MILE CHAPTER 266: DWARF VILLAGE 7
『…What’s what!? Why wasn’t there any bottle of liquor unsold…?』(workshop owner)
The workshop owner was depressed with his shoulders dropped.
『Liquor? Oh, I’m sorry!
This is always an item without a substitute,
Here you go!』(Merchant Leader)
The merchant leader took out the bottle of liquor prepared as a souvenir and handed it to the workshop owner.
(Ah……) (Mile)
Mile finally realized what she has done.
『Ooooh, Liquor…
Hey, what is this…?』(workshop owner)
The workshop owner showed a disappointed expression with the Liquor and the Merchant Leader was worried.
Even they can also make wine here, but in the end, they are just a village of blacksmiths.
At the same time, they don’t have the facilities for making distilled liquor,
And the villagers here aren’t patient enough to wait for ferment or clear,
They drink everything after making them,
In this village, they won’t ever be able to brew the 《excellent distilled liquor》
As a result, the average brand of Liquor that the merchant leader always brought as a souvenir had been widely welcomed.
To the extent that the workshop owner has always taken it for himself, his employees are only able to lick one cup at best.
(T.N: I used the word “lick” here because they really want to drink but don’t have enough)
Now that the workshop owner showed a disappointing expression.
It was impossible for the merchant leader to understand.
Yes, Mile had set up a sale store after the merchant leader headed to the village chief home.
And when the merchant leader came back, she had already sold out.
Even though Mile has asked for permission beforehand, 《May I also sell things in my storage?》
The merchant leader acknowledged it, he knew that Mile sold something, but he didn’t know what it was.
At best, he thought it was some kid’s play for killing time.
When he came back, there was nothing else.
He thought Mile got bored because she couldn’t sell anything and didn’t bother to ask.
That’s why, although the merchant gave out the average Liquor, the atmosphere didn’t improve at all or rather getting heavier.
However, in consideration that they have been trading a lot of times in the past and Mile may come along with the Merchant Leader next time, he will secure a large amount of distilled liquor properly. Yes, there is no problem.
『Half amount of Metal Products with the same price as last time』(workshop owner)
However, that answer wasn’t good for the merchant’s side.
The workshop owner said the same thing as the village chief.
The merchant leader was troubled.
『The village chief also said the same thing.
What he and you said is an agreement of all workshop owners, so, I knew that you couldn’t change it without permission.
What we wanted to know is why did this happen suddenly.
Somehow, the village chief didn’t tell me the reason, so I wonder if you could tell me about it…
Explaining the reasons wouldn’t break your agreement with other workshops, so, there shouldn’t be any problem, right?
If you also couldn’t explain anything like this, we wouldn’t purchase anything this time. And after that, we would never travel to this village again.
Until now, we have established good relations with each other.
Don’t you think that it will be a pity that many years of relationship will end without a reason?』(Merchant Leader)
The Merchant Leader explained in a calm voice, tried to persuade the workshop owner.
The workshop owner apparently seemed to be disturbed.
Although he didn’t talk yet, his face’s expression has changed.
Well, it would involve the village’s existence.
『…I understand.
Well, consider his position, the village chief wouldn’t be able to tell you even if he wanted to.
As our representative, he can not afford to show our weakness to human beings and elves.
But there should be no problem for me to tell you.
even though we are the same humanoids, the matter of our blacksmithing related to our pride.
However, if the merchants will not come anymore and we can’t get the products, it will not do us any good.
And before you came, we had miserably failed to prepare the carriages and escorts to go trade elsewhere…』(workshop owner)
For the dwarves, who are born craftsmen and not merchants, it would be unbearable to spend their lives on peddling instead of manufacturing.
Also, once the original price has doubled, considering the costs of the carriages and the escorts, even if they do business on their own, they can’t expect much sales.
Well, I do not know if he can understand that far, but anyway, the workshop owner decided to explain the circumstances.
According to him, it seems that Orcs and Ogres have appeared and attacked the mountain where this village was mining iron ore.
Woods as fuel and others can be collected from anywhere in the mountain, but they can only get iron ore from that mine in the mountain.
In the first place, that mine seems to be the reason why the dwarves made villages here in the mountain.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have settled in the inconvenient mountainous spots.
As the merchant leader heard it, he said 《Won’t it be fine if you subjugate them?》
Well, it’s natural that merchant to think so.
The Dwarf has a robust and flexible body.
Besides, a dwarf village can make as many good weapons and armor as they like.
That means they can deal with the monsters by themselves.
In fact, some of the Dwarf youths have gone out to the city of humans and become hunters as well.
