Chapter 31

"Did you manage to get the iron ore and charcoal?"

I asked Kamiro.

"Of course. We got a considerable amount."

Kamiro answered nonchalantly. I was sure there weren't any large mountains around here, so the charcoal was one thing, but the iron ore must have been brought from somewhere far away. It must have been quite expensive.

"Then, this is our workshop's share for this time."

I laid out the items I had brought today. Kamiro checked the quality of each one.

"These are good. The rest are just ordinary, right?"

"Yeah. This time, most of the ordinary ones were made by Rike, but I guarantee they are not something to be ashamed of as our workshop's products."

When I said that, I could tell Rike looked at me sharply. No, it's not about graduation. Since you can make high-end models, I'll have to push you to do that much.

"I see. Then, as I said earlier, I'll buy all of them. Now, about the iron ore and charcoal, it's faster if you see them. Follow me."

Kamiro called a different person from the staff and instructed them to display only the short swords from the weapons we had delivered. Then, he led us down a different staircase from the one we had used to come up. When we went down the stairs, we found ourselves in a warehouse. It was quite large. It seemed that the size of this store was partly due to this warehouse. The products were lined up densely in the warehouse. With the connections and financial power to gather this much, it seemed he could have opened a better store in a larger city, but there must be some reason for this. I decided not to ask.

"So, this is the iron ore and charcoal."

"Indeed, it's a considerable amount..."

As Kamiro said, there was a considerable amount of iron ore and charcoal piled up. With this, even if Rike and I produced as much as we could, focusing only on quantity, it would last us about 2-3 weeks. If we started making products that use more materials (like greatswords or lances) and did the same, it would last at least a week. In other words, as long as Kamiro can supply this amount each time, our workshop won't have any problems with production. If we maintain the current quality, the duration would be even longer, so even if the amount decreases, it shouldn't be a problem.

"Getting this amount every time is a bit difficult. But I can generally get this amount every week."

"This amount would still be fine even if it decreased significantly. In fact, it would be more than enough. If it's left over, we can store it, so I don't think it will be a problem even if it's this amount."

"I see, that's good. Now, about the price..."

The amount Kamiro mentioned was about a quarter of the value of the goods we had delivered today. In other words, if we can deliver about a quarter of today's amount every week, we won't have any problems with iron in the future.

"Isn't that quite cheap? It's okay for you to make a profit."

"It's fine. Even at this price, I'm still making a decent profit."

"Is that so? Then, I'll take it at this price without hesitation."

"Is this price generally acceptable?"

"Yeah. If there's a significant change, we can discuss it each time."

"Understood."

The deal was finalized. Kamiro and I shook hands.

"However, we can't transport this amount today."

"Of course not."

"Do you have a cart...?"

"I don't, but actually, we have a cart that we don't use. It's still in good condition and can be used for a while with some repairs. I was thinking of using it for firewood, but seeing that you don't use carts, I thought there might be a chance to give it to you, so I kept it."

"If we can get a way to transport it, today will be enough."

"Alright, I'll give it to you."

"How much?"

"It's free."

"Free? Is that okay?"

"Since we don't use it, and it's good to be kind to regular customers."

"Hmm..."

Kamiro's words seemed sincere. There's not much profit in tricking a blacksmith who lives in a remote area, so there probably isn't any hidden agenda.

"Why are you being so nice?"

But I decided to confirm. Even if he was lying, I didn't think such a question would expose him. It was more about whether I could be convinced.

"To be honest, it's because you seem like a promising supplier. It's important to have someone who can supply good quality goods at a reasonable price. It's best to do favors for such people."

I see. It's not just out of kindness. I decided to trust Kamiro based on these words.

"Then, I'll gratefully accept it."

"Sure, take it."

"By the way, can I also get some salt and wine? The cost can be deducted from the payment for the goods we delivered."

"Alright. I'll tell them. I'll prepare the loading and the payment, so take about half an hour to kill some time."

"Got it. Thanks."

"Sure."

Thus, we left Kamiro's place and went to kill some time.

"But, I don't really know how to kill time. I've been in the free market all this time."

I told this to Sermia and Rike.

"Is that so?"

"Buying salt and meat has always been my job. Eizou has always been in the free market, managing the store."

"I only know the inn where I talked with Rike."

"Then, let's go around and see what's available today."

We wandered around the bustling new town. There were areas with proper shops and areas with stalls that weren't as shabby or messy as the free market but were still like stalls, selling various goods. Most of the shops sold only one type of product, though some handled multiple categories. The fact that business was thriving might be due to the large number of people in the free market. The number of shops was also high. When I mentioned this, Rike explained:

"This town is a transit point for bypassing the Black Forest. Whether people from the south go east or west, they have to pass through this town. The masters can travel through the Black Forest normally, so they might not realize it, but for ordinary people, it's necessary to go around."

I see, if ordinary people can't cross it, they need to go around. The transit point being a strategic location both militarily and culturally is the same in my previous world.

Sermia didn't seem to fully understand. Living here and moving around, she probably didn't realize it. I was in a similar situation.

As we were looking around the various shops, it was time to return to Kamiro's store. When we got back, the cart was loaded with iron ore, charcoal, bags of salt, and barrels of wine. The cart wasn't flat like a large cart but had low sides like a truck bed on three sides except the back, which was open. It seemed that loading and unloading were done from the back. It looked like a cart without a horse, which was the closest image. It seemed there was still some room for more cargo.

"Hey, you're back."

This time, Kamiro greeted us directly.

"Here's the money for this time."

He handed me a bag of gold. I checked the contents, and it seemed to be correct.

"Alright. See you next week."

"Sure, I'll be waiting."

Thus, we obtained a cart as a means of transportation and set off on our way back.