Chapter 49

Inside the guild, there was a great commotion when it was heard that the Red Oath possessed five rock lizards.

“Y-You don’t mean to tell me that all of them are in the girl’s storage, right?”

The veteran hunter asked, slightly flustered. Mile answered with a puzzled look.

“Eh, they are in there. Is there something wrong with that?”

““““…………””””

“P-Please wait a moment!”

Saying this, the receptionist left her post to consult with the guild master.

The guild will buy even unexpected catches that are not usually on the purchase list, as long as there is a prospect of selling them and making a profit.

Rock lizards are popular both as materials for their skin and claws and as food, but their numbers are not high due to the danger and distance of their habitat, which makes transportation troublesome. They are sure to sell, but only two to three at a time.

However, with five, the total purchase amount would be high, and it’s uncertain whether they could be sold before they start to spoil. On the other hand, it would be a waste to miss such a profitable opportunity.

It was too much for the receptionist to decide on her own, so she left the decision to her superior, which was indeed a wise choice.

“...This way, please.”

After a while, the receptionist returned and led the members of the Red Oath to the conference room on the second floor.

There, the guild master and the sub-master of the Hunter’s Guild Capital Branch were waiting.

“Please, have a seat.”

The four people who entered the room were invited to sit by the guild master and took their seats around the table. The receptionist who had guided them also sat down next to the guild master, opposite the sub-master.

“Well, I heard from Reria, but is it true? Five rock lizards, you say...”

When asked by the guild master, Mile confessed the truth.

“No, actually, that was a lie. It’s not five...”

“S-Sure, I thought so. Don’t scare us like that... It’s impossible to fit that many in a storage magic, right?”

Following the sub-master’s relieved words, Mile revealed the exact number of rock lizards.

“There are twenty-six in my storage.”

*Bang!*

The sub-master slammed his forehead on the table.

“...So, you really have that many rock lizards in your storage?”

“Yes...”

The four members of the Red Oath were facing the guild master, the sub-master who had finally recovered, and the receptionist Reria. So far, Mile, the owner of the storage, had been handling the negotiations.

“If you really have that many rock lizards in your storage, do you understand what that means?”

“Y-Yes. I want to cash them in quickly, but I’m not sure if they will sell immediately, and selling them all at once might cause the price to drop...”

“You fool!”

Mile and the others flinched at the guild master’s shout.

“If someone with such a large storage capacity exists, there will be a fight over it! Fortunately or unfortunately, you are famous from that graduation test, so those who know about it won’t dare to cause trouble. After all, you are the party that fought valiantly against the ‘Mithril Roar’ and is favored by the king and the princess. I don’t think there will be many who would want to provoke a party with a leader who is the king’s favorite and a princess’s infatuation...”

Mavis was the only one who didn’t notice the guild master’s gaze turning towards her when he mentioned the princess.

“Also, the story of you being the savior of the Hunter Training School, which was on the verge of closure, has spread. Therefore, most of the school’s graduates and hunters who believe in its necessity will be on your side. After all, your existence and future activities are the best proof of the school’s necessity.”

Reina, Mavis, and Pauline looked a bit proud at this, but Mile looked gloomy, half rolling her eyes.

“So, the problem is the unreasonable ones, the fools, those who don’t know about the graduation test, and those from other countries. Since you spoke in front of so many people, it’s now common knowledge that your storage can hold at least five rock lizards. Really, why did you...?

Ah, no, it’s fine, I understand. You had to say it could hold that many to cash in a large number of rock lizards and avoid various inconveniences in the future. So, you tried to understate the capacity a bit by saying five, right?

I understand, but...”

Mile, who was about to make an excuse, was cut off by the guild master, who had already said what she wanted to say.

Yes, five rock lizards would weigh about two tons, which could be easily transported by one carriage. That much wouldn’t be worth the risk for nobles or the state to go to great lengths to obtain. Besides, there are a few dozen storage users in each country. Mile thought so.

However, Mile’s thinking was missing several key elements.

For example, ‘secret,’ ‘inaccessible by carriage,’ ‘urgent,’ ‘escape,’ ‘without resupply,’ ‘military,’ ‘a few kilograms to four to five hundred kilograms for others,’ ‘personal use,’ and ‘cute girl’s’ were some of the missing keywords.

If a person could be transported by a relay of horses, two tons of supplies could come with them, unnoticed.

Noble families, royal families, and states would certainly want such a capability.

“Well, it’s too late to say anything now. Be very careful, and if anything happens, ask for help immediately. Got it?”

““““Yes...””””

“Why aren’t you answering!”

The guild master shouted, and Reina, Mavis, and Pauline were staring at Mile.

“W-Why are you all looking at me!”

“Ah, I have a question!”

Shaking off the three gazes, Mile asked the guild master.

“...What is it?”

“Um, could you buy five rock lizards from us every few days from now on?”

“““Eh...”””

Indeed, that matter had not been discussed yet.

In the end, it was decided that the guild would buy five rock lizards from them every week. Selling all at once would be impossible due to the risk of spoilage, price drops, and the inability to explain the source. If a single expedition took five days, followed by a day of rest before another expedition, the timeline would be explainable.

Of course, the guild had no intention of publicly disclosing who was supplying them. This was just a safety measure in case an explanation was needed. Otherwise, the Red Oath would only be able to stay in the capital for one day a week.

