Chapter 24: Isn’t this a jewel box?!

“Onii-chan, even if you are a young master, it’s no good if you can’t at least drive a carriage, you know?”

Even though I haven’t gotten used to the cold of the morning, the girl that was sitting beside me and holding the reins said some cold words to me.

It’s not like I can’t do it.

It’s because in the weird setting that Mio and Tomoe made, there was a part where it said that ‘I can’t drive a carriage’.

If I tried to, I feel that I could even drive it without reins.

Because what is pulling it is a normal looking horse but, in reality, its head had two horns. I am not sure if I can manage it with my technique, but I am currently hiding it.

It’s a proper demonic beast called bicorn, and it’s used by the orcs and lizardmen as fangs and legs.

In short, words can get through. I wonder how far this comprehension can go. Right now -leaving aside inorganic things- hyumans and plants; everything that is alive is okay.

That’s why I can just act like I am using the reins and order it to move as I want it to.

But because my image of being a weirdo would evolve, I can’t do it. They would look at me as an eccentric person that talks in a strange language with a horse.

… Well, I don’t want to hear that from a person that fantasizes about being a wandering samurai though.

I feel like the people today are not welcoming me.

[I am sorry, I left practically everything in the hands of those two.] (Makoto)

“Muuh~ being a rich person and a merchant’s heir; are you fine with that~?”

You are dead right, it’s no good.

As expected of someone that is living in such a hungry place. Her maturity level is pretty high.

Even though her appearance is around 10 years old. Her age doesn’t match her way of thinking.

[That’s why I was thrown away like this. It’s called a learning journey, but it may be closer to being exiled.] (Makoto)

“Ah, so that’s how it is. I can understand that. But then, if Mio-san is not here, will this sell properly?”

You can understand that huh. She has a stern personality just like my sister.

Though that portrait looked really similar to someone from my previous world.

The portrait that this little girl drew last night looked so similar to an acquaintance of mine which distracted me.

When I think that I slightly vented my anger on Tomoe and Mio, I feel a little guilty.

[Yeah, regarding these goods, honestly, no matter who sells it, it will be the same -in a sense.] (Makoto)

The girl that had been talking to me while driving the carriage turned her head around to face me.

“Eh? Why?”

[These are things that I have seen for the first time as well. No matter how much it is, our travelling expenses will not hold out, so I plan to sell them. The fruits and vegetables will not hold out by the time we reach the next base after all.] (Makoto)

“Hey, this is something that may not have been told to you, but…”

[What?] (Makoto)

The girl seems to have slight reserve and temporarily stops her words. This girl says she is searching for her sister, but maybe it’s not only that.

“These are all fruits that I have never seen before. Moreover, they are incredibly delicious. From where did you obtain them and how did you bring them here?”

Her impression when she sampled the fruits was pretty good after all. I could feel the sharpness in her eyes. Information selling, or worse, she could be a spy huh.

But it looks like the part about her sister’s situation is true. If it’s the former, then she has a strong commercial spirit, but if it’s the latter then…

‘In exchange for your sister, go and obtain the information’, that kind of thing?

Nah~ If that is truly how it is, then the guys that are pulling the strings have no saving at all.

Kind of like ‘what do you think you are making a 10 year old do?’ She is an elementary schooler, you know?

[Fumu. Well, regarding that, the issue is if you will believe me or not.] (Makoto)

“What is it, what is it?”

She is extremely interested. How visible.

Well, who cares. No matter what comes, I have already thought out what I will do with these goods.

To make the information public is actually welcomed. If I can learn the objective of this girl then I have no problems with it.

[Originally, we didn’t have plans on coming to the edge of the world. We arrived to this land by chance.] (Makoto)

“Okay?”

[And we have been wandering around but, one day, we were engulfed by a deep mist. When we continued inside the mist, to my surprise, there was a settlement there.] (Makoto)

“Settlement? In this area?”

[From here, it would take 2 to 3 days maybe. That settlement was, surprisingly, a settlement for mamono.] (Makoto)

“M-Mamono?!”

[That’s right. Moreover, they could all speak the common language and they were truly courteous. So I have been there for a few days and I was given these things as a souvenir.] (Makoto)

“…”

Oh~ those eyes are doubting me. Well, it’s a totally made-up story, so it’s not that unreasonable.

Well, it will become the ‘truth’ from now on anyways.

[See? It’s hard to believe, right?] (Makoto)

“Y-Yeah. When you refer to mamono, which one are they?”

[Orc, lizardmen, dwarfs and -to my surprise- even Arkes were there. It was truly a mysterious place. I even thought it was a dream, but I still have the things with me.] (Makoto)

I say that and look at the cargo.

That I actually have it here has certain persuasive power. By the way, I don’t have any intentions of telling this story in the commercial area. I am just going to say that they are strange things and sell them.

And I felt that the question she asked had an ulterior motive.

