章節 40: It's not easy at all
Joe watched as his friends left his small room and his home, all with words of encouragement. The small spark of hope that ignited in his heart seemed enough to push him forward. However, as soon as the door closed and silence took over the room, he found himself alone again. The strength that once emanated from his body was no longer there, and now, all that remained was a new beginning — *apprentice merchant*.
Determined not to let himself be beaten by what he had lost, Joe decided to start small but with determination. He always saw the city market as a bustling place where merchants of all kinds sold everything, from exotic herbs to ancient weapons. But Joe had none of that. He barely had enough to start. With what remained of his savings, he bought a sack of tomatoes, hoping it would be enough to kick-start his small business.
The next day, Joe woke up early, arranged his tomatoes in a basket inside a cart that his father had made for him, and headed to the city center. The market was in full swing, and the noise of people, the aroma of food, and the sound of copper coins changing hands filled the air. He found a corner in the market where he decided to set up his small makeshift stall, another gift from his dear father, who did everything for his son.
"Fresh tomatoes!" He shouted. "Buy fresh tomatoes!"
At first, people ignored him. He was just a boy, too small to be alone in such a busy market. A few hours passed, and not a single tomato had been sold. Finally, some elderly ladies approached. Each of them picked up one of the tomatoes, squeezed them hard, and looked Joe up and down while asking:
"And these tomatoes, boy, are they really fresh? Where did you get them?"
"Yes, ma'am! They're the best tomatoes you'll find today!" Joe replied hopefully.
She looked at the tomatoes for a moment, shook her head, and dropped the fruit back into the basket with disdain.
"You still haven't said where you got them. Not that it matters—these tomatoes are bruised. Who would buy that from a boy like you?"
Joe felt his face burn with shame. The ladies left, muttering nonsense about how a child that small dared to deceive such respectable women. Joe didn't dare say anything more. He looked at the tomatoes, realizing for the first time that, indeed, some were bruised, unaware that it was those same respectable ladies who had done it. The day went by, and in the end, Joe hadn't sold anything. He packed up his small stall, discouraged, and as he was heading home, some boys around his age suddenly attacked him, stole his stall and his tomatoes, leaving him empty-handed.
When he arrived, the blue screen glowed once again before his eyes.
"YOU HAVE FAILED YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT. STATUS REDUCED. *SCAVENGER OF RUINS*"
*What!?* Joe exclaimed, stunned, as he tried to figure out what that term meant.
*Scavenger of Ruins*: A level where the person has no trading skills and can only survive by scavenging discarded or abandoned goods. It is viewed with disdain by society.
"STATUS REDUCED. UPDATED: STRENGTH 0.09 / AGILITY 0.09 / VITALITY 0.20 / DEFENSE 0.09 / LUCK 0.07 / SKILL -1..."
Joe sighed, his chest tight. He realized that each failure not only diminished his confidence but also devalued his remaining few skills. However, he wasn't willing to give up. Tomorrow would be another day.
The next morning, he decided to try something different. With the few coins he had, he bought a sack of potatoes. He had heard that potatoes sold well, especially among families looking for durable, easy-to-prepare food. This time, he chose a different spot in the market, closer to the entrance, where the foot traffic was heavier.
"Fresh potatoes! Freshly harvested potatoes!" He announced with renewed enthusiasm.
This time, two burly and surly men approached.
"How much for the potatoes, kid?"
Joe smiled. Finally, an interested customer.
"Ten bronze coins for the sack!"
One of the men laughed loudly and mocked:
"Ten bronze coins? For wilted, dirty potatoes? Do you think I'm an idiot, kid?"
Before Joe could respond, the man picked up one of the potatoes, squeezed it hard, revealing the beginning of rot, and threw it on the ground. The laughter echoed around, and other people in the market began to whisper.
"I wouldn't buy that for even one coin!" He shouted, turning to leave, while other men, who were just passing by with disdainful looks, decided to take the boy's goods, still slapping and cuffing him on the head.
Joe stood still, feeling the weight of humiliation. Unfortunately, he no longer had his fighting skills to defend himself. When night fell, once again, he returned home and tried to hide from his parents, saying nothing to them. After all, what was there to say if he hadn't sold anything? And, like before, the blue screen appeared, this time even crueler.
"YOU HAVE FAILED YOUR SECOND ATTEMPT. STATUS REDUCED. *SELLER OF SCRAPS*: A classification where the character tries to sell small, insignificant items, such as broken pieces of things or leftover food. It has little to no recognition.
STATUS REDUCED. UPDATED: STRENGTH 0.08 / AGILITY 0.08 / VITALITY 0.18 / DEFENSE 0.09 / LUCK 0.07 / SKILL -2..."
The tears threatened to fall, but Joe held them back. **He would not give up.** He couldn't—he still had a few coins left.
On the third day, he decided to sell apples. He bought a small batch of red, juicy apples, believing that fruits would attract more attention. He asked his father to make a new stall, cleaned the apples until they gleamed in the sunlight, and went out in search of a good spot, where he set up his small stall and waited for customers.
"Fresh apples! Delicious apples!" He shouted.
This time, a young mother with a child by the hand stopped in front of Joe's stall. The small boy looked at the apples with shining eyes.
"Mommy, I want an apple!"
The mother looked at Joe, and he, hopeful, smiled and picked the nicest apple.
"Here it is!" He said.
The mother, however, rolled her eyes.
"No, dear. We're not buying from a dirty street boy. Let's find a real stall."
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