Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Can You Handle It? (1)
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- Damn. You're really skinning them alive, huh.
'Ehei. What are you saying?'
Anyone overhearing would think I was the bad guy here.
I'm paying full price for the items, just haggling a bit on the commission fee.
Besides, doing business like this, they'd get in serious trouble if they slipped up once. So in a way, the commission I knocked off was like a lesson in manners.
'And those guys are basically thieves anyway. Charging gold coin commissions for mediating trades under the guise of some fancy auction!'
- Who said anything?
'......? Didn't you just say something?'
- I was praising your thriftiness. Being too thrifty can turn into exploitation or causing a scene, but you walk that tightrope like threading a needle, staying just within bounds. I was going to say that guy could thrive anywhere you tossed him... but now you're getting all prickly about it?!
Come to think of it, his tone did sound a bit admiring.
But it didn't feel like pure praise either.
Whatever.
How long had it been since I'd been bickering with Master like that?
The arena guard who'd rushed to the warehouse at my words came back carrying a box draped in a thick black cloth and bowed deeply.
"Bloodthread Venomspider! Here it is, sir!"
I personally lifted the cloth.
Inside a wooden box with one glass side was indeed the Bloodthread Venomspider.
'Just like the description in the original work and Dang Ok-gi's words.'
The armored body shaped like a gourd was a pale crimson like plum blossoms, its eight sleek legs vivid scarlet, and its eight eyes gleaming like pomegranate jewels—a bird-catching spider.
'A bit smaller, though.'
Adults were supposed to be about the size of a palm, but these in the box were smaller.
'Half the size?'
Not a bad thing.
For those planning to gut it for its inner pill or roast it as a tonic, the small size would be a drawback.
But Dang Ok-gi and I were buying it for research.
'Not being adults means they have that much more lifespan left.'
In other words, longer to study.
And right now, I wasn't at auction; I was in a one-on-one deal with the upper hand secured.
Which meant...
As long as I hid the research purpose, I could use the size to hammer down the price.
I didn't hesitate.
"It's a bit small."
At my words, Master at my waist chimed in.
- Thrifty. So thrifty.
Then Heo Im-saeng groveled flat again and stammered.
"Th-the size is a bit small, yes. We weren't planning to charge full adult price. Half of that..."
Half adult price.
'Half would be around three hundred gold nyang?'
No, Dang Ok-gi said market price was six hundred nyang, and considering today's auction vibe, two hundred fifty felt right.
"Two hundred fifty nyang. Exactly that."
In the original work, this pair went for a thousand gold nyang at this point.
'And a year later at auction, bidding doubled it to two thousand.'
Offering it for two hundred fifty was basically robbery.
'Plus half commission.'
But I test every bridge plank by plank.
Instead of biting at two hundred fifty, I turned to Dang Ok-gi.
"Toughie."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Take a look. But is it okay to keep them sewn up like that?"
"Spiders like the Bloodthread Venomspider mostly live solitary, but these are unique—they're communal. They share burrows and don't eat their own unless starving. Pretty admirable, huh."
Admirable?
Whatever.
As Heo Im-saeng swallowed dryly at Dang Ok-gi's expert display in her Toughie guise, she began inspecting the Bloodthread Venomspiders closely.
"The deeper colored one's the female, lighter the male. Coloration's good on both. Hmm, but both have some scratches on their carapaces."
"That's not our negligence. These have venom, so the barbarians in the Great Forest catch them with tongs like that."
"I know. You're just explaining to the Young Master—don't add useless chatter."
"...O-one hundred forty nyang."
Watching Dang Ok-gi examine them, I suddenly recalled the spider monsters from my past life.
'Killed a ton of them.'
In lean times with low rank, I'd hunt anything for mana stones. Later, I'd turn them into undead legions, trapping them even in death. Sometimes, for venom research, I'd sever legs but keep them breathing.
'You guys hit the jackpot with an owner. If you'd met me...'
That's when it happened.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, did the aura of a spider slayer leak from me and reach the pomegranate • ruby (true)?
"!"
"!"
The twitching ones froze, then their legs trembled violently.
Master at my waist let out a hollow chuckle.
- Heh. Even scaring spiders now.
Then Dang Ok-gi spoke.
"...Huh? Why are they acting up? Bloodthread Venomspiders are lively ones. Weird, Young Master?"
Dang Ok-gi seemed genuinely worried for the pair she'd already named.
But I saw opportunity, not worry.
"Heo Ga Im-saeng."
"Y-yes?!"
"Toughie says it's weird."
"J-just one hundred nyang."
- ...Thrifty. So thrifty.
I finalized the Bloodthread Venomspider purchase, paid for all the auction wins at once.
"Your lots aren't bulky, so excluding the spiders, they pack into one backpack. That work, Young Master?"
