How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 46

Episode 52: What Life Needs Is Money (2)

“…I need money after all.”

I took out the leather pouch where I usually keep my money, checked the number of gold coins left, and sighed.

So little!

About a month had passed quickly since the Dehyal Dungeon raid.

Even with some spare money, it’s quite tight to survive a month without a proper income.

But it’s not like I was slacking off on purpose.

‘I had to be careful about sticking out.’

After the dungeon raid, I spent a few days observing the atmosphere in the city.

I was concerned about the lord’s reaction, and more than anything, I was worried about the organization’s problem because I had taken care of Galden and Kiel.

‘I can’t just ignore the aftermath.’

If they find out, they will retaliate immediately.

The chances of them noticing are not that high.

Duke Rupel, who mainly plans the organization’s activities within the Selvas Kingdom, must be clutching his head because the vampire is dead.

And he’s probably getting an earful from the head of the organization.

The sorrow of a middle manager.

You get chewed out when you fail.

I know that feeling well.

‘Sylvester will stir up aggro [aggravation] with the Volume 3 episode soon… if I play it right, I might be able to pass the blame to him?’

By now, the timing should be right before the beginning of Volume 3.

Just a little more patience.

‘Time is passing so, so quickly…’

Well, it can’t be helped.

Until now, the original story is mainly about the protagonist learning about the current world after his return.

The intervals are short, and the volumes pass quickly.

But gradually, the intervals between scenarios per volume will lengthen.

From months to even years…

‘I need to estimate when each episode of the original story occurs from time to time.’

Especially, there must be no mistakes in calculating the timing of Volume 7.

The episode between Volumes 7 and 8 will probably be the worst ordeal I’ll face.

It’s dangerous if I don’t get the timing right then.

‘It’s time to start moving.’

Your short vacation is over, Ailan.

Time to go to work, right?

I shook my head and got up from the bed.

Okay, the first thing to do.

“…Should I eat first?”

No matter how much money is left, I’m bound to be hungry.

And ideas always come up while eating.

I guarantee that all great ideas came about during breakfast.

I’m sure of it.

* * *

After eating.

While seriously considering my future plans, I first visited a guild that deals with herbs and materials.

It was about time to stop by.

“Welcome! …Oh, it’s you, sir.”

As soon as I entered the store, the apothecary recognized my face and gave me a familiar look.

I had visited this store several times since coming here.

Before the dungeon raid, I stopped by to get potion ingredients, and even after that, I stopped by several times looking for something.

I immediately stated one of my purposes.

“I’d like you to take out the same things I bought last time. You have them in stock, right?”

“Of course. I’ve already prepared them.”

Indeed, he knows what I want right away. Good that it’s not a hassle.

I nodded in satisfaction, checked the herbs he took out, and handed over the payment I had prepared in advance.

“Thank you as always, sir.”

“By the way, did you find out about what I asked you last time?”

I put the herbs in my bag and asked casually.

I had asked the apothecary to find out about the availability of certain materials when we traded last time.

This is my second purpose.

However, the apothecary sighed as if he was in trouble after hearing my question.

“It’s still difficult. It seems like I can’t get the materials you asked me to find through any channels. I even asked my close acquaintances, but I couldn’t find out.”

He said sincerely, looking apologetic.

“It’s not much to say this, but I’ve been dealing with herbs for decades. For me not to have even heard of them…”

“If I can’t get them, there’s nothing I can do.”

I said it was okay and gave a bitter smile.

Meanwhile, I was conscious of the thing I still had carefully stored in my bag.

The essence of a demon.

A material I accidentally obtained in the dungeon.

I have already decided what to make with this.

A top-grade mana potion.

A potion that can’t even be compared to the ones I bought and drank before.

If I just drink it, my mana capacity will be comparable to that of a high-ranking mage in the magic tower.

The problem is that it’s not easy to get the remaining ingredients.

No matter how precious the essence is, it’s just a burden if I can’t get the other ingredients.

I can’t use it.

‘Maybe… I’ll need considerable connections and funds to get the ingredients.’

That means I can’t get them in an ordinary market at least.

And even if they exist, I wouldn’t be able to get them with my funds.

‘A way to earn as much money as possible.’

After coming out of the apothecary, I was walking down the street when I inadvertently looked at a certain place.

The building of a guild that was based here happened to catch my eye.

If I remember correctly, the name was the Eland Guild.

The guild’s size was probably medium.

To put it in perspective, it’s a commercial district based in the provinces.

At the guild’s main branch, several carriages were coming and going, bringing in newly arrived goods, and the workers who came out were constantly carrying them.

‘Money…’

I wonder how much money a guild of that size earns in a day?

At least it wouldn’t be comparable to what I was earning from selling potions from time to time.

‘I need to earn at least that much.’

I need a considerable amount of money to get the materials to make the potion, and to continue and upgrade my comfortable life.

‘Simply being a wage earner is not enough… If I’m going to raise funds properly, it has to be that.’

