SWNOVELXO Chapter 158 - Divine Cat Mii-chan thinks of everyone as family.
158 Divine Cat Mii-chan thinks of everyone as family.
Lu-san decided to move in right away, so he went back with Yuri-san to gather his things.
It’s quite a distance from here to the town center. Even for shopping, we’ll need a carriage. Sumire won’t let anyone else ride her unless I’m around… I wonder if horses are expensive. How much would a grass dragon like Bam cost? I’ll ask Grandpa Ben later.
By the time evening came, Perro and Sera returned, and Lu-san came back carrying his luggage.
“Lu-san, nya!”
“Nya!”
“Grr!”
“I’ll be imposing on you for a while, so take care of me.”
While Lu-kun was getting smooshed by Lu-san, Ral-kun also ran over, wanting some attention.
“What’s this? More little ones?”
“Ral is a puppy, nya!”
“So your name’s Ral, huh? I’m Lu, nice to meet ya.”
“Kyuu~”
“That doesn’t sound much like a dog!”
He’s not a dog though, he’s a dragon… I’m glad Lu-san’s a simple guy.
I introduced Lu-san to Lucas and the others and explained that he’ll be staying with us for a while.
“Nice to meet you!”
Yana-san’s face seemed a bit flushed. Huh? Could it be love at first sight?
“Mii~”
Really, Mii-chan? Lu-san is more on the cute side than cool, but maybe that’s what she likes?
With some time before dinner, I decided to go talk to Grandpa Ben over at Sumire’s stable.
“Hm. If you’re buying, horses are expensive. Bam is cheaper and would be my recommendation, but in town… well…”
As I was consulting with Grandpa Ben, Sumire started making some noises.
“Sumire says she’ll bring a horse, nya.”
“Huh? You mean a wild horse?”
Sumire nodded in agreement.
“I see. It might be possible with a battle horse. If I handle the training, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
I guess I’ll leave it to him. Should I go along?
“She says she can do it on her own, nya.”
Oh, I see… Sorry for all the trouble.
It was decided that Sumire would head out with Perro and the others and return in a few days. I reminded Perro to inform the gate guards.
“Leave it to me, nya. I’ll make sure to ask them properly, nya.”
Dinner was a lively event, even with just one more person. Lu-san is so easy-going and fun that everyone feels comfortable around him. He’s like a great big brother.
Perro, Lu-kun, and Ral-kun even bathed together. Maybe Sera didn’t join because she’s a girl? But she still bathes with me, right? Wait, does she not see me as a man?!
“Mii~”
Mii-chan reassured me, saying, “No, we’re all family here.” Family, huh? I-I see… That’s a relief.
“Nya.”
Sera gave me a lick on the face. Whether I’m her big brother or she’s my big sister… I won’t ask. I’m sure we’d have different opinions.
The next day, Lu-san, Perro, and Sera left together, taking Sumire with them.
Back at the estate, Mii-chan was relaxing on a cushion on the desk in the room I had prepared for the Divine Cat Trading Company. Meanwhile, I was working with Katia-san on fish purchase forms and selecting goods for trade between Beruna and Wilhelm. We also had to consider supplies for the fairy tribe and the Flying Dragon’s outpost at Brocken Mountain, so the workload was pretty substantial.
I’m thinking it might be better to split the trade between Beruna and Wilhelm from the supply transport to Brocken Mountain and form a separate caravan for each. We also have to consider trade with the villages along the way. For now, since I have Mii-chan’s bag, I can handle things easily, but in the long run, if Mii-chan and I aren’t involved, the future of the Divine Cat Trading Company looks bleak.
I’m thinking that Mii-chan and I will handle Brocken Mountain for now, but for the trade between Beruna and Wilhelm, it might be better to leave it to someone else. If I request the fairy tribe or King Fang to escort the caravan, it could help improve the standing of the fairy tribe.
I’ve considered using the teleportation device, but I’ve decided against it as a means of transport. The time discrepancies would become too noticeable. If I were riding Sumire solo, I could cover it up, but with a caravan’s worth of goods, it would be impossible to keep up the deception after multiple trips.
The teleportation device needs to be used strategically, and having a caravan as a front would help hide its use. I prefer to avoid unnecessary complications.
Oh, right! I acquired two new skills: Earth and Space-Time skills. I think I was able to learn Earth skills because Alex-san had shown them to me several times.
The issue is the Space-Time skill. It seems like an advanced version of the storage skill, but I think it can be used for more than just storage. The appraisal shows it can control time and space. I get the space part, but controlling time? I don’t really understand. For the record, I can’t stop time… I-I just tested it, okay?!
So why was I able to learn it? I can think of two reasons: meeting King Retsu or using the teleportation device multiple times. Maybe King Retsu was using some form of space-time skill when we met. I’ll ask him next time I see him.
With this, I can store items in a subspace like the storage skill, but the capacity is about two cubic meters. It might increase in the future, but for now, I’ll rely on Mii-chan’s bag. It’s safe and reliable.
“Mii~”