I Favor the Villainess Chapter 57Before the holidays

Before the holidays, the atmosphere on the streets as we walk through them is somehow agitated.

Sunlight is getting so strong at last I can feel it’s summer.

“Where are we going?”

That’s what my beloved Claire-sama asked.

As Claire-sama is under the parasol I’m holding, I absolutely won’t allow even a little bit of her skin to tan.

“Before the holidays, I have to take care of a minor business”

“A minor business?”

“It’s truly trivial. How should I say… I want to prevent a trouble”

“I do not understand well”

Unable to understand, she tilted her head.

Yes, immensely lovely.

“At any rate, what kind of turn of events is this? To accompany me on my personal business”

My outing today is completely a personal matter.

I absolutely didn’t expect Claire-sama to say she wants to come along.

“… Nothing really. There is no special meaning. Somehow I wanted to feel the wind outside”

Saying so, Claire-sama turned away in a huff.

Huh?

Is she in a bad mood?

“But, Claire-sama, don’t you usually dislike heat and hate being exposed to sun”

Even with parasol, heat is heat.

Not to mention, the extremely selfish Claire-sama willingly exposed herself to sunlight.

“Ne・ver・mind・that! Hurry up and finish your business!”

“Haa…”

I don’t quite understand the mood today.

Claire-sama is whimsical like a cat, so maybe she also has days like these.

As for me, I greatly appreciate that I can spend more time with Claire-sama, so without brooding over it any further I switched to thinking about enjoying my time with her.

“We’re already there… It’s here”

Saying so, I stopped walking in front of a building.

“Tulu company…? Do you need to buy something?”

Reading the signboard with the store’s name, Claire-sama asked.

“No, that isn’t the case. I just need to have a little talk with the proprietor here”

“Hmph…? Well, very well. If we have to enter, let’s enter quickly. It is unbearably hot here”

“That’s why if you had stayed at the academy――”

“Qui・ck・ly”

“Yes”

Chasing after Claire-sama who promptly entered the store, I also got in.

“Welco… me!? We, well well, Claire-sama. What kind of business brings you to a place like this….?”

Seeing Claire-sama’s figure, the good-natured old shopkeeper became flustered.

His name is Hans-san.

He’s a skilled merchant and the only person managing this Tulu company.

Hans-san’s confusion is understandable.

While Tulu Company isn’t a small company, it’s by no means big.

Unlike low and middle nobility, it should rarely receive high nobles like Claire-sama.

“It is not me who has business here. Hey, Rei. Finish your business quickly”

When she sank into a sofa in the corner of the store that’s used for business discussions, Claire-sama said so seemingly uninterested.

She’s not doing anything other than looking around the store’s interior.

“Good day, Hans-san”

“Hey, Rei-chan. I was surprised. Isn’t it the first time you came here with Claire-sama?”

“Yeah. I heard she was in the mood for it today”

Like that, I exchanged greetings with Hans-san.

He’s a good-natured old man that usually has a gentle air about him.

However――.

“So, Rei-chan. What kind of profitable scheme did you bring today?”

Saying so, Hans-san’s expression changed from that of a gentle person to that of a merchant.

Hans-san and I actually go back a long way.

As a matter of fact, he’s a merchant character who sold items in the game.

In this life, he’s a broker responsible in various ways for my connection with Blume.

He provides me with the necessary ingredients for Blume’s new recipes, as a reward he’s become Blume’s supplier.

That’s why, for him it seems like me coming to his store equals bringing a profitable scheme.

“I’m sorry, but today I came to crush a profitable scheme instead”

“Ha?”

Hans-san made a blank face.

I continued.

“It’s just a possibility, but I believe I’ve heard rumors of Hans-san having a certain magical tool”

“Hm? What’s this about?”

Hans-san tilted his head.

Feigning ignorance for the time being, it’s as expected of a merchant.

“There’s no point feigning ignorance. The effect of that magical tool is. Revive the dead… Am I wrong?”

“… Well, I didn’t expect to be outwitted by Rei-chan”

Affirming the magical tool’s effect, he raised his hands in surrender.

Since I’ve brought profitable schemes based on the game knowledge before too, I must appear like a prophet to Hans-san.

“I’ve certainly heard about it. As it’s not a cheap good, I’ve been thinking a little more whether to stock up on it or not”

“That magical tool, please give it up”

“… Can I hear the reason?”

With a twitch of his eyebrow, Hans-san asked.

Well, obviously.

