"Brill, wake up. It's already the afternoon! You didn't eat breakfast so at least be in time for dinner."

Hmm? Is that chatterbox? Are you up already? Well if it is the afternoon then its normal to be up. First is victor then you, why can't you let me relax in peace.

Leave me alone, I want to rest for a bit more. I'm not tired because of my passive but when you exert yourself as much as what I did yesterday, you need to relax like this or your sanity points would go down.

Call it a cheat day or somehing but there are times you need to be lazy like this.

"You can't stay in the bed all day like this. We only have a couple of days before we return. Make the best of this trip. Do you know how dangerous the travel to and from this island?"

Of course I know, We all know. I was there in the trip and unlike you, I actually helped defend the carriage on our trip here.

"Oh, maybe you went to the red-light district and got rejected after you professed your love to the prostitute? I'm right, aren't I?"
"That is you, you spoiled, stamina deficient, son of a merchant!!! If not for all the money you poured into her establishment, I am sure she won't coddle you into going back there!"
"I already got over that! hahaha"

Tsk, when did that happen. I guess it's normal, it has been a long time since that happened.

"So what is happening that you ruined my relaxation time?"
"I heard from the arena storekeepers that they are having a title match tonight. They invited me to watch and even provided me a royalty booth!! I already invited the whole class and the teacher. Now come on and get ready."
"If you invited everyone then why mention me being late to dinner?"
"I tried mentioning it to you around noon but you didn't even react. I figured someone with a bottomless hunger like you will react if I mention food first."

Hmm, now that you mention it. I heard him saying about a big thing that you invited the whole class to watch but I was thinking of a new-type of armour against multiple opponents. Having a good defensive armour was great during that fight since they could barely damage me. Thanks to my strength, I could move with relative agility and my high stamina basically removed most of the demerits.

It was good and all but I want something that could help me attack enemies as it defends. Fighting with a blunt weapon takes too much time against a group. It was alright at that time since I was buying time but if the enemy had reinforcements, it would just buy them time and I would be placed in a disadvantage again. I really wonder why those magicians didn't come help, I was saving magic at that time in case they came and help too.

Maybe something like spikes on the back but things could get stuck there. I know, I can curve those spikes so it would slash rather than pierce. It should blend in the armour if I make it in the shape of a wing! The maintenance of it would be annoying though and it doesn't exactly work if the enemies I'm fighting against armoured enemies, or any monsters back in my home continent. Now that I think about it, the wings would make me top heavy and easily unbalanced.

"..ll...rill.....brill!!"
"Hmm, what? I wasn't listening?"
"I was asking if you want to go shopping before we go to the arena."
"Hmm, I would like to but I don't have any money right now..... Actually, I might have some things I could do to earn a bit of money. What time is it?"
"It's just after high noon, maybe 2:00 P.M. The title match doesn't start until 10:00 P.M. tonight."
"Alright, I will be back in an hour, wait for me here."

I invested all the gold that the human continent royalty gave me to that kid but I think I may be able to get more. I mean, it is for my 'good will' for them. If they want to buy my likability then I would let them. If it reaches a certain point, I may actually make items for them, whether they work on dragons or not are still up for debate though. Actually, even if it does work on dragons, there is a good chance that the hero has some fail-safe's in place for such a thing. The fact that there are descendants hunting for the blessed leather set is a proof of this. Heck, even the temple left here at the central island that has multiple ways to pass and fail is another. Also, that tree branch outside the walls should be connected to one of their plans.

Interacting to anything that is left by the heroes is a massive gamble that I don't want to be a part of.

