Sugar Apple Fairytale Vol 2 Chapter 1

Chapter 1: When the Snow Falls
Ann looked up at the sky as something cold hit the tip of her nose.
Gray clouds hung low in the sky. Snow danced down from them as if
overflowing drip by drip.
“Snow… It‟s snowing already,” Ann muttered despairingly, rooted to the
ground where she stood.
In contrast, a small fairy on the roof of the box-shaped wagon behind her did a
little dance.
“Wa-hoo! It‟s snowing, it‟s snowing! I love snow! Isn‟t it beautiful, Ann?”
The fairy‟s blue eyes sparkled. The name of this fairy, who‟d been born from
a drop of lake water, was Mythrill Reed Pod.
“I can‟t believe it…”
“It‟s unbelievably beautiful!”
“This is the worst…”
Mythrill was over the moon, and Ann was in despair. Neither of them seemed
to realize that their conversation didn‟t match up. However, luckily there was 
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another, rational person there with them.
“It‟s all the same to me, but aren‟t you going to give the customer her sugar
sculpture?”
The fairy who lay on the driver‟s seat with his long legs dangling off the side
sat up.
At his reminder, Ann seemed to come to her senses with a gasp, and returned
her gaze to the girl standing in front of her.
“Ah! I‟m sorry. I was s.p.a.cing out. So… Eh…?”
The girl, who wore a bushy fur cape, wasn‟t even looking at Ann. She was
gazing in the direction of the driver‟s seat of the wagon with a captivated
expression on her face.
Ann sighed quietly and turned to regard the object of the girl‟s gaze.
---- Well, I guess it can‟t be helped. With him around, you lose interest in
looking at anything else.
The girl was looking at the fairy who sat on the driver‟s seat. He had lightly
tousled black hair and black eyes. The obsidian fairy‟s appearance was coldly
beautiful, just like the snow that had begun falling. The intermittently falling
snowflakes landed on his eyelashes. Without thinking, Ann also lost her heart 
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to that sight.
---- ...How pretty.
However, this fairy had a foul mouth.
“Scarecrow. Hurry up and hand over the sugar sculpture.”
Being called a scarecrow instantly wiped away all traces of Ann‟s state of
near-intoxication.
“Shall! I‟ve told you not to call me „Scarecrow‟!”
“Then hurry up. Dimwit.”
Saying only that, the obsidian fairy Shall Fen Shall laid back down.
Ann reclaimed her wits and called out loudly to the girl who was even now
starring at Shall in infatuation.
“Excuse me!”
“Ha-- Eh? Oh.”
The girl seemed to come to her senses at the sound of Ann‟s voice, and
focused her 
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gaze on Ann once more. Ann smiled with relief.
“Here you are. The price is two cres.”
Ann showed the girl the large, heavy sugar sculpture she clutched in both
hands.
The design was of a bouquet of spring flowers of various colors. It was a
flashy sugar sculpture. However, the arrangement and shading was cleverly
devised to ensure that the various types of flowers wouldn‟t strike a dissonant
chord with one another. Ann had made the sugar sculpture after receiving the
girl‟s order one week earlier.
The girl had asked for “A beautiful sugar sculpture of more than ten different
types of spring flowers gathered into a bouquet.”
Sugar sculptures made from silver sugar were used in a variety of ceremonies
and events. They were said to repel bad luck and summon good luck. Silver
sugar was a holy food that was also called “the sweet promise of good luck.”
The more beautiful the form of the sugar sculpture, the greater the good
fortune that would be bestowed upon its owner.
Ann was one of the sugar craftsmen and women who created these sugar
sculptures.
The expression on the girl‟s face when she first caught sight of the sugar 
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sculpture spoke volumes as to the quality of Ann‟s skills.
“It‟s magnificent.”
The girl spoke the words of admiration as if she were surprised. Then she
looked behind her at a fairy in the shape of a young man whom she‟d brought
with her.
The fairy had a gangly frame and was only a bit taller than the girl. Overall, he
looked rather weak.
“You. Take the sugar sculpture.”
The obedient-looking fairy took the sugar sculpture from Ann as ordered.
The fairy said in a voice heavy with admiration, “This is the best sugar
sculpture that you‟ve had made for your birthday in the past few years,
mistress.”
“Perhaps,” the girl replied nonchalantly, thrusting out one hand towards Ann.
“Well, here‟s your payment. Take it.”
With a cheap-sounding metallic clink ten copper coins were dropped into the
palm of Ann‟s hand. Ann tilted her head.
“That should be enough, right?”
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“But the agreed-upon price was two cres...”
“I ordered from you because I heard you were skilled. But you‟re not even a
silver sugar master, are you? On the market in this area, no one will pay more
than one cres for a sugar sculpture made by anyone other than a silver sugar
master. One cres is the most anyone would pay a regular sugar craftsman.
