NOVEL WEB Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Carpenter's Workshop and Mercenary Agency
Chapter 19: Carpenter’s Workshop and Mercenary Agency
First, I head to the carpenter’s workshop with Kuro.
“Hello! Are the plates and cups ready?”
“Huh!? Who are you!? Oh, it’s you! They’re ready!”
The boss answers while doing some work. His voice is still as loud as ever. Another artisan brings over a wooden box from the back.
“Wow! Looks great! Much better than I expected.”
“I had them lacquered in the end! It’s good, right? 5000 Rei!”
It’s really well done. The lacquer gives it a nice sheen, and the wood grain visible through it is beautiful. I like it. With 20 sets for 10,000 Rei, it’s too cheap. Is this boss okay?
“Here, here’s the remaining 5000 Rei. Thank you very much. I really like it.”
“Is that so!”
“I’m called Bonus. I’ll be opening a shop at the Misharl Market from tomorrow, so feel free to drop by. I’ll be selling drinks and sweets, and I’ll even treat you to a drink.”
“Sweets? Sounds good! I’ll come by next time!”
“Alright then, Kuro, carry the wooden box.”
“Gyaaah!”
Kuro, who had been looking around the workshop behind me, approaches the wooden box eagerly. The artisans watch in wonder as Kuro lifts the box.
“…Hey, Bonus. What exactly is this thing?”
“It’s an imp.”
“Huh? An imp?! Is that even possible…? It’s quite different from our imp, isn’t it?”
Well, the size, atmosphere, and movement are quite different. The imp at the carpenter’s workshop looks completely lifeless, with no apparent will. From what I’ve seen so far, there’s nothing particularly unusual about the imps in this workshop. If anything, that’s normal, and Kuro might be the one who’s unusually strange.
“I don’t know much either, but it seems to be a different kind of imp.”
“It has an interesting hairstyle!”
“Gyaaagyaagyaa!”
“Hahaha! This girl’s hilarious!”
“A cheerful fellow, isn’t she? Well then, boss, see you later!”
“Got it! See ya!”
Next up is the mercenary agency… I’m feeling nervous. The location is prime, facing the main square. Truly a city of mercenaries. The security around the building is not bad at all. However, you can still sense the presence of violence. People wearing full-fledged weapons and armor are coming in and out of the agency in a hurry. Some mercenaries returning from work are seen carrying monster trophies and tied-up imps. Nobody seems to notice me, but occasionally, people glance at Kuro. Feeling a bit intimidated by the situation in front of me, but I can’t just stand here. “Gyaaah?” Kuro sticks close to me, looking up. Did she sense my anxiety? What a cute girl. I feel a little relieved. There’s no point in being more scared, so I enter without thinking too much. Inside is even bigger than expected. It’s a large hall, with multiple counters lined up like bank windows. I don’t know if each counter has a different role, but some are busy while others look bored. It’s a bit daunting to approach the area where there are many mercenaries. I head towards the counter of a grumpy-looking bearded man who seems the least busy.
“I’m new here and I’d like some information. Can I leave a message for a specific mercenary? And how do I go about hiring a mercenary for a job?”
“A message, huh. Can you write?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then wait a moment.”
He rummages around and brings back what looks like a ledger. Come to think of it, I wonder if they do this for free…
“Now, tell me your name, the recipient’s name, and the message, in order.”
“My name is Bonus. The recipient’s name is Marie Boaro. The message is… ‘I’ll be setting up a stall starting tomorrow for three days, so please look forward to it.'”
As soon as Marie’s name is mentioned, the expression on the bearded man’s face flickers for a moment. She must be quite famous after all.
“Do you… know Marie?”
“Oh, yeah, we just happened to meet recently. Is she famous?”
“She’s a Savoian mercenary. Everyone knows her.”
“I see. By the way, is it free to leave a message?”
“Yeah, it’s usually free. …Now, about hiring for a job?”
“Yes, that’s right. As I mentioned in the message, I’m planning to set up a stall starting tomorrow, but I’m thinking of hiring an escort until I return to the inn in the afternoon. …How should I go about making such a request?”
“True. It depends on what you prioritize. Whether it’s serious protection, just watching the shop, or helping out in the shop, it’s about what you consider most important.”
The bearded man, while lacking in amiability, seems to respond quite accurately to situations. It’s a bit unsettling that there’s no one else in line, but perhaps he’s quite competent. Upon closer inspection, his clothes are of fine quality, and surprisingly neat. His long beard is also well-groomed. He wears large rings on his left index and middle fingers, and it seems to be a habit to touch the rings while listening to someone speak. The location seems good too, so perhaps this place pays well.
“It’s just a small street stall. It’s enough to be seen as a risk to steal a small profit.”
“Well, then it shouldn’t be a problem hiring any mercenary. Offer a minimum amount for half a day’s work. Starting from tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’d like to start from tomorrow. How much would it cost?”
“If you’re not too picky, well… I’d say… Hiring for half a day at 5000 rei would be good.”
I’m not sure about the going rate, but it’s an amount I can afford. Still, with this amount, if I don’t make a decent profit, I won’t be able to generate significant earnings. Well, this time, safety comes first as a precautionary measure. Let’s leave the details of the exact amounts and profitability for next time.
“Alright, I’ll go with that amount.”
“Then it’s 5000 rei upfront, and I’ll arrange it by tomorrow noon. Can you come to this counter?”
“Can’t they come directly to the market?”
“It’s not impossible, but it can lead to trouble. That would be a hassle.”
“I see… I can imagine. Understood. I’ll come by tomorrow noon.”
“Alright, got it about the message and arrangement. Thank you for your patronage.”
“Yeah, thank you.”
In the end, I forgot to ask about the different counters. He wasn’t friendly, but his service wasn’t bad either. I’m not really sure. Well, I’ve achieved my goal, so let’s get back to the inn quickly. I’m getting tired and losing focus. It wouldn’t be good to get involved in trouble in this situation.
“Ah, I’m tired. Let’s do our best starting from tomorrow.”
“Gyuaa~!”