Chapter 12 –  First Negotiations

“Please… buy my most precious possession(, the stationery that I brought from my old world)!”

The moment I finished saying this, the dining hall that had been noisy until now, fell quiet.
It seems that I was a little impatient with my money raising, and said it in a louder voice than expected.
When I looked at the Prince and the Squad Captain, the two of them were completely frozen for some reason.
Feeling gazes, I looked around the dining room, and found that all of the gazes in the room were focused on our table.
What’s the matter? While I was wondering this, I returned my gaze to the Prince who had finally broke free of his petrification, and opened his mouth a little panicked.

“S-, Sakura. You did certainly say that you were fifteen, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. No, I’m not making light of your resolution, but I think that sort of thing should be, something you treasure a, little more you see.”

He began speaking about something I couldn’t understand at all.
The Squad Captain beside the Prince nodded anxiously as well.
Having seemingly heard our conversation, I could hear from the other tables,

“Fifteen? Can’t be. However you look at her she’s a child… But I don’t think the Prince would lie and…”

and the like.
This again? I am not a child.
Wondering what everybody was so flustered about, thinking it was odd I looked at the Prince when the innkeeper came running out from the kitchen, before hugging me.
What is this? Or so I was wondering, when I looked up at the innkeeper and found that they were glaring at the Prince like they would an insect.

“You. Just because you’re a prince, you were going to buy the body of such a small child!? Taking advantage of a person’s weakness and doing something so cruel to them, even if you’re a prince I won’t forgive you!”

Eh? What are they talking about?
By ‘small child’, they probably mean me. I look quite small after all. But buying my body? How did that appear?

“No, I didn’t say a thing about that! On the contrary, I tried to stop her!”

The Prince retorted flustered.
Wondering how the topic turned into this, I once more thought back on the conversation up until now.

…

……

………

Ah-…

“Wait, wait a moment! I didn’t say that I would be selling my body! My belongings! I only meant that I wanted to sell my belongings!”

I unconsciously screamed out in panic.
The Prince and the innkeeper turned my way.
If I don’t quickly wrap this up, I think it’ll get perilous.

“Like I said! The ballpoint pen and one of the notebooks I showed you! I want to sell them!”

I exchanged glances with the Prince and the innkeeper while blathering on.

“I have not even the tiniest intention of doing what the innkeeper talked about!”

Screaming, my face was probably bright red from the shame. It’s extremely embarassing. I can feel the heat on my face.

“Really? You’re not lying, right?”

The innkeeper peered in on my face in worry.
Did it seem like I was lying to cover it up?

“It’s not a lie. It’s all right.”

Seemingly assenting to my words for now, the innkeeper returned to the kitchen, still looking a little worried for me.

“Don’t use such misleading words, geez…”

The Prince collapsed into the chair in a slump.
It seems that I had stood up at some point without my knowing, and while hiding my embarassment, I sat down.

“So, umm, I want to sell the ballpoint pen and one of the notebooks I showed you earlier… I’m fine with whatever you’re willing to pay.”

I’ve managed to avoid the trouble born from my choice in words, but that doesn’t mean my original problem has been solved. I resume negotiations.

“I don’t mind buying that, but are you sure? It’s not something you can get here you know?”

Well, even if I have it I’m not going to use it here. If I get back to Japan I’ll be able to easily buy them, so there’s no problem.

“Yes, I am sure. And so, how much can I be expecting for it?”

I straightened my posture on the chair, and asked about the price.

“Let’s see… It’s impossible to create something similar in this world after all, but the money I have on hand is… Once we get back I’ll be able to prepare quite a bit of money but…”

He’s muttering again, isn’t he.

“I’m fine with the price you name, so please tell me.”

It didn’t seem like we would get anywhere if I waited, so I pressed him to give me a price.
After all, the two of them together didn’t even cost me ¥200, right? Just enough to buy the spices is plenty. If I remember correctly, just 5 silver coins is enough to buy me all the spices I need at the moment.
Thinking such things while I waited, the price that the Prince gave me far exceeded my expectations.

“Let’s see, how about 3 gold coins? Unfortunately I don’t have that much on me at the moment. I do think it’s too cheap, but would that be enough?”

The Prince said such words while looking apologetic.
I’m panicked. A ballpoint pen and noteboot that didn’t even cost ¥200 in exchange for ¥300,000? Is this a joke? How much times my allowance is that?

“Ha? No, I mean… isn’t 3 gold coins too much? Yes, it’s too much, isn’t it?”

“It’s something made from technology from another world. I think that even 3 gold coins is too cheap. If I had the funds with me I could pay even more but… And Sakura, you need money right now, don’t you? I don’t think there’s a need for you to say it’s too high, though?”

Between the Prince who said this naturally, and I who knew the original price, I could feel a difference in our sense of value.
Certainly I do need money for my immediate living expenses. However. However, money that the Prince owns, is in other words, tax money from the citizens. Is it really fine just to slap out that much tax money on such a cheap(, to me,) thing? With 3 gold coins, if I don’t spend extravagantly, it would be enough to let me live without doing a thing for half a year. As I thought, it’s not money that I can accept.

“No, as expected, 3 gold coins is too much. Your money was originally the citizen’s tax money. Even without that, you’ve already paid for my inn fees. Just enough money for my shopping is fine. And so, I think you should avoid needlessly spending that tax money.”

Right now I need to really make this clear. If I don’t, I’ll feel guilty later.

“Mu, well you’re right, but… But I think that technology is wonderful. I actually think that even 10 gold coins would be fine, you know.”

Wai-, 10 gold coins, meaning ¥10,000,000? Over 5000 times the original price!?

“But if you have a problem with me using tax money, then I wonder what I should do. If it’s only money that I’ve earned myself, then all I can pay is a single gold coin though.”

When I was panicked about the difference in our sense of value, I heard the Prince say such things.
Is this where I should just give up? Even one gold coin is 500 times the value, but…

“Then let’s make it 1 gold coin. I think that even that much is too expensive, but… even if I say that, you would probably not lower it further, and I did say at the start that we would go with the price you gave after all. But, I really do feel that taking a gold coin is too much, so how about this? I’ll cook everybody’s breakfast and dinner tomorrow. Even if I look like this, I’m actually good at cooking. The cookies from earlier were made by me as well, you know?”

For now, I’ll pay it back with what I can do. At the very least, they said that the cookies were tasty, so my cooking should have enough value as well.

“You did? Then can I expect this much from you in cooking as well? Hmm, lunch is going to be preserved food or army rations anyway, after all. Can I leave it to you then?”

It seems that we’ve reached a deal.

“Yes. I shall do my best. I’d like to go shopping right this minute, so would that be all right?”

I don’t know what time the shops are open until, but I think it might already be 7. If I don’t hurry, they’ll close.

“Yeah, I’ll take the ballpoint pen and notebook later. You need money for the shopping, right? Take this.”

The Prince produced silver coins from that generous pocket of his, and handed it over.

“This is all I have on me at the moment. The rest is in my room. As for the rest, we can trade when you get back.”

The silver coins in my hand numbered more than 20. With this, I’ll have no problems with shopping.

“Thank you very much. Well then, I shall be going.”

I gave my thanks as I left my seat, and then after asking the innkeeper where the shops were, I headed towards the general store.