Chapter 8: Fencing The Loot

I make my way through the crowded market, scanning the stalls for a merchant who deals in varied goods. After a few minutes, I spot a stall that seems promising. The merchant is a middle-aged man with a friendly but shrewd expression, his stall filled with a mix of items: trinkets, cloth, wooden crafts, and various odds and ends.

"Good morning," I greet him as I approach the stall.

"Morning," he replies with a nod. "Looking for something special?"

"Actually, I have a few items I'd like to get a price estimate for," I say, pulling the wooden figurines and wool products from my backpack. "Could you tell me what these might be worth?"

He examines the items carefully, turning them over in his hands and scrutinizing the craftsmanship. After a few moments, he looks up at me. "You bought them from Cedric, right? Poor bloke got himself killed yesterday. Fucking disgusting gobbos!" He spat.

"No way! I just spoke with him a few days ago!" I feign shock and bewilderment.

Shit. This means that the merchant, Cedric, was well-known around here. I can't sell the crates I pillaged from him in this town or I'm instantly busted.

He shakes his head. "Sorry, lad. I've seen his corpse. It's sadly true. I'm in big trouble now, I have lost a big supplier."

"I'm sorry, and especially sorry for his family, then. Were you the only merchant he supplied?"

He glances at me curiously but thankfully doesn't seem suspicious. "Yeah, we had a deal that I would buy all his figurines and wool products he can't sell in his village."

Nice! That means he should be unknown a few towns away from here. I need to rent a carriage with a few mules and at least 3 guards. But how will I explain to them that we need to stop at the forest and haul the crates that are holed up under leaves and branches on board…

I need to find some men that aren't the cleanest bunch. But then they could turn on me to steal the wares for themselves… Damn, what a difficult situation. Fencing those stolen items might prove very hard. Furthermore the perishables will rot probably by the time I get to them.

"I see. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss. Could you still give me a price estimate for these items?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it lad. Part of running a merchant business. Sometimes life strikes hard, all we can do is make the best of the situation. As for your wares, the figurines are worth around 70 bronze each, the wool products are about 25."

Wait, don't tell me that the fap materials are worth this much more! The boys are thirsty in this town.

No maidens?

... Well, they are actually rather intricately carved, maybe it requires multiple hours of effort from a skilled artisan. Poor construction worker dude works for 12 hours of his back breaking heartless job and can't afford a single figurine. What a life.

However, that means I have a small fortune sitting in that hole. I didn't count but there were at least 25 figurines in that crate. With the wool crate's value added together there should be more than 20 silver's worth of items.

"Can I take it as an offer from you, or only an estimate?"

"I'm ready to pay those prices. I know that I might look a little cunning, but I really didn't scam you. I'm feeling rather depressed due to Cedric's death, I'm in no mood to make a killing with his products. He was a great family man, artisan and an amazing friend. The total is 190 bronze coins, here, take these two silver ones instead."

I thank for his generosity and part with the products and after I do I receive a notification;

[New Class Unlocked: Merchant]

[Merchant: Basic Class]

[Effect: Minor Wisdom Increase]

[Base Skill: Lesser Bartering]

[Lesser Bartering: slightly boosts the user's chance of bartering for a better price while selling or buying items.]

Nice. I can use that skill the next time I trade. With that out of the way I say goodbye to the moping merchant. Now I have 3 silver and 96 bronze coins.

As I continue to explore the town, I start to form a plan. My first goal is to find a way to safely level up and increase my strength and skills. Buying a slave as a shield bearer could be a viable strategy, but I need to gather more information about the local practices and ensure I'm making a wise investment.

I decide to head towards the central square, where the town's main bulletin board is located. It's a good place to find job postings, notices, and general information. As I approach, I see a crowd gathered around the board, reading the various postings.

I scan the board, looking for anything that might be of interest. There are job listings for laborers, announcements of upcoming events, and notices about local laws and regulations. One particular notice catches my eye:

Adventurer's Guild Recruitment Drive!

Looking for brave souls to join the Adventurer's Guild. Opportunities for quests, monster hunting, and exploration await. Inquire at the guild hall for more details.

Becoming a glorified monster exterminator?

No thanks.

I remember my earlier thoughts about buying a slave and decide to visit the local slave market to gather information and see what's available. It's not a decision I take lightly, but in this world, it might be a necessary step to ensure my survival and success. Trusting my life to a free man who could backstab me at any time is risky; a magically bound individual might be a much smarter option to start out with.

With a sense of purpose and, to be honest, morbid curiosity, I set off towards the slave market, determined to make the most of my new life in this fantasy world.

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