Gecko mendekat ke keduanya.
u201dPara pedagang perlu melindungi diri terlebih dahulu, dan akan lebih baik lagi jika mereka bisa melindungi nyawa para bawahan, bukan? Tembok es milik Ryo memungkinkan hal itu. Mungkin sekarang mustahil, tapi aku ingin memilikinya suatu hari nanti.u201d
Gecko berkata dengan lembut sambil melihat anak-anak latihan.
u201dHey, Gecko-san. Apa kriteria seorang pedagang yang hebat?u201d
Sharfi tiba-tiba mengajukan pertanyaan kepada Gecko saat ia memandang bawahannya.
u201dKenapa tiba-tiba bertanya begini?u201d
u201dKarena, kalau aku dikerja sama sebagai penjaga selama ini, aku harus bepergaulan dengan karawan seperti ini? Aku ingin tahu sedikit tentang pedagang, perusahaan, dan seterusnya ...u201d
Sharfi berkata sambil memandang Gecko.
u201dItu bagus, kamu termotivasi. Tapi ... kriteria seorang pedagang yang hebat ... pertanyaan yang sangat sulit. Banyak sekali jenis pedagang. Masing-masing memiliki keahlian dan keunggulan tersendiri. Satu-satunya hal yang bisa kudayakan adalah kita semua serius dalam bertindak bisnis.u201d
u201dSerius dalam bisnis ... terlalu kabur.u201d
Sharfi meremehkan sambil miringkan kepalanya.
Gecko justru tertawa.
u201dBaiklah, memang benar. Mungkin berarti selalu memikirkan bisnismu, pelanggan-mu, dan bawahan-mu? Cara tahu apakah kamu selalu memikirkan itu adalah dengan bertanya pada dirimu. Jika itu sesuatu yang pernah kamu pikirkan sebelumnya, kamu bisa menjawabnya dengan segera, kan? Sebagai contoh ... Sharfi, menurutmu, apa dasar dari bisnis?u201d
Gecko tiba-tiba bertanya kepada Sharfi.
u201dDasar dari bisnis ... kurasa, bukanlah untung? u201d
Sharfi menjawab sambil merenung.
u201dBaiklah, itu satu jawaban. Dan mungkin itulah yang kamu lihat dan rasakan dari para pedagang dan bisnis yang pernah kamu temui.u201d
u201dYeah, mungkin ...u201d
Sharfi terus menggulirkan dalam pikirannya apa yang dikatakan Gecko.
Ryo kembali tepat pada saat itu.
Gecko bertanya pertanyaan yang sama kepada Ryo.
u201dRyo-san. Menurutmu, apa dasar dari bisnis?u201d
u201dMengamankan pelanggan tetap.u201d
Dia menjawab dengan segera.
u201dUlang ...?u201d
Gecko tidak memahami maksud u201drepeateru201d.
u201dOh, maaf ... Umm, mengamankan pelanggan tetap.u201d
u201dBaiklah, kenapa?u201d
Gecko jelas lebih tertarik dibandingkan jawaban Sharfi.
u201dJika kamu mengamankan pelanggan tetap, kamu bisa memperkirakan berapa banyak yang akan terjual tahun ini dan tahun depan. Lebih mudah untuk membuat anggaran berdasarkannya. Itu adalah hal minimum yang dibutuhkan untuk memprediksi operasional. Selain itu, pelanggan yang menyadari produk dan layanan yang baik juga akan menyebarkannya ke keluarga dan teman dekatnya. Tidak perlu biaya iklan dan sangat kredibel ketika dianjurkan oleh seseorang yang dekat. Itulonh sebabnya sebuah perusahaan perlu terus membuat produk yang baik untuk terus mengamankan dan meningkatkan pelanggan tetap.u201d
Ryo menghela napas, dan Sharfi serta Ra terlihat kaget.
u201dBaiklah, Ryo-san pernah benar-benar mengelola bisnis, kan?u201d
Gecko dengan riang mengangguk banyak kali samb berkata.
u201dRyo-san, mengapa kamu tidak berhenti menjadi petualang dan bekerja sama dengan aku?u201d
u201dTidak, agak ...u201d
Pada malam hari ketiga setelah meninggalkan Halwill, karawan Gecko akhirnya tiba di Red Post, sebuah kota di perbatasan timur Kerajaan.
