Vol 1 Chapter 10 (1/2)
—– Chapter 10, “Take up the Sword, my Master”
—– The Village of Wintering, early Winter, the Diary of the Little Maid Sister
It’s the third winter since I’ve come to the Mansion This is the first snow of the year The sky got lower and lower and the clouds rolled across the sky I thought it would surely rain, but it snowed instead It snowed really heavily
Without the Mistress and the Ms Spectacles, the house has gotten a lot quieter Sis and I take turns tonow, so I work hard to reat dinner
Today, I went to the pub to learn how to cook properly I learnt how to make roast rainbow trout today Sis found a cookbook froe pile of books that the Mistress has It was dirty, and I was afraid it would become blurry and I wouldn’t be able to eat the delicious food in it, so, now, I’ain It’s the first ti horite has been so convenient!
Pie is such an interesting thing It see up in bread and then bake it I’d like to make some pie Since the Mistress hasn’t been around, the Hero has probably been really lonely, I’m sure he would like to have some pie
—- The Village of Wintering, the Mansion of the De, the Guest Room
Little Maid Sister: “P, please come this way—“
Young Merchant: “Ohh, young lady Don’t be so nervous, now”
Little Maid Sister: “I, I’m not nervous”
Young Merchant: “You’re swinging your right foot and your right hand at the same time when you walk”
Little Maid Sister: “T, that’s okay!”
Young Merchant: “Ahahaha Sure”
Opens door
Little Maid Sister: “P, p, please come in here!”
Young Merchant: “I’ll just take a seat then”
Little Maid Sister: “Then, I’ll go and call Sis…… No, I mean, the Mistress to come down Please wait just a momer”
Young Merchant: “A momer?”
Little Maid Sister: “Ah Ahh!” Sobs
Young Merchant: “Ah, don’t cry, don’t cry!”
Little Maid Sister: “Sis! What should we do?”
Elder Maid Sister: “We’ve got no choice Let’s use the ring the Mistress gave us”
Little Maid Sister: “Y, yeah……”
Elder Maid Sister: “Make some tea”
Door opens slowly
Elder Maid Sister: “I apologise for the long wait”
Young Merchant: “It’s been a long time, Scholar”
Elder Maid Sister: “Indeed it has, you haven’t changed”
Young Merchant: “Yes…… Business has been smooth recently”
Elder Maid Sister: “……”
Young Merchant: “……”
Elder Maid Sister: “Then, today”
Young Merchant: “I’ve conated reports, receipts, invoices and inventories over I usually send it over on a shi+p that’s heading in this direction, but I thought that’d I’d coure I’ve co”
Elder Maid Sister: “That’s umm…… I don’t kno to answer”
Young Merchant: “Well Yes That being said, Scholar, what do you think about redyeing?”
Elder Maid Sister: “Sorry?”
Young Merchant: “No, no The Conquest of the Isle of Light was successful The South-West trade route has really picked up and the nu the route have increased as well As you can expect, there are all kinds of goods entering the Kingdom of Winter”
Elder Maid Sister: “Y, yeah”
Young Merchant: “As far asa sharp eye is extremely important Goods like wheat absorb water and hence increase in weight when they are being transported across the sea In order to hter and cheaper to transport, there are those who use inferior wheat Merchants who shi+p these sort of things are second-rate inner, s like that It’s e Ahahahahaha”
Elder Maid Sister: “…… Th, that’s”
Young Merchant: “Well then”
Door opens
The Hero: “Elder Maid Sister, that’s enough”
Elder Maid Sister: “Y, yes B, but”
The Hero: “No, that’s enough This guy’s already seen through you”
Elder Maid Sister: “…… Th, that’s”
The Hero: “You’ve indeed got a sharp eye You’ve got a remarkable ability, like you said”
Elder Maid Sister: “Excuse me”
Opens door Runs off……
Young Merchant: “Ah, what a great technique Was it an illusion?”
The Hero: “Yeah, it was I didn’t expect you to see through it straight away”
Young Merchant: “No, no, you’ve got it wrong For this sort of thing, you need to use your instincts It would be difficult to see through it with your eyes alone”
The Hero: “You’re quite scary”
Young Merchant: “Ahahahaha It’s nothing big More i time, Hero”
The Hero: “Yes it has It’s been three or four years, has it not?”
Young Merchant: “Indeed How nostalgic”
The Hero: “Ah—I’m pissed! I’m really pissed at you! You htning Destruction Curse!”
Young Merchant: “Sorry? What do you mean?”
The Hero: “Didn’t you cheat me back then!?”