Take it and be grateful.”
“But! A promise is a promise…”
The girl smiled sickeningly sweetly at Ann‟s attempt to protest.
“Well, I suppose I don‟t need to buy it…”
After being told this, Ann found herself speechless.
If the girl didn‟t purchase the sugar sculpture, the silver sugar she‟d used and
the time she put into making it would completely go to waste.
“Hey, hey, hey! You, human girl! I‟ve been listening and you‟re being pretty
stingy, aren‟t you? I, Mythrill Reed Pod-sama, won‟t stay silent any longer…!”
Standing on top of the roof of the wagon, Mythrill raised his voice and crossed
his arms.
“Shut up, Mythrill Reed Pod. You‟ll just make things worse,” Shall said, 
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interrupting Mythrill. Then he sat up on the driver‟s seat once more.
“What was that?! Don‟t act so haughty when all you‟re doing is laying
around!”
“You‟re not being any more helpful by raising a fuss.”
“You‟re rude to the core----!!”
Ignoring the shrieking Mythrill, Shall jumped down to the ground. The single
wing on his back was like half-transparent silk. It flowed gracefully to the
back of his knees. He moved slowly, as if it were a great labor to do so, and
came to stand beside Ann. Somehow, there was something polished about
even this listless movement.
“Are you going to take it back?” Shall asked Ann quietly. His voice was quiet,
but it had an edge to it. Together with his voice, a cold silver s.h.i.+mmer spread
across his wing.
“I can made her return it and still pay the two cres. What do you want to do?”
The fairy accompanying the girl must have sensed Shall‟s true power and his
threatening aura. The single wing on the other fairy‟s back began to twitch
anxiously.
“I‟m not sure what your intentions are, but this isn‟t any way to treat 
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customers, is it~~?”
“We‟re only matching our behavior to yours,” Shall retorted matter-of-factly.
Honestly, Ann didn‟t want to sell a sugar sculpture to this kind of person. But
this sugar sculpture had been made according to the specifications of the girl
in front of her‟s order. Ann felt that if she didn‟t sell it to this girl and instead
tried to sell it to someone else, she‟d be pus.h.i.+ng off an unsatisfactory product
on that person. That would be rude to the person who bought it.
Furthermore, if they indeed matched their behavior to the girl‟s as Shall had
said, they‟d be behaving as cowardly as she was, which was also distasteful to
Ann. Finally, she shook her head.
“No… It‟s fine, Shall.”
Right now, she needed every bit of money she could get. Ann turned back to
face the girl and looked her straight in the eyes.
“What? So you have something to say?”
“No. I understand. One cres is fine. Thank you for your purchase.”
Under Ann‟s straight-forward gaze the girl shrunk back for a moment. But
then she promptly snorted derisively, as if to cover for her momentary 
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weakness. Then she turned her back and briskly walked away.
Before turning to go the fairy who‟d accompanied the girl timidly looked
away from Shall. “I‟m sorry,” he apologized in a small voice, bowing his head
to Ann. Then he quickly hurried after the girl.
Through the glimmering curtain of falling snow, the figures of the girl and the
fairy disappeared off into the distance.
The direction they‟d retreated in was lined on both sides by high red brick
walls. It was a narrow alleyway. The alleyway was gently winding and sloped
uphill. At its far end the alleyway opened up into a bustling city street. These
streets were wide and paved with gravel, and lined on both sides with shops
with broad frontage.
The girl from before seemed to have been the daughter of one of these affluent
shopkeepers.
Starting about ten years ago, this area had begun to flourish economically as
an intermediary in the distribution of woolen goods produced in the north. By
now it had developed into a large, thriving city on the same scale as Lewiston.
This was Westhall, the capital of Sharmeigh Province.
It was adjoining to Harrington Province, where the imperial city of Lewiston
was located. The n.o.bleman who ruled this province, Earl Downing, was was a 
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trusted retainer who had displayed outstanding ability and efficiency in service
to the previous king.
Ann put the copper coins in her hand into the pocket of her dress. Then she
shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
“It‟s probably only natural that the compet.i.tion would be severe for a sugar
craftsman who‟s not even a silver sugar master. Besides, this is the foothold of
the Silver Sugar Viscount.”
“You‟re right. d.a.m.n it! That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Hugh----!!”
Mythrill cast a glare in the direction of the bustling city street.
With a troubled look on her face, Ann muttered, “Um… But, it‟s not as if
Hugh‟s done anything wrong, exactly…”
Hugh was the name of the current Silver Sugar Viscount. The Silver Sugar
Viscount was a silver sugar master who exclusively worked for the royal
family. You could say that the Silver Sugar Viscount stood above all sugar
craftsmen, silver sugar masters included.
