"Oh, ba. The merchant is coming."

Sari Bali is talking with Ben about such things.

"Auntie? What do they have?"

"I don't know."

Yup, I heard Sari Bali's stupidity.

Even so it is a merchant…

Although I can't say it's complete, our home is pretty self-sufficient. We are able to completely gather food and tools. Well, I just have to buy clothes, but usually I get it when the peddlar's wagon comes in once a month, and if I needed anything else, I'd put out a request with him.

That's why it doesn't matter if I have any connections with the general goods stall. Although it's still good to touch base with the grocery stalls as they work the cas.h.i.+er every day.

Certainly, if I went down there, I could at least meet them. Well, I might as well give a greeting.

I headed over to the general shop while thinking about that.

Since it's next door, it won't take more than a few seconds.

"h.e.l.lo~"

Because it is a general store in a rural village, the shop itself is only about ten tatami mats large, and the selection of items is not abundant, but if you live in the village, it's a necessity.

… Most purchases at the general goods store involve trading one item for another, so the things found at the shop reflect that…

So, I will just greet the person who is standing behind the counter because I have no other interest to be there.

"Is something wrong if you're calling me out?"

"No, I don't need anything."

I show a smile to a good-looking woman who could be called a proper country lady.

We don't know each other well, but even in a small village failing to talk to your neighbors can influence things.

"Well, what can I do for you?"

Communication is important, but my communication skill is not high enough to keep me from talking to her. It's kind of a mental attack…

"Do you have any meat yet?"

"Meat? Well, there is some, but why are you asking about meat?"

The general store is a general store after all, it's not a grocery store. Well, adventurers will come and request preserved foods, but they don't handle anything that would be put on a kitchen table. Can't really speak for the city (stores) —, but because of the size of this village, the street venders are enough. Another thing is the barter system.

"Have you heard that a merchant s.h.i.+p entered the harbor?"

"Oh, I was hungry at the Sea Dragon and managed to overhear that."

"The people of the merchant s.h.i.+p buy up food every day. Vegetables are fine, but the meat won't last long enough."

Well, I don't know much about sailing, but knowing s.h.i.+pping ranges it'd be five to seven days by s.h.i.+p. They can load it with all sorts of things, but mostly it'd have to be rockhard bread, root vegetable soup, and dried meat.

It seems to me that the food preservation technology in this era is rather low. Bottling technology barely exists, as bottles are very expensive and small. Moreover, they are very easy to crack. You might be able to use them at home, but they'd be inconvenient to take on a voyage. It works far better just to pack in barrels.

"When did you first see the merchant s.h.i.+p?"

"About three days ago."

"So, there had been no problems so far?"

"Problems? What problems?"

The pretty lady tilted her head. Well, you could call her a bit of a wild card at a general store like this.

"I don't know much about merchant s.h.i.+ps, but I do know that with a merchant s.h.i.+p, that could carry anywhere from two to thirty people. If there were forty people added to the village, the longer they stay the faster the food would decrease. I think with fis.h.i.+ng no one will go hungry, but other foods will surely decrease as well. If you divide the vegetables up, not everyone would be able to vegetables in their home. Of course, a person could go pick some mountain vegetables, but who would go? Who would sow the barley then, a child or an adventurer? I don't know everyone's food circ.u.mstances, but I know a bit about what houses can afford. What will tomorrow be like, I wonder who will have enough food."

There is not enough food in the village at the moment to cover a large number of people. This same problem can happen when a large caravan arrives.

"… that's a big problem…"

"It will depend on the skills of the mayor on whether it will be or not."

I do not have any authority on my part, even with the other kids. Well, it doesn't hurt to ask, it's not like I don't care. I like this village. I had an attachment here. The people who live here are preferred. But the most important thing is family. If it comes to family or other people, I will choose family without hesitation.

"-I can't take it any longer!"

I grab the hem of the skirt and wave it like someone in a bullfight before darting out of the store.

Oh, and the mayor isn't really stupid, so I think we'll manage somehow.