Chapter 36 - 36: Snatching Everything but your Life (1/2)
”Ohh… I am so fortunate as to be able to ride on the carriage of the Holy Bird.”
”The Holy Bird?”
That day we met a merchant who was looking to head over to next town so we gave him a lift.
”Did you not know? Uhm, you are the owner of this carriage correct?”
The merchant who was chatting with Raphtalia points to me rather than her.
He pointed me out even though I try to make it seem like Raphtalia was the owner while I pretended to simply be the guy who synthesizes our goods.
”I am…”
”You guys are getting quite famous. Word has it that there is a carriage drawn by a Holy Bird whose proprietors wander about bringing miracles as they sell their goods.”
As the carriage rattles about as I take a look from within the carriage at Firo.
People seem to think pretty highly of you. When in truth you're just a glutton who wants to be spoiled.
But just what are these miracles that he's talking about?
Hm?
”KWEEEEEH!”
Firo suddenly lets out a strange call and runs rampant.
”Uwah!”
The three of us who were in the carriage (Me, Raphtalia, and the merchant) grasp at the carriage's handrails to keep from falling.
”----GYAAAAA….”
”-----YASU-SAMAAAA….”
Gararara!
The wheels let out a loud rattle so I couldn't hear what was going on outside.
Every now and then Firo flips out and causes a ruckus like this.
This is the fourth time since we've started peddling. Such a capricious creature.
”Watch it, it's not just us two in here you know.”
”Oka-y, I mean…. Kweh!”
I whisper at her so that the merchant doesn't hear.
It seems that a talking monster sticks out quite a bit, and I'd prefer not to invite any needless attention
… Though I have a feeling I might already be getting that attention.
The merchant giving me a look in complete surprise.
”I've heard that it can understand our language, but it's really amazing.”
”Yeah, I think so too.”
Now that I think about it, just understanding human language is pretty amazing, but being able to speak our tongue too? Such a high spec monster.
I'll consider it as the expansive possibilities that the monster race can have. But even in that sense she might be something unbelievably rare.
”We just peddle plain old medicine and pick up any jobs that would benefit from our carriage.”
I respond going back to our original topic.
”It's said that a saint riding the carriage bears special medicine, and the sick and ailing who drink this special medicine from his hand will be saved.”
”Is that so…”
It's a bit expensive, but it's medicine that most anyone can afford.
On a side note, it seems I can change which kind of herbs to use to make medicine that would best target specific symptoms.
The first medicine I made was an all-purpose one so its Quality was quite low. It might've been pretty good at stopping a cough.
But now that I've gotten my hands on a wide range of herbs, I can cater the medicine towards a specific purpose.
Fevers, pulmonary problems, digestive problems, skin problems, the efficacy of the medicine towards each of these issues depends on the type of herbs I use. I've just got all kinds of these targeted medicines on hand.
This type of stuff was gone in pretty fine detail in the intermediate recipe book. Though I still use the shield skill [menus] to help me out when I mixing herbs.
”Plain old medicine you say?”
I pull out a bottle from our goods box and let him have a look at it.
”Is this the miracle drug?”
”Well it certainly… Does smell like the medicine I've taken sometime ago.”
”… Do you know what it is?”
Is this guy also an apothecary?
As such questions go through my mind, he shakes his head.
”Nope, that's just the feeling I get.”
So you have no idea!
-I considered interjecting, but just let it slide.
”So, what kind of merchant are you?”
”I'm a jeweler.”
When he means jewels he probably means that. It's probably in this world too.
He's probably off to sell accessories and the like to some bigshot nobles.
”A jeweler huh… You've got money selling valuables to the nobles and yet you're dealing alone?”
If there's that much money riding on this merchant then it would make sense to bring with a comparable envoy to guard him. And yet he's alone, which makes me quite suspicious.
”Your words hit a sore spot.”
Hahaha, the merchant responds with a short laugh.
”Jewelers come in all kinds. If I had to be more specific then I'd say I'm an accessory merchant.”
”What's the difference?”
