After all, thinking about those few in his Familia with startling destructive power, especially Kirukiru Amou who could dismantle a Gundam with her bare hands, ordinary furniture probably wouldn't last three days.
"Also, I need a large quantity."
"Enough to furnish about seven or eight rooms."
"No problem! No problem!"
The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly.
"As for the price..."
"Price is not an issue."
Before Heimdall could speak, Shakti beside him spoke up first.
With an expressionless face, she pulled a checkbook stamped with the Ganesha Familia emblem from the pouch at her waist.
"Charge it all to the Ganesha Familia's account."
"Or I can pay in full right now."
??!"
Hearing this.
The shopkeeper's pupils experienced another earthquake.
Chapter 36: The Wealthy Ganesha Familia
Then, quite literally.
The shopkeeper's beady eyes, which were already squeezed into slits by fat, bulged so hard they nearly popped out of their sockets.
After all, the Ganesha Familia was paying the bill?
And the impartial Commander of the Military Police was personally opening her wallet?
*Gulp.*
His Adam's apple bobbed as the shopkeeper swallowed hard with difficulty.
His gaze, like that of a thief, shifted cautiously back and forth between Heimdall's overly handsome face and Shakti.
Though his heart was itching with curiosity like a cat scratching it.
He wondered which god this Black-haired Deity was, to have the Commander of the Military Police acting as a lackey and a part-time ATM.
However.
Looking at Shakti's current fully armed state, even wearing her specialized gauntlet weapons, the shopkeeper's internal alarms instantly drowned out his curiosity.
This matter was definitely not simple.
Some incredibly important figure had likely arrived in Orario.
In that case.
He should definitely not ask too many questions.
After all.
To survive long in a place as chaotic as this, one must learn not to ask what shouldn't be asked and not to look at what shouldn't be seen.
The less you know, the better you sleep.
So.
The shopkeeper's eyes darted around twice, and he decisively snuffed out the thought of gossiping.
He saw nothing, and he knew nothing.
As long as there was money to be made, he didn't care if it was a god or a devil!
Moreover.
It was the wealthy Ganesha Familia.
Thus.
The shopkeeper's face, which had been as stiff as plaster, instantly melted into a smile sweeter than honey, his two chubby hands rubbing together incessantly.
"Oh my! Look at what you're saying!"
"Since Commander Shakti is vouching, there's nothing more to say!"
"Come, come, this way, Lord!"
The shopkeeper trotted along, eagerly leading the way beside Heimdall.
"You said you wanted sturdy and durable?"
"Heh, then you've come to the right place!"
"I'm not bragging, but if you ask around North Street, my goods have the toughest quality and the widest variety!"
"I'll take you to see the best items in our shop right now!"
The shopkeeper's extremely fawning manner was a seamless transition.
Heimdall, hearing this, went along with it naturally.
...
"This way, Lord, please."
The shopkeeper led him to a set of tables and chairs emitting a faint fragrance, looking proud.
"This Elven-style wicker table and chair set uses Ironwood Vine produced from the 19th floor's Great Tree Labyrinth, hand-woven by Elven craftsmen!"
"Not only is it breathable, but it also carries the natural scent of the forest. Sitting on it can calm the mind and spirit; it's perfect for relieving fatigue..."
Heimdall reached out and touched it.
The touch was warm, and the resilience was excellent.
It was indeed a good item.
"Not only that, there's also this set."
The shopkeeper led Heimdall to the other side, pointing to a round table as black as ink.
"This is an Obsidian Round Table handcrafted by a Dwarven Master!"
"It is incredibly hard! Even a battle-axe strike won't leave a mark; it's absolutely sturdy! If you put this in your home, it will last for hundreds of years without a problem!"
Heimdall walked over and tapped the tabletop with his finger.
*Thump thump.*
The sound was dull and heavy, and the feedback felt very solid.
The hardness was indeed good.
"I'll take both."
Heimdall nodded.
"Certainly!"
The shopkeeper was overjoyed, his little notebook scribbling non-stop, his face blooming with a wide smile.
Next.
Heimdall's gaze continued to scan the shop.
Soon.
His eyes stopped on an exceptionally wide bed covered with thick white fur.
"This one."
Heimdall pointed.
"Oh, Lord Deity, you really have an eye for quality!"
The shopkeeper immediately gave a thumbs up.
"This uses Cloud-Silk Cotton from the Far East for stuffing, and the exterior is wrapped in the soft belly-fur of a Snowfield Great Bear. That touch, tsk tsk... lying on it is like sleeping on a cloud, it's so soft you won't want to get up!"