“There were that many?! I can’t believe it.”

[Yeah, even now, I still think that it may have been a dream inside the mist.] (Makoto)

“A mist that is 2 or 3 days away, huh.”

She is pondering. It is not like the kids in this world are not cheerful, but when I compare the attitude of the girl last night and the way she is now, she is actually really suspicious.

[Hm, Rinon, isn’t this place the commercial area?] (Makoto)

I call the little girl that didn’t fit her age by her name. This girl’s name is Rinon and her sister’s name is Toa-san or so she told me. Toa-san is a girl one year younger than me. Even though finding a place to live is a big problem, she stood up and managed to find that place for her younger sister. I respect her for that.

In our world, a 16 year old is still a high school student being educated in their obligations.

“There is no information about such a settlement in our vicinity though?” (Rinon)

Communicating with writing is inconvenient at these kinds of times.

If she is not looking, she won’t be able to react.

I had no choice, so I tapped her shoulders a number of times so she noticed it.

“Hi~a! Geez~ that is sexual harassment, onii-chan! Uh, e-eh?” (Rinon)

There is se-sexual harassment?! I can’t underestimate this world! In a place where there are no proper human rights, for such an advanced word to exist!

[I was saying, isn’t that building the commercial area?] (Makoto)

“Ah! We went past it! I am sorry!” (Rinon)

I scratch my mask. Does this world have sexual harassment as well? I was still internally surprised by it.

We move forward for a bit, and then turn around the carriage and begin preparing to get down.

Now, the commercial area.

As expected, being a newcomer really attracts the eyes of others. Well, I have a mask on, so yeah.

For some reason, Rinon said that she would stay in the carriage and refused to enter.

Is it that? Her clothes look worn-out, so she is refraining from going?

But even if I wanted to go to a clothes shop, I don’t know where there is one, and they are probably not open this early in the morning.

Also, buying clothes for a girl that I have just met, it’s like the hobby of a rich guy, so I don’t like it that much. I want to go the normal way.

“Good morning. I think this is the first time we have seen each other. What kind of business do you have today?”

[Good morning. Yesterday, I learned about this place from my helper. A black haired girl with unique clothing.] (Makoto)

“! Um, this may be rude of me, but…”

[I am sorry. Things happened and I am now unable to speak, so please forgive me for using writing to communicate.] (Makoto)

I explain in brevity the appearance of Mio.

It seems that she had some kind of impact, so the men that were in front of me had some memory of her.

Also, they accepted my communication with writing without any issues. I am grateful.

“Ah, um. If that’s how it is, then that means that you are the person that lost the merchant guild proof?”

[Yeah, I am truly embarrassed. It hasn’t been that long since I entered the trade business, so I was really troubled.] (Makoto)

“Must have been. That you were able to arrive here is close to a miracle. It must be that you are a person of great luck. It’s an enviable thing.”

I can only hear it as sarcasm. I have no such luck! Like, totally don’t!

[I truly passed through many mysterious experiences before I arrived here. And so, I came here to sell the things that I have obtained in those mysterious experiences.] (Makoto)

“Well you can’t sell things freely if you don’t have the guild proof after all. And even with that, you still came to a dark place like the commercial area. As a merchant myself, I feel happy about this.”

The man makes a hearty laugh and presses me to show him the place where the goods are. Is this unrelated to the theft from last night? Is there no contact with the other part?

I am somehow able to communicate, so it’s fine if I inquire about it indirectly.

[It’s the cargo of this carriage.]

Rinon is properly inside the carriage. She had no intentions to escape it seems.

“Fumu, is that your slave? Hey, show me the cargo.”

What? Slave?

… I see. Certainly, having that clothing and being inside the carriage, you could take it that way.

Hm~, there have been a lot of words I am not used to hearing, so I didn’t mind them that much but…

It’s a world where having slaves is normal huh.

This old man merchant is taking it normally after all.

Then why is there such a word like sexual harassment? I feel like that word will delicately entangle me in the future; for me that has an ugly outward appearance. I don’t want that-de gozaru I don’t want that-de gozaru. To be in another world, then sexual harassment, and then imprisonment; seriously, spare me from that-de gozaru.

But I have to correct the misunderstanding. Rinon is not objecting and is showing him the things though. She must be used to this treatment.

[Pardon the discourtesy. She is an acquaintance and I just had her show me the way. She is not a slave.] (Makoto)

“Oh, is that how it was?”

The man looked silently at Rinon.

“Pardon my rudeness.”

Maybe he thought that it would cause discord, so he apologized to Rinon. Rinon seemed slightly surprised by this, with her eyes wide open, she bowed and she went to get a cloth that was hidden inside the side-flank.

“T-This is?!”

[How is it? These are fruits you have never seen before, right? Any one of these are truly delicious. Go ahead and try them out.] (Makoto)

I take two apples. I give one of them, and the other one, I take a bite of it and show it to him.

