Kael came out of the Adventurer's Guild.
As he walked, his eyes fell on the clothing store where he had bought his clothes.
A side business, he thought. I could sell things from Earth. There would be huge profits.
If he was going to build a business, he needed intel. Demographics. Consumer behavior. A sense of what made these people tick.
If I'm going to play the merchant game, I need to know the market. I needed knowledge—of who bought what, and why.
And so he walked.
Past the open-air butchers, where massive cuts of meat hung like crimson flags. Past the scribes and scrollmakers in their little ink-stained booths. He saw noblewomen in brocaded dresses, and beggars hunched in the shade of alleyways, their palms open.
And in the thick of it all—between spice merchants shouting over one another and acrobats flipping in the dust—was a shop that caught his eye.
A quaint little place. Wooden walls bleached pale by the sun, a crooked sign that read "Orren's Curiosities" swinging lazily above the door.
Outside sat an old man with silver hair and eyes like worn glass, smiling as though he'd been waiting just for Kael.
"Young man!" the old man called. "You've the look of someone searching for answers… or treasure."
Kael blinked. "Uh… not really—"
"Come, come, don't be shy. First visit's free for good luck."
Kael stepped closer.
Laid out on a cloth-covered table were small trinkets: carved bone charms, copper rings with green stones, tiny vials sealed with wax. One looked like it held glowing ash. Another, a blackened tooth in amber.
"What's all this?"
"Relics," the old man said grandly. "Old magic. Forgotten places. Dangerous roads. All hold their own stories."
Kael picked up a small pendant—an iron medallion shaped like a dragon's eye. Its center gleamed faintly. Just paint, probably.
"This one," the old man said, "comes from the Wastes of Telmar. Said to protect its wearer from curses. Just three bronze coins."
Kael turned it over. The back was etched with squiggles, almost like runes, but uneven—more decorative than authentic.
Huh… three bronze? Hmm, I should buy this. Maybe it will come in handy in the future.
He bought the medallion. And two rings. And a vial of "smoke from a fire spirit's breath." The old man winked and tossed in a cloth pouch to carry them.
"Safe travels, stranger," he said, voice low and smooth. "May your path be lit, and your coin purse never empty."
Kael smirked as he walked off. The whole thing felt like a fantasy souvenir shop, but whatever. The items looked cool—and who knew? Maybe one of them did have magic.
Worst case, I resell them.
Kael then returned to the inn. It was now very crowded. However, he headed straight for the stairs. His room was his destination.
As he went up, he saw the elf girl he had spoken to that morning. She was cleaning.
"Ah, you're back now," she said.
"Ah, yes. I'm an F-rank adventurer now."
"Ah, that's great. Congratulations."
"Thanks." He paused, then added, "I also picked up a few things on the way back."
He pulled open the pouch. "A ring that wards off curses. A vial of spirit smoke. And a medallion from the Wastes of Telmar."
She blinked once. Then laughed.
Kael frowned. "What? What's funny?"
"You met Orren," she said, matter-of-factly.
"He's a fraud. Mostly. A retired actor with a flair for dramatic sales pitches and a supply of cheap baubles."
Kael's stomach sank. "You're saying it's all fake?"
"Not all of them," she offered. "The vial probably contains smoke from a lizard's fire pit. The ring is just copper, dyed to look older. The medallion? Painted tin. But it's nice enough. Might fetch a bronze if you find someone more gullible than you."
Kael groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I paid ten bronze for all this…" The image of the old man's warm smile now felt like a carefully crafted deception.
The initial excitement of his purchases had curdled into a bitter taste of foolishness.
"You got off light," she said, pushing herself off the wall. "He once sold a noblewoman a 'phoenix feather' made from dyed goose down. For a gold coin."
"Hmm... but why hasn't anyone done anything about him?" he asked, a surge of indignation rising within him. "I want to return these and get my money back."
She raised a delicate eyebrow, a hint of impatience in her gaze. "Honestly. It was your own naivete. No one in their right mind would sell something truly valuable for such a paltry sum. Besides, he didn't force your hand. You willingly parted with your coins. Legally, you have no recourse. Consider it a… tuition fee. Learn from it and be more discerning with your coin."
What the— The elf girl's bluntness stung, but a part of him knew she was right.
He had been foolish, blinded by the allure of the exotic and the old man's theatrical charm. The realization of his own gullibility was a sharp jab to his pride. That old man… I thought he was a good and simple man. I misjudged him completely. I shouldn't judge people by their appearance. I need to be more careful.
Frustration simmered beneath his embarrassment.
"Ah, thanks for your advice. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good." She started to walk away, then paused. "But…"
"But?"
She turned back slightly, a gleam in her eye. "I do know someone who sells actual magic items. If you're ever serious about spending coin."
"Hmm... thank you for that. But I don't have enough money for that right now. I'll let you know about it later if necessary."
"As you wish," Alenia said. "And Kael?"
"Yeah?"
Her tone softened. "Don't take it too hard. We all get swindled when we're new."
Then she left.
Kael then opened the door to his room and entered.
He put his bag on his bed and closed the door.
Ah, I should use Exchange now to see how much money I can get.
Kael took the items in his hands, ready to use his skill.
[EXCHANGE!]
⌛ Processing...
🧿 Item: Painted Tin Medallion
— Material: Iron Alloy
— Craftsmanship: Poor
— Exchange Value: ½ Copper Coin
🔥 Item: Vial of "Spirit Smoke"
— Material: Organic Waste
— Exchange Value: 1 Copper Coin
💍 Items: Copper-Plated Rings (2)
— Material: Zinc Alloy
— Exchange Value: 1.5 Copper Coins
『Total Exchange Value: 3 Copper Coins』
Damn it. I spent a hundred coppers to buy these, but I've only gotten three coppers from them now.
Kael was very angry with himself for this.
But... if that old man can sell these three-copper objects to me for a hundred coppers, then I can do the same.
Yes. It can be done. This world was still medieval. Which meant modern products, even ordinary ones, could seem miraculous.
If I bring the right items from Earth… I could make a fortune.
The fire in his gut turned into resolve.
He took out all the coins he had.
3 silver, 8 bronze, and 77 copper coins.
He used Exchange.
[EXCHANGE!]
『Currency Identified: 3 Silver, 8 Bronze, 77 Copper Coins』
『Total Earth Value:
3 Silver = $30, 8 Bronze = $8, 77 Copper = $7.70
Total: $45.70 USD』
★★★
⭐⭐⭐
Exchange Rate:
1 Copper = $0.10
1 Bronze = $1.00
1 Silver (100 Coppers) = $10.00
1 Gold (100 Silver) = $1,000.00
⭐⭐⭐