Itu adalah hari ke-12 sejak meninggalkan kota Rune.
Red Post berukuran sama dengan kota terbesar kedua di timur, Slanzewi.
Kota ini berbatasan dengan Kerris Adipati di tenggara dan telah berkembang menjadi sebuah kota besar akibat perluasan perdagangan selama satu dasawulan terakhir akibat hubungan baik antara kedua bangsa.
Untuk informasi, kota ini juga berbatasan dengan Persatuan Handal di northeast.
Red Post adalah sebuah u201dkota perbatasanu201d untuk kedua Negara bagian dan Persatuan.
Karawan Gecko memasuki tempat menginap biasanya dan menyelesaikan pendaftaran.
u201dOh, di sana Ryo!u201d
Dari belakangan, Ryo mendengar suara yang sudah terbias dia dengar.
Ketika Ryo memandang ke belakang, seperti yang dia duga, ada Rin, Penyihir Wind-Attribute dari u201cCrimson Swordu201d, dan Warren, pengguna tameng, di belakangnya.
u201dHuh? Rin dan Warren? Kenapa kamu di sini?u201d
u201dTentu saja untuk kerja?u201d
Rin menjawab sambil miringkan kepala.
u201dBaiklah, aku mengerti ... Oh, justru, apakah itu berarti Rihya juga berada di kota ini jika kalian berdua berada di sini?u201d
Ryo terpikirkan sesuatu dan bertanya apakah Rihya berada bersama mereka.
u201dBertanya untuk Rihya alih-alih untuk Abel ... meskipun aku Ryo, aku tidak berpikir Rihya akan jatuh cinta padaku. Pertarungan antara Abel dan Ryo atas Rihya ... aku benar-benar tidak ingin melihatnya.u201d
Rin mengangguk, dan di belakangnya Warren juga diam mengangguk.
u201dYeah, aku tidak punya niat untuk melakukan itu sama sekali. Bukannya Rihya adalah seorang biksu senior?u201d
u201dYa? Apakah ada seseorang yang menderita luka serius atau kehilangan anggota tubuh? Setelah kehilangan anggota tubuh, ada batas waktu 24 jam, kamu tahu? Selain dari itu, Rihya biasanya bisa melakukan sesuatu?u201d
Setelah mendengar jawaban Rin, Ryo mengangguk, seolah ingin meminta sesuatu.
Kemudian, ia beralih ke Gecko, yang sedang mendengarkan percakapan antara mereka.
u201dGecko-san, ini Rin dan Warren dari party petualang u201cCrimson Swordu201d di kota Rune. Rin, Warren, ini adalah Gecko-san, seorang pedagang dari Kerris Adipati. Ra dan aku merekrut Gecko sebagai penjaga jalan ke Kerris Adipati.u201d
Ryo memperkenalkan mereka kepada satu sama lain.
u201dTentu saja, aku tahu tentang party kelas B u201cCrimson Swordu201d. Aku sering berdagi bisnis dengan Master McGrath di kota Rune, jadi jika kalian butuh sesuatu di masa depan, silakan mencariku.u201d
Setelah Gecko memperkenalkan diri, Rin dan Warren singkat memperkenalkan diri juga.
Tentu saja, bagian Warren juga dilakukan oleh Rin.
u201dRyo-san memperkenalkan kalian kepada saya, apakah untuk memanfaatkan penyembuhan biksu Rihya-san untuk menyelesaikan masalah kita?u201d
u201dYa. Namun, jika Gecko-san punya ide lain dan ingin menyelesaikan kasus ini setelah tiba di ibukota, aku pikir tidak perlu melakukannya di kota ini ...u201d
Ryo menjawab pertanyaan Gecko sambil meraba pendapatnya.
