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Volume 4 Chapter 9-1: The Arrival of the Young Lady

It seemed that the traveling merchants had come from the direction of Erin.

We should have received advance notice from Bell Erucy if someone had come from the Imperial direction, and we also had guards prepared.

However, we hadn’t been monitoring Erin’s direction.

According to Kurao’s information, it seems they were waiting at Erucy’s entrance. Erucy was covered with a simple wooden fence, and the entrance was limited. Although, if someone really wanted to, they could easily cut it down, so we need to enhance security as soon as possible.

「Kurao, what are their numbers?」

「Cyril-sama, there are three carriages.」

「That should be about the limit.」

One reason we hadn’t been cautious about the Erin direction was because the road from Erin to Erucy was a terrible, rough path. It winds around and requires crossing a mountain, and the road was barely wide enough for a single carriage. It was very challenging to send a large number of troops. Also, if it comes down to a small-scale battle, it was impossible for Erucy to lose, so we didn’t devote much effort to surveillance.

「Do you know where the traveling merchants are coming from and what their purpose is?」

「Well, I was quite flustered so…」

「This time it’s fine, but in the future, gather the information I want and report it beforehand.」

「Yes! I’ll remember that, Cyril-sama.」

Kurao always kept his word, so it should be fine. In fact, he tended to follow my instructions too obediently, to the point where I worried.

After a five-minute walk, we arrived at Erucy’s gate on the Erin side. There were three carriages parked there. They weren’t adorned, but judging by the precision in the making of the wheels, they seemed to be quite high-quality.

About five people had exited the carriages and were talking to Lucy, who was standing guard outside. Normally, members of Nettle didn’t take on this kind of work, but they were called upon in case of emergencies. Since this was covered in the manual, Kurao had probably given the order.

「What do you mean we can’t go in? As I’ve been saying all along, I’m not here to cause trouble. I just want to sell my goods.」

One of the women, with striking blue hair and a loud attitude, protests to Lucy.

「Sorry, but I can’t make that decision on my own. We’ll have to wait for a decision from the higher-ups. They should be here soon.」

Among the five who arrived in the carriages, the young woman with the extravagant dress and blue hair was causing a scene. She appears to be in her late teens.

「Do you understand who are you talking to? I…」

「Stop, Ojou-sama! You’re saying too much! You were boasting on the carriage about giving away Erin’s cutting-edge products at a low price, letting the ignorant elves experience their greatness, and then revealing your true identity. Don’t you remember?!」

The young woman who was about to launch an attack was now being reprimanded by another woman dressed in elegant men’s clothing.

「Jii, I appreciate you stopping me, but you are revealing everything.」

「I’m sure this one is just a small fry. The conversation won’t go higher up.」

「That’s right. She may have good looks, but her appearance is shabby, and she doesn’t seem to live a good life.」

「Yeah, yeah, just a small fry, nothing more. Just the wife of the village chief.」

「It became a problem after all!」

「Is it true that Cyril-kyun is married? Why didn’t you report that?」

「If I did, you’d throw a fit. That would be a hassle. And, Cyril-kyun? What’s up with that? Don’t do that stuff in public. Keep that in the bedroom. Don’t ‘kyun’ in front of people. I’m cringing.」

Unnoticed, the blue-haired woman’s anger had shifted from Lucy to the woman in men’s clothing.

I’d rather not get involved with her.

But it couldn’t be helped. I steeled myself and spoke.

「I apologize for the wait. I am Cyril, the chief of Erucy. Thank you for coming today.」

Since they didn’t seem to be immediately resorting to violence, I’d decided to treat them as customers for now.

As soon as I addressed them, the expression on the blue-haired woman’s face changed. She suddenly appeared more refined and somehow exuded an air of intelligence.

「Well, well, you’re quite polite. Please forgive our sudden and brash visit. I am Azul, and I manage a shop in Erin. I heard rumors about the delicious syrup and the finest liquor that’s making waves in Erin, so I came to purchase them. But that’s not all; I’ve also prepared items to sell here. So, I’m here to introduce myself to the syrup and liquor producers and to request the right to do business in the central square.」

She said this and extended her hand for a handshake. For some reason, she seemed flustered.

Meanwhile, the woman in men’s clothing behind her was subtly moving her lips.

I read her lips using lip-reading techniques.

「Wow, Ojou-sama is in a good mood. She’s really into those younger guys. She’s practically panting at him; I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to assault him at night. She’s still a virgin, but she might make a move this time. Even though she’s a princess, she’s not regal at all. If that happens, a lot of people will be angry. I might lose my head, and not in a figurative way. I wonder if I’ll get a severance package? Otherwise, my little sisters might starve to death. I shouldn’t have been so careless, buying two crêpes in a row. The money I spent on those could have been a week’s worth of food… I’m such a pathetic older sister.」

I sent pitying glances to both Azul and the woman in men’s clothing.

「Ahem. That’s quite impressive. Setting up a shop in Erin is no small feat. It must have been quite challenging coming all the way from Erin.」

「It was indeed. The road is narrow, bumpy, and the carriage shakes a lot. Wolves appear too. The only consolation is that the road isn’t popular, so there are no bandits.」

「Do you think it’s worth it to travel such a road?」

「I do. I’ve seen the goods myself after all.」

「By the way, you purchased our sweets twice, didn’t you?」

I smiled at the woman in men’s clothing, As I said so Azul’s expression darkened

「Jii, you didn’t buy just one?」

「I certainly did. They were delicious.」