"Well then, I'll be back. Get your things ready, I want to pick up some food to eat at the title match. There is no way I am paying for that overpriced garbage they call food nor that ridiculous piss of a beer they call alcohol"
"I know, that is why I invited you and victor to go shopping. They wanted to be my family's business partner so I researched their merchandise a bit. They 'are' authentic hero food and it follows the recipe completely but the ingredients are very sub-par. Even the drinks are watered down too much."
"Does this mean your family won't do business with them?"
"It depends on how much profit we can make off them of course. If they tinker the things we sell them then we would adjust the price accordingly. This business isn't going to affect our reputation in the dwarf continent so we don't need to care about the end-consumer."
"This is why I can't trust merchants. Wait, won't this be a problem with the island rules?"
"Apparently, the hero made the price for everything sold on the arena fixed. It won't change no matter what. It was fair during the hero's time but over time the business owners got greedy. I found the biggest change in profits when the price of ingredients went down. After that generation, even when the price of ingredients stabilized the profits just went up, so they must be cutting corners some more. They can't change the recipe or the cooking method since that is also a fixed point by the hero but everything else is up in the air."
"How did you know about this?"
"I did my research, of course. There are a lot of places here where you can buy information. Remember, when the island was first established. Every continent was wary of the others, so they collect information on everyone. The hero might have officially started the food business but the oldest trade here are information brokers."

As always, merchant has the most scary connections. Actually, can't they double as the information broker themselves?

*Clack* *Clack* *Clack* *Clack*

"Good Afternoon, Happy to have you on board the centibus again."
"Does this centibus go to the centre?"
"Yes, climb on board."

I really like this centibus. Too bad they don't sell this like some sort of car. I should buy a mount when I return to the continent. A rhino would be good since I could attached a carriage to have it pull but I heard those are expensive, not to mention I have to take care of it too. I'll check my options once I get back.

"We missed you today, mister smith."
"Are you tiring to be some kind of assassin or something? Dressing in a cloak like that and ambushing people at the centibus."

Ah, that shocked me. Hearing the princess whisper that behind you like that is making my skin crawl. Don't ever do that again, I almost yelped. I was fishing for you lot to appear but that was seriously brought up flashbacks to my butler days.

"Hmm, I thought you would like something like this. You disappeared from the city last night."
"Hee, now that we are cooperating, you want to monitor my every move? Afraid that I will send you a fake or something? Don't forget that what you want is an opportunity. You are investing money on me to be a great craftsman, so I would give you all a chance to make custom order request to me. It all depends on my feeling when we reach that point in time, not to mention the fact that we are on the island where such a thing like cheating the other party isn't allowed. Are you an idiot or something?"
"It looks like I got more of a reaction than I thought. Do you have something to hide?"
"An interrogation now? It looks like you found a more subservient blacksmith to invest in. Are you here to tell me I'm not needed anymore?"

How much do they know? I don't mind them knowing about my history on the dwarf continent since I never did anything to connect my life now to sebastian. My biggest problem is if they found out about the kid.

I don't want them to keep him under surveillance. I need him to be detached to everything I need to do. Otherwise, my previous life and even the future ones may be traced. Actually, the 'organization' might be the ones who will be traced but that is still troublesome for me.

I don't have to worry about the kid since he is pretty reclusive but his successors might be swayed into revealing everything. They might only know about nonsense but I can't be too sure because there is that organization made by the hero's descendants.

"It's not like that, I was just worried that our business partner went missing."
"-Worried that your investment would be lost so soon?"
"It might be hard on the ears but we are a merchant company. We would be sad to lose you but we can't exactly grind everything to a halt just because of a single person. It's not about us in the management since the first to feel the effects would be those on the lower ranks of the company."
"I really doubt a company built by the royal family of the human continent would face a loss because of an investment. Looking at the amount you invested into me, it isn't enough to even consider as a pocket money for you people."
"..."

Ah, she got shocked. The prince even switched places with the princes, shielding her from me. He's a good brother as far as I can see. The saint is just plain shocked but the really dangerous one here is the head maid. I see something shining at her hands and I am sure those things will come flying to me if I make a wrong move. However, considering where we are and the rules in place here. As long as I don't intentionally provoke them, I can say whatever I want and they can't use force because they would be annihilated by the kraken.