Due to a strange turn of events, Ann had become acquainted with the Silver
Sugar Viscount, Hugh Mercury, two months earlier. He‟d helped her in her
mission to become a silver sugar master.
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However, in the end, Ann hadn‟t succeeded in becoming a silver sugar master
this year.
The spires of Westhall Castle could be seen rising above the tops of the houses
lining the city streets. Those were probably lookout towers. If you turned your
eyes to the west of those black stone spires, another nearly identical structure
came into sight. However, these spires were made of white stone.
On the opposite sh.o.r.e of a small lake from Westhall Castle, where the
provincial lord resided, stood an almost identical white castle. The name of
this castle was Silver Westhall. It was the residence of the Silver Sugar
Viscount.
“We won‟t be able to camp out tonight like we‟ve been doing.”
This year would be over in only a month and a half.
Snow was falling incessantly from the narrow slice of sky visible above the
walls of the alleyway. The ground below Ann‟s feet felt hard; it was beginning
to freeze. The sun set early in the winter. Even now, their surroundings were
beginning to grow dark.
Snow would likely pile up on the ground overnight.
Ann clenched the sides of the cape that she wore over her dress closer together.
The lining of the cape had feather down carefully sewn into it. The outer layer 
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was tanned leather decorated with a pattern of gilded plants. It was a highcla.s.s
product, with exceptional heat-preservation abilities. The cape was a
luxurious item that didn‟t match up with Ann‟s station in life.
“This cape has been a real life-saver. I‟ll have to remember to thank Cat.”
Ann had obtained this cape in Lewiston, just before coming to Westhall. She‟d
a.s.sisted a silver sugar master with the nickname of „Cat,‟ whom she‟d met by
coincidence, with his work and received the cape in lieu of payment.
Thanks to this cape, Ann‟s travels had become much more pleasant.
The cold winter weather had no effect whatsoever on the fairies, who couldn‟t
feel the cold. They would probably be fine even if they camped out in the
middle of a blizzard.
However, it was impossible for the human Ann to camp out while it was
snowing, even if she did have this remarkable cape.
“Let‟s go, Shall, Mythrill. We‟ll have to stay in an inn tonight. Hopefully we
can find somewhere cheap.”
While speaking, Ann turned towards the old, worn out wagon.
This box-shaped wagon was the same one that she‟d lost once to hijacking.
However she‟d later discovered it abandoned on the outskirts of Lewiston.
This box-shaped wagon was the very embodiment of her memories of the 15
years she‟d spent travelling with her mother. Even if it was old and shabby, 
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the wagon coming back to her made her happier than anything else could have.
Without climbing onto the driver‟s seat, Ann took the horse‟s bridle in her
hand.
The far end of the alleyway was a gentle downwards slope that widened bit by
bit as it went. Ann lead the horse in that direction.
“Alright! We get to stay at an inn! I love watching from the window as snow
falls outside,” Mythrill said cheerfully from the roof of the wagon. Ann smiled
as well.
“Me too. If you‟re watching the snow from inside a warm room, you can
concentrate on enjoying its beauty.”
Ann led the horses, slowly moving the wagon forward. Shall caught up with
Ann, who‟d already started walking, and asked, “What about the money? Do
you have enough?”
His countenance was nonchalant. But Ann knew that Shall was well aware of
how little money she had left and was worried about her.
Ann‟s income was meager at best. There weren‟t many customers willing to
buy sugar sculptures from a 15 year old girl who wasn‟t even a silver sugar
master. There were customers who knew her skill and would place orders with
her from time to time. Even so, her fees were often haggled down like they‟d
been by the girl just now.
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“„Don‟t worry about it.‟ ...Is what I want to say, but I don‟t have quite that
much money. So we‟ll have to stay somewhere cheap.”
It wasn‟t that Ann particularly wanted to indulge in luxury. As long as she
could get out of the cold, she didn‟t care where they stayed.
---- But Soul Ascension Day is just over a month away. And right after that it
will be the end of the year…
From here on out, the temperature would drop by the day. It was necessary to
secure a room in an inn where they could stay out of the cold for the winter.
Furthermore, Ann would soon need to start working on the sugar sculpture
with which she‟d send her mother off to heaven on Soul Ascension Day. If
possible, she wanted to find a place to stay and then relax and take her time
making a splendid sugar sculpture.
Afterwards she wanted to spend the new year‟s holidays at the inn.
It was for the sake of Shall and Mythrill, who travelled with her. She wanted
to give them even a little bit of a treat, and let them spend the holiday
comfortably. Ann wanted the three of them to celebrate the new year together
pleasantly.
---- Well, before you can get anything else, you first need to have money.
Remembering how much money she currently had in her possession, Ann 
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suddenly felt ashamed of herself.
“Why don‟t I earn some money?” Shall said suddenly.
Ann widened her eyes at this unexpected statement.
“Earn money? How?”
