Chapter 62: City of Canals (part nine)

I’m dying, this chapter was really difficult to translate. Also, I changed Tulum to Turm, since the german for tower is actually turm. Enjoy the chapter!

TL: clover

ED: clover, eristol

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Harold and I came back to the Turm Wand Store after finishing the wands’ trial and lecture from Gilbert.

All the wands were arranged carefully on the table, with simple notes on each one.

The estimation seems to have ended.

 

『Ooh, you have come back, huh.』

“I’m sorry. Am I late?”

『No, no, I’m also sorry, our conversation unexpectedly became lively.

This is a good time to end it anyway, given that we are taking a break right now.』

 

I sat down beside Tirnanog.

Tirnanog stroked my hair with a big gloved hand.

 

“Wha~t. So we didn’t need to worry then.”

“This, Harry. You should care a bit more about our customers.”

“Oops, I have to bring another cup of tea for Erica~”

 

The shop owner made a complaint to Harold.

Harold retrieved the pot in panic and returned to the back of the store.

The shop owner was all smiles as he turned to face me.

 

“The numerous wands must have given you a lot of trouble, right?”

“No, no, it’s good for business.”

『You should be relieved. There seems to be no problem in repairing and charging the wands. About the price and the time for payment……』

 

The price is quite high, but the completion seems to be quicker than I thought.

If it is only charging, there are even wands that can be completed by tomorrow.

The reparation of some of the expensive wands had to be postponed, and I had to compromise for the rest of the wands.

 

“Then, please charge this one, this one, and this one……ah, and this one.

If possible we would like to collect some of them tomorrow, so please give priority to the offensive and visual wands.”

“Understood. Well then, in total, the deposit is—”

 

I confirmed the face value of the contract quickly produced by the shop owner and signed it.

In exchange for passing the deposit money and the wands, we received a metal card engraved with the same emblem and feature as the store’s signboard.

It was a careful consideration worthy of a nobleman’s shop, so that an envoy can come and receive the wands.

 

“Huh? Are you leaving already?”

“Sorry, Harold. Because there are other places I have to visit after this.”

“Just in time. Harry, please carry the tea set to the workplace.”

 

Harold came back with a steamy pot.

The shop owner wrapped the wands with a soft cloth one by one while giving instructions to Harold.

We gave our farewells to the shop owner and Harold and then left the store.

 

However, after we walked for a while, a voice came from behind.

 

“You guys! If you don’t mind, can I guide you to where you wanted to go?”

“We’ll gladly accept it, but is it fine for you to leave the shop?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.

It seems that there are interesting wands and Master won’t let me help him.

Besides, it seems there won’t be any more customers coming today~ So, it’s fine, right?”

『Isn’t it fine? ……This brat, he seems to be involved with that matter.』

 

Tirnanog quietly whispered.

It is something I already know, but he seems to have pulled out information from his conversation with the shop owner.

He is such a competent guardian.

 

“So, where are you two heading right now?”

『First of all, we are searching for alchemy materials.』

“Also, a bookstore. It will be even better if it has books about things related to folklore.”

“Heeh, a bookstore and a material store, huh. If that is the case, I know a nice shop.”

 

We took a small boat from the ferry landing and went to the canal following Harold’s guidance.

The second purpose of today is to investigate the price of alchemy materials with starsteel as the main objective and to collect local data.

Of course, both are part of the countermeasures against the phantom beast.

 

“If you need ores or monstro materials, then you should go to the〈Goblin Street〉 and the〈Barker Street〉.

For the bookstore, you should go to the〈Poisoner Street〉 , you will find it if you get off in front of the monastery.”

 

We got off on an island which was about two blocks away from the Crucible Street.

Then, something looking like a yellowish green ball passed by my feet as I got off from the boat.

Tirnanog picked it up when it was about to fall off the river edge.

 

“What is that? An unripe orange?”

『Fumu, it doesn’t smell like oranges.』

 

The thing in Tirnanog’s hand is a citrus fruit.

It looks like an orange but it is a bit different.

What is it, this thing.

 

Looking closer, the same thing was rolling around everywhere.

As I walked and picked up three of those, I met a woman with long red braids who was picking up the fruits rolling on the road.

