Chapter 125: Store Summoning 15

“Well, that figures.”

Since I had expected it, I wasn’t particularly surprised when I saw the leveled-up crest on my right hand right after waking up.

I did meet Jeremy-sensei, a capture target, after all. Of course it would level up.

Taking my parents, who are completely used to this by now, in tow, we headed to the usual summoning ground.

“It’s rare for you to receive a blessing when there hasn’t been a major problem. So the idea that you receive blessings when trouble occurs was wrong after all?”

“No, yesterday’s party was a bit of a problem, though…”

Ugh. Father and Mother were talking about that as they walked ahead of me, but please, forgive me. It was an error of youth…

A Duke’s daughter grabbing the collar of the second son of the host family and yelling at him is just unthinkable… It was the act of a child, just a child’s doing… Please let me off with that…

“Say, did something happen at the party yesterday?”

“I know nothing… I really should have tagged along.”

Such comments also flew from Bianca and Ritsu, who were walking behind me. No, it’s a good thing you weren’t there. You almost witnessed your master’s disgraceful behavior. Though Kohaku-san and Estelle saw it.

Ah, speaking of which, I need to ask Ritsu later to have the people of the Nanane Clan look into the situation around Pamela-sensei. I have to find out who is sending those harassing letters first.

Kohaku-san, walking ahead, apparently already sent his subordinate animals to surround Pamela-sensei. I hope we can find out something with this…

Switching gears, let’s just do what needs to be done for now.

Arriving at the summoning ground, I focused my consciousness as usual.

“[Store Summoning]!”

Amidst a dazzling vortex of light, magical power drained from within me, and a new store was summoned. It’s fairly large, isn’t it? Maybe slightly smaller than the clothing store?

Eventually, the summoned store appeared before us.

“…Ah… this is… I might have to call that person over…”

Looking up at the store that appeared before me, I muttered such a thing. What timely timing…

◇ ◇ ◇

“Fuaaaaaaaaah!? Amazing! This is amazing, Lady Sakuraile! It’s like a dream!”

Pamela-sensei was screaming inside the store, writhing in ecstasy.

That’s right. The store I summoned this time was “Oldies”, a musical instrument store I used to frequent when I was into bands.

I remember the manager was a rather dapper older gentleman, and they often played nostalgic songs.

Hmm, did I pull this in because I was thinking about Pamela-sensei…? Or did the Goddesses do something? Sakuracleria-sama is the patron Goddess of music and song, after all. It might not be impossible.

I instinctively looked up at the ceiling, but of course, there was no answer.

Oh well. If Pamela-sensei can get a change of pace even a little, that’s a win.

The store sells electric guitars, electric basses, acoustic guitars, keyboards, and even drum sets.

There are saxophones and trombones too. Clarinets, violins, cymbals as well.

Ah, they also sell electric guitar strings. This is a lifesaver. Pamela-sensei would have had to buy a whole new guitar just to replace the strings… It might not be impossible to have a blacksmith custom-make them, though.

Do they have microphones and mic stands too? This might sell to His Majesty the Emperor. He wouldn’t have to strain his voice to greet the gathered nobles.

The monitors placed inside the store were playing music videos of musicians. Everyone was surprised and glued to the screens. Well, that’s to be expected…

Suddenly, Pamela-sensei started playing a keyboard that was on display. Ah, it’s plugged in.

“Aah, a sound completely different from a piano…! This is a wonderful thing…!”

A sound like an electronic organ echoed through the store. If I recall, you can change the sounds on these types of keyboards, right?

When I pressed the tone change button on the keyboard Sensei was playing, the organ-like sound changed into a harpsichord-like sound.

“Wh-What is this…! Otherworldly instruments are truly amazing…!”

Leaving Pamela-sensei, who was engrossed in the various tones, we browsed the store.

There are band scores too, huh. Wait, I bought one here too, I think. Couldn’t play it, though…

There are tuners, effectors, and proper amplifiers too.

You can manage some tuners with batteries or dry cells, but normal amps need a power source… Though there are amps with built-in batteries.

Wait… some stores had outlets outside. If I use that and the extension cord from the pawn shop, couldn’t I pull electricity from there?

My store doesn’t allow things that aren’t the store’s merchandise to be taken out. What about electricity?

By the way, the tables and chairs that come when you summon the kitchen car. Those are originally summoned outside the store (outside the kitchen car). Same goes for the ketchup and stuff on the tables.

I tried seeing if I could take them out, but the result was a no-go.

Well, I can carry them. But when the kitchen car goes out of sight (when they can no longer be seen from the kitchen car?), they vanish with a poof and return to their original position.

Incidentally, if the kitchen car itself drives off and leaves the spot, the tables and chairs disappear completely. Though they don’t disappear if you properly stow them inside the vehicle.

