A man's shopping is always simple and direct. As long as he finds something satisfactory in one store, he will have sufficient trust in the owner's judgment.
Suō Tsukasa turned to Mrs. Nishikata and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Mrs. Nishikata, I trouble you to help me select two more for daily changes."
"Of course—"
Hearing this, Mrs. Nishikata was immediately delighted, her voice carrying a cheerful lilt.
"This navy blue one is suitable for daily work; it's dirt-resistant and breathable."
"This one is made of hemp-cotton blend, perfect for this season. It won't feel stuffy even when summer arrives."
She turned and skillfully moved through the clothes racks, her fingers lightly brushing over various fabrics, quickly picking one out.
Then she took down a lighter, pale blue one, holding one in each hand to show him.
"This is enough, let's settle the bill."
Suō Tsukasa simply glanced at them, then casually picked up a few sets of plain white undergarments from a nearby counter and handed them to Mrs. Nishikata, signaling his intention.
"That totals four hundred mon. I'm giving you a discount, you know."
Mrs. Nishikata took the clothes and returned to the cashier, taking a cloth wrapper to bundle the garments.
Her slender fingers danced swiftly across the abacus. The lacquer wooden beads made a crisp clattering sound. After a short while, she looked up and said with a smile.
She quite liked the young man in front of her. Not only did he give her a good discount, but he also thoughtfully included two simple hair ties in the bundle.
"Here."
Taking out his money pouch from his bosom, Suō Tsukasa retrieved a piece of Chogin (bar silver) and handed it over.
"Thank you for your patronage."
Mrs. Nishikata accepted it, then took out a set of delicate tools from a drawer: an iron chisel and a brass balance scale. She began to chip off silver pieces and weigh them repeatedly.
Until the weight of the silver pieces reached four monme, she collected the weighed silver, and handed back the remaining Chogin along with the bundle. The transaction was complete.
'TN: The currencies mentioned are traditional Japanese money, including the copper coin Mon (文) for daily purchases, the silver ingot Chōgin / Ding Silver (丁銀) for large payments, and Monme / Qián (錢), which is a weight unit used to measure silver.'
...
Bidding farewell to Mrs. Nishikata, Suō Tsukasa, carrying his bundle, left the shop with Tamaki and continued his purchasing plan for the day.
The morning market was at its liveliest, and the streets were bustling with crowds.
With Tamaki as a competent guide, they soon purchased straw sandals, cushions, and other necessary sundries at a general store.
Suō Tsukasa always maintained an efficient and direct style: seeing something he liked, he bought it immediately without any hesitation.
He bought quite a few items, and since Tamaki, the proprietress of the Izakaya, was present, the owner was enthusiastic and offered to have his assistant deliver the goods free of charge.
"Starch syrup, preserved fruits... sweet, sweet treats, come and see!"
Just as they finished their purchases and were preparing to return, a crisp sound of a small drum and a hawker's cry not far away caught Suō Tsukasa's attention.
A peddler, about forty years old, carried two bamboo baskets covered with white cloth and slowly walked along the street, calling out his wares. He held the carrying pole with one hand and shook a palm-sized small drum with the other.
"Peddler, please come over."
Seeing this, Suō Tsukasa's heart moved slightly. He called out, signaling the peddler to stop.
"Coming!"
Hearing the call, the peddler quickened his pace, found a shaded spot near Suō Tsukasa, set down his load, and lifted the white cloth covering the baskets.
Suō Tsukasa stepped forward, and a sweet, cloying scent wafted toward him.
His gaze fell upon the bamboo baskets, which contained various snacks half-wrapped in oiled paper.
There were amber-colored starch candies and various candied fruits dusted with sugar. Among them, a type of purple preserved fruit was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.
"These are the finest Moon Plum fruits, cured with wild honey. Would the customer like to try some?"
The peddler, constantly observing the customer's gaze, instantly understood. He wiped his fingers with a white cloth, smiled, and picked up one to offer Suō Tsukasa for a taste.
