(119) Haru’s role

Translator: Tseirp

As an apology for forcibly making us accept the request, he showed us many profitable harvesting requests that can be done near the Cat Sith village. Limited to this time only, there won’t be a cancellation fee even if we canceled the requests so I gratefully accepted all of them.

“Thanks, I was really troubled. That girl has been doing that all day since the morning.”

While processing the requests, the receptionist man said that with a smile.

“I wish to cooperate with her since there’s the circ.u.mstance on hand but it is the Adventurer’s freedom to accept a request or not after all. That’s why I was troubled.”

“I’m troubled too … even though I wanted to spend my time peacefully. Well, I was free so it doesn’t matter.”

If I strongly rejected it, Haru would feel guilty.

I’ll make sure to caution her later but I don’t intend to blame her.

“Ah, please sign here.”

Among us, only Haru belonged to the Adventurers Guild so she signed the doc.u.ments.

“Sorry for making it like I’m forcing the request on you.”

“If you feel guilty then can I just refuse the request?”

“Sorry but please don’t do that. I’m a cat lover after all.”

The receptionist man looked at the Cat Sith shaking hands with Carol with a warm loving gaze like the ones owners give their pets. … Just because he likes cats, he settled it in a way that was good for the Cat Sith, that’s clearly an abuse of authority.

Indeed, that race may look cute to cat lovers. They’re cutely sized too. However, I’m a dog lover so I won’t be fooled by that cuteness.

Moreover, after listening to the circ.u.mstance, I realized that the receptionist man made a big mistake.

” … I see. But once we accept this request, that Cat Sith will no longer have a reason to come here.”

The man stiffened when I said that with a grin.

“Sorry, forcing a request is something that should not be done in an Adventurer’s Guild after all. I’ll cancel the request ―”

“No no, I don’t mind. For the act of drawing swords and attacking, even if the opponent doesn’t suffer any wounds, in the worst case scenario, it might even lead to expulsion. Moreover, the request is just for the collection of unique Silver Vine in the forest so I don’t mind.”

“I see … erm, please tell her that she is welcome to come to this Adventurers Guild anytime in the future.”

The receptionist man said in a slightly depressed tone so I felt slightly satisfied.

※※※

“And so, I look forward to working with you, Stella.”

“Me too nya.”

I said as I bent down to shake hands with the Cat Sith Stella.”

Touching the squishy squishy paw pads felt great.

“Please don’t press my paw pads that much nya.”

“Oops, sorry.”

“I don’t mind nya. Leaving that aside, is it through that you possess a carriage?”

“Yeah. Is the village the Cat Siths live in reachable by carriage?”

I heard that it was a hidden village so I would be troubled if it was only reachable through an animal trail and not a carriage.

“Of course nya. Since there are also individuals who use carriages among the Cat Sith nya. That’s great nya. It would take forever if I relied on my feet but we would reach latest by the day after tomorrow with a carriage nya. Since the Cat Sith race isn’t really cut out for walking.”

Cat Siths walk slowly. It’s probably because they only use two legs. She certainly doesn’t look that fast.

They would escape on all fours when in danger but they normally walk on two feet. It was apparently something to do with their Cat Sith pride.

“It’s Fuyun’s time to shine after such a long time.”

When we went to the stables, Fuyun looked at us and neighed. He was probably excited. Since we have not seen him for some time.

When we first came to this town, there were plenty other horses but now the numbers had dropped to less than half so he looked lonely.

“Well, once the Horse Chasing Festival begins the stables would likely fill up once again.”

The Horse Chasing Festival was originally meant to be held now but it was postponed due to the disturbance from the monster outbreak this year.

Nevertheless, a portion of the cows have already been slaughtered and as such, the marketplace was bustling with people.

It was a great experience buying viscera meat for the first time in this world.

It was also perfect that they won’t turn bad once stored inside the item bag.

“By the way, Carol. Is it alright to only purchase one barrel of Silver Vine given that we are going to the Cat Sith village? I thought it would be better to purchase more.”

I loaded the Silver Vine barrel onto the carriage.

Normally it would be fine to store it inside my item bag but Silver Vine is apparently a taxable item.

Smuggling would be a crime and more importantly, paying the tariff might level up my Commoner level.

