WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 157: Daily Life of Military State Citizens

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After clothing packets were invented, fitting rooms became little more than places to block others' view while someone changed packets. Once symbols of luxury in the days of the kingdom, they gradually grew smaller and darker until they could barely fit a single person.

The captain changed inside the fitting room, then cautiously opened the door and stepped out.

"...Question. Is this really everyday clothing?"

It was rather thoughtfully designed for everyday wear. The shirt was layered with colored fabric, and the pleated skirt had additional cloth sewn onto it. The outfit made her look like an upper-class citizen who took care with her appearance.

Perhaps unaccustomed to her new clothes, the captain kept glancing over herself.

"What do you think? It feels completely different from what you used to wear, right? This is the charm of privately made clothes, something you can't get from issued goods..."

"...The clothes do not constrict my body. It feels as though I am wearing nothing."

"Excuse me?"

What was that supposed to mean? It felt like she was wearing nothing? That was a strange compliment.

"So you mean the clothes are comfortable?"

"Negative. They are uncomfortable. Since they do not wrap around my body... they lack that stiff feeling..."

'There is no sensation of them tightly embracing this officer. It feels as though everything in the world has let go of this officer...! I am anxious!'

That was the problem? So the clothes were uncomfortable because they were not uncomfortable?

What kind of life had Captain AB lived?

While I was dumbfounded, Smen was even more humiliated by the thought that he had failed to satisfy a customer.

"It seems you prefer slightly tighter clothing. My mistake. Entirely my mistake."

No. It was not that the captain liked tight clothes. She just found comfort in uncomfortable clothes and restrictive situations. She had been raised wrong.

With a grave expression, Smen took another clothing packet and headed for the Aki avatar in one corner.

"I made an error. In the past, I would take measurements myself and ask customers about their tastes and preferences. Since clothing packets became widespread, I have neglected customers' personal preferences. Working with an Aki avatar is easy, and it can fit anyone's body."

An Aki avatar. A magical mannequin modeled after the human body.

Clothing packets, one of the seven great inventions of the military state, could only be made with an Aki avatar. You tailored clothes onto the avatar with alchemy fabric and turned them into a packet. When that packet was inserted into another bio-terminal, the garment would be made according to the avatar registered in that person's terminal.

"I will reduce the size in certain areas. When you insert the packet, it should fit slightly tighter."

Smen swiftly adjusted the clothes on the Aki avatar, then turned them back into a packet. The captain took the new packet, stepped into the fitting room, changed, and came back out.

"Ah. This is much more comfortable!"

The captain spoke much more brightly, though her clothes clung as tightly as her uniform. I pressed a hand to my forehead, while Smen's eyes lit up at having found someone who liked snug clothes.

Smen took the opportunity to hand over a dress, everyday clothes, and pajamas as well. The captain accepted the packets, held out a hand toward me, and rummaged through her pocket.

"This officer will pay."

Before she could take out any money, Smen politely bowed and refused.

"How could I take money from Mr. Hughes's guest? It is enough that you wear them."

"Negative. That would mean this officer had accepted a bribe. This officer cannot receive monetary compensation from you or anyone else."

The captain was firm. Smen gave a quiet sigh, then bowed even deeper as if he had no choice.

"Then I have no choice. Please give me only fifty alke."

Even a factory-made basic issue shirt cost fifty alke each. Fifty alke for three custom-made clothing packets was practically free.

Had the captain known even a little about market prices, she would have found it odd. But.

'This officer has never used anything besides issued or supplied goods, so I do not know market prices well... Was the price fifty alke? It feels lower than this officer's salary...?'

Of course Smen was cutting her a deal. Still, I made a big fuss so she would not even suspect it.

"What, fifty alke? Smen, you've become quite the merchant while I was gone! How rich are you trying to get by charging that much?"

'What? A merchant? ...Ah. That's what he meant.'

He still got instinctively worked up whenever he heard that word. Still, Smen was an experienced tailor, a professional who had not only made clothes but also catered to nobles.

Without losing his composure, Smen played along with me.

"Please understand. Though you are Mr. Hughes's guest, this old man is only a pitiful fellow who will starve to death without money."

"It can't be helped, then. But it's fine! The captain's salary must be much higher than this!"

"Should one not overcharge those who can afford it? Though, if it is burdensome even on a captain's salary, you need not pay."

They said three people working together could make a tiger out of nothing. To deceive a captain who knew nothing of market prices, two were enough.

I probably could have done it alone. Two was overkill.

"...Confirmed. I will pay."

A communications officer who knew Level 4 classified information but not market prices. What an irony.

Smen saw the captain's ignorance as innocence rather than something unfortunate and gave her a warm smile. Then, as though he had suddenly remembered, he handed me a clothing packet.

"Ah, and Mr. Hughes. These are the clothes you always wear."

"Thanks. How much?"

"Just take them."

It was the answer I expected, but I pretended not to know.

"Is that alright?"

Smen nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"When I could not let go of my stubborn attachment to outdated clothes, did you not personally teach me about clothing packet technology, Mr. Hughes? You helped me make a new start, so this much is nothing."

"If you say so."

I had only shared knowledge stolen through mind-reading, yet he treated me like a benefactor. Heh heh. This was why it was convenient to do favors for people who repaid them well. A debt of the heart followed you forever.

Unlike the captain, I was open to bribes directed at me, so I did not refuse free clothes. As I put away the clothing packet, Smen lowered his voice and whispered into my ear.

