王都の復興工事がひと段落してから、俺はしばらくすることがなくなった.
　俺によく土木工事の仕事をくれていた『建築ギルド』の親方や職人たちは、水路の竣工式のあとに休暇を取る者が多かった.
　彼らはかなり長い期間働き詰めだったので、当然と言えば当然だが、おかげで急ぐ必要のある現場以外はだいたいお休みという感じになった.

　冒険者ギルドへの工事現場への応援の依頼はまだあるらしいが、前よりずっと少なくなり、俺が何かないかとギルドのおじさんに尋ねても依頼の募集人員は埋まってしまった、と返されることも多くなった.

　ほぼ日課だった『どぶさらい』も新型の良い水路が完成したため、汚れのたまりが前よりずっと少なく、やることが少なくなった.

　そういうわけで、今は俺の仕事があんまりない.
　まあ、稼いだ生活費はたんまりあるし、別に当分仕事がなくても生きるには困らないのだが.
　日頃の鍛錬以外やることがないというのは少しばかり退屈だ.

　そこで俺は今日、思い立って人で賑わう王都の『市場』へと足を運んだ.
　今まで、この市場へは珍しい食べ物や生活用品を調達しに何度か足を運んだことはあったが、そんなにじっくりと見て歩いたことはない.
　この際だから色々と知らないものを見ておこうと思ったのだ.
　ギルドマスターのおじさんとの会話で商売というものに興味を抱いたというのも少しあるが.

「本当に色々あるな」

　『冒険者の街』の顔として知られる王都の『還らずの迷宮』の前を通る大通りには様々な武具や道具を扱う店が立ち並び、日々、色々な人で賑わっているが、この王都の『中央市場』はどちらかというと裏側になる.

　大通りの一般顧客向けの商店とは違い、料理人や職人、鍛治職人や魔術師などの専門職(プロ)向けの商材が置いてある通りとして有名だ.
　天気のいい日には狭い通路にひしめく各種専門店から店の外にも露天の棚が出て、賑わいを増す.

　入り組んで見通しの悪い路地に所狭しと並べられている、魔術師が使うらしい何だかよくわからない薬の瓶や、何かの武器防具の素材になるらしい奇妙な生き物の皮や角. そして見たことのない珍しい果物や、何に使うのかさっぱりわからない道具類.
　知識のない俺には何が何の為に置いてあるのかはさっぱりわからないが、そういう珍しいモノを眺めているだけでも飽きない.
　ただし、俺が何も買わずにじっと店を覗いていると、ただの冷やかしか盗み目当ての怪しい奴だと思われ大抵嫌な顔をされる.
　まあ、それも仕方のないことだろう.

　でも俺だって、別に何も買わないつもりで店を眺めているわけではない.

　今日はいつもより、かなり多めに金を持ってきたし、せっかくならちゃんと使おうと思ってここにきた. でも正直、ここにはいろんなものがありすぎて、逆に何を買ったらいいのかさっぱりわからなくなるのだ.

　金を使うのにもそれなりの知恵がいるのだと知った.
　せっかく金を持ってきたのに、全然減らない.
　金というのはあまり自分だけで貯め込むのは良くない、という話は誰かから聞いたことがあるが……いきなり大金を使おうと思っても、想像以上に使い所がない.
　やたらと他人に金と物をあげたがるリーンのお父さんの気持ちが少しわかったような気がする.

　そんなことを考え、同じ道を何度も行ったり来たりしていたところで、立ち止まって覗き込んだ店で店番の若い男に声をかけられた.

「なあ、そこの兄ちゃん……朝からずっとウチの前を行ったり来たりしてるけど、何か用か？　用がないならどっか行ってくれよ. ここ狭いし、何も買わない奴は邪魔なんだよ」

　何度となく、店番の人間から嫌そうな視線を向けられたことはあったが、この若い店番の男にははっきりと口に出して言われた.
　まあ、確かに通路は狭いので、何も買わずにただ居るだけでは邪魔かもしれない.
　とはいえ、買わないと決めているわけでもないし、とりあえずそのことを正直に言った.

