A/N: Thank you all so much for the feedback! Like I promised, here's the next series of chapters. Based off of a lot of the reviews and comments I've gotten, I think you all are really going to like the upcoming chapters. But without further ado, here's the next chunk of the story.

Chapter 11: Supply and Demand

YN woke up in his bed the next morning, refreshed from a good night's sleep. The only thing that perplexed him though, was that he was still in his leisure clothes and the study desk had not been cleared off. Worst yet, he had not capped his ink well and his quill had dried ink on it now.

YN: Aww, shit.

Stacking the books and papers in a more orderly fashion, he realized he couldn't remember what had caused him to leave things in such a messy state.

Last thing I remember was Rem coming into my room for the tutoring lesson...

Tidying up, YN spotted a piece of parchment paper on the ground by his door, as if slipped under the crack for him to find.

Picking it up, he found it to a be note, one left for him. Thankfully, the message was written simple enough that he could read it. Scanning over what he could understand, YN determined that the note's author was going to get groceries from the village and that he wasn't expected to be assigned any task for that day.

YN wasn't able to read every word on the note, but pieced together enough to guess what it had meant. It was signed with a familiar name down at the bottom.

YN: That's... 'Rem' isn't it? So... Rem is going to the village to buy food...

YN had set the letter down on his desk when it hit him.

YN: OOOH NOOO!

Putting his hands on the side of his head, he exclaimed further.

YN: Rem's gunna leave without me!

Grabbing his phone off the solar bank in the window, purely out of habit, he noticed Rem and Subaru just leaving the gate to the mansion from his view.

Bolting down the stairs YN had nearly trampled Beatrice as she was returning from breakfast.

Beatrice: KYAAA, I SUPPOSE! Watch where your going in such a hurry!

Not taking time to apologize, YN continued his rush to the foyer, grabbing his shoes and running down the steps and down the path, past the gate.

Finally catching up to Rem and Subaru, they both heard YN's steps running up to them.

YN: *huff* *huff* I finally *huff* finally caught up to you guys *huff*.

While YN caught his breath, hands on his knees, Rem was the most surprised to see YN, she had no clue what sort of hostility he had still held for her since last night. Part of her leaving without informing YN in a more direct manor was because she didn't wish to face him.

Standing back straight and stretching his back, YN continued.

YN: Say, Rem.

Rem had flinched at his casual address to her, fully expecting some sort of confrontation.

Rem: Y-yes?

Subaru had noticed the odd exchange just now, and was still also curious as to why Rem had chosen him to come on the grocery trip and not YN. Subaru decided to hold his tongue, and simply wait to see if any of his curiosities would be answered.

YN: What uhh, happened last night? Did I pass out while studying?

Rem's face tensed up, trying hard to hide her continued surprise, she thought before responding.

Does YN seriously not remember? Or is he just being feigning ignorance?

Rem decided to fabricate an excuse. She "wasn't lying", she thought. She's doing this to gauge how YN will react to sense if he was bluffing or not.

Rem: Uhh, Rem had left to fetch some more materials and when she arrived back, YN had crawled into bed and Rem decided to not disturb him.

YN scratched his head and looked down. He hadn't remembered doing that, but still, if he was tired enough he might have.

YN: I see then. Sorry to have wasted your night then Rem. But there's worse news too...

Perplexed by his answer, Rem nodded for YN to continue.

What could YN possibly mean?

Poking his fingers together in a nervous fashion, YN confessed his error.

YN: I may have, in that drowsy state, forgot to cap off the ink, and it all dried up, with the quill still in the well.

Finishing his confession with a nervous laugh, Rem simply sighed, and used the topic change in a the conversation to her advantage.

Rem: It's a simple accident, the mansion has plenty more.

Wiping his brow in relief, YN sighed.

YN: Phew, here I was thinking you were going to scold—

Mid sentence, Rem had turned and continued to walk down the road to their destination, cutting YN off.

Rem: Please refrain from being wasteful in the future though.

With that, the trio walked together to the village.

Arriving, Subaru split off from Rem and YN, entirely not interested in grocery shopping.

YN recalled the last visit to the village where his investigation into this worlds agricultural product had been derailed, and he learned almost nothing of what he set out to.

He was wondering on just how he could present the same question again to Rem when she gave him an opportunity.

Ripping her list in half, she handed one half to YN and handed him her coin pouch after taking some out and placing it in her own pocket.

