Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Crow Merchant
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Then let me at least launder it..."
"Caw!"
"Pardon? Half? What do you mean by that?"
This was important in our line of work.
Besides selling it back to someone suspiciously flush with cash, I was personally curious about the fabric of that garment too.
It felt oddly similar to Shwoong's cloth, somehow.
"Shwoong?"
I didn't know much about ghost evolutions, but I figured if Shwoong got his hands on this cloth, it might prove useful someday.
Like absorbing it for an evolution, for instance.
Of course, if someone offered a fair price, I'd sell it—but if no buyers showed up, I'd gift it to Shwoong.
They might curse the current me for it, but I could endure a little infamy.
"Shwooooo..."
Shwoong wore an uncertain expression.
The kind where he wasn't sure if he should accept it or not.
"Caw."
Just take it.
It didn't even look that sweat-soaked up close.
"Shwoong..."
Shwoong carefully stowed the garment away.
"Two plates of meat first! And drinking water too! Oh, throw in some fruit? And this... and that one..."
Suddenly rolling in riches, Agwen rattled off his order without pausing for breath.
Truth be told, most of what I was selling had been pilfered from this ruin.
The explorers who'd come here were of decent caliber, so I'd snatched plenty of quality goods.
They were paying extra, but they still seemed to think it was a good deal.
Or maybe they'd already gotten hooked on the shopping.
Erica, quietly munching on the meat Agwen had bought her, wore a conflicted look.
She seemed envious of Agwen's lavish spending.
Then she glanced down at her lower body.
"Perhaps...?"
"Caw."
No, I don't need that.
"Why not!"
I'd apparently taught her some bad habits.
Now she was trying to sell her clothes at every opportunity.
She'd been a pure adventurer just moments ago—when had she changed?
"Ahem, Erica. Didn't you say this was clothing made in your forest?"
"No, I don't think that crow accepted it for that reason! There has to be something more to it!"
"Oh come on, don't be so hard on this gentlemanly crow."
"Gentlemanly...? That's a gentleman? Just because it wears a necktie doesn't make it one!"
I sorted my wares while listening to their banter.
No more cash to squeeze out of them—it was time to prep for the next sale.
Time for us to part ways.
And time to invest the resources I'd gained from them.
Erica's brooch: ten silver coins.
Agwen's clothes: market value.
I might be keeping too much, but that's business, right?
"Shwung."
I was wrapping up the rest when—
"Gasp!"
Erica's startled voice rang out from somewhere.
"That's definitely a Blue Tower orb...!"
She'd spotted the orb I was packing away.
"I... I have to buy that!"
She clutched her face, looking desperate to have it.
"C-Crow!"
Unfortunately, Erica was broke right now.
Unlike Agwen, her clothes didn't seem worth buying either.
Honestly, if it were something they truly needed, I'd have handed it over reluctantly.
We went back to Skarnas together, after all, and they'd helped me make a fortune.
But what Erica wanted wasn't some necessity.
She was after the magic tower orb I'd stolen.
I knew as a mage she'd be drawn to something like that.
Still, it wasn't make-or-break for her.
If they'd been short on food, I'd have tossed them some ginseng jelly—but this? No need to help.
"Maybe trade for something you need...? Or is there no way I can earn money somehow?"
Even so, there was nothing I could do for her.
If we were outside, I might've lined up a job, but this was underground in the ruins.
Hiring her as a mercenary under some pretense wasn't a bad idea.
Especially since she was a mage.
But was it necessary?
My goal was facing the Tin Lord, after all.
A human wouldn't be much help against something tied to the Eternal Night.
So hiring her was out too.
"Then... what if I pay you after we get out of here? If I can convince Ethan somehow..."
My eyes lit up.
"Caw."
That smelled like money.
"Caw, caw!"
Moona.
Bring that out.
"Oh? You mean this?"
Moona perked up with interest and pulled out a scroll with his long beak.
"Huh...? What are you doing now?"
What else?
Verifying trust between us.
Moona began scribbling on the scroll.
