Old Man: You'll try to turn it into an Orb anyways? Ok, fine. Do you have any other questions?
Cashew scratched his head for a moment and stopped.
Cashew: You said that the big crystals on its back might be worth something?
The Old Man Sighed, afraid he might have to repeat himself.
Old Man: Crystals the size of this one barely have any natural Mana regeneration. If you let this crystal sit and do nothing, it would take at least 100 years for it to refill its Mana from empty to full. The big ones on the Crystalized Mont carcass? They won't have any Mana regeneration. You'll have to supply it with Mana if it is turned into an Orb. I guess the big ones on the carcass could be turned into Orbs for old Mages on a budget, but let's be real here. If you've been alive for 300+ years and you're still too broke to afford a decent Orb, then maybe-... Im not gonna finish that sentence.
Cashew put his hand on his chin, deep in thought, but then a smile formed on his face. He looked at the Old Man and opened his mouth to speak.
Cashew: You've been alive for 300 years and you can't afford to spend 250 silver coins on my crystal? How sad.
The Old Man closed his eyes, his eyebrow twitching and a vein forming on his head. Clearly not amused with those words, But Cashew was still smiling.
Old Man: Firstly, I'm not 300 years old, I'm only 137 years old. So I haven't lived long enough where I should be expected to be rich.
Cashew: But yesterday, when I mentioned Dragon Scales, you said that i could make 20 Silver Coins off of Dragon Scales, but you couldn't afford that either.
Old Man: Kid, I couldn't afford your Dragon scale because most of my coin went to those crystals you sold me.
Cashew: I was told that 1-3 Silver coins a month is the average wage, what have you been doing for the past 120 years where you are no richer than someone 100 years younger than you?
The Old Man has several bulging veins on his forehead, his eyes are still closed with both eyebrows twitching violently.
Old Man: Take your stupid profit and get out.
Cashew chuckled, Putting his big crystal back in his shoulder bag and taking the 6 Silver coins and 300 Copper Coins, heading towards the door.
Cashew: To think that I'm only 3 years old and I'm still richer than you. How sad must you be...
Cashew bolted out the basement before he could hear what the Old Man said, shutting the door behind him. Yet again, Cashew found himself and the Store Owner looking at each other.
Store Owner: ...
Cashew: ...
Store Owner: ...
Cashew: I got some coin.
Store Owner: Welcome! feel free to look around and buy things!
Cashew: thinking about it, I'm not even sure if you sell what I'm looking for.
Store Owner: Bullshit! I sell everything! What are you looking for?
Cashew: A blanket, the material don't matter. A Pan, or something to cook food in, and a Spoon.
Store Owner: I'm insulted you think I wouldn't have such basic materials. Since you insulted me, and those items are very cheap, I'm charging you double!
Cashew: Fuck you!
Store Owner: No, go fuck yourself!
Cashew: Fuck you too! Where is the stuff?
Store Owner: At the back of the store, where you got everything yesterday. You can go fuck yourself over there too!
Cashew: Thank you, Fucker!
Store Owner: You're welcome, Fuckface!
The store owner fell back into his chair and started reading his book again, Cashew headed to the back of the store and looked for the things he forgot last time.
Cashew eventually found a wool blanket, white wool, big and thick, kinda itchy, Which Cashew didn't like and he put it down, he found another blanket made out of Cotton, it felt nice, but he couldn't tell if the blanket was old or if it just had an aged appearance, however, he assumes it's old because giving something an aged appearance seems pointless given the setting he's in.
Choosing this blanket, he looked for a random cooking pan and just picked up the first one he saw, as well as the first wooden spoon he saw.
Holding up the items for the store owner to see, he didn't bother saying anything as the store owner was already looking.
Store Owner: The blanket is 30 Copper coins, the spoon is 1 Copper coin, and the pan is 100 copper coins. Double it and the price is 262 copper coins, add on the "Pain in my ass" Tax of 38 copper coins and your "Disrupting Business" tax has been increased after you killed someone recently, that tax has been increased to 700 Copper coins, you now owe me 1 Silver Coin.
Cashew: oh, fuck you too! I should have argued last time you added bullshit taxes and now you're doing it again because you think you can get away with-... Fine. Take your stupid Silver Coin. I'm going back to the basement because I forgot something.
The store owner happily took the silver coin and didn't respond to Cashew, simply returning to his book.
Cashew put the blanket, wooden spoon, and cooking pan into his shoulder bag, headed towards the basement door and peeked his head in and shouted.
Cashew: Old Man! Do you have a book on enchanting for sale?
The Store Owners head perked up, clearly annoyed now.
The Old Man said "No", which made Cashew Sigh, thanking him and shutting the door, heading towards the exit, only to be stopped by the Store Owner.
