While Akasha and Erina were away, a woman appeared around the house in tattered clothes.
The woman had an extraordinary beauty with long golden brown hair but an annoyed expression on her face. She was about 178 cm tall with a chest so flat that it would be mistaken for a man if not for her face and voice.
"Why is Erina staying here? Did she really mean it when she said she was going into seclusion?"
The woman's voice sounded very annoyed and the woman's expression was also very frightening as if she was going to beat up whoever was talking to her.
There was a sound from behind the bushes, instantly the woman's expression became wary but what came out was a cute rabbit.
The rabbit looked at the woman, the woman also looked back at the rabbit. Instantly the rabbit ran away in fear after seeing the woman's scary expression.
"....Again?"
The woman muttered with a sad face as she watched the cat run away from her.
"Looks like Master Helena is very feared by the animals huh? Can't Master Helena stop making that expression? Anyone would be scared when they see the master's expression."
There was the voice of a teenage girl who appeared from behind the woman. The girl had blonde hair with a beautiful look, her age looked to be around 15-18 years old.
"What? Didn't I tell you, I didn't put on this expression on purpose! It's my normal expression anyway!"
"That's why it's getting worse. It's because of this that master hasn't gotten a marriage partner yet. All of master Helena's marriage partners would always run away during meetings..."
"Ugh... Don't talk about that."
The golden brown-haired woman was Erina's old friend Helena. A Knight of the Empire but now working as a doctor. Meanwhile the woman by Helena's side was Beatrice, Helena's student who aimed to become a doctor.
They came here to look for Erina and see how she was doing.
"Master once said that master's friend Erina is a great mage, right?"
"Yes I did, I remember that she was ranked 2nd in the Mage Association."
"Woah! I didn't expect master to have such a great friend."
"I'm great too, you know? I've gotten a gold dip directly from the Emperor before for my hard work..."
"Yes yes yes, can we stop talking about the same thing over and over again? Ay, we've reached the master."
"You are... Ah, right."
Helena looked at the house in front of her. A simple but eerie house thought to be in a forbidden place and also a neutral area of various countries.
Helena immediately knocked on Erina's door.
"Erina? Are you here? I came to visit!"
Not getting an answer, Helena looked inside the house using her abilities as a Knight but Helrna found no signs of life.
"Does she no longer live here?"
As Helena thought deeply, Beatrice called out to Helena.
"Master, look at this."
Beatrice pointed her hand towards the open window.
Helena looked into the window and found that Erina's house was still clean, meaning Erina still lived here.
"Looks like she's out."
"Then do we go back to the store?"
Helena and Beatrice were currently opening a pharmacist business in a nearby town and were currently both closing the store to come here.
"No, it will take too long if we go back again."
"Then how do we wait? Are we going to camp outside?"
"Why camp if we can go into the house."
"Eh?"
Helena immediately opened the door to Erina's house forcefully using Helena's Aura.
"Why are you silent? Come on in."
Helena told Beatrice to enter the house immediately. Beatrice saw her teacher's behavior and could only shake her head.
"This is why master..."
Beatrice could only resign herself to seeing Beatrice's arbitrary behavior. Beatrice hoped that Erina was not the same type of person.
...
After a long journey, Akasha and Erina finally made it to the nearest town. The two of them got off the flying broom and were in the center of the city, at a fountain that was large enough to be the town's centerpiece.
"Wow! So this is a city? So many people, so many big houses, what are they made of?"
While Akasha was busy being surprised by the bustling city, Erina looked around to see how much it had changed in just almost two years.
The last time Erina came to town was when Erina went home during a snowstorm and ended up adopting Akasha.
Erina then looked at Akasha and smiled at how happy Akasha was.
(It seems like the right choice to bring Akasha with me.)
"Akasha, take my hand. It looks like the town is having a festival so you'll get lost if you don't hold my hand. We'll go to a place first."
"Yes!"
Akasha held Erina's hand and followed Erina.
They stopped at an old shop. Erina entered and cast a spell.
