Chapter 5 Foolish Fiancé Gets Deserted By Customers
While Leaf Chemist headed towards the capital, his ex-fiancée Dokuonna was extremely angry.
She was at the apothecary left by her grandfather Asclepius, leaning on the counter with a sulking expression.
"Why, that idiot Leaf! How can he not understand my [kindness]?"
In Dokuonna's mind, Leaf was just a childhood friend whom she planned to employ under a noble.
However, she interpreted his foolish refusal differently.
"Hmph! Stupid Leaf. A country bumpkin like him can't make it anywhere with his medicine! He'll surely come crawling back soon! Well, if he begs on his knees, I might consider it~"
And just then...
"Hey Leaf-chan, are you there?"
A thin and tall old man entered.
He was a frail old man, with only a ragged sword hanging at his waist.
"What, old man [Arthur]?"
...The woman didn't know that this old man was Arthur, the hero knight who saved the country and was the companion of the great sage Merlin.
"Leaf isn't here."
"Is he out picking herbs?"
"No, he's not coming back here anymore."
"Wh-What do you mean!? Why!?"
Dokuonna proudly talks about what happened just now.
Becoming the wife of a nobleman.
This apothecary becomes the property of that nobleman.
So, they kicked out the unwanted.
"..."
Arthur could only be speechless at Dokuonna's selfish behavior.
On the other hand, Dokuonna continues.
"This village, Dead End, is right next to Votslak territory, where Orokan-sama rules. So, it's a place outside Orokan-sama's control."
Geographically, it goes like this:
Dead End (far north) → Abyss Wood (a forest of danger) → Votslak territory → capital city, and so on.
The dangerous Abyss Wood stretches between Dead End and Votslak territory (about halfway each).
"But kind Orokan-sama wants to provide medicine even to the old geezers here, so I'll stay and take care of your medicine needs. Be grateful."
Dokuonna didn't know...
Actually, Orokan wasn't kind to the old people living here.
He just wanted to sell medicine at high prices to the old people in this village to make a profit.
Since the old people have trouble walking, they can't go far to buy medicine.
So, if they keep this apothecary open, they'll have to rely on it.
"Oh yeah, that's right. By order of Orokan-sama, prices are going up by 40% starting today. So, that means they'll be five times the original price. Keep that in mind!"
Orokan thinks that since the old people have nowhere else to go, they'll have to buy the medicine even if it's expensive.
That's why he did something stupid like increasing the price fivefold.
"..."
Arthur glanced at Dokuonna for just a moment, feeling sorry for her.
The old people had been greatly helped by Dokuonna's grandfather, Asclepius.
With her grandfather gone and her wise fiancé, Leaf, absent, they were the only ones who could scold Dokuonna.
But... it was already too late.
She's selling things at 40% more expensive from the normal price, without feeling guilty at all, a woman like that...
No need to worry about her anymore.
Because now, their benefactor is dead... and the Leaf they adored so much is gone.
"Got it. It's 40% more expensive, huh? It's steep... but oh well."
Dokuonna sneered.
She knew Orokan was right. Even if she raised the price fivefold, those old fools with bad legs would still buy it. They had nowhere else to go.
"(Orokan-samaaa~♡ I sold the medicine just like you ordered! Will you praise me, pretty please~♡)"
But Dokuonna's joy only lasted until then.
"Well then... shall we go with the [usual]?"
For a moment, Dokuonna froze. The usual...? Even if she was asked, she didn't understand.
Leaf handled everything from prescribing medicines to customer service alone.
So, when a regular suddenly asked for their usual order, she was at a loss.
"Hurry up, will you? It hurts, you know."
"Uh, it hurts... it hurts... um..."
The other person was a customer. But as a customer, she had to provide the product properly.
Since Orokan had boldly demanded her to handle it, she had no choice but to do it.
"Here it is! Look, old geezer, it's headache medicine!"
"Huff~~~"
Arthur let out a heavy sigh. There was a hint of exasperation... implying ridicule towards the other person.
