Volume 2 - CH 27.2

Chapter 2-27 : Business Competition Ⅳ (part 2)

「Store Owner-san, I think that merchant sold the tremendous amount of fangs he got recently from Collectors in another town because I don’t think he has enough money to keep buying fangs.」(Kate)

「Kate’s probably right. I spotted that merchant leaving this village on horseback a few times.」(Iris)

「Well, Ice Fang Bats’ fangs are small so he doesn’t need a carriage to bring them to another town after all. Khu khu khu…」(Sarasa)

「Store Owner-san…? Why are you laughing?」(Kate)

「No, I’m just so glad that it went as I expected. Fufufu~」(Sarasa)

Thinking that my plan was going smoothly, I couldn’t help but smirk.

「Hm? What do you mean?」(Iris)

「Iris-san, if you were that merchant, where would you sell those tons of fangs to at least get your money back?」(Sarasa)

「Easy. I would go to South Strugg. That’s the only nearby town after all.」(Iris)

「Right, and then, who were you going to sell those fangs to?」(Sarasa)

「Umm… Since ordinary people don’t normally buy Ice Fang Bats’ fangs, then I had no choice but to sell them to an alchemist.」(Iris)

「Exactly. And one of the alchemists in South Strugg is actually my acquaintance.」(Sarasa)

After I said that, Kate, who had been listening to us, opened her eyes wide and clapped her hands once.

「Ah! Store Owner-san, did you make contact with that acquaintance of yours before you planned all this?」(Kate)

「Yup! In addition to our original plan to make that merchant go bankrupt, I added this plan after we confirmed that that merchant was targeting me. I told my acquaintance to buy Ice Fang Bats’ fangs from a merchant who might come in the future cheaply.」(Sarasa)

Before we started going to the cave to hunt Ice Fang Bats, I asked Daruna-san to deliver a letter to Leonora-san.

In the letter, I told Leonora-san that a merchant might visit her store in the future to sell tons of Ice Fang Bats’ fangs, and I wanted her to buy them as cheaply as possible.

In this way, Leonora-san can get cheap Ice Fang Bats’ fangs, and we can limit that merchant’s source of funds at the same time. That’s what you call killing two birds with one stone!

Well, there’s another alchemist besides Leonora-san in South Strugg. It’s the deceitful alchemist who once tried to fool me. The merchant could also sell the fangs to that alchemist, but I don’t have to worry about that.

First of all, there’s the possibility that that merchant is working for that deceitful alchemist to trouble me as his revenge for spreading bad rumors about his store.

Even if they actually don’t have a connection to each other, I don’t think that deceitful alchemist would want to buy fangs from that merchant at a fair price.

In other words, whether that merchant chose to sell fangs to Leonora-san or to the deceitful alchemist, he would lose money anyway.

「I see… Store Owner-san, you’re amazing as always! Even though you’re so small, you know how to deal with bad people!」(Kate)

「Wait, it has nothing to do with my height, right!? Besides, I’m sure I will grow taller soon!」(Sarasa)

After I said that, Iris-san and Kate-san looked at me with warm gazes for some reason.

「It’s hard to say but… Store Owner-san, I don’t think you can grow any taller…」(Kate)

「Why?」(Sarasa)

「Look. Store Owner-dono, you’re already fifteen, right? You’re small but you have reached your adult height, you know?」(Iris)

「There are cases where girls are still growing even though they are already fifteen years old, but such cases are very rare.」(Kate)

「But there’s still the possibility that I’m a girl with such a case, right?」(Sarasa)

When I said that, Iris-san shook her head with a bitter smile as if she was denying my hope.

「Well, you see. I heard that most children who grew up in orphanages have small bodies because they didn’t eat much in the orphanages.」(Iris)

「Ughh…」(Sarasa)

I don’t know if that’s true or not, but she’s right that we, children who grew up in orphanages, didn’t eat much.

It’s not that the orphanage lacked food, but we usually stopped eating before we were full.

Moreover, I didn’t work much when I was at the orphanage. I mostly used my time to study, so it felt bad to eat more than other children.

「Store Owner-san, cheer up! You’re small but you’re cute! That’s all that matters!」(Kate)

「That’s right! You’re small, but you have many good points!」(Iris)

「Yeah, you don’t have to worry about your small body!」(Kate)

「Please stop saying “small”! You’re not cheering me up! You can lightly tell me to not worry because you both have these mature bodies! Ei, ei, eeeiiiー!」(Sarasa)

As I yelled at them, I groped their breasts.

They’re not as big as Lorea-chan’s, but they’re very soft!

「Say, both of you… In case you guys can’t fully pay your debt, can I have these…?」(Sarasa)

After I said that while staring at their breasts, they immediately stepped back and covered their chests with both arms.

「Wh, What are you planning to do with our breasts!?」(Iris)

「Don’t tell me you’re going to use some kind of alchemy technique to remove our breasts and somehow attach them to your chest!? That’s scary!」(Kate)

「What are you talking about? There’s no way I can do such a scary thing. I was just thinking of using them as my stress-relieving tools.」(Sarasa)

「That sounds scary too!」(Iris)

Seeing their scared faces, I burst into laughter.

「Ahaha! I’m just kidding. Actually, I can just use a certain potion to get better height and body proportion, you know?」(Sarasa)

Listening to my words, Iris-san and Kate-san exhaled as if they were relieved.

「Hahh… You’re just joking, huh? But I never knew there were potions like that. Alchemy really is amazing!」(Iris)

「So, why haven’t you used that potion? You can grow taller with that, right?」(Kate)

「Well, it’s because I have no intention of using it. I can’t make those potions with my current ability, but the main reason why I don’t wanna use it is because this body is the only thing I got from my parents. It’s true that I hate being small, but I want to grow taller naturally. But, as you said, I probably can’t grow any taller though.」(Sarasa)

When I said that with a melancholic face, they smiled at me.

「Store Owner-dono… Even though your parents are no longer with you, you really care about them.」(Iris)

「They died when I was a kid so honestly I don’t really remember about them, but I do think they were kind and respectable parents.」(Sarasa)

「Store Owner-san, you’re truly a strong girl. Even after you lost your parents, you kept trying your hardest and eventually became an alchemist.」(Kate)

「Indeed becoming an alchemist is any orphans’ dream, but I know it’s not easy to achieve. You have my respect, really.」(Iris)

As I listened to them, my face somehow got hot. I felt a bit embarrassed.

「Geez. You kept saying that I’m small earlier, but now you’re complimenting me, huh? Well, thank you, I guess…」(Sarasa)

I made a lot of effort, but I would never become an alchemist without the help from the people who care about me.

Master, my two seniors, my junior, and the people from the orphanage. Without their help, I wouldn’t be the person I am now.

「Ahem! Anyway, there are still more fangs to collect, so let’s continue our plan!」(Sarasa)

「You can leave it to us. Let’s give that merchant a good lesson!」(Iris)

「Fufu. That merchant is really a good source of revenue. He has no idea that he has been buying fangs from us.」(Kate)

「Khu khu khu. You’re right. Let’s keep working like this. I’m counting on both of you.」(Sarasa)

I don’t know why but I feel like we are an evil organization or something…