Young Merchant: “Ehh!? What are you talking about It was nothing I didn’t really cheat you”
The Hero: “You took 15 gold pieces from me!? You said you would invest it and it would becoold pieces!”
Young Merchant: “Ahh, that performance made me some money Thank you so much” Smiles cheekily
The Hero: “You’re impossible”
Young Merchant: “Didn’t you payto the terms of our contract?”
The Hero: “Youto understand!”
Young Merchant: “That’s one way of winning a bargain” Smiles
The Hero: “Well, I guess it is……”
Young Merchant: “You were alive?”
The Hero: “Huh? Oh Yeah, I’”
Young Merchant: “Hmm……”
The Hero: “What are you thinking about?”
Young Merchant: “How to continue the rest of this conversation”
The Hero: “You are…… slightly different”
Young Merchant: “Really?”
The Hero: “When I saw you four years ago, you were a person with no connections, with co and nowhere to be, if I remember correctly”
Young Merchant: “Well, you seem to have become rounder over these four years I should probably retreat into the shadows soon Ahahaha”
The Hero: “But, I wouldn’t like to be your eneht now”
Young Merchant: “Ohthe exact sa”
The Hero: “…… You’re not even surprised to see me here”
Young Merchant: “No, no, I as like this have been happening a lot”
The Hero: “……”
Young Merchant: “If I have changed, it’s probably because of that person When you meet with an existence which completely destroys your personal common sense and the econoht uts in a knot”
The Hero: “Her?”
Young Merchant: “That’s right”
The Hero: “I see……”
Young Merchant: “’Those who act as interht and darkness’ That’s how she described the path which a merchant takes in his life Truly words I had never heard before”
The Hero: “She did?”
Young Merchant: “That’s right, when I first met her So I had my hunches that you would appear over here as well”
The Hero: “…… Are you going to keep your end of the contract?”
Young Merchant: “Sorry?”
The Hero: “The contract froo”
Young Merchant: “Well, I said it, but……”
The Hero: “That was a lie? ……You said when I came back you would throw a banquet for me!”
Young Merchant: “Ohh, that’s right! You really reht I shall uphold the contract I’m free anytime”
The Hero: “Right, I’ll hold you to your word then”
Young Merchant: “Yes, of course”
The Hero: “In that case, right now”
Both teleport away
—– The Demon World, the City of the Gate, a Hill outside the City
Teleports in!
Young Merchant: “Th, this is……” Gulps
The Hero: “You’ve got teleportation sickness Take a few deep breaths and you’ll feel fine”
Young Merchant: “Was that…… a teleportation spell?”
The Hero: “Yep”
Young Merchant: “Where…… Where are we!”
The Hero: “For some reason, there are a lot of auroras over here They say it has sonetic fields, but I don’t understand what that means”
Young Merchant: “A……”
The Hero: “Nightmare Thrush!+”
Nightmare Thrush: “By you side” Teleports in!
The Hero: “Go to the Lady and get soht here”
Nightmare Thrush: “I understand,”
Young Merchant: “A Demon……?”
The Hero: “A summon He’s very convenient”
Young Merchant: “Don’t tell me this place is-“
The Hero: “It’s the Demon World”
Young Merchant: “!?”
The Hero: “I wanted you to understand what I ht you here”
Young Merchant: “Don’t tell me, that person is……”
The Hero: “She’s a Demon”
Young Merchant: “I had my suspicions……”
The Hero: “……”
Young Merchant: “Even the air here smells different”
The Hero: “Mm Probably But ports always smell like ports, and cities always smell like cities, don’t they?”
Young Merchant: “What’s that wall there?”
The Hero: “That’s the City of the Gate…… It was a Human territory until recently”
Young Merchant: “Ahh, that’s the city from which the Commander ran away and returned to the Demons”
The Hero: “The rumour is that once he left, the thousands of Huhtered by the Demons”
Young Merchant: “Weren’t they?”
The Hero: “They’re still carrying out their businesses now”
Young Merchant: “Huh?”
The Hero: “Because the suburbs and wastelands around the Gate aren’t completely stable yet, it’s probably difficult to establish communications with the Human World, but the merchants from the Union are still over there”
Young Merchant: “For real!?”
The Hero: “I’”
Young Merchant: “That’s……”
The Hero: “Hey, you’ve spoken to her, haven’t you?”
Young Merchant: “Ah…… Yeah……”
The Hero: “Then you knohat she wants to see, right?”
Young Merchant: “Hero……”
The Hero: “She bought you, didn’t she?”