Tapi ketika ia mendengar itu, Gecko tertawa.
u201dTidak-tidak, aku tidak punya rencana seperti itu. Aku pikir lebih baik jika bisa diselesaikan dengan cepat. Jika kami bisa meminta kerja sama dari u201cCrimson Swordu201d, aku pasti akan melanjutkan rencana ini. Tentu saja, aku akan menyediakan imbalan resmi.u201d
Kemudian Gecko membungkuk kepada Rin dan Warren.
u201dKuh tidak bisa membuat keputusan ... mereka akan kembali dalam beberapa saat, jadi silakan tanyakan langsung kepada mereka.u201d
Rin melirik Warren, melihat Warren mengangguk, lalu menjawab bahwa ia tidak bisa memberikan jawaban.
Setelah beberapa waktu, Abel dan Rihya kembali ke penginapan.
Di sebuah kafe di penginapan ... Di Jepang modern, itu akan menjadi lounge hotel.
Mereka berdiskusi di sana.
Keempat dari u201cCrimson Swordu201d, Ryo, Gecko, Max, dan Sharfi.
Salam dan penjelasan situasi diberikan kepada mereka.
u201dSingkatnya, kalian berencana untuk mengangkat tattoo terkutuk di dada Sharfi dan Rihya akan menyembuhkan luka.u201d
Setelah Abel memahami tugasnya, ia bertanya lagi dengan katanya sendiri.
Proses itu penting.
Untuk memastikan tidak ada kesalahpahaman jika mereka salah mengerti.
u201dYa, benar. Tentu saja, aku rela membayar sejumlah yang sama dengan karitas kepada para biksu senior.u201d
Gecko mengangguk sekali dan menjawab.
Abel beralih ke Rihya dan meminta pendapatnya dengan ekspresi wajah.
u201dAku tidak keberatan. Party kami telah menyelesaikan tugas dan berencana pulang besok. Tapi kamu menampilkannya tadi, tapi, tattoo itu ... bisa dihapus?u201d
u201dYa, dulu aku bertanya kepada seorang alkim yang aku kenal, tapi sementara tattoo normal hanya memiliki tinta pada kulit dan bisa dihapus sepenuhnya dengan mengelupas kulit, aku diberi tahu bahwa tattoo ini berada di bawah kulit ... Artinya, aku harus mengangkat daging di bawah tattoo, tapi aku tidak ingin menyakitkan hatiku ...u201d
Sharfi menjawab pertanyaan Rihya sambil mengingat apa yang dikatakan dulu.
Banyak orang di sana membayangkan adegan mengukir daging di kepalanya.
Sebagian besar adalah petualang.
Mungkin karena fakta bahwa batu sihir diekstrak dari jantung monster setiap hari.
u201dSepertinya akan sulit. Eh, Ryo, kamu punya jenis air tipis apa pun? Bisa kamu menggunakan itu?u201d
Abel beralih ke Ryo dan bertanya.
Dia mungkin merujuk ke jet air.
u201dHuh? Apakah aku pernah menggunakan jet air di depan Abel?u201d
u201dAku dapat ide setelah melihatmu memotong leher tiga orang di dungeon. Padahal aku tidak bisa membedakan momen ketika aku melihatnya. Ngomong-ngomong, pertama kali aku melihatnya adalah dengan golem.u201d
Ryo tidak ingat menunjukkan Abel tindakan memotong sesuatu dengan jet air ...
Tapi sepertinya Abel ingat tindakannya menggunakan jet berbusa untuk memotong golem dan mengambil batu sihirnya.
Juga, di lantai 40 dungeon, ia ingat melihat Ryo memotong leher tiga setan yang kuat dalam seketika.
u201dItu adalah sihir rahasia khusus, jadi dilarang untuk membicarakannya.u201d
Ryo berkata itu dan mengangkat jari telunjuk tangan kanannya di depan bibirnya.
u201dSihir rahasia spesial apa ...u201d
Abel kecewa.
Namun, orang di sekitarnya sedang melihat Ryo dengan mata yang ingin tahu apa yang akan terjadi.
