Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 150

Although I was relaxed and enjoying the conversation with Cecilia, I couldn’t spend too much time chatting leisurely.

Even if I had no plans afterward, Cecilia had her duties as a store manager to attend to.

I felt a bit guilty for taking up her time with small talk, so I decided to get straight to business.

“Well, I’ll go ahead with the delivery of the Aromashrooms.”

“Please.”

“First, I’ll give you the four types mentioned in the direct request.”

“You managed to collect all four types?”

Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise when I told her that I had collected all four varieties.

“Just to be sure, I’d like you to confirm their authenticity as well.”

From my fake bag, I took out the Lavender, Rosemary, Grapefruit, and Orange Aromashrooms, each carefully placed in a case.

“Let me verify them.”

Cecilia opened the cases and carefully examined the Aromashrooms, taking in their scents.

“They are indeed genuine. I didn’t expect you to deliver all four types. It’s challenging to identify the specific varieties of Aromashrooms because there are so many different scents.”

“While it’s difficult to distinguish the subtle differences solely by scent, I have the Appraisal skill, which helps me identify them accurately.”

“That’s reassuring. It’s rare to find an adventurer who can identify and collect the specific varieties of Aromashrooms I request. I would appreciate it if we could continue working together in the future.”

Among the scents, there were fine distinctions, such as Rose, Red Rose, and Lazise Rose.

They may seem similar, but the colors and scents are subtly different.

Cecilia, as a professional aromatherapist, might be able to distinguish them by appearance and scent, but for someone unfamiliar with them, it could be challenging.

During my collection, I had also developed a sense for differentiating the varieties, but at my current level, it would be difficult to claim that I could identify them without the skill.

However, I aspired to reach a level where I could do so without relying on skills.

“Thank you. By the way, I have other varieties of Aromashrooms as well. Are there any specific scents you’re interested in? I can deliver them for an additional fee.”

“Really!? If possible, I’d like to have as many varieties as you can provide.”

As indicated in the quest details, Cecilia seemed eager to obtain as many types of Aromashrooms as possible.

“I don’t have all of them with me, but there are over forty varieties. Is that alright with you?”

“Over forty types!?”

Cecilia, who had been maintaining an elegant smile, suddenly exclaimed in a strange voice.

“…I apologize. I was so surprised that I raised my voice…”

Realizing that she had spoken loudly, Cecilia coughed and blushed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not bothered by it. And no, you didn’t mishear.”

“Wait, wait a moment. Let me write down the scents I want.”

Cecilia hastily grabbed a notepad and began writing down the Aromashrooms varieties she desired, as if to emphasize her point.

With over forty varieties, the total cost would be considerable.

It was unlikely that she could afford to purchase all of them at once, so she was probably selecting only the ones she truly wanted.

“Do you have these varieties?”

After a while, Cecilia handed me a list of the Aromashrooms she desired.

There were probably about ten varieties on the list.

“Yes, I have all of them.”

“Really!? In that case, I’d like one of each of these, please!”

“Alright, I’ll bring them to you right away.”

Normally, I would prefer to postpone this for another day, but Aromashrooms tends to deteriorate over time.

Since I was storing them in my magic bag, it wasn’t an issue for me, but Cecilia didn’t know that, and I hadn’t informed her. It was a bit troublesome, but I had no choice.

“Before I went to collect the materials, I came across an intriguing Aromashroom and I was wondering if you’d like to take a look at it.”

“An intriguing Aromashroom? I’d be delighted to see it.”

“This one here.”

As Cecilia tilted her head in curiosity, I took out the Aromashroom with the scent of black pepper from my fake bag.

“Thi-this…! It’s a variety of Aromashroom I’ve never seen before!”

“Yes, this one is…”

“Wait, please. Let me try to guess the scent myself.”

As I opened my mouth to explain, Cecilia stopped me.

As a professional aromatherapist, she wanted to identify it herself, and I understood her desire. So, despite knowing the answer, I decided to observe quietly.

Cecilia slightly opened the case and sniffs it with her sensitive nose.

“Could this be… pepper?”

She seemed unsure, even though she had a guess.

