When I arrived at the tool shop, there was so much merchandise inside that I could call it a miscellany.
The aisles were so narrow that people could barely pass each other in the aisles.

Rase.

The unwilling owner of the shop is leaning his head back as if he's about to fall asleep.
Is this store okay?

What are you looking for, master?
Hmmm, maybe soap. Also, do you have a razor?　I've been growing lately.
'Then here and here. The soap is squishy, but you can use it for shaving and it will make your skin smooth. For shaving, you can use this small knife. It's the safe type in case it sticks.

Wendy is amazing to find the exact product you want in this messy display where you can't tell which one is which.
Is a shaver a knife? It's a bit scary.

And also.........hmm?　What is this board?
''It's a magic induction plate. It can draw in and out of things that have magical powers.
What about this little ball?
It's a vibrating sphere. This one vibrates as the magic passes through it.
What's it for?
I don't know. Shopkeeper. What will this one be used for?
Well?

Well. I thought he was a very unmotivated store owner, but you should at least know how to use the products.

''Hmm ... let's just buy two of both for now. Maybe we can use them for something.
Don't waste your money, okay?
10,000 Nol.... But it looks interesting, and I won't know until I try it.

It's cheap. I feel like I can make something interesting.

I also decided to buy other useful magic tools that can easily start a fire, empty magic stones and colored glass of uneven shape.

''Hey, do you have any large, deep-bottomed iron pots shaped like that?''
Nabe?　Uh, it's just a jar over there.

The proprietor of the store showed me a skeleton with long things inside, such as a clothesline, that could be used to make ramen soup.
But it was a little smaller than I wanted, only up to just above my knees, and not very wide.

What are you going to use it for?
No, I need a bath. I thought if I poured the water into a bigger pot, I could get in.
Couldn't you just wash it off?
A wash?

I read something about it. I think it was something about cleaning up your body with magic.

Yes. It's called life magic and it's useful for life, such as cleansing (wash), drying (dry) and breeze (soft aero). I can use it, but do you want to try it?
Yeah. That's nice. I'm going to have to do something about it, you know?

We paid the bill and left the tool shop early.

'Aritaa.'

The owner was unmotivated to the end, but he still did the math well.
The price was 70,000 Nol.
The magic tool to make a fire was a bit expensive at 30,000 Nol, but it was definitely useful with this, so I guess it can't be helped.


''Then I'll do it.

When Wendy meditated and cast a spell on me, something like a ring spinning around my toes circled me and went up from my toes to the top of my head.
The dirt on my body seemed to fall away with it.
I thought it was going to cover me with water to clean me up, but I guess I was wrong.

'Oh. It's pretty refreshing.
The baths are a luxury. Only the nobility and rich people can take a bath. That's why we, the common people, clean our bodies this way. Even so, we can't do it every day as it costs us 2,000 knolls a time.
I see.

Is there such a thing as a purification (wash) shop instead of a bath shop?
Even so, 2,000 Nol is delicious for just one chant.
I guess I could do it too, I should have gotten the skill....


Oh well. I guess I'll complete the goal for now.
After this, I'll ask Wendy for recommendations and try to get around there.

We'll have lunch and have a cup of tea there while watching a traveling actor perform a street performance.
It was an ordinary conversation. We said something like "that guy's performance just now was amazing" or "I like to make a cup of tea these days", and so on, but it was a good time.
It was at that time when we were talking normally, laughing normally, having a friend-like, lover-like time.

'Wendy. Wendy. What are you doing here? What's up with that guy from Yassis? Hmm?　Who is that man?　Didn't buy you?　Idiot... it's 120 million knolls. There's no way a common man like you can pay that kind of money. I'm going to get you!

The man who spoke to me was a very pompous-looking man. He's probably younger than me. He was dressed in lavish clothes, had several rings with glittering jewels on his fingers, and a shiny deco on his flabby belly. It's not hot today, but for some reason I'm sweating, and a sheepish man, like a butler, is constantly wiping sweat off my face.
He looks like some kind of tempestuous aristocratic fool's son.
But still, 120 million........
Do you see it as high or low when you hear that a person's life is 120 million?
As for me, I would think that 120 million is a small price to pay.
If it's Wendy's price, that is.
The price alone is too high.

"Mr. Dardaril.... This one.
Wendy's master?
What?　A man like you is the master of Wendy?

Wendy looks at me with a gasp.
Yeah. I'm Wendy's master for the day.
Normally I would say something like, "Oh, I'm just asking for a little guidance today..." but when I thought of the scene where this guy bought Wendy, I got angry.
Also, Wendy's face, which had been smiling the whole day, instantly clouded over, you know?　You don't have to tell me you don't like it to know.
So you have to protect him, as a boy.
I think I've developed a temper since I came here. I'm easily provoked. It's too early for menopause.

...Yes. This is my master.
'What......... Don't be silly!　Yashis!　Call Yersis, yeah!

The man yells at the butler man while spitting at him, and the butler man hurriedly walks towards the slave trading house.

''Totally!　Listen to me!　Wendy is not a woman for a man like you to touch. She's beautiful as a jewel, and she deserves a perfect man like me. A stinky, dirty little bum like you deserves a rock on the side of the road!　If you lift a finger to me, touch me!　They'll put your head on the central square!

I see. Just one finger, eh?

Yeah.

I hugged Wendy with my whole body, not just one finger, but my whole body.