"Wh-what? It's writing?!"
Looks can be deceiving—he's a Sage.
And this? A promissory note notarized by the Sage.
"P-Promissory note?"
Yep.
You think I'm lending money on a verbal promise?
"Three hundred percent interest...? What's this clause?"
"Caw caw."
"Just standard terms. As long as you pay on time, it's fine."
Erica stared holes into the note Moona was writing.
"Even so... you're telling me to become a debtor?"
What kind of talk is that?
Just pay it back on time, easy as that.
"...Erica, over here a moment."
Agwen, mouth full of meat, called her over.
Looked like a strategy session.
I wanted to steamroll them with momentum, but I wasn't about to force it.
"It's a bit smarter and bigger than average, but it's still just a crow."
Sorry, I can hear everything.
"What? Then... pretend to sign and run?"
"I didn't say it quite like that, but close enough. If we run into it again by chance, we can just hand over some suitable compensation and call it even."
Agwen and Erica plotting to bolt.
"Is that so? Then..."
Erica shuffled back over hesitantly.
Even without eavesdropping, I could've spotted their scheming a mile away.
It was written all over her face.
You'd make a terrible liar, Erica.
"I'll sign! So give me that orb!"
I passed her the fountain pen from Moona's beak.
"Huh? This looks just like the one the branch chief has..."
Must be your imagination.
See? It's got crow feathers on it.
It was mine from the start.
Erica signed the note.
As she said, it wouldn't hold legal water.
I was a crow, after all.
But even if the law wouldn't enforce it, my beak would.
Beaks are closer than laws anyway.
Crows have great memories—they remember humans who wronged them and get revenge years later.
Try running away. See what happens.
I'll peck you all day.
"Caw, caw."
Erica flinched at my expression.
Anyway, she'd signed, so I handed over the orb.
Erica gazed at it lovingly, rubbing it against her cheek.
"Hee... To get my hands on this orb... This is amazing..."
Her reaction suggested even my marked-up price seemed reasonable.
It was just from some old guy's room—nothing special to my eyes.
You have achieved an accomplishment!
I slowly flapped my wings at the sudden blue window.
An achievement!
[No.23 Crow Merchant]
Yeah, gotta have one of these.
Despite it being your first trade with humans, you racked up massive profits with unbelievable skill.
"Caw caw."
What're you praising me for?
This was an unprecedented deal. Your infamy as a crow merchant dwelling in underground ruins will live on.
Praise? Really?
People will curse the crow merchant, but to you, it'll sound like praise. Most importantly, money matters. More money matters even more.
So it was an insult.
I considered pecking the blue window when—
Rewards for achievement have been granted.
Now that's different.
Your story grows grander.
Standard boilerplate.
Focus on what comes next.
Your Financial Luck has slightly increased!
Your Luck has slightly increased!
Financial Luck and Luck.
"Slightly" was a bit underwhelming, but these things stack up nicely.
Pretty fitting rewards.
Now that I knew achievements existed, I could game them a bit.
Crow Merchant was No. 23, so at least 22 more out there.
Achieve them naturally like this, and everything improves.
This effect applies to your contractors as well.
Oh.
Kiki and Cherry too?
Jackpot.
Lucky to have a great master, huh?
"Kyaaah!"
Erica's scream pierced the air.
Thinking she'd seen a bug, I turned—only to see her clutching near her butt.
"My tailbone... it's hot near my tailbone...!"
Huh?
Isn't your tailbone near your butt?
Why's it heating up?
Not my business.
I'm a gentleman—no need to look there.
Kiki, Cherry, and Erica's Luck and Financial Luck have slightly increased.
Focus on the blue window.
Kiki, Cherry, and Erica already...
"Caw?"
Something weird on her back?
"Wh-what is this? It feels like a mana tattoo? Why suddenly...? Agwen, check my back... no, never mind! It's nothing!"
...
Come to think of it, a promissory note counts as a contract, doesn't it?
...
If I play this right, couldn't I rack up over a hundred contractors in this ruin alone?