57 Zeal
Meanwhile, two guards bringing a pulling cart with them came.
"We might need to ask for your presence at the guard station for further confirmation at later date. We hope for your cooperation. If you'll excuse us."
After saying that, six people carried Zolden to the cart and left.
I saw them off while spacing out and saying, 'Had no idea corpses were that heavy.'
Then Aryl sighed 'Haaa' loudly next to me.
"Okay! Let's keep at it!"
Her face still looked pale, still missing the color of blood.
Nevertheless, I could only respect her spirited figure regardless if it was a bravado or came from a true mercantile spirit.
(What an ardent zeal...)
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
After the last two trouble, we had zero visitor afterward. Not even one.
Due to the spot being this bad, Aryl went to the main street to attract customers while leaving me to tend the store.
Yet no one would come. According to her, once any interested customer found out where her store was, they all ran off like they were avoiding it.
Even she went gloom after that and said this.
"Wonder if there's some shady history at this location..."
She cast her eyes down and muttered, 'Wonder if it's my luck...'
The allotment of locations is random by the association, and there have been cases of bad luck like this.
Apparently you can ask for a change of location the next day, in fact most merchants would ask for it right away. Though they'd need to pay for the labor, change of date and draught reissue.
She surely would have never thought she'd experience that in the very first day. I couldn't stand to watch her down so I tried encouraging her.
"It's the end of the line if you give up now."
"You're right! I'm sure customers will come once they realize the quality of my goods! I've gotta keep it together!"
(What's with this rapid change of mood... From just that, she's way too positive...)
A question popped up on my mind. So I asked.
"Will it cause trouble if we move somewhere near the street, not this far back?"
'Ah', she got down again and answered my question.
"We can't, or more like. We'd receive a penalty. Also, doing that would make my reputation plummet at the association. Then bad rumors will spread and other merchants will stop doing business with me. It's like cutting the 'String' that connects you to profit yourself. I can't do that."
"No problem so long as they don't find out, or I guess not. They probably have some watchdogs around huh."
"Apparently there's this so called inspection team. Though it's just a highly credible rumor. No one has come across them for real, or more like. There was once this corrupt merchant whose evidence of his corruption was brought to the association, but nobody knows who did it. It came as a huge shock in the business world when that merchant was banished forever from the association and arrested by the government official. That case kind of sealed the deal it's not just a rumor."
Aryl had a mixed emotion from that scary story and the lack of customers.
A while later, just as we were about to give up, the [Third One] for today showed up.
However, these [Customers] clearly have a different air on them compared to the [Second One].
At this time, I was none the wiser that this incident would bring about a huge change to Aryl's life.
The only impression I had in mind then was, 'A new type of thugs showed up.'