Chapter 9: The Hero sells the loot and melts copper
「You know, that door was supposed to be infused with my special barrier. Resistant to both magical and physical attacks, not to mention soundproof. You’re making me lose confidence in my abilities.」
「My bad, my hands were occupied with your poorly trained dogs. So I had no other choice but to kick it open.」
「My apologies for that. I manage the slums around here, My name is Duphein Gull. Now, could you state your business?」
Shitty Glasses, who referred to himself as Duphein Gull, said that with a smile. It was as though he wasn’t unnerved at all by the chaos that had just unfolded right outside.
Although I had expected that he wouldn’t be disturbed at all, his uncaring attitude was still frustrating. It seemed that threatening him would be useless, so I released my grip on both the gargoyle head and the man I was still dragging.
「What, I only want to make a trade. Ah, before we start, I’ll be paying the 50 gold fee for privacy.」
I casually took off the necklace around my neck as I said that, watching as there was a change in Dupein’s eyes.
「…… Jack, forget everything you saw and leave this room right now.」
「Yes- EH?」
The face of the man called Jack turned pale as he responded. He was clearly confused by the current situation, and was unable to grasp the meaning behind those words.
「You should already understand the dangers of knowing too much. Please, leave while you still know nothing.」
「Ah!! Y-YES!!」
Jack hurriedly left the room, his quick actions making it seem as though he was kicked out. I turned my attention away from the spectacle, immediately going over and standing in front of Duphein’s desk.
「Well then, shall we start the negotiations? How much are you willing to pay for this necklace?」
「May I examine it first?」
「Sure, look it over as much as you like.」
After saying that, I placed the necklace on Duphein’s desk.
Duphein picked it up carefully, in a delicate manner. He looked at it from various angles, examining every little detail.
He looked over the magic stones embedded in the necklace one by one, carefully inspecting the settings that held them.
「Quite an amazing trinket you have here, all the magic stones have gone through first-class processing. The necklace uses Magic Silver(Mithril) for the chain connecting the settings, doesn’t it? Above all, the magic spells infused into the gems are superb. Automatic HP recovery, small increase in recovery efficiency, visual image recording, auto-repairing (small), I can pay you as much as 30 gold coins for such a splendid item.」
「……30 gold coins, right?」
I should explain the currency of this world here. The coinage of this kingdom is divided into 7 kinds as follows: copper, large copper, silver, large silver, gold, large gold, and lastly, white silver (true silver). 10 coins of one grade are equivalent to 1 coin of the grade above it.
[TL: 10 copper coin = 1 large copper coin]
Although I can’t say for sure, as there are differences in value, 1 silver coin should be valued at around 1,000 yen if converted to Japanese currency. Large gold and white silver coins are not something that can be seen in everyday life, except for the large-scale transactions that would normally occur between kingdoms or large businesses.
It’s common knowledge that private transactions are done with gold coins at most, anything more would be outside the range of everyday life expenses.
Back to the main topic, the price attached to the necklace was 30 gold, which should be around 3,000,000 yen.
Even though it’s imbued with several types of magic, the necklace was nothing but a mere trinket, and 30 gold would have been a decent price. However, that price was only for the quality of the necklace.
「Hey, don’t you go probing around in my head.」
「Tch!!!」
I glared at him as I released a huge amount of killing intent, but unlike last time, I directed it at him.
「You know exactly how to use it, right? So leave the troublesome things alone, if you can’t, maybe I will be able to enjoy killing you?」
That’s right, there isn’t anyone in this room who doesn’t know about it. About the fact that the necklace isn’t quite an ordinary necklace. Engraved at the bottom of the magic stone of the necklace was a carved seal which indicated that it was an item related to the royal family: that carved seal made it so it can’t be used by anyone except royalty, due to an ancient pact with the great spirit. The reason is because the carved seal was made by the king offering his own blood to have the spirit carve it into the pendant.
This necklace was the reason he had driven his subordinate out of the room; to prevent unskillful handling of the situation. It was also the reason why he stated such a low price, to gain information by observing my reaction, which he would then use to try and gain the upper hand in the transaction.
But, this guy doesn’t know what this negotiation means to me.
This is all part of my plan for revenge.
Getting funds is nothing but a trivial matter. To be honest, I could still raise funds for the present even if I were to break it into pieces and sell it. But I brought this necklace here because I believed that he would be able to pull it off naturally. If it was him, he could skillfully send this necklace back to the subordinates of the royal family while earning a hefty profit from it, in other words, he will be a carrier pigeon.
I hinted for him to prepare himself if he became a hindrance by releasing a heavy coercive pressure and bloodlust for an instant, before immediately cancelling it.
Duphein was astonished for an instant but he returned to his usual self immediately afterwards.
