Possessing Narikin’s group.
“So this is Sunstar?”
“Ane-sama told us to look into its grain, but there’s a spectacular wheat field right in the middle.”
It was a town with a feeling reminiscent of the granaries on the north side of Sia.
Still, there were too many small, uneven hills breaking up the scenery into terraced fields, different from Sia’s vast plains.
… The terraces make calculating its rough area coverage difficult, I wonder if it’s an anti-espionage measure?
RokufaRokuko put her hands up to her brows to shield her eyes and look over the fields. She seemed to be having fun more than anything.
Alright, it’s good to have made it this far, but what do I need to find out and how should I go about doing that?
I tilted my head in thought over what to do just as NaanaToy offered his counsel.
“Lord. Perhaps we could go to the Commerce Guild? You might hear something about it if you say you’re considering buying Holy Kingdom grain.”
“… Hmm, that might be just the thing. We could even actually buy some grain to get a closer look.”
Entering the town arm in arm with RokufaRokuko, we rode the flow of people toward the Commerce Guild. For some reason, NaanaToy knew exactly how to get to the guild.
The Commerce Guild was a Greek-styled white rectangle of a building, easily two or three times larger than the establishments around it.
Inside were things such as golden vases, marble negotiating tables, and macho busts that made me wonder if they had some weird preferences… they’re garish, so let’s give my eyes a rest and stare at the decorative plants.
“… It looks so expensive.”
“Well, it is the Commerce Guild. If they didn’t make money they’d be in trouble.”
As the Commerce Guild was an organization based around bringing profit to the merchants using it, they wouldn’t want to rely on something that wouldn’t be able to help them in an emergency.
Well, heading to the receptionist counter—is exactly what I didn’t do. NaanaToy pushed me forward to do it.
It’s a small thing, but I, the express negotiations leader for things like this, had to be the one to do it.
A moment later, I was greeted by a member of the staff.
“Welcome to the Sunstar Commerce Guild. My name is Sentak, the chief clerk. What bring you, here to buy the town’s grain?”
“Mm.”
I responded with a nod, trying to seem as haughty as possible.
We sat down on sofas facing each other across the advised marble table. NaanaToy stood behind me with RokufaRokuko sitting at my side.
By the way, TranNarikin and ShibaRokufa were in the bird cage NaanaToy was holding.
“Let’s talk. How much can you bring out at most?”
“At most? Hmm… for a first trade, one hundred bags, I suppose. The price would be one gold coin.”
“Hah. So this country’s etiquette is to overcharge first time clients? By all rights a gold coin can purchase double that.”
“Well well, forgive my discourtesy, Lord.”
Everything up till then had been a merchant’s greeting. It was the case that Holy Kingdom nobility would make purchases without haggling the price, as it was a virtue to waste money so as to reinject it into the economy or something.
“I’ve heard that Lord is an aristocrat from the Raverio Empire, what business does one such as yourself have in the Holy Kingdom?”
“What, I’m here on a honeymoon with my wife. I heard there was nicely priced grains here and thought I’d look into it myself.”
With that, I hugged Rokufa’sRokuko’s shoulder. Her resulting innocent cry and reddened face painted her as a newlywed wife.
“Of course if I feel the quality is up to snuff, I may even consider a subscription of sorts.”
“That would be quite a thing… If you don’t mind me asking, what is a honeymoon?”
“Mm. Once one begins to rear children, traveling in abandon becomes difficult. Therefore, we go about to enjoy ourselves to our heart’s content. I hear that marriages are different here in the Holy Kingdom, however.”
“Yes, in our country, traveling is fine even after having children. For example, there are various places with nursery schools where we could freely leave our children. If you’re considering having children, what about moving here to the Holy Kingdom?”
“Hahah, that’s not in the cards for the moment. I have land restrictions, as well. There is also a dungeon in my province… Though I may be interested in building a villa if I find some attractive land.”
We continued our back and forth of mutually inconsequential information to feel the other party out.
… Oi, RokufaRokuko, why’re you still red for? I tapped her on the shoulder with my thumb so that he wouldn’t notice.
“Ah. Umm, dear? Could we not stay in such a packed place? I’d like to go somewhere we could move around.”
“Mm, sorry. Please wait just a little longer… Hey, Sentak. Could I take two bags as a sample, let’s say for a silver coin?”
“Yes, that would be fine. Do you have [Storage]?”
“Naturally.”
“Dear, grain alone wouldn’t be interesting. Let’s buy more. Okay? Financial leeway is necessary for dungeon capturing.”
“Hmm, right… Let’s throw in some local food. Please add some rare things as well. I hear Sunstar has many things to offer, so throw in five silver’s worth.”
I added more silver coins under the guise of taking a request from RokufaRokuko. Seeing seven silver coins, Sentak smiled and gently placed one into his own pocket.
“I understand. Lady, Narikin-sama, please wait a little while longer.”
“Hurry, if you would. Time is finite, use it to take even one step further, right?”
“Yes, please do it quickly.”
Sentak left his seat and called other staff members into another room.
… By the way, the phrase Rokuko used was something from the Light God’s Decree. It was something NaanaToy prepared.
According to him, the setting is that of a nobleman of the Empire was seduced by a woman of the Light God’s Decree or something?
A while later, we were brought two bags of wheat, a bag of soybeans, a bag of cornmeal, and some bagged fruit.
Oranges, bananas, apples… huh, a melon? … Mmm, I guess the climate and season they need is different? Though I guess if it’s just the season, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for them to have just had a slave learn [Storage].
“Amaaazing! So many kinds of fruit!”
“Hmm, so Sunstar has orchards as well, does it?”
“Yes, by God’s grace. They don’t keep so long, so they aren’t suitable for trade, however.”
“… I see, so it is a boon of the Light God?”
“Amazing! Dungeons really are bad, I mean look at how grow the Light God is!”
“Ooh, the lady understands us very well! Some fruits can only be eaten here, so please by all means consider that villa.”
Was that crude slapstick of a skit really enough?
… At any rate, there’s definitely something up here. Either they have a greenhouse or they have a dungeon.