Rem: If YN is confident enough, please gather the items on your half of the list. It will make our trip quicker.

YN stared at the note he held, reading it over.

Rem: It's simple enough, fruit, vegetables, and other staples, you should be able to find them easily.

Taking another moment to stare at the words he was already struggling to understand, he came clean to Rem as to why he was hesitant.

YN: I don't know what any of the stuff on the list is.

Rem and YN traversed the market square, gathering their needed items and checking them off, routinely checking stalls selling the same item but getting whatever was the lowest price, or what YN had observed, what seemed to he the lowest price.

Many of the stalls had ever so slightly varying prices on their similar goods, which left many vendors cutting deals with their buyers. "Buy this many and I'll cut the price for each." Being the most common bargaining method YN could pick up from the chitchat of the market.

He couldn't quite do all the complex calculations in his head, but it appeared with Rem moving to buy Appas, a fruit he was familiar with, that she was about to make a less then frugal choice.

A particular forceful vendor had gotten her attention, and was attempting to cut what sounded like a good deal.

Merchant: You're looking to purchase a good amount of appas aren't you? Listen, most people want the big ones, so I have harder time then most selling my smaller ones... Perfectly good ones nonetheless! I'll give you a good deal at say... this price? For this many?

Judging the price to be fair to her, Rem went to reach into her coin bag.

YN: Rem, wait a minute.

Turning around, Rem had for some reason imagined that he had a good reason, and spoke without her cold tone.

Rem: What is it, YN?

Putting a hand up halfway between him and the merchant who had set about to something else already, YN spoke in a low voice.

YN: It... just doesn't seem like that's a very good deal, this stand.

Checking to make sure the merchant hadn't overheard, YN continued as Rem tilted her head in curiosity.

YN: Hold on.

Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the one item he had out if habit grabbed before bolting out the door to catch her, his phone. Which boasted a most powerful tool to be used in evaluating deals.

Turning his phone on, he went straight for the calculator app.

YN gave Rem a minor crash course on the workings of a "calculator".

YN: You see, this symbol means one, and this one means two, and putting them together like that means I can make it equal twelve...

YN: ...and I can add values, subtract them...

Asking Rem basic math questions he proved he was showing her the correct answers, although it still relied on her trusting YN's translations of the symbols, Rem was impressed enough to let him continue his point.

Taking the bushel the store owner was offering full of the small appas, YN weighed them on a nearby scale, watching the arrow that indicated its weight go around. Re-translating that number into one his calculator could understand, and divided their price the merchant had offered to Rem about per weight.

Then taking the same size bushel, YN filled it with large appas from the same stand, but instead went with the price per appa his stand advertised.

YN: So for this same price...!

Knowing something was off, YN confirmed it by punching more numbers in on his calculator.

The deal the vendor had offered hadn't been a deal in the first place, it was closer to highway robbery if you looked the price per weight costs.

YN: Rem! Look this...

Struggling to explain to Rem through the number symbol translations, and equations, he got the point across that the vendor was about to rip off Rem.

Just as he worried Rem wasn't about to take his advice on the pricing, Rem had decided to take a practical approach.

Taking two bags, Rem filled one with the large appas, one with the small ones, and filled each to their desired amount, and asked YN take out enough appas from each till they worth an equal amount in their separate pricing.

Simply picking up the bags, Rem quickly realized that while the large appa bag had less in it, it weighed more for the same price as the small appa bag.

The vendor had been crafty, offering a higher number, although smaller, at a discounted rate, definitely seemed to be a good price. But figuring in weight...

Rem: Hmm. YN, let us find a different appa stall.

Merchant: W-w-wait! Sure I was little off in my offer but I'm willing to renegotiate—!

Rem turned right back and replied in her same cold voice she had been giving YN until only recently.

Rem: Rem has no time, nor coin, for dishonest merchants.

Closing her eyes and turning away, Rem continued to find a new appa vendor. Looking back at the vendor for himself, YN could only give the vendor a hands up shrug.

Finishing up their list, Rem and YN were deciding what their next course of action would be.

Rem: We should locate Subaru before it gets too late. Rem would like to return before it gets dark.

YN: I agree, but...

Shifting the weight of the bag he was holding, he recounted how much Rem had paid for these appas for how many she got.

