Volume 9 - CH 1

Chapter 1 – Consultation and Invitation

We arrived near the Southern City, transferred from the Seeker to the Lutto, and entered the harbor. I had planned on not coming back for at least a year and a half, but here I am in less than two months. I hope Paris-san is not here.

Surrounded by Girasole, I make my way to the Merchant’s Guild. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Camille-san. I hope the recruitment process is going well.

When we entered the Merchant’s Guild, Camille-san found us right away. She still has the same wonderful breasts and good looks.

“Wataru-san, it’s been a long time. You said it would be a long time before you came next. Is something wrong?”

“Camille-san, it’s been a long time. I have a lot going on, and I need to talk to you about the pepper and to Camille-san privately if you could give me a moment of your time.”

Privately? With a slight tilt of her head, she led me into the back room.

“Then, first of all, I would like to ask if you could buy some pepper, which I sold quite a bit last time. I brought a much larger quantity than last time.”

It would be bad if the pepper piled up and the price went down.

“If it is pepper, no problem. We have almost met the domestic demand. But there is still a lot of demand overseas. It is very welcome.”

Apparently, it is very welcome, and it will be fine until the demand is met all over the continent. Since it’s a consumable product, will it last a lifetime? But it’s great that they’ve met the demand in one country, even if it’s temporary.

“Thank you very much. Then would you be willing to do the transaction at the place where we conducted the experiment, as we did last time?”

“I understand. I will make preparations. It will take some time to prepare the platinum coins, but would it be all right for you to deliver them wholesale tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, I will leave as soon as I complete the transaction tomorrow, so can I pick up the platinum coins when I return in a few months?”

“Thank you.”

Everything has gone smoothly so far. The problem is what comes next. I wonder if I’ll be able to speak well enough… to get by with what I’ve come up with.

“So, this is personal… but I wanted to ask you a few questions about you, Camille-san, so I asked for a moment of your time.”

“About me?”

“Yes, about whether you have a husband or a lover and what you think of your current job.”

It seems like a crazy thing to ask. But I’m going to ask her to raise her level when she joins our group, so it’s difficult if she has a husband or a lover. I also want to know personally.

“Are you planning to make a move on me?”

Since I’m thinking about taking her out, there’s no mistaking that I’m trying to make a move on her. That’s not what Camille-san is asking, is it? And if I can make a move on her, I’d like to.

“Well, I’m not trying to make a move on you as a romantic relationship or anything, but I’d like to talk you into it.”

“Ara, that’s too bad.”

I’d like that to be serious, but it’s just lip service, isn’t it? It’s painful that Camille-san’s face doesn’t look disappointed at all.　

“I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have asked you such a rude question.”

“I don’t mind. I don’t have a lover or a husband. As for my job… I enjoy the business, so I’m happy with it.”

I’m very happy that she doesn’t have a lover, but is she happy with her job? …Merchant’s Guild employees seem elitist. Can I do my best to persuade her to work for me?

I’ll just have to convey good terms as best I can. I’ll trust Camille-san’s predatory eyes. I’m sure Camille-san would bite when faced with big business.

“Camille-san, if it’s on good terms, will you change jobs and work for me?”

“Fufu, Wataru-san, you’re too direct. That’s not good enough for a merchant.”

“Hahaha, I am aware of that. That’s why I’m asking for your help, Camille-san.”

“It’s nice to be relied upon, but I am an employee of the Merchant’s Guild. It is not worth it for me to change jobs, even if it means a slightly higher salary. If you want me as a merchant, I won’t nod unless you can show me something beyond the benefits of being an employee of the Merchant’s Guild.”

She is absolutely right. But there are some things I can’t talk about so lightly. I don’t know what to do.

“By the way, what if I want Camille-san, not as a merchant?”

If it’s easier that way, I’d be very happy.

“Ufufu, my ideals are high. Will you try your best, Wataru-san? By the way, Wataru-san passes in terms of wealth.”

Oof, she’s so sexy, but she has the eyes of a predator. And she says I’m a failure except for wealth, right? How do I meet the other criteria?

“Well, for now, I’d like to persuade Camille-san as a merchant.”

“Ara, that’s a shame. I can’t say it myself, but I think I’m a good-looking person. But it’s hard for someone to make a move on me.”

…I understand very well how it feels to be turned off. And I don’t know what to say.

“Haha, so if I can show you some merit beyond being an employee of a Merchant’s Guild, then you’ll come, right?”

“Yes, but employees of a Merchant’s Guild are privileged in many ways. There are relationships that have been established. It’s hard to overcome.”

Well, I guess I’m being told to give up. But if I’m going to put someone in charge of a luxury liner, I’d rather have a good person in charge. It seems difficult to buy slaves… and entrust the top management because the clients are probably wealthy people.

“Can’t you do it on the condition that I double your salary?”

“Even three times as much is no good. Money is important, of course, but it’s not enough to make me accept it.”

“That’s still not enough, huh?”

I wonder how much I can tell her. I don’t have the skills to persuade Camille-san to come to me while keeping secrets from her. Let’s get her to sign a contract and tell her the whole story. If she is interested, she will come. If not, the contract will still protect the secret.

“Um, well, I’ll tell you about me and the details of the job, but will you sign a confidentiality agreement with me?”

“If you can declare that you’re not involved in any crime when we sign the contract, that’s fine. Wataru-san’s secrets are of interest to me.”

After signing the contract at the Merchant’s Guild, I returned to the Lutto with Camille-san. It’ll be easier to get through the story if I show her the interior, right? I quickly invited her aboard.

“What is this? It’s amazing… There are so many things I’ve never seen before. Wataru-san, the interior is different from the last time I was on board. Is it a different ship?”

“No, it’s the same ship. I will explain everything, including that.”

