It's been seven days since we entered the abandoned mine.

　We had explored quite a bit of the area, but still hadn't found the sword we were looking for.

　Yuki was now able to map the area almost as fast as she could walk, so we were making progress in our search, but even so, the abandoned mine was still too large for us to cover everything.

　And the deeper we went, the more undead we encountered.

　The number of undead we encountered increased as we dove deeper.

　If we assume that all of these people were forced to work, how many people would be killed?

　But fortunately, they don't seem to wander around too much, and by camping out a little further back from the area where we've cleared out the undead, we haven't been attacked in our sleep so far.

　Another thing that has been helping me in my quest is the simple bed that Toya made for me.

　Thanks to this bunk and the six hours of sleep I get every day, I am not too tired the next morning and can explore for a long time.

　However, living without sunlight for seven days was a bit stressful.

　We had no urgent work to do, and on the eighth day, we decided to return to Laffan.

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　The morning after we returned home, we took a break from our early morning training and all of us woke up rather slowly.

　While we were exploring the abandoned mines, we were able to get a relatively comfortable sleep thanks to a simple sleeping pad, but we were still somewhat cautious, and we were using cloaks and blankets.

　Therefore, I realized once again that it was good to sleep at home, where I could sleep on a firm futon without worrying about being attacked.

　The Bear Pavilion was a good place to stay, but I felt more at home in my own house than in an inn.

　After having a rather late breakfast, I went to the adventurer's guild to get some magic stones for cash.

　I had also acquired two more white iron swords with emblems, so I went there to dispose of those as well, but...

"Sorry, sir. We're having a bit of a problem. ......

　With a slightly troubled look on her face, Diora bowed to us.

　He told us that the negotiations regarding the sword he left with us last time have not progressed at all.

　It's been a week or so, so you can say it's not a problem. ...... Diora, who seems basically competent, said, "Not at all," so there must have been some problem.

What's going on?
Actually, there's a bit of a problem in the town of Kerg right now. ......

　According to the details, the town of Kergu was in a state of confusion due to the Order of the Holy Satomi, and Viscount Nenus was busy dealing with it, so he was not in a situation to negotiate.

It's not a good idea to go to a bargaining table when you're that busy. ......

The Order of the Sutomie Saints. Ms. Diora, can I ask you what the problem is?

Well, ...... to put it simply, the town's security is deteriorating due to too much money being collected.

　As a result of doing business like some idol, they sucked up more money than the limit even from commoners with little disposable income, and a lot of people got lost on the streets.

　The damage was not only limited to the commoners, but there were also several noblemen who leaned on their ransoms, and some even resorted to fraud to raise the missing money.

(It's kind of like a vicious new religion, isn't it?)
It's more like that.

　That type of business has been a powerful medicine for the immunocompromised people of this world.

　--No, there's more to it than that.

"It's probably bad because they're abusing their skills.

It's not just that. Aella is also being deceived. ...... No, it's not confirmed.

(It's not confirmed, but it's confirmed, right?　(In terms of probability.)

　It's not impossible that there are other people with the same type of skills, but if you think about the time when he disappeared after tricking Aella and the time when the Satsomayor cult started its activities, there's a good chance it's the same person.

But if there's a problem, why don't we just crack down on the cult of Saint Sathmie?

"That seems to be quite difficult. It's not like the cult itself is doing anything illegal. ......

Oh, ...... that's what it's ...... going to be.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　It does not matter how they got the money to do so, it does not matter to the cult.

　However, the problem is that some skills are used as a means to make people spend that money. ...... You can't prove that.

You can't prove it.　You're a lord.

　So. This world does not have a clear rule of law.
　Up to a certain point, if the king or lord says no, it's decided.

　If it is too unreasonable, it can become a problem, but in this case, it is only a 'ban on certain businesses'. If there is a reason, it is unlikely to be a problem. .......

I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea. There are a lot of commoners involved in this.

...... I see, of that abandoned mine.

　It's hard to take strong measures because they have a history of forcing criminals and sending them to the mines.

