Maggie walks down Carlton Town’s main street while I glance around in wonder, falling behind and then hurrying to catch up with quick steps.
“That’s the shop that always buys our furs,” she points out.
Interesting. In Lang Village, the general store handles both furs and medicinal herbs, but in Carlton they’re separate businesses.
“So I’d sell my Almiraj pelt there too?”
Maggie considers this for a moment. “I’ll sell it together with mine and give you your share afterward.”
I tilt my head at that. Of course I trust her, but why go through the trouble?
“Um… You see, normally pelts are handled by the Adventurers’ Guild or the Merchants’ Guild. Since my family runs the general store in Lang Village, I sell the furs here and buy secondhand clothes to stock back home.”
Huh, sounds complicated.
“So do the children in Carlton sell herbs and pelts to the guilds?”
Maggie gives me an exasperated look. “Oookay, listen. Normal kids don’t go gathering herbs or hunting monsters in the Great Forest. Though well, I guess you get yours from your granny.”
Hmm, I suppose so. I couldn’t gather herbs or hunt monsters myself until… was it around my birthday? I was inside the house barrier before then. And it’s true that Selina gave me the herbs this time too.
“In that case, Maggie, sell my stuff too!” I lower my pack and put one of my Almiraj pelts into Maggie’s basket.
Then I ask, “Oh! But what about the magic stone? Can I sell that as well?”
Selina doesn’t sell magic stones to the general store—she sells them somewhere in the royal capital to buy books.
“Magic stones are in high demand, so I think you could sell them for a good price at the Adventurers’ Guild or the Merchants’ Guild. We don’t have any at home, but you need magic stones for magic lamps.”
Magic lamps! That’s what Selina lights at night.
She used to use candles, but when her eyesight got worse at night, she bought a magic lamp from the capital. Though she won’t let me use it…
I’m allowed to read by its light, but I can only get my hands on children’s books, which is a bit limiting.
Again, I ask, “Do many people in Carlton have magic lamps?”
Maggie doesn’t seem to know the details either.
“When Matthew boarded in Carlton during winter to go to school, he said they used magic lamps at school too. It got dark when it was snowing, even during the day.”
Hmm, she’s talking about Matthew agaaain!
I don’t dislike him as much as before since he taught me how to make furrows, but isn’t he getting too close to Maggie?
It kinda stings. I mean, Maggie is my only friend, after all.
“Anyway, can I sell the magic stone?”
Maggie doesn’t seem to know that either. “We sometimes buy magic stones from villagers at home, but I’m not trusted to sell them yet. I think Father would know if you can.”
Maggie is still just an apprentice at the general store. This time, her mother’s request is to sell pelts and herbs and buy secondhand clothes.
In other words, just the cheap stuff!
“Then I’ll ask your father about that.”
We oughta sell the pelts first. The basket of furs is so heavy, we gotta do away with them if we want to enjoy Carlton.
I enter the clothing shop and watch quietly from behind as Maggie works hard to sell for the highest price possible.
This is Maggie’s apprentice training, after all.
“The winter pelts are super fine quality!” she declares.
That’s absolutely right! I nod from behind.
“I’m sure they are, dear… but no one’s buying furs with summer just around the corner,” the shopkeeper counters.
Oof, that’s a fair point too. Hang in there, Maggie!
A long battle of wits ensues between the shop owner and Maggie.
Since price tags aren’t standard here, selling is tough work.
But Maggie had been thoroughly coached by her mother—on the bottom price: “Don’t take a coin less than this,” and the target price: “Aim for this if you can.”
The shop owner seemed to understand this. Knowing that Maggie wouldn’t accept the bottom price, she bought the furs for something close to the target amount.
Just watching was exhausting. I think I might not be cut out for being a merchant.
“I’ll come back to buy secondhand clothes after I sell the herbs.”
Hearing that we’d be coming as customers next, the shop owner cheerfully said, “I’ll get the summer items out and wait for you!”
After leaving the clothing shop, Maggie hands me fifty copper pennies, commenting, “Your Almiraj pelt was fluffy and had no damage too.”
Is this really okay?
“Weren’t you listening to the selling prices just now, Zoe?”
“Um, I heard them, but I couldn’t tell which price was for what…”
I mean, she was selling a whole basket full of pelts.
“If you’re that clueless, you’ll get cheated by the guilds even if you become an adventurer.”
“Eh? The Adventurers’ Guilds don’t buy things at fair prices?”
Maggie shrugs. “I’m no expert on that, but I heard that quest items have preset prices. You’ve got to be careful on whether those prices are good or bad before accepting quests, or you’ll lose money.”
Hmm, did she hear that from Matthew again? He’s the village chief’s son, so he’ll probably become village chief himself, won’t he?
I dunno why but that irritates me.
“I see. Should I sell the herbs together with yours too?”
Since I’m annoyed about Maggie being close to Matthew, I change the subject.
“Nuh-uh. Yours are fresh, so I think you’d get a better price selling them separately. Besides, the apothecary isn’t much of a businessperson, so I don’t think he’ll worry about the details.”
Wow, really? An apothecary who gets his herbs without going through any of the guilds… I might be seeing more of this person from now on!
I should be extra nice to this person.