Young Merchant: “……”
The Hero: “She’s a worthy adversary to the Human World, eh I’m not her, I don’t kno to plan or to speak like her, I can’t outline the structures of loss and profit like she does either But, I definitely don’t like to leave her How do I put it I feel…… U just the Hero is— Lonely”
Young Merchant: “……”
The Hero: “That’s why, I’ this to you This is the City of the Gate This is the only city in the universe in which Deether
Of course, there are quite a few issues There are small conflicts every day It’s true that there are reports of murders of Demons by Humans and vice versa, these are…… unavoidable But there are those who have becoo into business and coether, even daily life becomes difficult
There are approximately 32,000 people in this city That’s donises the status of this city as a crossroads between our civilisations It was declared a Free City, and is governed by a City Council One third of the Council are Humans The Council Chairman himself is a former Human General; the Councillors include powerful members and nobility in the Demon World……”
Fire Dragon Lady: “My husband—-“
The Hero: “Oh dear……”
Fire Dragon Lady: “My husband, I have come like you requested I have been informed that you have requested a banquet As a on Race, we take pride in the hospitality we show to our guests, and in trying not to be disrespectful, I have begun to set up the banquet!”
The Hero: “Ah—I didn’t ask for anything big, I just wanted some wine”
Young Merchant: “I’ve already had a lot, I think I’ll pass”
Fire Dragon Lady: “No you won’t”
The Hero: “Yeah, it’s best that you drink If a Fire Dragon hears you reject anything, you’re in for a very tough time”
Young Merchant: “What!? That’s unreasonable!”
The Hero: “It’s the Demon World”
Deht, please……”
Brings a platter of food
Young Merchant: “That’s h, please stop”
Fire Dragon Lady: “Man up, show your worth through your glass, don’t say things like that”
Young Merchant: “What kind of place is the Demon World!?”
The Hero: “Oi, Merchant”
Young Merchant: “What, Hero?”
The Hero: “How are they?”
Young Merchant: “What do you mean?”
The Hero (small voice): “The boobs, the boobs!”
Young Merchant: “What!?”
The Hero: “You told reat boobs, the kind that o to the Demon World!”
Young Merchant: “Ah Ahahahaha! Is that so? Ahaha How terrible I said I would, didn’t I? Ah,man, how unscrupulous I was”
The Hero: “How is this?” Makes a serious face
Young Merchant: “Yeah, that’s a very official face you’ve got there” Smiles
The Hero: “Which one is better?” Makes a serious face
Young Merchant: “Het you the Princess for sure!”
The Hero: “Ahahahahaha!”
Young Merchant: “Ahahaha Ahh How nice It’s been a long tihed like this”
The Hero: “The wine is great”
Young Merchant: “I’m a merchant, so I’ve tried wines fro special”
The Hero: “Oi, Merchant”
Young Merchant: “What is it, Hero?”
The Hero: “The auroras sure are beautiful!” Smiles
Young Merchant: “Indeed” Smiles
Fire Dragon Lady: “They’re like children”
Demon Girl: “Yes…… But the wind sure is nice”
Young Merchant: “The auroras are great, but what sort of coet this far, Hero?”
The Hero: “That person said this, ‘A merchant is a person who seeks Permits’ Permits of use, permits for entry A new land is a new oods A place like this is a place of commerce”
Young Merchant: “Yeah”
The Hero: “And how is the market in this City?”
Young Merchant: “Well, it’s as if…… gold pieces are fruits hanging richly from the branches of fruit trees”
The Hero: “I’ll sell you a permit”
Young Merchant: “Is that alright?”
The Hero: “I don’t mind”
Young Merchant: “What do you want in return?”
The Hero: “I’m not the same as that person I do not knohat an appropriate price is I don’t knohat is balanced or what is unbalanced I’ve lived up till noithout thinking about these sorts of things at all”
Young Merchant: “……”
The Hero: “That’s why it’s hard for me to answer you about that But, well…… As a merchant, I’m sure you’ve considered all the losses and profits”
Young Merchant: “Yeah”
The Hero: “How do I put this Many people see merchants as ement, but, the way she sees it, it isn’t that way”
Young Merchant: “……”
The Hero: “A ains, who earnestly calculates every loss and profit, is probably the first to see that the gains and losses in the world are so indivisible”
Young Merchant: “Hero……”
The Hero: “Perhaps, I ought to thinkI’ll probably be killed by that person later But, I want to see that…… that indivisible thing”
Young Merchant: “Hahaha What’s that?”
