BXBX NOVEL Volume 7 1 part5
It was at the edge of the Sixth District. It was on the inner part of the rampart, but there weren’t that many people, and warehouses could be seen here and there.
There was a body height fence, and a lawn was spread out inside of it.
Horses were there.
Some were ashen and some were olive brown, and their legs were thick and short. They were cart-horses. Although they weren’t all that fast, they specialized in transporting heavy luggage, could walk a long time, and were sturdy.
At the edge of the site, there was a building made of bricks. So that was the carriage store. Most likely, there were carriages inside of it.
The large doors that were like castle gates seemed like they were for carriage use.
Next to it, there was a small iron door.
Rem knocked on it.
After a little while, there was the sound of a lock being undone from the inside, and the iron door opened.
A male Dwarf that had grown a long beard showed himself. He had loosely drooping dog ears, and a bushy tail.
Looking at Diablo and Rem, he talked rapidly.
「So you’re Adventurers! This is a carriage store. If you’re looking for a stagecoach or a horse-drawn cab, go to the main street.」
「P, please wait! We came to purchase a carriage.」
「What, so you were customers! Well then, come on in.」
His attitude suddenly became friendly.
Going through the iron door, it ended up looking like a small bar.
There was a wooden counter, and it was lined with chairs that were waist high. On the walls, things related to carriages such as wheels and whips were hung as items of artwork.
The Dwarf salesperson went behind the counter.
「Incidentally, who were you referred by?」
「......An employee of Phoenix House.」
「What? Did you stay there?」
「......We’ve stayed there for about ten days already.」
「I’m surprised! You guys are some outrageous Adventurers. Did you discover a mountain of treasure or something!? Ahh, what would you like to drink? Ale? Wine? I also have whiskey, you know?」
「No, alcohol is a bit......Could I have some coffee.」
While Rem was talking, Diablo looked around at the inside of the store and waited.
He was poor at chatting. Their objective was confidential, and communication skills were excessively required.
If I’m going into a store, I want to be shown a merchandise catalogue──is what Diablo earnestly desired.
Unfortunately, the shopping in this other world wasn’t impersonal, but rather, it was completed through dialogue.
Rem asked a question.
「......Do you have a stock of carriages? One that does not shake as much as possible.」
「We have a whole bunch! It’s because we have an extensive scale that goes from military use ones to ones oriented to nobles. By the way, do you really not need any alcohol? I also have brandy, you know?」
「......Coffee please.」
「So how many people, and how far?」
Finally, it seemed that they entered the negotiations.
Having had Rem turn her gaze towards him, Diablo answered.
「We are entering the Elven forest. Since we will be going as far as the country of Dark Elves──Blackwood, we want a carriage where about five people could board it and load heavy luggage.」
The Dwarf knitted his eyebrows.
「The Elven forest!? Blackwood you say!? You’re better off not going, their nature is the worst!」
「I will not say it again.」
When Diablo glared at him, the salesperson drew his head back.
「Got it. Our horses are able to enter the forests, and are smart enough that they won’t run away even if monsters come out. Next is the frame huh. We have some that can board six people. By the way, what do you mean by heavy luggage?」
Rem took over back the talks.
「......Since one person, is a bit heavy......If chairs are not possible, then a luggage carrier is fine as well.」
「And about how heavy are they?」
「About a knight equipped with full plate armor.」
About as heavy as that riding on a horse as well──is what Diablo appended. Before, when he ended up in a situation where he had to support her with one hand, it was enough where he was unable to support her even with his level 150 physical strength. There was no mistaking it.
The Dwarf guffawed.
「Wahahaha! That sure is heavy! Heavier than a cow! What a heavy guy!」
「......Yes, that’s true.」
Rem breathed a sigh of relief, thinking "thank goodness we didn’t take Rose along". Since she hated being criticized as "heavy", she would have driven her double-headed sword into this Dwarf salesperson.
There wasn’t a horse that Rose could mount. That is why they needed a large carriage.
