On the way back to the workshop, Tuna was crying.
“Black…”
It was not for nothing that Tuna, who had been living a lonely life in a place where no one took sides, only noticed.
“Wow, is Tuna crying too?”
“Oh, no. that is···.”
Seeing Tuna wipe her eyes with the back of her hand, Ariete consoled her.
“We are a family. We will protect you.”
“Wow!”
Tuna hugged Ariete. Confused, Carrot looked up at the crank.
“Come on?”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re crying because you’re sad. And while we’re out, let’s stop by Maria’s inn and check on the progress of your combat uniform.”
When I arrived at the inn, the combat uniform was also completed. I tried to eat while I was out, but I ended up packing and returning to the studio due to Tuna’s fierce resistance.
“Ahhhhh…! Oh, my heart is relieved…! Ooh, my house is the best…!”
As soon as she entered the studio, Tuna let out a long sigh as she leaned back on a chair in the studio.
“I guess it was too hard going out for a housewife?”
“Yeah, uh, in any case, I don’t want to go out.”
Carrot, who was putting the packaged food on the table, opened her eyes wide and asked.
“uh? So, what are you going to do on your southern business trip?”
“That, do I really have to go?”
said Krank, who was scooping the stew into bowls with a ladle.
“I had no intention of taking him in the first place. let you stay.”
“Who are you going to take?”
Ariete raised her hand.
“I want to go with you! I am now a full-fledged Argon adventurer!”
“I want to tell you in advance. Homelessness in the cold winter is basic, and a life-and-death battle with monsters is waged. Can you stand it?”
Ariete laughs as if it’s ridiculous.
“I also had thick bones about adventure days. That much is natural.”
Crank said as he turned the stew bowl.
“Charles and Lotte, one of them has to stay and guard Tuna. Who are you taking?”
“Lotte! I want to take Lotte with me! That swordsmanship will help!”
Crank nodded and chose Lotte.
“Charles, you stay and guard Tuna.”
“All right.”
“Usually business trips to the south are scheduled for two months, but the schedule can be adjusted while looking at the local situation. In the meantime, Tuna thinks about what to do.”
“Hmm?”
Tuna, who was eating the stew, widened her eyes.
While everyone was eating, Carrot changed into a new combat uniform. The design and composition were almost the same as before, but there were some differences.
“Why did this belly band have pockets like this?”
“I added it because it’s trendy these days. You can store the equipment you need for battle.”
“oh! Is it convenient?!”
After a quick meal, Crank placed Carrot in front of him and released the weapon he had bought from the smithy.
“A folding axe.”
“Oooh!”
“A steel sling exclusively for automatons.”
“and! It’s thanks to Ulpa that something like this comes out.”
“The remaining pockets can store various potions, maps, and scrolls.”
“Why do I need potions?”
Shadows and madness hang over Crank’s helmet.
“It is poison. You spray it on monsters.”
“Wow~!”
As Carrot wrapped her cheeks with both hands and let out an exclamation of excitement, Tuna, who was eating the stew with bread, widened her eyes.
“poison! portion!”
Everyone turned to Tuna.
“So you’re going to try making medicine all winter?”
“Yes. Healing potions are difficult. I can make household medicines such as headache medicine and cold medicine. Hey, medicine is blood, it’s a necessity. Uh, everywhere, always in demand.”
“You have a lot of talent. It is extraordinary.”
“hehehehe.”
Crank decided to prepare the necessary items in advance so that Tuna, who is the breadwinner of life, can survive safely during the southern business trip.
“Everything from food to daily necessities.”
“Oooh!”
“I don’t know what to make, but various herbs.”
“Kiyooh clothes!”
“Emergency money.”
“Uhyo!”
“washing machine.”
“Uhhhhh!”
“And I told Charles the location of the apothecary and market, and how to use the washing machine.”
Looking at the materials piled up in the workshop, Tuna laughed.
“Oh, thank you. crank.”
Crank looked down at Tuna and asked.
“Isn’t it time to tell you about the source of the gold nugget?”
“Uh hee hee! uh, that’ll come later.”
Next, Crank made Ariete and Lotte’s arms. He took out all the longswords from the clutter he had been storing, sharpened the blades, and repaired the scabbard.
“Wow…!”
Ariete and Lotte watched with interest as the large man sat in front of the whetstone, meticulously sharpening the blade and repairing the broken scabbard.
As time went on, the number of sparkling longswords on the table increased.
“It’s yours. Try it on the sword belt of your combat uniform.”
Ariete and Lotte, who watched as the rusty iron sword was reborn into a sparkling longsword, were amazed when they accepted the sparkling sword.
“Master Crank is like a wizard.”
“I think so too. That scrap metal looks so cool…! And so many…!”
The eyes of Ariete and Lotte, each receiving four swords, twinkle. Crank explained.
“Spare, the spare’s spare, and the spare’s spare’s spare.”
“Yep! I get it.”
Ariete and Lotte nodded their heads like puppies. But the crank was serious.
“You can understand why they give you 4 long swords when you go there. If necessary, let’s use locally procured and captured materials.”
“Yeah, that’s great. If the knife breaks, don’t regret it and throw it away. How was it last year…!”
While Carrot told the story of the South, Crank summoned Charles and held out his remaining longsword.
“It’s yours. It doesn’t matter if you carry it in the city, but it is against the law to pick it up without permission from the guards. Be careful.”
“All right. thank you.”
