Suggestion.
Among all the skills from his Merchant job, there was this skill, which was similar to a voice magic. It wasn't mind manipulation, but a "Nudge." If someone is hesitant, he can whisper a few words to make them act.
Which he used on Meld before, as Meld definitely couldn't make him go outside the castle to tour the city, yet in the end, Meld did, especially when he explained what he planned to do.
Merchant.
This job was rare, since those who could earn it became among the wealthiest people in the world. While they might not be strong, they would definitely become part of the 1% population that took control of the economy.
The warriors and combatant jobs might be strong. It made many, especially young people filled with romanticism and youth, think they were players in an MMORPG grinding their skills, stats, and everything to fight the Demon King, facing various challenges before, only to reach their final battle. After many sacrifices, they became heroes.
Yet by then, their story had ended. When all the crises had vanished, they would return to those boring jobs, as they were either forgotten by history or returned to the mundane jobs, growing up in mediocrity like everyone else.
The hero shone brightly through his struggle and pain, becoming the hope of everyone.
Yet, he, the Merchant?
His goal was simple: to make a profit.
Normally, being a merchant would give an individual two skills: appraisal and inventory.
Those two skills might be simple, yet they were enough for anyone to become the wealthiest.
Yet, as expected, as he was from another world, those two skills of his were better than the majority.
His appraisal wasn't just a normal one; it was a "Deep Appraisal," which allowed him to instantly verify the exact value of any item, meaning no one in this medieval backwater could ever scam him.
Moreover, it seemed they could also appraise everyone, including his teammates and the group of knights, by assessing their stamina, status, mana reserves, and even the emotions they felt at this moment.
Was it amazing?
Of course, yet this was far from the end, as he still had the inventory, which for him, evolved into the "Absolute Storage." It could halt time inside and had no weight limit.
In other words, he didn't just hold the luggage, but he held the supply chain.
Everyone might be fighting against monsters and all, yet in the end, they would rely on him when they wanted to collect the goods and even ask him for money.
Yes, his job would be stable and safe, as he would likely stay behind everyone, avoiding dangerous jobs like those assigned to fight due to their combat roles.
Yet, was it just like that?
No way.
His status was definitely far from that.
Name: Suzuki Tanaka
Age: 18
Class: [Merchant]
Level: 1
Strength: 12
Vitality / Stamina: 85 (Anomaly detected: Past-life marathon conditioning applied)
Magic / Mana: 15
Skills: [Absolute Storage], [Deep Appraisal], [Logistics Calculation], [Language Comprehension], [Suggestion], [Aggro Redirection], [Mental Audit], [Loan Shark], [Online Shopping], [Subspace Penthouse], [Absolute Contract], and [Hostile Takeover].
"...."
Was he really a side character?
When he saw the list of his skills and the explanation of those skills, which he also had the "Manager" explain as he needed confirmation, he knew well that he could do something that Kouki, Nagumo, King, Pope, the Demon King, and even the God were unable to do in this world.
The heroes, the edge lords, or whatever they were, he knew well that the power of capitalism would beat them.
"Are you sure that you want to just go right away, Suzuki?"
Suzuki got the money, and while it wasn't much, he only got one gold coin.
Yes, the king and the others weren't as generous as everyone thought they would be. Everyone might be taken care of in housing, food, training, and all the rest, but what about the rest?
They were expected to pay for their own money, especially by using various materials, which they hunted in the dungeons, or any places in this world, to make money for the upgrade of their equipment, weapons, or the standard of their living.
While Kouki might be fine, as he would definitely make the most money due to his job as a Hero, making him able to hunt down everything easily, the rest?
Suzuki could imagine they would be uncomfortable, especially since they were used to living in a modern world where everything was convenient.
Still, being a merchant, it was perfectly normal for him to make money; everyone was bizarre and felt a strange difference between him and them, as, unlike them, who were still nervous and just followed the rules and instructions of the kingdom, he decided to move on his own to learn about this world.
Yet, unlike the castle, the outside world was still foreign to them, so what if there was a danger?
"Yeah. I have to do this alone."
"Then, I will come with you!" Shizuku wanted to follow Suzuki as she was worried.
Kaori, who had been sticking to Shizuku, also thought to follow the two, as she felt like those two were the only ones that she could trust, but—
"Don't follow me. Stay with everyone."
"Why?!"
"This world is different from our previous world." Suzuki wasn't impatient and told them about the threat from the outside. "It's like the medieval world, and do you know what is dangerous about it?"
"...what?"
"Slavery."
"..."
Shizuku and Kaori widened their eyes in surprise and shock at his words.
"You two are beautiful women. You are okay here, but if you follow me, you will likely be looked at by those men outside with greedy, lustful gaze, to be forced upon, kidnapped, or even raped. Even worse, if you encountered shitty nobles, I won't continue, but you have read the history, right?"
History is full of many cruel things, and the only things that were written by the government were the good things; the rest, which were the shitty things, were erased.
Suzuki liked to learn history, as it made him learn the past, so he wouldn't make the same mistake, and as Shizuku and Kaori often stayed, the three often studied together, as the rest was so noisy, and despite how Kouki looked, Kouki's grade wasn't that good.
Still, his words left them at a loss for words, but Kaori quickly asked, "But, what about you? You are also... handsome, you know?"
"...." Suzuki.
Even though it was weird for Kaori, the friend of his girlfriend, to say those words, it was clear that Suzuki was handsome, and he was definitely attractive even by the standards of the people in this world.
"Y-Yeah!" Shizuku, who imagined her boyfriend being caught by a perverted noble lady, as he could only succumb to the advances, gave her a shudder and felt tightness in her chest. "I-I can't let you go! It's too dangerous!"
"Shizuku."
This time, his voice was firm. "There is no safe place in this world, and I have to go out to see the reality, so wait for me here, and follow everyone, as it is safer here. As for me, don't worry." His hand extended, and all of a sudden, a worn-out cape that likely appeared in the Isekai story emerged in his hand.
"I am a Merchant. If I don't do anything, I can't protect you, so believe me, okay?"
"...okay."
Shizuku sighed helplessly, knowing she couldn't change his decision, yet she looked at his determined, handsome face for a while, wondering why he had somehow become even more handsome.
"But, I will only let you go if you kiss me."
"..." Suzuki and Kaori.
"Shizuku!" Kaori's face was already turned into a crimson blush by her best friend's shameless request!
Mmm...
It wasn't a small kiss, but a deep, lingering one, as Shizuku seemed unable to calm herself and needed a strong stimulus to ease her nerves.
Fortunately, Suzuki brought Shizuku to the side first and asked Kaori to watch over, but after he left, he could see that Kaori seemed to peek at them through the wide gaps of her fingers.
"Ecchi!"
"...your friend is the ecchi one."
"You, too, Suzuki-kun!"
Kaori felt like her best friend seemed to be shaped and became more naughty as Shizuku dated Suzuki.
Yet, when she looked at Shizuku's comfortable face as she leaned on Suzuki's chest, tasting the lingering taste of their kiss, it gave her strange feelings, and he gently caressed her hair lovingly.
'Hn...'
Kaori held her chest tightly as she looked away.
"Okay, take care. I will go out for a bit."
Suzuki didn't waste his time and wore his cape and hoodie as he walked out of the castle.
"Be careful."
"Please return."
As the two watched over him worriedly, they didn't know that his ambition was far deeper than that, and as they were away, his expression also slightly distorted, as his goal had never been the warm and gentle one like a friendship, yet for his revenge, as he wanted to take over this world for himself, as he made all those shitty people or beings in this world, who ruined his future to work for him forever with minimum wages, as they were despaired over their life.