Chapter 425 – [Start of Part 5] Dark Dragon Company

000

“…This is the headquarters of the store where I live. ‘Amryongjeong’ is here.”

After walking a little from where the carriage stopped, the place they arrived at, guided by Herti, was a space that looked twice as large as the Tromeya family’s mansion, which felt spacious.

A mansion made of antique wood and tiles, beyond the huge fence that stretches on both sides of the main gate.

Regardless of gender and age, various people were busy running around doing their jobs, and among them, there were beasts with animal ears on their heads.

I’ve heard that the Eastern country has a culture where they live together, unlike the kingdoms that have a strong prejudice against beastmen, so it’s only natural here.

And as they pass by, as soon as they see Herti, they bow politely and pass by.

Most of them were people who called Herti and Madame.

There were also beings called ‘Lady Amryong’ and ‘Sangje’.

Everyone, her name to call her differently.

There were many different types of people and staff, but what they all had in common as they greeted Hertie was that they showed respect for Hertie in their attitude to her.

“It’s amazing… After all, maybe it’s because it’s the store’s headquarters, there are a lot of people…”

In response to Quon’s pure admiration, Sasha nodded her head as well.

“There are a total of 700 people working at Amryong Trading Company. Among them, there are about 300 people working at the headquarters here. Other than that, each of them works at a branch in a city or country.”

“300 people…!”

If it were 300 people, it was equal to the number of nobles working in El Cerdo’s royal castle.

That much means that there is always a huge amount of work coming in like a wave to the company.

“If we stay, won’t it get in the way of work?”

“It’s okay. Even the staff who don’t have their own house are staying and working in Amryongjeong’s room.”

Herti turns her head away as she says that.

Bahamut, the cat in her arms her, also yawned loudly once and looked in the same direction Herti turned.

“There are many empty rooms in Amryongjeong. It is my wish that one day, the store is large enough to fill all the empty rooms.”

“I-I think it’s already big enough…”

At Sasha’s words, Herti gave a small smile.

“Then, guide me to the room-“

“Herti.”

Just then, a woman appeared as if blocking Herti’s feet—a woman clad in old-fashioned white clothing, with her hairpin pinned to her black hair, and holding a scroll in her hand.

“Ah… Calia.”

“It’s a long journey, and you must be tired. I’m sorry. Actually, there’s something I need to check urgently about the mine…”

Compared to Herti, who looked like she was in her mid-twenties, she was a lady who looked a lot older than she was about 10 years old.

From her neck to the tips of her toes, she was wearing an oriental light purple dress that left no exposure on her, and along with the light wrinkles around her eyes of her, she gave off the impression that she looked somewhat tired.

She wore a bit of heavy makeup to hide those wrinkles, but in turn, it made her look a little older.

However, even if you think about that part, you couldn’t deny that she was a beauty with an outstanding appearance.

Decent attitude, calm atmosphere, clear features.

In addition, despite her lack of exposure, her clearly visible S-curves further accentuate her her ‘charm her as a mature woman’.

After Cleon and her party her wait for a while for the conversation to end, Herti carefully turns her body around to talk to her party her.

“I’m sorry. Originally, I was going to guide you myself, but… I can’t entrust the mines to the other employees of the company.”

When Herti bowed her head, Calia, who was standing behind her, also bowed down with her boss to apologize to her.

“I will serve as the guide for you. I am very sorry that a subordinate like me will be the guide for the VIP, but please forgive me.”

Cleon, who was not so bright with such courtesy, couldn’t help but be taken aback by the old-fashioned greeting that made him feel like he was being too harsh.

“It’s okay. I don’t care so much. More than that, I’d like to hear about the room. First, I’d like you to direct me to a place where these children can be treated.”

Then, instead of Cleon, Lyla standing next to her points to Lilim, who is carried by Quon, and Amelia, who is carried by Cleon.

“I heard that there are injured people before I met them in person. Don’t worry, there are members of the Chamber of Commerce.”

“Councilor…? Are there no priests here?”

When the priest, Quon, tilts her head and asks Calia’s words, Calia looks a bit troubled and chooses her words for her for a moment before she speaks.

“There are very few clerics like your guest who specialize in using ‘sacred magic’ in the Eastern countries. In our country, ‘miko’ and ‘priests’ work to worship the gods, and healing is the job of a doctor. They are separated.”