So, Dwarves have always trained with daily mining or smithing work.
If they joined hands together, Orcs or Ogres will not be a big deal.
Yes, in order to live in the mountains, they have to deal with the monsters themselves.
And before the merchants came, they also had to carry items for sale in the neighboring by themselves. They had to travel to buy the things they need.
So, they shouldn’t be afraid of some Orcs or Ogres.
『…We have failed and suffered heavy damage …』(workshop owner)
『Huh?』(Merchant Leader)
Yes, with the strong, robust and flexible body, they have lived in the dangerous mountainous area, making good metal products, it’s the proud family of the dwarf.
With that pride, they planned to deal with monsters that invaded the vicinity of their important mining site.
Many volunteers who know how to fight have joined hands together for that subjugation.
…In the end, six people died, many people were severely injured, the subjugation failed.
For dwarves, who aren’t good at magic, it’s natural that there is no one who is good at healing magic in such a small village.
Even if they used all the medicines in the village, it could only provide a degree of ease the pain.
After that, they have lost too much of their strength, they couldn’t afford to defend the village and escort the mining team at the same time.
In the end, they have been sneaking in the mine while avoiding the monster to mine with a small number of people, their Iron ore Mining volume drastically declined.
Also, the smiths and the apprentices are in a situation where they can’t work as many as they think due to their injuries.
One workshop seems to have lost two blacksmiths and was closed.
So, although they could only make half of the products, they couldn’t accept to receive just half of the money.
With that amount of money, a representative of this village will accompany the merchants and go down to the human town and buy medicines.
If possible, he will hire a good healer magician and take him back.
To do that, they need a lot of money.
『Healer magician?
No, before that, you should ask the subjugation of monsters!
In such a situation, the number of injured people will increase.
The people of the mining team will decrease, and the village may be attacked by the monsters!
You should ask the Hunter Guild Branch for help!』(Merchant Leader)
However, the workshop owner shook his head.
『It’s impossible for us dwarves to expose the fact that we can’t protect our precious mining sites to the human!
We will become the laughing stock of the whole continent.
The name of this village will fall to the ground.
No one will come or buy the metal products made here anymore!』(workshop owner)
(((((Dwarf is so troublesome!!))))) (Merchant Leader + Red Oath)
The dwarf really has high pride…
『… Well, I can understand your circumstance now.
I understand that you don’t one-sidely raise the price but have a reasonable situation.
I feel a little relieved』(Merchant Leader)
『Ok, did you understand?!』(workshop owner)
Listening to the words of a merchant leader, the workshop owner had a relieved smile.
『However, no matter what circumstances you have, I can’t do business in the red.
Because I and my colleagues have responsibilities for our family, our employees, and our customers.
In any case, in order to donate to charity, our business must at least profitable.
But trading in deficit, losing credibility are just outright stupid.
《Merchant’s code is buying things cheap, why would we buy things with high price from you?!》
Once we do that, we won’t be able to trade at a decent price again.
Your hardship is the circumstances of everyone in this village, not our circumstances.
There’s no reason why we have to accept that we lose our property and trust by doing business in the red.
Yes, the village chief didn’t consider our circumstances at all, as much as unilateral conditions!』(Merchant Leader)
『…………』(workshop owner)
The merchant leader talked negative words with a strong tone and the workshop owner was depressed.
Even though the workshop owner is too casual and naive, he isn’t really idiot.
He seems to aware that his village has demanded an unreasonable thing,
The merchant also got a cold attitude despite trading with him many times so far,
He didn’t get angry or talked back.
He just had a bitter expression.
『In that case, you ought to annihilate the monsters quickly then!』(Rena)
While everyone was silent and the atmosphere was heavy, Rena suddenly said so.
『What…』(workshop owner)
Rena said it so easily, makes the workshop owner who lost his words.
The merchant leader also seemed surprised.
And the others also followed after Rena.
『If you don’t have medicine (cheap), why don’t you use curative magic (expensive) instead?』(Pauline)
(Marie Antoinette!?
No, in fact, Marie didn’t say such a line.
In the book with that line was written, Mary was 9 years old, and of course, she wasn’t queen yet …) (Mile)
Mile pondered about Pauline’s words.
『Well, if the first party fails, you should gather more powerful fighting power,
It would be easy to carry out the secondary recapture strategy of the mining site』(Maevis)
(Legios (レギオス) !?) (Mile)
(T.N: Sorry, I can’t get the reference)
And with Maevis’ words, while thinking about something that no-one in this world can understand as ever,
somehow, Mile started to motivate