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 97 – Changes in Loloi

Next day.

I headed to Gandra’s store first thing in the morning to check on the progress of the relic polishing.

I also had the important task of asking Gandra to work with me on the auction order.

By the way, it’s me and Burgess who are here.

Loloi and Clarice are still selling kodris baked goods at the wagon square.

“I’ll try to reach out to them in the meantime. But I doubt they will listen to the requests of an outside appraiser like me.”

Gandra, who had heard what I had to say, looked rather troubled.

It seems that the actual order of the auction reflects the balance of power among the nobles.

In other words, if a powerful nobleman interferes with the auction by saying, “Make my item number one,” or “Put that item I am aiming for in the back,” it will be reflected in the actual order.

“Jimmy Radiak…”

“The weakest of the aristocracy… but an aristocrat is still an aristocrat.”

In other words, he will certainly take precedence over my request, which I will put forth through Gandra.

If they find out that we are working to buy the Mitra mansion, they will probably try to crush us.

“Then what about Gilbert Warren?”

“The Warrens? That’s the second largest family in the citadel after the Kilket family.”

I see.

It seems there’s no other choice for us but to somehow get in touch with Gilbert through Mitra.

According to our current plan, we expect to have over 6 million mana in our hands by the time we have completed the entire auction.

If that is the case.

Gilbert’s first condition to Mitra was “6 million mana”. It would be more certain to negotiate the purchase of the mansion directly.

It should be the best choice to ensure that we get what we want without having to deal with a bad auction.

Even if that doesn’t work. I would at least ask them to work on the auction order.

“Sir… it’s not so easy for a commoner like us to meet with the great noble Gilbert Warren.”

I know.

As for the trump card.

They are now considered orphans, but they are Gilbert’s blood relatives, Mitra and Clarice.

It is said that a messenger comes to Mitra periodically, so it would be quickest to convey the story through that messenger.

There is no need to meet them directly.

Anyway, we need to move as soon as possible.

I’ll talk to Mitra when I get back.

→→→→→

Leaving Gandra’ store.

Together with Burgess, walk along the road to the wagon square.

“It’s not an easy road ahead.”

Burgess blurted out as he walked along.

“What? You the one who asked for it and now you’re giving up?”

“I’m not saying that. I just find the talk of aristocrats and commoners a bit depressing. That kind of thing is not for me.”

As a former Paladin, Burgess must have been exposed to such scheming and trickery in capital.

And so have the Hero…

A Paladin and so on…

In the end, the royal nobles recommended stunning people to each other and decided through discussion on top of that.

So, in the end, neither the Hero nor the Paladin are above the royal princes and nobles. They always go to the battlefield as they are instructed.

The reason why Burgess retired from the knighthood and is now an adventurer in this remote western region. Perhaps those circumstances are involved.

→→→→→

“But Loloi surprised me.”

The subject broke off and I brought it up.

“Yes, that’s right. I never thought that Loloi-chan, who was only interested in treasure hunts, would voluntarily offer to help out at a kodris barbecue stall.”

“People change, don’t they?”

I looked at Burgess with a deliberate smile, and he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

Burgess has also changed a bit.

Ever since Clarice asked him to marry her, his perversity has been overshadowed.

In case you are wondering, I mean that in an incredibly nice way.

Incidentally, it was originally planned for me and Loloi to go to Gandra’s store..

But that would leave no one with warehouse skills to watch the store, so I had told Burgess and Clarice to keep the store open as much as possible during our absence.

Then Loloi volunteered to help out at the kodris barbecue stall.

Loloi had a mysterious belief that she should never do anything other than what was involved in treasure hunts.

Before she partnered with me, it seems that in every party she belonged to, she repeatedly refused to go on quests and then dropped out of the party.

The reason is that “quests are not treasure hunts.”

That’s why I used to take Loloi on my quests just before the Earth Ruins.

We needed a lot of mana for the large-scale exploration of the ruins, so we should go on quests to save up mana.

In other words, the quest is part of the treasure hunt. That’s the theory.

That’s all well and good, but…

After returning alive from the ruins, Loloi was still stubborn and would not sell anything but relics.

Selling kodris barbecue nor to buy that mansion.

To be honest, they have nothing to do with Treasure Hunt at all.

Even so, it would be helpful if she could help me sell the relics, so I had planned to leave Loloi only in charge of the store.

But then, Loloi…

She said herself, “I’m going to help out at the kodris barbecue stall.”

“What kind of wind is blowing around?”

Naturally, I wondered what change had come over her mind.

“Albus does it, so does Loloi.”

Loloi replied to my question.

At first, I had no idea what Loloi meant.

“That’s not an answer. You’ve never, no matter how many times I’ve asked you to do something, you’ve never done it, not even selling herbs.”

“I… imitate Albus.”

“That’s what I don’t understand… What part of it is the same with me?”

I asked again.

Loloi started to say something, then stopped, then started to say something, then stopped, and repeated it several times.

Apparently, she couldn’t explain herself very well.

And eventually…

“For the sake of my precious friends. I can change what was important to me, if only a little. I guess.”

She said.

So.

Somehow, I got what Loloi was trying to say.

My goal is to be a great merchant.

To achieve that goal, “buying Mitra and his family’s mansion” is nothing more than a detour.

There are plenty of other places to invest in order to become a businessman, rather than spending close to 10 million mana there.

But I lost to Burgess’ earnestness.

I decided to put my mana and time into it.

Actually, it was also a test of my own strength, but that’s a story I’ll keep to myself.

So I guess that’s what Loloi means when she says “for the sake of my precious friends”.

“That’s what Loloi wants too. Loloi’s treasure hunts are even better because of Albus, Clarice, and Burgess. So, detour or no detour, I would do it for Clarice.”

“Alright…”

I couldn’t help but pat Loloi’s head.

“Na…what are you doing!”

“No…I’m just deeply moved by how much Loloi has grown…”

“I don’t understand what you mean…”

“That’s all right. Anyway, take care of the Codolis baked goods for me!”

“Yes, sir! Yes, sir!”

We had such an exchange before we left.

Loloi, who was only interested in treasure hunts, seemed to be changing little by little as he got involved with us.

→→→→→

When me and Burgess returned to the wagon square.

Two shop-keeper-girls were sweating as they sold herb-roasted codlice.

“Albus! Sales are going well! Selling kodris is surprisingly fun!”

Loloi was pleased and said such things with a big smile on her face.