Geez, Sati-tan is so good at business!

"Just wait a bit, 'kay? I'm gonna finish this deal first～."

Sati-tan said that as she pulled a barrel of alcohol out of her backpack. It looked like the same mead she'd pushed on me before. She and the shopkeeper handled the transaction smoothly using her Merchants' Guild card.

Then, once her backpack was flattened back down, another barrel went in.

"Karikari, want a bottle too? Crawler liquor. It's nice and sharp and spicy."

"Ah, then I'll take just one."

"Two bottles for fifty copper coins. Family discount, y'know?"

Jingle jingle. Karina Shounin's remaining funds dropped to three silver coins and fifty copper coins.

I asked for one bottle but ended up buying two…! I love her!!

"Hey, Sati. This girl's a newbie, yeah? Cut her some slack."

"I guarantee the quality of the booze. Besides, without a liquor license it's twenty-five copper per bottle, so I'm not ripping her off or anything, right?"

With a license and bulk purchasing, it's apparently twenty copper per bottle. Just buying and passing it along nets ten copper coins of profit. Geez, Sati-tan's so good at business! So cute!

"See? Karikari's happy too, so no problem, yeah?"

"Well, fine… Here, a bonus. Take it."

He handed us two strips of dried Crawler meat. Waa, thanks. I'll have it as a snack.

 

*

 

Leaving the shop behind, we headed to the Adventurers' Guild.

Time to collect the pocket money from our luggage-carrying job.

My luggage was just a single small parcel. Sati-tan's load, on the other hand, was mostly letters—light but high paying. That's the difference trust makes, huh.

Despite her small size, Sati-tan owns a carriage, and I got to hitch a ride.

Sati-tan was handling the carriage bird from the driver's seat—a big bird that pulls the carriage, hence the name. I sat next to her.

"Still, Karikari, what're you doing here? Didn't you say you were going to Véraldo?"

"Ah, that. It all worked out perfectly! I took the booze I bought from you and sold it through the Merchants' Guild for a nice tidy profit."

"Heeh? Tidy profit at the Merchants' Guild, huh. What'd you do?"

On the way to the Adventurers' Guild, I told her about my exploits in Véraldo.

… Leaving out the part about my exploits as a great mage, of course.

"Some pirates got involved, y'see. Ah, and then I had a drinking contest with them and won."

"… Karikari, you're not that strong a drinker. How'd you win?"

"I just pretended to drink."

"Ah—! That's no good! You have to actually drink in a drinking contest. Bad!"

"Uuu, s-sorry."

Apparently, for dwarves, cheating in a drinking contest is a fairly heavy sin.

Sorry, sorry. Don't poke me in the ribs over it.

"Mm, ah—but they were Véraldo pirates, right? In that case, fine. Nothing but bad rumors about them anyway."

"Oh, so it's okay?"

"It's not really okay, but since they were pirates and it's you, Karikari, I'll let it slide, yeah?"

"Yaaay, thanks, Sati-tan!"

"I'm driving, so hugs have to wait till later～"

Ufufu, she's adorable.

Chatting like that, we arrived at the Adventurers' Guild in no time.

We left the carriage with the stable and delivered our cargo to the Adventurers' Guild counter. Pocket money, get.

Sati-tan also delivered her letters and received a few silver coins.

"So, did anything come in? … I see. Well, keep it up, 'kay."

After talking with the receptionist-san, Sati-tan put half of her silver coin reward back on the counter.

"Sati-tan, are you looking for something?"

"Mm? Maybe info on tasty alcohol. Kinda disappointed nothing came in."

That was obviously a cover. Well, if she doesn't want to say, that's her business.

"Speaking of tasty drinks, I had wine in Véraldo. During that drinking contest I mentioned with the pirates."

"Wine, huh. That's Beltux's specialty. If I remember right, it's made from grapes… Hmm, I hadn't thought to look there… but getting into the Elflands is a pain."

Sati-tan let out a long sigh.

Hmmm, I kinda want to help her out here!

"You need permission to get into the Elflands?"

"Yeah. Adventurers can get in at B-rank or above, but merchants need the right connections or they can't. And I'm a dwarf on top of that, so it's even harder."

"Oooh… Sati-tan, Sati-tan. Just between us, I do happen to have some connections with the elves."

"… Seriously?"

Seriously. Despite appearances, my Dea-kun is actually an elven noble. I'm sure I could introduce her to a contact or two.

"I actually formed a party, you know. And one of the members is an elf."

"Hmmm… Think you can introduce me?"

"Fufufu, that depends on you, Sati-tan…"

"Got it, I'll give you some socks, so introduce me."

"Okay! Let's go then! They've probably already booked an inn by now!"

Hm? Now that I think about it, aren't the socks Sati-tan's wearing ones I copied before?

If that's the case, I can't really offer them to the Goddess… ah well, whatever.

Helping a cute girl in trouble is only natural!