Alright, here"s today"s chapter.
Enjoy it ?
Episode 37: Bazaar After returning from his research in the city of Orn, Yamato was welcomed by the sight of trouble.
“Yamato-sama, please help us.”
“What"s wrong Liscisan.”
“It"s the costumers, they…”
Turning his gaze, he observed the people at the front of the Urd stall.
There, two costumers were arguing with each other about something.
“Sorry, ojii-san. I was the first to grab this leather item.”
“Hmph, like that would matter to me! I decided that this was going to be bought by me! “
“Calm down. Esteemed costumers. Both of you should settle down.”
The issue was apparently concerning the right to purchase some product. And the village child in charge of sales was troubled, trying to settle the costumers" argument.
“I"ve always liked Urd"s leather products ojii-san, and finally I was able to find it.”
The first one to grab it was a young man. He spoke in a frivolous tone, almost in a playful manner.
“Like h.e.l.l a brat like you would know that! These products are a gold mine! “
On the other hand, the man who came later was trying to pressure him into relinquishing to him.
He was plump and well-dressed, making it obvious that he was a rich merchant.
And right in front of the stall, these two men were quarreling about the lined-up goods.
In a bazaar without strict rules, this was but a common sight. The people around came and went without even batting an eye.
“It"s about time you two stop fighting in front of the shop.”
Grasping the situation, Yamato got closer and, while standing between them, he divided them to mediate. After all, further trouble might be bad for the business.
“What! How dare you! Who do you think you are!? “
“The owner of this shop.”
“Hoo… so you own this shop…”
At the sudden intervention, both of the men reacted differently. The adult man tried to intimidate him, and the playful young man seemingly was impressed about something.
“Our shop works on a first come, first served basis.”
“W-what!? If it"s about money, I have more than you can count! I"ll buy every item you are selling! “
“I"ll thankfully decline.”
I don"t want a worthless person to buy them, Yamato thought.
After all, these are the goods the old men and the children made in the village during the harsh winter, dedicating their whole hearts to craft them.
“That"s go… w-what!? Who do you think you"re speaking to!? I"m Viscount Butan, a n.o.ble merchant from the empire! “
“Sorry. I"m a little illiterate, so forgive me for not knowing who you are.”
In response to Yamato"s polite words, the man who called himself Viscount Butan had its face turn red out of anger. His plump body trembled and it was as if, at any moment, he would unsheathe a sword if he had one and slash at Yamato.
“He"s making fun of me! Kill this peasant! “
Along with that instruction, those who were waiting behind the merchant moved.
They were probably mercenaries escorting him, or at least that"s what Yamato a.s.sumed by looking at the swords hanging from their waists. Faithfully obeying the orders of their employer, they tried to cut and kill him.
“It"s nothing personal, but die! “
The mercenaries moved with practiced movements, like this was a daily occurrence to them.
Killing a small shop owner wasn"t a big crime for them. That because their lord, a merchant part of the n.o.bility always solved it with money.
“Eh…? “
But the mercenaries" swords were never unsheathed.
“What… the heck…”
Because in a single moment, their beloved swords disappeared along with their sheaths from their waists. Not like someone taking them, but almost as if they simply vanished.
“Are you looking for this? “
“W… what…. you b.a.s.t.a.r.d… how did you…”
The mercenaries" face paled as they looked at the swords Yamato had on his hands.
It all happened without anyone noticing. Before they knew it, they were robbed of their swords by a simple merchant.
“Still want to have a go? “
Yamato looked towards the merchant and asked.
Implying in his gaze that is he were to cause more trouble than this, he would become serious. That"s what Yamato"s stare conveyed.
“I"ll remember this! You"ll definitely hear from me again! “
“You don"t have to come buy anything again, ever.”
Taking his mercenaries with him, the merchant n.o.bleman fled the bazaar while spouting those words. Of course, Yamato gave the poor-quality swords back.
“Yamato-sama, thank you very much,”
“As expected of Yamato-niichan! “
“Alright guys, let"s get back to work.”
With the trouble resolved, the sales could be resumed at the stall.
Because of them, the bazaar had turned noisy at one time.
But as if nothing had happened, it regained its usual bustle.
Yamato noticed that in this trade city Orn, problems like what they just experienced were probably daily occurrences. So, it was best to get used to it.
“You really saved me back there, danna.” (TLN: like master or owner in a respectful way.)
“I just did what anyone would do.”
The young man who bought some leather goods a little while ago praised Yamato.
“But even so, you sure are strong.”
“It"s not really a big deal.”
But Yamato didn"t feel the need to be praised.
The movements of the mercenaries were slow and child-like, so he wasn"t being modest. They never concealed how they tried to unsheathe the swords from their waists.
So, Yamato was doubtful that they were even proper mercenaries, having such poor combat skills.
He even honestly believed that the children from Urd and the Han clan were many times better.
“As expected of the ‘rumored"… of ‘Yamato from Urd village…”
“Rumored… you say? “
“Whoopsie, look at the time. I need to go back. Then, see you again, Yamato-danna! “
“Yeah.”
The playful man said so and hurriedly left the bazaar.
However, to Yamato, that was an interest choice of words, those spoken by the young man.
Rumors, huh?… that sounds very unlikely…
Urd was a remote and closed up village in the mountainous area.
Until just recently, with the bandits lurking in the highway, there"s no way for someone to have entered or left the village, he thought.
In other words, n.o.body but the villagers should know of his existence. There was no possibility of rumors spreading with that being the case
Or did I mishear?… but…
That peculiar man was strangely anxious.
His appearance was both frivolous and playful.
But it was obvious by his posture and way of walking, that he was no ordinary person. He had received some form of training, or so Yamato though.
“Yamato-niichan! “
“Huh? What"s wrong? “
One of the children who were in charge of selling called out to him.
“If you stand there making such a ‘weird face" the customers won"t approach.”
“That"s right, smile, smile.”
It appeared that while he was immersed in his thoughts, he inadvertently had a hard look on his face.
After all, a ‘business smile" was the basic and most important aspect of customer service.
“Like this? “
“That"s still weird! “
“Then…”
“YYamato-sama… go ahead and take a rest, we got this.”
Liscia then added.
So, he decided to leave the stall to her and the children.
◇
Evening arrived, and the opening hours of the bazaar came to an end.
“We sold more than I thought we could in a single day, Yamato-sama.”
“Yeah, it went pretty well.”
Although they opened the stall only for a short time in the afternoon, the products were selling nicely.
Yet, many items still remained, to they planned to open again the next day earlier.
I hope nothing bad happens again… tomorrow will be the real deal.
He was a bit anxious, yet he was excited about tomorrow prospects.