The men Haru dragged over seemed to have really intended to steal the medicine made from Kiriri grass . Apparently, a cure for stiffening disease could sell for quite a sum in the South Continent .
That medicine was actually not only effective on stiffening disease but also petrification disease . Supposedly, they use it to treat people petrified by beasts called Basilisks that inhabit the South Continent desert .
It seemed that the thieves would be punished by the Adventurers Guild and all we got was a paltry reward .
After that, I met up with Kanon, Norn and Marina who carried the luggage and along with Carol and Haru, we headed to the inn Suzuki was staying in . I kind of recall I was told that Suzuki was staying in an inn nearby .
“That doesn’t look like an inn?”
There wasn’t an inn there but a mansion . There wasn’t even a sign for an inn .
The courtyard was spacious, the garden was meticulously maintained and there was even a fountain .
I would have been convinced if you told me a noble lived there .
“This place is used as an assembly hall for the town leaders of this country to gather for a meeting every once a year . Apart from then, the place serves as a charter inn — ”
“But then won’t it be expensive?”
After listening to Carol’s explanation, I asked using the tone of an assistant in a mail order program .
I said it with a strange tone but Carol ignored it and replied .
“It is 30000 sense a night and 10000 sense one time entrance fee . It is three times Carol’s price . ”
“A single night is the same price as I am . ”
Carol and Haru compared the inn’s price to their own .
No no, I got the two of you for a special price from Matthias and Quince, your normal price is usually much higher .
“Kanon, how much did you pay for me?”
“You were a discount so I got you for 50 sense . ”
“Goho!?”
Marina was shocked to hear her own price .
Just what kind of price reduction happened to become 50 sense?
It seemed like it was a common for slaves to make fun of their own prices but feeling the same way as me, Norn and I drew back a little .
Letting the conversation continue any longer would be mentally taxing so I rang the doorbell .
The ringing of the doorbell could be heard at the front of the courtyard but I wondered if it would actually reach the mansion .
Just as I thought about that, the mansion door opened and an old butler appeared .
【Combat Butler Lv38】
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Combat Butler job . In the past, Sebastian, the old butler together with Oregeru, had that job too .
But are there no ordinary butlers in this world?
I thought to myself as that old butler walked over . But his speed was as though he was running .
If he was a race-walking athlete, won’t he be the best in the world?
“Do you have any business with our mansion?”
“Erm, I am acquainted with Suzuki, the person living here, so I came here to visit . I believe he will know if you say Kusunoki is here . ”
“Understood, I will let the master know so please wait here for a moment . ”
He returned to the mansion using the same speed as before .
“Those movements, he isn’t an ordinary person . ”
“Combat Butlers and Combat Maids have skill called Swift Walk . It is a skill that can achieve the same speed as running at full speed without losing breath while maintaining a walking form . ”
“Combat Maid!? There are such jobs too? How do you become one?”
“Yes . After registering with the 【Housewife Friends Society】 found throughout the country and training for three months, you will acquire the job called Housework Helper . ”
Housework Helper … is that even a job?
I kind of feel that is the same as being jobless though … Actually, it would be jobless if you’re helping with the housework at your own home but I guess it would be a job if you do housework at other people’s home .
It would be similar to a Domestic Helper .
“You will be able to acquire Maid after reaching Housework Helper Lv20 and Combat Maid after reaching Swordsman Lv20 and Maid Lv20 . ”
” … I see, that’s quite a gruelling path . Incidentally, do men become Maids too?”
“Yes . There aren’t many cases but I have heard of them before . ”
” … I see . ”
Having men called maids sounded weird to me but I guess it wasn’t strange for her .
So even guys could enter the Housewife Friends Society huh? Well, Japan had househusbands too so I guess it isn’t an issue .
Nevertheless, so this is a world where there might be muscular male maids huh …?
That’s a little disgusting .
After waiting for a little while, a window on the second floor of the mansion opened and a man jumped out .
The person rolled twice before landing on his feet .