“Everyone, hang your sword on your belt.”
Ariete, Charles, and Lotte put their swords on the sword belts of their combat uniforms. It seemed quite plausible to hang two bags on each side of the waist.
“I wish I had a shield.”
“I don’t need a shield.”
From noble mtl dot com
“me too.”
“Taste will change, so try this and that. Personal armament was enough. Small things will be prepared by me and Carrot. And take it.”
Crank held out a small pouch to everyone except Tuna.
“Now what?”
“It is an emergency fund. It’s not something I can prepare for everything. So, if you need anything, buy it before you leave.”
“Master Crank, I am the Automaton.”
Carrot smiled while looking into the money bag.
“It doesn’t matter. For this coin, the merchant treats everyone equally. Better than God.”
Crank said.
“Have it. Use it if necessary. Money is power. weapon at the same time. don’t forget.”
Charles and Lotte, Ariete and Shion, and even Tuna, who was just watching, chewed on Crank’s words.
Money is power and becomes a weapon.
Carrot exclaimed cheerfully.
“ruler! Now let’s go make some money!”
A few days later, an official letter of cooperation from the Confederation of Southern Cities appeared at the Argon Adventurers Guild.
In summary.
In winter, a riot is expected due to the large-scale movement of monsters, so ask for support from northern adventurers.
“It’s up! It’s finally out! hahahaha!”
“Gazu! The South is calling me!”
Now, the adventurers who have been waiting for it all begin to make a fuss.
As soon as the official notice was posted, the guild staff and adventurers started moving busily. After accepting the letter of introduction issued by the guild, the adventurers started moving in the prepared wagon. Among them, there were a few people who rode long distances in ordinary carriages or on horses.
“It’s a bit difficult to ride a horse in this season. The winter cold is hard to say.”
“Then what shall we ride?”
Standing on the side of the road, carrying a backpack, Ariete looked at the long line of people in front of the castle gate and then turned her head.
“I will move with the top.”
“They say it kills two birds with one stone! I’m going while making money as an escort!”
“Definitely a good way.”
There are limits to how much a person can live alone. Exchanges and trades were considered very important by any world, any nation, or any tribe. The same is true of cities, so each ark city organized merchants and trade associations and traded special products and industrial products.
“That’s how the economy works.”
On the way to the Argon Merchant Association, Carrot, who bravely led the way, spoke loudly. Ariete, who had been looking down at Carrot with her eyes wide open, looked up at Crank.
His helmet looked into the distance, and only his voice came out.
“I can’t live without cutting. Common sense doesn’t matter. Read the book too.”
“Um, got it.”
“ha ha ha! When I get back from my business trip, let’s go register at the library together!”
Turning his head, Crank saw Lotte carrying a backpack and quietly following behind him.
“I will register you and Charles as library members. Build your knowledge in any way. It is of great help to you and to those around you.”
Ariete, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.
“Can you register automatons too?”
“then! Am I a member too? The Argon City Librarian is a quirky guy who thinks he’s a knowledgeable person, an automaton, and doesn’t care about that. everyone!!!”
As I shouted loudly with my small body, the workers who were loading the automated trucks in the large warehouse turned their heads.
Carrot put her fingers on both cheeks and leaned in cutely.
“hi?”
The workers laugh and move their bodies again.
“Is Carrot here?”
“It’s been a while since peanuts.”
“Oh, isn’t that a rabid hamster?”
Carrot shouted.
“A hamster with rabies! That’s when the hell ever!”
One of the workers who was greeting Crank raised his arm and pointed.
“You can go to the office over there. We will be leaving soon.”
In front of the top office, more people than expected were gathering and buzzing. Some of them were familiar faces.
“Carrot.”
“crank.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Hey hoo! hello! Did old Milton come too?”
Krank, who was greeting the adventurers he knew, introduced them to everyone.
“This is my party. Ariete and Lotte,”
Ariete and Lotte nodded. Everyone was very happy. Carrot spotted another acquaintance in the distance, raised her hand and hopped.
“Fluid! Fluid! Here!”
Fluid, who was frantic carrying documents among adventurers, turns his head in surprise when he hears Carrot’s voice.
“Carrot?”
Before long, Carrot, riding Crank’s wooden horse, climbed out of the crowd.
“hi! It looks better now. Are you busy?”
Seeing the two of them, Fluid stopped laughing. The adventurers around him also made a warm expression.
“Are you guys going on a business trip to the south too?”
“yes. you have to keep it tight Life is one season, right?”
“I have no money these days. I’ve spent almost all of my repairs on this guy.”
Fluid smiles and hands Carrot a piece of paper.
“Did you just come? Read this, then go over there and sign up.”
Carrot, hiding a smile, spoke seriously.
“By the way, your face looks a little different than before?”
“Uh, yes? How is it?”
“What can I say, I’ve become a bit more mature. I still don’t know what that adult is.”
Fluid chuckled. Crank also helped with a word.
“It looks much nicer.”
“thank you.”
Carrot grinned, opened the guidebook on top of Crank’s helm, read it, and shouted.
“It’s the same agreement as always! let’s go! crank! Receipt!”
“hmm!”
Crank quickly walked to the top reception desk. Fluid, who looked back, turned his head, looked at Ariete and Lotte, and handed out the papers.
“Are you registered?”
“Ah, we are Crank’s party members.”
Fluid’s eyes widened.
“A member of Crank’s party?”
“hmm.”