“Then, I will have a taste.” 

He must have felt relieved that I was eating it normally, the merchant also took a bite.

At that moment, he had his eyes wide open looking at the apple. And then, another bite.

Making sure to not let one bit of juice get out, he ate the whole apple in a second. Incredible… He must have liked it a lot.

With this, it won’t be that much of a problem if it’s just selling.

If it’s possible, I want to replenish a percent of the inn’s lodging price. There won’t be any problems if we can manage that.

[It seems that it was to your liking.] (Makoto)

“This is… I have never eaten such a delicious fruit! Just where in the world did you procure this?!”

[That’s what you call: a trade secret. I want to unload everything here but, will you give me permission to?] (Makoto)

“Trade secret?! No way, are you intending to monopolize this?!”

[Even if you say monopolizing, these are received products that have some story to it. I am not sure if I will be able to obtain it a second time, you know?] (Makoto)

“Eh?! So that means this is just a one-time thing? Is that what you are trying to say?”

[That’s right. I am planning on departing after a few days, so I will be selling everything here and that’s it.] (Makoto)

“Umu. So that’s how it is. This will be a one-time thing.”

[For how much will you take it?] (Makoto)

“Can I sample the other things?”

[Of course, but I don’t have that many of them, so try to limit yourself to one of each kind please.] (Makoto)

“I understand. How much is the amount?”

[It’s only the things that are in this carriage, so it’s 4 types and 4 boxes of each, making it 16 boxes in total.] (Makoto)

The man called for his colleagues and gave them the apple (the one I had was already bitten, so I gave him a new one as service), peach, pear, and pomegranate, and had them taste it.

… They were 4 types that I had half-heartedly chosen, but they were all things that could be eaten raw.

That’s not all. When I watch them like this, I couldn’t help but be shocked by the haphazard plants that grew in Asora. Season planting be damned.

Or maybe it was a super limited area and the climate worked in a different way -like a certain Grand Line. <TN: One Piece Reference!>

Well, the taste was inherited as well. They are all things that were considered delicious in my previous world as well. I was thinking about merchandise improvements, but it seems there won’t be that many problems.

This may be thanks to the agriculture customs of the orcs.

“Well, they are all splendid things.”

[Thank you very much.] (Makoto)

“And so, regarding the price…”

[Yes?] (Makoto)

“The quality has an unanimous ‘no objections’, but it’s a first time product after all. I do want you to understand our cowardice.”

‘It’s delicious but as it’s an unknown product, we will be buying it at a low price. Do pardon us’, is how I should interpret this.

“…”

“One box will be 30 gold coins. In total, it will be 480 gold coins; is what I want to leave it as.”

Expensive?!

These guys are probably lowballing it quite a bit but, even with that, it’s still a really high price. This is practically a precious metal! No, a jewel box!

I didn’t let it show in my face but I was seriously thinking that these guys were idiots. <TN: money is literally growing on trees for him>

Forget about replenishing a percent of the inn lodging, I can now pay the whole of it.

Well, I will try groaning. If I say okay too soon, the sense of importance of it might go down. I had thought of increasing the price to at least 100 gold for all. I even let out a poisonous aura when I thought about that.

More like, they are all looking at my face and waiting for my answer. They are so easy to understand. For them, this would be the part where it would enter negotiations with the lowest price as the trigger.

[Well isn’t that pretty considerate. But remember that I am the one you are buying from. Are you pushing yourself too hard?]

“T-Then it will be just like that?!”

You are so easy to see through!

[No no, the cut is a bit bad, so let’s make it 500 gold coins. How about that? That way I will not have any objections.] (Makoto)

An extra that can be considered loose change. That 20,000,000 is loose change? Just what am I saying?

“500, okay! Then it’s settled! Hey!”

The merchant calls for luggage carrying and a person to bring out the gold.

Every one of them is having a pleased look on their face.

This will probably land in the place of a noble or a great merchant.

If I carelessly request help with selling the fruits in this town, I feel like they will overcharge me more than a high priced bar.

These guys that I sold the fruits to, just how much will they sell each one for? 2 or 3 times higher might be a low number.

If it becomes 10 times, then I will laugh. I will laugh my eyes out. It surpassed the hundred million, you know? Just what kind of upstart rookie am I?

Rinon was completely absentminded after hearing the price of it. Yeah.

In the case of the girl, it would be her annual income, maybe even the annual income of her older sister; that’s the kind of fruit she ate.

[Yes, I certainly received the 500 gold coins. Thank you very much.] (Makoto)

“We as well! If you are to stumble upon any other strange thing, do pay us a visit.”

[Okay, then…] (Makoto)

Rinon revived from zero and once again held the reins.

She must still have some shock remaining, but Rinon led the carriage that had 500 gold of cargo in it back to the inn.

The fruits that I randomly took with me turned into 500,000,000 yen.

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