So I'm a Snake, Who Cares

But how do we get there?

First, we enter the dwarf mine, confront Bluebeard, the lord of the mine, and argue our case.

We collect the penalty fee for arbitrarily breaking the contract with Pelerian, and have them craft a meteorite iron sword perfectly tailored for me.

It’s easy to say, but the method is the problem.

We needed to figure out how to enter the dwarf mine in the first place.

I asked Roil about the things I was curious about.

"You mean the Red Anvil Mine."

Roil answered while drying his wet hair.

After leaving the treasure room, I went back inside his coat, and Roil, saying he had left his coat behind, picked me up as is and came out.

"They say these dwarves had settled in this mountain even before Calea City was built. Originally, they were famous for producing high-quality weapons and armor, but..."

But?

"It’s been decades since they closed the mine and went into seclusion."

Pelerian’s eyebrow twitched.

"Those bastards, they must have hidden away in fear of me."

That doesn’t seem likely.

I asked what the reason was.

Roil made a troubled expression.

"We don’t really know either. Dwarves are so unpredictable in their behavior... and the culture differs from mine to mine. Ah, the name of the lord does seem to be Bluebeard."

If the mine is closed, is there no way to enter at all?

That shouldn’t be the case. Dwarves need to eat and live too, right?

"The dwarves do practice animal husbandry inside the mine, but they still engage in small-scale trade. That’s why beer is sold at high prices in Calea City."

How do they practice animal husbandry inside a mine?

I was curious, but that wasn’t the important thing.

"Yes, on a set date every week, a small group of dwarves comes out with beer. In exchange, they sell refined metal ingots or tools that aren’t particularly impressive. Even a hoe made by dwarves sells for a high price. It’s my dream to one day establish trade with the dwarves! I’ll also create a proper merchant group. The Riddle Merchant Group of Roil and Amain!" 𐍂ἈNꝋ฿Êṥ

Roil expressed his happiness, talking about a dream I hadn’t even asked about.

You want to become a merchant? You want to be rich?

"Me too. I’m going to help Dad become a great merchant."

The clever Amain said so from the side.

I patted Amain’s back.

From what I heard, it seemed it would be difficult for me to infiltrate the dwarves’ mine alone.

Apparently, they usually keep it tightly sealed with sturdy iron doors.

The only opportunity would be when they bring in the beer.

Then... hmm.

A method forms in my mind.

As a snake with Stealth lv10, I should surely be able to find a gap to enter.

’Human.’

I wrote in the notebook with an antique-style handwriting.

By now, I’ve become quite accustomed to writing with an invisible hand.

’Greed kills humans, but at the same time, it’s a virtue that makes humans prosper more than other races.’

Amain’s eyes sparkled at this plausible statement.

It’s probably a bit early for him to be in the chuunibyou phase.

’I find your greed quite pleasing, Roil.’

"Th-Thank you?"

’I will enter the mine of the short folk and collect the debt Bluebeard owes me. Until then, you have a task to perform...’

Roil, an ambitious but poor merchant.

From what I’ve observed, he seems to have a good nature and surprisingly good skills.

I swiftly raised my tail.

Thanks to the appropriate use of the spatial ring, quite a magnificent scene was created.

Clink, clank.

Gold pieces fall from my tail en masse.

Several times, no, dozens of times more treasure than the pure gold bar I had given to Roil piles up on the floor of the room.

It was part of the wealth I had collected from Pelerian’s dungeon.

"Th-This! Could it be for me...!"

’You could call it an investment. I’m not just giving it to you.’

"Of course, of course!"

Gold reflected in Roil’s eyes.

Undisguised greed is visible.

But rather because of that, he seemed sincere.

’There’s something you need to do with this.’

I received advice from Pelerian.

"If you go to the capital, you can exchange it for its proper value. Scrape the surface of those ancient gold coins with a knife so they can’t tell when they’re from. The value will decrease, but it’s safer for someone in a suspicious position."

Pelerian has lived as a villain for a very long time.

Unlike other fairies, he was seasoned in worldly affairs.

"Tell him to rent a warehouse in the capital. You need a base to circulate money. It’s right not to use cheap companies with low deposits to save money. When we collect the penalty fee from Bluebeard this time, we’ll need a place to store it too. It’s much better to receive physical goods from dwarves than gems, so we’ll need a warehouse."