Hearing the shopkeeper's introduction, Inaba Tsukiyo's figure surfaced in Heimdall's mind.
After all, the girl was blind.
In her daily life, being unable to see made her especially sensitive to tactile feedback.
This kind of large bed, without any sharp edges and with a soft touch, should allow her to relax while resting.
Moreover.
Girls, to some extent, would all like lounging in such a soft place.
The others probably wouldn't refuse this cloud-like touch either.
"I'll take this too."
"Give me eight of them."
"Eight?!"
The pen in the shopkeeper's hand almost fell to the ground.
However, seeing that Shakti, though serious, did not voice any objection.
The shopkeeper hurriedly swallowed his exclamation back down.
"No, no problem! We just happen to have enough in stock!"
"Also, do you have that kind of..."
Heimdall gestured with his hands, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Extra-large, wear-resistant, preferably the kind of carpet or mat that won't tear no matter how much it's scratched?"
"Extra-large? Won't tear no matter how you grab it?"
The shopkeeper was taken aback, his beady eyes blinking twice, somewhat confused.
"Are you... planning to use this for a pet?"
"Something like that."
Lord Haimo was thinking of those two bears.
After all, they were Hanazake Warabi's beloved treasures.
Especially that big guy called Fierce Person; thick-skinned and tough. He was, at the very least, a combat asset of his own Familia, so his treatment couldn't be poor.
"Yes! Of course we have!"
As long as there was money to be made, they had everything! If they didn't have it, they'd make it appear!
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. He immediately turned around and burrowed into a corner of the warehouse, huffing and puffing as he dragged out a roll of thick padding that looked utterly unremarkable.
"This is made from Rockhide Giant Lizard leather. It might not look pretty, but it's absolutely wear-resistant! It's hard to cut even with a knife!"
Lord Haimo reached out and tugged on it.
Not bad.
"Alright, this one then."
And so.
Lord Haimo continued, picking out quite a few more things based on the preferences of the other members.
For Kikakujuo Mary, he chose an exquisite dressing table and a full-length mirror—after all, she was a young lady, and managing her image was important.
For Hanazake Warabi, he chose a cabinet with many drawers and hidden compartments—convenient for hiding her various messy little tools and snacks.
"And this wine cabinet, plus that tea set over there..."
...
Half an hour later.
The bill in the shopkeeper's hand was already filled with a long page of items.
The final total amount.
Even for a behemoth like the Ganesha Familia, while it wouldn't cripple them, it was definitely a significant extra expense.
"..."
The shopkeeper wiped the sweat from his forehead—sweat born of excitement.
If this deal went through, he could close up shop for the rest of the month and just count his money!
"That's probably all for now."
Lord Haimo finally stopped, looked around the area, and confirmed there was nothing else he'd missed.
"Yes, yes!"
"Um... Lady Shakti, would you please take a look?"
The shopkeeper hurriedly bowed and scraped, then tremblingly handed the bill to Shakti, who had been silently following behind all this time.
...
"Since Lord Haimo selected them, there's naturally no problem."
Shakti, expressionless, took the bill, glanced at the number, and directly pulled a seal from the money pouch at her waist, stamping it heavily onto the check.
*Thump.*
That sound.
To the shopkeeper's ears, was simply the sound of money hitting the ground!
...
And so.
Leaving the furniture store.
The afternoon sun was a bit glaring.
Lord Haimo stretched lazily, clearly in a good mood.
They had a house.
They had furniture.
The children of his Familia were also working hard, fighting monsters and leveling up in the Dungeon.
Everything was developing in a positive direction.
"Thank you, Captain Shakti."
Lord Haimo turned his head and smiled at the dutiful Shakti.
"The generosity of the Ganesha Familia, I will keep it in mind."
"This is also my way of making up for the previous oversight in my duties."
"As long as Lord Haimo no longer feels troubled by the matter of the escort."
Shakti responded meticulously.
"Of course I'm not troubled now."
Lord Haimo shrugged.
"After all, having a beautiful and wealthy escort like Captain Shakti by my side is a blessing many people could only dream of."
"..."
Shakti didn't take the bait of such teasing remarks.
She merely silently adjusted her position, maintaining that unshakeable five-step distance.
"Then, does Lord Haimo have anything else he needs to purchase next?"
"Or do you intend to return?"
"No rush."
Lord Haimo looked up at the sky.
The sun was already beginning to set in the west.
Calculating the time.
It had been several hours since that group of kids went to have fun in the Dungeon.
They should be about to return by now.
In that case.
Lord Haimo thought for a moment, then took a step forward.
"Let's head to the Hephaestus Familia's headquarters first."
-------------------------------
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