A merchant wouldn’t give up a profitable scheme without a reason.

“That magical tool is a sham”

“… How can you tell?”

“I cannot tell you the reason why I know the truth. But, if you get on this scheme, Hans-san will suffer a heavy loss”

“… Hmm”

His tone sounded affirmatively, however Hans-san showed he’s pondering about my baseless words.

That magical tool is as a matter of fact a tool that turns dead into undead, a lower noble who bought it from Hans-san used it.

As a result, a cemetary where daughters of nobles sleep was turned into a nest of undead, nobles’ fury caused Hans-san to lose all dealings with nobles.

It’s involved in the Undead Hunt in the game, but because it’s always better if such a disaster doesn’t happen I came here to strike down this flag.

“If it was anyone else, I’d drive them anyway, but because it’s Rei-chan, who has never been wrong, saying this… But…”

“Of course, I won’t tell you to simply give up. I have another profitable scheme”

“… I thought so”

Hans-san meaningfully smiled.

“Soon, the demand for weapons and armor will greatly increase. It’s also something that can’t be made public”

“! Isn’t it peaceful. Will a war start?”

Hans-san looked at imploringly.

“It won’t be war, but something close”

“… You won’t tell me the basis?”

“Yeah, whether to believe or not is up to Hans-san”

That said, I’m gambling on Hans-san getting on it.

Hans-san seemed to ponder for a while, but eventually he let out a large sigh and――.

“I got it. I’ll give up on the magical tool. But, at least tell me this”

“What do you need?”

“That demand which can’t be made public, is it okay if I supply it?”

Hans-san looked at me with sharp eyes.

He’s testing me.

“You should as a merchant. As a person… It depends on Hans-san’s political beliefs”

“… Hmm”

After I endured Hans-san staring at me, he spoke in a voice like he’s more or less convinced.

“Very well. If it’s unavoidable, it’s a chance for a merchant to profit”

Hans-san’s expression slackened.

Apparently, I more or less passed Hans-san’s test.

“Even so… Rei-chan, who in the world are you? Every single time it’s like you can see the future”

“As I said before, I won’t comment on that”

“I guessed so. But, be careful, Rei-chan. If I was a man who would do anything for profit, I wouldn’t hesitate to kidnap and confine you”

Hans-san smoothly said a frightening thing.

“I think you’re aware I’m a Dual Caster”

“Of course I don’t think I could do it alone. Nevertheless, I could hire people or prepare a sealing magical tool, there are many ways to do that”

Certainly, you could say that.

“Well, shall I leave threatening at that. But, don’t forget. You have that much value. Like this, it’s easy to attract various disasters”

“… I’ll take it to heart”

“Then I’ll see you off”

Saying so, Hans-san smiled at me.

“Is your business finished?”

Realizing the talk between me and Hans-san came to an end, Claire-sama called out to me.

“Yeah, for now. Hans-san, I’ll excuse myself”

“Yeah, come again”

“Claire-sama, let’s go back”

“Gokigen’you”

Following Claire-sama, I left the store.

“There is still quite some time before the curfew. I am hungry”

“When we return to the dormitory, should I make something?”

Holding the parasol, I responded to Claire-sama.

“… Insensitive”

“Yes?”

“It was nothing. Yes yes, let’s go back. I do not mind going back!”

Saying so sulkily, Claire-sama immediately started briskly walking.

“Claire-sama, you will get sunburnt”

“That’s fine, such a thing!”

“It’s not good. What would happen if a blemish appeared on Claire-sama’ pearly skin”

I hurriedly caught up with her and shaded her with the parasol, this time Claire-sama stopped abruptly.

“… If that happened, would you dislike me?”

“That’s impossible”

It’s a sudden question with an unknown context, but I immediately replied.

No, because it really is impossible.

“I see… Hmph…”

For some reason Claire-sama made a complicated face.

What’s up with Claire-sama today.

“Claire-sama, aren’t you somehow strange today?”

“Whose fault do you think it is!”

“Eeeeh…”

She lashed out at me.

No, I really don’t understand what she meant.

“Let’s return quickly! When we return, make crème brûlée!”

“Haa…”

As far as I can tell from her expression, for now her mood is fixed.

I don’t get the reason at all, but well, it’s because she’s Claire-sama.

“… But, it is a rare outing”

“Did you say something?”

“Rei you idiot, is what I said!”

She pulled her eyelid down and stuck out her tongue.

I don’t know the reason, but Claire-sama is cute as ever.