　There are still people living who experienced that era, and if you crack down on commoners with vague charges, you might cause an overreaction.

　What we are doing is selling holy water. What I'm doing is just selling holy water.

That sounds difficult.

Yes. People who have embezzled money, but others are just in debt or have lost their homes. As a result, public safety deteriorates. ......

　If they get lost and commit crimes, we can catch them, but that's not the root solution.

　If you want to make a profit in the long run, you need to consider the long term revenue.

　If you're looking for long-term profits, it's probably counterproductive to squeeze too much out of your followers, but in that case, are you thinking of moving your base to another location?

　--In that case, are you thinking of moving your base elsewhere? It's like locusts.

I get it. Don't worry about negotiating the purchase of the sword until we get settled.

Thank you very much. So ...... I'm very sorry to tell you that ......

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm not sure if you'll be able to find the right one for you.

"...... fertilizer?

　Haruka twists her head at Diora's words.



　The fertilizer that I sold from the vending machine was casually selling well, and I had stocked up quite a lot of it, but when I came back this time, it was almost empty.

　I had added some to the stock, but since I was mainly selling undead, whose corpses could not be recovered, I didn't have much stock left.

　Considering the volume of sales, it's understandable that people would want to know how to make them, but from our point of view, it's almost like waste disposal, and the price is moderate, so the sales themselves are not that big.

　I don't think it's something that the deputies would care about. .......

Apparently, the unbelievable effects of that fertilizer have been reported to the Lord Deputy .......

Do you really think that's such a big deal?

No, he wouldn't normally do such a thing. The secrecy of our products is an important part of our business. But this time, the timing was a little wrong.

　Confusion in the city of Kerg.

　This is the cause.

　Most of the food in this town is imported from other towns, and it is transported through the town of Kerg.

　The town of Kerg is in turmoil, and it is unlikely that it will be resolved soon.

　There is also the road via Sarstad, and it is possible to avoid the kergue, so it is unlikely that food transportation will be completely cut off, but even so, a decrease in transportation volume and a rise in food prices are expected.

　The best way to deal with this is to increase food self-sufficiency, but farmland cannot be increased so easily, and neither can the number of people engaged in farming.

　It seems that what caught his attention was the fertilizer we sell.
　It could solve both problems and be effective in a short time.

　It may not have an immediate effect, but the mere fact that it can be produced even if transportation is cut off will be useful in deterring unnecessary hoarding and relieving anxiety.

　This is something that a politician should not overlook.

Normally, the guild would protect it, but ......
Difficult this time?
Yes. It's a request for disclosure, but it's an order.

By the way, can I refuse?

I can, but I wouldn't recommend it. I'm sure you'll get your money's worth, and I think it's better to just accept the favor.

　Diora looked a little troubled and gave us such advice.

　If Diora, who knows more than us, says so, then it must be true.

　We don't want to force a confrontation with the powers that be, and we don't really care how that fertilizer is made in the first place. .......

"I'm going to disclose something, is that okay?

It's okay.　It'll be a problem if we can't sell our stuff, but that's not likely, is it?

I agree. But what do you think?　I don't know if it's actually useful. ......

I know. It's not like it's a big secret.

Is that so?

　Diora looked at me strangely and nodded her head. It's true that if you know the effect, you'll wonder what kind of secret there is.

　If I had to guess, I would say that the compost, which saves time, can be substituted with any ordinary material.

　The only difference is the raw material, but whether you can get it or not is another matter.

Yes. So, I don't want you to say, 'It was useless! I don't want you to say, 'It wasn't useful!' ......

"That's okay. I don't think that will cause any trouble for Haruka and the others, because he is a decent man.

Really?　I hope so.

I'll let him know that Haruka and the others have given their consent. I'll call you later. ......

We've been to an abandoned mine ...... and I'm not sure if I can comply right away ....... I'm going to take a few days off from today.

"A few days? ...... I understand. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thank you. Well, I'll try to be flexible, but I can't expect you to be on call all the time.

I understand. I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.