These are the three mansions that meet Chevalier-sama's request."
The male guild staff that handles real estate points at the labyrinth city map to present them.
They are a workshop in the craftsman district, a mansion in the wealthy area, and a mansion with a ranch and a farm nearby. He told me that the mansion with the ranch nearby had been vacant for nearly 10 years, so it would need some repair.
After thinking about it for a bit, I chose the mansion near the ranch since it would be easy to stock vegetables and dairy products then.
Arisa harshly said, "I can't believe you bought a house without even seeing it." but it was meaningless to worry about the condition of a dummy house anyway, so I decided to quickly buy it. I can just buy a replacement if I don't like it.
It was reasonably priced at half the market price, 150 gold coins, but due to the intervention of the guildmaster who appeared out of nowhere, it was became further half of that.
The reason that this mansion is relatively expensive for its location is because it's constructed with woods architecture which is rare in this labyrinth city. A collector would have jumped on this, but since the repair cost was high, there was no buyer.
The annual tax is 15 gold coins considering the structure and the location of the mansion. I'm told that Red Iron Plate possessor can also pay half the price of the tax. Since the discount only applies to one house, there doesn't seem to be any explorer who owns multiple houses.
In exchange for the gold coins I've taken out of the magic bag, I receive the registration documents for the mansion, and a bunch of keys. A person who had Contract skill came for the registration process.
◇
We go out of the guild building since I've finished my business in the guild.
There, eyes full of expectation from the children are looking at us.
It's a bit scary.
Lead by the little girls baggage carrier from before, there are 30-40 children looking at us in the surrounding. Beyond them, the stalls owners seem to be also watching here. I see, so they clogged the guild entrance to the point of getting kicked by the explorer from before because they gathered for the possibility of being treated to meal huh.
No one is saying anything, but the sound of the growling stomaches of the children fill the tense atmosphere.
It'll be annoying if they keep like this so I guess I'll treat them.
I give some small changes to Arisa and the others, and ask them to treat the children with some meals.
"Now then, little girls! Chevalier Pendragon will treat you to a meal. Everyone thank him!"
"""Thank you, Chevalier-sama."""
I wave my hand to reply the gratitude of the great number of little girls, and the few boys.
"Meat~?"
"Arisa, meat are nice nodesu!"
"The nutrition will be imbalanced like that, so no. Let's make it something like stir-fried vegetables that's filling for the stomach."
The middle-aged men of the stalls raise their sales voices toward Arisa and the others who are discussing which dishes.
"Li'l lady-chan, our porridge has vegetables and meat inside, so it's filling for ta' stomach y'know?"
"What're you saying, our dumpling soup is the best. There's vegetables inside too, and our meat dumplings 'ere the most filling~"
"Awright, let's go with both! Everyone, line up on the one you like! You'll only be treated to one of them."
From the word of Arisa who feels too bothersome to choose, the children's eyes are wandering between the two stalls. In the end, they seemed to think that they will miss the meal if they were late, so when one of the children queued, two lines were immediately formed. Pochi and Tama are standing in a row to prevent the chaotic children blocking the traffic.
After saying good bye to the children who had become full, we went to the house I had just purchased.
◇
"Ugeh, it's weed everywhere."
"Leave it to me~?"
"Equipping mowing equipment nanodesu!"
Arisa leaks out her complaint in front of the mansion that's overgrown with weed. Tama and Pochi are posing with the sickles they've taken from the pouches, on their hands. Nana also takes out a long sickle. They've also been like this on the highway before, these three really like mowing huh.
I insert a key to the big padlock on the mansion gate. It's slightly rusted, but it can be opened with force.
Now then, there are about five children in the mansion, or to be exact, behind the private stable on the mansion plot. They're most likely orphans who are staying in the vacant house illegally. Their levels are low, I'll instruct Nana and the others to look at them while they're mowing.
"Nana, take Pochi and Tama to investigate the stable."
"Yes, master."
"Roger~"
"Nanodesu!"
The three make their way through the weed to the stable while making a path.
The remaining ones, that were us, decided check the water well. Arisa skillfully mowed the weed along the way with space magic.
The block for hanging the well bucket has rotted, its wreckage is lying on the floor. There is a bucket with rope beside the lid that covers the well to prevent trash from entering it. That bucket is slightly wet. The orphans just now are probably using it.
"This's baad"
"It's bad nanodesu!"
"Emergency, so I report! A life is in peril. I wish urgent relief as soon as possible."
The three who've gone to the stable rush back here.
Apparently, the orphans are not merely illegal residents, it seems.