Chapter 8: I Choose!!
As Orion left the inn, venturing deeper into the bustling street, the stark contrast between village life and city life became evident to him.
Just looking at the pedestrian minding their own business, their face etched with a smile or deep in thought for the day, you could see that at the very least they were satisfied with their current lifestyle.
While danger still lingered, it was at least reduced thanks to the presence of the hunter guild and patrolling guards.
Even thieves, killers, or cunning monsters lurking within would think twice before initiating reckless behavior, especially in broad daylight where everyone was alert and active.
Observing everything, Orion couldn't help but think of the Crimsonleaf Village. If the village had more guards and hunters, then things could have changed for the better.
At the very least, the population would not have declined to its current state, and his father wouldn't have had to shoulder everything.
Orion sighed...
"Wild boar's fresh meat for only three copper Luna... Everyone, come and buy."
"Bluemoon City's limited fresh vegetables for sale!"
"Fresh yet cheap invigorating powder for aspiring hunters!"
"Sweet apple pie and soft/hard bread, fresh and hot!"
"Ale!... Troll's Bane Beer heavy and bitter, and Kraken's Cider alcohol crisp and salty-sweet, good for quenching lonely souls."
"Travelling caravan protection from Crimson City to Bluemoon City for ten gold luna."
"Pets! Pets for sale!"
"Anyone selling goblin parts? I'm willing to buy with a 2% increase in market price."
The vendors shouted, striving to catch the attention of the rushing pedestrians. Some displayed their products prominently, while others enticed the onlookers with promises of new opportunities.
Their wits and eloquence were fully engaged trying to sell and buy things. The market was like a battleground for both vendors and customers.
After several twists and turns, Orion finally reached his destination—a three-story building.
The wooden door displayed a signboard with an image of an owl, symbolizing the 'Black Owl' shop.
Standing by the door, he glanced at the nearby shops and couldn't help but admire Fatso's skill as a merchant. Not only had he managed to secure a shop in the heart of the market but also competed with larger establishments.
Mr. Dave is undoubtedly a capable merchant, but why didn't he hire more hunters as guards? Ah, right! Maybe Mr. Angus is that powerful, and as his partner, he places great trust in him!
With this conclusion, Orion lightly dusted off his clothes...
.
.
"Dave, forty gold luna is my limit. Look, the paper I invented will change the current market entirely." A thin, scholarly man shouted passionately, unwilling to lower his requested investment. "My paper is not only easier to produce, but its quality is better than the current parchment. It can be even cheaper and more accessible, revolutionizing trade, governance, and businesses—it will be the future!"
"I see your passion, Javier. But thirty gold luna? That's a steep price for something so... simple. Can't we just agree on twenty gold luna?" Dave eyed him carefully tapping his finger on the counter. "Beside the problem is not the production, and I see the value of it being cheaper, but the problem is that it's not easy to ship them out of the city.
You understand the danger out there, right?
One mistake means the end, destruction of all products, and even death of the caravan."
"I also have to pay the guards and hire a hunter, and their services aren't cheap. Five or ten gold would not suffice."
Hearing this, Javier finally calmed down. He understood the dangers of the forest all too well; even his friend Dave could only conduct business in nearby cities and towns, unable to traverse the whole Lunaria Kingdom due to the risks.
One wrong decision means death!
"But still wouldn't I be on the losing end? My request is already quite low." Javier became reluctant.
"My friend, you're not entirely on the losing end, as you would still earn a substantial amount from the selling..."
"I?"
Ring!
The bell rang, informing them of a new presence (customer).
As Orion stepped into the shop, his gaze was immediately drawn to the crumpled brown sheet of paper. The counter wasn't far from the door, separated only by two wooden shelves displaying various products.
Although he hadn't heard the conversation between the two, the brownish paper already explained everything. The parchment and vellum currently in use were made from animal skin, whereas the one at the counter was not.
Brownish paper!
