I finished my errands at the guild and came to Binal’s shop. I always buy potion bottles from this store. I also came to inform him that the guild would deliver potions later.
After paying for the bottles, I told the cashier that I wanted to see Binal, but was told that the owner was busy and couldn’t meet me. I must have needed an appointment. He had always met me at the market stall, so I had gotten careless. This was the main store, but there were also other branches like the one specializing in weapons, so he might not be here.
Just as I was about to leave in disappointment, a voice called out to me from behind. It was Binal.
“Iriya -san! It’s rare to see you here!”
“Binal-sama, thank you for your continued support. I have something to discuss, if you could spare me a little time. If possible, I’d prefer to keep it private…”
“Of course! You, get me some coffee!”
Binal casually instructed the cashier to make coffee. She looked a bit confused but quickly went to the break room. I tried to decline, but she insisted, saying not to worry, and guided me to the reception room.
“About the potions…”
“Oh! I’ve been waiting! Are they intermediate potions? Or could it be… high-grade potions?!”
Binal, who had been sitting on the sofa, suddenly leaned forward, his body jerking. His coffee cup almost tipped over.
“Both. And I also managed to make high potions, as well as intermediate mana potions. It looks like the guild will be delivering them.”
“…High?”
“Yes?”
“High potions!??”
“Yes.”
What is going on with this conversation?
After several seconds of silence, Binal suddenly raised his voice.
“Iriya -san, high potions!?!? They say only Rajisraf-sama can make them around here…!”
“Yes, I used his workshop to make them.”
“…Oh, I see. I didn’t think it was possible, but… could it really be done??”
He still seemed unsure, but he seemed to accept it for now. He took a sip of his coffee and sat back down on the sofa.
“So, if the guild is delivering them… that means it’s the guild master’s decision, right?”
“You have a sharp eye as always. Once they realize I made them, some may have ulterior motives, so the guild was considerate.”
“…That makes sense. We’ll sell them as imports. From now on, we’ll need to think of more inconspicuous delivery methods.”
Binal rubbed his chin, thinking deeply. But it seemed like he was struggling to contain some emotion.
“Still, wow… high potions are finally available in our shop!”
His hands were trembling. What a strange reaction. He must be really happy.
After trembling alone for a while, he suddenly turned to face me, as if he had remembered something.
“By the way, a business associate of mine is heading north to buy Trent materials. Iriya , you use magic, right? Will you need any? I was thinking of going with him, but I heard dragons have been spotted in the area. It’s too dangerous to go alone, so I wanted to ask you.”
“Dragons, you say? That’s perfect! Let’s go, Iriya ! Heh… It’s been a while since we’ve gone hunting!”
Belial interrupted Binal’s words. A dragon, huh? I just happened to need some dragon materials.
“Then, let’s gather dragon materials. I’d like to get Dragon Tears. Hopefully, we can find an intermediate-level one. They’re quite useful for many things.”
“…You guys, dragons… you’re happy about this?”
Binal looked surprised.
A few days later, we were supposed to leave, but with the danger increasing, we decided to leave as soon as we could secure some adventurers. We’re just waiting for confirmation.
After meeting with Binal, I visited Alesia and Kiara’s market stalls. The potions I brought had sold out pretty quickly, and the stock was running low.
When I told Kiara that I’d be leaving in a few days, she seemed disappointed that it was so soon. I felt a little torn about leaving, but at the same time, it was kind of nice to see that she cared.
Just as the pleasant atmosphere was starting to settle, a shadow approached.
“Hey, you there! You’re a demon, aren’t you? I can tell even if you try to hide it!!”
A man with short, light green hair suddenly pointed at Belial and shouted loudly. He had a pair of white wings sprouting from his back. He was an angel.
“…Probably a mid-level third squad angel, huh. You’re in a good mood today, so I’ll let you off.”
Belial waved his hands dismissively, as if trying to get rid of him.
“Let me off!? I am Powers, the seventh-ranked angel! I fight demons like you, do you understand?!”
He seemed like a very aggressive angel. I thought he might be like a frontline soldier. I definitely didn’t want to get into a fight here; another interrogation would be a hassle! At least for now, Belial wasn’t engaging with him, which was a relief. Besides, I didn’t think Belial was hiding the fact that he was a demon.
“Enough of this nonsense. Is barking all you do, servant of the Lord, El-Roi?”
“How dare you insult me!”
Belial’s mood suddenly plummeted. I hoped it wouldn’t turn into another angel-incinerating incident.
The atmosphere was getting tense, and I was worried it would disturb Alesia and Kiara, too. This was a public place; I wished they’d be more considerate. I was thinking of how to intervene when suddenly…
“Alright, that’s enough! Quit causing a scene, it’s bothering everyone around you!”
A man about my age walked over, clapping his hands. He was lightly armed and wore scuffed boots that looked like they’d seen a lot of use.
“Sorry about that, our angel here has a bit of a temper. I’m Ulberano, a B-rank adventurer.”
He seemed like the contract holder.
“I’m Iriya , a magic item craftsman. I’m his contractor.”
When I bowed, Ulberano gave me a puzzled look.
“He’s the one making a fuss, and you’re a magic item crafter? I thought he was a real demon…”
“Yes, I can use both magic and summoning, but my main occupation right now is crafting magical items. I’m registered with the Merchant’s Guild as a crafter.”
I introduced myself calmly, but Belial was still on high alert beside me.
“Ulberano, don’t stop me. This is my real job!”
Wait… killing a king could potentially lead to a war, so I wasn’t sure why he wanted to start a fight here. Still, I didn’t think this angel could win against Belial.
“Not in the middle of the street, and certainly not in front of market stalls,” I said.
“Understood. Then leave.”
When I stood facing them, I noticed that Belial was slimmer and a little shorter. The angel, Cassiel, had radiant wings and a regal posture, but still, Belial had an obvious presence that Cassiel lacked.
This must be what they call the majesty of a king.
In the middle of this tense moment, a small figure stepped in between them.
It was Kiara, desperately trying to hold both her hands wide to separate them.
Her brown hair swayed as she glared fiercely at the angel with her large brown eyes.
“Don’t be mean to Belial! He’s not hiding that he’s a demon, and he hasn’t done anything bad! Why are you trying to start a fight?!”
“Seems like the child understands more about reason than you do… So? What are you going to do?”
Cassiel smiled widely, as if victorious.
It was a strange, almost disturbing smile. Something about it felt off.
“Ugh… so you’ve managed to charm a little girl… How cowardly…!”
Cassiel seemed unable to do anything and grimaced in frustration.
“Come on, stop messing with business. Let’s go.”
Ulberano stretched his hand in front of his face apologetically, and led the angel away.
Cassiel still seemed unsatisfied, but I hoped I wouldn’t see him again.
With the mood lifted, Belial began to buy food for Kiara, clearly trying to win her over.
A demon trying to charm a little girl…
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, but maybe it was just me.
