Kamisama Shop de Cheat no Kaori

Chapter 133. Three Companion And The Mayor

When I heard it was the mayor’s house, considering the size of the town, I imagined a slightly grander building.

There was a time when I thought that.

I asked the tavern keeper for the mayor’s residence, and when I arrived, it was as large as the biggest warehouse among those managed by Cherina Veliero, the red-haired shipping magnate we met in old Pilatus.

It was comparable to a noble’s mansion in the noble district of Piratus (though, of course, it couldn’t hold a candle to Lord Kimo’s grand estate).

When I handed the admission slip the tavern keeper gave me to the stern gatekeeper, despite our sudden visit, we were promptly allowed inside.

The carriage area was quite splendid too, and this time, Falna Malz… Faf followed along.

When we parked next to the carriage area, the stable boy’s eyes widened. Same reaction everywhere.

Faf, after having plenty of rest in the air-conditioned room of the camper, seemed to have a bit more shine to her black-and-silver ponytail.

By the way, the large gauntlet with claws she usually wears now had the claws retracted, making it look like an ordinary piece of armor.

Faf may appear to be a girl in her early teens, but she’s skilled enough to take on both Hagg and Yaralai at the same time, making fools of them.

Honestly, I have no idea what her objective is, but since she’s not causing any harm, I’ve been leaving her be for now.

The building was made of thick timber and brick, mostly painted in a whitish hue.

From what I know, most of the fancier buildings I’ve seen have a similar white appearance, so maybe it’s a status symbol for the wealthy.

A row of short but lush trees with thin trunks lined the path from the gate, though short, forming an alley.

These plants were common in the area, but they had far more leaves than their wild counterparts, likely due to being well-watered.

There were even flowers blooming along the trees, so they must be well cared for.

Feeling slightly out of place, I walked down the pleasantly shady tree-lined path.

When a servant guided us to the front entrance, we weren’t asked to hand over our weapons and were let in.

Neither Hagg nor Yaralai made any effort to hide their huge weapons hanging from their backs. A bit careless, don’t you think?

The entrance opened into a high-ceilinged hall, with stone columns supporting the ceiling.

The stairs and handrails were made of stone too, giving off a slight vibe of an old Roman shrine.

It wasn’t white marble but rather a milky white paint, and the carvings felt more like the patterns carved into Angkor Wat.

Of course, the culture is vastly different, so a slight change in perspective could easily give off a completely different impression.

It was a natural blend of ancient Roman, Asian ruins, and old European architecture, a design likely optimized by the climate and lifestyle over time.

The hall in front was large, with a straightforward layout: a hallway extending to the right and stairs to the left.

Above the hall, there was a balcony with a railing extending horizontally, where a slender middle-aged man stood.

A nearby servant whispered, “That’s the mayor.”

As I stepped forward to greet him, the mayor beckoned before I could speak.

“Come on up.”

We exchanged glances, but since there seemed to be no issues, we ascended the stone steps.

A thick, intricately patterned carpet covered the stairs.

I thought it might be slippery, but it clung to the stone as if it were attached, serving as a highly effective anti-slip measure.

However, considering the cost of such a long, handmade carpet, I couldn’t help but sigh a little.

I’d heard that even small Persian carpets could take six months to complete.

Creating something of this length with consistent quality might take a lifetime.

With slight hesitation about stepping on such a laborious masterpiece, we climbed the stairs, and the mayor personally led us to a room.

“I’ll have tea brought right away. For now, please take a seat.”

Though the room was on the second floor, it had a high ceiling and was bright and spacious.

The wooden windows were open, and a skylight allowed strong sunlight to reflect off the walls, illuminating the room with indirect light.

Two servants slowly fanned us with large fans, keeping the air circulating without any hint of stagnation.

The furniture had a Turkish flair. Perhaps it’s due to the influence of both Asian and European cultures?

“I received word earlier that you’ll be scouting out the pest colony for us.

And for both the renowned Wandering Warhammer Hagg and Black Needle Yaralai to appear together, it’s like rain in the dry season.”

The mayor, a human with slightly greenish hair streaked with gray, turned from the window with a somewhat theatrical gesture.

His thin green mustache seemed like a charm point. Was the backlighting intentional?

Before I could move, Hagg and Yaralai plopped down on the sofas to the left and right, and Faf, chuckling, sat next to Yaralai.

So, that leaves me sitting next to Hagg, huh?

Wait a minute.

That leaves the one-seat sofa directly in front of the mayor empty. Does that mean I’m the one who has to talk?!

Hold on a second! Hagg’s supposed to be the leader here!

I glared daggers at the dwarf, but the jerk was picking his nose! Damn him!

Swallowing my urge to cry, I forced a salesman’s smile (though I knew it came out crooked) and lightly sat down in the middle of the biggest sofa.

At that exact moment, tea was served to everyone with perfect timing.

Though the cups weren’t glass, they were wide-mouthed, allowing a full view of the contents—ceramics I hadn’t seen in this region before.

Unlike the earthenware I’d seen previously, these were glazed and had a glossy shine. They were white ceramic too.

Though they weren’t as stark white as porcelain, I could imagine that, with a few more centuries, they’d achieve that level of purity, or perhaps perfection had already been reached elsewhere.

In any case, there was no doubt they were expensive.

To emphasize that, a bright red flower was blooming beneath the surface of the water.

I recognized it—it was the finest imported tea I had seen at Cherina’s place.

But with the presentation and the cups, this place had her beat.

In other words, they’re serious.

“I am Doldol Messara, the one who governs this town.”

Doldol extended his hand, and when I leaned forward to shake it, he spoke with a serious gaze.

“By the way, I’m only 30, so keep that in mind.”

His grip was firm and resolute.

…I thought he was around 50.

A young mayor means he must have either talent, connections, or both.

I’ll need to stay on my toes.

With a salesman’s smile, I shook his hand and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Now, we don’t have much time, so let’s get to the point. If you’ve seen the request, then…”

“Yes, we were hoping to take on this scouting mission.”

“No, I have another job for you. I want you to defend this town. Of course, I’ll guarantee triple the usual fee.”

He spoke earnestly, with a slight smile toward the end, as if it were a given we would accept.