It’s the 23rd day of the month of Fire. I was enjoying a leisurely stroll through the bustling streets of the royal capital, which was alive with activity in the late afternoon, all by myself.
Kusunoki-san, Yuzuki-san, and I had managed to learn some Magic, though still the basic kinds. Thanks to that, we were able to walk around without needing someone to guard us, but only within the royal capital.
For some reason, though, Lilia-san was desperately trying to find someone to escort me, but in the end, she relented. I can’t help but wonder why she was so insistent earlier. Could it be that she was simply worried because my combat prowess is inferior to Kusunoki-san’s or Yuzuki-san’s?
It’s true that my Magic has no combat power at all, but in some ways, I think it’s safer. My perception ability is unusually high, so if someone with malicious or hostile intentions gets close to me, I’ll sense it immediately.
As for my combat ability, it seems that Kuro has an idea about it, so she’ll probably teach me battle-oriented Magic, just enough to protect myself. I don’t know exactly what kind of Magic she’ll teach me, but I’m glad that I’ll finally have some means of defense, and I’m honestly looking forward to it.
As I was walking around, lost in thought, one shop suddenly caught my eye.
A little off the main street, there was a shop with a sign that read “Miscellaneous Goods Store.” Now that I think about it, we’ll be heading to the Elven Forest soon for the Sacred Tree Festival, so I might as well prepare myself.
I might not be participating in the hunting tournament, but I’ll still be taking part in the harvest, and if we’re going to be picking fruits in the forest, I should at least get a knife.
[Hello.]
When I opened the wooden door and stepped inside, I was surprised to find that the interior of the shop was much larger than I expected from the outside, with several shelves neatly arranged.
I casually looked around but didn’t see the shopkeeper, so I called out… yet, there was no response.
[Arehh? Anyone there?!]
I tried again, a bit louder this time, but still no reply. The door wasn’t locked, which meant the shop should be open…
Just then, I heard a faint voice from the back of the store. I turned my head toward the sound.
[……What the heck is this? How am I supposed to live with this kind of earnings…]
[……Eh?]
At the back of the store, near what seemed to be the counter, a scene unfolded before my eyes that I could hardly believe.
[Even though I’ve finally set up shop in the royal capital, all of this is pointless if customers won’t even come…]
At the counter, an “object” that seemed to be the shopkeeper was mumbling while counting coins. That in itself wasn’t so strange, but the issue was the appearance of the shopkeeper.
A yellowish-brown, fluffy, and flexible figure—its limbs made of cloth. It kind of reminded me of a deformed cat… No, there’s no way that’s a cat. I couldn’t find the right words to describe this bizarre scene.
In short, a stuffed cat-like object was mumbling while counting coins.
Why is this person wearing a stuffed animal costume indoors? Is she an idiot?
[Ahh~~ I wonder if there are any good stories about how to make money without working… I thought if I just opened a store, customers would come with all their money, even if I didn’t move, but stocking up goods is such a hassle, and this shop isn’t getting any customers at all.]
The sight of this weirdo in a cat costume, complaining while counting coins, feels terribly surreal. To be honest, I deeply regretted stepping into this store.
From the sound of her voice, she seemed like a young woman, but the costume she’s wearing completely ruins the vibe.
[If a rich and good-looking customer comes, I’ll make sure to sell them all sorts of things.]
[………………..]
Yep. She definitely looks dangerous… Let’s get out of here before she notices us.
[Honestly, if only a good sucker would—Unnn?]
[ ! ? ]
[………………..]
[………………..]
Ah, shit. She noticed. Did her eyes just glow?
A very awkward silence passed between me and the shopkeeper. I quickly turned to leave, about to scamper toward the door, but…
[Welcome!]
[ ! ? ! ? ]
She was already in front of me.
What the heck was that!? In an instant, she had dashed past me, and now she was already leaning against the door as she called out.
In this situation, where it was clear she wasn’t going to let me escape, I reflexively stepped back… No, seriously, this is one bizarre shop I’ve walked into.
[May I ask what you’re looking for? Well~~ It seems today is your lucky day, esteemed customer. We’ve just finished stocking up on our supplies!]
[……N-No, errr……]
You’re saying you just finished stocking up, but it’s pretty obvious you’re lacking customers and most of this stuff is unsold!
Damn, I’ve completely become her target. A stuffed animal, rubbing its hands together as it slowly made its way toward me… I felt a kind of fear, like I was watching a B-rated horror movie.
[I-I was just checking out for a bit, it’s not that I’m here to buy anything……]
[No, no, today’s your chance! Errr, look… We’re offering a discount only for today!]
It’s obvious you just came up with that! Did you even try to sound a little convincing!?
Still, the other party could be considered a pro in her trade, and honestly, I don’t have the skills to talk my way out of situations like this.
Should I just take it like I’ve been bitten by a stray dog, buy some of her stuff, and go home?
[…By the way, what’s your budget?]
[…E-Errr… A-Around 5000R… or so?]
The truth is, I have more than 40,000R, but I’m not dumb enough to tell her that honestly.
The clothes I’m wearing might not be flashy, but they’re still of a quality that wouldn’t look out of place on a noble. So, I decided to give an amount roughly equivalent to 500,000 yen. It seemed better than saying something too low, which would only cause more trouble.
This way, even if I was forced to spend every last coin of that budget, I could just resign myself and think of it as falling victim to an unscrupulous salesperson’s fangs.
[……5000R huh……]
I swear I saw the shopkeeper’s eyes change color. I can’t see her eyes because of her costume, but it’s as if her mood has shifted.
To be specific, it feels like she’s found some good prey…
W-Well… what is she going to do now? Is she going to try to force me to buy something with threats, or perhaps drag me around using her honed negotiation skills? Either way, she’s a professional, and it seems like there’s no way for me to escape.
In front of me, the shopkeeper, who was gasping for breath, slowly lowered her right knee to the ground, followed by her left knee, and then placed her hands down as well.
[……Please buy something.]
[……………….]
A dogeza. A dogeza I never expected. Abandoning all the shame and pride of a merchant, she gracefully and unhurriedly knelt down in a dogeza.
[I’m begging you. I haven’t had a good meal in a few days.]
[………………..]
And as if it flowed with her dogeza, tears began streaming down her face.
I stood there, dumbfounded and speechless, staring at the woman in the costume kneeling before me in a dogeza.
Dear Mom, Dad—How should I put this… I came across someone strange again. And so—I encountered a strange shopkeeper.
<Author’s Notes>
The reason why the duke was so desperate to have someone escort the protagonist is actually…… because every time she lets him wander around by himself, he gets to know someone outrageous.
(4/11)