It’s Troublesome in Many Ways

Platinum rank, “Golden Wind.”

Even if you didn’t count Leonhart, the leader here, the other guys were showing a strong hostility toward the “Red Wolf Tribe”.

I didn’t know the reason. You could guess it was simply because we were “barbarians”, but honestly, aren’t there other tribes besides ours?

So why single out the “Red Wolf Tribe” in particular?

But right now, that wasn’t the important part.

“The sales of the Petrification Antidote Potion you listed at the auction aren’t doing well, customer.”

I got a message from the auction.

The sales of the “Petrification Antidote Potion” hadn’t reached my expectations.

“Tsk, is it already happening?”

To be honest, I’d sensed this problem coming to some extent.

That the “Petrification Antidote Potion” was being priced higher than before—actually, that didn’t matter much.

The minimum requirement for taking this “Lagmor Mountain” commission was “silver rank.”

Those kinds of people could fork out a few gold coins even if it felt pricey.

And yet, sales were lacking.

“Maybe it’s because there’s not enough publicity?”

Miriam tilted her head as she spoke.

“That’s a fair point.”

Most adventurers use the auction, but I suppose the news that antidote potions were being sold there hadn’t spread widely yet.

But was there a way to advertise this?

“Do you have any good ideas?”

I asked Miriam, but judging from her expression, she didn’t seem to have one.

Then let’s try asking one more thing.

“How long are you planning to follow me around?”

Now that we’d reached Iushil, shouldn’t we go our separate ways? That’s what I was thinking when I asked, but Miriam just wore a superficially pleasant smile.

“We’ve spent so much time together! Once you form an attachment, it’s hard for people to just walk away, you know?”

We haven’t spent that much time together, you know.

I looked at Miriam with half-lidded eyes.

“You can be honest, miriam. What are you really after?”

“You seem to have made some money this time—if I stick around, maybe I can pick up a few crumbs?”

That’s… a little too honest.

“It’s not wrong to say I’ve been useful, right? If anyone’s been putting themselves out there, it’s me!”

Miriam said it proudly—and she had a point.

She was the very one who leaked to the Adventurer’s Guild that the “Petrification Antidote Potion” went up for auction.

“So I’ll just stick around for a bit longer. Come on, we’re close, aren’t we?”

Since she had actually contributed, I couldn’t argue. In fact, her shamelessness was almost endearing.

Still, the publicity issue was back on my plate.

“I guess we’ll really need to come up with a way to grab people’s attention…”

Miriam muttered worriedly.

Grab people’s attention… Oh, that reminded me of one method.

“If a famous person got involved, sales would pick up.”

“Huh? Well, yeah, obviously.”

So-called influencer marketing.

“But who would that be?”

To Miriam’s question, I answered.

A very famous adventurer party.

One of the rare “platinum ranks.”

They’d taken the “Lagmor Mountain” commission.

And they needed Petrification Antidote Potions.

“There’s really someone that perfect?”

There is, actually.

“Then let’s do it right away!”

“As you say, miriam.”

“Huh?”

I put my hand on her shoulder. Miriam looked startled, her pupils shaking.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

A lot of those people didn’t seem to like me.

* * *

“You’re saying you want to provide us with Petrification Antidote Potions?”

Rommel, a member of “Golden Wind,” frowned as he looked at Miriam, who had suddenly brought them such an advantageous proposal.

Getting something sweet for nothing was unheard of.

“What’s the catch?”

So asking for a reason was only natural.

Adventurer or not, even as a “platinum rank,” you’re never free from ‘contracts.’

If you get yourself tangled in a strange deal, it can become a pain.

“It’s nothing special. All you need to do is make a post on the Golden Wind’s forum.”

“A post?”

“Yes!”

Miriam smiled brightly. Her smile was enough to break through anyone’s psychological defenses, but Rommel saw through it.

A business smile. This woman was wearing a mask—well, of course she was; this was their first encounter.

“Just post about the Petrification Antidote Potion that’s being sold on the auction! That’s all you have to do.”

“Ha.”

Rommel let out a hollow laugh at how ridiculous it sounded.

“You’re shifting the blame for hoarding the Petrification Antidote Potion onto us, aren’t you?”

It was clear why Miriam had come here.

The dungeon associated with “Lagmor Mountain” had a close connection with petrification.

So, of course, adventurers needed Petrification Antidote Potions. But now, someone had already hoarded all of Iushil’s potions.