Pelerian and I already had a plan.

"It would be good to keep in touch with your goblin friends too."

Let’s talk about that later.

I instructed Roil on everything else.

His mouth gaped open like a basin.

Chicken-dropping-like tears flowed from his eyes.

"I, Roil Riddle, will devote my life to not betraying your trust."

It was a more intense reaction than when I gave him just one pure gold bar.

However, if he had just expressed his gratitude, it would have met my expectations.

"Please wait a moment!"

Roil took my pen and suddenly started scribbling something on paper.

What he created after a while was none other than a contract.

"We can’t promise such a large investment verbally. Please read it carefully. It’s a contract."

The contract had detailed contents written on it.

How much I’m investing in Roil and his merchant group, what the profit ratio is, and when the repayment period is.

"This is the plan for using the funds."

Details about how to use the money for what poured out without hesitation.

It seems he had planned how to use the money if he ever got it for a long time.

"Hmm, he looked clumsy, but he’s not just a pushover."

Even Pelerian, who is stingy with praise, evaluated him like that.

Roil shrewdly included a confidentiality clause about my existence.

I gave an answer to him, who was looking at me with anxious eyes.

’A contract, how very human-like.’

"Then..."

’Excellent.’

Although I had only written a part-time job contract before.

I signed it stylishly.

It’s not a proper letter, just a scrawl like a snake crawling.

That seems to suit it better somehow.

"Thank you. I won’t disappoint you!"

Roil hugged Amain and spun around after receiving the contract.

Amain also looked happy.

’And, find out when the dwarves come out of the mine.’

Roil said he understood and ran out immediately.

I should start preparing too.

I looked at the flowerpot placed on the windowsill.

No matter how I looked, there was no sign of a sprout.

It’s a bit worrying.

I wonder what will grow when it sprouts. Will it even sprout? I’m curious.

And a while later, Roil returned.

"I found out."

Roil spoke urgently.

"It’s this evening!"

’What!’

We need to hurry.

I put the chimera snake’s flowerpot back into the spatial storage.

==

"Since you insist on seeing it for yourself, I guess we have no choice..."

The pot-bellied man wore a troubled expression.

Realizing the meaning behind that look, Roil clung to him with a friendly demeanor.

"Don’t be like that. I just really want to meet the dwarves."

A few silver coins were handed to the pot-bellied man.

"Oh my, that wasn’t my intention..."

Now, Roil could easily part with this much money.

The pot-bellied man discreetly pocketed the silver coins.

"It’s no use trying to talk to the dwarves. They won’t say a word to us."

"Yes, I just want to see their faces when we deliver the beer."

"It seems like you’re hoping to establish some trade connections by getting familiar with them. You’re not the first to try, you know? I’m just saying, don’t get your hopes up too high."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

The beer Roil brought was of fairly high quality.

It was good enough to sell to the dwarves.

And today was the day those oak barrels would be delivered to them.

By judiciously using silver coins, Roil managed to directly observe the delivery process.

"They’re coming out."

Creeak

The entrance to the mine opened, and the dwarves emerged.

The dwarves were carrying boxes filled with metal ingots.

True to their reputation as a strong race, they moved those heavy boxes with ease.

Thud!

They set down the boxes and glanced at the oak barrels.

Their lips, hidden beneath bushy beards, twitched.

"Beer?"

"Yes, twenty barrels."

The dwarves were incredibly taciturn.

They simply nodded and began rolling the oak barrels away.

Meanwhile, the pot-bellied man inspected the metal ingots the dwarves had brought out.

Then he grinned from ear to ear.

The value far exceeded what they were getting in exchange for the beer.

Roil, who had begged to observe, was unexpectedly quiet.

He only checked if the dwarves were properly moving the beer barrels.

But in reality, cold sweat was running down Roil’s back.

’Is that going to be alright?’

The plan devised by Lord Snake was nothing short of extreme.

He intended to hide inside a beer barrel and enter the dwarven mine along with the delivery.

’I hope he doesn’t drown in the beer.’

Even with low-alcohol beer, it didn’t seem like a safe plan at all.

But for Roil, all he could do was pray for the snake’s safety.

One barrel of snake-liquor was mixed in and entered the mine.

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