"And about a week ago, the young lady came looking for you."

"Her? Why?"

"I did not ask. I only told her that I had not seen you recently."

Tch. I did not want to get involved with that side. Fine. I would pretend I did not know for now. If it got urgent, she would contact me first.

Finished with my business, I waved to Smen.

"Anyway, thanks. We'll be going now."

"Take care."

I went outside with the captain, who still looked confused.

Though the clothes had only just been altered, they looked as natural as if they had been made that way from the beginning. Her slightly tight clothes clearly showed off the captain's figure.

I could not tell if she was open-minded or conservative. Wearing tight clothes meant accepting personal discomfort to make your presence known to the world.

Anyway.

"Alright, now that you've changed clothes, shall we get something to eat?"

"You mean a meal?"

At my suggestion, the captain looked around for a moment. She checked the time on a clock in the alley, then firmly refused.

"Refusal. It is not currently this officer's permitted mealtime."

"You won't eat if it isn't mealtime?"

"...? What do you mean? Is it not common sense to eat during mealtime?"

What was she talking about? You ate when you were hungry.

The captain and I met each other's eyes, then tilted our heads at each other.

"Bbi, is there some rule saying you can only eat at set times?"

'Communications officers are obligated to observe mealtimes. Indiscriminate eating and overeating cause all sorts of problems. For example, the body may become sluggish, or supplies may run short and require an additional supply request.'

"...Classified."

She seemed to have been trained well. She still held to secrecy so she would not reveal information about communications officers, even by mistake.

Still, I got the gist of it. There was a way to handle people like this.

"Bbi, after such a long journey, you need a hearty meal because you've used so much energy."

"I do not deny that. However, this officer believes eating at the proper time is sufficient. There is no need to violate the designated schedule."

"Doing your duty diligently is what matters most. Rules exist for better work too, don't they? Wouldn't it be a bigger problem if you neglected your mission because you were hungry?"

"This officer will not neglect a mission simply because I am a little hungry."

The captain declared that confidently, but then.

"Braised beans, bean stew, meat and bean stew."

"...Slurp. Hmph!"

At my prompting, drool ran from her mouth on reflex. The captain hurriedly wiped her lips.

We had ridden the meta conveyor belt through cold winds without a proper meal. There was no way she was not hungry.

It was the hunger of someone who went out into the world, something a person shut away in a tiny room could never understand.

"You start salivating just from hearing about beans. Are you really alright?"

"N-negative. There is no problem. I merely salivated a little."

"Is that how you plan to carry out your mission? Drooling whenever you hear about food, and you think you'll work properly? You should fill your stomach and think about working harder!"

"Urgh."

"Answer me! Affirmative or negative?"

When I barked at her, the captain lowered her head and gave a sign of agreement.

"...A-affirmative."

There happened to be something resembling a restaurant in the market street. I led the captain toward a crowded stall.

In one corner, people were packed shoulder to shoulder at a long table. They chatted noisily while putting some indescribable food in the bowls before them and eating it. I took a seat in an empty spot near the corner and banged on the table.

"Anna, one daily special over here."

Everyone's attention turned toward me. A few recognized me and greeted me.

"Hughes?"

"What the hell? I thought he suddenly disappeared and died."

"Like that bastard would ever die."

I answered each of them with a smile, then called out to the person busily stir-frying and boiling something on the iron griddle inside.

"Auntie! I'm hungry!"

Only after I mentioned being hungry did the owner react and turn around.

She was a middle-aged woman with the air of someone used to the work of everyday life. From the kerchief around her forehead to the sleeves rolled up over her arms, she looked like the sort of person a professional at living would be.

Seeing my face, she gave a hearty smile and spoke.

"Hughes, it's been a while! Who's that beside you?"

"A new friend."

"It's suspicious when you say you have a friend. She isn't a criminal, is she?"

"I'm about to make her one."

'?! Was that your intention?!'

The captain was horrified, but she was so overwhelmed by the attention focused on her that she could not even say, "Objection!" Anna rolled up her sleeves again.

"That gloomy kid you always used to bring around... What was that kid's name?"

"You mean Anton?"

"That's right, that kid! See, a bright young lady is better than Anton! Much nicer to look at. Oh, listen to me rambling. Wait a moment, I'll stir-fry you a bowl."

Anna poured oil onto the griddle and dumped in canned beans that had been soaked beforehand. Thick white steam billowed up, and cheers erupted from the crowd.

The captain swallowed without realizing it, quickly looked away, then turned to me.

"Question. Who exactly are you? Why do so many people know you?"

Seriously. What a trivial question. How could she be curious just because people recognized someone?

"I told you I lived here. Of course I got to know people. Everyone has about a hundred friends, don't they?"

"But..."

The captain felt the weight of the attention being directed at me and my companion as she thought to herself.

'He appears to have considerable popular support. Question. How can such a suspicious, untrustworthy petty criminal earn the regard of so many people?'

What did that bastard just say?

"What did you mean by that 'but' just now?"

The captain hesitated before answering.

"...Classified."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

A shut-in who stayed cooped up in a tiny room, an involuntary loner... No, a voluntary loner? A military-state loner? What was I supposed to call that?

Sigh. I would let it go. She was pitiful. Truly pitiful.

It was fine for the captain to call me a suspicious social misfit. It was fine for her to scold me as a petty criminal.

But I could not tell her that she was one of the biggest loners in the military state. That would be too cruel, would it not?

I sighed and waited for the food to come out.

Footnotes:

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