Chapter 46 – Soap Selling Personnel (1/2)

The next morning, after breakfast, I asked Philia if she knew anyone who could sell the soap or act as a middleman as well as buy and deliver the ingredients. She didn't. The only people she knew that was even close were the shopkeepers that she regularly frequented to get donations from to feed and clothe the kids.

When I asked about that, since I've never seen her do it before, apparently she did it until I showed up, and haven't since I started staying to keep me company during the day.

I felt a little bad for using up all her time like that, until I remembered how it started and my face turned red.

Instead, she suggested that she could go deliver the soap and buy ingredients herself if I could find someone to sell them. Doing so would defeat the entire point of trying to keep the soap selling anonymous.

I headed off to talk to the only other person I could think of that might be able to help me in this city. Aside from the cosmetics store owner, but that would be giving him all the power to deal with things he wanted, and I wanted to avoid that. If we used a middleman, then it was easy to cut them out if things went sour. At the very least, it would be better than the store owner turning on the orphanage himself, as any middleman wouldn't be able to do much if Philia just got a different middleman, or resorted to doing business directly.

Very quickly, I was standing in front of the adventurers' guild building. It's immense size was impressive as always. While only buildings in the nobles' quarters were a match, it was still nothing compared to a skyscraper, though that was an unfair comparison.

It's been a busy few days, but if I remembered right, the only person I've spoken more than a few words to in this city outside of the orphanage was Lucy the receptionist. The guild also owed me the remaining reward money for the last request I did as an added bonus, presuming that everything had finished processing by now. Thinking back, it had already been about a week since then.

The guild building wasn't too busy, only stragglers and people taking the day off being around with everyone else already off doing their requests. Fortunately there weren't any lines at the moment, so I approached the reception counter to talk to the one I was meaning to see.

”Scarlet! It's good to see you again! I was worried something had happened! Are you doing well?”

”Ah, um, yea. I'm alright. How about you Lucy?”

”Oh, I'm doing fine! So what can I do for you today? Oh, but before that, the results from your previous request came in and the remaining reward was cleared. Let me get that for you!”

She seemed different from when I had last met her. I wasn't sure what, but she seemed a bit off.

”Here you go! Eight silver plates for the confirmation that the pack is gone.”

I quickly counted it up and put the money into my bag.

”So, is there anything else I can help you with?”

”Umm...are you really alright? You seem a little...”

”...sigh It's just...have you heard? There's a rumour that the city's lord was murdered last night.”

(Gulp!)

”Th, the lord? That's pretty terrible!”

”Maybe...”

”Huh? Maybe?”

”Well, it's only rumours, but it seems like he was doing quite a lot of questionable things here and there. I don't know the details, but it seems like there's more than a few people who are happy that he's dead.”

”And, what about you?”

”Oh, I don't know. I'm worried that things might become chaotic for the next while until a successor is found. I think the lord was pretty young and wasn't married. From the things I heard him do, I wouldn't be surprised if he has some bastards, but I doubt any of them would be old enough to take over, let alone be a good lord.”

”...”

I didn't know how to feel. I was directly responsible for the trouble, on the other hand he had it coming.

(...meh.)

There wasn't anything I could do about it, and if I tried, I'd probably end up being wanted for the murder of a noble. Even thinking about it was a waste of time. I could only keep my head down and hope things get better on their own. I needed to concentrate on the things I could actually do.

I pulled a hand into my hood to scratch the back of my head and 'accidentally' let it fall as I pulled my hand out.

”Oh!”

Lucy's eyes went wide as she stared at the side of my head before I pulled my hood back into place.

”Is something the matter?”

”Oh, umm, no. I just didn't realize you were an elf.”

”Is there an issue with elves here?”

”No, nothing. It's just, I didn't expect that. Elves aren't too common in this city. Or rather, there's only one elf that even comes here. Well, one other.”

I had a feeling that I saw that other elf at some point, but couldn't remember what that elf even looked like.

”So anyways! So, were you thinking of taking another request? If you need help, I can suggest some!”

”Umm, actually, I wanted to ask something...”

”Yes?”

”I was wondering if you knew someone who could do some odd jobs like buying things and delivering things to an anonymous client?”

”You mean, you want to buy and deliver some stuff without anyone else knowing?”

”Yup?”

”W, what are you planning on buying?”

”It's not me! It's for some people I got to know here, but if people found out what they were doing, they wouldn't be able to protect themselves if something happened.”

”I see. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone personally that can help you. Maybe we can set up a designated request to someone with a good reputation? I can help you find...oh right!”