Mile and the others also added a condition that the rock lizards sold to the guild would not be sold to the Abbott Trading Company or anyone who might resell them to the Abbott Trading Company. They sold each rock lizard for 20 silver coins, or 2 gold coins. Five rock lizards per week would yield 10 gold coins, and 50 gold coins over five weeks. This was five months’ worth of the party’s monthly minimum target. Even if the price dropped due to oversupply in the later weeks, it couldn’t be helped. It would depend on the negotiations with the guild.

Incidentally, one of the rock lizards was completely charred and excluded from the sale. The relatively undamaged tail was given to the inn as a souvenir, and the rest was for their own use.

The rock lizards would be sold out in less than a month, but it would still cover five months of living expenses. Even with a lot of luxury spending on food and clothing, it would last more than three months. However, if they bought high-quality armor, it would be gone in no time.

Since they couldn’t reveal the status-preserving item box, they explained the freshness issue by saying that Mile’s storage was insulated and continuously enchanted with a freezing spell. It was still clearly abnormal, but everyone was so numb that they didn’t care.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Your request this time will not be treated as a failure.

The client clearly did not adhere to the terms stated in the request, so it is invalid. However, your record will show that the request was completed, and the deposit for the case of non-completion will be returned. Furthermore, the client’s deposit will be confiscated, and you will receive the maximum reward stated in the request, which is 75 silver coins for five rock lizards. The remaining amount will go to the guild. Is there any dissatisfaction?”

““““No!””””

The Red Oath members answered in unison, but Pauline followed up with a question.

“Um, will there be any other penalties for the trading company? They deceived the guild and made the hunters accept a false request. Is the invalidation of the request the only consequence?”

As a merchant, Pauline couldn’t let it go, and the guild master answered with a laugh.

“No, there will be no other penalties. This is a matter of contractual negligence, so the punishment will be limited to that. It’s a breach of contract, but it’s not a major crime...”

Mile wondered if there was no fraud law, but thought that in this world, ‘the one who gets deceived is at fault,’ and kept quiet.

Pauline also looked a bit regretful.

“However,”

The guild master’s talk was not over yet.

“Who do you think will take a request from a merchant who tried to deceive the guild and cute junior hunters?

Do you think any hunter will take a job from a client who doesn’t keep to the terms of the request and is not trustworthy?”

“Ah...”

“Well, they can buy from the guild or other merchants, but then they might only get what the guild has in stock, or the purchase price might be higher.

Also, like you this time, hunters who sell to the guild might add conditions such as ‘don’t sell to them’ or ‘20% price increase if sold to them’ when they sell. The trading company will have a hard time obtaining items that customers order...”

The guild master laughed again.

As Mile and the others left the conference room and went down to the first floor, a receptionist hurriedly called them.

“Sorry! There are letters for the Red Oath!”

“Letters?” Mile and the others returned to the reception counter with puzzled looks and were handed two envelopes.

“Sorry, I was so busy that I forgot to give them to you...”

Since the cause of the busyness was themselves, they couldn’t complain.

When Mavis, who received the envelopes, checked the addressees, one was for her, and the other was for Pauline. Mavis silently handed one to Pauline and confirmed the sender of her own envelope.

“Ah...”

Of course, she knew who it was from before checking. There was no one else who would send her a letter.

When she was at home, it might have been different, but not now.

It was, of course, a letter from her family.

They had tracked her down. ...Actually, it would have been strange if they hadn’t.

How many people, and how many nobles, had watched that graduation test?

Mavis smiled wryly and looked at Pauline, who was pale and clutching her letter. Of course, everyone knew who the sender was. There was no doubt about it.

“...What do we do?”

“Ignore them. A few letters will come, and eventually, one of my brothers will come to check on me. We’ll just wait. There’s no need to rush and speed up the process.”

Mavis answered Reina with a wry smile, looking very nonchalant.

“What about Pauline?”

“...The same. Since I’ve decided not to return, there’s no need to reply.”

Pauline seemed to have no lingering attachment to her family, but her expression was dark, perhaps worried about her mother and brother.

“If you’re worried, we can all go. To the town where Pauline’s family lives...”

“No, that’s not necessary. As a lover and her child, they won’t do anything strange.”

“...Right. But if anything happens, don’t hesitate to tell us. Because we are...”

“Soul-bound comrades, the Red Oath!”

Mile snatched the line, and Reina smiled wryly.

“Well, let’s take a few days off!”

“““Oh!”””

“...Ah”

“What’s wrong?”

When Mile suddenly stopped and let out a sound, Reina asked with a puzzled look.

“I forgot to cash in the other catches...”

“““Ah...”””

In the end, they decided to cash in the other catches gradually and inconspicuously. Selling them with the rock lizards would not seem unusual, as they were part of the same series of monsters and animals.

Thanks to Mile’s insulated and freezing storage magic. (It was actually a time-stop item box.)

“We’re back!”

“Welcome back!”

Rennie greeted them from behind the reception counter.

“Here, this is a souvenir!”

Saying this, Mile took out a slightly charred rock lizard tail from the item box and placed it on the floor with a thud.

“Wow, what’s this!”

Even Rennie, who was used to such things, seemed to be seeing such a large and intact rock lizard tail for the first time.

“Can I have this? Dad, come here!”

The chef father and the innkeeper mother came over, thanked Mile and the others repeatedly, and carried the tail to the kitchen in a great commotion. The inn’s meals would likely be rock lizard-themed for a while.

“That should earn us a lot of points. We might be spared from entertaining other guests for a while.”

Reina said this with a slightly happy tone, but Pauline, who knew the business and Rennie well, shook her head sadly.