Peromus mustered up the courage to confess his feelings for her, but she clearly declined.
　Allen thought that he should take the dejected Peroms to a good restaurant.

"Oh, hey, Fiona!"

　Chester couldn't help but intervene when Fiona refused without a fight.
　The reason why Chester didn't let Fiona see Peromus alone was because he could easily imagine such a situation.

"I'm sure we've talked a lot about how much business you've built, Lord Peromus."

　Chester seems to have been positive about his relationship with Peroms, and has been telling Fiona about Peroms' power as a merchant.
　Peromus is the chairman of the second largest merchant association in the Kingdom of Latash.
　It is the 87th largest in the world in terms of annual sales.
　Chester's merchant instincts whispered that Peromus had built such a large business in a few years, and that the business would grow even larger in the future.

　Chester himself has risen to become the richest man in Grandver by himself.
　He is a confident connoisseur of both goods and people.

　Peromus is accompanied by Cecile, the beloved daughter of Viscount Granvelle, who is said to have a dominant position in the kingdom of Latash and may become a count.

　And the one who came with Cecil was Allen.
　Chester has also heard about Allen's worldwide success.
　He also knows that Allen is one of the main reasons why Peromus has been able to grow the business.

　Peromus is a talented merchant and is blessed with good friendships.
　Considering the future of his business association and Fiona's future, he wants Fiona and Peromus to succeed in their relationship at all costs.

(Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

　I have a feeling that Chester is glancing at me like he wants me to do something about this situation.
　He knows that in this world, marriage is determined by rank and status, but Allen's senses have been pulled by his previous life, so he thinks that free love is the basis of marriage.
　That's why I think it's inevitable if Fiona refuses.

"It doesn't matter!

　Fiona refuses to listen to Chester, who tells her what a good merchant Peromus is.
　Fiona became even more stubborn.

"I've been to the dungeons, and I'm going to be strong enough to win Fiona's approval.

　Fiona had been told before that she liked strong men and she had refused.
　I've been going to dungeons and I've gotten a lot stronger.
　She said she would become a stronger man.

"You'll have to wait until you're a strong man before you can say something like that!

"Hey, Fiona. You can't expect a merchant to be strong.

　Cecil can't help but intervene.

"Because ......."

　You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.

"Or what? You're not going to tell Pelomus to slay a dragon by himself, are you?"

"What?　Dragons, yes. ......"

Oh!　Cecil, that's nice.



　Apparently, Fiona doesn't think Peromus is her type of man.
　So she seems to want to refuse him for this and that reason.

　A single merchant can beat a dragon to death.
　This seems to be a condition that anyone would find impossible in a world dominated by power.

　Fiona began to wonder if Peromus would give up on this condition.

"Peromus, if you defeat the dragon alone, Fiona might consider a relationship, is that possible?"

　Allen asked Peromus.
　(I'll do my best to lend you the equipment.

(I'll do my best to lend you the equipment, you know.)

　(I'll do my best to lend you the equipment.) Allen is giving Peromus a look so that Fiona can't see him.
　The weapons and armor from the Iron Golem, and the Rubanka Pearl that Crenna is wearing.
　I'm also thinking about going around the bottom boss of the S-class dungeon.
　Allen thinks that even a merchant with a poor status might be able to defeat a dragon.

"Hi, I'm a one-man dragon ........ If that's how you want to play it."

　Peromus seems to accept the condition, though he thinks it's serious.

"You won't say no?

　Fiona is astonished by Peromus' refusal to accept the condition of slaying the dragon alone.

"Peromus says he'll do it. Fiona, what are you going to do?"

　Cecil asks her how she can accept Peromus' determination.

"Okay, I understand. If you're willing to go that far, I'll think about it."

Oh?　Is that what you want? Then maybe you don't hate me that much.

　She seems to be worried that Peromus might die because of her.
　Fiona doesn't seem to completely dislike Peromus.

