Chapter 12: Lloyd, Hated Even in Shops

"Welcome—ugh!"

"Hey, 'ugh!' is rude. I am a customer, you know."

After arriving in town, the first place I visited was a pawn shop.

Despite being a regular customer lately, the shopkeeper's face twisted in disgust the moment he saw me.

What on earth did I do to deserve this?

"W-what do you want, Lloyd? I gave you all the money for what I bought yesterday! I don't care how much you threaten me, I'm not paying twice the market price today!"

"Twice the market price... as always, you don't pull any punches."

The shopkeeper hid his face with his hands and trembled slightly.

What kind of villainous acts had Lloyd committed in the past?

Looking at the shopkeeper's reaction, it's no longer something to laugh about.

I walked up to the counter, removed the necklace, and placed it in front of the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper peeked at me from between his arms, then shifted his gaze to the necklace.

"...What's this?"

"Can you buy this? I need the money."

"...Are you saying you want me to buy it at three times the price, including yesterday's items?"

"No, I'm not saying that! But I do want to get as much as I can for it."

When I said that, the shopkeeper hesitantly reached out for the necklace.

After examining it from various angles, he took out something like a loupe to inspect it closely.

"This is a branded item. Are you really selling it?"

"Oh, it's branded? Well, I don't need it if it's just an accessory."

"Don't need it? The Lloyd who said, 'Branded accessories are a sign of wealth! My earnings are different from yours!' don't need it?"

"Ugh! That does sound like something Lloyd would say."

Had Lloyd really been spouting such antagonistic remarks, turning everyone against him?

It's no wonder he's so hated, given his image.

"Anyway, don't worry about it. I don't need it, so please buy it."

"If that's the case... but why have you been so polite since before c? It's unsettling."

While saying this, the shopkeeper lowered his gaze back to the necklace.

After a while, he looked up at me and let out a small groan.

"What is it?"

"Well, um..."

The shopkeeper folded his arms and, after staring at me for a moment, continued speaking.

"...I'll give you 1.2 times the usual purchase price."

"Really?! Thank you so much!"

"Okay, okay. Just drop the formalities, it's creepy."

When I bowed deeply, the shopkeeper made a complicated face and said that.

Isn't calling me creepy a bit much?

I thought that for a moment, but given that the villainous Lloyd was bowing to a pawn shop owner, it might indeed be unsettling.

Thinking that, I took the money and hurried to the apothecary to buy potions.

"Welcome—ugh!"

"Hey, 'ugh!' again? Am I that hated?"

When I entered the apothecary, I was greeted with the same unwelcome reaction as at the pawn shop.

The shopkeeper glared at me before hiding his face with both arms and turning away.

"Even if you say 'Give me the potions for free because I bought them yesterday!' I'm not giving you any potions today!"

"I won't say that. I promise."

Why does everyone hide their faces when they see me?

What? Did Lloyd have a habit of punching shopkeepers in the face?

I let out a small sigh and closed the distance to the counter.

"I'm here to buy potions. I used all the ones I bought yesterday on a dying beastfolk child, so I need more."

"What?! You used all the ones you bought yesterday?!"

"Uh, did I overdo it?"

When I casually mentioned what had happened yesterday, the shopkeeper widened his eyes and looked at me.

It was my first time using them, so I can't deny that I was a bit careless with the potions.

Could using too much cause side effects or something?

"No, you can't overuse potions, but... usually, people hesitate because it's wasteful."

"Oh, well, a lot happened."

Seeing the shopkeeper's furrowed brows, I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

Well, I guess most people would hesitate.

While considering how to respond, I glanced at the potions lined up in the store.

"By the way, even after using all those potions, the kid still seems unwell. Do you have anything better?"

When I clearly changed the subject, the shopkeeper didn't press further.

Instead, he folded his arms and, after a brief groan, looked up at me.

"If you don't mind the price, I do have something... but even if you threaten me, I'm not giving away expensive potions for free!"

"I told you, I'm here to buy them. Will this be enough?"

I placed the money I had just exchanged on the counter, and the shopkeeper was momentarily speechless.

I knew from Lloyd's knowledge that the amount I had exchanged wasn't trivial.

"...Where did you get this money from?"

"I didn't steal it! I sold the necklace."

"Sold it? That gold one? The one you used to tell people in town, 'Anyone who doesn't own gold accessories might as well be dead, you poor fools'?"

Hearing such familiar words made me clutch my head.

Why did Lloyd always make enemies wherever he went?

Feeling that no amount of explaining could cover this up, I decided to press on.

"So, will this money be enough for a potion that can help the beastfolk child recover?"

"It will be enough, but are you really going to buy it?"

"Yes."

"...Wait here a moment."

The shopkeeper disappeared into the back of the store and returned with a wooden box containing what looked like an expensive potion.

Considering it wasn't displayed in the shop, I could expect both the price and the effect to be substantial.

"Huh? Shopkeeper-san?"

"Don't call me ‘san’.' It's creepy."

Isn't calling me creepy a bit much?

As I waited silently, the shopkeeper went back into the store and returned with several potions in his arms.

"What are those?"

"They're leftovers close to their expiration date. Take them."

"Really?! Thank you so much!"

"It's fine, just stop bowing. When a customer spends this much money, it's normal to throw in a little extra."

As I bowed deeply, the shopkeeper shoved a few potions into my hands.

I packed the potion in the box and the leftover potions into my bag, and hurried out of the shop.

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