“There are various ways.”
“You‟re not thinking of doing something dangerous, are you?!”
“Do you really think I‟m that violent? Do I look as if I would go around
robbing people?”
Ann was fixed with an unpleasant glare.
He looked perfectly capable of going around robbing people without a second
thought. However, instead of saying this, Ann responded with a stiff face, “I
wasn‟t thinking anything of the sort. It‟s just, your special ability is your
physical strength, so…”
“If you looked for some humans with too much time and money on their
hands and offered to lend me to them for a night, you‟d be able to earn a lot of
money.”
Shall spoke the outrageous suggestion as if it were no big deal. Ann grew even 
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paler.
“W-w-what are you saying?! Do you even understand the meaning of what
you just said?! That‟s the same as selling your body!!”
“Indeed.”
“No, not „indeed‟!! I‟d die before asking you to do something like that, so you
must never do it either!!”
“Why not?”
Asked directly, Ann felt herself start to blush. It wasn‟t a question one should
ask a purehearted 15 year old girl.
What kind of state must Shall‟s sense of virtue[1] be in to suggest such a
thing? After living for more than a hundred years, he must have tossed those
notions aside long ago. Just trying to imagine it, Ann paled once again. She
didn‟t want to think of such things.
At this Mythril, who wore a triumphant expression, waved a finger at Shall
reproachfully.
“„Why‟?! Shall Fen Shall, there‟s no way a guy like you who doesn‟t know
the first thing about women‟s hearts could do it with a human partner.” 
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“Whether you understand them or not, what you do with them is the same
either way.”
“No way---- It‟s totally different.”
“It‟s all the same.”
“In any case! That‟s not the point at issue here, you two----!!!” Ann shouted
with all her strength.
“This is a matter of dignity! For the time being, I will worry about the money.
You don‟t have to worry about such things, Shall. ...Rather, don‟t worry about
them! Please!”
At Ann‟s forceful words, Shall made a slightly stunned face.
“You sure are stubborn.”
This was a bit different from simple stubbornness. Ann felt the strength
leaving her body.
If Shall had offered to make and sell bread, or repair shoes to earn some
money, Ann might have asked for his help. However she had the feeling that
all of his ideas for methods of making money would be equally ridiculous. She
was too afraid to ask.
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They reached the bottom of the hill. A few brick buildings stood here and
there.
The s.p.a.ces between the buildings were wide. In these open s.p.a.ces everything
from broken wagons to old farm tools were piled together in giant trash heaps.
As Ann looked around, her eyes came to rest on one building in particular.
That building was horizontally long. It was two stories tall, and off to the side
stood a stable with a simple roof. Furthermore, a wooden sign with a picture
of a hat and boots carved into it was hung from the brick wall. That was the
symbol for an inn.
There was no doubt that this was an inn, but there was an air of extreme
dilapidation surrounding it. Half of the tiles had slipped off of the slanted roof,
and those that remained seemed as if they would come falling down in an
avalanche at any moment. But, Ann was in no position to be fussy.
Ann pulled the wagon to a stop next to the stables. Then, accompanied by
Shall and Mythrill, she entered the inn. The air in the combination bar and
dining room on the first floor was heavy with dust and the stench of old
cooking oil.
On the other side of the counter stood a boney, balding innkeeper. When Ann
asked him the price to stay, he responded that it was 30 vine per person per
night. Then he stared at Shall bizarrely.
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It would cost 90 vine for the three of them to stay one night. The cres that Ann
had just received would all but disappear.
After that, she‟d only have two cres and some odd change left.
Even so, there was no way they could camp out in the snow. With the money
she had now, they could spend three days at the inn. Deciding that it would all
work out if she could earn some more money during that time, Ann took the
room.
The room that they were lead to was dark. The wood-shuttered window was
nailed shut and wouldn‟t open.
Furthermore, the room contained only one bed, which filled it completely. The
room was so tiny that, standing shoulder-to-shoulder looking down at the bed,
Ann and Shall couldn‟t even have changed places without touching.
“You can‟t see anything from the window…” Mythrill muttered, sounding
depressed.
“Sorry, Mythrill. If I earn some money, we can stay in a nice inn next time,”
Ann said, looking around the room. The dead body of a giant spider lay under
the bed. Ann shuddered slightly in disgust.
Just then, a hesitant knock sounded on the door.
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“Yes?”
Following Ann‟s response, the door slowly opened. An old woman timidly
peaked her head in. The old woman wore a plain woolen shawl draped over
her head. She seemed familiar to Ann.
“Granny. You‟re the person from a few weeks ago, aren‟t you?”
Not long after they‟d arrived in Westhall, this old woman had come to order a
sugar sculpture from Ann.
