T/N: This firefly can’t get over how many times I had to type “poop” in this chapter! nyahahaha!
Here’s the second part of Chapter 3!
“Hello–“
As I entered to find a dim store interior, there was a peculiar scent similar to Chinese medicine or incense.
Large, overflowing glass jars were lined up against the wall, with something stuffed into them. From the ceiling, pots and frying pans were suspended, there were also shovels and pickaxe-like things.
I see, a general store or all-around store, I should say. It looks like a room from a theme park, but this is reality. Somehow, my face breaks into a grin.
From behind the counter, a beard-faced man with a good body build sluggishly came out.
“Yes, welco–…ome? Brother, I haven’t seen your face before.”
“Hello. I am one who travels around.” [T/N: He sounds so formal! (>_<) ]
“Hohoo. Now that’s rare…… Is there, perhaps, something you are looking for?”
Since I don’t know what I need yet, selling the things I gathered should come first, for now.
I took out the most unnecessary thing from within my bag.
That’s right, it’s the poop.
“Excuse me, am I able to sell something like this?”
I had my fingers crossed while showing the shopkeeper the loot I picked up, as I did so, the shopkeeper suddenly picked it up barehanded. I’m being repetitive but, it is poop.
“Hmm? hm? Hoo… hoo… Hooo—oo! So it’s a Hammer Anteater’s excrement!”
“Yes…”
“The shape and sturdiness are good, it’s color is good as well. Brother, you did well finding something like this, huh.”
It just dropped around there though.
“Can I sell it?”
“Of course! I was actually about to ask you to please sell it to me. It’s been a long time since I last came across something in such good condition. Right, so… I’ll be troubled if you sold this to others, so how about 5 gold coins?”
Even if you make that smug face, I won’t understand its market value. He might have given me the buying price, but how much could that be? After all, it’s a sum that came from selling poop, you know?
“Uhhm, in this village, there’s an inn, right?”
“Yeah, it’s the Gallop inn diagonally opposite from here. That’s the only inn in this village.”
“How much would the lodging fees be for one night?”
“500 Reib, I guess.”
Re- reibu? Is Reib how they call their currency, like with yen or dollar? I can’t tell if it’s poop that’s cheap or lodging fees that’s cheap.
“Would it be better if I hand them to you in 10 copper coins, 9 bronze and 4 silver coins?”
Oh. So 5 gold coins becomes 10 copper coins, 9 bronze coins, and 4 silver coins, so…. yeah, it’s complicated.
So, anyhow, the unit for currency is Reib.
“Pardon me, but I haven’t handled money in a long time…. Uhh, for the 500 Reib lodging fee, in terms of coinage…. How would it be?”
“Hmm? You must be from a considerably far countryside, huh. Haha! Well, that’s alright. That would be 50 copper coins or 5 bronze coins.”
50 copper coins is 500 Reib. That means, 1 copper coin is 10 Reib, and 1 bronze coin is 100 Reib, huh. Based on the previous conversation, one silver is 1000 Reib, is it?
In other words, poop is more expensive than lodging in an inn?
I don’t know how much the market price is for lodging fees in a self-proclaimed remote countryside, but in Japan, the cheapest accommodations would be 5000 yen and above. Which means, 1 Reib in Japanese yen would be around 10 yen, I reckon.
Which means lodging fees are 5000 yen, and poop is 50,000 yen? It may seem repetitive but, that is poop, you know!?
“I’m alright with that. Thanks……”
“Alright! We both got a good deal!”
The shopkeeper happily rubbed his cheeks against the poop. Take note, that’s poop.
Enduring my eyes that are seeing something dirty, I accepted the money prepared for me. When I put it into the small bag from within my bag, it just fit right in.
Next, I thrust my hand into my bag.
“How about this one?”
“Mmm? This is….. an iron ore, huh? It seems to have a fair amount of iron mineral content, I see. Mmm, it’s a good merchandise. How does 3 silver coins sound?”