If the customer in front of him hadn't been an exceptional sight, this particular item was difficult to produce and its cost was too high. He wouldn't typically let just anyone try it.
Suō Tsukasa took a bite. The flesh was thick, and the sweetness was complemented by a perfect hint of sourness. The mellow aroma of honey blended perfectly with the fruit's fragrance.
It had no artificial flavors from modern processing, making it very palatable.
"Three bags of Moon Plum fruits. Please wrap them up for me."
Originally, Suō Tsukasa only intended to buy two bags for Tamaki and Miss Terada, but he couldn't resist buying one for himself as well.
"Right away!"
"That will be ninety mon!"
The peddler spoke with excitement. It was rare to encounter such a generous customer. He swiftly weighed out three portions, carefully wrapped them in oiled paper, and tied them up securely.
After a morning of shopping, Suō Tsukasa had a good grasp of the prices. The cost of these three small bags of snacks was nearly equivalent to a finished piece of clothing.
Since Tamaki by his side didn't voice any objections, it indicated that the peddler was honest in his business, charging a fair price.
Without changing his expression, Suō Tsukasa counted out the copper coins. After paying, he took the oiled paper packages from the peddler and immediately handed one to Tamaki.
"Tamaki-san, this is for you."
"Eh... for me?"
Tamaki was slightly startled, looking at the oiled paper package offered to her.
"You helped me so much yesterday, and accompanied me through a busy morning today. I don't know how to thank you, so this is just a small token of my appreciation."
Suō Tsukasa smiled and nodded, speaking sincerely.
If she hadn't been with him today, he didn't know how many unnecessary detours he would have taken or how much unnecessary money he would have spent. Her meticulous and thoughtful companionship was worth far more than a bag of preserved fruit.
"Thank you, Tsukasa-kun. You shouldn't have."
Seeing his sincere attitude, Tamaki didn't refuse further and accepted the gesture.
Afterward, Suō Tsukasa first saw her off to her home at the other end of the street. Then, he quickened his steps along the dirt path they had taken, heading towards the Izakaya.
The sun was getting higher. He calculated the time in his mind. It was still early; Miss Terada had given him plenty of time.
He understood the consideration and generosity Miss Terada had shown him. Loitering aimlessly was not his hobby. Since his goal was achieved, he might as well go back early to help with the preparations for the shop.
One should repay sincerity with diligence—that was his principle.
Passing an open space in front of a cluster of houses, cheerful sounds of playing immediately drew Suō Tsukasa's attention.
"Hah, take this!"
"Oh no, don't run!"
Four children, around ten years old, were chasing and playing happily in the dusty open space, wielding crude wooden swords. Their small faces were flushed red. The wooden swords occasionally clashed, making crisp smacking sounds.
Looking at the scene before him, Suō Tsukasa's face brightened with pleasure.
He had already planned the general items he needed to buy yesterday, and a crucial item was a wooden sword, which he hadn't managed to find.
There were no wars in Soul Society. Bloodshed and conflicts in the Rukongai were mostly concentrated in the very low-numbered districts.
In areas like the West Third District, which had good public safety and relatively rich resources, most souls lived peaceful lives and had no need for weapons.
The environment dictates the market, so there wouldn't be specialized artisans forging iron swords. Ordering a custom-made one would be too conspicuous.
After some thought, Suō Tsukasa had initially focused on wooden swords. They could satisfy the need for basic training without drawing too much attention.
He had specifically asked Tamaki about it today, but she didn't know where to buy one, and none of the carpenters she knew could make one. He couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
It made sense; after all, making a wooden sword was a complex process, consuming time, materials, and effort, and when finished, it could only be sold as a toy for a low price.
Suō Tsukasa's gaze fell on the wooden swords in the children's hands. Although the craftsmanship was crude and the marks from chiseling were obvious, and the size had been shortened to fit the children, the general form, the curvature of the blade, and the thickness of the grip were all correct.
They were clearly carved by an elder in the family, perhaps from memory, for the children to play with. Though made casually for amusement, some care had unconsciously gone into them.