She‟d placed her order two weeks before the merchant‟s daughter who‟d come
to pick up her sugar sculpture today. Ann had promised to have the sugar
sculpture ready for her two weeks ago. And yet the agreed upon date came
and went without any sign of the old woman.
Thinking that it couldn‟t be helped, Ann had left the sugar sculpture she‟d
made inside her wagon, where it was still sitting now.
“I saw your wagon outside. The innkeeper told me that you were staying in
this room. I‟m sorry for taking so long to come for the sugar sculpture, young
lady.”
The old woman pulled ten copper coins from the pocket of her threadbare
dress.
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“It‟s all here. One cres, just like we agreed.”
“Wah! Thank you, granny.”
Ann gratefully accepted the coins that were held out to her.
“I‟ve got your sugar sculpture in my wagon. Granny, let‟s go down to the first
floor together. You two come down with us. After I give granny her sugar
sculpture, we can have something light to eat.”
Thanks to the unexpected income, Ann felt the tension in her heart ease a bit.
She‟d been planning to just eat some dried berries and go to sleep tonight, but
with the money she‟d just made they could probably afford to at least have
some soup.
There were only two or three groups of customers currently seated in the joint
bar and dining room; it was all but deserted. Ann had the old woman and the
two fairies wait there while she brought the sugar sculpture in from her wagon.
“How‟s this? As requested, I created a pair of winter cranes.” [2]
Ann placed a sugar sculpture of an pair of birds on the table.
The two white birds had slender, delicate legs. Their long necks were gently
lowered, and their beaks were close together, as if the two birds were
whispering to each other. 
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Winter cranes were migratory birds. At the beginning of winter, they migrated
from the continent to the kingdom of Highland. Once these birds chose a mate,
they would spend their entire lives as a pair. As such, winter cranes were a
popular motif among lovers and married couples.
The innkeeper and the other patrons all seemed surprised by the sugar
sculpture that Ann had carried in. The detailed workmans.h.i.+p on the birds‟
wings was eye-catching.
The old woman nodded several times, apparently highly satisfied.
“How lovely. Yes, it‟s beautiful. My husband was always asking me to have
winter cranes made for him. It‟s perfect.”
“Is it your husband‟s birthday, or something?” Ann asked without thinking.
The old woman smiled sadly.
“No, this sugar sculpture is for Soul Ascension Day. Since long ago he was
always telling me that he wanted to be sent off with a sugar sculpture of
winter cranes. But all the sugar craftsmen told me it was impossible to have
something like that made for less than one cres. So I sold my wedding ring in
order to obtain the necessary one cres. It wasn‟t worth nearly what I‟d hoped it
would be. I‟m sorry for being so late with the payment. Even so, you were the
only person who would take the order for one cres. They all said that one cres
was the absolute rock-bottom price for a sugar sculpture in Westhall. 
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Furthermore, you‟ve created such a beautiful sculpture. Thank you.”
Hearing that one cres was the absolute lowest price for a sugar sculpture on
the market in this area, Mythrill clucked his tongue indignantly.
“That rich girl! How dare she lie so that she could buy Ann‟s sugar sculpture
for the absolute lowest possible price?!”
At the old woman‟s words, Ann also realized that the merchant‟s daughter had
pulled a fast one on her.
However, Ann was more concerned about the present situation of the old
woman who was staring at the sugar sculpture lovingly.
The sleeves and hem of the old woman‟s dress were threadbare and the entire
garment was covered in stains. Her woolen shawl was likewise thin and worn
out. Even though she was in such a state, she‟d held on to that ring all this
time. It must have been precious to her. And yet she‟d said she‟d sold that ring
in order to buy this sugar sculpture. For the sake of her now dead mate.
The old woman‟s hands, which had been warped by time and hard work to
resemble dried tree branches, looked painful. From the sight of her slight
frame, it was easy to guess that she didn‟t have much to eat.
“Well then, I will take this sugar sculpture and be on my way.”
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The old woman stood to go. Hurriedly Ann pulled five copper coins from the
pocket of her dress.
“Oh, I forgot. Wait, granny. Here‟s your change.”
Ann forcefully handed the copper coins back to the old woman. Surprised,
Mythrill said in a loud voice, “Ann?!”
Clutching the sugar sculpture to her chest with one arm, the old woman looked
back at Ann in astonishment.
“No, I‟m pretty sure I only gave you one cres...”
“I made a mistake calculating the amount of silver sugar I‟d need to make this
sculpture. It only costs five vine.”
“Eh? But for such a big sugar sculpture… And besides, one cres is the rockbottom
price…”
“I‟m not even a silver sugar master, so I don‟t make such expensive sugar
sculptures. Nor am I a sugar craftsman from Westhall, so the market prices
here have nothing to do with me. Here, take your change.”
At Ann‟s cheerful smile, the old woman finally seemed to catch on. After
guiltily putting the coins into the pocket of her dress, she mumbled, “Thank
you. I can buy enough flour to last me a month with this.”
