[ Carlo Alexandria. It's nice to meet you. ]

After introducing themselves with a handshake, s.h.i.+ro and Carlo sat on their respected sits.

[ Again, I want to trade these coins. ]

Saying those words for the second time now, s.h.i.+ro placed the pouch on top of the desk between him and Carlo.

[ What is this...? ] with a dubious look on his face, Carlo asked.

Carlo's fingers are crossed against each other while his head is leaning towards s.h.i.+ro. He was still in the same position he was in since earlier - This form of him was actually making s.h.i.+ro nervous.

[ These coins were one of my family's treasures, I came here to see if I could trade them with actual money. ] overcoming the nervousness on his mind, s.h.i.+ro spoke.

Of course, the coins that were left on the table was no treasure of his family, s.h.i.+ro just tried to make up an immediate story. Needless to say, this was one the cause of his anxiousness.

[ Please take a look. ] throwing a hand gently towards Carlo, s.h.i.+ro has given him permission to open the pouch.

[ ...! ]

Opening the pouch, a surprised look immediately appeared on Carlo's face.

The now opened pouch showed coins that s.h.i.+nes as it reflected the light inside the room - both Carlo and Gerald who's standing behind him gasped in awe.

...

...

Then, after a moment of just staring at the coins inside the pouch, Carlo looked back at s.h.i.+ro and then immediately turning his gaze back at the pouch.

He then took one individual coin inside the pouch and raised it the same height where his eyes were.

[ You say that these coins are from your family's treasures...? Is your family perhaps has a high position in your country...? ]

[ Ahh... Yes, something like that. ]

[ I just can't believe it... I've never seen gold such pure before... ] Carlo muttered in a voice that s.h.i.+ro could barely hear.

[ Is that so? ]

[ Yes, I can a.s.sure you right now that I will be able to buy these from you for a high price. ]

[ Is that so? Then - ]

[ But... I can't offer you the amount you're expecting to get. ] Raising a hand in front of him, Carlo had stopped his words before s.h.i.+ro could even finish it.

( Huh...? The amount I'm expecting to get...? Well... Since my coin doesn't have a value of its own... my expectation is that I will be at least be able to trade it for 1 = 1 value of the same gold coin of their country... Does he mean I will get a price lower than that...? Well, I guess that's still okay... I only need money enough to be able to survive in this city for a while... )

While s.h.i.+ro had already accepted the fact that he somehow got "Revive" to this world, he still doesn't know if he will still be able to back at his previous one, so s.h.i.+ro still doesn't have any plans of staying in this city for a long time.

[ Honestly... You just came barging in my home looking for a trade. If you have made proper arrangements for this trade, I could've prepared to give you a higher amount... Well, if you won't like the trade I will offer you, you can always leave and have me prepared. ]

[ Well, there's a hundred of that coin inside that pouch, how much will you offer me for it? I really need money right now and I won't be able to wait for one or two days to get a trade. ]

[ Is that so? A hundred, huh...? Then I guess... I will buy these coins from you for 200 gold coins we use in this country. ]

[ ... ]

...

...

( 200!? ) shouting that number inside his head, s.h.i.+ro's expression has turned from "Calm" to "Perplex".

[ 2-200...? Why that amount...? ]

[ Mm... Yes. The gold these coins were made with is the purest I've ever seen, so even if the coin itself has no value in this country, the material they were made with has a lot. ] saying those words along with a small nod, Carlo leaned his back at the sofa he was sitting at and crossed his arms.

( So the coin itself doesn't have any amount, huh...? But still... 200 gold coins in exchange for coins that don't even have any proper use... )

Being surprised by the amount Carlo had offered him for his gold coins, s.h.i.+ro had looked at the pouch again with amazement this time.

[ So... Are you okay with that amount...? ] with a serious look on his face, Carlo asked s.h.i.+ro.

[ Yea... I think I can deal with that... ]

While trying to hide his real baffled feelings, s.h.i.+ro tried to reply with a calm expression on his face.

[ I must say, this is a rather fast negotiation... Gerald, get an exact amount of 200 sorted gold coins upstairs. ]

[ Yes, Carlo-sama. ] with a bow, Gerald left and went up the stairs.

[ Then, how about we talk about a different topic, Vlad... san... ] saying so, Carlo had now crossed his legs and leaned both of his arms at the back of the sofa.

[ Is that so...? ]

[ Un, Vlad-san, why exactly are you in this country? ]

[ Well, I'm actually here to visit a friend. ] he said the same lie he told the guard at the gate.

[ Visit a friend you say? ]

[ That's right. ]

[ Is that so? Then your friend must be a rich person, right? Perhaps a n.o.ble? ]

[ Well, you can say that. ] scratching his cheek, s.h.i.+ro replied.

Seeing this action of s.h.i.+ro, Carlo knitted his brows.