"Calm down everyone, we are at the central island. We and our guest here can't do anything that would substantially damage anyone. It looks like you really did do something shady when you disappeared. Did you ask your friend, bell from the bargain merchant company?"
"I'm not sure, maybe you can ask your head maid at the back. It looks like she can't bear it anymore."

They probably think that while they have their attention on me, I let chatterbox investigate about them. I'll let them speculate all they want. I really doubt it would inconvenience their business since, from what I saw this morning, they like to gather information into any potential business. This means they are used to other people finding intel on them.

"Since we know each other better now, let us be straight with each other. Will you help us in the future?"
"If it's only for simple things then I could do business with you. That much won't be a problem."

Be content with kitchen knives and plain old swords. That is as much as I can allow. hehehe

"Even with the amount of money we gave you, only simple orders?"
"Don't underestimate the dwarf continent! Unlike the human continent where most of the hero's stayed. Our continent has expenses that your people would take for granted."
"I see, then if I gave you this much, can you reach a level of craftsmanship that could take on 'large' creatures?"

Each one of them are carrying bulging bags of gold. I don't know the full amount but that is enough for me to use it like a third generation wastrel and still have some leftover.

"Of course that is enough, that is more than enough. Give me ten years and I can reach that level. Give me five more then I can reach the best, just bellow the heroes."

You can kill large monsters with my weapons. The dwarf continent is full of those so called large monsters after all. Worms, rhinos, toads, and golems. You can be content with weapons that could kill them, right? I really doubt it would hurt a monster at the level of a dragon though but I can imagine what type of loses you would incur on your attempt.

The coup d'etat that happened when I was 'sebastian' might have been faked. I spent a long time thinking about it and I am somewhat sure you did that to get rid of the ambitious nobles that sought power after the hero king died. However, I wonder who would support you when the righteous noble can no longer ignore your reckless action of provoking the guarding dragons. hehehe

"I see, then our stop is coming up. I look forward to the time we can conduct business."
"Until then, I just hope you won't consider this as me being your employee or the like."
"Of course not, your status is considered something equal to us in this deal."
"The same level as the children of a great hero, huh."
"You must be a fan, It was something my father did before he died so, sorry it can't be customized, but do you want an autograph?"

An autograph? From the father of the princess that basically tormented me when I was working in the palace? No thank you!!

"Huh, what are you talking about? I don't want such a thing. Where did you get the idea that I was a fan?"
"Hmm? Aren't you going to the hero's temple because you are a fan? We found out that you went there first the first day that you arrive at the island."

Just for that? I mean I am curious since I should be the current hero and that is a place of interest to me. All the blessed gear should be stored there along with whatever message the hero who created it has. Wait, I can use this to my advantage.

"Of course I would go there. The hero brought forth many innovations whenever they appear. I want to be inspired by the place to create new designs and such."
"I see, if inspiration is all you needed then we have a few weapons design my father did but could never create stored somewhere in the palace. Do yo want a copy of them?"
"I don't need them. If the hero can't create it means that he doesn't have the necessary materials to make it. I don't have access to their level of power so rather than inspiring me, it would only block my path."

This way, they would think I am someone who wants to reach the height of my craft and single-mindlessly pursuing that goal. This would also teach them that I am only using their money to reach that goal and it won't sway me from it. It's a good thing I kept a straight face when the flashed all that money too.

It's a ridiculous amount for a normal person but I saw much more gold, much more than I could ever imagine possible outside of a dream. As the princess who was left in charge while his brother adventures and play merchant, she handles the continent's economy. I went with her check on the treasury a couple of times too. Those glittering golden river along with the fancy weapons and armour shocked me for days, when I first saw it.

*Clack* *Clack* *Clack *Clack*

"It looks like we are here. Once again, till we meet again."

And they finally left, I have a bit of time. Maybe I can find the kid again before I go shopping for the title match later.