Laughing to the point that he was choking a bit, the salesperson finally got back to the discussion.
「I do have carriages that could carry that stupidly heavy fellow, but I recommend a four horse coach. When pulled by any less than that, they will be immediately exhausted. Since Blackwood is far away, their legs might go bad.」
「......What would the price be?」
「What do you want for the interior design? For nobles, they would put money into the interior design. Do you want curtains and lace added?」
「Please do it at the bare minimum?」
「Oya? You have money, don’t you?」
「......I hate wasting money.」
「It isn’t a waste. A splendid interior design will enrich the spirit.」
「......Since I do not possess a spirit that is poor enough that it wouldn’t be enriched without a splendid interior design, it is fine.」
「Wahahaha! You say some good stuff. Got it, I’ll put an interior design only needed for travel. Since it would be better to keep the wind and rain out, I’ll put a canopy. You’re fine with benches and blankets, right?」
「That’s fine.」
「And wine casks will be beneath the seats.」
「No, that isn’t needed.」
「What? So you won’t be drinking alcohol in the middle of your travels? Then why are you traveling?」
「......It’s because we have an objective.」
Rem held her forehead.
Really, it’s worrying to tell if they would be alright with this store.
The Dwarf salesperson took a blueprint out from underneath the counter.
It was for a six person, four horse, medium-sized carriage.
He added some memos with a quill pen.
「It’s better to put the heavy things above the rear wheel axis. It will shake a bit, but it will less the burden on the horses. And then, the foothold when getting on board, the floor, the bearing, and the wheels......The places that will bear the heavy load will all be reinforced.」
「......Reinforced huh.」
「It’d be best to use parts of large-sized carriages. Those can carry tens of people, and since the military uses them to transport soldiers, it’ll definitely be durable.」
「I see. So how much will the estimate be?」
「Ahー, with this......Well, including the remodeling, I suppose it’ll be about 20,000,000 F (Furis)? If I do the more detailed calculations, it might increase a bit more.」
Rem froze up.
Diablo nodded.
「We’ll take it.」
「Thanks for the business!」
The Dwarf salesperson showed a smile.
Rem jumped up.
「Ple......Please wait! That could buy a house in Faltra City you know!?」
「Umu.」
He had expected a large sum of money.
It was possible to buy a carriage even in the MMORPG Cross Reverie. It was a bit cheaper, but that was probably for the remodeling.
Since Diablo emphasized efficiency and used Transfer, and since he didn’t travel with a party, he had never bought a carriage before but......
「Are you serious!? Do you plan on using most of the reward that we received from Lumachina!?」
「It is because there is no telling how long it would take if we were to walk there.」
「......I won’t be frugal with labor, you know?」
「What I am frugal with is time. The movements of that bothers me. It would be best to quickly finish up and return to Faltra City.」
Going *Ah......*, Rem also noticed.
What he meant by "that" was naturally about the Demon King that was said to have awakened.
「Th, that’s true......Diablo, it’s just as you say......It would be best to hurry.」
The Demon King army that tried to make an onslaught on Zircon Tower City might come to Faltra City next. There was a possibility that Diablo’s absence at that time would have a large effect.
This time, there was Rem’s gathering of information on the Ceremony Magic, as well as Shera’s returning home, but they also had to prepare for the imminent outbreak of war.
They asked the Dwarf salesperson for a detailed quote.
「Osh, I’ll calculate it right away. However, the remodeling will take about ten days, you know? Even the horses, I’ll have to arrange some oriented for long trips.」
「......I understand. However, I will be taking the estimate to other carriage stores as well.」
「Wahaha! As expected of a first-class Adventurer, you sure are shrewd! But I’ll say this right now, in terms of skill, I’m the best.」
「Fufu......I will take that into account.」
As he thought, Rem was reliable in negotiations.
Since the discussion was settled, they decided to take their leave from the store.
Just as they had opened the iron door, the Dwarf salesperson verified something as if to make sure.
「By the way, do you really not need the wine casks?」