Volume 5 - CH 8.2

Chapter 5-8 : Planning And Preparation Ⅲ (part 2)

Iris-san and Kate-san came back in the evening. They looked down for some reason.

「So… Did you guys get any useful information?」(Sarasa)

Judging from their expressions, I don’t think I would hear good news from them, but I still asked anyway.

As I expected, they both sighed and shook their heads.

「Nope… We talked to Andre and other veterans, but none of them had any experience working on a snowy mountain.」(Iris)

「In the first place, they rarely work in winter. When they have no money during winter, they will gather materials but only in the nearby forest.」(Kate)

「I see… I was expecting it, but… That’s too bad.」(Sarasa)

It seems that I have no choice but to rely on the knowledge and experience I got from school.

I’m worried because the snowy mountain I went to during practical training at school was not as dangerous and hard to climb as the snowy mountains in the Great Sea of Trees.

「But, Store Owner-dono, it’s not that we returned empty handed!」(Iris)

Iris-san said that as she puffed out her chest, looking proud of herself.

「Oh? Alright, I’m listening.」(Sarasa)

「After investigating for a while, I found that Andre-san’s senior, who has retired from their job as a Collector and moved to South Strugg, might have the information we need. 」(Iris)

「…We heard about it from Andre-san, by the way.」(Kate)

「Oh, Kate, come on! Can’t you let me show my reliable side to Store Owner-dono?」(Iris)

Saying that, Iris-san pouted. It seems that she wanted to make it sound as if finding that information was her own achievement.

Kate-san shrugged and shook her head.

「Well, reports must be accurate, you know?」(Kate)

「But I wanted to show my reliable side as an Onee-san just for a bit…」(Iris)

*/TL : “Onee-san” here means older girl or older lady.

「Wait… Onee-san…?」(Sarasa)

「Store Owner-dono, did you forget…? I’m four years older than you.」(Iris)

「………………..Ah, come to think of it, you are.」(Sarasa)

「What’s with that long silence!?」(Iris)

I’ve never thought of Iris-san as an Onee-san because she rarely behaves like a girl older than me, but there’s no way I could tell her this.

I know she’s older than me, but to be honest, I feel that she’s more like a troublesome little sister than an older girl.

Kate-san’s different. She’s definitely an Onee-san without a doubt.

「Ahaha… A, Anyway, we may get some useful information if we visit Andre-san’s senior in South Strugg, right? That’s nice to know since I have a plan to go there to visit Leonora-san soon.」(Sarasa)

「Mumu….. Forget about me. What about you and Lorea? Did you guys make some progress on the preparations?」(Iris)

Iris-san groaned while still pouting, looking a little dissatisfied, but then she loosened her expression and looked at me and Lorea-chan alternately.

「We’ve finished making a list of things we will need. It seems that we have to purchase some materials, so I think I better go to South Strugg as soon as possible. Lorea-chan, do you think your dad will lend me his cart?」(Sarasa)

I will need a cart to bring artifacts to sell and bring back the materials I will buy. There will be quite a lot of stuff to carry. I don’t think the backpack I got from Master will fit all of them.

「I think he will. My dad rarely goes to buy goods in winter after all, but I will ask him to make sure.」(Lorea)

「Thank you. Your dad’s cart has the Koro Koro I made, so it’s easier to pull than Geberg-san’s cart.」(Sarasa)

「If I’m not mistaken, Koro Koro is an artifact that makes wheels spin more smoothly, right?」(Iris)

*/Koro koro = roll roll

「Yeah. Daruna-san asked me to install it on his cart a while ago.」(Sarasa)

「I see. Then, Store Owner-dono, let me go with you. I will pull the cart for you. I’d like to hear directly from Andre-san’s senior as well.」(Iris)

「Hmm…」(Sarasa)

I usually go to South Strugg by running, but since I will have to pull a cart this time, I doubt I can run at full speed.

Iris-san has gotten better at using body-strengthening magic. Since she has an aptitude for physical enchantment, she keeps getting better at it, moreover, at a considerably high pace.

She should probably be able to keep up with my speed even while pulling a cart.

「Alright. We will be going the day after tomorrow, so we have an entire day to prepare tomorrow.」(Sarasa)

「Got it.」(Iris)

I need to select artifacts that I will sell at South Strugg and make a calculation of the minimum required materials I will buy.

After that, I have to prepare some money and prepare the questions that I will ask to Andre-san’s senior.

「Oh, right. I forgot to ask this. Do you know where exactly Andre-san’s senior lives?」(Sarasa)

「U, Uhh… I’m sorry. I just know his name. It’s Marley.」(Iris)

Iris-san lowered her eyebrows apologetically as she told me that.

「Andre-san said that he only heard that his senior moved to South Strugg after retiring, so he doesn’t know exactly where he lives. He doesn’t even know if his senior still lives there or has already moved to another town.」(Iris)

「I see… I may trouble her, but I think I will tell Leonora-san about this and ask her if she can find out where he lives. I also need to ask her about what kind of artifacts can I sell at South Strugg.」(Sarasa)

◇　　　　◇　　　　◇

The next day, I was busy for the entire day.

In the morning, I contacted Leonora-san with the Resonance Box artifact, asking her about the artifact I can sell and asking her if she can find out the whereabouts of Andre-san’s senior, Marley.

After that, I went to Lorea-chan’s house to repair some parts of Daruna-san’s cart that we will be borrowing the next day.

At noon, I went home and prepared everything we needed for the trip to South Strugg tomorrow with Iris-san.

After everything was settled down, we were planning to relax in the kitchen while having some tea, but before we could do that, uncouth-looking customers visited my shop.

One of them opened the door roughly and shouted.

「Who’s the owner of this shop!? Show me your face!」(man)