What Narikin's Group Was Doing

[… … A-a vacation, you say? We're free to go sightseeing?]

"Yes. Well, it is a vacation. Let's say for about a week. I want you to report in regularly, but other than that, it's your free time."

Narikin, who was possessing a small bird in order to communicate with Kehma, his Master, was told such a thing. Having reported the current situation to Haku, who was higher up than Kehma and at the top of the Empire, it seemed that the orchard matter could be left to them.

[Understood, Master.]

"Alright, you got that too Rokufa? Also, as a special reward, you can use up to five gold coins as you like."

"… …!? Th-thank you very much."

"Alright, our regularly scheduled communication is now complete."

With that said, Kehma released the "possession." Narikin also released his possession and returned to his own body.

Rokufa let out a sigh.

Five gold coins were more than enough for a commoner family to live on for two or three years if they saved up. It was too much money to spend in just a week.

"… … Five gold coins for a week. Master seems to be quite upset about having his work taken away by Haku-sama, don't you think, Narikin?"

"Indeed. He said it was a special reward, but we haven't actually done anything in particular. This must mean that he wants us to show results worth five gold coins in just a week."

NaanaToy, having been listening to their conversation while standing quietly against the wall of the room in her maid outfit, shook her head. She thought that Kehma was genuinely trying to give them a pure vacation and five gold coins. It was common for heroes who became nobles to lose their sense of money. That also meant they were earning more, though.

"No, no, Mistress, Master. Perhaps Kehma-sama's intention is simply for us to enjoy our vacation leisurely… Maybe we should take his words at face value?"

"That's unlikely. After all, Master himself investigated the suspicious place that was reported to Haku-sama and we were just standing by as birds, right?"

"Yes. And you were simply standing by holding a birdcage. It is no mental burden to understand that five gold coins are clearly too much for that, yes?"

"Oyah? So, given what you just said, I take it that am I included in using the five gold coins as a reward?"

"Naturally. Even though you're a temporary external colleague, you're still a colleague. Correct, Narikin?"

"Of course. We will rely on you to think about how to use these funds together with us."

NaanaToy, who had thought she was being guarded and monitored while being used, was dumbfounded at how they perceived her, thinking they were as soft as their Master. While Kehma was somewhat wary of Toy, he was still soft. Even though he had restrained her original body, he still let her walk around freely and kept surveillance to a minimum.

Both the Master and his servants needed more training. NaanaToy scratched her head, thinking it would be a struggle to pit them against her former masterLeona.

"How about we try to see how much we can increase the five gold coins as a challenge?"

"Hmm, are you suggesting starting a business? But wouldn't that be a failure as a spy if we stood out?"

"I think it's effective for gathering information, but I don't think we're suited for business in the first place."

"No, no. There's a thing called gambling in this world, not to mention that we are in Sunstar."

However, large-scale horse races were held only once every few months in this area. Usually, when speaking of gambling, it referred to pubs where one could roll dice.

"… … Gambling, huh? I don't really like it."

"There's a higher chance of losing our gold rather than increasing it, too."

The two of them seemed to have inherited their Master's preference for caution. They were persuaded by NaanaToy that letting them rest was part of the job.

"By the way, such places tend to gather information. How about it? It might be fun to spend money at a gambling den while thinking of it as an investigation."

"Investigation… Ah, I see…"

"Did you realize something, Rokufa?"

"Yes. A gambling den is not very [Vacation-like], is it?"

"… …! That's it!"

NaanaToy thought her realization was slightly different from what she'd had in mind, but as long as they were playing in a gambling den, it would technically be considered a break, right? Besides, Haku had probably already investigated such places and she didn't expect any new information to come in.

"Let's see, since we have a week, should we use about fifty silver a day?"

"Shouldn't it be closer to eighty?"

"Just to put it out there, five gold, which equates to five hundred silver, when divided by the seven days of the week, comes out to roughly seventy-one."

"… … Then shall we use seventy coins a day as our funds? To be divided among the three of us."

"Fumu, that would be thirty coins each? Let's split up and investigate with that then."

"It's twenty-three coins each with one left over, but I think it's more natural for travelers to act together as a group of three. We are ostensibly a couple followed by their servant, after all."

NaanaToy wondered if she should make them study calculations during their vacation.

Rather, were they seriously going to include her? NaanaToy looked at the two, but their decision seemed unwavering. Moreover, they intended to let her act alone with money, which was just too sweet of them.

"Don't worry, I was planning on having you take Tran and Sceiver with you."

"What do you plan to do if I leave the birdcage behind and run away?"

"Oh. Master asked me to keep an eye on you, but you wouldn't run away, would you?"

While she didn't intend to run away, being told that by these two who had no sense of crisis made her want to do something about it. She wouldn't, though.

"Let's store any remaining or increased funds and return them to Master."

"Right. So, Naana, please tell us about the gambling den."

"… … Understood, Mistress."

Like this, NaanaToy took the two with her to the gambling den for a vacation under the guise of gathering information.