Her name is Marietta, and I have a message for you. She said, "Thank you for all the salt. I use it all the time".

I see...

So, I think it's okay for you to accept this handkerchief without hesitation.



That's right. No one can live completely apart from everyone else. Everyone is connected to someone, somewhere.

Connected to someone... I like that. Then, whenever I use this handkerchief... I'll always think of you and the person who sent it to me. Thank you so much.

Hmhmhm, you're welcome. Please take good care of it.

Even Tanya, who lives so far from everyone else, has roots everywhere. Ernie and Marietta sell her salt all over the place, Ernie visits people from all over the place, including over the mountains, and the people he sells to have their own connections...it's really amazing how everyone is connected. Tanya was really happy about getting that handkerchief, but I still wonder if she'll ever go to the city. She's always dreamed about it. A hopeful girl



Hmm, I wonder... Oh, it's from Tanya! Let's see... Oh, she wrote about you, too, so I'll read it out loud.

About me? Ooh, I wonder what she said...



The next time I'm not too busy with the family business, I'm planning to go to Vierzeberg. If you can, please show me around the city! I'd love to see the bazaar, as well! I also want to see Marietta so I can thank her for the gift. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the city. That's all for now. From, Tanya.

She has enough money now? Good job, Tanya!

Ooh, so Tanya's coming here?

I'm sure she's really excited. She was really looking forward to coming to town. Hmm, but I wonder when she's gonna come... And where we're gonna meet... Uhh, she didn't write any of that. Maybe she couldn't wrap her head around it...

In this town, even if you're both here, it'll be hard to just run into each other. And I'm sure she doesn't know where my shop is, either...

I guess the best we can do is keep a sharp eye out for her...

Anyway, so, Tanya's coming to town... In that case, I need to get it ready for her...

Huh? What are you talking about?

Hmhmhm, it's gonna be a surprise for when Tanya gets here! All right, I can't just stand around like this. I need to go get ready!

I didn't hear anything from Tanya for a while after that. I wonder how long it took her to get to Vierzeberg, but I'm so glad she's going to get to see it! Even after living here for the past few years, I'm still finding new things to discover. She definitely won't see everything I have, but there's still a lot of incredible things to find, especially during the bazaar. I really wonder what Marietta has got planned. I guess I'll find out soon. A girl's dream



You don't know about spirit stones? You're not too informed, are you? Everyone knows that this is the best stone if you want to pray for the sound health and well-being of your family.

I see. M-Maybe I should buy it...

Oh, you're gonna buy it? Then I'll give you a discount!

Oh, but I can't spend my money impulsively...

Boo! Don't give me false hope. I thought you were gonna be my first sale...



Tanya! Hello!

Oh...Ayesha! Thank goodness I got to see you!

I was worried. I got your letter, but I was wondering if you were gonna be able to get here safely...

I'm sorry. I never dreamed there'd be this many people. I thought that maybe it'd just work out when I got here, but that wasn't the case. I never knew so many people could live in one place...

I was surprised when I first came here, too. I thought that maybe there'd be a hundred people... But there were way more than that. Did you not get lost?

I did. I was thinking of asking someone about where your house was, but... I didn't know who I was allowed to ask. And I was looking for the store that sells salt, but I couldn't find that, either. Eventually, I found a shop that sells weird things.

Hey, I hope you're not talking about my shop! I mean, don't have your emotional reunion in front of my shop! It's getting in the way of my business! If you both aren't here to shop, then go hooome!



I-I've never seen Bell like that! She must be really angry at the fact she's not selling much magical stuff...



And my house is that way. And on the other side...

Wow, wow, wooow! Amazing!

*ahem* Now you see how big this town is, right? (Why am I bragging?)

Ayesha, what are you doing in a place like this? Oh, you're... Are you Tanya?

Oh, Marietta, I was planning on visiting you after this. This is Tanya, and this is Marietta! She's the shopkeeper of the store that sells your salt.

Hello, I'm Tanya Volta. Thank you for buying our salt! And thank you for the handkerchief! I've been wanting to thank you!

Oh, no problem. Thank you for your business. Welcome to Vierzeberg from so far away! It must've been a tough trip.

Yes, but everything in this city is amazing! Even my fatigue went away!

Everyone says that the first time they come here. Well, I guess I can't blame them... That's right, I almost forgot! I prepared something for you! Tanya, can you come to my store right now?

Now? Okay.

Oh, Ayesha, you should come, too. I wouldn't want you to miss this.

Okay... What don't you want me to miss?

Hmhmhm, that's a secret! I'm really pumped up now!



L-Like this?

Yup! Good. Oh, straighten your back a little more, like this.

O-Okay.

I wonder what they're doing... I don't think they're exercising...

Okay, good. Hmhm, very nice. It's totally worth polishing up when you have a nice material.

Material...?

It means your splendid skin is firm and smooth. *sigh* I'm so jealous... Well, I'm gonna button up now. Okay, done!

Ayesha, you're here. Perfect timing! Tanya's just about to make her debut! Ta-da!



Hmhm, how about this beautiful girl? Even I was totally surprised.

It's a little...embarrassing.

There's no need to be embarrassed. You look great like that.

Yup! You're really cute, Tanya. You're like a doll...!

Hahaha... This is my first time wearing a skirt. I feel so happy...

This is one of my old dresses, but you look better in it than I imagined! You look even better in it than I did. It's like it was made for you, Tanya. Look at her! Her black hair shines with this dress on. All the boys in town will do a double take when you pass by, Tanya.

Th-That's gonna be embarrassing, too...

So Marietta, you wore this kind of frilly dress when you were younger...?

Heh, of course. Back when I was still cute...

Wh-Why are you being so weird?

Don't ask. Now, Tanya, do a twirl.

L-Like this?



It's like I'm not myself. It's so cute...

I'm so glad. I like the brisk and lively you, but... With today's clothes, you look very ladylike.

Hehehe...now I'm embarrassed. I feel like my personality doesn't match the dress.

If you change the impression you give off on the outside, you'll start feeling different on the inside. All girls are like that. Now, about this dress... It's a present for you, Tanya!

Huh!? But...

Could you take it for me? I had it specially prepared, just for this day.

I think it's okay to accept it. She can't wear it anymore. And I'm sure it would make the dress happy if you wore it.

That's right! Let me at least do something for you for all the salt you prepare for us.

I see... Okay, I'll gratefully accept it.

Thank you so much! Hmhmhm, you're so cute!

I'm sure Tanya will grow up to be a totally beautiful girl! Marietta really likes frilly dresses, it looks like.