The Novice Alchemist’s Store

"I'm home."

"Welcome home, Mr. Sarasa"

It was Lorea who welcomed me home.

They were in the back, Mr. Iris and the others will be out soon.

Just in case, I asked the two of you not to go to work and stay home.

I just didn't think I'd ever raid the store, but given the way home, I might have been right to be prepared.

"Welcome home, Store Manager"

"I'm home now"

"How was the store manager?

I nod and answer to Mr Iris, who has asked in a slightly more pleasant way.

"Fine, I think it's a good idea to say. Looks like you're in a pretty hurry. On my way home, I was beaten to death by bandits."

"Eh!! It's okay...... if you're the manager"

"You can be a little more worried, can't you? Mr. Kate."

He's got an anxious look behind him, like Lorea.

Maybe in her case, it's not just about me.

"But you didn't have a problem, did you?

"Yes. I got rid of it beautifully. So don't worry, Lorea, Mr. Darna."

"Thank you! Father, the arm is refreshing..."

Well, between this village and South Strag, it's basically like it's safe.

I've never heard of a bandit before.

Are the lords dealing with it properly, or do they think they can't expect enough revenue to attack them?

... Probably the latter.

Collectors who can handle weapons are at high risk of attacking, and I don't know what other merchants Mr. Darna is.

The money such a small village merchant has is expensive, and the goods he carries are groceries and village crops. There is little profit where it was attacked.

But I also dealt with expensive things like cooling hats, and sometimes I might as well look around.

"But that merchant sticks too"

"You can't pull it off already, can you? Spend so much money, and if it doesn't work, the Chamber of Commerce will go bankrupt?

"Of course, I'm after that. You're spraying a lot of bait. I was obviously delighted when I said earlier that I don't have enough ice tooth bat fangs left in stock."

That's what I say and laugh at, and Lorea gives me a subtle look.

"Less, is it? There's more, isn't there, inventory?"

"Yeah. If I just use it, it won't go away after ten years."

That is, of course, even if it includes items used for sale cooling hats and the like.

I mean, no matter what happens to this thing, the industry in this village is Antai. No problem.

"Is the merchant entirely on the palm of the manager's palm? That's a little pathetic."

"You're a bad listener. Mr. Leonora is chewing on this, right?

Rather, more than half of the picture surface is Leonora's work, including gathering information, etc.

In my senses.

I do not know what Mr Leonora would say.

"Besides, it felt like the merchant should have crushed it."

Finally, I will tell Mr. Iris and the others what Mr. Leonora has told me.

"- And, well, even considering that story and that I was attacked by a bandit, I think you're using pretty illegal means to do it, too, to make me carry debts."

"All right, let's crush it"

"Yeah, you don't need mercy."

"It's terrible! Such a merchant is unforgivable."

Opinions were easily gathered.

"Of course, I intend to."

That's how I nod in response.

That said, it doesn't change what I do.

I had that conversation with Mr. Iris for another ten days or so.

There were fat people visiting my shop.

"Welcome. Is that it? It was Mr. York, wasn't it? What's wrong with you today?

Yes, he's a merchant.

- I'm saying something like that, but the truth is, I knew in advance that he was coming to the store.

Because I have a comforting, gatherer information network.

So I'm standing in the store number on behalf of Lorea.

"Hello, Mr. Sarasa. Uh, I was wondering about the availability of ice tooth bat fangs. If there seems to be a shortage, we'll accommodate it, won't we?

"Oh, is that the case? Thank you for your concern. But it's okay. Talk to someone you know and they'll be able to accommodate you cheaply."

I also respond with a grin to Yorke, who at first glance suggests with a good-looking smile of people.

And, at the same time, his grin caught on.

"... Is that, possibly, from South Strag?

"Yep. Because it's the closest town. If you want to buy it, that's it, right?

"Grr... But when you buy there, you need transportation costs, right? I could talk to you around that, right?

"No, because ice tooth bat fangs are not the only material that needs to be purchased in South Strag. Fortunately, the fangs don't take up much of a place, and it's not a lot of stuff to use, so it's enough for me to finally buy it, in my shop."

"Oh really..."

"Yes."

Yoku snorts at me, answering with a kick.

Yeah, yeah. It's time for the limit, isn't it?

I hear you're in a pretty bad situation if you don't get your wrapped up forehead today or tomorrow, Mr. Leonora.

... that guy, where are you purchasing the information from?

I even knew something pretty informative back there.

"Actually, we're thinking it's time to leave this village."

