Chapter 248: Us Players Never Sell Counterfeits (Straight-Faced) (2/2)

Moreover, the Grey Fjord was a famously dangerous place even in the absence of bandits. Sea monsters and magical beast prowled the depths or on land, and if someone was really that formidable that they could get a scarlet coral of such fine quality, why sell it in a border town like this?

After all, even if Lancaster was known for its trade, that was relative to the other few cities that survived Tierra’s fall.

Wouldn’t he sell it for a better price for his trinket at Valla’s capital or the Holy White City which were actual, bustling cities?

“And here. This art piece is made by the wood elves using lunawood that only grows in the depths of the Trinia Forests. Not only is it beautiful, it draws in the Silver Moon’s radiance at night, bathing you in nourishing lunar radiance, healing sickness and strengthening your body! Bargain price, 20 Abbys!”

Gerald was snorting when Marni took out his second item.

It had been ages since the wood elves appeared to humankind, and any who had seen them would be dead, peppered with their arrows. All those adventurers’ boastings about meeting them in out-of-town taverns were nothing but tall tales.

And if the wood elves were never seen, there was no chance of getting one’s hands on their art piece. Elven art was basically considered masterpieces in the various nations of the Western Continent, objects passed down in most noble families as precious heirlooms. Why would anyone even sell it?

Gerald had never even heard of lunawood either. Most likely, it was Marni blurting out nonsense, and wasn’t ‘healing sickness and strengthening body’ pretty much a catchphrase of every fake alchemist selling fake potions?

“And last but not least—you definitely had never seen anything like this, milady—a Violet Pearl of the Dark Tidal Coast, plucked out of a giant clam by a nonhuman from the Western Continent! The perfect shape and size make it rare in any corner of the world, a whole new item never-before-seen! Selling at 45 Abbys, what are you waiting for?!”

Gerald finally couldn’t stop himself at the sight of the pearl larger than an adult’s fist in Marni’s hand.

“Silence, you shameless oaf!”

He cried in rage as he exposed Marni’s lies. “Giant clams are tiny, and the largest pearl ever is just a few grams at best. That thing is at least two pounds! And what nonhumans of the Western Continent? Did you think you live in a knight novel? There’s no reason to buy your ridiculous lies!”

“…But it was really plucked out of a giant clam…” Marni looked utterly innocent.

Gerald glared fiercely at him. “Still not relenting? You’re not dragging the mayor’s good name through the mud! You can think about your greed and delusions in the stockade!”

“Hold on… Are you really going to just decide on my crime?” Marni returned his glare with a curious look. “Or are you an evaluator who could tell on a glance that my wares are fake?”

“Why evaluate when things are so clear? Or should I evaluate anyone selling a bun as mithril!?”

But when Gerald was about to have the other guards take the greedy merchant away, Gwendolyn’s mother—who had said nothing from the start suddenly spoke.

“Wait, Gerald.” Her words were quiet. “I’m not convinced that Mister Marni here would lie to me for no reason. Please ask for Maester Rad from the Starwatch Tower, and with his evaluation skills we shall see who is right.”

“As you wish, milady,” Gerald replied, calling another guardsman and sending him to bring in the astrologist even though he thought it unnecessary.

“Hold on,” Marni suddenly said after the guard left. “It’s only within reason that I’m dumped in the stockade if my wares are fake. But what if they are real?”

Gerald didn’t reply, and merely flashed a false smile at Marni, clearly convinced such a thing wouldn’t happen.

“I would purchase all of them, naturally,” the noblewoman answered clearly.

“No, milady, you’re mistaken.” Marni shook his head. “I trust that you could understand that my wares are far more valuable and could sell at twice my offered price in major cities! I’m selling it cheap to you for nothing other than reput—uh, I mean, to strengthen my merchant guild’s reputation, that sort of thing. The baseless suspicion of your knight, however, had already affected my reputation!”

“So, my suggestion is this: if my wares are proved to be genuine, I’ll have sir knight here bet on his religion to duel my own underling.”