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After watching the old woman slowly hobble out of the inn, Ann took a seat at
the table. She was divided between thinking that she‟d done something very
foolish and being glad that she had.
Shall was sitting in the chair directly across from her. Looking at his face, she
got the impression that he wanted to say something.
“What?”
“It‟s nothing.”
Seated with his legs crossed and his elbow on the table, resting his chin on his
hand, Shall suddenly looked away.
---- He probably wanted to say something like „Idiot‟ or „You really don‟t
think, do you?‟
Ann looked up at the ceiling. She was convinced that she‟d done the right
thing, and that was enough for her.
However, such was not the case for Mythrill. He leapt up onto the table with
his eyebrows drawn up in indignation.
“Ann! Why did you cut the price in half?!”
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Ann s.h.i.+fted her gaze to Mythrill and smiled.
“It‟s not like that. That sugar sculpture really cost five vine.”
“You‟re lying, you dummy! If you keep doing things like this, you‟re the one
who‟s going to be left out to dry!”
“It‟s fine. I‟ll make sure to get full price from the people who can afford it.”
“It‟s not fine!”
Mythril decisively thrust his tiny pointer finger out towards Ann.
“I‟ve been telling you since a long ago to be aware of your own financial
situation, haven‟t I? Are you really in a position to be worrying about that old
woman? I‟d be surprised if you even had three cres to your name----”
Suddenly Mythrill was cuffed on the back of the head, cutting off his
complaining mid-sentence.
The one who‟d smacked him was Shall.
“Ow! Just what do you think you‟re doing, hitting people‟s heads with the
back of your hand?!”
“If you don‟t like the back of my hand, I could flick you instead.”
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“Given the difference in our sizes, if you flicked me I‟d die for sure!”
“Probably.”
“You said so, knowing I‟d surely die?! You demon!!”
“So you say. In any case, your voice is too loud. You‟re going to stir up
trouble.”
Now that Shall pointed it out, it was certainly true. Ann was also taken aback.
With a severe expression on his face, Shall was warily eyeing the inn‟s
proprietor, who stood on the far side of the bar counter.
An unpleasant smile appeared on the innkeeper‟s face. He put the gla.s.s he‟d
been wiping down on the bar, came out from behind the counter and
approached the table where Ann was sitting.
“Say, customer. You do have enough money to pay the lodging fees, right?”
Unlike his previous efficient and professional demeanor, his current tone of
voice was far too casual.
“Of course I do. Since the rate is 30 vine per person per night, the total for
three people for one night is 90 vine.”
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“That‟s not right. Like I told you from the beginning, the rate is five cres per
person per night.”
Ann was dumbfounded by these words.
“I heard no such thing. I‟m sure you said 30 vine per person per night.”
“Then you must have misheard. The rate is five cres.”
“It‟s got to be illegal to charge such a ridiculous price!”
“Oh, don‟t you know? The rate at high cla.s.s inns is always four or five cres.
Therefore, this price is perfectly reasonable. This rate isn‟t far enough outside
the normal parameters that I would be punished even if you pet.i.tioned the
ruler of this province.”
“Then I won‟t be staying in such a „high cla.s.s inn.‟ I‟m leaving.”
“That‟s fine, but in that case I‟ll have to charge a cancellation fee. You‟ve
already entered the room, after all. The cancellation fee is five cres.”
Infuriated, Ann stood up suddenly and called out in a harsh voice, “If you say
such cruel things, I really will pet.i.tion the ruler of this province!”
The innkeeper shrugged his shoulders.
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“Go ahead. You‟re the one who misheard the price. I have every right to
charge a cancellation fee. You, however, will most likely be punished for
trying to stay in an inn even though you didn‟t have enough money to pay.
You might even be thrown in jail.”
Why was the innkeeper saying such outrageous things? Ann couldn‟t
understand it.
Even so, his evil intentions were abundantly clear.
Ann glared at him with all her might, and the innkeeper chuckled heartily.
“Don‟t make such a scary face, young lady. I‟m not a bad guy. I‟ll do you a
favor and overlook the fact that you misheard. I‟ll even let you stay here
tonight as planned. But, in exchange, give me that pet fairy you‟ve got there.
If you do that, I‟ll waive your lodging fees for tonight.”
While speaking, the innkeeper turned his gaze towards Shall.
Shall‟s facial expression didn‟t change one bit. He merely regarded the
innkeeper scornfully.
At long last, Ann caught on to the innkeeper‟s true intentions.
Shall was like a jewel of the highest caliber. There was no doubt that the 
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innkeeper had been calculating from the moment they‟d first stepped through
the door how much money he could get by selling Shall.
The other person was a defenseless little girl. He‟d just need to threaten her a
bit; it would be a piece of cake. Likely that had been the innkeeper‟s plan for
getting his hands on this pet fairy.
