The Stone of Days Chapter 5

"So it's you, Fabian. 2nd floor."

'Flame Snowy Mountain's' innkeeper Gorman, who was laboriously serving gla.s.ses of beer, pointed upstairs. Usually, I would aid in serving the beer and be treated to a few gla.s.ses, but now wasn't the time. I nodded my head. Although Gorman may look extremely busy with the way he's serving, but in reality, he's not. There's only one explanation - his mother was about to come out.
I ascended up the stairs.
Mirbo Genz didn't exactly state how many sparrow nets he needed. He had just asked for one net.
But, even if I were to bring 20 extremely large bundles, I won't complain.
It was the last room on the east side if I recall.

"Mr. Genz, Mr. Genz!"

I knocked on the door, only to receive no response. Did he leave? But, the door was unlocked.
Is it because he went to bed a bit earlier this evening?

"Mr. Genz~."

I opened the door and went in.
The room was clean, too clean as if it wasn't rented out. Whenever I entered an inn, I had always wanted to stay in an inn once I do leave for my journey outside (wherever, even across continents!).
The room was as if it wasn't touched after Gorman's wife had prepared this room since it was neat and tidy.
How do I know this so well? During the summer, when tourists that come to sightsee for the snow, the inn becomes really busy. That's where I come in. Even when I help and take some of the profit, they really don't say anything. They know that merchant Fabian doesn't work for free. Not only that, no one has the dexterity to learn and act on the job as quick as me. By hiring other people, they know that it'll only slow them down.
Of course, it's not like I'm blinded by money. As a merchant, I know how important it is to maintain good relationships with people. So, occasionally, I visit and help from time to time.
There was an item strung with a white cloth on the table.

"Mr.Genz~!" I called out once more. No response came as usual. Wanting to put down the nets on the table, I pushed the bundle to the side. Whew, this thing weighs quite a bit.
I set the package vertically. Since I had brought so many bundles of nets, I needed all the s.p.a.ce I could afford. Breathing in, I lifted the nets and placed them on top of the bed sheets.
Afterwards, I leisurely sat at a nearby chair in wait of Mr.Genz.

I dozed off for a moment there.
I woke up from a strange rustling sound.

As if he spoke the words "So you're finally awake," Mirbo Genz stared at me as he peeled off a steamed potato. While I struggled to escape the drowsiness, he silently brought the steamed potato towards his mouth.

How hard is it to say "Here, have one?"

Mr. Genz's weird taste - Half Water sweet potato, and half Night sweet potato. How picky. Getting this caused me to get a scolding from the sweet potato selling Ahjumma, and not only that, I'll have to return the basket as well. How shameful.

Not even caring what I was thinking about, Mirbo Genz was already peeling his third sweet potato. Now, I finally woke up from the drowsiness. Seeing that hateful att.i.tude, I was determined to get full value for my sparrow nets.

"Each net is worth 6 Jonds, 120 Jonds for all."

No response. Did I set the price too high?
But to relinquish this position isn't what Merchant Fabian is going to do.

"And the ahjumma said that they don't sell 1 Jonds worth of sweet potato, so I gave them 1 Jonds 50. That basket is the portion for 1 person.

He was still quiet.

"And Mister, I expended too much of my time waiting for you here. With the time I waited here, I could've sold a lot more goods."

I didn't know how long it has been. It's just that I made a conjecture based on how dusky it was outside. With the backlight highlighting his face, his figure became more mysterious. Although I was a bit mindful of the sword by his waist, but I need to first finish what I started.
But why isn't he saying anything?
Is he angry?

"…. … I have to go now. If you're not going to compensate for my time, then just calculate the price of the sparrow nets and sweet potatoes, and send them to me later."

"You…"

Ah, finally he said something. Looks like he didn't fall asleep while eating that potato. But if he did, and it wouldn't be possible for him to be having his fifth.
"… Did you move it?" Mirbo pointed at the white packet on top of the bed.

