A Merchant With Zero Combat Power Who Was A Baggage Handler In A Hero Party (Me), Was Finally Banished And Wants To Be A Steady Merchant. - Chapter 87 – Reuniting

“That’s why I’d like to hire a few trusted bodyguards.”

That night, I discussed my concerns about the current security system with Burgess and Clarice.

The amount of relics sold after the return from Yak Village already totaled one million mana.

One third of that has already been given to Clarice…

The original amount on hand, plus Loloi’s share that I was keeping…

The total amount of mana in my hip mana bag is still close to 1 million mana.

Furthermore, considering that my warehouse still contains the excavated goods from the Earth Ruins…

From the point of view of thieves and others, I’m like a pile of treasure walking around with clothes on.

“Any good adventurers in your connection, Burgess?”

By the way.

Items in a warehouse with warehouse skills will disappear if the person dies.

It is thought that the items are left behind in the inventory in another dimensional space and become irretrievable as they are.

So one could say that the relics in the warehouse are safe as long as I don’t voluntarily take them out…

The other party is a gang of thieves who have been sneaking and stealing for years.

I never know what kind of blackmail they might use.

I really hate bandit gangs.

“Loloi is there to guard Albus, remember?”

Loloi let out in frustration.

“Since I myself am completely useless in battle. Loloi alone, fighting multiple people while protecting me, would be a very tough situation.”

Loloi also has the disadvantage of running out of stamina quickly when fighting at full skill level.

Her normal fighting ability is quite high, so she is not lagging behind against other monsters in the area. However, it is a different story when the opponent is also a group of bandits with experience against them.

“I think so. I think you should join them, me and Clarice.”

Burgess said, folding his arms.

“No, I’m sorry about that. There is a long period of time between now and the day of the auction. You have your own thing to do, don’t you?”

There are only about three months left until the auction.

There is no way the two of them will be stuck with me for the entire period.

“I’ve got nothing to do but to take quests to earn mana from guild for my living. If you want, I can go out with you and do your business instead.”

“Well… selling relics wasn’t really my thing, but is there anything else you think I could do?”

Burgess and Clarice together…or rather, Burgess. I don’t think they could earn enough mana as a small-time employee in my business compared doing their daily quests.

Or even before that, I can’t afford to pay that much for an escort. So the two of them end up losing quite a bit of money.

“That’s not good, so you can just introduce me to a trustworthy adventurer through Burgess’ connections…. Someone who is reasonably good, but who I can hire as cheaply as possible.”

“But still, it would cost mana to hire them, wouldn’t it? Then, considering the difference, it would be much less expensive for us to join your escort.”

That may be a good argument, but…

Doing so would mean that Burgess and Clarice would be hire off quite cheaply as escorts.

I can’t just hire Burgess and Clarice for free, either. They have a life and a purpose.

Burgess has to earn mana to survive, and Clarice has a goal of buying the house someday.

When I said this, Burgess and Clarice looked at each other and nodded.

“…what is it?”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that anymore.”

“What?”

“Actually..I got word that someone proposed to my sister… and it looks like she’ll accept it.”

So it was the case, huh?

Apparently, a messenger from a certain nobleman had come to this mansion while we were in Yak Village.

Clarice had just heard about it from Mitra last night…

The aristocrat, in welcoming Mitra as his wife, had said something to the effect that he would buy the house and allow Mitra to continue to live there.

“I’m afraid I’m going to be evicted in exchange, but then I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go peddling with Albus and Loloi.”

When I asked what Burgess was going to do, he told me that Clarice was going to force him to go with her halfway.

Burgess scratched his head in embarrassment.

Something…has changed a bit.

“Well…that’s why. Let the two of us join you and Loloi’s party.”

“If I’m going to be part of a merchant’s guard, I should at least be able to watch the store, right?”

It seems that a lot of things are being discussed without my knowledge.

And that, for me, was a welcome development.

I would have loved to have been a part of that.

Clarice and Burgess would be more than welcome to Loloi.

Loloi, then, seemed to have no objection.

“Yes, please do.”

“Oh yeah!! The Earth Ruins Explore Party is formed once again!”

And so we are again.

These four of us were going to form a party.

But this time it was not (tentatively) to explore the ruins.

Then I am. I have to earn enough mana for these four to live on through my business.

It was a heavy responsibility.

With this many guards, the number of places we could go would expand dramatically. With this many people, we would be able to do a lot more.

I was grateful for their offer, and grinned at the fact that my next business idea, which I had already thought of, was about to take shape.

Albus peddling party.

Merchant Albus (Leader/Luggage Carrier)

Loloi, martial artist (Escort/Advance Guard)

Burgess the Mage Swordsman (Escort/Advance Guard)

Clarice the Swordsman (Escort/Advance Guard)