「My apologies for the impoliteness. What I needed to know was whether this was genuine. And I only have the power to handle it. It looks like digging for more from you will cost me too much.」
Kukuku, Chuckling lightly, he took off his monocle and wiped it neatly with a cloth.
「Let’s set the price to 350 gold coins. I will give 10 golds coin as a deposit for now. As can be expected, I can’t prepare such a huge sum of money immediately so please come again tomorrow for the rest. For now, I will return this to you.」
「Is that alright? I might run away with the money, you know?」
「If you really are that kind of person, it will just mean that I my eyes weren’t discerning enough. Here, take it.」
After saying that, Duphein passed me a sack of gold he pulled out from his desk.
「If that’s the case, I will take it with pleasure.」
When I picked up the necklace from the desk, I open the sack and lightly tossed one of the coins from inside the sack to Duphein.
「This, what’s the meaning of this?」
「Nothing, that’s just the reimbursement since I broke various things. Also, we~ll 」
I raise the edge of my lips as if I was sneering.
「With this you lost your sight of me, isn’t that right?」
「………You said the price for the information on your name was 50 gold coins, right?」
「Sorry, it’s not for sale anymore. You just missed your chance and there won’t be a second chance.」
After saying that I stuffed the bag with 9 gold coins inside my pocket and left the place.
「……Ku… KUKUKUKU, since something like this happens once in awhile, I never get tired of these slums.」
Duphein, who was left alone, let out a joyful smile as if he was enjoying it.
In his hand was a slime-like lifeform that was wriggling and mimicking a gold coin, made with Duphein’s alchemy.
☆
Things were advancing according to my plan, so I walked toward the main street in a pleasant mood. Although I thought that there would be guys going after me, such things didn’t happen. I advanced from the deepest part of the slums to the main street.
The sun was also located westward, it would only take a bit more for it to set and complete the day. I want to get to the main street as fast as possible and start searching for an inn. When I consider that this will be the first time in 3 months where I will finally be able to sleep in a regular bedroom where the air isn’t humid, and not in barren lands that steal your body heat; I think it is inevitable that my spirits skyrocketed.
「Oops, this reminds me, if I keep it this way, I won’t be able to use it well.」
To stay in a normal inn, you only need one silver coin and will even be able to get change. Unlike Japan and the likes, it doesn’t come with breakfast and the room is small. To begin with, it is a cheap inn, so even if I were to pay with a gold coin, they won’t have any change. And in high class inns where such problems doesn’t exist, it is required to show my personal identification, so that was impossible from the start.
If it’s possible, I want to exchange some gold coins and get several large copper and silver coins, so I started looking around for money-exchanging businesses.
Although the commission of money-exchanging businesses in the main street is cheaper on so many levels, one would have to show their personal identification to exchange gold coins or above. That’s why, I wish to change the money here in the slums, where I can exchange a large amount of money and be forgotten without an inquiry, even if the fee is somewhat expensive.
「I should go to that place.」
I went to a money-exchanging business that I chose randomly.
「Yo, lad. Want to exchange your money?」
The man, who definitely matches the name “muscle daruma”, called out in a low tone. To think that the exchangers have an extremely muscular build, or maybe he was publicising that he is considered as the rear shield of some random organization.
「A~h, I want to exchange some gold coins.」
「Gold coins? How much?」
「Just one is enough. Please change it to large copper coins and silver coins.」
The man took out a scale and put the one gold coin I gave him on the right side of the scale, and then placed a counter weight on the other side.
「Indeed, it is a genuine one. Subtracting the commission, it’ll be 5 large silver, 23 silver, and 20 large copper coins.」
[TL : 25% commission]
His share was 25 silver coins altogether.
「That’s expensive.」
「If you don’t like it, you can exchange it on a legal one, I don’t mind it either way.」
Although the exchange commission in this place was certainly many times higher than the average of the slums, it wasn’t too outrageous either. Since I wanted to quickly start looking for an inn, I just shut up. The man took out large copper, silver, and large silver coins in front of me as he was counting them one by one.
And then, I was able to sense hostility from that man, no, it was also mixed with malice.
There was something. Today, my intuition worked way better than normal, but I still stayed vigilant and watched.
「Done, I shouldn’t have made a mistake when counting them. Here, take it.」
However, I couldn’t detect any suspicious actions from that man. As expected, intuition was still nothing but a feeling, however, even though it was illogical, I could still feel some ill-intent from the man, and understood the reason after receiving the money.
「Ha~h, so this was it. HEY.」
「What? What’s the ma- …kk!?」
I grabbed the neck of the man, who was completely caught off guard, and bashed his body into the wall behind.
「B-bbastard……, what?, I gave you silver coins, isn’t that right?…」
「Silver coins? You mean this copper coin?」
「Wha-……!?」
As I poured a small amount of mana to the silver coins that he gave me, there was a clink-, a snapping-like sound was heard and broke the illusion, transforming it back to a blackened copper coin.