Store Owner: Hold up. You're coming into my shop and buying things from other people?
Cashew looked at the store owner, confused.
Cashew: Yeah? That an issue?
Store Owner: Yes, this is very much an issue. Why did you go to him first? Why didn't you ask me if I had the book?
Cashew: Do you even have a Book on enchanting?
Store Owner: No, but that's besides the point. You come to this store for MY Goods, not someone else's goods.
Cashew: I see no benefits from this conversation, so I'm leaving.
Cashew headed towards the door.
Store Owner: No, there will be plenty of benefits from this conversation. You need to be taught not to go into one persons store and buying another person's merchandise.
Cashew was already at the door.
Cashew: Sorry, couldn't hear you over the sound of the door opening!
Cashew threw his cloak hood back on and rushed outside, not wanting to stick around long in case people start to recognize him. He Sneakily sped down the street, heading straight back to the gate he entered from.
As Cashew approached the Gate, he noticed the crowd and injured guards are still there.
Villager #1: What do you mean, you failed to catch him? He's a kid! Just grab the collar of his shirt and carry him away!
Villager #2: You expect us to believe that my Husband died because of a child? Haha! Very funny, stop wasting our time and get my Husband out here and throw the kid in jail, the joke isn't funny.
Not sticking around long enough to listen, Cashew snuck past everyone and ran back home, managing to stay unnoticed again.
Cashew Walked back home, thinking about what the Old Man said about the Crystalized Mont carcass being worthless, wondering if there really is no way to get the crystals out unharmed.
He decided that he wasn't gonna let the carcass go to waste even if it's not as valuable as he thought. The dragon meat did cause his appetite to grow larger, so even if the meat is bad, he could force it down anyways.
Finally reaching his house, Cashew noticed that the dead guards were still there and the entire area looked exactly as it did when he left, He approached the Stone Golem.
Cashew: Stone Golem. Raise your left hand if something happened while I was gone. If nothing happened, keep your left hand down.
The Stone Golem did nothing.
Cashew: Ok, good. Turns out, the Crystalized Mont isn't as valuable as I thought.
Cashew approached the Crystalized Mont carcass and pulled out the Dadger, deciding he was gonna Skin the Carcass, see what he can do with the hide, and deal with the pelts later.
But first, Cashew pulled out the Ice Spikes that were still in its body, the Ice slid out with ease, no resistance at all. It was even kinda satisfying. Which reminded Cashew of the Hydraulic Press videos he could watch on Tube in his old world. Or maybe like watching someone play with slime instead.
He took the Dadger out of its sheath and stabbed the carcass in the chest, dragging the knife down it's entire body, then on its legs. Once Cashew was done creating an opening, he started on the legs, pulling the hide off, using the Dadger to cut some of the contact between the meat and the skin, then using force to rip other areas, rinse and repeat until all the hide on the legs was disconnected.
Moving into the main body, Cashew did the same thing, started tugging on the hide, using the Dadger to cut the connection, but he only did this a little bit.
Cashew: Stone Golem. Help. Stand on the other side, grab the animal Hide where my hands are and pull. Don't pull hard, but don't pull lightly either.
The Stone Golem did exactly as instructed, and as it pulled, Cashew took the Dadger and started using it to cut in certain areas while the Stone Golem pulled.
When the two reached the Back, where all the crystals are connected, the ripping became much easier to the point where Cashew didn't need to help. The Crystals seemed to be in bedded into the muscle of the Crystalized Mont, as when the Stone Golem pulled, the Crystals would come sliding out, just like the Ice spikes, only the holes would close themselves afterwards. It was really satisfying to watch, oddly enough.
The part where the crystals were connected was so easy to rip off that the Stone Golem had enough momentum and managed to rip off the rest of the hide with no assistance. Cashew finished off some areas like the head and took the hide inside, putting it on the ground by the table.
Cashew walked out of his house and thanked the Stone Golem, dismissing it back to the spot it chose to watch over.
While Cashew took out his new pan and started a fire, he had no more Bedside table to burn aside from wood chips, so he had to get wood from the forest, which was thankfully very close and not difficult at all.
Cashew started a fire and started cutting up the Crystalized Mont carcass. Getting meat ready to be eaten.
Cashew: I hope the man was wrong about the meat being disgusting... I don't mind if it's bland, but please don't be disgusting...
Cashew put the pan over the fire and put some water in the pan, throwing some of the meat on too. He had no seasoning or anything beyond the meat itself.
Letting the meat cook for a few minutes, Cashew used the Dadger to cut a piece off and take a bite, chewing it slowly.
A tear formed in his eye, he closed his eyes and looked down. Staying silent for a moment.
Cashew: It's Disgusting.