NOVEL WEB chapter 93 - Divine Cat Mii-chan praises Perro's appearance.
93 Divine Cat Mii-chan praises Perro’s appearance.
Back at the inn, it was time for dinner. The landlady personally came to serve us, eager to take care of the new faces: Perro, Sera, and Lu-kun.
Doga’s cooking had definitely evolved, with the taste markedly improved compared to before our trip to Quinto. It was no wonder the place was so popular.
The rooms were almost always full, and it seemed they had recently hired a new waitress, the landlady’s son’s girlfriend. They were even considering expanding the inn.
“I can’t thank you enough, Nero. And Mii-chan too.”
“Mii~”
“Stay as long as you like. Of course, there’s no charge.”
“That’s very kind, but we really need to leave early the day after tomorrow.”
“That soon? When will you be back?”
“Probably after the battle with the goblins is over…”
“Is it going to be such a big fight?”
“That’s how the country and the Hunter Guild see it.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it, but it’s going to be lonely.”
“Mii…”
Mii-chan was rubbing against the landlady’s hand, trying to cheer her up.
“Nero. You mustn’t participate in the fight. There are so many adorable ones here.”
“Everyone here is more capable than me, though.”
“That’s fine. If you’re only useful for support, that’s okay. Better to run away and be criticized than to die uselessly! Death is the end of everything!”
The landlady said this while petting Lu-kun, who was playing with Mii-chan.
By the way, when I tried to return the borrowed bucket, I was told with a laugh that I could keep it. My apologies…
“Oh? It’s you, young master? I was just about to sell that armor, thinking you wouldn’t return.”
The old man’s eyes were serious… dangerous, dangerous.
I was picking up the dragon-hide armor that I had sent for repair. It was one of the reasons for coming to Quinto this time.
I put on the armor while learning how to wear it from the old man. I remember hearing somewhere that just having weapons and armor isn’t enough; you need to equip them for them to be useful. Was it said by some great person?
“What about the gauntlets and greaves? I don’t see them.”
“Do you have any good items?”
“Good that you asked. Actually, I made gauntlets and greaves from scraps of Jewel Lizard skin I got.”
“Jewel Lizard skin is quite expensive, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is expensive, but these were made from the leftovers after creating a full set. I only have gauntlets and greaves!”
So, the old man was planning to sell these to me from the beginning. What a shrewd businessman!
“How much are they?”
“With the remaining balance, how about 450,000 leto? You usually can’t buy them for this price.”
Considering that the dragon-hide armor was worth around 550,000 leto, 400,000 leto for just the gauntlets and greaves seems high. But if they offer better protection than the dragon-hide armor, maybe it’s worth it. When you think about it as a way to protect your life, it’s a small price.
“I’ll buy them.”
“Nero, they look cool. I want some for Perro too!”
Come to think of it, Perro isn’t wearing any armor, right?
“Is there any armor that would fit Perro?”
“No, there isn’t. For such a small person, it would need to be custom-made.”
“I-I’m not that small!”
“When you return to Quinto, I’ll have Zelgad introduce you to a craftsman to make some for Perro. But, since Perro prioritizes speed, only lightweight armor will work.”
The old man helped me put on the gauntlets and greaves. They were a bit large, but it was no big deal. He must have planned it that way. Since they’re good quality, I paid up without complaints and moved on.
“These are for Mii-sama and Mr. Nero. It’s been a while.”
Schwartz was as unchanging as ever. Why am I the only one addressed with ‘Mr.’?
“Thank you for coming in such a large group today.”
“We actually came to discuss something.”
“A discussion?”
Schwartz led us to a business negotiation table by the window and made tea for us.
Sera and Lu-kun curled up in a sunny spot at my feet. Perro, intrigued by the rare items, was wandering around the store. Mii-chan, meanwhile, was adorably yawning on Schwartz’s lap.
“So, what’s the discussion?”
“I’m thinking of moving our base to the capital. I was hoping to get some advice on buying and selling accessories and antiques in the capital.”
“I see… moving to the capital. That might indeed be a good idea right now. I’m actually considering moving to the capital myself.”
“Is it because the trade routes have been blocked?”
“Yes, the northern trade routes are fine, but the south and east are unusable… We still have stock for now, but prices are rising, and it’s tough for a store that relies on special orders like mine.”
“I see…”
“However, the person who taught me the ropes of business in the capital has no successor and has offered to transfer their store to me. I’m planning to accept.”
If Schwartz is opening a store in the capital, it could be quite beneficial for me.
“In fact, I have a lot of accessories and antiques, and I’m struggling to find a buyer. I’m planning to join the Merchant Guild, but without a reputation or track record, I’ll likely be taken advantage of.”
“I see. That might be the case initially. Have you considered owning your own shop?”
Schwartz gently stroked Mii-chan, who seemed to enjoy it.
“I rely on my own appraisal skills, so I think it’s impossible to run a shop without someone I can trust.”
“Even if you move to the capital, closing down here and traveling north will take some time.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be waiting in the capital.”
I got the location of Schwartz’s future shop in the capital. As we chatted and drank tea, Perro brought over a red child’s cloak. It seems to suit him well.
“Nero, I want this.”
The child-sized cloak fits Perro perfectly and looks great with the red feathered hat. Should we get him some boots too? Mii-chan is watching with a look that says Perro looks great.
“I’ll give you a discount as a store closing offer.”
In the end, the red cloak was a high-quality item. It’s waterproof and keeps a constant temperature inside—something noble children might wear. I managed to get it for 150,000 ret. Perro, take good care of it.
“Princess, don’t you think it looks cool?”
“Meow~”