The Merchant Guild of Port Town Véraldo

Karina-chan here. After all that naked bonding, the aunties are basically my friends now. There were a few younger girls too, but they all kept their distance.

Why, though? Did they see through my impure thoughts? Tremble, tremble — I'm not a bad girl, okay?

Do I really need booze to make friends with girls…?

I mean, it's not like the aunties aren't girls. Yeah.

 

 

Anyway! Fresh and squeaky clean from the bath, I have arrived at the Merchants' Guild!

The aunties made sure I scrubbed everywhere, with lines like, "Hey, you need to wash here!" "People always forget behind the ears!" "Huh, no tail? I thought for sure you were a beastkin during that time of year" — so now there's no need to worry about body odor.

At least for today and tomorrow.

"Alright, let's see if I can find a place to sell my booze — and I need to stock up on lotion."

According to Sati-tan, if I ask at the Merchants' Guild they'll tell me which shops will buy alcohol.

Here in Véraldo, I should be able to make a small profit (even after expenses) and buy plenty of lotion too. I wonder how much I can get.

With that excited feeling, I stepped into the Merchants' Guild — and there were pirates inside.

Hmmm?

"Uh, is this the Merchants' Guild…?"

"It is."

No way!? Bandana-wearing sailors, a gruff one-eyed guy in a captain's hat with a skull emblem — no matter how you look at it, these are pirates! The place looks exactly like a pirate hideout!

Or like a tavern that got taken over by pirates!

"Ah — miss, is this your first time in Véraldo?"

While I stood there dumbfounded, a man who looked like staff spoke to me.

"Ah, yes. It's my first time."

"Then I bet you just thought, 'This is basically a pirate den,' right?"

"Well, yeah."

"You're not wrong. Pirates are a kind of merchant of the sea."

Pirates — or rather, privateers. People who make their living seizing cargo from ships without trade permits. Apparently they're a sort of public servant with government authorization.

I see… So I can't just attack pirates on my own and swipe their treasure, huh.

"They just finished a job and they're a bit worked up, so you'd best keep your distance. Anyway, what can we do for you?"

"I'm looking for a place to sell liquor and somewhere to buy lotion."

"So you don't have a liquor license — got it. Is the lotion in powder form? As for liquor wholesalers—"

"Oi! Booze, huh! I'll buy it! I was just looking for some."

A pirate butted into my conversation with the staffer. He had a captain-ish fancy hat and an eyepatch.

People in this world sure love butting in, huh? Oh — is it because I'm pretty?

"Staff-san, does this guy have a liquor license?"

"… He doesn't. Up to three bottles would be okay as a private transaction, though."

"Then I guess just three. The price—"

"Here ya go!"

With that, he flicked three copper coins — ka-ching.

Three coppers scattered across the floor.

Huh?

"Hurry up and pick 'em up. Ah, I could buy you for a night, too."

"Sir, that man dropped his money. Or did he come here to pick a fight?"

"Hey, Gomez!! Disputes between guild members are forbidden!"

"Aw, what's the harm? I heard you say lotion, too. You're the one using it, right? I'll keep you company."

He leaned in with boozy breath and tried to put an arm around my shoulders, so I slipped out of reach.

Don't touch me with those filthy hands when I just got nice and clean at the bathhouse.

Totally different from Blade-senpai — well, actually, now that I think about it, wasn't Blade-senpai kind of like this too? Hm, maybe this Gomez is secretly a good guy…

"Heh. You wanna buy me? Bring 100 gold coins, you drunk."

"One hundred, huh? Well, if you become my woman, I might consider it."

He actually countered my Blade-senpai-repelling killer line.

For real? Do pirates make that much?

"Yeah, no, not happening. You seem super stingy."

"Hah? How am I stingy?"

"Are you dumb? Those three coppers on the floor are proof you're a cheapskate. No woman's gonna swoon for a man that small."

And it's not "I'll give it to you," it's "I'll consider it." So in the end you won't give me jack.

"W-w-who are you calling small!?"

"Oh? There's a small man who gets mad over just this? Where, where? So tiny I can't even see him? Anyone smaller than my pinky?"

—!!!

My my, Gomez-san, your face is awfully red.

Did my little pinky-curl gesture get you that worked up?

"Hey, why are you provoking him!"

"Aw, come on, Staff-san. If he gets mad over this, he's basically admitting he's got a small capacity, right? A big-hearted person wouldn't take it personally. Hm? Are you saying there's someone that small here?"

"… … N-no, that's not—!"

"Huff, huff…"

Sorry for dragging you into this, Staff-san.

Gomez did his best to steady his breathing.

If he blew his top here, he'd be admitting he's a small fry. Fufufu.