Chapter 15 - The Link Between You and I 3 (1/2)
Chapter 15 - The Link Between You and I (3)
“Hello, adventurers.I was dispatched by the Anywhere company.I am here to help your Dungeon exploration be as smooth and pleasant of an experience as it can be.I am a middleman.My name is Mycenae!”
She had smooth brown skin, and a notably ample bosom.The beautiful woman’s voice was clear as if a bell was ringing.She waved her hand as she spoke towards Artpe and Maetel.
Maetel instinctively pushed Artpe behind her, and she was about to raise her sword.Artpe smirked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
“She isn’t an enemy, so don’t worry about it.According to their contract, they aren’t allowed to attack us first.”
“Contract?”
“It is a contract made with the god.It is sometimes called the Dungeon contract.Anyways, it is a contract that no one can break, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“Artpe even knows about that.You are really amazing.”
“Oh my.Do you know about the Anywhere company?”
She surmised they were out of the ordinary, since the two kids were able to reach the depths of this Dungeon.However, she never expected him to have some general knowledge about her store!
Mycenae, who was the middleman from the Anywhere company, looked at Artpe with round eyes.Artpe snorted as he waved his hand.
“How dare you?”
Several dozen Mana threads were emitted from both sides, and they crossed paths.There weren’t any ill-intention behind her use of Mana, but it was indiscriminately broken up as it dissipated.He was able to declare this his words with impudence.All detection and inquiry magic was useless under his Read All Creation ability!
“Oh my!”
“Don’t you try to get cute with me, merchant.”
“Yes…..”
Mycenae realized that her inquiry magic had been denied before it could even activate.She backed away in fright.She backed into the cart, and her bosom jiggled as if it was about to spill out.
Every man, who had the strength to raise a spoon, would have been instinctively drawn to her charming gesture.However, Artpe just spit on the ground.
“Hoong.You are an ajumma.”
“W...what did you just say!?”
“You should be prepared to give us a 20% discount, ajumma.If you were able pull it off in secret, it would be fine.However, you have no excuse, since I found out.Right?”
“Kook······!”
She had been a middleman for the Anywhere company for the past 100 years.She was a veteran of this industry.She never expected to be humiliated in her first meeting with this brat!Mycenae balled up her fist as they trembled.
Artpe turned his gaze away from her.
His gaze reached the two Skeletons, who had been enhanced to the extreme.Only pile of bone dusts was left behind as remains.
“All right.Let’s do our looting first.”
“Yes!”
“Huh, customer?”
“We’ll trade with you.Just wait there.”
Even if she set aside the brusque little man, the girl had completely ignored her.She felt a large crack form in her pride.
Who the hell were they!Unlike their appearances, why were they giving off a vibe of 20 year veteran Dungeon explorers!
“There really is only powders left behind.Still, it isn’t as if there are no other way to….”
“I tried to loot, but it didn’t work.What should I do in such a situation, Artpe?”
“All right.I’ll teach it to you, so you should pay close attention.”
Even as Mycenae's body shook, Artpe approached the two pile of bone dusts, and he extended his Mana Threads in abundance.Maetel stood by his side, and her head was tilted in confusion.He gave a friendly explanation.
“Of course, it does seem impossible to loot a monster that had been completely pulverized, but this isn’t the case if you have the ability to control Mana.Watch me.”
Mana Threads extended out of his hand, and they reached the two piles of bone dusts made out of two Skeletons.The piles reacted to the Mana Threads, and it started to clump into a single pile.Artpe moved his hand in various directions, and the process accelerated.
“Next, you have to do this….”
“Wow.”
When he severed the Mana Threads, the debris also stopped moving.It looked like a pile of ash.It was as if a vampire had been burned to death there.
“We just have to wait for the chosen items to come out.This is an easy method you can use if you acted rashly by burning remains of a monster.You should keep that in mind.”
“As expected, Artpe is amazing!”
“These customers are…..”
This Dungeon had been appealing enough to call her forth.The fact that these young adventurers were able to last inside this place was surprising, but it was much more surprising to see one of them use such advanced technique to loot the monsters.
While Mycenae was gawking at them, the looting process was coming to a end.It looked to be successful.
“Ah, Artpe.Something is emerging.”
“It is an arm warmer.Since you have the gauntlets, this one is mine.”
“Wow.A pretty crystal also came out!”
“There were too much excess magical energy from monsters gathered here.Since it couldn’t be collected naturally, it clumped together.Normally, it is used as ingredient for making magical tools.Mmmm.This isn’t an item that you can use…....”
“Artpe can have it all.I have the sword and the armor.”
Mmm.She was like an unwavering angel.Artpe let out a bitter laugh as he put the crystal away.Then he put on the arm warmers.
It was unknown as to why arm warmers made out of black leather was dropped by a Skeleton, but when he equipped it, it had a supplemental effect of increasing his hand speed.It wasn’t intentional, but this was the ideal equipment for Artpe, who had to use both his hands for battle.
“I can see something still shining there, Artpe.”
“Ah.I almost forgot about it.”
Since all the drops of Skeletons on this floor was gathered in one place, there would also be some money mixed inside the loot.He saw two pretty large gold coins.Artpe smirked as he picked them up.
“I anticipated a gold coin would come out, but I didn’t expect two.Nice.”
“Wahhhhh.They are pretty.”
This was the first time Maetel had seen gold coins in her lifetime.Her eyes twinkled as she let out an exclamation.A gold coin was worth 100 times more than a silver coin.This wasn’t something unique to Maetel.Even their town’s chief would never be able to possess one in his lifetime.
“Normally, not all monsters over level 100 drop gold coins.This miraculous event occurred, because all our enemies were tied together by the Record Link.You should keep that in mind.”
“All right!”
“Wait a moment, customer.Record Link?What is that?”
Even if she was a veteran middleman for the Dungeons, this didn’t mean she knew everything about ancient magic.Of course, Artpe didn’t answer the merchant’s question.He finished his looting.
“We didn’t gain any rewards that we can liquidate….Still, if we add the gold coins to the money we already have, I might be able manage a decent trade.”
“What is it?”
“Wait a moment.”
After Artpe made sure there weren’t anything else he could take, he walked towards the Dungeon merchant he had been ignoring up until now.He moved towards Mycenae.Mycenae acted as if she had forgotten about the affront of being ignored up until now.She greeted him with a bright smile.
“Welcome, customer.Are you looking for a specific item?”
“One empty bottle”
“Y…you want an empty bottle?”
“Yes.”
Mycenae and Artpe made eye contact.She tried her best to discern Artpe’s inner thoughts, but he kept a sickeningly innocent expression on his face.
She knew he was up to something.However, a member of the Anywhere company couldn’t turn down a trade unless there was a special circumstance involved!It was the biggest taboo to turn down a trade!Mycenae felt uneasy as she took out an empty bottle from her cart.
“The price is 50 bronze coins.”
“It is only a single empty bottle!Why is it so expensive!?”
“All Dungeon merchants are like this.”
Artpe ignored Maetel, who was shocked.He took the empty bottle.Mycenae watched Artpe unstopper the bottle.She spoke with a worried tone in her voice.
“It seems you are trying to fill up the bottle with the water from the fountain.Shouldn’t you check if the water is safe to drink first?It is a fundamental rule followed by all adventurers.”
“I know.I already checked it.”
“You already checked it!?”