"You'll carry the Bloodthread Venomspider box, right Toughie?"
"Yes!"
"Then we'll take those. Pack the rest and hand to my guard waiting by the side tent—Eulchuk."
"Yes!"
"Tell him we'll go slow, so follow."
"Yes!"
"If anything's missing..."
"Aigoo! Why would we? I'll check twice, thrice."
"Twice thrice is good, add quick. I'm not that leisurely. Repeat: quick."
"Qu-quick."
"Accurately."
"Accurately. Yes, will do."
Finishing up at the auction hall, Dang Ok-gi and I re-draped the black cloth over the spider box and left lightly.
We crossed Luha District's market preparing to close as the sun dipped.
Crafts here weren't durable, glass especially fragile—no running.
Walking briskly up the hill toward the family home.
"Heh."
Dang Ok-gi had been grinning non-stop since paying and leaving with the spiders, making me chuckle involuntarily.
"Happy?"
"Totally! Back home, everyone's so busy refining poison they can't get live Bloodthread Venomspiders. Just this makes joining Righteous Martial Academy worth it—feeling that vibe!"
"You'd cry if I bought four."
"Nah. Tang Clan folk don't cry easy."
"......? You teared up over stir-fried fruit?"
"Kyaaak! Forget that! That day I was just...! Anyway! I knew you had money, but worried it'd be pricey."
"Worried?"
"Snagged it cheap—love it. Your haggling's top-tier."
"......?"
"When you pulled that Thousand Poison Pill switch, I was like 'whoa'—now as allies, so reassuring. When they checked status, I panicked, but then you hit 'em with 'can you handle it?'"
"???"
"Heh. Anyway, you're Tang Clan friend!"
Tang Clan friend.
Backing from the world's top poison clan? Music to my ears.
But even as the Tang Clan's treasured pearl, it was beyond her authority.
"Don't throw around official plaques without being clan head."
"Heh. If I ask for help, Dad, elders, grannies, uncles, aunts, siblings—all roll up sleeves."
"That's your family stuff. 'Tang Clan friend' ain't light."
"...No fun. Can't you just roll with it?"
"Nope. I get the thanks, skip empty words."
"Th-then Dang Ok-gi's friend. When you need me, sleeves up no questions. And even if you piss me off big, I'll forgive once."
"Forgiving anger once too stingy?"
"Th-then twice?"
"Twice too much."
"Three! No more! Ah, dang— you tricked me again?!"
How long walking?
Midway up the hill to home, Ha Seong came panting with the pack.
"Young Master! Toughie!"
"Drop the Toughie now."
"Yep! But ditching me alone?!"
"Some guy said you two went ahead—scared me!"
"Not ditching. Auction got fun, pretended to hurry."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Long story—explain at academy later. Student council'll ask too, no repeating. Got all items?"
"Who do you think I am? Matched the list."
Ha Seong expected praise, but I snorted first.
"Qingzhu Hall's leaky ladle, who else."
But list checked out, and ditching without word was true.
He'd done his part. I gave the encouragement.
"Good work."
Beaming Ha Seong forgot roleplay grudges and buddy'd up to Dang Ok-gi.
"That's Ruby and Pomegranate?"
Dang Ok-gi, good mood forgetting grudges, grinned back.
"Yeah! Wanna see?!"
"Ooh, sure. Pomegranate eyes, fluffy fur, scarlet legs—legendary beast. Can I touch?"
"...Hmm. Fed 'em on way out, maybe okay?"
She lifted the cloth.
Ha Seong sought his mom's ghost in the privy.
"Mom. Surprise."
Whatever.
Dang Ok-gi gauged their state, then with innocent face opened the feeding slot toward Ha Seong.
"Wanted to touch? Go on."
That's when.
As Ha Seong's face turned to dirt in real time.
Dust billowed from below the hill.
Ha Seong spun to his savior.
"Someone coming?! Bro, sis?!"
No savior—five dingy wagons pulled up in line. Sensing wrong, he drew sword and stepped forward.
"...Not that. Who are you?!"
Then the central fancy wagon's window slid open, a piggish man spoke.
"You bidder 124?"
"And if I am?"
"Talk. Heard you sweet-talked hosts into backdoor snagging the Bloodthread Venomspider? True?"
"Question first. Haegeum Vault Master?"
"Hoo. Know me? Makes it quick."
Pig finished, four cargo wagons unloaded black-clad thugs drawing blades.
Pig bared yellow teeth, cackling.
"Straight to it. Hand over your wins."
At his voice, Master at waist clicked tongue.
- Lawless thug type. Wants to pay back taxes in one go. Better threaten death than demand goods from Eon Yong-un of all people. Tsk tsk. Pitiful.