”Huh? What is it?”

”I just remembered! There's a designated request for you! It came in yesterday!”

Lucy got up and scrounged though a cabinet before bringing out a wooden tablet.

”Here it is. A Mint Mercari. A merchant who wants you as an escort two days from today. Hmmm...you wouldn't happen to know this man, would you? It's rare for a D rank adventurer to be named for a request. But if you do, then maybe you can ask him to do the work you need?”

I looked at the tablet Lucy handed me. I didn't recognize the name. Furthermore, I hadn't spent more than a few minutes talking to any merchant in this world, so there was no reason for him to ask for me specifically. Since the request came the day before, it couldn't be related to any suspicions regarding me. If it happened to be a trap to get me to go to the lord's place, then springing it wouldn't be a problem, as the lord in question was no longer able to pay the goons that would set this trap in the first place.

On the other hand, if this guy had such a good opinion of me that he would ask me specifically for a request, then it was possible I could trust him to be the middleman I needed. At the very least, if he seemed like a decent person after meeting him, then he would be better than some random person I've never met. Maybe.

”...can I decide to take it after meeting with the client?”

The request tablet also included the client's contact information, making it easy to find him.

”That's fine, but I do really recommend you take it. It's a nice, easy escort request and it pays well for a C rank.”

(Erk. An escort?)

Looking closer, that was exactly what it said. A two week trip to some city called Knossos with short stops in two villages along the way. It seemed like the request was a joint venture with three other adventurers already signed on. It made me wonder why he would want even more help when he already had a party, albeit a small one, already employed.

(Well, at least I don't have to feel bad if I refuse it. After all, an escort quest? Urgh.)

I took the wooden plank and got directions from Lucy before I thanked her and left the building.

Looking around, I found the inn the merchant was staying at pretty quickly. It wasn't far from the adventurer's guild, maybe halfway between it and the western gate two blocks through a small side street.

It was a shabby looking building standing at four stories. It wasn't like it was poorly maintained, but I could really see some wear and tear here and there. That said, there was signs of actual repairs, so the building was just old, rather than the owners not being able to afford to fix it up where needed.

Inside, I saw a greying old man sitting behind a counter in the small lobby. There was an attached dining area, but it wasn't very big at all, with only three tables just big enough for four each.

”Excuse me?”

”Oh, hello there miss. Are you looking for a room tonight?”

”Ah no, I'm not.”

The old man's head drooped a bit in disappointment, but he quickly perked up again. His eyes grew a bit wide and he started to stare at me. Something about it made me feel uncomfortable, but I couldn't pinpoint why. Maybe the fact that his eyes weren't looking high enough to look me in the eye was the reason.

(Then again, can he even see my eyes under this hood?)

”Umm, I'm looking for someone who's supposed to be staying here. A mister Mint Mercari?”

”Huh? Oh, before I answer that, could I know what business you have with this mister Mercari?”

”Ah, I wanted to ask him a bit about a request he posted at the adventurers' guild.”

I pulled out the wooden tablet and showed it to the old man.

”I see. Fortunately, you're in luck. He just came back a little while ago after attending to some morning business. If you'll follow me.”

The innkeeper came out from behind his counter and led me up a nearby staircase. Then the next flight, and the next.

Soon, we arrived on the top floor. The old man's breath had sped up, but otherwise he seemed fine.

(Geez, tall buildings suck without elevators or high stats.)

We walked down to the end of the hall, where the innkeeper stopped to knock on the last door.

”Mister Mercari? You have a guest.”

”I see. The door is open.”

With those words, the old man opened the door for me and backed off. I stepped up to the door and looked inside. The room was pretty small, only big enough for a single bed, a small table and chair, along with enough floor space to pace back and forth in if you were so inclined. There were some bags and clothes hanging on one wall and a small wooden chest on the floor below them.

The innkeeper took off with a slow walk, but from the corner of my eye, I could see his eyes stayed glued onto me uncomfortably until he was out of sight.

”Oh! Am I right to presume you were the one who answered my request at the adventurers' guild?”

In the middle of the room was a middle aged man in a nice looking light green long sleeved shirt with a tall collar and brown vest, along with matching brown pants. The outfit was pretty well worn, yet also fit his thin frame like a glove. I felt a little annoyed that despite how worn out the outfit looked, it looked so well tailored compared to my own outfit.

Something about him looked familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on how or why.

”Ah, yea. I am. My name's...”

”Scarlet, right?”

”Ah, yea. How did you know?”