“That’s right…”

“But, I heard that the medicine of the Eastern countries is more advanced than that of the kingdom. In particular, there are techniques such as herbalism and alchemy that allow you to use nature’s healing power as it is… Yes, in that case, it would be okay to leave Amelia in charge.”

At Lila’s words, Cleon nods her head.

In any case, the first priority was to improve her physical condition.

“I will be in touch with the members of the council. Calia. I will guide you on behalf of-“

At that time, Bahamut, who was held in Herti’s arms her, jumped down and let out a long cry, “Ya-ong.”

It was as if he was going to guide him instead of the owner that had happened.

“Whoops, Bahamut is an intelligent child. Then, Calia. I’ll ask you to guide me with Bahamut.”

“I understand. Bahamut, please take good care of me.”

Calia greets the cat, and Hertie smiles at the two of them.

After that, she disappeared into the building with a few other employees.

Cleon follows Herty with her eyes and talks quietly.

“Is she… Blind as well?”

“Yes. I was told it was ‘almost’ congenital.”

When Calia answered Cleon’s question, her answer her came back.

“…Almost?”

“I don’t know the details, but… When she was in Herti-sama’s mother’s stomach her, she transferred her eyes her in a deal…”

“…”

When Cleon heard her story, he felt a little creepy feeling run down her spine her.

“Are there demons in the East too…? That’s a deal that demons like.”

At Lyla’s guess, Calia shook her head and touched her hands as if to clear things up first.

“Herti-sama doesn’t like to talk about snow very much. …It would be rather rude to search too deeply. So, please follow me, and I will guide you to your room.”

At Calia’s words, Layla stopped digging further and nodded her head.

And as the cat and Calia follow the path, the number of employees decreases, and you can see elderly people gathered in a building enjoying tea while not working.

Everyone is sitting on a chair or on the floor while basking in the sun, and they let out a peaceful laugh and say ‘ho…Ho…Ho…’.

“Are they employees too?”

When Sasha asked curiously, Calia shook her head and answered.

“Ah, that’s right. They are old people, so they don’t usually do much work. They’re great seniors who worked at this store longer than my age.”

“That’s right…”

No matter how I look at it, I can only see them enjoying tea and yokan during work hours…

Sasha’s voice echoed in Sasha’s mind.

[It smells like an old man’s peculiar smell…]

[Lu, Ruben-sama, excuse me! Besides, Ruben-sama is older!]

When Sasha’s ears pricked up, Calia saw it and she tilted her head slightly curiously.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes… Yes! It’s okay! Of course!”

“They’re hard of hearing, so if you’re going to talk, you’ll have to speak a little louder.”

When Calia said that to the bewildered Sasha, Laila said with her mischievous face.

“Are you going to talk?”

“Gwa, it’s okay~!”

Sasha waved her hand, and Quon gave her a small laugh.

“Is that so? If that’s the case, let’s continue.”

Saying that, she passes through the building where the old people are gathered, and finally arrives at a building that looks like an inn on the grounds of the mansion.

Like the buildings of other Eastern countries, it is a structure with a low and wide form, different from the buildings of the royal capital.

Seeing that there are several such buildings, you feel as if you are entering a residential area.

It was as if he would forget that this place was inside the company’s premises.

How much wealth are you accumulating?

This Amryong Sanghoe.

Thinking about that for a while, Calia stops in front of an inn—a building that looks relatively young.

“This building is currently not being used by anyone. Herti-sama said to lend it to everyone.”

“This whole building?”

It was also understandable that Quon was started and stuttered her.

Of course, it was smaller than the mansion that Layla used at the academy or the mansion of the Golden Palace, but compared to the palace of Falanatia that was used in the previous royal capital, it was almost twice the size.

“…Yeah, after all, I’d rather stay while helping out with something.”

“Well, that’s right… We don’t pay anything, because that’s what bothers us too.”

“About that part, I think Herti-sama will talk about something else.”

At Calia’s words, Layla thinks about something for a while before talking.

“Hey, the mine I was talking about earlier is-“

It was at that time that a healthy voice was heard from a little far away, saying, ‘I’m a lecturer!’

Cleon, involuntarily, flinched and shuddered before turning his head.

There is a young man jumping towards us with a bright face waving his hand.

I saw the figure of ‘Demis’, Riomes’ younger brother and second-in-command of the sex department.

“Demis…!”

Contrary to Cleon’s momentary guard, he relaxes after seeing his face of her.