The Hero: “Both she and I will need your support to achieve our goals then”
Young Merchant: “Yeah, that’s right What a foolish feeling! Ahh, I’m happy I’m not sure why, but I’m happy”
The Hero: “……”
Young Merchant: “It’s fine, I accept your proposal If I become the head and leader of the Union, then I’ll surely do my best to make sure that your dream happens”
The Hero: “I’ on you, then”
Young Merchant: “What a dawn”
The Hero: “?”
Young Merchant: “I’ve heard of the relationshi+p between you and that person, but I didn’t back down To continue to fight on despite being at such a disadvantage, I’m such a stupid person” Smiles
—- The Village of Wintering, the Mansion’s Stables
Horse whinnies
The Feood boy”
The Hero: “You’re truly a Paladin You’re very good at controlling horses”
The Fe? If you can’t ride him that would be a problem”
The Hero: “I think running would be faster though……”
The Fee”
The Hero: “I get it Alright, have an apple”
Horse rejects apple
The Hero: “Wh, what is it doing!?”
The Female Paladin: “Act like an adult”
The Hero: “What’s this horse doing!?”
The Fery?”
The Hero: “Hmph! Eat this apple? You cute, cute boy”
Horse rejects apple
The Hero: “Ugh! How rude! Eat the apple!!”
Horse whinnies angrily
Horse kicks around
—- The Village of Wintering, the Mansion’s Stable
The Feht with the horse”
The Hero: “But……”
The Fe like this Look, your horse has lost faith in you”
The Hero: “Not my fault”
Horse snorts derisively
The Feot to take care of the horse”
The Hero: “……”
The Female Paladin: “No ot to kno to ride a horse? If you join things like parades, you’ll need a horse to look presentable”
The Hero: “That’s true”
Horse whinnies and clops
The Female Paladin: “♪”
The Hero: “Peace sure is better than war”
The Female Paladin: “That’s obvious”
The Hero: “That may be obvious, but why is that so?”
The Female Paladin: “I don’t know, I’m stupid”
The Hero: “Ahh When I’et hurt, but when I’et healed”
The Female Paladin: “What do you mean?”
The Hero: “What do you mean you’re stupid?”
The Feht?”
The Hero: “No, no we don’t”
The Female Paladin: “damnit, when I’m with you, all you do is spew nonsense”
The Hero: “That’s good too isn’t it?”
The Female Paladin: “?”
The Hero: “It’s good to do that isn’t it? I guess you don’t get it”
The Female Paladin: “……”
The Hero: “That I like to spew nonsense to you?”
The Female Paladin: “Eh…… Well”
The Hero: “?”
The Female Paladin: “…… Thank you”
The Hero: “…… That made my skin crawl Go back to normal”
The Hero scratches
The Female Paladin: “What’s up?”
The Hero: “No, ot in my eye”
The Fe”
The Hero: “Should I cut it?”
The Feht?”
The Hero: “Yeah, why?”
The Fe, but don’t cut it”
The Hero: “Why?”
The Feht, make a circlet You can keep your hair behind it, and it won’t get into your eyes”
The Hero: “How troublesome”
The Female Paladin: “No, it suits you It’ll probably make you look pretty cool”
The Hero: “Oh! Really? It’ll make me cool?”
The Fe that fits you”
The Female Paladin slices off a lock of hair
The Hero: “Wh, what?”
The Fe your hair I think we should have a brass circlet with green geood”
The Hero: “Really?”
The Fe it, but surely she’ll let us do this ht?”
The Hero: “Yeah It’s probably too early to cut it now”
The Hero: “……” Scratches head
The Female Paladin: “……”
The Female Paladin: “Hey, Hero”
The Hero: “?”
The Feht?”
The Hero: “Eh Yeah…… We’ve signed a contract”
The Female Paladin: “Is that so……”
The Hero: “Well, lots of things have happened But that’s how it is”
The Fes to you?”
The Hero: “Yes, well, it’s reciprocal”
The Fe terrible, you would protect her”
The Hero: “That’s hard to say But I’ht? If someone tries to mess with her, I’ll protect her”
The Female Paladin: “Well, that’s easy to understand”
The Hero: “I’m not sure why, but I feel a bit stressed andvery fast”
The Female Paladin: “Really?”
The Hero: “I don’t have any instinctive reason for it, but yeah”
The Female Paladin: “Rather than instinct, if you had the ability to read the mood of those around you, it would really help a lot”
The Hero: “What do you mean?”
The Fe stupid —-But, it really is regrettable”
The Hero: “?”
The Female Paladin: “In other words, you’ll protect her You will only defend her Well, that’s tough on you too There’s soive you”
The Hero: “Are you talking about the circlet? The sparkly one?”
The Fe?”