And in the most literal sense possible,
The owner's beady little green eyes, already nearly squeezed into slits by the fat on his face, now bulged so wide they looked ready to pop out of their sockets.
After all, the Ganesha Familia was footing the bill?
And the one paying in person was this famously iron-faced captain of the military police?
"Gulp."
His throat bobbed as he swallowed with difficulty.
His gaze flickered back and forth between Haimer and Shakti, as cautiously as a thief.
His curiosity was clawing at him like a cat. He desperately wanted to know what kind of god this deity was, to have the captain of the military police trailing after him while also acting as his personal wallet.
But when he looked at Shakti standing there in full battle gear, even with her special metal gauntlets equipped, the warning bells in his head instantly drowned out his curiosity.
This was absolutely not simple.
Some truly terrifying big shot must have arrived in Orario.
And if that was the case, then the last thing he should do was ask questions.
After all, if you wanted to survive long in a place as complicated as this, you had to learn one rule above all else:
Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't look at what you shouldn't look at.
The less you knew, the better you slept.
So the owner's eyes rolled twice, and he decisively snuffed out his urge to gossip.
He had seen nothing and he knew nothing.
As long as there was money to be made, who cared whether the customer was a god or a devil?
Especially when the one paying was the rich and powerful Ganesha Familia.
With that thought, the owner's face, which had been stiff as plaster just moments before, instantly melted into a smile sweeter than honey. His fat hands rubbed together nonstop.
"Oh my, look at that!"
"If Captain Shakti is personally guaranteeing it, then what more is there to say?"
"Come, come, my lord!"
The owner trotted over eagerly and began leading Haimer through the store with utmost enthusiasm.
"You said you wanted something sturdy and durable, right?"
"Well then, you've absolutely come to the right place!"
"I'm not bragging, but go ask around all of North Main Street, my shop has the toughest goods and the widest selection!"
"I'll take you straight to the best things we have!"
The speed with which he switched into full-on flattery was almost seamless.
Haimer listened and accepted it without the slightest discomfort.
…
"This way, my lord."
The owner led him to a set of tables and chairs that gave off a faint fragrance, his face full of pride.
"This set here is an elven-style woven table and chair set, handcrafted by elven artisans using ironwood vines harvested from the Great Tree Labyrinth on the nineteenth floor!"
"It's not only breathable, but it also carries the natural scent of the forest. Sitting on it helps calm the mind and ease fatigue, it's excellent, truly excellent…"
Haimer reached out and touched it.
The surface felt smooth and warm, with excellent flexibility.
It really was good stuff.
"And not just that, there's also this set."
The owner led Haimer to the other side and pointed at a pitch-black round table.
"This is an obsidian round table personally crafted by a master dwarf!"
"It's incredibly sturdy! You could hack at it with a battleaxe and not leave a mark. Absolutely durable! Put this in your home and it'll last a hundred years without any problem!"
Haimer walked over and knocked lightly on the tabletop with his knuckles.
Dong, dong.
The sound was low and heavy, and the feel of it was solid and reassuring.
The hardness was indeed impressive.
"I'll take both."
Haimer nodded.
"Excellent!"
The owner was overjoyed. He scribbled frantically into his little notebook, his face blooming with delight.
Then Haimer continued scanning the shop.
Before long, his gaze stopped on a particularly large bed covered in thick white fur.
"This one."
Haimer pointed at it.
"Oh my, my lord, you truly have an eye for quality!"
The owner immediately gave a thumbs-up.
"This one is stuffed with cloud-silk cotton from the Far East, and wrapped on the outside with the soft belly hide of a snowfield giant bear. The texture, ah, just incredible. Lying on it feels like sleeping on a cloud itself. So soft you'll never want to get up!"
As he listened to the explanation, Tsukuyo's figure appeared in Haimer's mind.
After all, the girl was blind.
Since she could not rely on sight in her daily life, she was naturally more sensitive to touch.
A bed like this, with no sharp edges and such a soft feel, ought to help her truly relax when resting.
And besides, girls generally wouldn't dislike sinking into something this soft.
The others probably wouldn't reject that cloud-like comfort either.
