The purchase deal went through. The properties sold by Mayor Bobby Blare at bargained price is actually a double storey commercial building that stretches along the eastern part of the old tow. In the past, Blare family built it to store military rations and equipments but it is now no longer necessary as they have more secure place for that. 

Merchant guild supplied us a dozen of mattresses and beds as well as basic furniture. 

Our businesses have not yet reached full swing but we have comfortable accommodation. 

I had forced the town guard, Brita to live in here, free of charge. 

At first, Brita was hesitant and stayed here reluctantly but now she loves it. 

Not only she saves on rental expenses, she also get free meal as well as female companions who she lacked in the past.

The old town is an urban area where the Lothering Town originally existed. There are many narrow and clustered sections around the place. A new city plan is underway. A water way is being built and there are plans to gradually shift the whole commercial section to this new side.

Still, the old town is centered around river and the castle and the plan is to utilize a waterway that is connected to the high-class residential areas, aristocratic houses, merchant houses so that it stretches out like the shape of a spider web encompassing the place.

Rather than walking in this town, it is characteristic of this town for the people to travel via the waterways using small gondola boats.

Lothering knights quarters which doubled as the stronghold for the Blare military is also within this old city. Furthermore, there are many mercenaries hanging out in the new town as there are many cheap inn’s, furthermore, there is a red-light district in the new town as well.

I have obtained permission to run set up my shop within the old town in the acquired building that covers a long line at the edge of eastern part of old town.

According to the Mayor, after being vacated by the military, the long block is divided into ten shop lots and are rented out to members of merchant guild. 

Until recently, half of the lots were occupied but the tenants had shifted to the much busier new town. 

We only occupy the middle lot as our dwelling area for the past week. In the second week, we have started to set up the other nine blocks. 

Hanabi welcomes me into the shop lot, this lot is located at the end of the block and is the only house on the long building. It seems that this was originally a merchant’s house and there is a large door facing the road with an exchange counter upon entering from the entrance.

The family members seemed to use the back door as there was a small path leading to the house that was located on the side of the entrance.

"Hiro-sama, judging from the smell, I feel like the place may have been a bakery of some sort."

Mirai appears from the back room and seems as if she has been exploring the place. Perhaps there is a lot dust as she is covered in it.

"Mirai, your hair is full of soot……"

"Ahh, I thrust my head inside one of the baking pots a while ago so…. Hanabi-ne, come take a look as well, do you think we can still use this?"

…….Oh, I see. Now that she mentions it I can understand. The moment I enter there is a space enough to fit several people and also several low shelves. The counter isn’t that tall either but had more depth to it.

If this was previously used as a bakery, I can understand it. If I redecorate this place a little bit, we should be able to use it as a store.

There is little light coming into this house. A bakery is supposed to show their goods so this would have been troublesome for them. No, perhaps they used the smell of the bread to draw customers in. 

When I look around, there is a second floor, moreover there is also a basement in the underground level below.

The front is the shopping area of the bakery, the back and narrow room is probably where the landlord would have been and the kitchen is the place where they place the bread burner……..If I adjust it just a little bit, I can probably pass it off as a production workshop.

The previous merchant had occupied three lots at the end of the building.

The fourth lot from the end seemed to have been used as a storage compartment, the walls are formed from a thin layer of stone so that it kept the moisture out, the room seems to have been soundproofed quite well.

Although there is a fair distance away from the waterway, it’s confirmed that the long block is connected to the underground waterway.

If a little work is done, it should be possible to make it easy to get in and out from this long building to the underground waterway.

On the face of things, our group is operating as merchant, registered as "Hiro Company". 

And behind the scenes, I am gathering resources and information so that I can decide my future move.

To be honest, it’s also good if Sylvia and Ivanna can take care of the transparent side of things, as clerks and communicators. 

Even if I mention the word gathering information, I am more like a parasite living in this town. My main goal is to simply live nicely whilst being hidden from any dangers. At least that’s the goal for now.

Cleaning up the room, setting up the furniture and arranging things so that the goods can be displayed for sale is what I should do next. Well it will probably take around a week before I can actually open up the business.

But then again, it’s necessary for me to build a big business and stockpile resources so in the end, I will still have to work to earn more money.While thinking about such things as I unpacked my luggage, I heard a voice coming from the street.

"……Oh? Have you moved here recently?"

Looking to see who it was, it is a lady that seems to be at the same age as Clementine. The quality of her clothes are quite fine, but it doesn’t really show much skin.

She is a little bigger than most women and it is obvious from the way she moves that she has received rigorous combat training in the past. Perhaps she is a mercenary or a knight, in any case she looks rather wealthy.

She has a bundle of brown hair going down towards her shoulders and her facial features are balanced. Rather than saying that she is cute, it is more accurate to say this girl is dignified. Also rather than saying she is like a flower, her beauty is more akin to a stone sculpture.

"Yeah, I am thinking of setting up a shop from today. For various reasons, I have decided to settle in Lothering."

I show her a business like smile. I am not sure what this woman’s background is, but it’s likely that she thinks I’m just an ordinary citizen. I don’t want to raise any suspicions needlessly.

"Indeed, this neighborhood is certainly suitable for opening a business…. The last store was a bakery; what type of store do you plan on opening? If it’s alright, would you be so kind as to let me know?"

Ahh, she’s probably asking me merely due to her own curiosity. She is polite and I don’t sense any malicious intent. From her tone of voice, she seems to be a person that with a difficult occupation.

…….If I got unlucky, she might even be a knight or a soldier working with the government.