“Oh my, I didn’t know Mr. Gaien had a disciple. I apologize for failing to greet you accordingly.”
“Well, I don’t often make public appearances, so I wouldn’t expect otherwise. Anyway, my master is kind of busy at the moment.”
“Is he taking care of an urgent request?”
“Not exactly...” Kagali said dismissively. It looked like she didn’t want to talk about it.
“I won’t pry. We all have things we’d like to keep private.”
“Sorry about that. I wouldn’t want rumors to spread.”
“We’ll be in this city for a while, so we’ll come back. If you see Mr. Gaien in the meantime, could you please tell him that Ellie Leis of Traitre is hoping to commission him?”
“I will. If you’re giving me your name, I assume you must know my master.”
“To be perfectly honest, we don’t know each other well. We met only once in the imperial capital.”
“In the capital? Ah, it must have been when he traveled there to attend a meeting of the empire’s Merchants’ Guild Council.”
“Indeed. I had the honor to meet the members of the council. We didn’t get to talk in private, but I think he might remember my name.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that... My master has a tendency to forget about things that don’t interest him. In any case, tell me about the capital! It has to be much bigger than this city! And there must be many more people there!”
“Well, it is the largest city in the empire, after all.”
“I’ve never left this city... I really wish I could see the capital, just once.”
“It’s not very far from here. You should visit,” I told her. “If you ever do, come by the Traitre Commercial Firm. We’ll show you around.”
Gaien’s disciple seemed to admire the capital. Such feelings were probably common among the youngsters who lived in the empire’s other cities. Kagali kept talking about the capital, so I told her about a few famous tourist spots before bidding her farewell.
“Well then, we shall take our leave for today.”
“All right. My master should be back in a few days, so please be patient until then.”
“We will,” I replied. “We’ll drop by from time to time, so please let me know when he’s back.”
“Got it!”
After leaving Gaien’s shop, I announced we’d be heading to the local Merchants’ Guild.
“We’re not here to do business, though, are we?” Lunoa asked.
“No, but I’d still like to stock up on some materials, and we’ll need fodder and water for our horses.”
“Let me see... Ores for developing the new cosmetics and fodder and water for the trip back... If I recall correctly, Special License holders are allowed to store their belongings in the guild’s warehouses, so we can do that,” Lunoa said.
“I’ll leave the preparations to you two.”
“We’ll take care of it!”
I could now leave most small matters to Lunoa and Misha, which took a lot off my plate.
The entrance to the Merchants’ Guild—which was located in the center of the city—was wide open. Even from the outside, we could see it was bustling with merchants who presumably wanted to purchase ores and weapons crafted by the dwarves.
“There aren’t many dwarves inside the guild,” Misha remarked, looking at the merchants crowding the meeting tables and staring at the information board intently.
“I wouldn’t say that. It just seems like there’s relatively few dwarves because there are so many people of other races. I assume most of those people are merchants here on business,” I replied. “Now then, Lunoa and Misha, could the two of you handle the fodder and water? I’ll purchase the ores while you do that.”
“Of course,” Lunoa said.
“We’re on it, Miss Ellie,” Misha added.
I watched the two of them join the line of merchants, then I headed toward a different counter.
“Hello. I’d like to order ores. Am I at the right place?” I asked.
“Yes. Are you a member of the guild?”
“I am, although I’ve mostly relied on the branches in the Lebrick Margravate and the capital so far. I’m from the Traitre Commercial Firm,” I said, handing him my card.
The guild employee’s expression shifted in surprise, and he quickly put on his best business smile as he stood and returned my card. “I’m terribly sorry for failing to recognize you, Miss Leis. Please follow me inside.”
“Thank you. Two of my employees are currently arranging for supplies over there. Could you lead them to me when they’re done?”
“Of course, Miss Leis.”
He quickly had another employee take over his counter and led me to one of the drawing rooms. Only nobles usually received such courtesy, but as a Special License holder, I apparently was important enough for it too.
We’d almost reached the drawing room when I heard a voice in the corridor.
“I will take my leave. Farewell.”
Someone had just opened a door that had the words “Section Chief’s Office” written on it. A man came out, his head still low from bowing. He turned around, stood up straight, and saw me.
“Huh?” The man froze on the spot. He was plump, had short hair, and bore a slave crest on his neck.
“Oh my. It’s been a while,” I said. “I believe the last time we met was at your trial, Mr. Gazaru.”
The man was Gazaru Jackman, the immoral merchant whose firm I’d taken over right after arriving in the empire.
“It has been a very long time indeed, Miss Leis. Please, just call me Gazaru. There is no need for such formality.”
“I certainly did not expect this,” I said.
Gazaru was bowing to me respectfully. Oddly enough, I couldn’t feel the slightest hint of animosity coming from him. He’d technically been the one in the wrong back then, but I’d still tricked him and stolen his company from him, and he’d ended up becoming a slave. I had always been convinced that the man loathed me.
“I’ve had a lot of time to contemplate my life,” he replied.
“Do you work as a slave in the mines now?”
“No, I do office work.”
“I see. Well, keep at it. Good luck.”
After this peculiar reunion, I was able to place my order for ore. Lunoa and Misha rejoined me, and we left the guild. We didn’t have anything else to do for the day, so we casually strolled through the market and workshops before returning to the inn earlier than planned.
“Welcome back,” Mireille greeted us. “You’re early.”
I had thought I’d be able to see Gaien today, so I’d factored in time to explain my request in detail and negotiate with him. Instead, I’d just had a brief chat with Kagali.
“Mr. Gaien was absent,” I said. “His disciple told me he’d be back in a few days, and I left a message with her.”
“Oh, is that so? What shall we do in the meantime, then?”
“We’ve come all the way here, so let’s do some sightseeing. This city is mostly famous for its hot springs and weapons, but there is a lot more we can experience. Dwarf cuisine is said to be delicious, and their engravings are a sight to behold.”