So he‟d hit Ann with lodging fees that pushed the boundaries of common
sense. Although the proposed lodging fees were just barely within the realm of
reason, the innkeeper knew from listening to Mythrill that Ann couldn‟t pay
them. And in the unlikely event that Ann really did bring the issue up before
the provincial lord, the innkeeper would likely be able to escape punishment
by claiming that the rate he‟d demanded was within the usual sphere.
Shall expressionlessly held out the palm of his hand below the table. Particles
of light were already beginning to gather there. Because Shall‟s appearance
was terribly beautiful people often misunderstood, but he was no pet fairy. His
fighting skills were so impressive that he‟d been sold as a warrior fairy.
Brandis.h.i.+ng the sword that he could create out of light, even if he were
attacked by a group of ten humans he‟d be able to fend them off easily.
The sparkling light particles gathering in Shall‟s hand were the beginning
stages of the process by which he created that sword.
Anger was welling up inside of Ann uncontrollably at the cowardice of her
opponent.
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---- He wants me to “give” him Shall? What does he think Shall is?
Just then, the hem of Ann‟s dress was ruffled by a sudden gust of cold air.
However, Ann‟s heart was too preoccupied to spare a thought for the source of
that breeze.
Only Shall calmly glanced towards the front door of the inn, from where the
wind had blown in. Then he frowned slightly, and as if suddenly remembering
something he lightly waved his hand, dispersing the particles of light. Shall
had stopped preparing to summon his sword. Even so, he continued to sit
calmly at the table.
“I get it now-- I‟m on to your scheme! But, it‟s too bad for you. He doesn‟t
belong to me, or anything like that. So, in the first place, I couldn‟t „give him
to you‟ even if I wanted to! He goes where he wants to and doesn‟t go places
he doesn‟t want to!”
Ann slammed the palm of her hand down on the table forcefully.
“I won‟t forgive you for talking about him like an object!”
“She‟s right! If you use a fundamentally no-good guy like him, you‟ll regret it
until the day you die!” Mythrill shouted, trying seriously to help in his own
way.
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“What are you saying, young lady? What you‟re saying makes no sense. In
any case, hand over that pet fairy‟s wing.”
“I don‟t have something like that. Shall‟s wing belongs to him.”
“Stop s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with me, girl, and take it out!”
Finally showing his true colors, the innkeeper took a menacing step towards
Ann.
“That‟s far enough.”
A voice as hard as steel rang out from behind the innkeeper. Then a gently
arching sword was pressed against the innkeeper‟s throat.
The innkeeper gulped in fear at the sight of the sword that had suddenly
appeared against his throat.
“W-what?! What do you think you‟re doing?!”
Ann glanced over the innkeeper‟s shoulder, equally shocked.
Standing behind the innkeeper holding the gently curved sword to his throat
was a dark-skinned young man with white hair and silver eyes. His frame was
lithe, calling to mind a giant feline. There was no way Ann could forget
someone with such a unique appearance.
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“Ah… You… You‟re Salim-san, aren‟t you?”
Mythrill, too, was staring up at the dark-skinned young man in astonishment.
Salim grinned faintly.
“Good evening. It‟s been a while. And so we meet again, Ann.”
“Why are you here…? No, more importantly… The fact that you‟re here
means…”
Just then, Ann was tightly embraced from behind by a brawny arm.
“Yo! Long time no see, Ann! I see you‟re stirring up trouble everywhere you
go, as usual!”
Astounded by the sound of that familiar, cheerful voice, Ann craned her neck
to look behind her.
“Hugh?!”
The young man embracing Ann ran his free hand roughly through his unruly
brown hair. He wore a simple but finely tailored jacket. Mingling with the
charismatic charm in his smiling brown eyes was a hint of something wild and
untamed.
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“You really are a scrawny little thing, aren‟t you?”
While speaking, Hugh affectionately messed up Ann‟s wheat-colored hair.
Ann was shocked into silence by the sudden appearance of these two
unexpected characters.
However, it seemed that Shall had noticed them a short while ago. He sat
calmly, propping his chin up with his hand.
“Coming strolling nonchalantly into a place like this, you must have more free
time on your hands than I thought.”
Hugh smiled brightly in the face of Shall‟s obvious displeasure.
“No, no, nothing of the sort. In the middle of a whirlwind of busy activity, I
barely found the time to come running over here, you see. Shouldn‟t you be at
least a little touched and grateful, Shall? Even though you noticed us enter,
you did a pretty job of ignoring us.”
While speaking, Hugh hugged Ann even more tightly against his chest.
“You‟re going to break that scarecrow in half. Let go.”
“Oh? Don‟t tell me you‟re jealous?”
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“Who‟s jealous of whom?”
Shall was obviously displeased.
