Ch 5: The Merchant's Mediator - Pt 2: Fair Trade

Hiroshi walked us down to the main counter where the receptionist paid us the promised seven hundred fifty gold coins for the thirty swords Masato brought with him. The helper from earlier left with the box and returned with another two. One was full of various styles of dresses from simple sundresses to fancy gowns befitting the highest class of dinner parties lying on top of each other, and the other had about a dozen very similarly designed dish sets of different colors.

Masato placed the bag of money in the container with the dresses, and the two of us loaded up our new merchandise into the carriage. A smile was spread across Masato's face the entire time. After brushing the dust off his hands with a few slaps together, he grew serious. "You know, Aoi, Hiroshi doesn't say things like that to just anyone."

I blinked as I faced him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about his offer for you to join his guild." Masato watched the many faces passing through the lively road. "I hate to say it, but you really saved me from a great hardship back there. You might really be cut out for this line of work."

I hopped my butt onto the end of the open carriage with a little push. "Nah. I'm sure that was just a fluke. I hardly know a thing about how business works, let alone much about anything else. Especially around here." I pulled out my mother's necklace. "I mean, I tried to trade this to some lady on the street for some camping equipment."

Masato laughed and grabbed the brim of his cap. "That aside, you at least did a good job stepping in when it was needed. Perhaps holding off on going at it alone and working as an apprentice until you learn the ropes would be better."

I leaned back and looked up at the sky. "I guess I don't have anything better to do. At least I'd have some money."

Masato joined me on the edge of the wagon. "If I were to ask if you'd like to stick around with us for a while as my assistant, what would you say?"

I brought my head down to see the man beside me, and he was already looking at me square in the eye. "I... Are you sure?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Masato's flat expression did not change.

"No." Kicking my hanging feet, I stared down the street. "If you are certain you want me to stay, then I'll do it." This also means I can spend more time with Yuuna. "But you don't need to pay me. A place to sleep and some food is more than enough." I turned back to Masato. "I can help around the house and with the horse or whatever else there is, too."

Masato grinned. "My daughter has always had a knack for reading people."

I cocked my head slightly. "Huh?"

Masato slid down back onto his feet. "Anyway, Yuuna will probably still be a bit." He patted the box of dinnerware, and smirked. "What do you say we test our luck on selling these in the meantime?"

"What? Are you serious?" Sitting there watching him, I already knew the answer, but I could not help my reaction.

"Of course I am!" Masato stuck his thumb up and then proceeded to poke himself in the chest with it. "I am a merchant, and when an opportunity presents itself, I must take advantage of it."

Feet back on the ground, I followed the motivated man around to the front of the wagon. We rode through the busy street and took a couple turns until we reached a market square. It was a spacious area where all the shopping streets connected. The chatter from all the traders and sellers set up in the space filled the air. There were so many stalls and so many people visiting them we were stuck leaving behind the carriage and lugging around the boxes.

Despite the weight of the dishware in his arms, Masato was as jovial as I had ever seen him. "Okay! First stop, we could use some spices from other kingdoms. They will surely sell well in Erindring, and of course we can save some for ourselves."

Not too far into the marketplace, there was an older couple selling more types of spices than I could have guessed existed. I let Masato pick out the ones he wanted, and then he set the box of dishes down on an open spot on the table where the two of them sat. He gave me a nudge, and I gave it a shot. This deal proved to be too easy. The elderly woman fawned over the colors and the designs and gladly agreed to the exchange. I honestly did not feel like I actually did anything special.

"Next, let's see if we can't turn this pile of dresses into a selection of clothing for both men and women."

With possibly a little exaggeration -- especially considering I was talking out of my butt not knowing what anything was really worth -- I convinced the tailor at a tent for semi-formal attire to trade us two full outfits for each dress. All I knew about the dresses was what Hiroshi had told me -- that they were "high-class". The man did doubt me, but once I disclosed where we got them, he was more than happy to oblige. Afterward, Masato explained that merchants should try to avoid using each other's names when doing business, but he was happy enough with the outcome.

"Finally, I think I'd like to get a new cap." Masato winked at me as we walked. "I can handle this one myself, though."

After Masato purchased a new brown cap that was only marginally lighter in color than his old own, I realized how simple the man's tastes were. Looking forward to seeing him in action, I was a little disappointed that he paid for it outrightly with a gold coin. On the bright side, the vendor threw in a matching pair of gloves fashioned for the purpose of gripping reigns since the hat was worth about half as much as a gold coin. Kind of seemed like a bad deal, but I guess everyone has their quirks. Maybe that's the difference between shopping and trading?

The two of us escaped through the crowd back to the carriage, and Masato shoved our updated stockpile to one side. He gave me a look, crossed an arm, and rested his other elbow on top. "Hmm." Masato lifted his head off his fingers. "Is there anything you would like, Aoi?"

"Me?" I shook my head. "I told you I don't need anything more than food and shelter. No need to worry about me."

"It's all right. I can't simply let your efforts go unrewarded." Masato purposefully swung his arm toward the surrounding stalls, highlighting the many options at my disposal.

"Something I would like, huh..." I'm honestly not even sure what my options truly are. Maybe I should stick with something simple? Like a book?

"Aoi! Father!" Yuuna was trotting over to us with several shopping bags hanging on her forearm. "I'm glad I found you!"

"My!” Masato’s eyes were wide. “You sure look like you made the most of your solo shopping spree, Dear."

"Hehe. I can't help it! They just have so much here that I can't find at home!" Yuuna peeked into one of the smaller bags and shuffled around the items until she found what she was looking for. "This is for you, Aoi. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I went with a watch. It has a black band and a gold face to match your hair."

"I-- I don't know what to say..." I took the gift out of the little box and smiled at Yuuna. "Thank you, Yuuna." Looking back at Masato, I had my answer. "This is what I want as my reward. Will that work?"

Masato shrugged. "If there's really nothing else, then who am I to say?"

"That's not supposed to be a reward for doing Father's dirty work! It's a present from me!" With the accompanying stomp, I started to wonder if Yuuna got a little too comfortable with me, showing the colors that had normally been reserved for Masato and all.

Yuuna angrily continued her stomping and put her things in the wagon, and then we left the commotion in the square behind as we proceeded down a quiet road. In between bites of her sweets, Yuuna was telling us stories about her day, and I had to admit I was a bit jealous. Whether I was jealous of Yuuna for all she was able to see that I missed or of all the people she interacted with that were able to experience her radiance was the real question. Yuuna’s incident with the tongue of one of the animals slipping into her ear when it went to lick her face from behind her got us all laughing.

Although Yuuna and I were still giggling, Masato went silent and was staring off into space. "Watch the carriage, Yuuna. There's one more place I would like to stop."

"Huh? Okay, sure thing." Yuuna closed her fingers around the reigns Masato held out in front of her.

I jumped down so Masato could get out. "Is this another business deal? Do you want me to join you?"

Masato walked past me, shaking his head slowly. "No, this time it's not for business. But you are welcome to come along if you'd like."

I looked back at Yuuna, who just shrugged and took another bite of her macaron, and I jogged off after her father. "Hey! Wait up!"