 

“Huh~!? Bell-anechan, what’s going on?”

 

The woman who was called ‘Bell’ by Harold looked towards our direction.

She was an earnest-looking lady in her early twenties who was wearing clean and comfortable clothes.

Looking like she found a Buddha in Hell, she turned her enthusiastic gaze towards him.

 

“Aah~ Harry, you come just in time. Help me~~!”

“Ah~ ah~ I understand. I will come back in a bit, Erica and mister, please wait a minute.”

 

Harold got involved with collecting the yellow-green fruits and putting them in Bell’s basket.

He told us to wait, but there seems to be an enormous quantity for just the two of them.

I exchanged looks with Tirnanog and nodded.

We cooperated with them and carefully picked up the fruits that had spread around.

 

“After all, I am saved if there are more people. Thank you, everyone!”

 

This woman named Bell is a perfumer of a perfumery right here.

It seems that the true identity of the fruit is bergamot¹ from Ignitia.

 

“On my way from the pier, I accidentally dropped my basket……

Thank you very much for helping me even though you have a busy schedule.

If you have something you want, please come to the Euclase Perfume Store, because I will give you lots of service.”

“She’s just a disappointing person outside the store, but she is excellent as a perfumer.

Please recommend the store to your friends too, Erica.”

 

Bell smiled broadly towards us.

Even when she gave her gratitude, she didn’t forget to promote her business, what a strong-willed woman.

 

“Aah, that’s right, I just remembered, Harry. This is from Gizella-obasan as thanks.”

 

Bell handed a small white packet to Harold.

She appeared to have wrapped it in a big linen handkerchief or something.

 

“Eh~ she doesn’t need to worry about it, though.”

“Now, now, can you please also share them with the mister and lady over there, Harry?

The contents are the usual baked snacks and some new candies. She made it with a top quality honey from the South.”

“Ooh, thank you!”

“Ufufu. Well then, everyone, I will excuse myself.”

 

After bowing, Bell went into the perfume shop that had a signboard with a design of a lady on it.

I am talking about the Euclase Perfume Store. It is a big store compared to its surroundings.

Looking at it, well-dressed ladies are entering and leaving the store in turn.

It seems like a nice store which is pretty popular.

 

When I returned my eyes to Harold, he was immediately unwrapping the bundle while grinning.

 

“By the way, what is the reward for?”

“Ah no, I guess it was the day before yesterday, I just repaired her broken revolving-type whetstone.

The price of a round whetstone has risen ridiculously since a while ago.

There were a lot of things sticking out of the old one when I was using it as I repaired it.

Oh, since you have worked hard, please eat it. I will guarantee the taste.”

 

He also shared the new honey candies with us.

 

『Umu, it’s delicious.』

“True, this is delicious.”

 

What spread inside my mouth was a gentle sweetness which was rich but not overwhelming.

After studying, it is pleasant to eat sweets.

Tirnanog was licking and chewing intensely.

 

“Hehehe~ Gizella-obachan’s sweets are all delicious, right?”

 

Harold looked pleased as if he was the one who was being praised.

Even though he is the only son of the Earl of the neighboring territory, he seems to be very familiar with the Town of All Kinds of Goods.

While following Harold who was walking forward while greeting people who were coming and going, I was thinking such.

 

 

At the base of the bridge, there was a statue of a goblin carrying a pickaxe.

It seemed to be the place which was the boundary between the Barker Street, which has many monstro materials stores, with the Goblin Street, which has many mineral stores lined up.

 

“The recommended mineral merchant has a shooting star design. For the monstro materials merchant, it has a kraken on it.”

“As expected, it’s detailed.”

“Yeah, well. This town is like my garden.

By the time I was five, I was already frequenting Master’s store.”

 

Why was he in the Town of All Kind of Goods since he was very young?

Since I had no choice but to stop playing the original game halfway, I became concerned about the family situation of the Nibelheim family.

 

“Did something happen when you were at the age of five?”

“At first I came for a medical treatment. Master is also good at curing wounds from a wand.

Well, afterwards I pushed myself forward to become his disciple.”

“Wounds?”