It was the moment when iron, which can turn into daily essential items, was defeated by poop.
Just how valuable is that poop?
“Let’s go with that, please.”
“Brother, you seem to hold a lot of things that are in good condition, don’t you? Do you have anything else?”
“Uhh, if that’s what you’re after….”
I took out the Rank B Moonlit Night Grass that still had soil. I did not know which part to harvest, so I took it by the root completely.
“Wha-!? That’s….. Moonlit Night Grass? No, it can’t be….. mmm, mmm…. It’s definitely Moonlit Night Grass.”
“That seems to be the case, isn’t it?”
“It’s the first time I saw one of such a large size. Where was this blooming?”
“In the grasslands far North of the highway.”
“Bellachia Prairie, huh. Haaa, so it was blooming in such a far place. But then, it looks like it was harvested just now. How did you bring it with you?”
“I crammed it into my bag?”
“Ha?……… Item Box? No…….. But, that can’t be……! This is just, damn! Brother, you’re a Gift holder?”
I opened my bag to show him the pitch-black space. Upon seeing that, the shopkeeper jumped up in surprise.
So it was surprising to that degree?
“This surprised me………. A space magic gift holder, now that’s something I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Hahh”
“Sorry, I ended up being this surprised. From what I’ve heard, those who have abilities like yours are mostly the types that make the royal capital’s vicinity their base. Why did you come all the way to such a remote countryside?”
The shopkeeper asked as he placed the moonlit night grass in a wooden cup that looked like it was for sale, with trembling hands.
“In my case, I was living in a very remote forest, you see. Not a single piece of information about the city center came in, it was a place shut off from the outside world and I had a self-sufficient lifestyle. And so, well, I wanted to know about the world outside, so I am now travelling around.”
“You’re a forest dweller?”
“It was a super– remote countryside.”
“Hahahaha! I did hear that there are very few people who’d visit large forests, after all. Perhaps…….. Brother doesn’t know much about that gift?”
“As embarrassing as it sounds.”
Although the shopkeeper was aghast, he explained to me emphatically.
It is said that gifts, unlike skills, are blessings that are granted from birth. The probability of a gift holder being born could be around one in ten thousand to one in a million, and not everyone can hold one. Even in the Magic Arts Academy in Gran Rio continent’s most lively royal capital of Altherio, it would already be good if there were several people. There is also an organization that gathers special ability holders, and they seem to have enough influence to move an entire nation.
Incidentally, the shopkeeper’s eye for people is far superior than that of ordinary people; he can generally determine what kind of character the other person has even when it’s their first meeting, it seems. It is said to be a type of special skill brought forth by both long years of experience plus a latent-type skill.
“In the countryside, the conversation would just end with ‘that’s convenient, isn’t it~,’ but in Belkheim, further south from here, it’s a different story. There might be fellows who’d try to use you for your ability. You might be invited to join some dubious organization.”
“Somehow, that’s scary, isn’t it?”
“That’s just how rare and valuable special ability users, gift holders, are. A long time ago, there was one time when I was able to see someone who had a similar ability to manipulate space like yours and I understood something, from what I can see, I can tell there’s a difference. Brother’s power is more amazing than that guy’s special ability. Since there is something called item box among magic items, at first glance, a lot of people might think you just have that, I guess.”
“Item box, is it?”
“That’s right. That’s why you better stop from going around telling people that you’re an special ability holder. You look like a softhearted person, brother, so I have a feeling you might be used.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“About magic items…….. Let’s see… here…… if you read this book, you should get to know the basics.”
Stashed underneath the counter, a single, worn out copy of a book was taken out by the shopkeeper.
Written on it’s spine was, 『Encyclopedia』. It looks like it was made several years ago, but most of the words’ meanings seem to still be imprinted. This would be much appreciated.
“I’ll give it to you for just 2 silver coins.”
He said ‘to know about magic items,’ then it was to be purchased with 2 silver coins. You damn business expert, you!
The poop was more expensive than a book…………
Hotaru World 