Chapter 90

When we returned to the inn, the three of them were already waiting. It seemed that dinner had not been served yet.

"Really tired. Shall we eat?"

When I asked, everyone nodded vigorously.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. It took time because I had to deal with the Duke and two Viscounts."

When I said that, Lot's face changed to one of surprise.

"But I thought the Duke said he would come later?"

"He was hiding in disguise. What a trickster. My stomach hurt."

Though I joked, Lot's expression didn't change.

"He is one of the best in the kingdom. It's good that you're safe..."

What? Is Rosty a wild beast? Well, he did give off the vibe of someone who could capture and eat you.

"I've wrapped up the negotiations. For now, it seems we can put the iron mine development on hold and proceed with the expansion into the sea."

When I said that, Lot looked relieved.

"That's a great achievement. While mining iron ore is good, considering the costs of building the excavation site and transportation, it would take too long to see a profit."

"Right. Time is money, so we'll prioritize the sea. The Duke seems willing to protect us from the Salt Guild's interference."

"Ah... Another big deal."

"It's a big deal because the other party is big. We need protection at a national level. For now, we'll have to sell through the Duke."

While talking in low voices, we headed to the dining room. Tonight's dinner was a combination of grilled bird, vegetable and bacon soup, and bread. Enjoying the meal, I spoke to Liz and Fia.

"Liz and Fia, have you ever been to the sea?"

"No."

They said in unison.

"Have you heard any stories about it?"

"No."

They said in unison again. Well, if you live in a village, it's not really relevant, I guess.

"It's like a huge, salty lake, full of fish."

When I said that, they tilted their heads, looking a bit puzzled, as if they couldn't quite imagine it. I was looking forward to seeing the clean, pristine sea.

"Did you find anything good in town?"

When I asked, a variety of important items and things that seemed completely unnecessary came up. Listening to them, I realized that several items had been developed that I didn't know about.

Shopping with girls is supposed to be a challenge, but Lot must have had a tough time.

"Didn't you look at clothes?"

"Eh!? Really!? We should have looked?"

Fia exclaimed. Ah, I guess I said to shop for the party.

"Tomorrow afternoon, we have a meeting with the Viscount, so let's go buy cloaks in the morning. In the afternoon, you can look for clothes."

Liz, though reserved, seemed pleased. Ah, they are girls. I want to give them a dress or two as a gift.

"I expect the meeting to be over by tomorrow. The day after, we can go shopping and leave on the last transport."

When I said that, the two childhood friends nodded vigorously. Lot looked a bit displeased. Ah, shopping with girls is tough in this world too.

While talking, we finished our meal and returned to our room. Buckets and hot water were prepared for us to clean our bodies. We turned our backs to each other and cleaned. I have no interest in a man's naked body. However, when I glanced, I saw his abs were well-defined. I looked down and sighed.

After changing, we gathered our dirty clothes and took them to the front desk. We received a token from the receptionist and chatted for a bit. When I asked about the laundry, I learned that they wash clothes at night and use wind magic in the early morning to dry them if they're not dry yet. I thought it was a great service, but I also wondered how they managed to hire a retired magician. Ah, magicians don't go hungry, I was impressed.

When we returned to the room, Lot was inspecting and maintaining his equipment. He seemed to be asking Fia to sharpen his throwing knives one by one.

"Are you getting along with Fia?"

When I asked suddenly, he blushed and looked down.

"Ah... Well... How do I put it... Yes, I think it's going smoothly."

Hmm. Smoothly, huh.

"Our current funds have exceeded 2 million wyr. Considering future work and the new territory, I feel like our problems have been resolved."

Indeed, Lot is the richest in this party. He has savings from the past. I have about 1.3 million now. Even for an 8th-grade adventurer, that's a great amount.

"How is Fia's approach?"

"I'm still being pursued... But when asked if I dislike it... I've started to think it's not so bad recently..."

Impressive, a carnivorous type. She's catching her prey properly. The question is whether he will be eaten.

While chatting about trivial matters between men, we used water magic to pour ice and hot water on the roof and continued talking. By the time the excessive fatigue hit us, we went to bed.