I finally added a schedule to my itinerary.

Let’s go make money.

And let’s do business.

* * *

Five days later, I immediately set off for the place I had newly set as my destination.

As before, I chose the method of searching for a traveling group going to my destination in advance and joining them by receiving a guard request.

I’d be safe even if I went alone now, but for the time being, it’s more comfortable in many ways to go with a group.

More than anything, I’m still scared of the night road.

While squatting appropriately in the carriage, I decided to open the status window above my head and do this as well.

Perhaps because of the dungeon raid, quite a bit of Influence Points had accumulated even if I just stayed still, so I decided to use them all for my basic investment.

‘Where should I use this?’

After thinking about it, I made a decision.

I decided to invest in my basics this time.

Because I’m the one whose basics are more lacking than anyone else.

And get what I need to do business as much as possible.

Let’s get what we need in life.

That’s how I got these abilities.

This is the ability to detect the other person’s lies.

Among the abilities to read the psychological system, this is the most common ability, and its effect is only that a sign appears in color around the other person when they lie.

With just this, I wouldn’t be scammed by an ordinary merchant.

There are also several other things.

All of them are common abilities that can assist in combat or daily life.

If luck goes up, I might be able to benefit from small things when fighting or buying and selling something.

In addition, thanks to my innate dexterity, the probability of attacks missing will decrease.

My memorization also increases, so I won’t miss the other person’s conversation.

If I have leadership and charm, the other person won’t be able to easily ignore my words.

I also need the ability to learn languages and letters. I can’t live as an illiterate forever.

These are the combinations I thought of after much consideration.

After getting all of these, I only had about 7 points left.

I’m a little sad at this point.

‘Now all that’s left is to make money!’

There are many ways to make money.

I can sell potions like before, or I can steadily earn money by working as a mercenary.

I can confidently say that I won’t starve either way with my current skills.

But it’s not enough.

‘What I need is not petty cash.’

I will need more money and connections for my future survival.

I can’t fill that with the current method.

‘I need to build a foundation properly…’

I need to build a proper foundation, not just do business for a season and then quit.

I need to establish a base where I can continuously circulate funds for at least several years.

For that.

‘I have to get into business properly on this opportunity…’

I need to earn a considerable amount of money and gain a position to use.

The most appropriate method is business after all.

In fact, I had already come up with an item to trade appropriately and the means to do so.

It’s not difficult because there are things I’ve been thinking about from time to time.

But the problem is funds! That damn funds!

I need business funds.

If I want to sell things, I need money to get them!

‘How much do I need…’

I need at least 10,000 gold coins.

‘10,000… The problem is that it’s incredibly difficult…’

It might be possible if I steadily collect them for a long time, but I don’t have that time.

Then how should I make money?

‘I need to hit the jackpot once properly.’

While contemplating, I realized once again that I had no choice but to rely on this method.

The direction of this world that I know.

The story of the original 《The Returned Great Hero》.

There is quite a lot of information in the original that can make money.

For example, Volume 3.

Volume 3, which is closest to the current time.

Let’s recall the outline of Volume 3.

That’s how Volume 3 begins with an episode where the protagonist has to raise money to pay the information fee to someone who knows about the mastermind.

The information fee is a whopping 10,000 gold coins.

And the protagonist and his poor companions struggled with money and desperately tried to gather information.

They mobilize their connections to get information on various wage-earning cases.

Exploring areas presumed to be dungeons, suspicious requests from nobles, and even assassination requests.

Of course, the protagonist doesn’t use all of those money-making cases.

He only uses a few of them and doesn’t use the rest.

In addition, the protagonist’s money problem is resolved around the middle of Volume 3 after Galden’s betrayal and defeating the organization’s executive.

In fact, they only earned about 3,000 gold coins.

Therefore, in the original story, those requests are only mentioned as MacGuffin [a plot device] elements and end.

So I’ll gobble up the money-making elements that he won’t use.

‘It’s a bit tough, but that’s the best I can do.’

However, I’m also short on time, and more than anything, my body won’t be able to handle it if I do everything.

If I’m going to do it, I have to get a big win at once.

Let’s make the most of the original’s description without relying purely on the surface of the information.

Even a small line may be connected to some information.

For days, I kept pulling out and pulling out the contents of the original from my memory until I felt dizzy.

And finally, I got a grasp.

I completed the plan.

‘This will definitely be the biggest profit I can get.’

There was a chance to make a big profit at the same time without being heavily involved in the original story.

The timing is just right.

Even if my guess is wrong, it’s information that can earn me 500 gold coins.

There’s nothing to lose.

‘Let’s go!’

From there, I set off without hesitation towards that destination.

The place I’m heading to now is the Besalet Marquis, the destination of this trip.

I’m here…

‘Let’s catch the black magician.’

I plan to find and kill a certain fashion terrorist in black.

That’s the core of this purpose.

Let’s kill the black magician and rob his precious workshop.

It’s a very wonderful and righteous plan.