| Author: Himezaki Shiu | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
Behind the heavy-looking door was a warehouse full of crates and barrels. It was honestly quite fun, as if I were in the middle of some infiltration quest. Having said that, calling it infiltration when I was invited in felt a bit strange.
Meanwhile, the hooded man moved ahead so quickly that I couldn’t catch what he was saying and simply followed.
We went through a long hallway, eventually reaching a plain wooden door. The hooded man opened it, revealing a room reminiscent of the area behind a cash register.
It was a small room with a countertop and some chairs, radiating a calm atmosphere. We were on the employee side of the countertop1, where, unsurprisingly, there was an employee.
The employee, a young man with proper posture, looked quite surprised to see us emerge from the door.
“Owner, who is this?”
“It’s a customer. I’ll guide her; you continue your work.”
“Understood.”
The young man responded. His ability to quickly regain his composure and inquire about the situation made him seem quite competent. Additionally, even though he looked at me, it didn’t feel like he was looking down on me.
Even though he would’ve had every right to, given that I’d simply appeared behind the counter out of nowhere. The whole situation made me wonder if the hooded man did this often.
The space wasn’t large but had several doors. The hooded man chose one and led me through it. He guided me to what appeared to be a reception room, furnished with sofas and a table. The sofas were arranged on both sides of the table, flanking it.
The hooded man sat on the sofa opposite the reception room entrance, and I sat across from him.
As I sat down, I couldn’t help but appreciate how comfortable the sofa was. It was so good that I felt like bouncing on it as one might on a good bed.
I also noticed that a maid had served us tea just as I sat down.
(Just how long has the maid been here?)
“Now then, before I introduce you to our products, how about we talk for a bit?”
“Gladly. There are a lot of questions I’d like to ask you.”
“I’d bet. Even so, I do not know if I’ll be answering everything, but ask away.”
“How did you open the first door? It seemed quite heavy.”
“Ahem…”
Perhaps my question was unexpected, but the man turned his head to the side and covered his mouth. Even though he wore a hood and I could only see his mouth, I couldn’t help but be amused at how often his expressions changed.
He was likely able to see me under the hood, and I assumed he was able to see me quite well. It was likely that he was using some kind of Magic Tool.
His appearance aside, I’d manage to completely take control of the conversation.
Or, in other words, I’d seized the initiative. Or so I believed.
“That door is a Magic Tool. When the key is used, it gets light enough to be opened for some time.”
“So is that door never locked?”
Well, I wouldn’t say never. But it’s heavy enough that even the legendary heroes wouldn’t have been able to open it. So I guess it doesn’t matter if it’s locked or not.”
“You have a point. It’d be easier to destroy it than try to open it.”
“You say some scary stuff. But you’re probably right. Having said that, if you destroy it, you may end up being crushed by the rubble of a heavy door that even heroes can’t open. Additionally, this key is made in a way so that only I can use it. So even if you steal it, it won’t do you any good.”
The hooded man said, pulling out the key from his sleeve. When I saw it, I immediately used Appraisal on it.
| Weight Reduction Key | |
|---|---|
| Rank | SS |
| Description | A key used to reduce the weight of a certain door. For a short time after it is used, the weight of the door is reduced to the point where the key’s user can open it. This key is made with lost technology and cannot be replicated today. |
| Skills | Weight Reduction, Fixed User |
(Whoa, made with lost technology! This key is one hell of a rare item.)
Seeing the key only made me more suspicious of the hooded man. I thought I had him figured out the moment he brought me here. But now it seemed I needed to rethink my suspicions. Even so, I didn’t want to. It felt like too much trouble.
And it wasn’t as if it would be a problem if I didn’t.
(Damn it. I had the upper hand, and he took it right back.)
“So, how did you figure it out? There wasn’t anyone else in the store at the time. Did you use some kind of Magic Tool?”
“That’s right. Normally, a Magic Tool shop owner would use Magic Tools, no?”
“I see. By the way, we’re in the noble sector, right? How do I get back?”
“Oh, you noticed?”
“Your shop is right in front of the wall, and then there’s that door. Of course, I’d notice.”
I had unintentionally achieved the first of my goals.
Given that the hooded man had the Magic Tool Creation Skill and was a slaver, I’d assumed he had some connections with the nobles, but now it seemed like it was even more than that.
After all, this place had a door that allowed passage between the noble and common sectors. Having such a privilege suggested his connections went even deeper than the nobility.
“You have ties to the royal family, don’t you?”
“I guess I can’t hide it anymore. Not that there’s much need to.”
“Are you planning to capture me?”
“No, of course not. That sounds terrifying. Besides, even though I’m a slaver, I don’t take people from this area. I mostly take in those who’ve fallen into debt or criminals. I don’t intend to use any underhanded tactics.”
“Then why did you reach out to me?”
Even now, I still couldn’t understand why he’d invited me to his store. An ordinary citizen like me wasn’t likely to have the money needed to buy a slave. That being said, it was also possible that the slaves in this world were extremely cheap.
But if that were the case, there would be no reason to have the slave shop in the noble sector. Being here suggested the prices were aimed at nobles.
“Because I thought you were interesting.”
“Interesting?”
The reply took me by surprise. The hooded man nodded and glanced down at my shoes.
“Your robe was dirty, but your shoes were spotless. And you were traveling alone. I could only assume you were traveling incognito. Maybe you’re the princess of some kingdom?”
“Who knows.”
“At the very least, those shoes looked like Magic Tools to me. Normal people don’t have those. They even look like they have Self-Cleaning enchantments.”
“You’ve got a sharp eye. So, you saw my expensive items and figured I must be loaded, right?”
“I did give you the location of my shop, didn’t I? I brought you here because I thought you were interesting. After all, a princess traveling incognito would never visit such a shady shop.”
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind for the future.”
I realized I’d need to do something about my shoes going forward. But I didn’t want to wear anything else.
After all, Lower Body Comfort was unbeatable. Wearing shoes without any discomfort was simply too good. Thinking back, they really were a blessing.
In any case, I’d gotten all the information I wanted.
“So, could you please show me your Magic Tools, mister?”