As the two entered, the shop that looked old and small from the outside turned into a giant room with many people gathered there buying things and bargaining with each other.
"Woah! How come?"
"Hehe, surprised? It's called space expansion magic. The one who created this shop was a Wizard specializing in Space Magic. Although he is now deceased but his legacy is used for the remaining mages and wizards to make transactions to avoid the outside world."
"Hmm... Wait, doesn't that mean it's illegal?"
"Ugkh...T-of course it's illegal. Instead of that, how do you know the word illegal?"
"It's in the book?"
"Ahaha, my student is really good."
"Thank you?"
After that Akasha and Erina went around and looked for the materials Erina needed.
Normally a normal child would be bored with what Erina was doing but Akasha was a little different. Akasha just watched Erina's transaction and bargaining process with great interest.
"I see... So this is how to bargain."
Akasha watched Erina's every manner of speech and word with great concentration.
"Can't you lower the price?"
"I can't, it's already the lowest price."
Erina was currently bargaining with a fat merchant who kept refusing to lower Erina's price.
Erina looked at the merchant with disgust as he kept looking at his own body with lust.
"B-but if you want to help me with my personal needs, I don't mind lowering-"
"No need."
(What the heck, I guess I'll have to accept this price.)
The moment Erina decided to give up. Akasha pulled Erina's hand.
"Master?"
"What's wrong?"
"Would master not mind leaving the negotiation to me?"
"Eh?"
Erina was surprised that Akasha suddenly offered to negotiate. Although a little confused but Erina did not object.
*Nod*
Seeing her master's approval, Akahsa went straight to the fat merchant.
Akasha then began to speak in the style of speech that Erina often used during this time but unfortunately what Akasha learned was Erina's rude style of speech.
"Oi, fat."
"What?"
"???"
Erina and the merchant were confused by the soft tone but very harsh words coming out of Akasha's mouth.
"Why do you think the things you sell are cheap? Huh? I looked at other merchants and found that many of the items you sell are more expensive than other merchants."
"I-it's because of the difference in quality! Do you even understand-"
"Shut up pig, I'm not done talking yet. When I asked the other merchants, it seems like you have a strong influence to make some merchants sell some of their exclusive ingredients higher due to pressure from you, right?"
"D-where did you get-"
Before the merchant could finish speaking, Akasha came over and whispered something to him.
"Aren't you afraid of being caught by the Shopkeeper? Or do you want to be arrested by the Empire for smuggling in the Empire's illegal goods?"
"Hiik!"
Instantly the merchant backed away from Aksha in fear.
And so began Akasha's one-sided bargaining session which ended in Akasha's absolute victory.
"Puhahahaha."
After they came out, Erina laughed with great satisfaction remembering what Akasha did earlier.
"Do you know her face? Hahaha, I was so satisfied seeing that guy's scared face."
"Does the master like the scared face of a villain?"
"Yes, of course. I also like the way you talk!"
(I see, master likes the villain's expression of fear. I should use this way of speaking when talking to others later.)
"But Akasha, you're good at knowing how to bargain plus how to find weaknesses."
"I previously talked to the merchants there and found out a lot of information that the merchants were committing illegal acts such as threatening and bribery."
"Hoho, you can exchange information. You really are a child full of surprises."
"Thank you master."
"Ah, but why do you suddenly want to negotiate?"
Hearing Erina's words, Akasha was silent for a while before answering.
"I can't let a villain run around."
"He~ like my little Mage Of Justice has become a Justice~"
Erina pinched Akasha's cheek and teased Akasha.
"..but perhaps the biggest reason is how that person sees the master. I feel like I can't forgive him."
Akasha announced the biggest reason in a small voice so as not to be heard by Erina but Erina could easily hear Akasha's words.
"Eh?"
Hearing Akasha's words, Erina felt a little misheard and tried to ask back.
"B-can you repeat that?"
"No."
"Eh~"
After finishing buying the research materials that were now in Erina's space bag. Currently the two were on their way to buy some groceries for the next few months.