To surprise her, I serve her a can of soda. It’s a strategy to show her all sorts of things at once, tell her my unusual story, and get her to nod her head while she’s confused.

I surprised her with the sweet, shiny, black water, surprised her by showing her the Ship’s Disguise, and when it turned out that I was a mage, she laughed at me. Apparently, she was almost convinced that I was the mage. I was a little embarrassed.

“Well, as you can see, I have a lot of unusual things on my ship. So the next step was to go into business with a huge ship. The problem is that I have no talent for business.”

“Is that why you want to hire me?”

“That’s what I think.”

“There is one thing that has been bothering me for a long time. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. You can ask me anything.”

“After Wataru-san and Girasole’s trip to Palermo, your hair and skin have become beautiful, as if they were different from before. If only that were the case, but now your hair is even shinier, and your skin is even more moisturized. I haven’t had a chance to ask you about it, but I’ve been wondering about it for a long time.”

Camille-san’s eyes are frightening. But that’s to be expected. She did a good job of seeing through Girasole’s changes. But it is hard to mention Girasole’s good looks to me.

“I think there is a connection. What do you think, Alessia-san?”

It would be safer if I mentioned it to Alessia-san.

“It definitely works. Your hair and skin will definitely look better. We’ve all experienced it first hand, so we know for sure.”

The shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and body wash are all high-performance by this world’s standards. I think it’s safe to say that when you add in the beauty products, which I’m not quite sure about, it’s definitely a change.

“Having a real-life example in front of you makes all the difference in persuasion. I envy you.”

“When you change jobs, Camille-san, you’ll be able to use it freely. Your hair and skin will be shiny and vibrant. I don’t know if Camille-san needs it or not. After all, you are shiny and vibrant, to begin with.”

That’s the best I can do. I want to be a man who can say something better. Besides, the blank stares of the women are hard to bear.

“Thank you, Wataru-san. I’m flattered. I see, shiny and vibrant. I’m very interested.”

My best efforts ended with the women giving me blank stares. Camille-san seems to be extremely attracted to things related to beauty. I think I can do it with just one more push. What can I do?

When I told her that she could easily raise her level, she was quite eager. When I told her that even though I couldn’t fight, my level was over 300, she was surprised. It seems that it is considered to be one of the best A-rank adventurers. …Maybe Girasole is an S-rank adventurer? They said that their level had increased quite a bit.

“Wataru-san. It’s a woman’s dream to reach a higher level. It’s a definite increase in your young time. Rich people hire strong guards and do their best to raise their level. Still, it’s hard to get past level 50, but 300 is considered “top class” for ordinary people.”

So there are people who aren’t ordinary. I guess that’s the case with people like Paris-san. Not a cheater like me, but a monster like 300 by himself.

“By the way, Rimu’s level is also over 300.”

“Huh? Rimu-chan’s level is over 300 too?”

I smiled at Camille-san, who was amazed. It seems to be going well, doesn’t it? If she doesn’t get tired of living, she’ll have a longer lifespan, and the extended youth period is quite an advantage. And that’s something the Merchant’s Guild can’t do.

If I promise to help her raise her level, she’ll easily join me, along with the cosmetic stuff. Let’s push forward with all my might.

The fact that Camille-san took the bait increases the likelihood of recruitment. I think I can do it, right?

“As I said, Rimu’s level is also over 300. If you join me now, I’ll help raise your level as well.”

I said in a high-pitched voice, like a TV shopping show.

“Really? I can be over 300 too?”

It passed through normally. Well, I guess it can’t be helped. It’s impossible to ask them to understand me when they don’t even know what television is. It’s okay because I’m self-satisfied. I’m not hurt.

What about the 300+ level? I think it is possible, but it requires you to defeat a lot of monsters. Will it take time while she’s working?

“It takes me more than a year to reach level 300. It might take longer while you work. However, levels 100 to 200 should not take that long.”

“…That’s a big advantage.”

“Then, could you work for me?”

I am a little worried. What am I missing?

“I can’t make a decision unless you tell me what the job is. Even if your life expectancy is prolonged, if it is a hard job, your suffering will only be prolonged.”

I see. She is absolutely right.

“Now, as I said, I want you to be the manager of a huge ship that we will be doing business with. You’ll be in charge of pricing rooms and merchandise and organizing the staff.”

“Is this the same huge ship used in Lucca that is the center of attention for the whole continent?”

Is the whole continent looking at it? I understand, but it’s annoying to hear it from someone else.

“No, it will be a bigger, more luxurious, and more amazing ship than that. If I may say so myself, it is no exaggeration to say it is the best ship in the world.”

Am I exaggerating? But I think it is the best ship in the world. Well, it could be overturned if a ship made by an otherworlder from a technologically advanced world is discovered in ancient ruins or something.

“Do you mean you want me to be the manager of such a great ship?”

“That’s what I’m saying. It would be a very rewarding job, wouldn’t it?”

Of all the people I know, Camille-san is the only one who would be able to fill such a position. Even if someone gains knowledge through staff appointment, it would be difficult in a commercial environment. And the knowledge is from a different world, it would be confusing.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a challenging job, but the danger level jumps, doesn’t it? Even if you have a longer lifespan, it doesn’t matter if you get killed or kidnapped.”

“Ah, it’s absolutely safe inside the ship, but outside the ship, it becomes dangerous. I don’t think it will be a problem if we are together, but if the half-escort is useless, it will usually be a problem, right?”

That was it. There’s an extraordinary possibility of being targeted as a top executive of a luxury liner or something like that. That would make it difficult to hire employees… I should think about buying a large number of slaves. It’s also getting harder to recruit Camille-san… What should I do? I guess I’ll just have to keep trying to convince her without giving up.