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TL: ALT
Chapter 43 – Ozora Market Relic Negotiation
The streets of Ozora Market are packed with people, but even so, there are places where there are lots of people, and it’s easy for customers to notice you, and places where it’s not so easy.
It’s the same principle as the big difference in the density of stalls at the New Year’s Fair, depending on whether you’re in the prime location around the shrine or on the outskirts.
The first stall that Wataru and the others set their eyes on was in that prime location.
It was at the corner of a wide street, just inside the entrance, with the products laid out on a mat on the ground.
The man selling the goods looked to be in his late thirties.
He had a full beard and was muscular, and at first glance, he looked human.
You’d have to look at the small ears sticking out from the sides of his head to tell the difference.
What kind of race is he?
He’s small, so he can’t be a big beastkin.
The man called out to the customers in a clear, resonant voice.
“Come on, come on, come over and see. To see is a momentary loss, not to see is a lifelong loss! You, young man, you’ve come to the right place. You’re lucky to have two beautiful women with you. You’re going to buy a wonderful product for your companions. You won’t regret it. We’re having a special sale right now. What do you think?”
“What are you selling?”
The rhythmic, rhyming sales pitch is so good that Watarru can’t help but look at the products.
He thinks it’s a clever trick, but he doesn’t feel bad.
The shopkeeper extends his hand to the products lined up on the straw mat.
Several sparkling bracelets are lined up.
The surface is finely engraved to form a magnificent design, and there are also many small jewels embedded in them.
“You have listened well! This is a precious treasure left in an ancient ruin far to the west! Open your eyes and look closely. The exquisite carvings and beautiful jewels! This is a great achievement of an adventurer! If you wear it, you will be protected from disease. It has a magical effect that can ward off all kinds of diseases at once!”
“Wow, that’s amazing. It wards off disease?”
“For an artifact, it’s in good shape. The craftsmanship is very detailed and the workmanship is excellent. The metal is probably from the Viltai Empire. It has a distinctive spiral pattern.”
“It looks like it would be better if Master wore it.”
“That’s right! You don’t see such a treasure every day. It’s a precious item that was probably worn by the king of the ancient Viltai Empire.”
The shopkeeper’s words became more passionate as well.
Wataru was very attracted to its ability to prevent disease.
Now that he didn’t know what kind of illness he might get in the other world, it seemed like a very effective ability.
Mariel and Aire didn’t seem to doubt it either, so it was clear that this was a world where such effects weren’t absurd.
First of all, if it was a mysterious thing, it would go back and forth to the other world.
Wataru’s resistance to things outside of his common sense had greatly diminished.
Mariel and Aire also enthusiastically looked at the products and touched them to check them out.
What interested him was the price.
How much would something like this cost?
“So how much does it cost?”
“The price is a whopping 10 gold coins! It’s cheap!”
“10 gold coins? That’s expensive!”
“No, no, if you get sick, going to the doctor and taking medicine will be expensive. You can’t risk your health and life!”
“That’s true. If you get sick suddenly, even if you go to a doctor, you don’t know if you’ll get better.
A mild cold is one thing, but there are many different kinds of illnesses, and there are also many cases where the illness is life-threatening or leaves serious after-effects, such as a brain hemorrhage.
If you think this can be prevented, then it wasn’t an exorbitant price, even if it was expensive.
However, if this product really has that effect.
The Ozora Market is not run by guild-affiliated shops in a fixed location.
Anyone can participate at a low price.
Even if you realize it’s a fake and rush to find the shopkeeper, there’s a good chance they’ll be in hiding by then.
The guards will probably catch the scammers red-handed, but it’s not clear how far they’ll go in pursuit of the runaways.
Especially if they flee to a foreign territory, there’s no way the investigation will reach them.
Listening to the peddler’s speech was fun, but it was a mistake to add that to his evaluation.
“(Is it real? The possibility of it being fake seems pretty high, but at the same time it has an atmosphere that makes it seem real.)”
The thing that bothers him is that the bracelet itself, without the ability to grant, seems to be of sufficient value.
The fact that it doesn’t look like a cheap item at first glance also makes it difficult to judge.
However, it’s only worth about the value of a gold coin.
It’s completely disproportionate to the amount of money he pays.
The price always includes the ability granted.
Wataru leans in close and squints, observing to see if there are any clues to give him confidence.
“(I don’t know!)”
But what he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know.
Determining authenticity through appraisal requires vast knowledge and experience in superimposing the object before one’s eyes.
A deep understanding of technology, history, and culture inevitably requires long-term study.
Wataru lacks both knowledge and experience.
For example, if it were an effect that greatly increased one’s power, it would be easy to find out by trying it on.
However, it is very difficult to prove the ability to prevent disease.
In that case, it would be a gamble to either believe the shopkeeper’s words or doubt them.
Even if it was easy money, it would be frustrating to be cheated, and he did not want to get into the habit of wasting money.
It was only natural that Wataru had trouble making a decision.
While Wataru was lost in thought, a large crowd of customers gathered in the market.
The other customers were attracted by the sales pitch and gathered in front of the shop.
Feeling pressure from behind, he became increasingly impatient and felt the need to make a quick decision.
“Come on, big brother, make a decision quickly! There’s a line behind you. People are tired of waiting. There are many customers who want to see and buy. You have to make a decision now!”
“Um, to be honest, I can’t tell them apart. Mariel, Aire, what do you think? Tell me what you think.”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
“Master, let’s come back another time.”
“I don’t want it to be sold out!”
“It’s okay. Let’s go.”
“I’m sorry. As you can imagine, 10 gold coins is not an amount that can be paid immediately. Let me think about it.”
While Wataru and Aire hesitate to make a decision, Mariel decides to return later.
The shopkeeper tries to stop her, but if there is a choice between the two, Mariel’s words definitely take precedence.
The shopkeeper looked disappointed that the nearly concluded business meeting had been put on hold, but Aire reacted.
Her nose twitched, and her ears flicked in the shopkeeper’s direction.
The sight of her long golden tail swaying back and forth in a regular motion was a bit strange.
After Wataru and the others left the shop, another customer who had been watching the scene began the next round of business negotiations.
“(I wonder if I did the right thing. I may have missed a chance to make a profit.)”
For the time being, they blended into the crowd and moved to the edge of the area where there were fewer people.
“Is this okay? Why did you decide to come back later?”
After they entered a space where they could take a breather, Wataru decided to ask Mariel why.
Author Note:
Viltai Empire: An ancient western dynasty that established a vast territory. After its fall, a number of small kingdoms arose in the western countries, and a long period of conflict followed. Due to the constant fighting, research and technology developed in areas such as battle methods and tactics, which also led to the birth of superior metallurgical technology. It is also known for the activities of extremely powerful mercenary groups such as the Golden Tiger Tribe and the Black Wolf Tribe.
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