Sepertinya ia perlu menjawab.
u201dOh ... ya, sayangnya sihir itu tidak mungkin. Pada pandangan pertama, daging bisa dipotong dengan cepat, tapi sebenarnya, air akan masuk ke area di sekitar bagian yang terpotong dan merusak jaringan di sekitarnya. Setelah itu, aku tidak yakin apakah bisa diperbaiki dengan sihir penyembuhan.u201d
Luka akibat jet air juga ada di Bumi modern.
Sepertinya bagian yang terluka dan sekitarnya akan rusak dengan unik, dan pembuat mesin jet air dengan sengaja memberikan informasi kepada tenaga medis.
Yah, Ryo merasa sihir penyembuhan Rihya luar biasi, jadi cukup mungkin ... ia bahkan bisa menempelkan anggota tubuh yang hilang.
(Aku bertanya-tanya apakah bisa aku menggunakannya untuk bedah jika kuh jadi lebih mahir ... Ada scalpel yang menggunakan jet air ... Yah, untuk saat ini, ini hanya meningkatkan risiko ...)
Risiko harus diminimalkan semampun mungkin.
Ia sedang memikirkan untuk mengad
Gecko approached the two of them.
“Merchants need to protect themselves first, and it would be even better if they could protect the lives of their subordinates, don’t you think? Ryo’s ice wall makes that possible. It might be impossible now, but I would want to have it around.”
Gecko tenderly said so while watching the children practice.
“Hey, Gecko-san. What are the conditions for an excellent merchant?”
Sharfi suddenly posed a question to Gecko while he was looking at his subordinates.
“What’s with the question out of the blue?”
“No, you see, if I were to be hired by this company as an escort, I would have to travel with a caravan like this? I want to know a little about merchants, businesses, and so on ...”
Sharfi looked at Gecko and said.
“It’s very nice to be motivated. But ... the conditions for an excellent merchant ... is a very difficult question. There are many different types of merchants. Each has their own specialty and the things they are suited for. The only thing I can say we have in common is that we are serious about our business dealings.”
“Serious about business ... that’s too vague.”
Sharfi commented as he tilted his head.
Gecko, on the other hand, laughed.
“Well, that’s true. Maybe it’s about always thinking about your business, your customers, and your subordinates? To see if you’re always thinking, ask yourself a question. If it’s something you’ve thought about before, you would be able to answer it immediately, right? For example ... Sharfi, what do you think is the basis of business?”
Gecko suddenly asked Sharfi a question.
“Well, the basis of business ... I wonder, isn’t it to be profitable after all?”
Sharfi answered while thinking.
“I see. That’s one answer. And maybe that is what you have seen and felt from the merchants and businesses you have encountered.”
“Yeah, maybe ...”
Sharfi repeatedly ruminated in his head what Gecko said.
Ryo returned at that time.
Gecko asked Ryo the same question.
“Ryo-san. What do you think is the basis of business?”
“Securing repeaters.”
He answered Gecko’s question immediately.
“Re-repeat ...?”
Gecko didn’t understand the meaning of repeater.
“Oh, I’m sorry ... Um, securing regular customers.”
“I see. Why?”
Gecko looked obviously more interested than Sharfi’s answer.
“If you secure regular customers, you can predict how much you will sell the next year and the year after that. It will be easier to make a budget based on that. That is the bare minimum needed to have a forecast of operations. Moreover, customers who recognize that it is a good product and a good service would also advertise it to their family and friends. It wouldn’t cost any advertising budget and it would be highly credible when recommended by a close person or a close friend. That is why a company needs to keep making good products to keep securing and increasing regular customers.”
Ryo took a breather at that point, and Sharfi and Ra looked stunned.
“I see. Ryo-san once ran a business seriously, didn’t you?”
Gecko nodded happily many times as he said that.
“Ryo-san, why don’t you stop being an adventurer and work with me?”
“No, that’s a little ...”
On the evening of the third day after leaving Halwill, Gecko’s caravan finally arrived at Red Post, a city on the eastern border of the Kingdom.
