The Strongest Wizard Becomes a Countryside Guardsman After Taking an Arrow to the Knee

Chapter 306 – Linmia Trading

Yureena greeted them back with a gracious and tender tone that seemed to put a trance on all of them.

「Quite some calming technique you have there...」

Just like a holy woman should have.

And as she greeted people one by one, I looked over some of the good scattered around.

There were many rare goods, so it was fun to browse.

「Huh?」

I actually found someone wearing a mask like the ones that Cruz had given to us.

But this was a lion’s, and had very lifelike fur, soft to the touch.

「Moo moo」

Moofy happily nuzzled her snout into the soft fur.

「S...stop it! You’re going to spill the beans!」

The person in the lion mask whispered to Moofy.

Femm’s jaw almost dropped to the floor.

『Cruz! What the hell are you doing here?!』

.com 「N...it’s not...um, who is this Cruz you speak of?」

Cruz said, while waving her hands dismissively.

「I am Lion Mask...of Justice!」

「Oh, Lion Mask of Justice, huh?」

「Y...yeah!」

Cruz seemed a bit relieved, as if she had really fooled us.

「Huh? Cruz? Why are you here?」

Yureena said, returning after greeting all the staff.

「Ma’am, I am Lion Mask...not this Cruz you speak of.」

「Hmmm? I had no idea. Well, enjoy looking around.」

And saying that, Yureena then put her arm around mine.

「Al, my dad is waiting.」

「I know.」

Yureena and I walked in, but Lion Mask followed.

「Um, Lion Mask?」

「W...what is it?」

「This area is off limits.」

「Ah...um...」

「Dang it, Cruz. You don’t have to hide who you are.」

And after thinking it over for a second, the Lion Mask said, 「Okay, it turns out my real identity is...ME!」

She said, but still not taking off the mask.

「Yeah, we all know Cruz.」

「Al, how did you find out!?」

Before I could answer, Femm and Moofy said, 『Your smell.』

『Smell.』

Then Moofy shoved her snout into Cruz again, and Yureena said, 「I didn’t expect you to try something like this, Cruz.」

「I think it’s perfectly normal.」

「But Cruz, I knew right away. You need to be more careful.」

「Really? Everyone knows it’s Al, even with his disguise.」

Cruz said a bit gleefully.

「So why are you here?」

「W...well...」

「You could have just said something if you wanted to come.」

「Al’s right.」

Cruz fidgeted around, even with the mask still on.

「But...I thought you’d say no, Yureena.」

「I wouldn’t say no...」

「I just thought you were planning something on your own...so I didn’t want to pry...」

「Hm?」

I had no idea why Cruz was being so cautious.

「W, w, wh, what are you talking about?」

Yureena looked astonished.

「Yureena?」

「I...it’s nothing. Let’s go!」

「O...okay.」

And so we all walked into her father’s office.

「Oh! So good to see you’ve come, future son-in-law!」

「Thank you for coming.」

Yureena’s mother and father stood to greet us.

They still were expecting us to marry. I guess I should expect to be called son-in-law.

I took off my mask, and Yureena greeted her parents.

「Cute as always, Moo-chan!」

「Moo moo!」

Yureena’s mother then gave Moofy a hug.

「Well, well, have a seat, my son.」

「Thank you.」

Yureena and I sat across from her mother and father.

Then Cruz slipped in and sat between us.

「And this lion is?」

「Cruz!」

「Ah, Marquis Conradine. Why are you...wearing that?」

「Um...」

There was no reason for her to wear that mask, after all.

She finally noticed and quickly took the mask off.

「I was...cold.」

「I see?」

The father looked a bit confused, but decided not to pursue asking any more.

While the mother petted Moofy, she said, 「I’ll have some refreshments brought in.」

「You don’t have to bother.」

I said, but the tea and snacks were already on their way.

The tea smelled exquisite.

「ryaa」

Shiggy popped her head out of my pouch.

Yureena reached over and popped a cracker into Shiggy’s mouth.

Cruz, who was still between us, then did the same thing.

「Open wide, Shiggy.」

「ryaa ryaa」

Shiggy was happy to be fed so much at once.

「So, you’ve come to sell some spirit stones, my son?」

「That’s not precisely what I need.」

「Which means?」

I wasn’t there to sell them. I wanted them to be put up for sale, to see who was interested.

So I explained it to them.

「I see. It’s possible, but you have them with you?」

「Yes, I do.」

「Good to hear. If we don’t have the real items to show, then there’s the issue of trust...」

There was problems with selling and making agreements frequently.

However, if the items weren’t present, then you couldn’t ensure that purchasers could trust the seller.

I took the stones from my magic bag.

「So these are spirit stones...this is the first for me.」the father said.

「They are very beautiful. Almost like gems.」said the mother.

「They’re unsuitable for cutting, like gems, but yes, they are quite impressive.」

「You can’t cut them? Too bad.」

Yureena’s mother looked genuinely disappointed.

「Well, how shall we sell these, then?」

The father said, with a twinkle of trader’s greed in his eyes.