Chapter 12 (1/2)

第１２話　２人の商人

Chapter 12 – Two Merchants

MTL: uniquegasuki

Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)

「We will now coe of our enemy!!」 (Haruto)

With a serious expression, Haruto issued this co a brooainst the hidden ene in the storehouse (warehouse)

「The enemy’s war potential is unknown There are probably at least 30 of the resistance However, do not falter! It is either us or them!」 (Haruto)

「What is it?」 (Haruto)

「Dare not speak their name!」 (Haruto)

Why is it that the two of the cockroaches? Because it is necessary in order for them to clean up the storehouse Since the seaweed ash will be delivered to them in a week’s time, they must have the storehouse cleaned However,about in the storehouse That is why Haruto and Lora have decided to exterminate the cockroaches

「Do you dislike them? I’m okay with them because I used to live in the back alley」 (Lora)

Haruto suppresses his urge to think about it Certainly, it has become a trauma for him

「Now that I think about it, ht be the result of the fear I have for them」 (Haruto)

Hearing hiave a suitable response

「I understand Haruto-san, please don’t push yourself It will be troubleso so leave the roach…… those critters to me」 (Lora)

「I’ll be counting on you」 (Haruto)

Haruto and Lora entered the storehouse together

The storehouse (battlefield) is diht switch but Lora stopped him

「You should turn on the light when you’re ready」 (Lora)

「Understood」 (Haruto)

The two nervously prepared themselves for when the roaches will be revealed

After a few minutes passed, the two advanced into the storehouse (battlefield) What awaited the to insects A few minutes later, their nervousness was lifted as the tension Haruto felt was interrupted; at that tiht Lora doesn’t s down the boom onto it The cockroach senses that its life is in peril and increases its speed The speed of the boo down accelerated as it approached the floor As a result……

A whacking sound is heard The roach is caught by Lora’s broo in the roach’s body being wedged in the broom’s brush end Somehow, the cockroach was able to escape fro away, the roach was pushed upwards from below by the broom Lora had already predicted the cockroach’s escape route The roach that had been pushed upwards ended up clinging onto the brooment was aagainst the floor before the roach that had clung to the broom could escape It is exterminated This all happened in a span of 5 seconds The matter of life and death had been decided in an instant

「Phew, that worked out I would never have expected it to avoidits body 」 (Lora)

Lora looked at the cockroach’s plu on the dust in the storehouse

「Then, while we are on a roll, shall we continue」 (Lora)

「I stepped on one……」 (Haruto)

It seems Haruto had stepped on a cockroach Death had visited him by mere chance

As such, they continue to exterminate the cockroaches Lora’s broooo)

「Why must this happen to me?」 (Haruto)

Haruto was on the verge of tears The bottooo This left hi

After 2 hours, there was a s 15 cockroach corpses With a calm expression, Lora tossed the roaches away by the roadside

Now that the cockroaches had been removed, they proceeded to clean until lunch time

「We are finally done!! Now this place can be used as a storehouse All that is left is for us to secure olive oil Do you know of a good place where we can stock up on olive oil?」 (Haruto)

「Then, should we head there now?」 (Haruto)

Upon Haruto’s suggestion, Lora htly clouded expression

「I think you should go see Wujek first The Ainsworth company’s top brass, Brunch・Ainsworth (ブランチ・エインズワ) is Wujek-san’s political rival」 (Lora)

Haruto recalls the details about Clarice’s self-government It seems Wujek has many enemies

「Phew, do you see why I was conflicted?」 (Lora)

When doing business, one should at the very least have an understanding of the relationshi+p a fellow ht

「I don’t know the full details but…… Wujek-san is the head of the Kingdo faction while Brunch・Ainsworth is the head of the Empire’s armistice faction In terree difference」 (Lora)

Although she claims to not know the detail, there sure is a lot of infory Haruto wasn’t able to understand what the Kingdo faction was nor what the Edom, he has never heard of the Empire

「I don’t really get it but, Wujek supports the Kingdo while Brunch supports the E, correct? First of all, I don’t knohat the E?」 (Haruto)

「You don’t know about the Empire? Oh yeah, you’re froht then I’ll tell you about this world’s international situation fro」 (Lora)

「The Edoe, they ruled the whole area froe」 (Lora)

Lora replies to Haruto’s question by nodding

「That is correct The Ean to suffer from internal corruption and their national influence started to decline 200 hundred years ago, the Gerainst the Edoreatly reduced the Eion; as a result, the City-State Union became independent Are you with me so far?」 (Lora)

Haruto confirh it was a sio into detail so that was good enough

「The two countries are hostile towards one another After the Kingdoone to war 4 times The City-State Union’s policy is to stay neutral; as such, there is an unconditional rule that states that we should not be too intimately involve with either country」 (Lora)

When she heard Haruto’s question, Lora showed a slightly troubled expression

「That is right…… we are more or less neutral Nevertheless, within Clarice, there are 3 rival factions The 1st faction is lead by Wujek-san; they are in favor of the Kingdom The 2nd faction is lead by Brunch・Ainsworth; they are in favor of the Empire The 3rd faction is lead by Adonis・Wulfstan (アドニス・ウルフスタン); they are in favor of a netural ceasefire between the two countries」 (Lora)

Again, another person’s na all their nae that a merchant must learn

「As the Kingdom’s troops advance, they would loot and plunder the Eht are then sold as slaves to the City-State Union It just happens that, Wujek-san buys a lot of those slaves In addition, he has lent quite a fortune to the Kingdom’s aristocrats; therefore, Wujek wants the」 (Lora)

As expected, Wujek is quite a bad person; however, it is only natural for aa profit

「Next, about Brunch・Ainsworth; she earnswine to the east If the war continues, she fears that the Empire would lose And, as most of the fine wine are domestic products of the E ill drastically increase if that were to happen Lastly, Adonis・Wulfstan, the head of the netural ceasefire faction, he produces ic stones, the fuel for ic tools will continue to rise Nowadays, because of the war, the price for one down, causing his profits to decrease Do you understand the premise so far?」 (Lora)

Lora looks to confirm Haruto’s expression Haruto nods

「I get the general idea, thank you Then, we should go see what Wujek has to say before we meet with Brunch-san In truth, our actions shouldn’t be restricted by him but since I’m indebted to him, it is a 」 (Haruto)

And thus, their plans for the afternoon was decided

「For some reason, I feel nervous……」 (Lora)

「Why would you be; all you have to do is stand behind me and smile What is there to be nervous about?」 (Haruto)

Haruto and Lora are in Ainsworth’s reception roo an appointment; however, with Wujek’s letter of introduction, how they were treated changed

By the way, Wujek had made a wry smile and he did not seem pleased with the matter

「I thought that perhaps the letter of introducing fro」 (???)

「Really? Is that so, it see tricked」 (Haruto)

This conversation occurred nearly 1 hour after they were kept waiting A woman, who appeared to be about 40 years old, entered the roo flustered, Haruto stood up and introduced himself

「Good evening My na a business in Clarice I came with Wujek-san’s letter of introductions」 (Haruto)

Lora doesn’t introduce herself It is an unspoken rule that a slave should not give their name unless asked