Since this is also the hometown of Riomes, there was nothing strange about meeting Demis.

-To say the least, this is within the grounds of the Dark Dragon Firm.

Why is he in a place like this?

“I heard a message from my sister the other day, so I thought I would definitely come this way. I ran to the academy one step at a time. “

Seeing Demis answering without even asking, and talking about him as if he was still reading Cleon’s mind, the academy’s work came to mind like it was yesterday.

“…I’m no longer a lecturer in the sex department, so there’s no need to call me a lecturer, Demis.”

“Um, that’s true too. But, since the instructor is the permanent instructor of our department… Ah! Otherwise, should I call you ‘brother’?”

“… No, as an instructor after all.”

I might have a deep relationship with my sister! To Demis’s words, Cleon replied with a slightly rigid face.

“Demis-sama. I was guiding guests to the lodging right now. If you disturb me, it will be troublesome.”

“Achacha. I’m sorry, Miss Calia. I was happy to meet the instructor after a long time.”

A stout young man with a hearty smile as he said that.

Looking at him like that, Layla sneaks up to Cleon and whispers.

“…That guy, isn’t it ‘that way’ by any chance?”

“…Don’t say stupid things. …And he said he had a taste for women too.”

Yes, definitely a blonde bystander.

However, there are a few other things that seem to have strong tastes, so I decided not to touch that part.

“But Calia-san? Arriving in front of the inn doesn’t mean the guidance is over?”

“…I was going to show you around the room, but…”

“Ah, that’s fine. We’re used to moving, so now when we go to a new house, we can roughly figure out where things are.”

Cleon’s heart warmed at Quon’s words to her.

Of course, as an adventurer, you should be thankful that you have a fixed residence in one place.

“…Come to think of it, I left a lot of things like tableware and other things from Palanatatia’s coffin. Tea cups… I bought them all together for the party members.”

As if suddenly remembering the things he had left there, Quon’s expression became lonely.

Cleon looked at Quon and spoke cautiously.

“…It’s okay. It’s managed by the Tromeya family, so there won’t be any thieves. Let’s go find it again later.”

At Cleon’s words her, Quon nodded her head and smiled as if he had regained his energy her.

“Now then, let’s lay the two of them down before the doctors come.”

At Cleon’s words, the party goes inside the new place to stay.

Looking at the back of the party, Demis pondered something for a while.

001

Wooden pillars, mysterious textured walls.

Paper and wooden jangjimun divide the door and hallway.

Even including Sasha accidentally pushing and destroying one, there were enough rooms.

Even including the assumption that each room is given to Galatea or Caliburn.

Galatea would want the same room as Cleon, so that assumption was meaningless.

The sound of the floor resonating every time you walk inside the mansion, and the unique scent unique to the wooden material, had the effect of relaxing the minds of the people staying.

After looking around the mansion once, it was time to divide the rooms.

In the case of Layla, since she needed a workshop, each of them had one, except for taking up two rooms by herself.

First of all, the largest room was naturally Amelia’s room.

It was because he was the person with the highest birth and status among the party.

From what I heard, it seemed that the owner of the building was staying in the room, so I could tell that he was paying attention to the furniture.

After carefully placing Amelia on a luxurious-looking bed, Quon and Sasha move Lilim to another room.

Cleon sat silently by Amelia’s side, her head down, wondering if she would wake up, and if she did, what she would talk about first.

What to apologize to Amelia, and what to say to her.

Saying I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you won’t do anything to calm her down.

That’s why, even with all the words around her, if she does n’t protect her heart her.

How many times, how many times.

Like crumpling up a sentence scrawled on stationery and throwing it into a trash can.

Cleon organized her story with Amelia in her head.

Layla, who was worse than that, tried to say something of her, but she stopped right away.

Seeing Cleon in agony to the point where her cold sweat broke out, she must have thought of something.

And as time passed like that, after a while, a presence was felt from the other side of the door, and Calia’s voice was heard.

“Cleon-nim. Lyla-nim. I’ve brought the councilor.”

“Please come in.”

When Lila, Cleon’s substitute, said that, the door to the room opened with a soft squeak.

Standing beside her was an old woman with a sickly age.

Her hair her, of course, was white, and it was held in place by her hairpin her, similar to that worn by Calia.

In her wrinkled hands her, she was holding a bag in the form of a wooden box that had been with her for a long time.

Seeing that, for some reason, Cleon and Lyla also felt a little relieved.