It was the twelfth day after leaving the city of Rune.
The Red Post was about the same size as the second-largest city in the east, Slanzewi.
It borders the Inbury Duchy in the southeast and had developed to a size that can be called a city due to the expansion of trade over the last decade due to the good relations between the two nations.
Incidentally, it also borders the Handal Union on the northeast side.
The Red Post was a 『border city』 for both the Duchy and the Union.
Gecko’s caravan entered their usual lodgings and completed the registration.
“Oh, there’s Ryo!”
From behind them, Ryo heard a voice that he was accustomed to hearing.
When Ryo looked back, as expected, there was Rin, the Wind-Attribute Magician of 『Crimson Sword』, and Warren, the Shield user, behind her.
“Huh? Rin and Warren? Why are you here?”
“Of course it’s for work?”
Rin answered while tilting her head.
“I see, I guess that would be the case ... Oh, rather, does that mean Rihya is in this city too if the two of you are here?”
Ryo thought about something and asked if Rihya was with them.
“Asking for Rihya instead of Abel ... even if it’s Ryo, I don’t think Rihya will fall for you. A battle between Abel and Ryo over Rihya ... I really don’t want to see that.”
Rin shook her head, and behind her Warren shook his head silently as well.
“Yeah, I have no intention of doing that at all. Isn’t Rihya a high-ranking priest?”
“Yeah? Did someone suffer serious injuries or lose a limb? There is a time limit of 24 hours after losing a limb, you know? Other than that, Rihya can usually do something about it?”
When he heard Rin’s answer, Ryo nodded, as if he was intending to request for it.
Then, he turned to Gecko, who was listening to the conversation between them.
“Gecko-san, this is Rin and Warren from the adventurer party 『Crimson Sword』 in the city of Rune. Rin, Warren, this is, Gecko-san, a merchant of the Inbury Duchy. Ra and I were hired by Gecko as escorts to the Inbury Duchy.”
Ryo introduced them to each other.
“Of course, I know about the B-rank party『Crimson Sword』. I often do business with Master McGrath in the city of Rune, so if you have anything you need in the future, please look for me.”
Rin and Warren briefly introduced themselves after Gecko’s self-introduction.
Of course, Warren’s part was also done by Rin.
“Ryo-san introduced the two of them to me, is it to utilize Priestess Rihya-san’s healing magic to resolve our problem?”
“Yes. However, if Gecko-san has another idea and wants to handle the case after reaching the capital, I don’t think it is necessary to do it in this city ...”
Ryo replied Gecko’s question while feeling around for his thoughts.
But when he heard that, Gecko laughed.
“No no, I don’t have such plans. I think it’s better if it can be solved quickly. If we can request the cooperation of the 『Crimson Sword』, I would definitely like to go ahead with the plan. Of course, I will prepare the formal rewards.”
Then Gecko bowed to Rin and Warren.
“I won’t be able to make the decision ... the two of them will be back in a little while, so please ask them directly.”
Rin glanced at Warren, saw Warren nodding, and then replied that she couldn’t give an answer.
After a while, Abel and Rihya returned to the inn.
At a cafe in the inn ... In modern Japan, it would be the hotel lounge.
They had their discussion there.
The four from 『Crimson Sword』, Ryo, Gecko, Max, and Sharfi.
Greetings and explanations of the situation were given to them.
“In simple terms, you plan to strip off the cursed tattoo on Sharfi’s chest and have Rihya heal the wound.”
After Abel understood the task, he asked again in his own words.
That process was important.
To make sure there were no discrepancies in case they misunderstood each other.
“Yes, that’s right. Of course, I’m willing to pay the same amount as alms to a high-ranking priest.”
Gecko nodded once and replied.
Abel turned towards Rihya and asked for her opinion with facial expressions.
“I don’t mind. Our party has completed our request and was planning to return home tomorrow. However, you showed it earlier but, that tattoo ... can it be removed?”
