Chapter 63 - I Encountered a Strange Shopkeeper

It’s the 23rd day of the month of Fire. I was taking a leisurely stroll through the streets of the royal capital, which was bustling with activity in the late afternoon, by myself.

Kusunoki-san, Yuzuki-san, and I were able to learn magic, although it was still the basic ones, so we were able to walk around without someone guarding us, but only within the royal capital.

For some reason though, Lilia-san was frantically trying to get someone to escort me, but she finally yielded in the end…… I wonder why she was that stubborn earlier, could it just be that Lilia-san was quite worried because my combat prowess was inferior to Kusunoki-san or Yuzuki-san?

My magic indeed has no combat power at all, but I think it’s safer in a way because my perception ability is unusually high, so if someone with malicious or hostile intentions gets close to me, I’ll know immediately.

As for my combat ability, it seems that Kuro has some idea about it, so she will probably teach me battle-oriented magic to the extent that I can protect myself.

I don’t know what kind of magic she will be teaching me, but I’m glad that I will finally have some means to protect myself, and I’m honestly looking forward to it.

As I was walking around thinking about that, one shop suddenly caught my eye.

A little distance away from the main street, it was a shop with a sign that says “Miscellaneous Goods Store”…… Speaking of which, we will be traveling to the Elven Forest soon to participate in the Sacred Tree Festival, so I might as well somehow prepare myself.

I may not be joining in the hunting tournament, but I will still be joining in the harvest, and if we’re going to harvest fruits in the forest, I might as well have at least one knife.

[Hello.]

When I opened the wooden door and entered the store, the interior of the store was larger than I thought it would be from the outside, with several shelves neatly lined up.

Nonchalantly looking around, I couldn’t see the shop owner, so I tried calling out but…… I received no response.

[Arehh? Anyone there?!]

I tried calling out again, a little louder this time, but still, no response came back. The door wasn’t locked, which should mean they were open……

Just then, I heard a faint voice from the back of the store and so, I turned my head in the direction of the voice.

[……What the heck is this, how am I going to live with this kind of earnings……]

[……Eh?]

At the back of the store, at what appeared to be a counter, a scene that I couldn’t believe was happening in front of my eyes.

[Even though I’ve finally set up a shop in the royal capital, all of this is useless if customers won’t even come……]

At the counter, An “object” that seemed to be the shopkeeper was mumbling as it counted coins. That, in itself, isn’t a strange sight, but the problem was the appearance of the shopkeeper.

A yellowish-brown fluffy and flexible—– limbs made of cloth. It kinda reminds me of a deformed cat…… No, there’s no way that’s a cat. I can’t find the correct words to explain this bizarre scene well.

In short, a stuffed cat-like object is mumbling while it’s counting coins.

Why is this person wearing a stuffed animal costume indoors? Is she an idiot?

[Ahh~~ I wonder if there are any good stories about how to make money without working…… I thought if I just open a store, customers will come with all their money even if I don’t move, but stocking up goods is a hassle and this shop isn’t even getting popular at all.]

The sight of this weirdo in a cat costume complaining while counting coins feels terribly surreal, and to be honest, I deeply regretted entering this store.

From the sound of her voice, she seemed to be a young woman, but the costume she’s wearing is already ruining everything.

[If a rich and nice-looking customer comes, I’ll make sure I will sell them all sorts of things.]

[………………..]

Yep. She obviously looks dangerous…… Let’s get out of here before she sees us.

[Really, if only a good sucker were to—— Unnn?]

[ ! ? ]

[………………..]

[………………..]

Ah, shit. She noticed. Did her eyes glow just now?

A very awkward silence passed between me and the shopkeeper, before I quickly turned around and was about to scamper towards the door but……

[Welcome!]

[ ! ? ! ? ]

She was already in front of me.

What the heck was that!? In an instant, she had ran past me, and moreover, she was already leaning her back behind the door when she called out.

Facing this situation where it clearly looks like she won’t let me get away, I reflexively stepped back…… No, seriously, this is quite the strange shop I entered.

[May I ask what you’re looking for? Well~~ It was esteemed customer’s lucky day. For we have just finished stocking up on our supplies!]

[……N- No, errr……]

You’re saying you just finished stocking up on your supplies, it’s completely obvious that you just lack customers and a lot of these supplies are unsold though!?

Damn, I’ve completely became her target. A stuffed animal rubbing its hands together as it slowly walked my way……. I felt fear just like when I’m watching a B-rated horror movie.

[I- I was just checking out for a bit, it’s not that I’m here to buy anything……]

[No no, today is your chance. Errr, look…… We’re offering a discount only for today!]

It obviously looks like you just came up with it! Did you even try to sound a little bit convincing!?

However, the other party could still be said to be a pro in her trade, and I honestly don’t have any talk skills that could help me get out of situations like this.

Should I just take it like I’ve been bitten by a stray dog, buy some of her stuff and go home?

[……By the way, what’s your budget?]

[……E- Errr…… A- Around 5000R…… or so?]

In fact, I have more than 40,000R, but I’m not stupid enough to honestly tell her about that.

The clothes I’m wearing may not be that flashy, but it still has a quality that wouldn’t look out of place even if a noble were to wear it, so I decided to say an amount of about 500,000 yen because it will likely cause me a lot of trouble if I said an amount that was too low.

This way, even if I was forced to buy until the very last coin of this budget, I would just resign myself and think like I had fallen under the fangs of an unscrupulous salesman.

[……5000R huh……]

I felt like the shopkeeper’s eyes had changed colors. I can’t see her eyes because she’s wearing a costume, but it’s like her mood has somehow changed.

To be specific, it’s like she has found a good prey……

W- Well…… what is she going to do now? She’ll either try to force me to buy stuff with threats or probably drag me around with her honed negotiation skills…… Either way, she’s a professional and there seems to be no way for me to escape.

In front of me, the shopkeeper who was gasping for breath, slowly put her right on the ground, followed by her left knee, and finally, she brought her hands on the ground.

[……Please buy something.]

[……………….]

A dogeza. A dogeza that I never expected. Throwing away all the shame and pride of a merchant, in a very refined and unhurried manner, she got down on a dogeza.

[I’m begging you. I haven’t had a good meal in a few days.]

[………………..]

And as if it flowed along with her dogeza, tears began streaming down her eyes.

I was dumbfounded and speechless in front of the woman in the costume kneeling on a dogeza in front of me.

Dear Mom, Dad——- How should I say this… I came across someone weird again. And so—– I encountered a strange shopkeeper.

<Author’s Notes>

The reason why the duke was so desperate to have someone escort the protagonist is actually…… because every time she lets him wander around by himself, he gets to know someone outrageous.

(4/11)