Chương 114: Chapter 112: Back to Marketplace

"Is our business concluded?" Balak asks. They look over at the wagon.

"I believe I have earned my treasure for today. I would like to bring this back to my hoard."

"Why do you have a hoard?" El asks.

"Like, what's the point?"

"Power," Balak says.

"And influence. And potentially it might alter what kind of god we become." Then they flap their wings, bringing up a huge cloud of dust. I cover my eyes. Balak flaps a few more times, lifting themselves off the ground a few feet. They move past us and grip the wagon in their claws, flapping harder to get lift again.

"Until next time!" they say, shouting over the noise of flapping wings.

"Thanks for not killing us!" El shouts back, waving. Soon Balak is back to a speck in the distance, soaring away with their treasure. I turn to Ash.

"What do you think?" I ask.

"I think they were lying about most of it," Ash says.

"But there are probably grains of truth sewn in there."

"Yeah," I say.

"I think they don't know how the process works exactly."

"We should head towards the ocean," El says.

"If we're going to catch the god slayer, I mean."

"Shouldn't we get Vincent and Gigi first?" I ask.

"Then the five of us can try to track down the god slayer. We don't even know that she's actually headed to the ocean. She might have changed directions. We need more information if we're going to actually hunt her down."

"We should ask another dragon," Ash says.

"Corroborate as much of the story as we can and see if we can get a better hint at where she's going. I agree; let's go back to Marketplace and pick up the others."

"Plus, we get to rub it in Vincent's face," El says.

"We now know that the god slayer is a woman. So we can correct him when he misgenders her." That makes me chuckle. We head back to Marketplace and turn in the quest for the cadre of bandits, netting us each an additional fifty thousand experience and another fifty adventurer renown. That's enough renown to increase my rank to copper. And probably enough for me to trade in for a new dagger. But I want to actually go through the marketplace first and see if I can find anything that suits my fancy.

I'm tempted to grab more quests and try to get them done. I'm only about forty thousand experience away from level forty at this point. And level forty would mean another talent, so I could get something to help me with poison. But I remind myself to be patient. We're going to have plenty to do soon enough. We're going to have to keep trying to entice dragons to talk to us, and that isn't going to be easy. We may need to continue bribing them, and that means getting our hands on a whole lot of treasure.

I don't know if the next dragon we come across will be as easily bought as Balak, or if we might actually end up having to fight one. Probably not to the death. If we start to win, it will probably fly away. Balak was right about that. Once an enemy can move in three dimensions, we can't be sure that we can kill it. When something has to move along the ground, we can chase it down. If we're faster than it is, we can kill it eventually. But if that something can fly, that just ends the fight.

Balak can probably fly across their territory in a manner of an hour. We can't move that fast, even on some kind of steed. So we go into the city, going from the first gate, where the guilds are nestled, and in to the second gate, to the oldest part of the city. I think it's a bit unusual, but the inner part of the city is not all estates and castles. It's actually an open air market. Marketplace still has its roots fully on display.

I suppose it makes sense; the inner wall isn't all that high and doesn't seem like it would offer all that much protection, but it does make policing the market much easier. When there are only two ways in or out, they don't have to worry about someone sneaking into or out of the market. They can just station guards at each of the gates and prevent thievery that way. Of course, there are guards within the grand bazaar. It would be stupid if there weren't. But the gate guards are a different breed.

For one thing, they're all level fifty. Which I was starting to think was the maximum level; I'd never seen anyone of higher level than that. But if the god slayer is level seventy three, then clearly the levels continue to go up after fifty. It's just incredibly rare. The guards at the gates to the grand bazaar are all level fifty, and in heavier armor than the guards at the front gate. They are armed with both weapons and magic, as I see the mana swirling around them while they talk to us.

Clearly, they're casting some kind of spell, but I can't tell what. I assume it's something to do with security, so I don't ask. But these guards are armed, armored, and versed in magic. That makes them incredibly dangerous, even if they do only have 12, 500 hit points each. Once they've cleared us, we walk into a labyrinthine collection of shops and tents. There are tent walls all around, funneling everyone who comes through the gate to go off in one of two directions.

Probably, the other direction will lead around and back out the same as the one that we take.

"It is a true labyrinth," Ash tells us.

"You walk all the way through and then come back out having seen everything there is to see. There's just the one walking path that goes all the way through the entire market. I mean, you can skip like half of it if you leave through the other gate, but it's designed so that you can see all the shops. That way, no one shop has the best location. All the foot traffic is going to pass every shop. So there's no need for them to fight over corners or the most popular spots or anything like that."

"That's kinda cool," El says. She then points upwards, where a canvas roof helps to provide shade even during the middle of the day. It's late in the evening now, though you wouldn't know it based on the number of people in the market. Apparently, the grand bazaar doesn't close at night.

"I like those," she says.

