Chapter 13

The next day, suppressing his desire to go to the forest, Matthew set off for work.

Matthew is a merchant who has a rented warehouse but no shop. He travels to thriving cities like the capital or port towns, grasps the local trends, and stocks up on various items. Then he sells these items primarily in the town of Shelland. This is his style of business.

However, he cannot stock up on just anything. There is a budget, and buying items of unknown value would only be a waste of effort. Therefore, knowledge of the products and the ability to discern quality are necessary, and Matthew was particularly skilled at this compared to other merchants.

"Mrs. Emily, you look lovely today."

"Oh, it's been a while, Matthew."

Matthew visited a grand mansion in the high-end residential area of Shelland.

Mrs. Emily, who lived there, was one of the lord's granddaughters and the wife of the captain of the Silver Scale Knights, who guarded the town. Both her grandfather and husband doted on her, and the amount of money she could freely spend was considerable. She was a valuable customer for Matthew. After exchanging some casual conversation, he smoothly moved on to business.

Today, he was presenting a dress and a hat. High-quality clothing and accessories were his forte in discerning quality.

"... So, in the capital, dresses like this are currently in vogue. The duchess wore one at a royal-sponsored evening party, and it was said to be absolutely beautiful."

"Oh, really."

But Mrs. Emily seemed different from usual, looking somewhat uninterested.

"Oh, you don't like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it..."

Mrs. Emily let out a conspicuous sigh.

Matthew wondered if he had made some mistake and reviewed his actions. But he thought he hadn't been particularly rude, so he continued to introduce various items.

He knew Mrs. Emily's preferences well.

No matter what the latest trend was, she always wore something red. She rarely took out her wedding ring for fear of losing it and only used it on special occasions. She sought beauty that complemented her clothing, and she didn't mind the discipline required for it. She would show off her adorned clothing and accessories at luncheons and tea parties.

The women in this town were all very interested in Mrs. Emily's clothing. She could be considered the fashion icon of Shelland. The women in this town trusted her aesthetic sense and often thought, "I want to wear clothes like that too."

Matthew didn't view Mrs. Emily as a romantic interest, but he respected her efforts and was always grateful for her generous orders.

"... And, recently, in the capital, hats with decorative ribbons have become popular. They look especially good on sunny days."

"Matthew, I'm sorry, but could you leave today?"

But today, Mrs. Emily didn't seem interested at all. Matthew had brought items that he thought she would surely want. He reviewed his actions, but couldn't find anything wrong.

"Mrs. Emily, I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's not that. I've reduced the frequency of tea parties and evening parties, so there are fewer opportunities to dress up. I have to be more low-key for a while. I might go for a walk, but I don't feel like wearing a fancy hat just for that..."

Mrs. Emily sighed again.

"I thought hearing about the latest trends in the city might lift my spirits, but it just makes me envious."

"I'm sorry... I didn't realize the situation and kept talking. I apologize."

"Oh, it's fine, it's my fault. Besides, I'm not going to buy nothing. ... It's just that I don't need anything too fancy right now. Do you understand?"

◆

After leaving Mrs. Emily's mansion, Matthew walked alone through the town's streets.

"It didn't go well..."

Matthew had many customers, but Mrs. Emily was a key figure at evening parties. The items she wore set the trends in the town, and Matthew's purchases sold quickly. In a sense, Mrs. Emily was like an advertisement for Matthew's shop.

Mrs. Emily herself understood this well and even took pride in being at the forefront of fashion. The relationship was supposed to be that Mrs. Emily gained prestige, and Matthew gained money.

But that was until four months ago. The situation had changed.

Matthew had found out that Mrs. Emily was pregnant. It was a joyous occasion, but the doctor advised her to avoid alcohol and tea, and her husband, the captain of the knights, agreed. As a result, the evening parties and tea parties she used to host had to be canceled.

Mrs. Emily understood that she should behave differently during her pregnancy, and the people of the town who admired her were also supportive.

But even so, stress built up, and pregnancy itself was physically and mentally demanding. In a situation where she had to restrain herself, bringing evening party dresses and tea party hats was ill-timed.

"I've caused her trouble... If only I had returned here earlier from the capital... No, it's too late now."

Matthew was left with the inventory of clothes and other items he had bought in the capital, but it wasn't as if they wouldn't sell at all. He could take them to the town's boutiques or show them at salons to make deals.