”Well then would you like to take a look at my wares?”
As he says that the accessory merchant pulls out his baggage.
But the ores used seem to most all be iron or copper. As for the affixed gemstone… How can I say this, actually calling it a gemstone would be somewhat of a gray area.
”This time around I mostly just have cheap goods.”
”I see… Did your business not do too well?”
”Nope, this time I'm just selling low-profit accessories to adventurers.”
”Is that right…”
According to the accessory merchant, accessories can be Enchanted which could boost the wearer's abilities.
”By the way, how much would each of these go for?”
”How much you say… This iron bracelet that increases the users Attack Power would go for about 30 Silver.”
Ooh… That's quite pricy. Even my remedies don't sell that high.
”If it was Enchanted it would go for 100 Silver.”
”Is that so.”
”It would.”
Hmm… I should definitely give this some thought.
My medicine business has more or less plateaued at the moment. I typically get pretty close to selling out, but since I have to buy herbs as materials, there isn't much profit.
I wouldn't be able to keep up with sales if I had to go out and gather the herbs.
They might have been fine for use back then, but the medicine made from gathered herbs are of too low efficacy to be sold.
”You would make these with Crafting correct?”
”Hmm… Indeed, making the accessories into this form would be crafting, but then I'll be Enchating them. Till that point it would be Crafting I'd say.”
… I see. So you could craft an accessory, but it wouldn't be effective until you Enchanted it.
Enchanting… this seems to be kicker.
It has an unpleasant ring to it. Why would it be, I've seen the term a few times when I was making medicine.
It came up quite a few times in the Magic Water and Spirit Water mixing instructions.
This is something you can't make unless you're able to use magic.
”This has been quite educational. Thank you.”
”No problem at all, the pŀėȧsurė is mine.”
”Master-, looks like something is coming.”
Firo warns me in a slightly wary voice as she brings us to a stop.
From the suddenly stopping carriage, Raphtalia and I take a look at our surroundings.
And from within the forest came several figures.
All of them bore arms and approached us with a look that was anything but good.
They looked rather ragged, but they had pieces of armor here and there which resembled barbarians. It's most certain that they're mountain bandits or something of the like.
”Bandits!”
The accessory merchant called out in distress.
”Hehehe… You lot, bring out your valuables and leave 'em here.”
I was almost astonished at such a cliché line.
It's that sort of thing isn't it. Is there really any point in charging into these situations?
Ah, I'm sure Firo already realized it but charged straight in anyway.
It's written all over her face, 'I can beat these guys, they sure are making light of me.'
”We know you've got a Jeweler holed up in there!”
The bandits shout at us.
I look over at the accessory merchant.
”I thought you said you didn't have anything that was of really high value?”
”Yes… I don't have anything of the like this time…”
Very nervously, the accessory merchant puts his hand to his shirt pocket as if he's covering something important.
”I do have an accessory that would sell for quite a bit.”
”I see… So that's what they're after huh.”
Looks like I've let on a pretty risky passenger.
”I thought they wouldn't target a merchant that's carrying mostly nothing but cheap goods and going for personal matters rather than official ones, so I skimped on security.”
”Are you stupid? Geez…”
All I can do is sigh.
”I'll be charging you an annoyance fee for this”
”… I understand.”
The accessory merchant nodded with a solemn look.
”Raphtalia. Firo. They're enemies.”
”Right!”
”Yup!”
On my signal, Raphtalia jumps out of the cart and arms herself.
I pull the accessory merchant with me as I follow suit.
”Do not leave my side.”
”G, Got it!”
I change from a shield that I'm working on releasing the abilities from to a shield meant for battle.
”Y,You're the shield…?”
”Yeah…”
The owner of the carriage of the Holy Bird was actually the notorious Shield Hero. At that fact, the accessory merchant was dumbfounded.
”What's that? You guys wanna have at it?”
”Yeah. One must protect themselves from whatever danger comes after all.”
I answer, glaring at the bandit.
The goal of this fight is to prevent the enemy from reaching their objective.