During her travels, Iris spotted multiple human towns and villages.
Of course, since she didn’t want to meet them, she passed them by.
However, this time was different.
She was going to check whether this grass could be sold or not.
If it is possible, she would be able to buy a new pajamas and something to eat.
Without any food, she would starve to death.
With that as a reason, Iris landed in the closest human town but………
She has been hiding in a building’s shadow since a while ago and didn’t have the courage to leave it.
「Uu……..people are walking…….they have pleasant conversations……they will definitely come to talk to me once I get out…….Ah, see, every person around comes to greet that human! S-Scary……」
Iris was waiting for a timing to get out on the main street.
There was no end to human voices.
If it’s the empty main street, Iris can walk around with confidence.
However, the shops are closed during the night too, so she won’t be able to appraise her grass.
「How troublesome…..such a difficult hurdle………」
「Puni……」
Punigami let out an exasperated voice with Iris still on top of him.
「W-What!? This is my first time in a human town, it can’t be helped! Still…….this town didn’t look that big from the sky, for it to have so many people inside……There are many more towns even bigger than this one……..the extermination is indeed impossible for me. Besides, dying seems to be painful……I don’t want to bring pain. They’d be too pitiful」
「Puni」
「You know the feeling of death because you nearly dried up at the bottom of that well? Fumufumu, as I thought, it’s painful……..un……..let’s give up on the extermination. Let’s go back without accidentally killing anyone」
「Puni!」
「Pathetic」angrily cried Punigami.
「But……..you know. That stall owner tries to sell his vegetables to every passerby. I don’t have the confidence to refuse……..scary…….so easily speaking with strangers…….humans are scary」
「Puni!」
「Eh, Punigami, why are you moving on your own, ah, you can’t! There is the main street in that direction, the main street! S-Stop! 」
Disregarding her desperate pleading, Punigami jumped out on the main street.
At that moment, she became the focus of attention of all the people in the vicinity
「Oh, there is a girl riding on a slime here」
「She shouldn’t be a child of this town. Is she a traveler at such a young age? 」
「Her silver hair is incredibly beautiful. Where did she come from? 」
She heard a variety of voices.
No, in reality, there were some people on the main street, who didn’t pay her any attention.
As for the ones, who were discussing Iris’ emergence, they were only a part of the crowd.
However, for Iris, the actual number held no importance.
Embarrassing.
If I won’t, I will die.
But even so–
「Young lady. You’ve found quite a big slime to be your comrade. Even though you are so small, very admirable. Here, a candy for you」 [1]
A granny spoke to Iris. [2]
Here, one is supposed to give a casual template answer.
She didn’t know how to answer.
Iris came to know terror.
「Awawa………thank you for a candy, awawawa」
Iris was barely able to utter her thanks for the candy.
What should be said next?
Lick lick
No, wrong.
I need to say something.
My eyes are spinning.
「Punipuni!」
Punigami advised learning about the places that can give a price for her grass.
「A, aa, are there any, any, any shops that deal in me-me-me-medicinal h-herbs?」
She bit her tongue and couldn’t even understand what she was saying herself but the granny managed to hear it with her miraculous hearing ability and told her with a grin.
「Medicinal herbs? There is one. So you were indeed a traveler. How admirable. I’ll guide you to it, come here」
「T-T-Thank you very much」
Iris chased after the granny on Punigami’s back.
There was a wooden sign stating「We are also buying」hanging in front of the shop.
It was exactly what she wanted.
「Here it is, Besides the medicinal herbs it also deals with a variety of travel supplies」
「Aa………thank you………for guiding me here…….」
「So small but can thank people properly. Here, another candy」
「T-Thank you very much」
「So hardworking and so cute. I will give you one more」
「Thank you verymush」
They arrived at a loop of candies and gratitude.
After Iris collected about 20 candies in her hand, the granny finally ran out of them.
「Ara, sorry. There won’t be any candies anymore. I’m truly sorry」
「N-No. I re-received so many from you, t-t-thank you very muf」
「So cute. Instead of a candy, I’m going to pet you」
「Hieee………」
After that, Iris was being patted until the granny was satisfied.
For someone, who had her heart jumping out of her chest after a light conversation, headpats held a fatal danger. I did well living through this, Iris praised herself.
「A-Anyway, we’ve arrived at the shop that can appraise my grass. My communicative powers aren’t to be underestimated」
「Puni」
Punigami too praised with「you worked hard」.
Having obtained her confidence, Iris grasped the grass tightly and entered the shop.
「E-E-E-Excu-cu-cu-cuse m-m-m-m-me」
「Ah? What are you saying, young lady? 」
The moment she entered the shop, she immediately attracted the attention of a beardy shopkeeper, who had a wondering expression.
Iris’ confidence crumbled in a second.
「No more. I’m going home」
「Punipuni!」
With Punigami getting angry at her, she barely managed to restrain herself.
She took upon this challenge once again.