"Well, we'll be there, and if Peromus defeats the dragon by himself, we'll consider a relationship. Well, if he doesn't, don't worry, Allen and the rest of us will be right behind him.

　Fiona looked worried, so I told her that if she couldn't do it, we would step in and fight the dragon.
　Fiona wondered if Allen would be okay with that.

　The story seems to be coming together.
　Now that we're done talking, Allen thought, let's get everyone in the party together and discuss which dragon to slay and how Peromus can slay it alone.

"Yes, of course. If you really can slay a dragon by yourself, what are you wearing on your arm, Cecil?"

　Just as the conversation was about to end, Fiona noticed the Makris Pearl on Cecil's arm.
　In order to get skill experience to the carriage, Allen had equipped the Makris Pearl, which increased his maximum magic power.
　However, as soon as he got out of the carriage, he snatched it back into Cecil's arms as if he wanted it back.

"Oh?　How did you notice that? This was given to me by Allen!"



　Fiona's words reminded Cecil of the existence of the Sacred Pearl, and he looked at her as if he had finally noticed it.
　Then, with a big smile on his face, he told her that Allen had given it to him.

(Oh?　(Oh? Now that you mention it, ......)

　Cecil says, as if it's a matter of course, that it's the Holy Pearl of Makris that Allen gave him.

"What?　This is the Makris Pearl that can buy a whole country. ......"

　Even Chester, the richest man in the Grandver territory, had never seen the Makris Pearl before.

"That's right. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of the kingdom of Krebbur.　The princess gave it to Allen when he helped her because the kingdom was in trouble. Allen said I deserved it. ......"

　Fiona and Chester looked at him and Cecil couldn't stop smiling.
　Fiona slowly looks at Makris's holy bead and Allen.
　Cecil said that Allen had given him the Makris Pearl, which could buy a whole country, and that if he wanted to buy it, he would need to accumulate several million gold coins.
　From Cecil's story and expression, Fiona thought that he must not be lying.

　Fiona thought that Cecil must not be lying.

"I want the tears of Makris, too!

　Fiona stood up, clenched her fists and shouted.
　She didn't care about dragons anymore.
　The sacred pearl of Makris is referred to as the tears of the holy fish Makris in the Tale of the Proustian Empire.

(Well, that's what it says.)

　Cecil, who had gotten carried away with the story, seemed to realize what he had done.

"How could you do that?

"Of course not. I want something better than Cecil!

　Cecil and Fiona start fighting again.
　Allen had seen this scene ever since he had been a servant.
　I think Fiona had the upper hand in most of them.
　Fiona always came to Granvel's mansion with sweets, which were hard to find even in King's Landing, as souvenirs, and she wore better clothes than Cecil.
　I can understand Cecil's envy of Fiona, who had always been the daughter of a wealthy man.

"What are you going to do?　Give up?"

　Allen asks Peromus.
　The 1.8 million gold coins in annual sales for the abandoned business is annual sales, not profits.
　We can't use all the simple sales to buy Makris's Sacred Pearl.
　It might take more than ten years to buy the Sacred Pearl of Makris with just the profit.

"I understand. I'll get the Pearl of Makris for Fiona."

　Fiona thought that Peromus would say it was impossible, but it was not.
　Fiona thought that Peromus would say it was impossible, but he didn't. At this moment, she strongly felt Peromus' determination.


　After a few moments of silence, Fiona slowly opened her mouth, drawing everyone's attention.

"...... Peromus, if you can bring me the tears of the holy fish Makris, I will not be in a relationship, I will be married to Peromus for the rest of my life.

　Fiona says she'll marry you instead of dating you if you bring her the sacred pearl of Makris.

"Oh, really?　I promise. I'll bring it to you!

　Peromus stood up.
　Peromus stood up and said that he would risk everything to get the Sacred Pearl of Makris.

"But as I said before, I want it to be better than Cecil's."