Aha, so it was that. Since I was here a while and moved that, he's suspecting that I might've stole something. What do you see Merchant Fabian as? It seems that you don't know much since you recently arrived, but I'm not that kind of person. If there's something missing, just tell me instead of showing that vicious side of yours.
The answer that came out from me was, however, different from the thoughts within.

"… … Yes."

"Hmmmmm… …"

It seems he was immersed in his thoughts. But even then, he was peeling his seventh sweet potato. He really does eat fast, considering he hasn't drunk a single gla.s.s of water yet.

"Leave."

"Yes?"

What kind of nonsense is he spewing?
While I was urgently restraining myself from releasing the thoughts I had, Mirbo rose from the chair. Opening the backpack that I'm sure I haven't seen in this room before, he pulled out a leather pouch.
Opening it, a dusky light gloriously filled the room with its splendor with colors of red, blue, yellow, and many others respective to their own light.
Among them, choosing one, he pulled it out, which he eventually placed into my hands.

Was it……a jewel?
In front of me, flashing brilliantly of a navy-blue light was a small marble smaller than the palm of my hand rolling around. It was an absolute pure, round marble. At maximum speed, I searched through a dictionary of common sense inside my head. Aha, I'm putting a bit too much pressure on my brain. In order to be a great merchant, I did memorize some of the stuff that I might need. I've even had the chance to see some gold coins that were impossible for a general store merchant to see. And now, a jewel falls into my hands?!
Seeing me hesitating in a fl.u.s.tered state, he looked at me curiously, and came to his own conclusion.

"There's no need for change."

Riding my s...o...b..ard, it had been a long time since I had felt slight guilty. For 20 sparrow nets…… that man… what exactly is he going to do with those?
Most people, when feeling that they are getting scammed, would raise their voice and change their expressions to see how the opposition will react. I'm no exception as well. For 1 Rojond, concealing your inner feelings is a basic standard for a merchant.
But still, to meet an opposition that doesn't care whether you try and scam him or not made put me in a predicament. Especially when you go out strong like that……if I were to have released my inner thoughts……It's a relief considering how I even had suspicions………
Ah, let's stop. With those 20 bundles of nets, it's good for him as well as he can trap a lot of sparrows as well.

I still had to walk up the last road before reaching home. I tried to not pay attention to the jewel until I had shown it to my mother, but my hand keeps reaching towards my pocket in my trousers.
Initially, when I received that shining stone, I did have thoughts of whether or not it was fake. It's not like I've ever heard how a fake jewel looks in my life. It's just that the jewel was so spectacular that it made me have those thoughts.
I had nothing to say considering I had never left my hometown once in my life. It's hard enough to even see a jewel as a n.o.ble, so a fake jewel was out of the question. Who would even bother trying to deceive normal farmers and herbalists here with a fake jewel? It'll be much more profitable to try and deceive the n.o.bles.

But still, after being perplexed for a while, I half-tumbled down the stairs from the second floor as if it was going to collapse at any moment, and called for Gorman's wife's younger brother d.i.c.k remembering the stories that he followed a jeweler in his younger days. Taking him to a corner, I showed him blue marble, only to receive an odd look.

"It's been awhile since I've seen a real jewel."

Those were the first words that came out of his mouth after playing with it for some time.

I wonder how much this is worth?
One time, he followed a bragging jeweler for a while, but he admits that he knows nothing about the emotions of jewels - if you don't know what merchants like us are, it's all about the money. So it's natural that he won't be able to spread the word about this jewel and keep it a secret since it'll only bring him trouble as well.
But, no matter how much I rely on this point, it doesn't help that I still need to learn how much this jewel is really worth. Due to how much it's glowing, even d.i.c.k doesn't admit that it's a jewel, which comes to show just how great of an item this thing is. Of course, I'm not a fool as to incur the wrath of others by showing this around.
But what about it?
With mixed feelings, I pondered endlessly as I headed towards the front door.

TL Afterword: A simple lunch = luxurious~ All hail Food-sama. Oh, and the MC’s mother is amazing as well!

Translator: Calvis
Proofreader: Sai101