「T-This grass………I think it has medicinal value, I want to know……..how much does it cost……..I mean, I don’t want to be unreasonable……………I want you to look at it if you can……..kind of」
Although mumbling, Iris managed to properly state her business and placed the grass on the counter.
「Grass? Is it medicinal plant of something…….is this?!」
The shopkeeper, who nearly lost his interest, immediately grabbed the grass the moment he laid his eyes on it.
Apparently, unexpectedly to Iris, this grass had some value to it.
As the shopkeeper was busy appraising, Iris decided to look around the shop.
It wasn’t that wide.
On the shelves filling this small space there was a suspicious potion, weirdly shaped wands, a dagger, dried meat, ropes, candles, parchment, tableware, a crystal sphere, a skull, and a lot of other miscellaneous goods.
A slender man with a nervous look on his face.
Once Iris saw the slender man, 「there is a customer, scary」she trembled.
「Young lady…….this herb…….isn’t it the elusive elixir grass! What kind of magical power did it suck to become like that!? It’s useless, I alone am not capable of appraising it……」
The shopkeeper seemed to be busy changing his expression from an ecstatic one to a disappointed one.
Apparently, the grass brought by Iris was an amazing item.
「Um, that……is the elixir grass that amazing……? 」
「Of course it’s amazing!」
「Hiyaa, please forgive me!」
The shopkeeper cried out loud and Iris reflexively apologized.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper made an apologetic face.
「Ah, no, my bad. Still…….where did you get this thing? I will tell you since you seem to do not know anything but the elixir grass is considered omnipotent compared to the other medicinal herbs. It will treat your illness if you eat it, heal your wounds if you grind it, make your body stronger if you make tea from it……..something like that. Of course, it is rare and doesn’t circulate very much. After all, it can only grow in the soil with abundant magical power in it. And I’m sure that this particular elixir grass didn’t suck your ordinary magical power. If my eyes don’t fool me, I can see a rainbow-colored magical power. There are even ten of these grasses……….sorry but my shop can’t afford this thing」
Regretfully said the shopkeeper as he stroked his beard.
She gathered her courage and finally arrived at this step, not being able to get a price is troubling.
「A, ano………It’s okay if it’s cheaper, can you please buy it………..? I really want to sell this grass……..if I won’t be able to sell it now I…….」
If she won’t be able to sell it now, she will try to negotiate with another shop and die from embarrassment.
「You seem to have some complicated reasons behind this……but are you really okay with this? In my shop, you can only see the price reaching to your feet」
「Will you buy it if I show you my feet…….? Then I’ll do just that! 」[3]
Iris, still sitting on Punigami, took off her boots, stretched her legs, and displayed her feet.
As for the shopkeeper, he said
「So cute…….」
and blushed.
「W-What!? What was that!? Pervert! 」
「W-Wrong! It is unreasonable to call person a pervert when you have such beautiful legs on display! 」
Protested the shopkeeper.
「I-Is that how it works……….?」
Iris wasn’t confident so she tried asking Punigami.
「Puni…….?」
However, Punigami wasn’t that sure either.
You can’t expect him to be knowledgeable about the human common sense.
Iris might be even more knowledgeable in that regard.
「A-All right…….let’s do it this way…….tell me the highest price you can give me for these ten elixir grasses. If it convinces me, I will sell…….! 」
「Very well……..I can give you one gold for each. In other words, ten gold in total」
Spiritedly said the shopkeeper.
Even if he said ten gold, she had no idea how much was that worth.
「Ten gold…….how long can I live by myself if I use this money frugally……..? And I have a place to stay, so you don’t need to count the rent」
「Un…….If you don’t include the rent, it should last for two to three months……no, if you spend it frugally it may even last half a year」
Said the shopkeeper as he thought.
「Half a year! Amazing! But I want some new clothes too……」
「Then half a year might be impossible. Well, three months should be fine. If it’s not enough…….you can bring it to a different town, they will give you more than twice a price. Are you still going to sell it to me? 」
「……I will! For now, I just need money! 」
In addition, going to a different town is troublesome and scary.
「Understood! You seem to have something going on, I won’t ask any further! Here, ten gold! And no『I’ve changed my mind』shall be accepted later! 」
「Yes, that’s what I wish for! I did sell ten elixir grasses for ten gold! 」
Iris received a bag with ten gold inside.
She felt great satisfaction at her ability to finish the negotiations.
「I did it!」
The shopkeeper too rejoiced with tears in his eyes.
As a shopkeeper, he was quite satisfied with this.
A wonderful win-win situation.
「Later I will bring more of this grass! Later! 」
「Really!? Until we meet again! I can profit greatly even with these ten」
The shopkeeper brought the elixir grass deep inside his shop as he danced in joy.
Iris also left the shop as she danced in joy on top of Punigami.
References Guards! ↩ False alarm. ↩ Complicated hard to translate wordplay in place. Don’t dwell on it. ↩ He’s still MVP for me. ↩