“It was because of the wand’s recoil. It’s already healed, but there are still some traces of it.”

 

Harold rolled up his sleeve.

There was a small portion of his skin that looked like a severe burn mark on his right arm.

It somehow resembled the shape of a flickering fire.

 

“It was such an exaggeration.

But thanks to that accident, I feel anxious if I wear short sleeves.”

“It must have been a serious injury since it caused a scar like that, right?

I apologize for offering you a wand earlier.”

“I said it’s fine.

At the time of the accident……I got this scar from my father’s self-defense wand.

If it is about Gust, it’s not that serious, don’t worry about it.”

 

Harold replied with a refreshing smile.

I want to learn such a peculiar personality.

 

“Oh, it’s Harry!”

 

As we were talking, I heard someone calling Harold.

It was a senior man with a good physique and attire who had a great smile on his face.

With his big belly bouncing, he rushed over while breathing heavily.

 

“Ah no, you arrived just in time. I’m saved.”

“What is it, Sergei-ossan.”

“I have something I’d like you to repair. Of course I will give you pocket money.”

 

He has been in great demand since a while ago, this guy.

I guess everyone depends on him because he is dexterous.

 

“Perhaps it’s the filter again~? Please buy a new one.”

“No, not the filter but the pump.

The pedal has begun to strain. Will you fix it quickly?”

“Eeeh~~ have you become fatter?”

“How rude, even I got 50 grams thinner than last week.

I will give you an effective potion for stiff neck as a bonus. I will even give you medicine for internal disorders and for burn mark.”

“……Uu, it can’t be helped.”

 

Harold nodded his head helplessly.

Harold lowered his head towards me while looking sorry.

 

“That’s why, I guess I won’t be able to guide you until the end. Sorry, Erica.”

“No, you have helped enough, Harold.”

“Hehe, I’m glad then.”

 

Ah, that’s right.

I should also ask for the recommended bookstore in the Poisoner Street.

 

“Also, do you know a shop that can provide information on historical and indigenous phantom beasts?”

“If you want those kind of books……try searching for a store with the signboard with a monk who has an open book on it.”

“You really know everything, Harold.”

“No, no, this is an easy task. Well then, see you later!”

 

Harold got on a different boat and left.

Beside Harold who was waving at me, the man with a good physique, who seems to be a drug store owner, was also bowing a lot.

While waving my hand in return as I saw them off, the boat went under a canal and became out of sight.

 

『He is a busy brat.』

“Hey, Tir. You also realized that he is the son of Earl Nibelheim, didn’t you?”

『Umu. While chatting with the shop owner, that kind of story came out.』

“If we do this well, we may be able to tell the matter of fraud via Harold.”

 

If we say it through Harold, Earl Nibelheim should become more cautious.

Rather than being told by someone he doesn’t know well, his son’s appeal should be heard.

The problem is how to convey the information about the fraud to Harold.

 

Well, we have taken a step forward, we should put this on hold and think about it later.

We should go through our original schedule first.

 

I was looking forward to seeing what kind of store had Harold’s stamp of approval who said that this town was his garden.

I should first find a mineral store that has a shooting star signboard on it.

I walked hand in hand with Tirnanog down towards the Goblin Street.

 

☆

 

We entered the store with a shooting star signboard made of high quality crystals.

In the center of the store, there were large-sized crystals such as garden quartz and big purple crystals.

The sight of crystallized Cubic pyrite digging into white talc, which was the host rock, was also pleasing to the eyes.

 

There were about four staff members, but they were in the middle of negotiations.

I looked around the various minerals displayed in the case.

Tirnanog was looking from behind me.

 

“First of all, this is starsteel.”

『Hou, so this is the ore of starsteel. It’s quite beautiful.』

“Isn’t it?”

 

It was the crystal body of a unique starsteel which has rainbow colors blurring into black.

It is very regrettable that this color tone will be lost when it is processed.

 

Incidentally, the price of starsteel is equal to the same amount of silver.

It will be advantageous to have that much of a bargain.

 

Since it can’t be flexibly used unless it’s owner possesses abundant magical power like Tirnanog, naturally it would be cheap.

We should always buy spare steel for his armor.