　He added the condition that he wanted to bring something better than the Makris Pearl that Cecil had given Allen.

"What?　What do you mean?"

　Peromus wondered if there was anything good or bad about the holy beads.
　Neither Allen nor Cecil understood the meaning of the words.

"I want the tears of Makris, the holy fish that no one has touched except you, Peromus!

(Hmm?　What are you talking about?　Are you saying I can't buy it?

　An unfamiliar condition is added.
　It sounds like I have to get it directly from Makris.

"Wait a minute. That's not from a storybook!"

　Apparently, there was such a story in a storybook, though Allen didn't know it.

"This is non-negotiable. What about it?　Give it up!

"All right. You'll get it from Makris, right?

"No, no, no. Why ......?"

　I asked Peromus' determination why he didn't give up.
　He wants to challenge the dragon for himself and get the Holy Pearl of Makris.

"I love you, Fiona. I'll get it right away, so please wait for me.

　There was only one reason for him to get the Pearl of Makris.
　My feelings haven't changed since I first met Fiona in the town of Granvel, where the chief of Krena Village brought me.

"Yes, I'll be waiting for you at ......."

　Fiona couldn't say anything more.
　She decided to wait and see if Peromus would bring her the Pearl of Makris.

　After a few words, Allen and the others left Chester's upscale inn.
　Then, using the summoner of Bird A, they moved to the base in the S-class dungeon.



　I'm using it as a base for Allen's new army in the S-class dungeon.
　I've also reserved a room for Allen's party, but there's no one there at the moment.
　Krena, Dogora, and the others are hunting Iron Golems, while Shea, Luke, and the others are attacking the Class A dungeon.

"Hey, it's not my fault, you know!

　As soon as he shifted, Cecil distanced himself from Allen and Peromus, and with a snap, he crossed his arms in front of his chest in a defensive posture.
　Apparently he thought he was being accused.

"No, I didn't say that.

No, I didn't.

"No, it's okay. Thank you. Fiona said she'd marry me. I'll do my best."

　As for Peromus, he was glad that they were talking about marriage instead of a relationship, although the terms were certainly more difficult.

"What do you mean, the Holy Pearl of Makris that only Peromus has touched?

"There are many stories like that. I mean, there are a lot of stories about it in the museum.

　According to Cecil, there are a lot of creative works in the world inspired by the "Tales of the Proustian Empire," which is read all over the world.
　Most of them are about fetching tears from the holy fish Makris for lovers to prove their love.

(What? It's a secondary story of the Proustian Empire.

　The story is so famous that many stories have been written based on the story of the Proustian Empire.
　Maybe there are no copyrights in this world.

"Hmm?　So you're saying that the quest can't be bought, only dropped?"

　If you have memories of a previous life, there are items needed to complete quests.
　Some items could be purchased or traded by other users, while others could not.
　If the item was not tradable, you would have to complete another quest or kill an enemy.
　Naturally, the conditions for non-tradeable items were more severe.

"That's probably how it works."

　Cecil barely understood Allen's game brain.

"By the way, did you ever hear of anyone getting it directly?

　I asked Cecil if he had any concrete record of success.

"No, of course not. I've never heard of it."

　Apparently not.
　But look at Peromus, he's so motivated.
　Peromus is not going to give up.

(It's like Peromus is playing a different game.)

　(It seems like Peromus is the only one playing a different game.) I feel the same way about Peromus that I felt when I saw Merle, the golem user.

"Well then, let's talk to Shea and negotiate with Crevelle and ask them to allow us to enter the Protean Empire.

"What?　Can you do that?"



"Well, after we negotiate, I guess."

　Allen talked about the future.
　Either way, collecting holy beads is necessary to strengthen Allen's party.
　I think I'll start by asking Shea, who has ties to the fish kingdom of Culebule, to negotiate with him.

　The merchant Peromus is about to embark on an unprecedented challenge of his life.