"An old person wouldn't want headache medicine, right?"
"What! What are you saying! I don't know that! And, and! It's because you always speak vaguely, isn't it!"
"I see your point. Then, can you get me a [Salonpas] instead?"
"Sa, Salon... sure, I, I understand. Wait for me!"
It's probably a product name.
Demanding it by its specific name, and now that it's come, there's no way to fail here.
Ending up exposing one's own ignorance...
Once again, Dokuonna flips over the medicine shelf.
...But, she has no clue where any of the medicines are kept.
Well, yeah, managing inventory was Leaf's job after all.
"What's wrong, little girl? You've been here since you were born, and you still don't know where the medicine is? Huh?"
"Wha-what!? Th-that's not true, old geezer!!!"
Dokuonna panics after being hit by the nail on the head.
She rummages through the shelves, looking for the Salompers....
But, she doesn't even know what kind of medicine it is in the first place....
"Leaf-chan immediately got it for me, you know. Even without saying the product name, or rather, it was already prepared for me..."
"You're so noisy!"
Feeling rushed, Dokuonna searches for products. But when she rushes, her focus narrows.
So, without noticing, Dokuonna steps on a paper-thin piece, mistaking it for a Salonpas patch.
Then...
"Hey, Leaf-chan, good morning!"
"It's a nice day today, huh?"
"Oh, where's Leaf-chan?"
One by one, the village elders (all heroes, of course) arrived at the apothecary.
Dokuonna starts to panic. A lot.
Not only had she not found the medicine for the first person, Arthur, yet...
"Oh well, give me the usual, would you?"
"Oh, I ran out of that one, sorry, but could I have a set of that?"
"The one from the other day worked really well. I want the same one."
...the usual, the other day.
Even though they said that, Dokuonna, who hadn't been working at the apothecary at all, couldn't understand.
Basically, the customer's face and name don't even match.
As she was worrying about what to do, Arthur let out an exasperated sigh.
"...Enough already. It's too late. How long are you going to keep me waiting?"
Hmph! Arthur snorted and returned the glare.
"Hey, hey, wait a minute! Leave the money and go!"
"The deal was to exchange it for the goods, right? Huh? Where are they?"
"Fine, I'll look for them! Just leave the money behind!"
"...Sigh..."
Arthur let out a big, deep sigh.
"If it's Leaf-chan, I trust him, so I'll do it. But you, little girl, I can't trust you."
"What do you mean!?"
"Isn't it obvious? You drove Leaf-chan, who worked so hard for this village and this shop, away."
When the old shoppers heard this, they were shocked.
"What!? You kicked out Leaf-chan!"
"How could you do something so stupid?"
"I always knew you were a bit foolish, but I didn't think you'd be this stupid!"
The old people started criticizing Dokuonna.
Feeling offended, Dokuonna retorted.
"Hey, what's with the name-calling! You noisy old geezers! Leaf left on his own, okay!"
"""That can't be true!"""
Yes, the village elders knew Leaf well.
They knew he wouldn't leave the village willingly.
"Leaf-chan is kind, unlike you!"
"What do you mean he left on his own! You're lying!"
"Leaf-chan is lucky he didn't marry such a foolish woman!"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!"
Being ridiculed and stomping angrily, Dokuonna felt really mad.
People were saying that she's dumb and Leaf is smart.
It's not just a feeling, it's true... Dokuonna actually thinks he's smarter.
"Stop chatting and sell the medicine already."
"Y-yeah, I got it...! Ugh, you old geezers are so annoying!"
Even at this point, Dokuonna didn't change attitude towards customers.
Eventually, she couldn't sell medicine properly that day.
But, it doesn't end here.
Rather, Dokuonna is going to face even more difficulties from now on...
And,
all the elderly in this village are heroes or retired powerful people.
Even though they've retired, their influence hasn't faded yet.
How many of the current powerful people feel indebted to them.
...So basically, because Dokuonna mistreated the old people (who is a hero or a powerful figure) this time, it led to more tragedy for herself and also for her new marriage partner Orokan.
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