While we traveled, I asked Metis for the exact date when the price of the feathers would peak. Apparently, it would be about three weeks from now.
The moment we reached Hennig, we began going from shop to shop in search of clarion-bird feathers, buying up every feather displayed at the street stalls.
“What are you going to do with so many?” one stall owner asked, perhaps because we’d been buying them everywhere.
“The two of us have just started a business, you see, but we don’t have a signature product yet. Clarion-bird feathers are beautiful, aren’t they? I’m thinking of attaching them to clothes and selling those! I’m sure they’ll be popular.”
Neon answered in the tone of a naive young girl.
“Oh? You’re quite the businesswoman, miss! I’m sure they’ll sell. You’ve found yourself a fine wife, young man. Take good care of her.”
Her answer must have convinced him that this was nothing more than a young girl starting a little business, because he even gave us a discount and sold to us cheerfully.
“No, I’m not exactly his wife…” Neon replied, her face bright red.
“Hahaha, is that so? Good luck, then!”
After the owner saw us off and we left the stall, I asked her a question.
“Was that mysterious little performance necessary?”
Naturally, I meant her act as a girl starting a business with clarion-bird feathers.
“Performance…? Yes. It was all an act. Wouldn’t it look suspicious if we went around buying everything up? But if a young girl is buying them to start a business, the story makes sense.”
“I suppose it does.”
“We still have plenty more shops to visit.”
Negotiation was Neon’s specialty. I simply followed behind her. She bargained for every small discount she could get and kept buying clarion-bird feathers as though she intended to clear out the entire town. Though our money ran out first.
After spending the whole day shopping across Hennig, we managed to purchase a total of four hundred and fifty feathers. Neon smiled in satisfaction.
“We did it.”
“We have almost no money left. Are we going to be all right?”
“Our living expenses aren’t that high, so we’ll be fine. If your prediction is right, Sibyl, the price should continue rising gradually. We have to buy while they’re still cheap.”
True enough, the price would keep going up. Wrapped in a sense of accomplishment, we left Hennig behind.
After that, we continued doing business in Delcour as usual. Even so, without any money to buy new stock, the merchandise on our shelves only dwindled. Some customers even began to wonder whether Neonbil General Store was about to go under.
“Since we bought them up, no more clarion-bird feathers have appeared in Delcour. It really does look like the price will rise.”
“Yeah. It’s a shame we can’t buy any more.”
“We hardly have any cash left in the first place.”
At present, the street stall’s takings barely covered our living expenses.
“So now we wait.”
The stall grew emptier by the day. Eve must have become worried too, because she began asking if we were all right every time she saw us.
“Are you really okay? Isn’t it bad if you can’t even put merchandise out? Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Thank you, Eve. But we’re fine. Don’t worry.”
“If you say so… But this is your first time running a business, isn’t it?”
I appreciated her concern, but I couldn’t exactly tell her we’d spent all our money buying up a product we expected to sell. I didn’t think Eve would tell anyone, but this was a joint venture with Neon. I couldn’t go blabbing about it on my own.
“It’s fine. Trust me.”
“All right. Sorry.”
Still worried, Eve bought one item before leaving. She truly was kind. I would have to repay her someday without fail.