"They help keep the street cool," Ash says. We walk around the outside of the bazaar, seeing that the shops are organized so that you have the same types of shops next to each other. That probably stops them from price gouging. If the same sword is for sale two shops down for a third of the price, you aren't going to make any sales. And the bazaar isn't so packed that you can't go backwards, so it's not like passing a shop means that you have missed out on whatever they're selling. I'm looking for a dagger.

I should be looking for something that does blunt damage, but I just don't see myself learning how to use a club or a mace. I know Ash could teach me, and would probably be a really good teacher, but it just isn't my style. I know it leaves a gap in my effectiveness. But I don't really care. Maybe it's because I want to avoid fighting any kind of undead if at all possible. I hate the undead. They don't follow the same rules as everyone else, and that bothers me.

They don't bleed, they don't move like they're supposed to, and they just shouldn't be. I don't like fighting them. And if I have to, I can always use magic. Most undead are unhappy with fire, and I've got a powerful flame spell in Flame Bolt. And now that I'm level thirty nine, I have 5226 MP, which means that I'm unlikely to run out quickly enough for it to matter in a single battle. I'd rather have a dagger, because a dagger I can use in my everyday life.

A dagger I can throw if I need to, or I can use as a backup in case something happens to my sword. I can also probably wield a dagger in my off hand without throwing off my balance too much. In conjunction with the buckler, that can probably be used to do a fair amount of disarming my opponents, or just be a surprising bonus attack that they weren't expecting. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Ash seems to want better armor.

She's still wearing the armor that she was gifted by Elmspire, but she seems to want something more powerful, something that will boost her defense even higher.

"How high is your defense?" I ask her as she looks at the various suits of armor on display.

"Isn't it already pretty ridiculous?"

"Five hundred and seven," she tells me. She says it so nonchalantly. That means that the giants were barely doing any damage to her at all. Their unarmed attacks might not even have hurt her. I thought my defense, at 341, was ridiculous.

"And you want it even higher?" El asks. She lets out a whistle.

"Isn't that like putting a hat on a hat?"

"This from the girl with more than twenty five thousand hit points," Ash says.

"Hello, hello!" A voice says. I look over at the source of it and I see someone that I think is Xanar blooded, like Vincent. She looks more or less human, other than the color of her eyes and the horns sticking out of her head. But the horns are just massive, spreading out farther than her shoulders. They're adorned with jewels, practically dripping them, but they're still massive horns. More like the horns of an ox than a goat.

"I see you are looking at armor. But you already have such a nice set on yourself. Is this a gift?" I look more carefully at the merchant. Brienne. Xanar blood artisan, level 42. HP:???? /????

"It's for me," Ash assures her.

"Do you have anything of higher quality than what I am wearing?" she asks. Brienne steps up close and grabs Ash's arm, pulling it close to really stare at the armor. She examines Ash up and down, nodding to herself at the craftsmanship.

"This armor is of rare quality," she says.

"Yes," Ash agrees.

"Do you have anything more powerful?"

"I have a suit of very rare armor that might work for you," Brienne says, stepping away.

"Do you prefer the heavy armor? Clearly you do, or you wouldn't be dressed like that. Forget I asked. Stupid question. Okay. You know that something like this is going to be expensive, right? I'm not a charity."

"We have money," I assure her.

"You'd better have a lot of money," she says, mostly under her breath.

"Wait here." She turns and walks into the back of her shop. It's just a few seconds before she comes back out, wheeling out an armor tree with a beautiful black suit of armor laid on it. It looks like a breastplate over a chain shirt, pauldrons, grieves, bracers, and even gauntlets. So six pieces in the set.

"This is very rare obsidian armor," she says. Then she leans in as if sharing a secret.

"Don't let the name fool you though," she says.

"It's not really made of obsidian. That stuff is hard and sharp, but really brittle. This is made of pure demon steel, purified by yours truly."

"What is demon steel?" I ask.

"I've never heard of that before."

"It's just steel," Brienne says.

"But it's treated in a special way as it hardens. Infused with magic. Makes it much tougher than regular steel, but also makes it kind of flexible." I look at the armor, trying to get a view of its stats. Obsidian Armor. Very rare armor set 32/40. Bonus per piece: +32 armor, +2 strength. Pieces in set: 6. I let out a low whistle. That set of armor by itself is worth almost two hundred points of defense. That has to be better than what Ash already has.

"It's beautiful," Ash says, reaching out a hand and gently stroking the breast plate.

"Did you make this yourself?"

"Sure did," Brienne says, smiling and puffing out her chest.

"Got a level for making it, too."

"You can get levels for crafting?" El asks.

"Hell yes you can," Brienne says.

"I'm no fighter. I don't want to go out and kill monsters to get my levels. I do it through crafting. Every level I've ever gotten has been through crafting. Except the first few, of course. But that was during the tutorial level."

"Yeah, that doesn't count," I agree.

"It's really impressive that you made this."

"Thanks," Brienne says.

