LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 274: The Antiques in a Corner (2)
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Hearing Mira’s new condition, the owner once again surveyed the items on display, deep in thought. He mumbled to himself the names of various time periods and points in history, trying to find the right items. He seemed to be focusing the most since Mira arrived there.
He had gone from wanting to show his wares as a seller, to a fervent follower of the Spirit Queen, wanting to fulfill her desires. Eventually, the owner’s eyes stopped in a certain section, and after some consideration, he seemed to have found the right items.
「The Marriage Gifts over there might be perfect!」
Saying that, the owner ran off further inside, then looked around for a bit before running to a certain area and shouting, 「Over here!」 awaiting eagerly for Mira to get there.
「Hmm, alright.」
The requirements were even more specific, but the owner still seemed to have found something. Impressed by that, Mira trotted over to where he was standing. On her way there, she had to resist the allure from all the antiques she had to pass by, as they did not meet the requirements.
There were art pieces like paintings and sculptures, trinkets with more practical uses, various old tomes and stone inscriptions, and many other items. Some looked more expensive than the rest as well, like a sword adorned with gemstones.
(Ohh, this looks like a rather pricey sword. But I’m not sure how practical it would be…)
Just as the sword caught Mira’s eye, the owner noticed it and began explaining what the sword was right away, without waiting for Mira to ask about it. It was clear the owner was very well acquainted with every antique in the shop, and he was eager to explain whatever Mira lay her eyes on.That sword had been used as decoration eight centuries before in the Kingdom of San Teresia, a place with a culture centered around knights at the time, so even their decorations were centered around that, like the sword Mira was looking at.
That also confirmed Mira’s initial thought, that sword was not meant to be used as a weapon. With that cleared up, she continued walking to where the owner was standing.
「Now, these here were initially given as wedding gifts four and a half centuries ago, in the Kingdom of Glory Crowley.」
As Mira looked at the items there, the owner explained what she was seeing, adding, 「Because of that, they’re all called Marriage Gifts.」
Those gifts were given by the royal family each time there was a wedding, making it seem like a nice story, but there was more behind it.
It had all started with a royal edict from an incredibly prudish king, who ordered for adultery to be immediately punished by death. That harsh law led to a sharp decline in the number of people getting married, and by extension, a declining birth rate.
Soon after, the king noticed the new generation of children was far less numerous, so he hurried to amend things, starting what he dubbed the Marriage Project, finding ways to promote weddings and having children.
The Wedding Gifts were part of that. Every time a couple registered to get married officially, the state would send them a package with all the furniture and household items they would need.
「All of those items were made by the best craftsmen of the kingdom, which is clear by the fact that you can still see them in perfect shape four and a half centuries later. They weren’t made too flashy so they could fit in any household, and I’m sure they all saw plenty of use as well. And more importantly, the Kingdom of Glory Crowley was a peaceful country that was never embroiled in war.」
After telling the whole story, he exclaimed, 「So what do you think?」 excited to see how Mira would react.
「Hmm, that does sound like all the requirements would be met.」
From a historic point of view, they had been made in the perfect environment for spirits to be born. But as the Spirit King had also told Mira, items were rarely used with love for long enough, so they would be lucky to find just one there.
It was hard to know how much their previous owners had appreciated that furniture, but Mira chose to believe it and started checking each of the Marriage Gifts.
「Things aren’t looking too bright…」
Once she was done checking everything, she glanced over the section again while muttering that. There were no spirits even amongst the antiques that met the requirements the best.
She began to dread how long it would take her to build up her ideal living space in the spirit mansion, understanding just how much effort and luck it would take to get there. The owner seemed to notice her feelings as well, and he also appeared distraught.
「…I’m sorry for taking your time—」
Regardless of how large the antique shop was, she had not been able to find any spirits there. Feeling like she had no other option but to give up on it, and knowing just how rare they actually were, she apologized to the owner and turned around. But as she did that, a two seater sofa stood out in the corner of her eye.
「Hmm? Is that…」
She slowly raised her voice, looking at the sofa that had been pushed far into the corner of that section, almost like it had been driven away from the other Marriage Gifts. She also noticed that the owner had completely ignored it as well.
It was hardly noticeable shoved to the corner like that, with all the other antiques taking the limelight. In a way, it almost felt like it was not even meant to be there. But it was not outside of the section, so it had to be one of the Marriage Gifts. Deciding it was worth checking out as a last effort, Mira began walking to that corner.
「Ah, that’s…」
Noticing where Mira was headed, the owner seemed unsure of what to say. But the small hope the sofa had instilled in her made her deaf to the owner’s voice.
The sofa was of a beautiful olive color, covered in cloth with a simple design, and it looked really soft to the touch, making it easy to imagine how comfortable it would feel to sit on it. It also seemed to give off an air of reassurance and relaxation.
「Ohh, I see… So this is how it feels.」
The moment she had a clear look at it, she knew. There was a spirit there. And at the same time, she finally knew what it felt like to be near furniture inhabited by a spirit. At the same time, she began to wonder how that sofa with a spirit within had come to be isolated from all the other antiques.
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