YN: Don't you think you still over payed for these? Even at that scummy guys stall, they were still—

Rem: There's much more to it then just the price. While we aren't officially here on Roswaal-sama's business, if YN, or Rem, or Subaru are traced back to being purchasers using Roswaal-sama's money, it could reflect badly on his position with the merchants.

Tilting his head from behind the bag he was carrying, YN replied.

YN: I'm afraid I don't follow.

Stopping and turning to YN, he understood that this matter was important to Rem that he knew.

Rem: If Roswaal-sama is given a reputation for looking for cheap items and getting bad business agreements, other less reputible merchants will take notice and do their best to keep honest ones away. If the mansion puts word out that it, or Roswaal-sama himself are looking to procure suppliers for any given good, a poor reputation with the merchants could keep more honest ones, with the desired quality and quantity from submitting bids.

YN: I think I'm beginning to understand... It has to do with buyer reputation, not just seller reputation.

Rem: Precisely. Its important for us as staff of Roswaal-sama to purchase goods at market value, even if it's not the most frugal decision, as it projects an image of wealth, and with that, power. It shows that the mansion is able to pay, and have an eye for quality, should someone wish to be dishonest. It is also an image of cooperation, that merchants are willing to meet and make business, that we are not hard customers to deal with.

YN looked down as he processed everything Rem had said, trying his hardest to index it in his mind should that information become needed later.

YN: But... Weren't you also the one who almost fell for that bad deal back there?

Blushing, and frowning, it was obvious Rem had been caught in her embarrassment, especially after she got through explaining her reasoning.

With her arms now on her hips, leaned forward, Rem pleaded her case with a pouting expression.

Rem: Rem was simply not concerned over the purchase of a few appas! Rem cannot fret over every little, and most minute detail! That's why YN is here, as Rem can offload those duties to him.

Taking his hand and making it a finger gun, YN pointed and Rem and fired back.

YN: And next you'll say 'It was only a test for you.'

Pouting again with a "Hm!", Rem turned and continued to walk once more.

Rem: Let us just find Subaru and return. It's getting late.

YN smiled following her. While she had shown frustration to his teasing of her actions, she had dropped her cold tone and attitude with him once she was.

She feels comfortable enough around me to show her true colors from time to time. Maybe with some more effort, even after today, she might finally open back up.

With the trio walking back to the mansion, Rem was taking up the lead while Subaru and YN followed.
Both holding bags, YN noticed a bandage on Subaru's hand again, something he hadn't had when they arrived at the village.

YN: Did you mess up your hand again?

Shifting the weight of his bag onto his opposite arm, Subaru showed off his bandage.

Subaru: Yeah... That damn puppy again. Just doesn't seem to like me.

Turning his head back to the direction he was walking, YN swore he saw Rem's head turn back forward as well, as if she had heard something that had caught her attention as to—

YN: —Hk!

Oh crap! Subaru you dunce! You just used past tense for something like it had happened once before. Is that what caught Rem's attention just now?

A bead of sweat was falling down YN's forehead.

Looking back over to the Subaru, clinching his teeth in anger, Subaru could not have noticed less. Instead, after a moment of rest in the conversation, Subaru spoke up again.

Subaru: Say, Rem. Are you making some kind of appa pie?

This is my chance! YN thought. I can derail the conversation like how Subaru usually does. It's a gamble but it might get her to forget what she heard.

Subaru: I mean, you've got a lot of appas here and—

YN: Oh! You should have seen how much Rem would have bought if I hadn't stopped her!

Leaning in towards Subaru and put his hand up like he was trying to, but in an effort, tell a not-so-secret, secret.

YN: And you wouldn't believe how much she was about to pay for em too! She almost bankrupted poor Ros-chi.

Stopping, Rem turned around on heel, face full of pout once more, and hands returning to her hips.

Thinking the conversation derail was going successfully, YN pushed it further.

YN: Say Rem, if you still want a good deal for real this time, I'll sell you some ocean front property in Arizona. I'll even throw the golden gate in for free— Hmf! Yeoch!

Taking his risk, Rem had given him a good stomp to his foot as his reward.

Subaru: Bwahahaha! Haha— Ergh! Ouch!

With Subaru's burst of laughter also being smothered by a Rem foot stomp, Rem continued on ahead of the two who were halted with pain.

Rem: You two can limp back to the mansion, Rem will hurry along ahead.

Unsure if his derail had worked, all YN could do was watch Rem continue on ahead towards the mansion as him and Subaru hobbled along.