He didn't expect that someone had already invented paper, while he was still clueless about replicating anything from his previous world and was still preoccupied with survival.
The realization left him feeling ashamed.
Well, it wasn't entirely his fault—he was only seven years old, illiterate, and had been living in the slums before being taken to an orphanage, where he eventually succumbed to illness.
"Oh, my dear friend! Hahaha." Dave's expression brightened, laughing heartily. "Javier will talk business later. For now, I need to accommodate our brave aspiring hunter."
"Aspiring Hunter!" Javier realized Dave's enthusiasm; the fatman was again betting on another life.
Survive, Dave wins a new hunter friend; the life die means he loses money and effort.
Standing before the counter, Orion confirmed that it was really a brownish paper before shifting his attention to Javier, who gave him a slight nod.
The scholarly, thin, middle-aged man had brown eyes and neatly kept brown hair. He was dressed in a black robe adorned with a pin that featured the symbol of a book and a vial, denoting his expertise, with a mark 'III,' indicating his rank.
As the young and old eyes met, what Orion did not realize was that the old was already conceiving something in his mind.
Meanwhile, Dave rushed to another door, where a frigid cold wind stirred the shop's curtains, leaving Orion surprised by the unexpected source of the cold wind.
After a minute, Dave returned carrying a flat, cold plate. Resting on it were three small, dark glass vials filled with rare animal blood.
Tap!
"Impressed?" Dave chuckled before explaining further. "The three vials contain the rarest animal blood in my shop."
"According to the merchant and animal organization, this blood could be said to be the leader, strongest, fiercest, and most cunning animals of their species... In short, they are the blood of the most elite among normal animals."
Orion felt the coldness of the vials. "Should there be five vials?"
"Ahh, well!" Dave froze before smiling embarrassingly. "The two vials were sold last night. Two of my important customers learned of my arrival and rushed in; one bought the blood for his nephew, and the other one was about to use it to climb to a higher rank... So yeah, two vials were sold."
Orion nodded in understanding. As a merchant, Dave naturally had to prioritize his important customers as his business relied on buying, selling, and maintaining goodwill... A balanced transaction between parties.
"Oh! Then could you tell me what species these three belong to?"
"The vial on the right contains gray wolf blood, the one in the middle holds great-horned owl blood, and the one on the left is from a bighorn sheep," Dave explained enthusiastically, pointing to each in turn.
Learning what kind of species of blood the three were, Orion contemplated what to choose.
"Kid, you're really lucky Fatso is willing to invest in you, sigh." Javier shakes his head.
Orion was startled before nodding seriously.
After some time, he finally selected the blood he believed would help him... Since the hunter had a strict rule about the hunter potion, even 'he,' with his father or Captain Angus, was blind to what the rank would foretell its connection and the power it could give.
Like every other hunter, he was now playing by instinct.
"Mr. Dave, I'll pick the gray wolf.
"The gray wolf, huh? You're certainly a brave one." Dave smiled, not saying much more as he calculated the total price. "With the discount, you'll still need to pay 1 gold and 3 silver luna."
Indeed, Hunter is both rich and poor... Orion sighed as he withdrew one gold and a few silvers from his pouch.
Javier watched the money being handed to Dave, his thoughts growing firm, but before he could speak, the fatman swiftly interjected.
Clap!!
"Great! Now that it's settled, let's head to the hunter guild," Dave said with a smile. "The blood will lose its potency if not contained in a cold environment, so it's best to go now... Orion, let me just confirm—your physical and mental condition are good, right?
There will be an assessment before one becomes a hunter, so I should ask first. If not, I can help you keep the blood for now."
Orion nodded. "I'm completely fine. This is all thanks to Captain Angus."
Dave nodded with a grin as he looked at Javier before rushing to the other door not only to store the remaining vials but also to call his helpers to take over the shop while he was gone.
Three minutes of silence quickly passed...
Ring!!
"My carriage is ready. Let's go!"