「いや、ちゃんと何かを買うつもりでここに来たんだが……色々ありすぎてな. 何を買ったらいいのかわからないんだ」

「何だ、やっぱり素人かよ……ここいらは専門家(プロ)向けの商材を扱ってる店がほとんどだ. 悪いが一般人とじゃあんまり商売にならねえし、もうちょっと勉強してから出直してきな」

　やはり、ここはある程度知識がある人間が訪れる場所らしい.
　案の定、追い出されそうになるが、この男だってさっきからかなり暇そうにしているし、俺以外の客は見当たらない.
　...... Let's ask around anyway.

"What do you sell here?
We're a supply store for farmers. We also sell fertilizer and tools, but our ...... mainstay is seeds, as you can see. Well, I guess you could call us a seed store.

　There are many small bags hanging in the store, and they are filled with something.
　When I looked closely, I could definitely see something that looked like seeds.

"These are all seeds, ......?　Wow.
"Yes, they are. I'm sure there's a lot of stuff the layman hasn't seen before.

　There are so many different kinds of seeds.
　As I stared at the bag of seeds in admiration, the man looked at me with a more bored expression.

He looked at me with a more bored expression. "Are ...... seeds that rare?　You've seen them before, haven't you?　You know, the ones you grow in the field and then harvest.
Yeah. Yeah, I've seen that. I've grown crops for food before.
Hmm?　You ever been in a field?
Yeah. I've been doing it for about 20 years, ever since I can remember.
Oh, you're an experienced farmer, ....... Twenty years?　You've done a lot of .......

　The man who was guarding the store, who looked like a pain in the ass, changed his eyes a little.

I've been doing this for quite a while now.

　I've been helping out in the fields since my father died and my mother was still alive and well, so that's probably how long I've been doing it.

I think that's how long I've been helping out in the fields. ...... I see. So the body and scars ...... make a little sense. You're an adventurer who came from a farming family?　I'm sorry to pry, but ...... you're right, aren't you?
"Well, not exactly, but ...... something like that. I'm an adventurer now.
Are you still working in the field?　No, not while working as an adventurer.
Yeah. I haven't been doing it since I came to King's Landing. You can buy good food without cooking it yourself, and it's much better to eat at a restaurant if you have some money. I've gotten used to it.


"......, I guess. That's what going out on the town is all about. But it would be a shame to throw away that ...... experience.

　The man looked up at the ceiling with a strange sense of emotion.
　Did this man also come to King's Landing from somewhere else?
　Surprisingly, he seems to like to talk. Maybe he's just bored.

But 20 years of working in the fields since you were a kid is impressive. That must have been hard work.
"Well, I've always been alone. I only had to grow enough for myself, and as long as I took care of it, it produced well.
"...... alone?　What about your family?

　The man was surprisingly interested in what I had to say and leaned forward.

My father and mother died when I was little. I've been alone ever since.
I've been alone ever since." "I see. ...... You've been struggling, too. ...... You've been farming to survive on your own since you were a kid. That's pretty good, that's .......

　The man looked at my face and teared up a little.

I'm sorry for treating you like an amateur, ....... You're definitely qualified to come to us. Well, you can ask me anything. I'll teach you when I'm free.

　Suddenly, the man's attitude changed.
　Suddenly, the man's attitude changed. ...... Now, I feel like I've made a big misunderstanding.
　Even though I've been working in the field for a long time, I'm still an amateur.
　Nevertheless, the store keeper, who seemed to be a bit of a pain in the ass at first, seemed to be in the mood to talk to me.

　There are many products in this store that I am very interested in.
　Just in time, I decided to ask him some questions.

...... Is this a seed?　It just looks like a root to me.

　At my feet was a large box full of what looked like black roots.
　I was told that this was a 'seed store', but no matter how I looked at it, it didn't look like a seed in size, but if it was a seed, I was very curious about what kind of crop it would grow.

"No, that's not a seed, it's just what it looks like on ....... It's a root.
"Oh, so it's not a seed?

　I listened to the man's explanation, a little disappointed.

"Oh. "Yeah, it's called 'Mandragora', the roots are edible. If you plant it in the soil, it will gradually grow.
"...... Mandragora?


Yeah. It's called that because its roots are similar in color and texture to the dangerous magical plant 'Mandragora'. Well, the resemblance is only in appearance, don't worry, it won't make you scream or curse if you pull it out.