Whether that was just a coincidence…

Or if the Adventurer’s Guild had leaked word, who knows.

“Of course not.”

Miriam still smiled, hiding nothing.

“Even if that were true, is it really important right now?”

Her voice felt like it was squeezing him tight.

“Golden Wind” had taken the Lagmor Mountain commission, desperately needed the antidote, and here was someone offering it.

Rommel started to get a headache from her irrefutable logic.

He looked toward Leonhart, who seemed to bow his head in apology.

“Isn’t that enough?”

Sss…

Rommel took a breath and looked at his teammates.

If they had money, they could just buy from the auction.

But—

“How much cash does everyone have right now?”

“I left it on the adventurer party debit card.”

“Me too.”

Everyone who replied shifted their gaze to Leonhart.

The fancy accessories that always covered his body—all those came from the “debit card.”

But currently Leonhart wasn’t wearing any equipment.

“Where’d all your gear go?”

Smiling at Rommel’s question, leonhart replied, “Hehe.”

“Where is it?”

“It got taken.”

Where did it get taken?

He explained, but it didn’t seem recoverable.

“I went to buy Petrification Antidote Potions… and got beaten up and robbed by other adventurers.”

Rommel put a hand to his forehead, his headache refusing to subside.

He’d thought he could always make more money—this happened because no one saved up.

“We really should’ve been more frugal.”

“Leonhart, I want to kill you right now, but I’m barely holding back.”

“Mhm.”

At Rommel’s biting remark, leonhart covered his own mouth.

Well, there’s no helping it.

Rommel turned his attention back to Miriam.

“Fine, we’ll cooperate.”

* * *

Later that day, after Miriam finished her talk with “Golden Wind.”

I got another message from the auction.

Petrification Antidote Potions.

All stock sold out.

I couldn’t hide my smile.

I now held 400 gold coins—not something I could just carry around in my pocket.

I unfolded the pouch of gold coins across the bed in my room at the inn.

With this, couldn’t I just live the rest of my life in leisure?

“Hehehe.”

I chuckled as I gazed at the pile of gold. Miriam stood beside me, laughing as well.

It was the kind of laugh that asked, “Don’t I get a share?”

Ten gold coins.

When I handed her that, miriam’s face twisted in visible outrage.

“This isn’t right! I basically handled the entire marketing side!”

“These are my goods, my money.”

“No! I put in my effort—so it’s our money!”

What do you mean, “our” money?

With my own information,

spending my entire fortune,

these are the gold coins I earned.

Handing her ten was already generous. I’d essentially given her double what she got paid in Odheim.

“Uwaaaaah!”

Miriam started to wail. What the heck?

“I’ve been cheated! Cheated, I tell you!”

Suddenly, she flopped onto her back and started throwing a tantrum.

Is she out of her mind? Was she always like this?

Uwaaaah!

I glared at her in disbelief, but she didn’t change.

“Brother, what’s going on!”

Suddenly, Barkal threw open the door, probably attracted by the commotion. When he entered, miriam quickly pulled herself together.

“Huh!?”

Barkal frowned, glancing between the bag of coins in my hand and Miriam, coming to his own conclusion.

“You little rat! Were you trying to steal from my brother’s fortune?”

“It’s a misunderstanding, Barkal big bro!”

“The truth will be revealed by my axe! Cry, Erindal! Reveal what’s real!”

“Aaaah!”

Red eyes flashed through his skull helmet. Sensing Barkal’s seriousness, I quickly calmed him down.

Miriam wasn’t actually stealing.

And if the uproar got worse, Hordi would show up.

After I said that, Barkal nodded.

“Ugh, uhh…”

In the end, miriam left the room. If I didn’t have to give her any extra, I ought to thank Barkal.

“Brother, there’s something I need to discuss.”

Before I could thank him, Barkal spoke first.

“I’m listening.”

“Mhm.”

Like he was struggling, Barkal hesitated for a moment.

A brief silence.

I waited, and he finally spoke.

“It’s about the priest.”

The priest?

That guy, rugar or whatever his name was?

The one who requested our assassination from the Disguiser.

“I know the priest dislikes you, but this time, what he did cannot be tolerated by any member of the Red Wolf Tribe.”

“You mean the assassination request?”

“That’s right, brother.”

Then he paused for a moment and spoke.

“I will return to the Red Wolf Tribe. There, I will expose the priest’s crimes.”

—

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