Alright.
It’s smoked, but right now it’s being dried in the sun.
I’ll be free for about a week, so I took some Dried Persimmon and headed to the “Blue Comet” Clan’s headquarters inn…
“Gray Cat Inn”…
As the name suggests, it’s a large inn with a sign depicting a gray cat hanging from it.
The exterior is a half-timbered building, common in this country, with two stories.
Half-timbered is… well, it’s like filling the gaps in a wooden frame with stones or bricks.
You know, like those white walls in the gaps of a wooden frame, right?
It’s a common style in northern Europe.
Anyway, it was the kind of building that would make a commoner think, “Wow, they live in a nice place.”
In this world, the wealthy prefer stone buildings…
Anyway, the “Gray Cat Inn” was a Clanhouse characterized by black timber frames and white walls made of lime, a large building about the same size as the Striders Guild.
At this point, it’s clear that the “Blue Comet” is earning quite a bit.
Buildings are… expensive!!!
Especially buying a building inside the city walls is quite tough.
Like Gido and his son, the vice-leader of the “Guiding Hawk” whom I met before, Striders can barely afford to build a hut outside the city walls.
Even Gido and his son are quite successful and have some money.
But just building a hut for the family to live in, keeping some livestock, and setting up a light fence is quite a struggle…
That’s the kind of world it is here.
Anyway, the price of industrial products is high!
Even a small knife that you could buy for 100 yen in Japan costs ten times as much in this world.
And building a building requires multiple carpenters with specialized knowledge and a lot of processed materials. It’s really tough.
Despite all that, having a large inn inside the city walls where thirty women can live safely is really amazing.
The “Blue Comet” is skilled enough to be active on the northern frontier…
Thinking about such things, I open the door.
…The first floor is a large hall that also serves as a dining room.
There’s something like a hearth in the center, where they always have a fire burning, cooking something.
Right now, they’re stirring a large pot… ah, the one cooking is a Dwarf girl.
Her name is Amara.
She used to be a warrior fighting with the “Blue Comet,” but she suffered a fatal injury and couldn’t fight anymore.
It seems that the fierce battle at that time traumatized her, and she can’t hold a sword anymore.
So now she’s working as the manager of the “Blue Comet” Clanhouse.
“Oh, Andrews? Welcome.”
“Yo, Amara. How’s your knee doing?”
“Not bad. It still hurts on rainy days, but it’s been much easier since you treated me.”
“That’s good. Come to me anytime if you need anything… Oh, right, a gift.”
“Hmm? Dried fruit?”
“Yeah, it’s persimmon. Dried fruit from Azuma Country.”
“Oh, then I have to give it to the vice-leader. Let’s have a taste… Hmm, sweet and delicious! It would be good to cut it into small pieces and mix it into a cake. It would also go well with cheese…”
Amara’s hobby is cooking. When she receives new food from me, she often thinks about what she can use it for.
After waiting for a while… Amara opens her mouth.
“Naina! Naina!”
“Yes, Amara-san.”
The one who came was… Naina.
A northerner with long blonde hair.
Like Amara, she used to be a warrior of the “Blue Comet,” but she retired due to injury and is now working as the Clanhouse manager.
By the way, Naina’s eyes were damaged.
My treatment has healed her to some extent, but she still can’t let go of her cane.
“Naina, Andrews gave us a souvenir. Please take it to the food storage.”
“Yes. …From the smell, is it dried fruit? If so, the upper shelf would be good.”
“I’m counting on you.”
…So, these two are managing the Clanhouse due to their injuries, but there are other managers.
“Is it you again?!”
“Don’t get angry, Grandma Helga. You’ll shorten your lifespan, you know?”
“What! As long as I’m alive, I won’t let you lay a hand on the young lady!”
It’s Grandma Helga.
Apparently, she was the wet nurse of Katrina, the leader.
She lost her own child and thinks of Katrina as her real daughter, and she came with Katrina when she became a Strider.
Originally, she was a veteran maid from a noble family, so her abilities are quite high.
However, her favorability towards me is low. Well, that’s to be expected.
“Grandma Helga, don’t worry. I won’t force myself on Katrina unless she asks for it.”
“…Hmph! Even so, you’re seducing the other girls! Recently, even that vice-leader…!”
“She was cute…”
“Men are no good! They always leave women behind and go somewhere! …It’s terrible, they don’t think about the feelings of those left behind at all!”
Yeah…
Well, I’m ready to run away if anything happens, so I can’t argue…
“Ah… well, I’ll at least try to leave some property behind.”
“…You’re saying the same thing as my dead husband.”
I’m sorry.