The Long Line

Once Elza and Azu were up, I had Alexia help us wipe ourselves down with hot water.

Afterward, I explained the plan to both of them.

"I think it's a fine idea. Performing good deeds is a noble thing."

"Not being able to drink water must be awful."

"Wonderful, then you two are helping as well."

Alexia looked pleased.

How this would turn out was still an open question, but selling water wouldn't be a waste regardless.

We headed back toward the city.

A gate guard was standing post. He was leaning against the wall, though.

His complexion was better than yesterday's, so he seemed to have recovered.

"You lot again?"

"That's right. This time, we're here to sell something to the people of this city."

"… I don't think anyone's buying much of anything right now. And your wagon's empty, isn't it? What exactly are you selling?"

"Water."

The guard's expression hardened at the word.

"Water, huh. Sure, everyone would want that. So that mage of yours is going to conjure water and sell it?"

"Yes. Complete with a priestess's blessing."

Elza had no magical power of her own, so her role would be to apply blessings.

Holy water could apparently purge toxins, which made it perfect for this.

"I'm still a gate guard, you know. You gave me water yesterday, so I let you through without a fuss, but if you're planning to gouge people for water, I can't allow that."

"Perish the thought. Here's what we're charging."

I leaned close to the guard's ear and whispered the price.

He looked taken aback.

"You serious? At that price, there's no issue at all. I'd want you to start right away, actually… But are you sure you can handle it? That's a massive amount of water."

"No issue at all."

Alexia answered from under her hood.

"Impressive. Alright, go on through."

The guard gave us clearance to enter the city.

I'd been a little nervous, but with that settled, we were good to go.

"Oh, wait. Fill this up for me first."

I took his payment and Alexia filled the guard's canteen with water.

"Thanks. My throat's killing me."

"Thank you."

"Yeah… That voice. Where have I…"

The guard seemed to be trying to place Alexia's voice.

She had been the lord's daughter, after all. They'd probably met at some point.

We passed through the gate and entered the walled city.

The smell was worse than yesterday.

We stopped the wagon in the run-down plaza.

According to Alexia, selling goods on the street was permitted within the Empire.

Provided you didn't disturb those around you, of course.

As for taxes, street vendors were apparently exempt.

However, you had to purchase a vending permit from the city.

That was the de facto tax.

First, we parked the wagon and everyone climbed out of the bed.

I went to the Adventurer's Guild to buy the permit, doubling as an opportunity to lodge a complaint about Baron Aarg.

I explained what had happened when we sold the burning stone to the receptionist.

"If the transaction has been completed, there's nothing we can do."

The answer I'd expected came back word for word.

Even if it hadn't been completed, a written warning was apparently the most they'd do. Pointless.

The Adventurer's Guild didn't hold much status in the Kingdom either, but here it was even lower.

Adventurers were seen as mere labor, and the guild was powerless against nobility.

What a dream-crushing place. If I'd been born and raised here, I probably never would have turned slaves into adventurers.

The guild at least served as a safety net for those who couldn't find other work, but that was about it.

Whether this was just how things were around here or how the entire Empire operated was something I was curious about.

I bought the vending permit and left the guild.

Two silver coins. That was for one day.

Back at the wagon, the slaves had finished setting up.

We removed the wagon bed's canopy and used it as a counter.

The people nearby either had no interest in us or no energy to care; hardly anyone so much as glanced our way.

Once preparations were complete, I cupped my hand and projected my voice.

Azu was our sales girl. She had the cutest face, after all.

Alexia had her hood up the whole time, and if Elza stood out front, people might mistake this for charity.

"We are now selling water! One copper coin per container! One copper coin! Please bring something you can carry in your arms!"

The moment I shouted that, a man sitting nearby snapped his head up.

He scrambled into his house and came running back with a water jug.

"H-Hey."

"Yes?"

"That was for real, right?"

"Of course. I don't lie."

"You'll fill this whole thing for one copper coin!?"

He set the jug on the counter.

It was a bit bigger than the man's own head.

"Yes. Would you like to buy some water?"

"Y-Yeah. Please. Fill it all the way."

The man nodded over and over.

The best feeling a merchant can have is selling something a customer desperately wants.

Because it flies off the shelves.

This was basically charity work, but there was no upfront cost, and even after subtracting the permit fee, we'd make a little money.

"Start."

"Very well."

I signaled Alexia, and she activated her magic.

When she held both hands toward the jug, water filled it in the blink of an eye.

The man's face showed pure disbelief.

Once the jug was full, he set down a single copper coin and hurried off with it.

The onlookers began to murmur.

Obviously.

We were selling the very thing they wanted so badly they could taste it.

Another customer rushed over with a bucket almost immediately.

I collected one copper coin and filled it.

Before long, a line had formed.

Among them was someone who appeared to be from the city guard, calling out to people to line up in an orderly fashion.

"Holding up alright?"

"No issue at all."

When I checked on Alexia, she answered instantly, as if to say don't worry about me.

Some people brought oversized containers, but we limited it to what one person could carry in their arms.

They couldn't haul anything bigger than that anyway.

Since it was only one copper coin, nobody complained.

Some came around for multiple trips, but we didn't restrict that either.

We kept selling water until evening that day.