"I'll take this too."
"Make it eight."
"Eight?!"
The pen in the owner's hand nearly fell to the floor.
But seeing that Shakti, though still stern-faced, offered no objection, he hurriedly swallowed his cry.
"N-no problem! We just happen to have enough in stock!"
"Also, do you have anything that's…"
Haimer gestured with his hands, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Extra large, highly durable, and preferably something that won't tear no matter how much it gets scratched? A carpet or a mat, maybe."
"Extra large? Won't tear no matter how much it gets scratched?"
The owner blinked his beady eyes twice, clearly confused.
"My lord, is it… for a pet?"
"You could say that."
Haimer was thinking of the two bears.
They were, after all, Warabi's beloved companions.
Especially the big one called Kyoubou. It was thick-skinned, sturdy, and no matter what, it was still one of his Familia's fighting forces. Its treatment couldn't be too shabby.
"Yes! Of course we have something like that!"
As long as there was money to be made, then if it didn't exist, he'd invent it on the spot.
The owner's eyes lit up. He immediately turned around, rushed into the corner of the storeroom, and dragged out a thick mat that looked rather unremarkable.
"This is made from the hide of a rockhide giant lizard. It may not look very good, but it's absolutely durable! Even if you slash at it with a knife, it won't tear easily!"
Haimer reached out and tugged on it.
Not bad.
"All right, I'll take this too."
After that, Haimer continued choosing things one after another according to the others' preferences.
For Mary, he picked out a delicate dressing table and a full-length mirror, after all, she was a proper young lady, and image management was important.
For Warabi, he chose a cabinet with plenty of drawers and hidden compartments, which would make it easier for her to stash all sorts of odds and ends, along with snacks.
"And that wine cabinet too. Also that tea set over there…"
…
Half an hour later, the owner's bill had already stretched to a full long page.
The final amount, even for a giant like the Ganesha Familia, wouldn't truly wound them, but it was absolutely no small extra expense either.
The owner wiped the sweat from his forehead.
This time it was sweat from excitement.
If this deal went through, he could probably close up shop for the rest of the month and just stay home counting money.
"That should be about everything."
Haimer finally stopped and looked around, making sure there was nothing left he had forgotten.
"Yes, yes, of course!"
"Um… Captain Shakti, would you like to look it over?"
The owner nodded and bowed repeatedly, then nervously handed the bill to Shakti, who had followed behind them in silence the entire time.
…
"Since these were selected by Lord Haimer, naturally there is no problem."
Shakti accepted the bill expressionlessly, glanced once at the figure written on it, then took out her seal from the pouch at her waist and stamped the check heavily.
Pa.
To the owner, that sound was no different from the sound of money hitting the ground.
…
By the time they stepped out of the furniture store, the afternoon sunlight had grown a little harsh.
Haimer stretched lazily, clearly in an excellent mood.
The house was settled.
The furniture was settled.
And the children of his Familia were down in the Dungeon, diligently fighting monsters and growing stronger.
Everything was moving in a better direction.
"My thanks, Captain Shakti."
Haimer turned and smiled at the ever-dutiful Shakti.
"I'll remember the generosity of the Ganesha Familia."
"This is only my attempt to make up for my earlier failure in handling matters properly."
"As long as Lord Haimer no longer feels troubled by the matter of the escort, that is enough."
Shakti answered with the same meticulous seriousness as always.
"I'm naturally not troubled by it anymore."
Haimer shrugged.
"After all, having such a beautiful and wealthy escort as Captain Shakti by my side is a blessing many people could only dream of."
"..."
Shakti did not respond to that teasing remark.
She merely adjusted her position slightly and once again maintained that immovable distance of five paces.
"Then, does Lord Haimer still need to purchase anything else next?"
"Or are you planning to return now?"
"There's no rush."
Haimer looked up at the sky.
The sun had already started slanting westward.
By his estimate, it had been several hours since those girls had gone wild in the Dungeon.
At about this time, they should be getting close to coming back.
With that in mind, Haimer thought for a moment, then stepped forward.
"Let's head to the Hephaestus Familia residence first."
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