“It’s because Silver Vine is taxable. Also, the Cat Sith village doesn’t have the concept of currency. A portion of the merchants only has currency enough for the use of trade when they go to other towns while residents in the village do so via bartering. Bringing too much would lead to a loss.”

“Really?”

“That’s not true nya.”

Stella flatly denied when I asked.

What’s going on? Perhaps Carol’s information is outdated and they have in fact already introduced a currency system?

“Everyone’s happy when everyone drinks Silver Vine wine together and make merry nya.”

In other words, what Carol said was true.

Yup, a single barrel of Silver Vine is plenty.

I’ll be troubled if I chose wrongly and increased the number, leading to the circ.u.mstance a certain Cat-User faced, having his carriage attacked by Cat Siths.

Carol, Stella and I sat in the carriage, Haru sat at the driver seat and after the uncle from the stables led us to the main street, we set off to the gate.

The gate was a lot less crowded than usual so we cleared through the gates in no time.

During that time, I paid a 2500 tariff for the Silver Vine.

Since I set Commoner as my second job, it rose to Lv75.

“Why is the tariff on Silver Vine so expensive?”

Though I’m not really worried about finances and I could spend it for Commoner experience points so I didn’t really mind.

Now that I think about it, pepper and salt weren’t taxable but why is that there’s a tax for Silver Vine?

Moreover, usually tariffs are paid when leaving a country so why was it that we paid when we left a town?

I collectively asked Carol all those questions.

“It’s because Silver Vine Wine is a specialty product of Ferruit.”

“Silver Vine Wine is a specialty product?”

“Yes. Also, one must pay a liquor tax if they make wine in the country. However, the Cat Siths who make Silver Vine wine in their own village aren’t subjected to those taxes. While the Cat Sith village is within the territory of Ferruit, they are a race that is autonomous outside the king’s jurisdiction. Because of that, they can’t obtain the liquor tax that should have been received. So 120 years back, the Silver Vine harvested in the country was all gathered in Ferruit and a law was pa.s.sed to charge a tariff on all Silver Vine exported out of Ferruit.”

” … Ooo, I see.”

“It’s a troublesome thing nya.”

Stella closed her eyes and said while nodding twice.

We left Ferruit and proceeded southwest.

Along the way, we rarely encountered any monsters so time pa.s.sed peacefully.

The earliest we could reach the Cat Sith village was by the next day morning so tonight it would be a camp-out in the meadows.

Haru and I left the carriage to gather tree branches.

I thought for a moment if it would be fine to leave Stella and Carol alone,

“Hey, would there be fish for tonight nya?”

“Yes, Ichino-sama would be cooking.”

“If it’s cooking fish, you can leave it to me nya!”

Yup, it should be fine if it’s the two of them.

Using the Job Appraisal skill, I found that her job was 【Cook: Lv9】 so it should be fine.

Or rather, I was looking forward to the cooking of a professional.

“Haru, since we’re alone, I want to talk about something.”

I turned back and looked at her in the eyes and said.

“It’s about the incident at the Adventurers Guild.”

Hearing my words, Haru’s tail drooped low.

“I apologize, master.”

“Haru, I have something important to say to you. A request … no, an order.”

“I will accept it. No matter the punishment.”

Haru said. She gave a look that said she won’t mind even if she loses her life.

“Haru was angry was my sake. Haru was also angry at that Pugilist … ah, I forgot his name, but that person who made light of me at the Adventurers Guild in Florence. And it’s probably the same for me. For Haru and Carol, and maybe even Malina. I will probably be angry if anybody ridicules the three of you. I might do something unlike myself like when I had that duel with that Pugilist.”

” … Those words are wasted on me.”

“But, that’s wrong. A party can’t be established if there isn’t somebody that can always deal with things calmly. However, Carol is inadequate for that role and Malina has her hands full with her own condition without her mask. That’s why I want Haru to take on that role.”

I stopped and said as I looked at Haru.

“I can only entrust it to Haru.”

When I said that, Haru returned my gaze and,

“I respectfully accept that role.”

She replied.

That’s great … I guess.

It’s definitely better than having her lose control. She could understand my intention.

I wish to believe in that for now.

I faced forward once again and began to gather tree branches.

” … Thank you very much, master.”

Hearing those words from behind my back, I nodded with a smile while still having my back facing Haru.