Chapter 122: Mimina Trading Company and the Last Day of Bachelorhood
After leaving the Adventurer’s Guild, we made our way to the Mimina Trading Company to check on things.
“It looks like it’s suddenly become quite desolate here…”
“Yeah…”
Although the store was technically open, a gloomy atmosphere seemed to hang in the air. Perhaps it was because the clerk standing at the entrance exuded no enthusiasm whatsoever. Honestly, there was no need for such a dramatic sigh. But well, as long as there were people around, it was just right.
“Um, excuse me.”
“Yes? What is it?”
When I called out to a nervous-looking clerk with a balding head, he returned my greeting with a lackluster expression, devoid of any friendly smile. I wondered if he even had any intention of running a business.
“Is Branch Manager Tocciliano here?”
I decided to be straightforward. The Marriage Ceremony was the day after tomorrow, and I needed to eliminate any potential obstacles before then.
“Oh, Tocciliano? That guy got fired.”
“What?!”
“Honestly, he really messed things up…”
As I stood there in shock, the clerk began to vent his frustrations. I couldn’t understand more than half of what he was saying, but it seemed that he had violated the Commercial Guild’s regulations by tripling the interest rates. Not only was he fired from the trading company, but he also ended up in debt due to damages claimed against him.
“Wow, I see…”
“Yeah. So he’s not here anymore. He’s probably become a debt slave by now.”
“I understand. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Not at all. Oh, if you happen to see him, please give him a good punch for me.”
“Haha…”
I decided to avoid making any promises and left the scene, but it seemed I still had no idea where he might be.
“I wonder if he was really that disliked at the trading company…”
“That might be the case.”
“Let’s have Presence Detection work a bit harder.”
What did Tocciliano’s presence feel like again? I could track a clearly remembered presence, but what about a vague one? I expanded my Presence Detection skill throughout the town. Even though I couldn’t extend my range too far, I slowly swept the detection area in a long, narrow circle. This town was quite large, so it was a bit of a challenge.
“Hmm… This is tougher than I thought.”
“Keep it up!”
Though Rio’s encouragement lacked enthusiasm, any success in detecting a presence would be a bonus. I decided to keep it relaxed. …Wait, could that be it?
“I think I’ve caught a presence that seems right.”
“Oh, really? Should we go check it out?”
“Yeah. Since we found it, we might as well.”
With that, we headed in the direction of the presence. It was just around the back of the Mimina Trading Company. Even though it was the back, it wasn’t a narrow alley. It was a fairly wide street, bustling with activity, just one block behind the Main Street.
“What is that…?”
“Looks like a slave trader.”
“Oh, I thought so too.”
After pointing out the building we had spotted from a distance and observing it closely, Rio agreed that it indeed looked like a slave trader’s establishment. I mean, there was a sign, after all.
The building exuded an air of luxury, quite unlike the grimy places one might imagine when thinking of slave traders. Was it just in light novels that such places were depicted as filthy and oppressive? No, it was only natural for the exterior to be kept clean.
“Hmm, now that we’ve figured this much out, I think we can call it good.”
“Yeah. No need to go inside a slave trader’s establishment.”
Right. In fact, I really didn’t want to go in.
“Alright, let’s head back.”
“Sure.”
If this presence ever came out into the open, I would make sure to confirm the face. He was a merchant who had been fired from the trading company. He likely no longer had any significant influence. From what I had heard, it seemed he was indeed a debt slave now.
Thus, I decided to take it easy until the day after tomorrow.
The next day, I found myself walking through the town alone, accompanied by Nil for a change. Since becoming a duo in the Forest of Enchantment, I hadn’t had the chance to act independently, so it felt refreshing.
It wasn’t exactly marriage blues, but I was following Rio’s suggestion to split up for a bit. It felt a bit odd, but it was my last solo outing as a bachelor.
Hmm. This was a nice way to realize that I was getting married tomorrow.
“Hello!”
“Welcome, nya!”
With that, I arrived at Fleur’s shop to search for a surprise gift.
“I’m looking for a ring. Do you have any?”
“Yes, right this way, nya!”
I followed the cheerful cat-eared clerk. Nil was waiting outside, so I had given him a snack.
“What kind of ring are you looking for, nya?”
“I want to give a present to my girlfriend for our upcoming wedding.”
“Oh, congratulations, nya! By the way, what’s your budget?”
Oh, I hadn’t really thought about a budget, but I had enough money.
“Um, I don’t need to worry about the budget, so just let me know your recommendations.”
“Eh?! Y-Yes, understood, nya!”
As I spoke with the clerk, I learned that there were various types of rings available. From simple accessories to magic tools, the options were diverse. Of course, there were also rings with automatic size adjustment. Since I honestly didn’t know the size, I decided to go with one that had the automatic adjustment feature.
“Here are some candidates.”
“Nya ha ha…”
I had made several requests, and the price had skyrocketed, but I didn’t mind.
“Alright, I’ve made my decision. I’ll take this one.”
Having chosen the ring, I left the shop with a spring in my step.