"Really? I'm going to miss you, even though the village seems to have been very vibrant thanks to the Yorks."

"Ha ha... we have business too"

I guess that's why you're trying to pull it off with less damage... you think it's too late?

"So I need to talk to you, if you don't mind, about our stock of ice tooth bat fangs, could you pick them up?

That's what's coming, isn't it?

Because I tried so hard to be. Me and Mr. Leonora.

"Ice tooth bat fangs now, I don't need them..."

"Don't say that, do something about it!

To York, who tells me to worship half the time, I roar in arms.

"Uh-huh, yeah... let me just show you"

"Got it!

When I nodded with a clear look of "reluctance," York placed the leather bag he had on the counter with "Don" so as to be rushed.

I take the ice tooth bat fangs out of that leather bag about a grasp and I line them up on the counter and carefully, one by one, to scorch.

And I sighed at this sight against Yorke, who watched in frustration.

"Hmm, you're not in a good state of conservation"

"Oh no!? Ice tooth bat fangs should be non-degrading materials, even if they don't have to be treated specifically!

With a look that mixes surprise, confusion, and anger with it, I turn my body against and distance myself from Yorke, who has ridden himself out with a fat sweat on his forehead.

"No, that's not true. Indeed, ice tooth bat fangs are inferior (...) and (...) and (...) and (...) and (...) and (...) material."

"Then!!"

"But that's about as long as it takes for the gatherer to hunt the ice tooth bat and bring it to the alchemist. Leave it there and the degradation will proceed. I mean, the value is going down."

Of course this is a lie and (...) is not (...).

However, it doesn't have much impact when it's a normal use, and it's hard to look into it in that much detail, so I'm just buying it out at an approximate price.

Like Lorea, if someone other than the alchemist has a store number, you can't even look into it.

"Well, then what is this...?

"That's not very good. And with this much, it takes a lot of time to consume. Honestly, a lot of things are going to be worthless."

- If you don't do anything about it, yeah.

"Oh, no..."

The sweat that floated on Yoke's forehead began to flow, and he looked a little pale.

Kupu, are you okay?

"Well, I will use some too, so if it's about ten bottles, I can buy it..."

"Ko, there are not 10,000 bottles here!?"

"That's right, they bought a lot of them."

Yeah, I hunted a lot......

So much so that I accidentally look far away.

"Don't be ridiculous!

"No, I have trouble yelling at me...... of course, I know you can bring it into other towns, but this much, no one will be able to buy it, and in the meantime the value will go down dong...... how much will it be"

Needless to say, it suggests that value goes down even while you're carrying it.

As a matter of fact, I feel that there is no error, but it is probably true that there is nowhere I can buy it.

"Uggh..."

"If you really want to say," You can buy it all out... "

"Ho, is that true!?"

In my words that I followed, I would have the look of Yok being saved.

But do you think I'll save you? They beat up the bandits.

"Yep. However, you need to consume it even in a slightly inefficient way because this much will not run out of normal usage. You can't afford it, can you?

"Ugh, well, that doesn't matter. Buy it!

"I understand. I'll assess you then... well, come back in four days."

"... what? Four days later? Then we won't make it!

I'm blue, red, and I'm busy with my yoke complexion.

"And even if they say so. Do you think this number of fangs can be easily assessed? Think common sense."

"Mmmm......!

Even if there are 10,000 copies, and you check them in about ten seconds per bottle, it'll take days.

If you want to check within business hours, maybe three days would be a reasonable line?

I guess I couldn't deny it as a yoke if I told him that easily.

I just roared 'ugly'.

"If you're in a hurry, you can buy it out with instant money now -"

"Ya, please!

"Yes, but the valuation will go down considerably, won't it? I buy it without knowing what the condition is."

"Gurgh! Or, I don't mind! So buy me one!

"I understand. Please wait."

I snort at Yorke's words, which I said to eat my teeth and squeeze out so badly that they were about to crumble, and throw them into the crate as I counted the ice tooth bat fangs.

And calculate easily, arrange the coins over the counter.

To that lesser extent, York peeled his eyes off and dropped his jaw, but when I smiled nicely, he shook his neck vertically, gripping his fist and shaking it with a blurb.

"So, we have a deal."

"Shit!"

Yorke gets evil, and when he grabs the money, he packs it in a leather bag.

There's no room for that like when you first came into this store.

That's right, people waiting in South Strag, they're here.

"Thank you -. Here you go again -"

"Will you ever come again!!"

It was such an evil thing to have returned to me when I smiled and waved at you.

You're a terrible person, aren't you?