 

I also made note of the unit price of magnetite, jade, amber, granite, fluorite, meteorite, etc. beside the starsteel.

They also have pretty fine opals and jasper.

This is also a good store.

 

There was also moonlight mineral from Hafan lined up.

On the obsidian, which was the host rock, there were about seven crystals of dark gray color with twisted tetradecahedron attached.

 

I recalled the events of the Ruins of Visitor with the siblings of the Hafan Ducal Family.

 

I am indebted to Klaus and Ann, so I should give them something.

What should I give them?

Perfumes sold at the Euclase Perfume Store might be nice.

 

While thinking so, I checked the minerals in line.

 

Next, we went out of the mineral store and headed to the Barker Street which was lined with stores that handle magical beast materials.

There were shops dealing with living magical beasts and shops that were selling materials from both magical beasts and phantom beasts.

My aim was the latter.

 

The signboard of the monstro materials shop that Harold recommended had the design of a kraken on it.

There were five other people beside me.

 

There was a huge eyeball glaring among the huge glass bottles displayed in the store.

There was a bottle of preserved merman.

Among the amber liquid, fillets of merman particular to the South were spread out like the frills of a dress.

Perhaps they were imported items from the continent of Karkinos.

 

“Uuh……!?”

『Haha, what a bad taste.』

 

I looked inside the grotesque-like store somewhat fearfully.

Among the bones of chimera that looked like a mixture of a cat and a sheep, there were bones of a centaur.

The mummy of a manticore.

 

Every time I encountered humanoid monstro, I felt that my heart was sinking.

 

After passing through the area of large materials, the display shelves of various sizes filled with preserved materials and illuminated by the light spread out.

On the glass shelves, beasts packed inside glass bottles showed up.

 

There were preserved mandragora and arachne which had an agonized expression.

The preserved larvae of a hydra and kraken.

 

Tirnanog looked into those bottles of preserved specimens and seemed to be having fun

 

『Can this be eaten?』

“It should not be edible.

Even if you eat it, it will probably be too sweet since it is preserved in honey, right?”

 

He won’t be able to eat important materials, so I will deny it as much as possible.

 

『It’s honey, huh. If it is of the same degree as the candy we ate before, I think I will like it.』

“No, it doesn’t taste the same.”

 

We were looking around inside the store while comparing ideas about the materials with Tirnanog.

 

Finally, we arrived at the horn of a unicorn and resin-coated cockatrice and I took a deep breath.

This seems to be the limit of my tolerance.

Wyvern fossils, archaeopteryx fossils and other fossils were everywhere.

 

(Yup, this seems like a good shop too. I got introduced to really good stores.)

 

While watching the price tag, I wrote the price of the necessary materials on a piece of paper.

Larger materials are more expensive than I expected.

But the ones with the size of my little finger nail have a very affordable price.

 

While I was making a memorandum, the clerk and the customer, who looked like a maniac, were talking about ‘angel’s bones’ eagerly.

Everything seemed to be circulating on the continent of Karkinos.

Recalling the lion-shaped angel who I became friends with lately, it made me feel inexplicable things.

That reminds me, she was dying, so it isn’t surprising that there are angels who have already died.

But it is somewhat sad.

 

After completing the general price survey, Tirnanog and I quickly headed towards the bookstore.

 

On the island facing across the bridge, Poisoner Street, we were looking for the monk signboard.

The shop was finally found at the back of the street.

 

I smelled a musty scent as we entered the store.

It seems to be packed with many old and valuable books.

 

I should find the books that match my purpose first.

I talked to an old man with a monocle who looked like the shop owner.

 

“Excuse me, do you have any book about phantom beasts and the history of this land?”

“In the case of history, it will be over there. If it is about phantom beasts, just go further back.”

 

As he pointed at the two places bluntly, I asked the old man who had started to organize the inventory once more.

 

“I’m hoping for materials about the phantom beast who actually exists around this area, if possible, do you have such a thing?”

“……Hou, what an interesting customer.

Yeah, there are two good ones. Please wait a moment.”

 

The books that the shop owner found for me was a pilgrimage story related to this land and a diary of a merchant.

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¹ Bergamot is a hybrid of lemon and bitter orange. (source)

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