　I don't know about this 'mandragora' plant, but is this seemingly creepy thing a food too?

"Crop, you mean these roots are edible?
"Yes, it is. When boiled or roasted, it becomes quite sweet. It's good for beginners too, because you can just plant it and water it and it will grow even on thin land.
"You can grow sweet things even if the land is thin? That's good.

　In my experience, it takes a lot of effort to prepare the soil.
　The nutrient content of the soil makes a big difference.
　It must be a very good crop if it can grow well in a thin soil.

Would you like to try one?
Are you sure?
Yeah. I just baked some. It's a snack for me.
Okay. I'll take it.

　I took it without reservation and put it in my mouth.

...... It's definitely sweet.
You know?　It's even sweeter when it's cooked.
I see.

　The meat was tender, and a slight sweetness spread in my mouth even without chewing.
　I was surprised to find that I could enjoy it so much just by grilling it.
　If it can be grown on a thin land, it must be a very good crop.

"This is nice. ...... Can I have a bag of it?
"Oh, what. Are you going to start a farm again?
No, I don't plan on it for a while, but it's ...... good for a snack.
Yeah, they keep well and you can just burn them.

　As he spoke, the man put some black roots in a bag and presented them to me.

"Here you go, that's ten copper coins. That's ten copper coins. I gave you a little extra.
"Oh, thank you.

　I handed him the money and received a bag of 'Mandragora'.

When you're ready to start farming again, I'll give you a hand. I'll be happy to serve you.
"Yeah, I'll see you then.



　俺は店を離れると早速、その『呪叫草(マンドラゴラ)モドキ』を一本、袋から取り出した.

「【プチファイア】」

　そうして、歩きながら俺のスキル【プチファイア】で焼き、頃合いを見て口に入れた.

「────甘い」

　確かに、焼き方によっては少し甘みが増す気がする.
　今のは強火目で焼いたが、それが良かったらしい.
　そして、焼きたてはホクホクとしてさらに美味しい.

　やはり、これはおやつとしてはいいかもしれない.
　また買いに来るか.



　　　◇



　その後も俺は市場を歩いて廻り、色々人に話を聞いたりしながら普段買わないものを沢山買った.
　だが、どうせならたくさん使おうと思って持ってきた金は一向に減る気配がない.

　結局、俺が買ったものは今すぐに使う日用品か、食べ物ばかりだった.
　珍しい道具もあって興味は惹かれるものの、だいたいどういう使い方をするものだ、という話を聞いただけで満足してしまうし、俺に何かを買わせようと一生懸命説明してくれる店主もいたが、話を聞けば聞くほど自分にはいらないものだという気がしてくる.

　同じ日用品や食べ物でも、高級品を買えばお金は減るかもしれないが、そもそも、どこに行けば買えるのかという知識がない. 土地や建物なども買えば減るだろうが、そもそも、そんなものはいらないしな…….

　今日一日市場を歩き回り、俺はつくづく『買い物』が下手なのだと自覚した.

　だが色々知れたし、得るものはたくさんあったと思う.
　市場を見て回った俺はますます『商売』というものに興味が湧いてきた.

　どうやら俺は物を買うこと自体にはあまり興味はないが、沢山のものが人の手から人の手に流れていく様子を眺めるのは好きらしい.

　あんなにも色々な種類の商品が、余っているところから仕入られ、必要としている誰かに届けられる. きっと『市場』というのはその一場面でしかないが、その流れの一端を見ているだけで楽しくなってくる.

　王都の市場を眺めるほどに、南にある『商人の国』サレンツァというのにもますます興味が湧いた. 俺にとっては王都の市場でさえ巨大と思えるが、聞けば、サレンツァの首都の市場はまるで規模が違うという.

　街が海に面し、様々な場所と交易する大きな船が乗り入れられ、大陸中から沢山の物資が集まり、また流れていく.
　街の大きさも、人の多さも王都の数倍だという. そこにどんな場所があるのか見当もつかないが、王都でこれだけ楽しめたのだから、きっとサレンツァの街はもっとすごいのだろう.
　どうせなら、一生に一度ぐらい見てみたいという願望が湧く.

