CH 146

Chapter 146 : Mountain Road

Celine, Delica, Nicola and I were following Bian climbing the slope while Nei was staying in Bian’s store.

Bian, Celine and Delica don’t seem to have a hard time climbing. I feel tired but not as tired as my sister who is walking while breathing heavily behind me.

『Haahh… Hahh… O, Onii-chan, I’ll give you a chance to piggyback your cute and sweaty little sister, so be gratefuー』(Nicola)

『ーI don’t want to.』(Mark)

『Eeehhh….』(Nicola)

『An indoor-type person like you should train your body more. This is a good opportunity to do so.』(Mark)

『You training maniac…』(Nicola)

I could feel a sharp gaze full of grudge from behind.

Can’t be helped… I think I should at least hold her hand.

I turned around and stretched my arm toward Nicola. She then grabbed my hand while looking at me with puffed cheeks.

「Ojou-chan, you see, my leg is completely healed!」(Bian)

After walking for a while, Bian slowed down to get closer to us and stomped on the ground to show Nicola that his broken leg was completely healed.

「Un! Oji-chan, I’m happy for you!」(Nicola)

Nicola replied to Bian with her usual angelic smile.

Even though she’s super tired, she keeps trying to act as cute as possible, and I think that’s quite impressive to be honest.

We continued climbing the slope until we could see a sturdy-looking house up ahead.

「That’s my warehouse. We’re almost there.」(Bian)

We headed to the warehouse and reached the flat ground where the warehouse was built.

「You see there? That’s the mine. You can clearly see it from here, right?」(Bian)

I approached the cliff when Bian pointed to the mountain on the other side. I could see the entire town below and the mine with a huge entrance on the other side.

The mine wasn’t that far from our position, so I could clearly see it. I could even see the three miners sitting by the entrance while holding their pickaxes. It looks like they’re guarding the entrance.

「Ooh! This is great. I can see the mine really well.」(Mark)

「That’s good.」(Bian)

Bian is a good person, and I’m sure he has many connections and can sell expensive glassware in various places because he’s a good guy. He even has a friend in Fatia Town which is quite far from here.

Alright, now that I have secured this place, all I can do is hope that the adventurers will come soon.

「Oーii, Biaaaanーー! You have a customerーー!」(Nei)

When I was thinking, suddenly I heard Nei’s voice from the bottom of the slope.

「Oh, looks like I have to go back. Let’s go, you can rest in my store.」(Bian)

We haven’t been here for long but we have to go back.

Nicola’s face was dyed in despair because we went up and down the slope with almost no break.

Meanwhile, Bian, who didn’t notice it, went down the slope with light steps, looking happy that his leg was healed.

――――――

While Bian was talking about business with his customer at the counter, we were taking a break in his store.

Nicola was sitting while drinking the fruit juice we bought in Fatia.

Her eyes looked like the eyes of a dead fish. I feel like she won’t move a step from there for a while.

「Well then, what should we do to kill time until the adventurers come?」(Celine)

「Actually, I want to take a look at the workshop in Nei’s house… Nei, can I?」(Mark)

「Of course. Let’s go to my house then.」(Nei)

「May I go with you?」(Delica)

「Absolutely.」(Nei)

「Nicola-chan, you look tired. Do you want to stay?」(Celine)

「Un… I’m staying… Have fun~…」(Nicola)

Leaving Nicola behind, Nei, Delica, Celine, and I left Bian’s store and went to the house next door.

Now that I got Nei’s permission, I immediately went inside the workshop.

There were pickaxes, hammers, shovels, and various tools in the front side of the workshop, and there were weapons and armor in the back.

Compared to the tools that were sloppily placed, the swords and shields were neatly attached to the wall, and the armor was neatly displayed on wooden stands.

They looked very sturdy and well made, and the price tags that were hanging on each one of them showed how expensive they are.

When I was observing the weapons and armor, Nei asked me.

「Oh? Do you like weapons and armor? Boys mostly like them after all.」(Nei)

「Are they made by your dad?」(Mark)

「Yup. But, well, because the men in this town are mostly miners, weapons and armor are rarely sold.」(Nei)

「I see.」(Mark)

「Oh? Nei, did you bring these customers?」(man)

When I was talking with Nei, a short man who was just a bit taller than me came out from the room at the back of the store.

He has a muscular body and a long beard, and from his short height, I think he is a dwarf. He seems to be Nei’s father.

「Ah, Dad. They are guests from Fatia Town.」(Nei)

「From Fatia, you say!? So are you guys the adventurers who are gonna get rid of the monsters in the mine? Then, please take a look at the weapons and armor here! I made them myself so I can guarantee their quality. For example, this swordーー」(Nei’s father)

While saying that, Nei’s father grabbed a sword that was hanging nearby and approached Celine, trying to explain it to her, but Celine stopped him.

「Ah, no, no. We’re not the adventurers you’re talking about. Besides… These weapons and armor don’t suit me, so…」(Celine)

「I, I see…」(Nei’s father)

Nei’s father looked disappointed. Seeing her father like that, Nei sighed.

「Hahh… Please don’t mind him. As you can see, weapons and armor are hardly sold around here, so he is excited everytime adventurers come. He also makes tools for miners but unlike weapons and armor, he said that tools don’t contain his blood and soul. I don’t know what it means but it seems like he hates making tools, and because of that he sells them quite cheaply. Therefore, I’m working at the inn so that we manage to make a living.」(Nei)

「I told you many times that we’re fine. You don’t have to work at the inn. Stop wasting time there and start practicing blacksmithing!」(Nei’s father)

「You blockhead! If I don’t work we’ll barely make a living! If you want me to stop working at the inn, then raise the price of the tools!」(Nei)

「No, anything but that! I don’t wanna make a good profit by selling something I hate to make! Even if the god of blacksmith allows it, I will never ever do that!」(Nei’s father)

Oh, no… They start fighting…

Somehow I can tell that the real reason why Nei is working part-time at the inn is because of her father’s stubbornness. Perhaps there’s something he can’t give up on as a craftsman.

While the daughter and father were fighting, two customers came from the entrance.

And actually… I know those customers…

「Excuse me, I heard I can buy a weapon and armor here… Hm? Aa, is that you, Mark?」(Luck)

…They are Luck and his little brother, Jack.