At long last, Ann‟s brain started moving again, and she jumped slightly in
shock. Hugh‟s body was pressed tightly against her back.
“Wah! H-hugh?! Let me go!”
When Ann began struggle against him, Hugh released her without a fight.
Then he said, in an obviously fake wounded tone of voice, “You guys really
don‟t have even the least bit of respect for me, do you~~?”
Ann flew to Shall‟s side and grabbed onto the end of his sleeve while he sat
and continued to observe with a serene expression on his face.
The innkeeper, with Salim‟s sword still pressed up against his neck, asked in a
shaky voice, “W-who are you people? Don‟t tell me you‟re robbers? ...I-if you
do something like this, you‟ll be caught by the provincial lord‟s guards right
away.”
“The provincial lord? Yes, I‟m what you might call friends with that old guy,
so it‟ll be fine.”
Hugh came to stand in front of the innkeeper, losing all traces of his previous
joking demeanor. His expression turned harsh, and he declared, “My name is 
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 2 - Ginzatous.h.i.+ to Ao no Koushaku
  
   
Hugh Mercury. I hold the t.i.tle of Silver Sugar Viscount.”
Hearing this name, the innkeeper grew even paler.
“That old acquaintance of mine is named Earl Downing. He‟s very
enthusiastic about maintaining the peace here in Westhall. The rumor that
there‟s a cruel innkeeper who has been swindling weak-looking travelers out
of their possessions hurt him deeply. So he said to me, „If you find proof of
such an evildoer, please administer the death penalty swiftly and surely.‟”
Hugh grinned wickedly.
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“Since I witnessed it personally, the old man will surely not object. Not even
if I execute you right here and now.”
The other customers in the dining room stood up in fear and fled to the corner
of the room.
The innkeeper‟s legs began to shake.
“Do it, Salim.”
At the ice-cold tone of Hugh‟s order, Ann unconsciously covered her mouth
with both hands. Even so, her voice slipped out.
“You can‟t do something like that!”
The sword slid across the innkeeper‟s throat.
The innkeeper‟s legs gave out and he fell to the floor. He didn‟t move.
“It can‟t be… No way. No matter how horrible he may have been, the death
penalty is…”
As she muttered this, Ann too looked as if she would collapse at any moment.
Standing up from his chair, Shall stood at her side, supporting her trembling
body.
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Ann heard Shall‟s voice coming from above her head.
“Scarecrow, look closely. He‟s just unconscious.”
At these words, Ann examined the fallen innkeeper. He‟d landed on his face
on the floor, and his eyes were rolled back into his head, but the wound on his
neck was merely a scratch. It seemed he‟d lost consciousness due to fear.
Ann clung to Shall‟s harm once more, this time in relief.
To Salim, who was still brandis.h.i.+ng his sword, Hugh ordered, “Salim, go call
the guards that are patrolling nearby. Hand this guy over to them. When
you‟re done with that, come back to the castle.”
Salim nodded and disappeared through the inn‟s front door. Watching him go,
Hugh shook his head lightly, as if to dispel his own severe demeanor. Then he
turned back to Ann.
“I‟m sorry, Ann. I ended up scaring you.”
“Hugh… What on earth are you doing here? You‟re also on patrol?”
“No… The truth is, I don‟t have the right to do that sort of thing. In the end,
I‟m only the Silver Sugar Viscount, after all.”
Continuing on, Hugh said, “I‟ve seen this guy in action and know what he‟s 
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       &
   
like, so I had to deal with him one way or another. In any case, a rumor
reached my ears that a young girl selling sugar sculptures had appeared in
Westhall, accompanied by a fairy of unparalleled beauty. Thinking that it
might be little-miss-somebody, I came looking for you. Particularly because
it‟s snowing tonight. I thought that, since you couldn‟t possibly camp out
tonight, I‟d be able to find you easily if I looked in all the inns in town.”
Then, in a comically exaggerated gesture of chivalry, Hugh gave a sweeping
bow.
“At last I‟ve found you, Lady Ann Halford. Please allow me to invite you to
Silver Westhall Castle.”
Chapter 1 -- END 
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Translator’s Notes:
[1] 貞操観念 - I translated this as „sense of virtue‟ but in case that term
sounds a little vague what she‟s really talking about are s.e.xual morals. Shall
nonchalantly offers to go off and do prost.i.tution and can‟t figure out why Ann
is horrified by the idea. This makes Ann think that, probably because of the
things he was forced to do during his years as a slave, Shall must have long
ago given up on society‟s conventional moral stance regarding s.e.xuality.
[2] 冬告げ鳥 - I translated the name of this bird as „winter crane‟ but the
literal meaning of the bird‟s name in j.a.panese is „bird that heralds the
beginning of winter.‟ In any case, this is a made up bird that exists only in the
world of this story.