Chapter 10: The Little Merchant – Part 1

“Mmm—this milk is so delicious~!”

Sena swayed happily, a blissful smile on her face, a streak of white froth forming a playful mustache around her lips.

Drinking the fresh milk from our garden—whether cow or goat—had become a cherished part of our mornings. There was something about the taste, something pure and vibrant, that store-bought milk could never match. It was a small ritual, but one that made the start of each day feel quietly magical.

“But the bread isn’t really all that good…” Sena said, wrinkling her nose.

“Well, that’s to be expected. Even if we can grow wheat, we don’t have the means to bake proper bread at home,” I replied.

We could produce all the wheat and barley we wanted, no problem. But baking bread required an oven designed for it—something a typical household would never have. So every morning, our bread had to be bought from outside.

“Then why don’t we just sell our wheat to a bakery?” Sena suggested, a spark of practical optimism in her voice.

“I see… that’s an idea,” I said thoughtfully.

Yet, a shadow of concern lingered. Anii had once cautioned me sternly:

“It’s better if as few people as possible know about this extraordinary garden of ours.”

“Why’s that?”

“Think about it. If people find out you can produce endlessly delicious ingredients, there might be those who try to take advantage of it.”

“Take advantage?”

“For example… someone could kidnap you and force you to produce ingredients forever.”

“Hmm… but this is a home garden. They couldn’t replicate it anywhere else, right? At least, I’ve never tried.”

“True, but it never hurts to be cautious.”

So, for now, we limited our produce to being supplied only to Alicia’s shop.

“Excuse me~!”

A voice rang from the direction of the entrance, yanking my attention back to the present.

“Onii-chan, someone’s here!” Sena called, peering curiously toward the doorway.

“I wonder who it could be,” I murmured.

I opened the front door, and standing there was a remarkably petite figure.

Most likely, a member of the Popit tribe. The Popit people were small even in adulthood—roughly the size of ten-year-old children—and were sometimes called the “dwarf tribe.”

They weren’t well-suited to combat, but they were reputed to be intelligent, shrewd, and often successful in business.

“Hello-oo! Pleased to meet you~!” the small visitor chirped.

“Um… may I ask who you are?”

“I’m Lilcarlia, at your service~! I’m a merchant, you see~!”

“A merchant?”

“Yes~! Actually, you may have heard, but the nearby ‘Lulukas-tei’ has recently become very famous for its delicious food~!”

Lulukas-tei was the name of Alicia’s shop, which also carried the legacy of her father, the previous owner.

“I had the chance to try it myself~ and, oh my, it was absolutely delightful! I was completely amazed~!”

“So… why are you here at my house?”

“Well, you see~ I wondered where they source their ingredients, so I kept an eye on the shop~. That’s when… um—”

“Ah, my name’s Geo,” I interjected.

“Ah! That’s when I happened to spot you, Geo-san~!”

Ah, so that’s how she found out that I supply ingredients to Alicia’s shop.

“But, from the outside, it just looks like an ordinary house~,” Lilcarlia added, tilting her head in curiosity as she examined my home.

“Ordinary house…?” I repeated, unsure.

Her head tilt was adorable, yet her eyes—sharp and probing—made it clear she wasn’t fooled.

“I… wonder what this is about?” I said hesitantly.

“In my estimation~ I suspect it might be the power of a Gift~,” she said knowingly.

Her eyes gleamed sharply, like a cat catching sight of prey.

“Fufu~ I was just testing the waters, but it seems I hit the mark~!” she said, amusement lacing her voice.

“Ah!” I flinched.

“You’re very easy to read, Geo-san. Be careful not to get tricked~,” she teased.

“Ugh…”

She had already taken complete control of the conversation, yet she didn’t know the true extent of my Gift.

“No, no~ there’s no need to be so wary~. I have no intention of deceiving you, Geo-san~. We Popit always uphold honest business practices~,” she said, her tone light and sincere.

“Really?” I asked skeptically.

“Yes~. As you can see, we are a physically weak tribe~. To protect ourselves, we must cultivate allies. That means we never do anything that would harm our own standing~,” she explained.

Indeed, I had never heard anything bad about the Popit people. Their reputation was likely a product of consistent, careful effort.

“If you’re still worried~ we can make a magical contract,” she added.

“Magical contract?”

“It binds the promises we make with magic~. Many cannot keep confidentiality otherwise~,” she explained.

“That sounds… a little scary,” I admitted.

“Oh no~! It’s perfectly safe~. In fact, it’s a common practice in the Merchant Guild~. It protects not only trade secrets but personal information, like the details of Gifts~. Even nobles use it for their servants or attendants~,” she said matter-of-factly.

She produced a sheet of parchment seemingly from nowhere.

“This is to ensure information about Gifts is never leaked~,” she said.

“I see, I see,” I murmured.

“If you’re willing, Geo-san, we can make the contract and then discuss your Gift~,” she said kindly.

“Understood,” I said.

“Of course, you don’t have to decide right now~. You can consult family or friends first~,” she added gently.

“No, I’m fine,” I replied.

I wanted more people to enjoy the produce from our garden. I was naive in matters of business, and a con artist could easily take advantage. So having a professional merchant act as a go-between was a relief. Anii had warned me, but with someone trustworthy like her mediating, I could feel safe.

“Well, I’d suggest taking a little more time to think~,” Lilcarlia said, slightly flustered at my eagerness.

“I believe you are trustworthy, Lilcarlia-san, so I’m fine with this,” I said firmly.

“Of course, I guarantee my integrity~… But, very well~! If you trust me that much, I’ll do my best to meet your expectations~,” she said with determination.

“Thank you,” I said sincerely.

And so, I entered into a contract with Lilcarlia-san.

“Well then, I suppose I should show you my home garden first,” I said.

“Home garden~?”