I could relate to her feelings, as I had felt the same way when I found it in the forest.

“That’s correct. To be precise, it’s said to have the scent of black pepper.”

“I had no idea there was an Aromashroom with such a scent. I thought I had a comprehensive knowledge of the varieties found in this area…”

She frowned, her well-shaped thin eyebrows furrowing, perhaps frustrated that there was an unknown Aromashroom scent in her field of expertise.

“Was this one found in the vicinity?”

“The specific collection method is a secret, but it can be found in this area. Apparently, it’s not widely circulated in Grantel.”

Well, the location where it grew was more important than the collection method, but I didn’t intend to explain that in detail.

After observing the Aromashroom for a while, Cecilia straightened her expression and looked at me directly.

“Shuu-san, could I also purchase this Aromashroom from you?”

“Sure.”

“Really!?

Cecilia seemed taken aback, as if she had expected me to hesitate or negotiate.

“I thought you might say that, so I collected about three of them.”

While I was a material collector, I didn’t have a hobby of hoarding unnecessary amounts of materials.

If there was someone who wanted the materials or could make good use of them, I would gladly hand them over without hesitation.

Of course, I could only afford to be this generous when I had secured my own share, as in this case.

When I showed her the second Aromashroom, Cecilia was stunned and let out a soft laugh.

“As expected of Grantel’s top collector.”

♦ ♦ ♦

For now, having delivered the four Aromashroom varieties requested in the direct quest, I decided to leave the store to prepare the additional varieties.

However, since everything was already in my magic bag, all I needed to do was transfer them to different containers in a secluded spot, and the preparation would be complete.

There was no need to return to the inn, but if I went back to Cecilia too soon, she might become suspicious about where I had obtained the materials. So, I needed to kill some time.

I could report the completion of the direct request to the guild, but since I would pass by the guild on my way back to the inn, there was no rush to do it immediately.

“Hmm? You’re back?”

As I was thinking about killing time by taking a casual walk, someone called out to me.

“Ah, Klaus.”

Turning towards the voice, I saw Klaus, the apothecary noble.

He must have been out shopping, as a paper bag he was carrying revealed glimpses of groceries.

“Is your business at Mount Ladeo finished?”

“Yeah. I just got back after taking care of it.”

Apparently, he knew that I had gone to Mount Ladeo for the direct request.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“I’m about to deliver additional materials to a nearby aromatherapy store. Well, it’s just a matter of transferring them from my magic bag, though.”

“I see. So, you’re killing time in the meantime.”

Klaus, who knew about my magic bag, seemed to quickly grasp the situation.

As I was explaining, my stomach growled.

“…What’s wrong with you? Are you hungry?”

Klaus frowned at the sound coming from my stomach.

“I got so caught up in collecting that I forgot to eat…”

“Then why don’t you use this free time to grab a bite?”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate to bring the scent of food to a store that specializes in aromas, would it?”

The recipient of the delivery was Cecilia, who likely had a keen sense of smell.

If I returned with the scent of street food lingering on me, even if she didn’t get angry, she might wonder what I had been up to.

“Then, you should eat something that doesn’t have a strong smell. Here.”

Klaus handed me a bread roll from the paper bag.

It was a round buttered bread, not only with the scent of wheat but also a sweet buttery fragrance.

It was still slightly warm, indicating that it hadn’t been long since it was baked.

“You’re giving this to me?”

“Why else would I hand it to you?”

Klaus wore an expression that seemed to say, “Isn’t that obvious?”

“Thank you, I’ll gladly take it.”

Indeed, bread wouldn’t leave as strong a scent as other foods.

Street food tended to be heavily seasoned, but with something like this bread, the scent would be more subtle. At the very least, it wouldn’t be as impolite as bringing the smell of grilled beef skewers with me.

I took a bite of the buttered bread that Klaus had given me.

The fluffy bread dough, combined with the buttery fragrance, created a simple yet satisfying flavor, especially since I was hungry.

“I have a request for some materials I’d like you to collect. Come by when you have some free time.”

“Sure, I’ll drop by to hear more about it.”

I replied to Klaus, who had already turned his back to me while I put the butter bread in my mouth.