The Ruthless Woman
At the appointed time, we returned to Jin the Sharpener's shop.
At some point, a sign reading *(Closed)* had been nailed to the door, with a knife.
Guess he'd decided anyone who came after us would just be interrupting his work.
Sorry, random strangers.
… But are we actually allowed to go in? He's not going to throw knives at us or anything, right?
I glanced at Lufen.
Maybe she'd been thinking the same thing, because our eyes met at the exact same time.
"... Dyrel, wanna go in first?"
"Ladies first."
"Guh. For someone with no education, you sure learn the weirdest phrases."
The "no education" part was unnecessary.
"Besides, *you're* the one who brought me here...!"
"What if he throws a knife at us!? You're a boy, protect me...!"
"Don't underestimate a frail, out-of-shape guy! One hit and I'm on the express train to the afterlife...!"
Lufen and I started shoving each other from behind.
I don't care if it looks pathetic. Scary things are scary.
"Oh, right! The building, let’s ask the building!"
"R-right. Great idea."
If I asked the building whether it was okay to come in, we wouldn't interrupt him.
And if he was still working, we'd just come back later.
"Okay... Umm..."
"The hell's all that racket, you idiots!? Which dumbasses are making a scene in front of my house!?"
Eep!?
Lufen and I instinctively jumped into each other's arms.
But the moment the old man saw us, his rage vanished, replaced by a sour look.
"Huh? Oh. It's Lufen-chan and the brat. Quit standing around and get in. They're done."
Seriously, what is wrong with this old geezer's emotional stability?
We exchanged glances before stepping inside.
And then… lined up on the table were knives with a shine that immediately drew the eye.
"Ohhh...!? That's incredible...!"
The blades, once covered in rust, had been polished until they looked like mirrors.
The dirty wooden handles had been replaced with fresh timber.
They didn't even look like the same knives anymore.
This was nothing short of divine craftsmanship.
(Feels like we've been reborn.)
(We're sharp knives now~)
(We'll slice through anything~)
Even their voices somehow sounded more energetic.
I see, I see. You're happy to look beautiful again.
I smiled at them fondly when the old geezer suddenly leaned right into my face. H-hey, personal space?
"W-What is it...?"
".. .Brat. You like blades?"
… What kind of question was that?
Whether I liked them...
"I think swords and spears are scary. Kitchen knives and chef's knives are beautiful. But whether I *like* them... I've never really thought about it."
Well, ever since I got the **Conversation** skill, I guess you could broadly say I did.
After all, they were easier to talk to than people.
The old man silently stared at me. Was that the right answer? Or the wrong one?
"... Your name?"
"Huh? M-my...?"
"Who else's would I be asking, dumbass?"
Sorry. Not exactly well educated.
"... Dyrel."
"Dyrel, huh. I'll remember that."
He pulled out a sheet of paper from a cabinet and began writing across it.
… What's he writing?
"I heard from Lufen-chan. You want to become a merchant, right?"
Gah. She told him? I shot Lufen a glare.
She whistled and looked away. Damn it. I'll remember this.
"Yeah... that's the idea."
"This here's my parting gift. If you're selling those knives to chefs, show 'em this paper."
"H-huh...?"
W-What's that supposed to mean? Still completely confused, I accepted the rolled-up sheet.
Question marks were practically floating over my head when Lufen clapped her hands.
"All right, let's settle the bill. How much, Jingo?"
"Ten gold coins."
“”BWAAAAAH!?””
Gold!? Ten of them!? Isn't that outrageously expensive!?
Even Lufen hadn't expected that, she was panicking too!
This was bad. Neither of us had anywhere near that kind of money.
At this rate... was he going to kill us!?
"... Is what I'd *like* to say. But today, one silver coin'll do."
"... Huh? R-really, Jingo-san?"
"Yeah. Discount for Lufen-chan's cuteness. And it's been a long time since I saw a brat with such a good eye. Kids these days don't know quality from junk. You've got a good eye. Be proud of it."
The old geezer grinned.
Yeah... probably best not to mention that it was because of my skill. Who knew what kind of lecture I'd get if I did?
"Anyway, we're done here. Now get lost before I change my mind."
"T-thank you, Jingo-san! Come on, Dyrel..."
"Th-thanks!"
I packed the knives into the leather pouch he'd thrown in as a bonus and bowed.
Without even turning around, the old geezer waved a hand and had already started working on something else.
I thought he was just some weird old bastard… but underneath it all, he was actually a pretty caring guy.
Once we stepped outside, Lufen let out a long sigh, looking unbelievably pleased.
"Whew... we saved *way* more money than I expected. Guess my cuteness really is a crime."
"Yeah, yeah, you're cute. More importantly."
"Don't 'more importantly' me."
I mean, I'm used to seeing her face.
"So... how are we supposed to sell these? We can't just walk up to some chef and expect them to buy them, can we?"
"It'll be fine. That's probably what Jingo-san's letter is for."
This thing? I couldn't imagine a piece of paper making much of a difference…
—
"W-what!? Knives maintained by Master Sharpener Jingo!? Y-you actually brought something so precious to *my* restaurant!? H-how much!? Fifty silver coins... no, I'll pay eighty!!"
… No way.
The head chef of one of the town's most famous restaurants practically snorted with excitement after reading the letter. Sold instantly. And for an absurd price.
However! Apparently still dissatisfied with the amount, Lufen leaned forward slightly and looked up at him through her lashes.
"Couldn't you add just a little more? These are masterpieces personally sharpened by Jingo, who even postponed his other reservations to work on them."
"Guh... O-one gold coin..."
"And if you add *my* cuteness into the deal?"
"Two! Two gold coins! How about that!?"
"Pleasure doing business~♪"
… Seriously? A beat-up knife we'd bought at a junk shop for three copper coins had turned into two gold coins.
After accepting the money, Lufen turned to me with an absolutely devious grin and whispered into my ear.
"Well then... four more to go. I wonder how much they'll bring in~"
"... You really don't show any mercy."
She's reliable… but I've never found her as terrifying as I did today. Seriously.
What do you think about this chapter?