[ Well, I guess I won't ask you any further than that. Anyway, I a.s.sume that you just arrived here in this city today, no? Tell me, do you already have a place to stay in? ]

[ About that... I actually still don't have any... Say, is there an inn you can recommend? ]

( An inn is just the same as an apartment, right? ) - Being used in living in apartments, this is the first thing that came into s.h.i.+ro's mind.

s.h.i.+ro just arrived in the city early this morning, he can't possibly be able to immediately find a place to stay at if he doesn't even have any money. And even now, the fact was, it was a miracle that he was able to meet with a very famous merchant to whom he can trade his coins with in such a short matter of time.

[ An inn? I think there's not an inn here in this city that can fit the cla.s.s of a guy such as your self, Vlad-san. ]

[ O-oh? Is that so? ]

[ So then, I recommend you to buy your own residence. ]

[ My own residence? ]

[ That's right, I'll introduce you to a friend that's currently selling his small residence for a very small price of 175 gold coins. ]

[ A residence... But I think that the amount is too high for me... additionally, I will live alone, so a big house will only be a pain to live at. ]

( Well, the amount is not that high if I consider I will be able to trade my coins again... but living alone in a residence is something I won't be able to accept. )

The fact was, s.h.i.+ro, prefers to live alone in a small room rather than having one or more person that will annoy him under the same roof. But still, for s.h.i.+ro, living in a residence with only yourself is not just lonely and dangerous, it was also scary.

[ Oh~ come on, Vlad-san, I know you have your slaves living with you, why don't you order them to maintain the place for you? ]

[ Slaves...? ]

( By slaves, does she mean... that kind of slave...? )

Vlad was both shocked and confused. He has seen many things that do not resemble his world, but what he had heard just now had seemed to have completely separated this world and his previous one in two.

Yes, there had been cases of slavery in the past era of his world, but in his time; his generation, slavering had been completely cut off from society, even the word itself was rarely being used.

[ Yes, I'm sure with your wealth you have many. ]

[ Well, no, I don't have any slaves... ]

[ WhWhat...? Is that true...? ] as if he was making sure he heard what s.h.i.+ro had said correctly, Carlo had asked again just to be sure.

- But without a glimpse of hesitation, s.h.i.+ro answered:

[ Yes. ]

s.h.i.+ro was very confused by the reaction Carlo has shown. He was asking him if he has slaved as if it was natural for him to have some.

Vlad was the kind of worker who was always gets tossed around and dragged by his boss and his co-workers, he himself, he considers a slave of his work, but he never considered himself as the slave of anyone; the thought of slavering someone hasn't even crossed his mind.

[ Wait... Does that mean you do the house's tasks yourself...? ]

( If she means I do the cooking, was.h.i.+ng, and stuff, then - )

[ Yes, I do all the tasks at the house myself... ]

[ But... With your appearance... ] muttering those words which only he can hear, he started to look at s.h.i.+ro's figure, starting from his head, to his toes.

[ No... I can't accept that... s.h.i.+ro-san... How do you like the idea of having slaves...? ]

[ Having a slave...? ]

Buying a person, an individual - was something s.h.i.+ro hadn't consider in all his life. So the obvious answer for Carlo's question was:

[ Sorry... But I don't think I have the right to own a slave. ] he answered honestly.

[ Huh...? What are you saying Vlad-san? Everyone has the right to own a slave. It's normal. ]

( Now that I think about it, Carlo has been talking about slaves since earlier like it was normal for him, or rather, anyone to own a slave. )

[ Just think about it, Vlad-san. You can make slaves do anything you asks them to do, wouldn't it be a great thing if you can have someone who can do your tasks for you? ]

( Un... That might be a good idea, that way I can spend more time for myself... )

Since s.h.i.+ro almost didn't have good proper rests and vacations in his previous world, he thought that it might be a genius idea if this time, he can spend his time just doing absolutely nothing; like what he did back when he was still a Hikikomori.

( But still, slavering someone leaves a bitter taste in my mouth... )

[ Also, since you're planning to buy your own residence, it would be a great idea to buy slaves. ]

[ Wai-Wait! I still haven't decided on that! ]

[ Just think about it, once you buy your own residence, then you don't need to worry about paying any fees and payment because you only need to pay it once. There are also many benefits to owning a residence. It's a requirement for people who wants to join any kind of Royal and n.o.ble b.a.l.l.s in the city, your name might also become famous if you have a residence of your own. ]

[ Well, I don't want any of that... But still, owning a residence. You told me earlier that you will introduce me to your friend, right? How about I decide once I took a look at it? ]

( If I can own a residence, then I will be able to gain a lot more privacy, unlike the inns where I might accidentally become neighbors with troublesome people. I might also be able to do research and experiments in a private residence since I still don't know many things about this world yet.)

[ Oh~ Then, I can arrange that immediately. ]

[ Really? ]

[ Un, if you'd like to, we can go now. We might be able to get the chance to meet with my friend at his home if we go now - ]

[ Carlo-sama, I have finished gathering the coins. ] while Carlo was still trying to finish his sentence, Gerald finally came downstairs and interrupted.

[ Oho~ Great timing, Gerald. So how about it, Vlad-san? ]