Shop 76

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Chapter 76. Trial Of False Accusations In The Wilderness

The next day, I got taken back to the interrogation room. By the way, I was only given dinner for meals. However, it had turned into sand inside the pot. I had been getting my own lunch, dinner, and breakfast.

My remaining balance is 9,875,836 yen.

As usual, my legs were secured, and Blou Sora entered the room.

"Hmph. Seems like the minister has a lot of free time. Interrogating a mere poacher every day."

"I see. So you finally admit to poaching."

"Hah! You never intended to listen to my story in the first place!"

"That's not true. Although your crimes won't change."

"That's right. So? What did you come here for this time? To discuss our favorite women?"

"That's not a funny joke. It's simply an announcement."

"What? Are you going to grant me a pardon?"

"Of course not. Your sentence has been confirmed. Treason, poaching, blasphemy, fraud, illegal immigration, illegal trading. You'll be publicly whipped and crucified the day after tomorrow. It's been a while since we had a public execution. Congratulations."

"Well, thank you."

I forcefully suppressed the urge to smoke a cigarette.

"So, is that all you came to talk about? Don't you have any questions or something you want to ask?"

"Not particularly, but... oh yes, just one thing."

As Blou was about to leave, he turned back.

"Who exactly are you?"

――――

I was immediately returned to the cell, but to my dismay, from that moment on, a soldier was stationed outside the iron bars.

Should I have escaped last night after all?

It was inevitable since it took until dawn for the brain simulation to finish.

I need to rewrite the plan.

Being forceful might work, but it's risky. Besides, my execution date is already set. I still have time today and tomorrow or so I hope. A chance will surely come. If not, I'll have to proceed forcefully tomorrow night.

My life is still a crappy game. Damn it.

Ultimately, the soldiers kept rotating in front of the cell all day.

I pretended to eat the garbage soup they brought at night, turning my back in the corner of the room, and secretly ate the rice balls. It's a struggle to eat a meal.

My remaining balance is 9,875,586 yen.

Late at night, as the guard began rowing the boat, I reconsidered the plan I had thought of yesterday. Everything needed for the plan was approved at the SHOP. Whether I can handle it is another story, but there's no room for complaints.

Facing away from the iron bars, I purchased each necessary item one by one, took out what seemed concealable to test the feeling, and for things that couldn't get concealed, it's do or die during the actual attempt. I prepared quietly to avoid making any noise. My hands were sweating from the weight of the items.

"Don't regret it even if you die..."

I muttered without realizing it. Fortunately, the soldiers outside were still rowing the boat.

The complete escape gear cost 1,344,100 yen.

Considering it as the price of life, it's cheap.

At that moment, my divine level rose.

My divinity level is 9, with a container capacity of 50.

In fact, at that moment, I had squeezed the container count to the limit.

In a very cramped position, I organized the luggage. I put all the plastic bottles into a hemp bag used as a garbage bag except for one. So the container count became one.

Adding the tomato sandwich cost of 285 yen, it became 1,344,385 yen. There's still water left. There was also a spare in the bucket.

My remaining balance is 8,531,201 yen.

I took a deep breath to calm my trembling hands. I could feel how much it calmed me down to use the defensive breathing of wave theory.

The execution will be tomorrow night.

I'll make sure to get a good night's sleep today and regain my strength.

I secretly held the handmade symbol of the god.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

(Third Person)

"Morning of Destiny" would be the most appropriate phrase.

Dust filled the clear sky, as usual, piercing through the unchanging heavens.

Only the sea breeze provided some slight relief to their bodies.

To an observer, it was just another morning, no different from usual.

But their emotions were unlike anything they had felt before.

Cherina Veliero.

She was the daughter of the largest maritime merchant in the city-state of the Pilatus Kingdom, a merchant, and a sailor. Although she had been distant from ships recently, she still considered herself a sailor.

Her original temperament was quite rough. Raised among reckless sailors, it couldn't be helped. On the other hand, she had witnessed her father's business dealings, received tutoring, and acquired enough manners and refinement to be considered a lady.

As the de facto head of the Veliero Trading Company, Cherina understood her position well and continued to fulfill her duties and responsibilities.

The only thing she didn't do for the company was get married. But considering that the prospective marriage partners were inferior to even pigs, such as the king or Baron Creep, in this world where political marriages were commonplace, no one dared to force Cherina, the idol of the company.

That's why Cherina's persuasion went relatively smoothly. More accurately, it was forced consent.

If Cherina became the wife or mistress of the king, the Veliero Trading Company would be stable. That was the rationale.

The executives opposed it. If the reason was to help a passing merchant, it was a natural reaction. If Cherina decided to marry, she could sell herself for a much higher price. Such calculations were natural for a merchant.

However, the executives gave up when they looked into Cherina's eyes.

Her determination was genuine. And they understood her feelings.

It was ironic.

She had to abandon her first feminine emotions for that determination.

The Veliero executives were on the verge of tears. They begged her to wait until the master returned, but Cherina dismissed them, saying there was no time.

That night, a letter was handed to the castle. "From Cherina Veliero, regarding the king's previous invitation, I would like to respond directly and would like to visit tomorrow."

Currently, there are five carriages and thirty guards surrounding the Veliero Trading Company.

Dwarf Hagg and Elf Yaralai are riding in the same carriage under the pretext of being Cherina's guards. The remaining carriages carried the old stalwarts of Veliero and tribute.

It wouldn't be strange for this procession to be a wedding procession.

"Miss Veliero, are you alright with that attire?"

Hagg asked Cherina while playing with his beard.

"Is there a problem?"

Her attire was the same as usual, wrapped in a red chain, more like a flashy mercenary.

"If you're okay with it, then it's fine."

Hagg slowly closed his eyes.

"I'm going to negotiate, after all."

"Negotiate?"

This time, Yaralai raised her head.

"Yes, to sell myself as a product and to buy a product named Akira. That's the deal."

"Are you sure Akira is worth that much?"

"Oh, you, the apostle of God, with knowledge from another world? Do you think he's worth as much as the Bright Sword Ecksax?"

"The knowledge and abilities that you can no longer use are worthless to you."

"... "

"Hmph. Why don't you be a little more honest?"

"I... am the temporary representative of Veliero."

"... I see."

Hagg closed his eyes again.

"Then, let's depart."

--- The wheel of fate has begun to turn.