　評判(うわさ)ではサレンツァの商人はあくどい商売をしている者も多いと聞くが……きっと、皆が皆そうではないだろうし、何より『大陸一の商売上手』と呼ばれるだけの何かがあるのだろう.
　そういうのにも少し、憧れる.

　まあ、俺自身が商売には向いていないだろうというのは、なんとなく理解はしている.
　でも、俺の手元には使うあてのない金が沢山あるわけだし……試しに商人の真似事をしてみるというのもありなんじゃないか、とも思い始めている.
　失敗すれば綺麗さっぱりなくなるだろうが……元々、別になくなったところで全く困らない金だ.
　最初から使い切るつもりで持っていくなら、ありだろう.
　……もしかしたら、意外な商売の才能というやつもあるかもしれないし.
　試してみるだけならタダだろう.
　それにもしかしたら、様々な品物が集まるというサレンツァになら、王都にはなかった俺が欲しいものもあるかも知れない.
　そう思うと、ますます行きたくなる.

　だが、サレンツァというのはとても行きにくい国だという.
　サレンツァから入ってくるのは比較的容易らしいが、クレイス王国からの入国は、単に国境をまたぐだけでも、様々な種類の許可をとらなければならないらしい.
　商売などの交易目的であれば許されるらしいが、かなりの知識が必要になるそうだ.
　The uncle of the guild told me that I should hire someone for that purpose. ...... I don't really know what kind of person I should hire for that either.
　I'll have to consult him again.

　As I was walking down the main street of the capital, it was getting dark, I suddenly felt someone approaching me from behind.
　I was a little surprised to see someone suddenly standing behind me in the middle of the crowd, but when I turned around ......, there was Leanne, the girl I had imagined.

"Sir?
...... Lean. It's been a while.

　I hadn't seen her since she invited me and her father to go to Mithra.
　It's strange how easy it is to find yourself wherever you are, but ...... I've gotten used to it.
　You can think of it as being found by a bird.

How did you find me in such a crowded place? ...... Oh, so you tracked me with your skills again?
"Yes. I didn't think it would be polite to find out where you were without permission, but ...... I wanted to ask you a favor as soon as possible.
A favor?
Yes. I was wondering if you could follow Mithra and head south with me to the commercial district of Sarenza.
You're going to Salenza with me?

　I was just thinking about going to Salenza, so it was like I was caught off guard.

So, you're a courier again?
"...... Yes, ostensibly. My father thought it would be a good idea. I know this is a very urgent and confusing request, but I would really appreciate your help. That's because this time, I'm the heir to the throne. ────
"Good.
...... What?
Actually, I've been wanting to go to Salenza myself. It's rather convenient.

　Lean, who was trying to explain something, looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"You too?
"Yeah. It's not much of an errand, but ...... you can afford to do some shopping on your way there, can't you?
Yes, yes, of course.
I'd love to go. In fact, I'd even pay for the trip myself.
No, no!　That's not true. ......!　You don't have to pay anything to Dr. Noor. ......!　We'll take care of all the expenses for your stay, so please don't hesitate to ask for anything.

　...... No, that means I can't use my extra money.
　Well, I guess I don't need her permission to spend my own money on the road.
　If you spend it without saying anything, there is no problem.


　Besides, I heard that the country of Salenza is very difficult to enter without permission.
　If I had tried to get permission on my own, I wouldn't have been able to leave at all. That alone would have been a great help.

　I feel a little embarrassed as a grown-up to be relying on a girl from a rich family for everything, but I'm really lucky to have ...... her as an acquaintance.

So, when are you going?
It's ──── really urgent, but I'm hoping to leave soon.
Oh, well. That'd be great for me too.

　The construction site is closed for the vacations, but I'm sure the work will come back after a while. It would be best if I could go to Salenza and come back during that time.
　I'm really hoping for the best, and I'm a little scared.

"If it's all right with you, Doctor, I'd like to leave for ...... tomorrow morning.
Okay. Give me a minute. I'll get you some money to take with you on your trip.
No, no. We'll pay for everything over there at ────.
No, it's for personal purchases. I don't want to spoil it for you.

　So I hurried to the adventurer's guild.