What happens with electricity? Can it be used as long as it’s within sight of the store? Or does the electricity stop the moment it goes outside the store?

Well, at worst, we could play the instruments inside the store, which would normally be an incredibly annoying way to use it.

If we’re going to do it, maybe the model shop, the clothing store, or the bathhouse… maybe? If I become able to summon a karaoke box or a music studio, would that solve the problem? …A karaoke box I can understand, but is a music studio a ‘store’?

This requires verification. Let’s check it later.

“Oh my, is this a small guitar? Even Sakura-chan looks like she could play this.”

“!?”

Turning at Mother’s words, I indeed saw a slightly smaller acoustic guitar placed in the corner of the guitar section.

A mini guitar! Even I, with my small fingers, can play this! Wahaha! Farewell, violin!

I chose a girlish, cherry-blossom-colored one from the several mini guitars available and slung the strap over my shoulder.

Ooh…! It fits perfectly…!

I pressed the chords Em, Am, E, D, A, G and strummed. And then, the difficult F…! Alright, I can manage it!

I continued playing the theme song from a certain famous animated movie. The one about becoming the wind.

It’s been a while, but the tempo isn’t that fast, and the chord progression isn’t difficult, so I managed to play it.

As I got carried away and started singing along, Pamela-sensei began accompanying me on the keyboard from the side. She’s improvising!? Amazing…

When I finished playing, I received applause from Father and the others. It’s kind of embarrassing.

“That’s a wonderful song! Is that also a song from the other world?”

“Umm, yes. Well.”

“However, your guitar playing is still a bit clumsy. Let’s practice more.”

“Yeees…”

Nuu. As expected, my skills are no match for Pamela-sensei’s discerning eyes.

Ah, there are mini electric guitars too. Ukuleles as well. Darn, I should have used this one for that song.

There’s only one, but there’s a mini bass guitar too. Maybe I should recommend it to Estelle. I wonder if we could form a band?

“Perhaps the guitar suits Sakuraile better than the violin.”

I even received such words from Father. Well, I do have some experience with it, after all. Though I’m not that good.

Father and the others were also interested in the instruments they had never seen before, but I don’t think these things would sell much even if we bought them.

For example, the violins in this store are mass-produced, but the violins used by nobles are one-of-a-kind pieces crafted by artisans. The ones from this world probably have better sound. Yet, these are more expensive.

Electric guitars, electric basses, and keyboards might sell, but the power source is a bottleneck. Even if the electricity could be used outside, I can’t supply power every time to the people who bought them.

In the end, this store will only be useful to specific people. It was the same with the model shop, but specialty stores have that aspect to them…

Though maybe small things like tuners and sheet music would sell to musicians.

“So much sheet music…! Aah, they’re all so fascinating…!”

…I feel like Pamela-sensei would buy anything. She probably earns a court musician’s salary, so she might be able to buy various things, but I feel bad making her splurge too much…

That keyboard over there is close to two hundred thousand yen, so if she buys it, it’ll be two million yen, you know…?

“Lady Sakuraile, what is this? It has an unusual shape…”

“Ah, that’s a keytar. It’s a piano you can play while slung over your shoulder with a strap, like a guitar.”

“Oh my…!?”

Pamela-sensei immediately connected it to the amp in the trial corner (which I did for her, actually) and started playing.

As expected of a professional, her playing is so good… I find myself unintentionally entranced by it.

“Ugh, there are so many things I want, I think I might go crazy…”

I brought her here thinking it would be a good change of pace, but far from a change of pace, I’m getting a little worried that Pamela-sensei looks like she’s about to trip out to another dimension.

“Lady Sakuraile, what is this?”

Ritsu was holding an instrument commonly known as a thumb piano, a kalimba.

You play it by plucking the long, thin metal strips lined up on a box with your fingers. I believe it’s an African instrument.

When I played Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do to show her, Ritsu also started playing plink, plonk herself. Did she like it?

Ritsu was also playing the keyboard in a similar way. It seems she can play Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do.

Bianca was hitting the electronic drums looking amused. Somehow she strangely looks like an expert… Even though it looks like she’s swinging short swords. I heard Bianca was learning the flute, but maybe this, which requires moving her body more, suits her better.

After that, I managed to soothe Pamela-sensei, who started saying she wanted to buy almost everything in the store, and had her keep it to an amount within common sense for now. Though she made me promise she could come buy things anytime.

I got permission from Father and Mother to change my instrument lessons from violin to guitar. I don’t know what Estelle will do, but I think I’ll try recommending the bass or something to her.

Oops, I have to ask Ritsu to have the Nanane Clan investigate the person sending those harassing letters to Pamela-sensei.

With this incident, Pamela-sensei will draw even more attention. It’s possible the harassment could heat up even further.

I must act preemptively before a tragic fate arrives.