"I worked really hard on it. Which makes me a little bit loathe to let it go. But I have to make a living, right? I need to be able to buy materials so I can make more stuff." That sounds a bit repetitive and redundant. Make something to sell, so that you can buy materials all so you can make something new. But I suppose it's not all that different from the strategy of going out and killing monsters so that you can level up so that you can kill more monsters. I shouldn't judge.

"How much?" Ash asks.

"One hundred platinum," Brienne says. Then she laughs.

"I'm just kidding," she says.

"Could you imagine? I could buy my own kingdom for that, practically." A hundred platinum. That's ten thousand gold. That's about what Elmspire paid the mountain army to make them leave. I don't think that's enough for a kingdom. But it's a lot.

"So then how much is it really?" Ash asks. She doesn't seem as impressed by Brienne's sense of humor.

"Forty platinum," Brienne says.

"And that one isn't a joke." Four thousand gold is not out of the question. I mean, it's out of the question for me. I don't have that much. But Ash might.

"What will you give me for the armor I'm wearing?" Ash asks. Brienne rubs her chin as she thinks about it. Then she slides her fingers through her messy brown hair.

"I could knock off, say, ten platinum for that. It looks like it's in pretty good condition." Ash looks at me, her eyes asking me to help out. I suppose this is where all that charisma is going to come in handy.

"Brienne," I say, stepping forward.

"Do you have many people seeking you out for your work?"

"What?" she asks.

"No. I mean, I have my shop here, and I'm always busy. But no one seeks me out. It doesn't work that way."

"It could," I say.

"If your armor were worn by someone who commits great deeds, who becomes somewhat famous, people might want to know where she got her armor from. Your armor does have a maker's mark on it, right?"

"Of course it does," Brienne almost seems offended that I would suggest otherwise.

"So then people would know that you made the armor worn by someone like Ash."

"Who the fuck is she?" Brienne asks.

"She isn't famous."

"I helped end a war in Elmspire," Ash says.

"So did the rest of your army, probably," Brienne says.

"No," Ash says. She points to El and to me.

"It was just the three of us. We fought the orc army to a standstill. Just us three."

"That's pretty impressive," Brienne admits.

"But that doesn't mean you're famous."

"Of course not," I say, stepping back in and taking Brienne by the hand.

"At least, not here. But we are famous, in Elmspire. Now I know what you're thinking: this isn't Elmspire. No one knows who we are here. But they will. And when they do, don't you think people will want to know where she got her armor?"

"Maybe," Brienne says.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to just give it to her."

"Nor is anyone asking you to," I say.

"I'm just pointing out that it would be good marketing for you if she had your armor. I'm not asking you to give it to us for exposure or anything like that."

"Good," she says.

"Because I don't work for exposure. Exposure doesn't pay the rent." I don't know if there is rent to be paid in this world, but I get the point.

"I'm just saying that someone being famous and wearing your armor will look good for you. Plus, when we do such noteworthy things, we don't always survive."

"Why would that be important?" she asks.

"Because when we die, we need to restock. We need to get new equipment. Which means she is a potential return customer."

"This is an awful round about way to ask for a discount," Brienne says. I shrug.

"I'm just laying out the facts first," I say.

"I want you to think it through from all the angles. While we still live, we'll be advertising your work. We'll send people to you if they ask us where we got such unique and incredible armor. And if we end up dying, then we'll come back to buy another suit of armor for you, getting you even more money. I'm just asking you to consider that when you set your price." A notification comes up, but I ignore it. I'm guessing it's to tell me that my negotiation has gone up to 12. Or that my haggling has increased to 6.

Or both.

"Fine," Brienne says.

"How about you trade me your current armor and give me twenty five platinum. That's a massive discount." Then she points a finger at me.

"And don't go trying to haggle me any lower. I just gave you five platinum off my asking price with a trade in. You respect that." I hold up my hands in surrender.

"I wouldn't dream of pressuring you any further," I say. Ash reaches into her spatial bag and starts pulling out money. She looks at El and me.

"Do you guys mind helping me out?" she asks.

"I'm a bit short."

"How short?" I ask, pulling five platinum out of my bag.

"I only have eighteen," she says. El adds two of her own, and we present the pile to Brienne. Brienne smiles and helps Ash out of her current armor and into her new armor.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" she says, counting and recounting the money. The way she does it, I have to wonder if maybe we could've gotten a better price. I'm not saying that the armor isn't worth the price we paid. It definitely is. But I think the value of the armor made it almost unsellable. I mean, if you're charging that much, how often are you going to come across someone who can afford it?

Brienne might have a dozen suits of armor as valuable as this one, but she probably doesn't sell them very often. It's kind of a supply and demand sort of thing, but it's also a question of how much money is actually available. If I have something that's worth a thousand platinum, it's probably not worth anything. Because the likelihood of me finding someone who has a thousand platinum and wants to buy the thing is pretty low. I'll end up either having to take less than its worth or I'll never be able to sell it.

We probably could've gotten a better price. I probably could've pushed Brienne a bit further. But I didn't, and that's done now.