'Puggyyyy!　You!　Who the hell do you think I am?
No, I don't know anything about that.
........Puh-uh, master?

Oh, I'm sorry. That was painful.
I hug you a little tighter.
I put my hand gently on Wendy's head as she's being held by me and smile at her.

'I'm the son of the Lord of this town!　You know what you're talking about!
So what?
Geez, you bastard!
Would you like me to stop you?

It was Yashis who came between us in a flash and made us stop.
There's a man in a butler's uniform behind him, gasping for breath.

'Totally, the jeweler was bringing me something that looked good. So ... Master Dardaril?　Can I help you?
Yashis!　What the hell do you think you're doing?　Did you sell Wendy to this guy?　Wendy was supposed to be the one I was supposed to buy!

Is there such a thing as a reservation?　If there was, I wouldn't be doing the kind of thing that Yashis would suggest to me.
So that means this guy just thought it was his own idea.

''With all due respect, have you been able to provide me with 120 million Nol?
'Ugh that's not good enough for my dad but I'm about to get it!　And what the hell do you think you're doing!
What do you mean?
'Why is Wendy calling this guy master!　This is the kind of guy who has set aside N$120 million!
'Huh.... Our guests are only lending Wendy to you today as a trial for your servant slave to show you around the city. So today you are Wendy's master and Wendy is your slave.
"You've got to be kidding me!　So why don't you give me this trial?
'This is not a trial for Wendy, but a trial for a servant slave. We plan to have a long term relationship with our guest.

Yashis is indeed good at talking.
I wonder if he can talk to Rainrich on an equal footing.

You do know who I am, don't you!　It's my dad who's in charge of the West Region!
Yes, of course. Yes, of course I know who you are. So, are you sure you know who I am?

Hmm?　Didn't this guy say he's the son of a lord or something?

''Well........the lord has been in poor health lately, but he doesn't have a spouse, let alone a child, so the next lord will be chosen from the governors of each district in the north, south, east and west.
So what he said earlier about being the son of a lord is just a self-serving future story?
Yes, but Daryl's father is the most powerful man in the world. But Dardaril's father is considered the most powerful man in the world because of his economic power and his ability to get things done in the background.

Western District, huh?

You know, Yashis is in the West, right? You okay?
Since Mr. Yashis-sama has his own channels and his own backing, there's no problem at all. In fact, I don't know what will happen to the Governor if you mess with him.

Yashis, I'm scared!
You're supposed to be in charge of your district, not the district you're in charge of!
Glancing over, Yashis looks at me. When he turned around, his mouth appeared to be smiling, but I had a bad feeling about something.

''Even if we go on like this, it will be a parallel line. What do you think?　Would you like to compete?
The odds?
Yes. It's a game of who buys the Wendy, Mr. Dardaril or the customer.

Ha.

Ha. Ha ha! You said it!　I heard it, Yassis!　That's good. That's good. That's good!　I've already collected 50 million knolls!　I'll take Wendy's when we win!

Yashis chuckles.

'First the rules. How much money do you have on hand?'
It's about 3.5 million knolls but...
Now, you can have the sum of 80 million knolls. Mr. Dardaril, you will just have to come up with 120 million knolls.
"Not fair!　Why is it that I'm N$120 million and he's N$80 million!
'Not fair?　Isn't it?　If we consider the difference in the number of sheets, we have offered Mr. Dardaril a favorable deal.... Or shall we have each other keep a book for 120 million Nors and have all the details spelled out?
"Ughhhhh... No, I'm good. I'm sure I'll be reaching 120 million knolls soon.
And as for the deadline, we will give you one week to decide. If we don't win there, there will be no winner.

Hey, wait a minute.
You want me to collect 76 million knolls in one week.
That's f*cked up...

''Also, direct interference is prohibited. If either of you are unable to act, we will declare the other party to be foul losers. Naturally, if they die, we will report them to the lord and determine that they are the culprits.
Well.... Alright. I'm not going to lose. You can't do your dirty work now.

Dardaril grins. He was tongue-tied, and no matter how you look at it, you were going to use it.

'Oh, and Mr Dardaril. I'd like to submit to you that for once, you should not be doing any backward-looking business.
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not in the business for that.
Yeah. 'Yes, of course. I shouldn't have said anything to Dardaril, who knows how to play fair. I'm very sorry.
Hmm. I'll remember it when I get you Wendy.
'Yes, sir. Of course. So, may I assume that we are both in agreement?
Yeah, of course.
Who are our guests?
Don't do it. Master.....

What the hell is going on here? That's it.
Yassis, I was reviewing you today.
I take it back, you son of a b*tc*!
I really just want to live a quiet, carefree and peaceful life.
Why doesn't it work like this?
Do drifters have a tendency to get into trouble?

But, well.
I lightly stroke Wendy's head as she looks up at me anxiously, puffing and puffing.

'Don't look so anxious,'
But this game is too much.
It's okay. It's okay. Worst-case scenario, I just have to work a little over 20 times harder than the last two weeks.

Yes. A little bit more, just a little bit easier, to be precise, because of the increased performance. Just 20 times better.
That'd be nice. I'd like to be a hero.
I'm not dealing with a monster or anything, but a pig.

You're good. I'll accept that.

We were together today and I wanted her by my side in my plan (slow life).
So I definitely can't afford to lose this game.