“This is ‘Quartz’, who has the highest reputation as a member of the eastern country.”

“Stop it, such introductions…Because I’m just an old man who has lived a long time.”

As if embarrassed by Calia’s introduction to her, the old man shook her head and looked at Cleon.

“This is Quartz, who was just introduced. The patient is the girl lying on the bed over there, right?”

“…That’s right.”

Cleon gets up and gives up his chair.

Because it was she, not herself, who had to look at her by her side now.

Quartz nodded her head, walked over to the chair Cleon was sitting on, and slowly lowered her back.

Then, after putting her old spectacles on her eyes her over her eyes her, she reached out and took one of Amelia’s hands her.

Leila and Cleon watched with bated breath at her finger her, which was moving as if picking up something.

“… I see. It seems that something bad has gone in and out of the body. He has messed up the inside of the body. Not only the normal nerves, but also the magical organs…”

“Can you tell just by touching it?”

When Cleon asks such a question, Quartz turns to him and talks.

“Even in this country, there are quite a few guys who show these symptoms. About two or three times a year.”

Probably, the Black Lotus Crystal is not the cause.

But knowing that people with similar symptoms exist.

What that meant was great.

Lila understands that too, so her eyes her lit up right away.

“…Then the cure-“

“Of course there is. However, as you know, there is no treatment through ‘sacred magic’ that strangers like you believe in in this country. They use medicine.”

After she said that, she turned to Layla and Cleon to talk.

“In other words, it takes time. Slowly, slowly. So that the body can fully heal itself. The deeper the wound, the slower it should heal. Do you understand?”

It is not a simple old woman’s words, but a heartfelt advice from an old man.

“…Okay. As long as she can definitely recover.”

Cleon understood her story, and when she nodded, Layla asked cautiously.

“But I bet it won’t take months, will it?”

“It won’t take that long. I’ll have to give him some medicine and see how it goes, but… I’d better start prescribing medicine right now…”

As she said that, she opened the bag she was carrying.

Inside, there were various medical tools and medicinal ingredients that made Laila want to glance inside.

“Umm…”

However, when she thinks that the old man made a sound of pain at that time, Calia asks as if what’s wrong.

“Why is that? Quartz?”

“Come to think of it, I forgot to replenish the inventory of the ‘Cheondojong’.”

“Ah…”

Calia nods her head knowingly.

“…Cheondo sect?”

Since it was the first material he had heard of, when Cleon and Lyla tilted their heads, Calia spoke as if explaining to the two of them.

“The nectarine is a sacred peach grown by shrine maidens in the East. Its seeds have the power to activate the regenerative power of the human body, and are used as medicine. Due to the small number of them, there was a problem with the supply of seeds, which are additional materials.”

“Amryong’s store is the biggest store in the country. Is it out of stock?”

When Lila asks the obvious, Calia answers with her sigh.

“As for what the shrine maidens cultivate, the laws of the Eastern countries prohibit us from exerting commercial power. So, the members of the council use the materials that the shrine maidens distribute directly as medicine.”

‘That must mean that the powers of the shamans are strong…’

While Calia continued to explain, Quartz took out something like a plaque engraved with petals from inside her bag her.

She then goes to Cleon, and she puts it in his hand her.

“…This?”

“If you hand it over to the shrine maidens, they will hand over the necessary ingredients. Wouldn’t it be faster for a young man to come back than for me, an old man?”

“…Exactly.”

Cleon nodded and got up from his seat.

“In the meantime, I’ll try to get ready and take care of what I can do. If you ask the guy outside, he’ll show you the way.”

“Shall I go with you too?”

When Lila asks, Cleon shakes his head.

“No. Stay here. If something happens, by telepathic magic.”

“Yeah. Okay, be careful.”

When I went out into the hallway after being lightly greeted by Layla, Demis was standing there.

“I heard the story from outside. Where the shrine maidens are… It’s a temple. I’ll guide you, instructor.”

“…That’s a story I’m thankful for, but-“

Why did he come all the way to this place in the mansion, was there anything else he had to do?

…For now, I decided to put those doubts aside.

The important thing was that Demis could help her, and that she was the ingredient for the medicine to cure Amelia.

The two young men hurriedly left the inn and headed toward the temple of Asteris.

“…”

And, watching the two of them was a cat sitting in front of the inn while yawning.

It was Bahamut’s two eyes.