The next day, Norm-san's husband decided to look for a job.
Because previously Norm-san's husband worked in the old elf village.
Because he and his family were expelled, he was surely also fired by his boss. But he still remained confident and decided to return to the elf village alone.
That morning he went alone to the elf village, still hoping he could work at his old place.
As he entered the village, everyone who saw him looked at him with unpleasant stares.
Some gossiped about why he was here, some insulted him, and many other things were heard by Norm-san's husband.
He tried to hold back his emotions and stay focused on his main goal: to work.
Finally, he arrived at his old workplace.
A tool shop that sold equipment such as swords and also shields.
There were still many other weapons sold in this shop.
When entering this shop, it felt like going to war. Because the tools sold here looked very clean and always maintained.
Moreover, the owner of this shop was also someone very skilled in making weapons.
Norm-san's husband entered the shop through the front door and was immediately greeted by the shop owner, his boss.
"You—," said his boss.
"Please, let me continue working here!" said Norm-san's husband while prostrating and begging.
"Personally, I really liked your way of working..." replied his boss with a rather harsh tone.
Meanwhile, Norm-san's husband felt happy because he thought he was still accepted.
"T-then, when can I work again—" said Norm-san's husband.
His boss was instead confused by his question.
"When did I say you were accepted again? My decision is final," said his boss.
Norm-san's husband immediately stood up from his prostration.
"Didn't you say you liked my way of working?" asked Norm-san's husband, still not understanding.
"If I let you continue working here...customers will decrease even more," answered his boss.
"Moreover, after the incident that happened to you yesterday..." he continued.
"Sorry, please look for work somewhere else." That sentence disappointed Norm-san's husband, and he immediately left the shop.
He walked wearily toward the exit of the village.
SLUSH, a ball made of leaves hit Norm-san's husband's leg.
He immediately picked up the leaf ball and looked toward two boys.
He immediately walked toward the boys, intending to return the ball.
Suddenly, a woman appeared from behind them and acted as if protecting the two boys.
Norm-san's husband's steps stopped for a moment, confused about what the woman was doing.
"What are you doing here, lowly human?" said the woman while insulting Norm-san's husband.
Norm-san's husband was a little surprised to hear the woman's words; he felt truly insulted.
He extended the leaf ball to them.
"I just want to return this ball to those kids..." said Norm-san's husband, a little panicked and scared.
SPLAT, the woman immediately threw the ball that Norm-san's husband was holding to the ground with a hard slap.
"Leave here quickly!" shouted the woman.
Meanwhile, the two boys hugged each other, perhaps out of fear of what was happening before their eyes.
Norm-san's husband almost succumbed to his emotions, but when he saw the frightened gazes of the two boys...
Norm-san's husband immediately turned around and left them.
——
Not only was he not accepted for work again, but he also received an equally bitter memory.
He was confused about what job to take; otherwise, his family might fall into poverty.
For him, this problem was too complicated to solve alone.
——
When he arrived at the inn room, Norm-san's husband sat on the bed and covered his face with both hands.
He looked very disappointed and didn't want to show it.
"You dare bathe alone, right? If you do, mother will give you a present," said Norm-san to her child.
"P-present!? I want it!" Norm-san's child immediately grabbed a towel and ran to the bath downstairs.
Now only Norm-san and her husband were in the room.
Norm-san felt that her husband was sad, so she immediately sat beside him and stroked his head.
"You got fired from your job, didn't you?" asked Norm-san in a gentle voice.
Slowly, Norm-san's husband showed his face. His eyes looked watery, maybe he would cry soon.
"I know you want to work, but if it's like this I'd better find a job too," said Norm-san.
"I can't let you do such troublesome things," replied her husband.
"Later I will find a place in this city that I can use to earn money," he continued.
Norm-san's husband looked at her face, then he held her hand.
"So, please...let me be the only one to work for you, especially after everything that happened...I feel like I'm being irresponsible..."
Norm-san, who heard her husband's words, felt that her husband was truly worried about her.
Her husband must have felt that all these events were his fault, and he wanted to take responsibility for Norm-san.
"Alright then..." said Norm-san.
Their eyes met, and suddenly Norm-san closed her eyes as if waiting for something.
Norm-san's husband, who understood what she wanted, began to bring his lips closer to hers.
"I'm done~!"
Suddenly their child came back after finishing bathing.
He felt strange seeing both his parents' cheeks red, and they both looked rather awkward.
"Why are father and mother like that?" asked their child.
"N-nothing at all!" said Norm-san, a little panicked.
——
After feeling better, Norm-san's husband said goodbye to look for work elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Norm-san thought that maybe the magic she mastered could also earn money.
She invited her child to leave the room.
Norm-san stopped in front of the receptionist's desk.
"I have something to ask.." said Norm-san to the receptionist.
"What is it?" asked the receptionist.
"Can magic in this city be used to earn money?" asked Norm-san.
Instead of answering, the receptionist turned around and took a piece of paper, then showed it to Norm-san.
The paper turned out to be a map of Ulvur city, showing houses and also roads.
Then, the receptionist pointed to a certain place.
"In this place there is a fortune teller. That fortune teller is very famous in this city, and he also knows about all the jobs spread throughout the corners of the city," explained the receptionist.
Norm-san thought for a moment before deciding—
"Sorry, well...I don't know much about this kind of thing, but that fortune teller is indeed great! So, don't worry..." the receptionist even apologized.
"This has already helped me a lot, may I borrow the map first?" asked Norm-san.
"Of course~" replied the receptionist.
——
Norm-san and her child started going to the place pointed out by the receptionist earlier.
Along the way, their child was so amazed to see this city, which was very crowded.
"Mother, what's that?" her child pointed toward a merchant who was selling jewelry such as necklaces and rings.
"Those are souvenirs sold only here...later when we go home, do you want to look around in that shop?" asked Norm-san.
"Yes, yes!" said her child very excitedly.
Norm-san could only laugh at her child's behavior, which she thought was too adorable.
"I just hope he can get a job..." muttered Norm-san, hoping her husband would return with good news.
Since long ago, Norm-san's husband had forbidden her to work, and only allowed himself.
There was a particular reason behind that prohibition, which Norm-san eventually understood.