Chapter 132 A Fair Price (1/2)
”15 Gold was it?”
The voice was of a man who just ridiculed her, but Ebony only stood behind her little table with five crystals before her in silence as she stared back for a moment. Honestly, she was surprised by how quickly their attitude had changed, but then, Rassa had told her to expect this. It was scary how good he was at predicting what would happened.
After a moment of the man waiting on edge, Ebony raised an eyebrow, ”15 Gold? Are you kidding? For this? Are you trying to cheat me?”
The man's expression dropped, ”But you said-”
”After what you just saw, do you seriously believe 15 Gold is enough? Would you say your life is worth 15 Gold?” asked Ebony.
The man hesitated, ”...Then what price would you deem fair?”
”Fair?” asked Ebony, ”I think what you should be asking is how much your life is worth”.
The man looked at his coin purse, then the crystals on the table in front of Ebony, ”20 Gold?”
”That sounded like a question”.
”25, no higher”.
”Are you bartering? You don't even know my minimum”.
”What is it then?”
Ebony shook her head, ”You still haven't answered my question. How much is your life worth?”
”Do you not want the Gold?” asked the man, ”Because that's the only reason I can think of that you'd be talking in circles like this”.
”Am I talking in circles? You're the one that won't answer the question,” Ebony replied.
”30 gold!” called another voice, ”I'll offer double the original price”.
”Now, now, I've only got five crystals left today, first come, first serve,” Ebony said, ”When he can name a price he's confident in saying is worth his life, when any of you can, I'll sell”.
”You had at least a hundred crystals out on the table earlier,” another voice piped up.
”And you treated them as trash,” Ebony replied, ”Now that you discover a treasure do you think I'll treat you the same way as well?”
The crowd went silent. Who was this woman? She was nothing like the quiet girl standing behind the stall a few minutes ago. Now she seemed so dominating, so imposing.
”One hundred gold coins,” stated a voice as the crowds parted, a young woman that was as pretty as a porcelain doll walking through the crowd with a pair of guards behind her and a man by her side. Though the man was clearly a servant, not a partner.
”Are you sure?” asked Ebony.
The woman met Ebony's gaze with her own, ”The way you do business is quite intriguing. I'll admit that at first I would have priced myself higher, but there are plenty of people like me in this world, I should not be so arrogant so as to say I am worth more. One hundred Gold coins. I shall pay this much”.
Ebony picked up a Crystal and offered it to the servant man who stepped forward with a weighted coin purse. He placed it on the table in front of Ebony, then took the crystal from her hand.
”Thank you for your business,” Ebony stated.
”Will you be selling more of these items?” asked the woman.
”Another day perhaps. Today, these remaining four will be enough,” Ebony replied.
The woman looked at her servant and nodded. The servant then withdrew a crest stamped into a metal coin.
”If you need a supplier, or have any interest in a business deal, I'm more than willing to negotiate, you can find me here,” the woman replied, ”Good day to you”.