All my skills related to magic perception were lost, and the swords which had perception enhancing passive skills, were sealed. So I couldn’t tell that an illusion was cast on the coin in the first place, without touching the coin. Even though I was in a festive mood, I made such a blunder.
「Tch, you are in the wrong for being deceived. This is the slums, you know!? 『Force Up』!!」
To think that he didn’t even try to stop and smooth things over… He threw away the chance to mend it over with such a vulgar expression and used physical ability enhancement magic on himself. I thought that he was just a muscle-headed daruma, but he was unexpectedly from the smart faction.
「Geez, Ha~h, this kingdom is really the worst. Every single one of you.」
I feel completely disgusted. Interrupting my good mood, that guy smirking as he glances at me, and above all…
………Being seen as a guy who can be deceived easily was the most intolerable.
As if I was the same as the previous me who made the wrong choices, as if there was no change from last time.
Thinking that he’s the same kind as the targets of my revenge, who thought of fooling me, made my blood boil in rage and I really wanted to rip his limbs apart right now.
「Ha~h, I really want to puke.」
I instinctively filled the hand that was being held by his arm with power.
「GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! You bastard, why can’t I tear it ooooooff!! 」
Although he seized my arm, which was holding his neck, and tried to tear it off, it’s impossible for this man to get away from me even if he reinforces himself with Force Up and is unbeatable even by the kingdom’s knights, since I had already strengthened my arm with mana some time ago.
「Gah~, Kuhhk, H-how…?」
By the way, this method for concentrating magical power isn’t well-known in the general populace. Since there’s no sign of me invoking magic, he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t break free from the hand of man who was way more slender than him.
「Ah, that’s right, since something good happened to me today, I can let you off the hook.」
「Guh, Geho, GEHO!!」
I came up with something great so I said that, smiling and letting him go.
Maybe he reached a point where he understood that he messed with someone he must avoid, but his face paled as he asked me.
「I just have to apologize, right? I was wrong, it was my fault, I will apologize, apologize to you so please forgive me……
「Well you don’t have to apologize, you just need to take responsibility earnestly.」
While saying that, I put away all the copper coins that I held in my hand for a moment. And without a sound, I took out the【Fire Spider Leg Sword】. This Spirit Sword is really playing an active role today.
「W-wait!! Please wait!!」
Normally, the punishment for counterfeiting money is chopping both arms off the culprit along with huge amount of debt. Although the punishment for counterfeiting money as a matter is, of course, issued with the backing of this kingdom, the culprit will be unable to return their debt due to his lost arms and might try to sell himself as a slave, or commit suicide.
The muscle daruma shouted and panicked because he remembered about such a thing and thought that I would cut off his arms with my dagger.
「What’s the matter, do you think that I will chop your arms off? Don’t worry, I won’t do that. In the first place, there’s no way I can do that with a sword of this size, right?」
Though it’s certain that I have more than enough power to sever them, I said that line while sneering at him.
「See, this little guy has a somewhat interesting ability. Usually, it can only be used as a campfire or grill, however, maybe due to the influence of its former life as a monster, it displays a tremendous amount of power when used against a certain material.」
「Hah? Eh?」
The Prominence Spider was the acquisition condition for the 【Fire Spider Leg Sword】. It is a blazing big spider which lives in the lava cave.
They were never required to hunt to get their meal despite being a demon themselves. The staple food of Prominence Spiders are various minerals that exist inside the lava cave, it lowers the melting point of the minerals with its unique flame, which is called Poison Flame, then eats the dissolving syrupy minerals. In short……
「As I thought, to atone is to accept punishment of a far worse proportion than what you did. That’s why, I’ll have you eat them all with that lying mouth of yours, what do you think?」
Right after saying that, I broke both his legs and arms so that he couldn’t escape.
「G-GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
His hoarse scream resounded through the streets of the slums. However, his nightmare had yet to end.
「Well then, let’s start with the first coin.」
I forcibly opened his mouth with something made with a material similar to iron that I casually found close to me.
And as I poured a considerably large amount of magical power into the 【Fire Spider Leg Sword】 that I held in my hand, I placed a copper coin on top of it. The copper immediately melted and slowly slid down the blade of the dagger.
「GyAAAAAAGAHGAAAAAAHGAAAAAAaa!!!!!!」
The blazing hot liquid dripped down as it emitted a dull light, and it roasted the man’s innards.
He won’t die easily though.
The 【Fire Spider Leg Sword】 can easily dissolve metals, since it can lower the melting point of the metals.
Though it’s hot, it’s just about 300℃ at the most. If it’s just at this degree, the possibilities of him surviving are high.
「Look! Here comes the second coin. There still are 46 left. You can still endure it because of your activated Force Up, right? Oy, the third one is coming.」
With each lump of scorching liquid dripping down, I let out a sneering smile while enjoying the soundless screams of the muscle daruma.