“Yes, in the past I asked an alchemist I knew, but while a normal tattoo only has ink on the skin and can be completely removed by peeling the skin, I was told this tattoo is underneath the skin ... In other words, I have to strip off the flesh below the tattoo, but I didn’t want to hurt my heart so ...”
Sharfi answered Rihya’s question, remembering what he was told in the past.
Many of the people there imagined the scene of actually carving out the flesh in their heads.
Most of them were adventurers.
It may be related to the fact that magic stones were extracted from the heart of monsters on a daily basis.
“It looks like it’s going to be difficult. Hey, Ryo, don’t you have some kind of thin water? Can’t you use that?”
Abel turned to Ryo and asked.
He was probably referring to a water jet.
“Huh? Have I ever used a water jet in front of Abel?”
“I had an idea after I saw you cut off the necks of those three in the dungeon. Although I couldn’t tell the moment I saw it. By the way, the first time I saw it was with the golem.”
Ryo didn’t remember showing Abel him slashing something with a water jet ...
But it seemed that Abel remembered his act of cutting the golem with an Abrasive jet and taking out the magic stone.
Also, on the 40th floor of the dungeon, he recalled seeing Ryo cutting off the necks °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° of three strong devils in an instant.
“That is a special secret magic, so it is forbidden to talk about it.”
Ryo said that and brought the index finger of his right hand in front of his lips.
“What special secret magic ...”
Abel was exasperated.
However, the people around him were looking at Ryo with the eyes of what would happen.
It looked like he needed to answer.
“Oh ... well, unfortunately that magic isn’t possible. At first glance, the flesh can be cut quickly, but in reality, water would get into the area around the sliced parts and damage the surrounding tissue. After that, I’m not sure if it can be repaired with healing magic.”
Water jet injuries also existed on modern Earth.
It seemed that the injured part and its surroundings would be damaged uniquely, and the manufacturer of the water jet machines had taken the trouble to provide information to medical personnel.
Well, Ryo felt that Rihya’s healing magic was amazing, so it was quite possible ... she could even attach lost limbs after all.
(I wonder if I can use it for surgery if I become more proficient ... There was a scalpel that uses water jet ... Well, as of now, it just increases the risk ...)
The risk should be lowered as much as possible.
He was thinking of adopting it as a last resort.
“How about expanding the area of the ice film in front of the heart to cover the heart and the important blood vessels around it? Then it would be fine even if the knife gets in too deep while extracting the tattoo.”
“Yes, I think that’s a good plan.”
Max was the first to agree with Ryo’s proposal.
Perhaps because Max felt that he was likely the person to insert the knife and strip the tattoo off.
Max was the only one who has previously stripped a tattoo, albeit from a corpse.
“Hey, Ryo-san, I have one question ...”
Sharfi raised one hand and had difficulty asking a question.
“Yes?”
“My heart is covered with a film of ice? Shouldn’t it be cold?”
“Oh ~”
Rin nodded to Sharfi’s doubts.
Rin seemed to have the same question.
“If it’s cold, Sharfi’s heart would have stopped, right?”
“O-oh, yes ... I know that. It’s definitely not stopped. It’s beating. That’s why it’s strange .... It is in my body, and I’d be happy if you could tell me.”
Sharfi responded to Ryo’s plausible answer with an indescribable face.
“In the first place, ice takes away the heat of the surroundings when it becomes water. Therefore, it feels cold when you hold it in your hand. However, the ice generated in Sharfi’s body is magically created. It remains as ice forever. It does not take away heat from the surroundings because it does not become water. That is one reason. The other reason is that I forbade it from snatching heat from its surroundings when forming the ice film, so there won’t be a temperature change.”
“You can forbid the transfer of heat!?”
It was Rin, a Wind-Attribute Magician, who reacted.
“Well, because it’s related to water, I can do it as a Water-Attribute Magician.”
The truth was, he had to touch on molecular vibrations.
He kept the molecular vibration of the ice film itself, which had smaller molecular vibration at low temperature, constant, and prevented the vibrations from the place around the ice film where the molecular vibration was larger at high temperature from being transmitted to it.
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