Shop 42.2

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Chapter 42.2. Morning Set In The Wilderness

When Cherina arrived, Yaralai, who usually left when she came, stayed in place. While wearing a somewhat puzzled expression, Cherina greeted me.

"Good morning, Akira-sama."

"Yeah, good morning. There's a bit of a situation. From today, I've asked Yaralai to be my guard. Counting on you."

"A guard...?"

She noticeably furrows her brows.

"I got mugged on the way back from the trading company yesterday, just a precaution."

It was likely not a mugging, but there's no need to tell Cherina that.

"Attacked?!"

Why so surprised? We were attacked together just a few hours ago.

"By whom? What kind of person?"

"I don't know... Didn't get a good look. Just noticed they weren't dressed in particularly wealthy attire."

He doesn't understand the norms or standards of this world. It's hard to explain.

"Thugs, but they knew martial arts. There were protective spells too. Unusual."

Yaralai explains it when I struggle with my words.

"But that doesn't sound like just thugs..."

"That's why I'm having Yaralai be my guard."

"I see..."

"Well, Cherina seems to be in a vulnerable position too, so it works out. Why do you dislike having guards in the city anyway?"

"...From today, you'll have guards in the city too."

She looks to where the two guards who protected us yesterday were discreetly observing.

"If you have guards, keep them close."

"..."

For some reason, I'm glared at.

"Oh... want some?"

I offer an empty insulated stainless steel cup.

"Huh?"

Without hesitation, she puts in instant coffee and 2 sticks sugar, stirring them with hot water.

"Be careful, it's hot."

"...Yes."

She takes the cup with a sigh, putting it to her lips.

"It's bittersweet."

"The sweetness comes from the sugar. I prefer black. I like bitter coffee without sugar."

"My taste buds are being played with by this complicated flavor... The unique aroma that tickles the nasal cavity is not present in tea and is interesting."

"Thanks for the precise food review."

"This is..."

"Oh, there's not enough to sell."

"Understood."

Cherina seems to have grasped the intention of not selling implicitly. Smart women are easy to deal with in situations like this.

"But sugar, huh..."

Is it a precious commodity?

"In my hometown, it was a surplus product."

"Sugar?"

"Yeah, we had a lot of sugarcane, and it was an environment where cheap sugar could be imported. Salt and sugar were cheap."

Butter, on the other hand, was getting more expensive.

"I'd like to trade for it."

"I don't know where it is..."

I'm not that attached, but I wanted to go back if I could.

"Well, forget it, let's clean up for now."

I take out the cups with water in the bucket, toss in the dirty cups, and rinse them. After lightly rinsing everything and wiping off the remaining dirt and moisture with a cleaning tool, I put everything in the container via a sack.

"Let's get going."

Let's start working today too!