Today's Earnings
By the time we'd spent the entire day walking around and the sun had set, we finally made it back to my house.
I-I'm exhausted. For someone as out of shape as me, just walking around all day was enough to wear me out.
Without caring that it'd wrinkle my clothes, I flopped onto the bed. Meanwhile, Lufen wore a wicked grin as she dumped the contents of a burlap sack onto the table.
"Fu, fu, fu... we bought everything for about twenty copper coins at the junk shop, and in the end we made **twelve gold coins**! Now *this* is what you call alchemy!"
You're happier than I am.
Lufen lovingly admired the gold coins on the table like they were tiny little animals.
… Honestly, she saved me.
There's no way I could've made this much money in a single day by myself.
I really was impressed by how many connections Lufen had.
… Oh, right. She helped me, so I should pay her.
I think this is called a salary? I don't really know the going rate, though.
I got to my feet and held out a single gold coin to Lufen.
She looked up at me with a blank expression.
"W-what?"
"No, *that's* my line. What's with all this money? Are you trying to buy me?"
She hugged her chest protectively, her cheeks turning pink as she glared suspiciously at me.
How did she jump to *that* conclusion? Does she have flowers blooming in her head or something?
"No! It's your pay for today… thank you. You really helped me."
"Oh... that's what you meant. Well then... I'll gratefully accept it."
She took the gold coin from me and, smiling contentedly, tucked it into the pocket over her chest.
Don't put it there. I don't know where I'm supposed to look.
"Dyrel, let me teach you something for future reference. In this town, one gold coin is about half a year's income for an average person."
"What!? Then give it back! I'll pay you exactly one day's wages!"
"You should curse your own ignorance. Dummy, dummy~ bleeeeh~"
Damn it. That's infuriating.
"If you want it back that badly, come take it. Assuming you've got the courage to touch my boobs."
Lufen puffed out her chest with a smug grin. That's cheating...!
Fine then. I'll show you the determination of a real man!
I grabbed both of Lufen's shoulders.
Her eyes widened for a split second, and she froze.
Taking advantage of the opening, I moved my right hand toward her chest… toward it...
"... Tch. Forget it. A man's word is his bond."
"I... I see. G-good choice."
She covered her chest and took a step back.
Her face was bright red. If you're going to get embarrassed, don't provoke me in the first place, you idiot.
An awkward silence settled over us.
Lufen cleared her throat.
"By the way."
"Yeah?"
"Dyrel. Mind if I tell you something I realized while we were walking around together today?"
"What is it?"
"You're not cut out for business."
"Right for the jugular."
Well... I'd kind of figured as much myself.
The most important skill in buying and selling things… was communication.
You have another person, you have merchandise, and you negotiate a price.
Buy as cheaply as possible. Sell as expensively as possible.
The bigger the gap between those two numbers, the bigger your profit.
Which meant… it was exactly the field I was worst at.
"W-what do I do? Maybe... maybe I'm just not cut out to work at all..."
"It's okay. Relax."
What's there to relax about? I'm completely screwed.
As I slumped in defeat, Lufen shook her head with an exasperated sigh.
"What were you watching all day? You've got me, don't you?"
"... Wait. You don't mean..."
"I mean exactly that."
Still sitting in her chair, Lufen crossed her legs and smiled with a faintly seductive look.
"I'll help you. Leave the tavern networking and the negotiations to me."
"R-really...? A-aren't you busy too, Lufen...?"
"I am. But the tavern's wages are pretty lousy. I'd actually been thinking about finding a side job anyway."
Lufen stood up and gently patted my head.
"Your skill, and my looks and connections. We'll make as much money as we possibly can with that."
"Y... yeah! Let's do it!"
I clasped Lufen's hand tightly.
It felt like a ceremony shared by just the two of us, a contract that needed no written agreement.
Read Chapters 10-15 in Advance on Patreon
What do you think about this chapter?
