Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, during the time when I was working, I had to pay a lot of attention to details--finding bugs and syntax errors--but now I’m in a fantasy world, and have power, I seem to have grown a little dull.”

“Here’s the luggage we managed to recover from the thieves.” I said as I gave some bags to Hayuna.

“Oh dear, you even got our luggage, as well as helping us--thank you, so much.” She thanks me while receiving the bags.

Toruma peeked into the bags, and asks after a short hesitation, “Have you seen a dagger inside the luggage?”

“Those were the only things in the hideout, but there should be many daggers among the thieves belongings.”

“It’s a dagger with a white leather sheath--”

“If it’s that one, it was being held by the bearded leader-like man--wait a minute.” While explaining to Toruma, I take a dagger from a toolbox on the edge of the wagon.

Well, of course I took it out of my Storage--the dagger’s design is relatively simple, but there’s a beautiful family crest placed on the hilt, it’s quite fashionable.

The dagger isn’t a Magic Tool, but it’s made from Mithril, forged by Dwarves.

“Is this it?” I ask him.

“Yes, that’s it!” Toruma, who’s about to receive the dagger from me, is stopped by Arisa’s words.

“Wait, that’s our reward from exterminating the thieves--we’ve even acquired permission from the knights; if you want it, you have to present something of equal value.

Hmm?

I wonder what Arisa is planning?

Well, she wouldn’t do something to harm us--so I will let her do her thing and see where it goes; unlike a lot of people, I don’t really mind her taking initiative sometimes--she does know her way around this world better than I do--since she grew up here.

“This has the crest of my family engraved on it, I can’t hand it to others.”

“So what? You, I know that you’re emotional from the reunion, but you haven’t even said ‘thank you’ for the saving right? Moreover, you even have the gall to claim other people’s possession?”

She’s being a little rude, I wonder if I will have to smooth this out--she probably knows what she’s doing.

“You need to be more polite towards adult.” Toruma spoke with a grim expression.

“I’ll talk in equal terms, even if the opponent is a King, that’s my style.” It’s cute the way she says that as she lines over and tries to look imposing, one hand on her slim waist--Oh, I can see down her shirt from this angle--I don’t think Toruma can see.

It really does look like she would talk in that tone, even to a King--well, she is technically a Princess.

Toruma can’t really retort to Arisa’s rather harsh words.

Hayuna, who seems unable to watch this anymore, suggests, “Dear, first, please say thank you to them. This person allowed the use of an expensive Magic Potion to save you. Furthermore, he protected me from both the knight, and the thief, who tried to kill me. On top of that, they snuck into the thieves’ hideout, and even saved Mayuna--now, let’s give them a word of thanks.”

“You’re right, Hayuna. I was wrong. Merchant, I’m truly grateful for your kindness.” Toruma says.

Both Toruma and Hayuna both nod to me.

“However, I’d like you yo return this dagger, no matter what. Of course, I’ll give you anything I’m able to.”

“Is anything alright?” I ask.

After Arisa sat back down, she smiled proudly at me, so with my hand, I am stroking her silky violet hair--Mia seems to know that Arisa deserves praise, because she is looking a little envious, but not asking for the same to be done to her.

“M-My daughter and wife are off limits!” He frantically covers his wife and daughter--perhaps he’s thinking that I’m a man without honour; but then again, I am traveling with seven girls, all of which are technically adults.

“Right then,” I roll my eyes at him, “You don’t have any money or jewels?”

“Everything was taken away by the thieves.” He looks relieved, “It’s impossible right now, but if we get to the Dukedom--No, I’ll pay if you let us go with you until we get to the castle of Baron Muno.”

“Hmm, you’re acquainted with the Baron?”

“Yeah, he’s my second cousin from my father’s side.” He looks proud.

“Then how much is this dagger worth?”

“It’s an important heirloom, so it has never been valued. As gratitude, I’ll give you 5 gold coins.”

I look at Arisa when he says that, her gaze meets mine--she shakes her head and rolls her head with a sigh.

By the way, the dagger’s market price is 30 gold, which is extraordinary for a non-Magic dagger.

For now, let’s exaggerate the information that the Heads-Up-Display.

“Toruma, I’ve evaluated this dagger, when I got it--with the nicely designed sheath along with the beautiful Mithril blade forged by the famous Dwarven blacksmith, Dohar--this dagger isn’t worth anything less than 30 gold coins.” Arisa is speaking again, still sitting by my side, “If we get it to a connoisseur duke, or other nobles who like to compete for their interests--it could be even more expensive, right?”

“T-That would be troubling, however--even nobles would have a hard time raising such a large amount of gold coins!” Toruma looks slightly pale.

“Right, since our Master doesn’t actually have any money problems, you could pay for it with items, instead of cash.”

“We ran away, so even if I go back to my parent’s house, I have no great item to give you.”

“Oh right, I’ve heard from your wife that you used a scroll to defend yourself from the thieves, right?”

I was getting bored, and began to play with Mia’s hair as she lent against me with a pleased look, and a smile, both of her small hands wrapped around one of mine.

“Ohh, a scroll workshop, huh. I’d like to go and visit it.” I unintentionally cut in to the conversation, the negotiation.

“Yes, if you pay a visit to the capital of the dukedom--Oyugock City, please visit us.”

A scroll workshop, huh?

If I could learn how to make them, I could mass produce them myself. However, it’s probably secret, so normally, they would refuse anyone from visiting--I would be lucky.

