After a family discussion, we decided to call the Explorer’s Guild directly.
「Hello, this is the Inaka Explorer’s Guild.」
「Hi, this is Naoki Morita. I’m the one who brought the vegetables the other day.」
「Ah, Naoki-san! It’s been a while.」
The voice on the other end belonged to the receptionist who always handled things. If anyone could provide clarity about that wholesaler, it would be her.
「Thank you again for the vegetables the other day! That was the first time I’ve ever had tomatoes so fresh and juicy. The lettuce stayed crisp for days; I could eat it every day!」
It seemed the vegetables were well-received within the Guild. But could an organization that appreciated them so much really resort to such heavy-handed tactics?
「So, um, earlier today, a wholesaler came by asking to buy the vegetables. I had to decline for personal reasons, but they said refusing a Guild request made me unpatriotic.」
「I’m terribly sorry to hear that. It seems someone associated with the Explorer’s Guild has caused you trouble. Could you share the company or the individual’s name?」
Now that she mentioned it, the wholesaler never actually introduced himself or his company.
「Uh… I was so irritated at the time that I forgot to ask.」
「Hehe, that’s understandable. Still, may I share something that might clear things up?」
「Of course.」
「The Explorer’s Guild is only permitted to make requests through businesses in times of genuine crisis.」
「What does that mean exactly?」
「For instance, when monsters are spilling out of a dungeon and an evacuation is needed, or when we require supplies for emergency relief—those are examples.」
If what she said was true, then the wholesaler from yesterday had lied.
Why were they so desperate to acquire those vegetables under false pretenses?
「There are some unscrupulous individuals who misuse the Guild’s name. If anyone claiming to represent us approaches you in the future, feel free to decline outright.」
「Understood.」
Having heard this directly from the Guild, I felt a bit lighter. It had never crossed my mind that someone would misuse the Explorer’s Guild’s name to cause trouble.
「Also, if anything dangerous comes up, don’t hesitate to contact us. A Guild-affiliated explorer will come immediately to help.」
「Hahaha, as much as I’d love that, it’d still take over an hour to get here from the Guild.」
「What? You live that far away, Naoki-san? Aw, that’s a bummer. Guess I won’t see you very often then.」
Her voice carried a teasing tone, and I could almost picture her pouting through the phone. It sounded like she was eager for another excuse to visit—probably for more of those vegetables.
「Ah! My boss is here. I’ll let you go, but do call us again if anything comes up!」
She hung up abruptly, her hasty demeanor leaving me chuckling.
「Papa?」
「Oh, are you all ready?」
「Yeah!」
Unlike her usual overalls, today Dori was wearing a cute combination of a shirt and skirt.
「Alright, let’s do our best for your first day as a vendor!」
「Yeah!」
We decided to sell the flowers Dori had made at the local farmer’s market. Selling vegetables still wasn’t an option, so this was more like a practice run.
With Grandma joining us, we could even prepare flower bouquets on the spot if needed. Both Dori and I were a bit nervous—it was our first time doing anything like this.
After loading up the car with flowers, we set off for the market.
♢
-POV change-
Elsewhere, in a company office, two men were in discussion.
「So, how did it go?」
「Listen to this. There was this incredibly stubborn old man and his idiot grandson who just flat-out refused to cooperate. They wouldn’t even hear me out.」
「Oh? Even when you dropped the Explorer’s Guild name?」
「Exactly! I thought using the Guild’s name would seal the deal. But nope. And to top it off, my brand-new luxury shoes got covered in mud. Absolute worst day.」
The men had been hoping to strong-arm their way into acquiring the vegetables by invoking the Guild’s name. Instead, they had clearly underestimated the resolve of the producers they were dealing with.
「Hahaha, looks like you’ve got a lot to learn.」
「Then how about you go next time, Chief Abo? They’ve definitely memorized my face by now.」
「Cleaning up after my subordinates is practically my specialty.」
The older man smirked confidently, as if reveling in his own ability to handle such messes.
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