And running over while exuding an aura of handsomeness — Suzuki waved at us . “Kusunoki-kun, it’s been a long time! The same as well for Haurvatat-san, Carol-san and Marina-san . ”
“You haven’t changed at all, Suzuki . For now, could we enter instead of talking while standing?”
“Yup, sure, come in . I was just feeling lonely being all on my own . Concierge-san also don’t really speak much . ”
So he was really living on his own .
Where are his companions?
I followed Suzuki while holding my queries .
Then, I turned back .
“Marina, what are you doing? We’re going to leave you behind . ”
” … 50 … sense . ”
Marina was still absentminded from the shock of hearing her own price .
We were guided to the reception room of the mansion .
Even though it was just a reception, it was multiple times larger than the family-oriented mansion I stayed in Japan .
“You sure are rolling in gold . ”
“Hahaha, you’re wrong . I kind of accepted a request . I can’t let anybody see me before the plan sets in motion so I am hiding here . Kusunoki-kun, I’m surprised you knew that I was here . ”
“That’s because I have an excellent information gatherer with me … so, that request is regarding the seizure of smuggled goods right?”
“Bummer, you even know the details … where did the information leak from?”
Suzuki muttered worryingly .
I guess it would be worrying if the identity of the undercover investigator for a smuggling job was leaked .
“There are information shops everywhere — but such information shops will never want to turn a country into their enemy so there should be a very low risk that the smugglers would get that information . ”
“So you have it — my party’s excellent investigator has spoken so I guess it will be all right?”
Suzuki seemed to relaxed a little after I said that .
“Has the excavation of the landslide already been completed?”
“To the extent to allow carriages to pass . Thanks to that, Pochi could get some rest now . ”
Pochi was the name of the Wyvern that traveled together with Suzuki . Because the path was blocked by the landslide, Pochi ferried the pedestrians across the blockage .
“Hey, Kusunoki-kun . I don’t believe you came here just to have idle chats . ”
“I’m in a hurry to get to the South Continent . Could I come along for the undercover investigation?”
” …… ”
Suzuki made a bitter face .
It seemed that it wasn’t something he could easily assent to .
But I had a trump card .
“Everyone, sorry but please leave us . ”
I requested Haru and the others and they left the room .
“Kusunoki-kun, I want to agree to your request but the more people there are for an undercover investigation, the harder it will be . Even for the undercover investigation this time, I had to slowly gain the trust of the influential underground boss in this town for over a year . If you suddenly came along, that person would not trust you — ”
“What if I have this?”
I took the item out from my item bag .
In Japan, I would generally not have such an item . Because Miri was around, I converted them all into digital format .
However — this was before the data conversion and was the single book hidden below my bed .
Miri stored all our Japan furniture in her dimensional storage and then transferred them to the item bag .
That book accidentally slipped in when she did that .
“This is —”
“Yup, the doujinshi of Japan’s famous pirate anime, Nyapiece . Furthermore, it is one from the famous doujinshi circle 【Gremlin】 . I’ll offer this . ”
” … It’s the real deal … this sensation, it can’t be reproduced with the papermaking technology of this world . How long has it been … since I’ve seen Japanese characters . ”
Suzuki accepted the doujinshi from me as he shed tears .
I guess he misses Japan .
” … Nyapiece huh? I have not seen it for such a long time, I wonder what has happened . ”
“That ended the year before I came to this world . ”
“Eh? Erm, what happened in the final episode? Did Buffy become the Pirate King?”
“If you want to know the ending, why not look at this?”
I said as I took out the whole series of Nyapiece from my item bag .
That was also something Miri brought from Japan .
Suzuki stretched his hand towards the 49th volume (I was guessing he had read until the 48th volume) but — I grabbed that hand .
“Sorry but that would have to wait until our negotiation is over . ”
“Yes, I promise to help you as much as I can . ”
Very good, the contract is established .
Incidentally, I actually wanted to give him the Nyapiece comics instead of just lending it to him .
But Sheena has become addicted to it so she would hate me if I gave it away .
… That girl, she even went to learn Japanese and was in the midst of reading through the whole series .