When Arisa asks the price of a normal scroll, she got told ‘3-5 silver coins’ as the answer.

“Our Master is a collector of scrolls. He could could chant the spell for the Magic contained in it, so when we get back to our mansion, he will put them on display and explain all about them to the servants.” Arisa made up a pretty good story.

Because, if I’m a Mage, then I have no need for scrolls to cast Magic; and if I’m a collector then I probably wouldn’t resell them. Moreover, he wouldn’t give me multiples of the same scrolls.

“Oh, I thought that you were a merchant, it turns out that you’re a Mage?”

“I’m still an amateur who can only use a few Magic Arts; rather, I’m more active as a traveler, not a merchant.”

“Scroll distribution is regulated by law, so I can’t sell you any if you’re going to resell them, but if you’re a Mage, then there’s no problem--I’m just saying this to be clear, but it’s impossible to sell Intermediate Magic Scrolls as decreed by the army.”

“Yes, it’s enough with Beginner Class. However, since I’m a collector, I wouldn’t be pleased if you only give me one type of scrolls--so please, give me various types.”

“It might be difficult to find as many as 30 gold coins worth of scrolls with no duplicates, since we usually only make around 20 different types of the well-selling ones--I might have to look in the warehouse.”

“Well, we could just ask the people from the Scroll Workshop to make one of the requested scroll right?” Hayuna spoke up.

“Ah, that’s right. Of course, it would take several days. Tek, are you fine with that?” Toruma asks me.

“Yes, the contract is established then.” I nod to Toruma, and am just about to give him the dagger, when Arisa stops us again.

“Verbal promises are no good. I’ll make a written contract, please put your signature, and press the seal on the dagger’s pommel into the wax.” Arisa quickly writes out a contract and holds it out to Toruma.

Written in it are: ‘As compensation for the dagger, Toruma is to pay the merchant Tek with scrolls worth 30 gold coins’, ‘The price of the scrolls shall not be changed, they shall follow their normal retail price.’, ‘The scrolls cannot be duplicates.’, ‘If there isn’t enough variation, Tek will choose a Beginner Grade Spell to be made into a scroll’, ‘In case the scroll needs to be made, Toruma will bear the cost for the order.’, and lastly, ‘In the case of breach of contract, Toruma and his family will serve Tek as slaves for 30 years’.

“Would you erase this last entry?” Toruma has a bitter expression.

But Arisa persists, “No, okay then--is the head of your parent’s house a Viscount? Or a Baron?”

“It’s Viscount: Viscount Shimen.”

“Then how about: ‘In case of breach of contact, in the name of Viscount Shimen, Toruma will pay 90 gold coins’, that?”

“90 gold coins?! That’s too much.”

“It’s just a What If scenario--when you fulfil the contract by giving 30-40 scrolls, that’d be the end of the story. Or are you going to give up the dagger?” Arisa is smiling, it seems that she either really liked negotiating--or beating down nobles.

“It can’t be helped, the latter is fine.” In the end, Toruma signs the contract that Arisa has written, she even prepared a copy for him to sign and stamp as well.

***

“Birds.”

“Prey are few.”

 

Pochi and Tama brought back two birds the size of pigeons.

They also brought fruits, wild grasses, and edible wild plants as well--I wonder if they were taught by the old people and children, they brought back quite a variety of wild grasses.

While the girls look upset, slumping slightly, I praise them--perking their moods back up.

“All of your slaves look strong.” Hayuna speaks, it seems that Toruma may be sulking a bit.

“Yes, according to the soldiers of Seryuu City, they’re comparable to senior knights.”

“That’s amazing! No wonder you could exterminate that many thieves,” Hayuna sounds impressed.

“Well, it’s also because of the two real knights with us today.”

“Those knights! Are they your acquaintances?” Toruma speaks up, he is irritated because they nearly killed him.

“No, it was our first meeting--seems that they were knights of Baron Muno.”

“What? They were cousin’s knights, huh--even in my wildest dreams, I couldn’t believe that a knight would go after a person behind.”

“Yes, they almost killed your wife.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, it was good that I made it in time.”

While we are having a chat, dinner has finished being cooked.

We arrange the seating like usual.

It’s fried bird meat, and vegetables on individual plates--instead of one large platter for the Beastkin girls, Arisa, and Lulu, while Mia and I eat more vegetables.

“Ohh, these look nice.” Toruma nods appreciatively.

“Huh? Are you going to let the slaves and servants eat together with the Master?”

“Yes, they’re my companions--we always eat together; isn’t it also like that in the army?”

“However, what if we catch an illness because of eating together with slaves?”

“Dear, these children are quite clean. We, ourselves are dirtier than they are.” Hayuna speaks to Toruma.

Toruma looks slightly dissatisfied, but Hayuna convinces him--I didn’t think of it because the only noble I had met, who didn’t mind it--but a noble wouldn’t want to eat together with slaves after all, huh?

Though, saying that you might catch a disease is rude--then again, I have seen some of the other slaves, and they look mistreated and unwashed--you may catch a disease from them.

I divided the seating into two for the meal--rather than for Toruma, I did it because it seemed that the girls wouldn’t be able to enjoy their meal.

Well, it’d be too rude to completely isolate Toruma and Hayuna--and Hayuna isn’t that bad--I sit with the couple, Nana stays with me.