"I'll change my mood and start over."

Matthew thought about going to a café to have some tea.

The food in this town was cheap and delicious. The local mages, unlike those in the capital or other regions, didn't mind using magic for food preservation and cultivation. In the Dylane Magic Kingdom as a whole, Shelland was a border town, but the abundance of food was thanks to the mages. Matthew could also use a bit of magic, enough to chill tea with ice. He couldn't waste his limited magic power, though.

Matthew walked down the main street of Shelland and eventually chose his regular café.

"Can I sit alone?"

"Sure... Oh, Matthew? You're back in town."

The waitress's friendly greeting made Matthew feel at ease.

"Oh, you remember me. Thank you."

"Of course. Do you want tea?"

"Yes, I'd like it cold."

"No problem, the usual."

The café didn't serve elaborate meals, but the tea and pastries were delicious. Matthew often visited this café and Roland's restaurant. He had a habit of drinking iced tea after work, and the waitress knew his face and order well.

(Since the new king took the throne, everything has become so austere... Perhaps this town will become the cultural center before the capital.)

This was both a prediction and Matthew's wish.

Matthew loved enjoyable and beautiful things. As a child, he was often mocked for not being "manly," but he laughed it off and did as he pleased. If he heard that rare silk fabrics had arrived in a port town in the east, he would immediately set off. If he heard that the best seamstresses were in the capital in the west, he would rush there. He had even traveled by ship to foreign lands several times.

Without working for a large store, he negotiated with caravans to join them, learned the basics of travel, and conducted various business and negotiations on his own. All of this was driven by his passion.

But such a busy life inevitably led to fatigue. It wasn't just physical; his heart and the passion within it also grew tired. He needed to have a cup of tea in the middle of the day to keep going.

"Here's your tea. Do you want ice?"

"I can take care of it myself, thank you."

"Alright, take your time."

The waitress left, placing the tea and a small plate with three cookies on the table. The cookies were delicious, and Matthew felt his fatigue ease as he took a bite.

(I haven't had much rest since the snow melted. Maybe it's time to take a break... Hmm?)

Matthew noticed a woman sitting at the next table. She was wearing a dark red, casual linen robe.

(The color is deep and beautiful... The fabric itself isn't rare, but the dyeing is exquisite. It goes well with her orange hair.)

Matthew naturally felt cautious around someone who looked like a mage, as they were often of high status and had a high sense of self-importance. But he couldn't help but stare.

His indiscreet gaze seemed to be noticed by the mage, who looked back at him with a wary expression.

"Um, is there something...?"

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. I just thought your robe was a beautiful color."

Matthew thought he sounded like a clumsy pick-up line. The mage said, "Thank you," with an ambiguous expression and returned her gaze to her tea.

Matthew was relieved that the mage let it go. If she had been a high-status mage, it could have been worse.

"Ice Formation."

Feeling the need for something cold, Matthew cast a spell. "Ice Formation" was a simple spell to create small ice cubes.

The iced tea served by the café wasn't very cold. If you wanted a colder drink, you could ask the staff for ice or make it yourself, which was the style in the town's cafés.

"Wait, you're using magic?"

The female mage looked surprised at Matthew.

"Oh, I... I used it inappropriately in public, didn't I? Hehe."

Their gazes met, and Matthew knew this was bad.

Her hair was a vivid, fiery orange, a color often found in the royal family or noble families with royal blood.

Of course, a royal wouldn't be in such a place. It was probably just a false alarm. But Matthew thought she wasn't an ordinary person. She had the appearance of a noble.

"Is it... Is it okay to use magic here?"

"No, I... I did it unconsciously. Please forgive me."

In this country, magic was considered a noble weapon, like an invisible sword or armor.

While it was acceptable in workplaces or kitchens, using it as a daily tool in a café or in public was frowned upon by some serious-minded people.

However, this town was more relaxed. The female mage, being from another region, might not have known this. Matthew had forgotten this in the wake of his business failure.

"Oh, no, no, I'm not trying to scold you or anything."

The mage quickly denied it and cast a spell to create ice.

A smooth, round ice cube appeared in her hand.

Matthew was impressed. Creating ice was easy with a bit of magical knowledge, but making a perfect sphere required precise control.

"That's impressive."

The mage smiled awkwardly at Matthew's compliment.

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