First Quest, the Merchant, and Some Panties
Herb gathering was tedious work.
Handbook in one hand, I kept snipping the same plants over and over.
I'd come back to yesterday's attack site.
I'd figured the assaulted gatherers might've left some herbs behind—and jackpot, I was right.
They were popping up everywhere, easy pickings.
But bending over at the waist to cut them was murder on a desk-jockey middle-aged gut like mine.
"Ow, my back..." I grumbled, rubbing the sore spot, when something slammed into me hard.
I had no clue what hit me before I went flying, headfirst into the bushes.
"Nngh?"
I scrambled up just as a jelly-like blob body-slammed right at me. I dodged in a panic.
Then I whipped out my sword and squared off.
A slime. About fifty centimeters of translucent, wobbly orb. It charged again, and I swung down hard.
The impact was way more than I'd bargained for—the blade bounced right off. I staggered back.
"Tch!"
I gripped the hilt with my free hand for support and stabbed straight in. One hit, and the slime popped out of existence.
"One-handed sword's a bit much for my strength," I muttered to myself.
Maybe switch to a two-hander, or grab a shield and chip away steady. Guess I'd swing by the weapon shop today.
As I mulled it over, I spotted a mana seed where the slime had vanished.
I checked around—no one in sight.
"Heh heh heh, score! Gotcha!"
I whooped in delight.
I ran into another slime after that. Took it down, snagged another mana seed.
Before I knew it, I was slime-hunting nonstop. Yesterday's "steady herb gathering" plan? Forgotten.
Ended up bagging fifteen slimes and twelve mana seeds.
Leveled up to seven, too.
Grinning ear to ear, I headed back to town and straight to the guild.
"Quest herbs," I said.
Handed them to the same receptionist girl from yesterday. Cashed out at fifteen silver coins.
"Can you buy this?"
I slid over one mana seed to test the waters.
"Th-this is a slime mana seed! Rare one, too!"
"You can tell what monster dropped it?"
"Yep—the glow's bluish. Near town, only slimes drop that color. Blue mana seeds boost stamina, they say."
"Gotcha."
"Guild price is five gold coins each, but try the merchants—they'll pay over one big gold. Why not check it out?"
She whispered it like a secret. Gold coins were worth a hundred silvers; big golds, a thousand. Cha-ching.
"Skim off one gold for yourself, and I'll hook you up with a good merchant."
"Heh heh, not bad, kid. But introduce me to a cute girl, and I'll make it two—no, three gold."
I tossed it out playfully.
"Hmm... sorry, no one's cuter than the girl you were with yesterday, Mash."
"That so? Shame."
"Yep." She nodded emphatically.
I headed to Mateo Merchant Company and mentioned the guild receptionist's intro. A guy named Mateo came out to greet me.
Mateo was about my age, another middle-aged dude.
But he had that spry energy—looked younger than me.
He led me to a small room, plush sofa around a fancy desk.
"New face."
No polite customer-service talk like back home—not from innkeepers, tailors, or merchants. Guild receptionists were the exception. Nobles might get the fancy treatment, but no need to mince words here. Suited me fine.
"Yeah, rolled into town yesterday."
"Hm? That outsider adventurer who took down the goblin pack causing trouble?"
Sharp info network, this guy.
"Yeah, probably me."
"Impressive adventurer, then."
"F-rank, though."
"Nah, you'll climb ranks quick. No F-rank takes down ten goblins."
I wasn't here for chit-chat about that. Wanted the dirt on the receptionist, but how to steer it? Old guys bored me anyway, so I cut the fluff, showed a mana seed, and got down to business.
Mateo held his hand over it, cast appraisal magic.
"Fifteen gold right now," he said flatly.
"Cash on the spot?"
"Of course."
"What if I said I had another?"
I pulled out a second. He flashed surprise for a split second, then played it cool.
"Fifteen gold for that one too." No bulk discount, apparently.
"Deal, cash me out."
All gold was awkward to carry, so I swapped some for silver and copper.
"By the way, does Mateo Merchant deal in slaves?"
Remembered the warrior slave with Lead.
"Not our lane. But we can broker."
He leaned in with a sly grin.
"Variety's wide. What're you after? We've got three house slaves working as manservants."
"Just curious. Don't know squat about slaves—market rates, how to buy. Say, a female warrior? Twenties max."
Mateo'd probably balk, but worth asking. The type who snarls "Kill me!" while getting pervy monster'd.
"Combat slave, huh? Recent auction, twenty-year-old went for a hundred gold."
"Auctions, too?"
"Yeah, usual buy's from slave traders, but quarterly public auctions pop up. She got sold snarling 'Tch, kill me!' If you drop age and gender, seventy gold gets you one—but that defeats the purpose, right?"
Mateo smirked knowingly. Busted.
"Hundred gold's steep. What if she bolts?"
"Engrave a slave crest on the arm. Enforce orders, dish out pain. 'Suicide if you run,' 'suicide if you betray'—they can't flee or turn."
Wonder if a simple "obey me" worked. Probably restrictions galore.
Come to think, Lead's slave had one too. Thought it was trendy ink.
"Got it. What about a mage? Sunday-morning powerhouse loli type."
He'd seen through me. Might as well spit the real wish.
"Mages are rare—not everyone's cut out for it. No local slave trader's got 'em. East of here, big city of adventurers—two hundred fifty gold for one. Male, though."
"Outta my league."
Slipped—implied I could swing a hundred. Didn't wanna flash my wallet.
"Oh, right—a squad rolled in days ago, selling dog-eared slaves. Can't broker, no connections, but peek if you're interested."
"Thanks for the tips."
I couldn't schmooze party members like Mizuki. Once I got world-savvy and leveled up, maybe snag a slave, bulk the party.
Wrapped it up, stood.
"Bring valuables anytime. Want special weapons or armor? Say the word—I'll source 'em."
We shook on it.
Back at the inn, Wind's Blade—Mizuki's crew—was back from dungeon diving.
Grubbing in the common room. I tossed a quick greeting and bailed to my room.
Starved, but no clue how to vibe with Mizuki's group.
Waited a bit, then hit the dining hall.
"Still here?"
Just Mizuki left.
"Problem?"
She seemed pissy.
Awkward, but dodging'd make it worse. Sat at her table, shoveled food. Still bland as hell.
"Here..."
"What?"
She handed me a cloth pouch. I went to peek, and she smacked my hand. "No!"
"Sorry for yesterday. Second smack."
"Second was my perv fault. Don't sweat it."
"I sweat it. But we're square now."
Her face went beet red. What the hell was in there?
"Can I look?"
"...Not where people can see."
I nodded, snuck a peek. Blue panties, matched with a blue bra. No doubt—hers from yesterday. Peak rare-item grind.
"Wh-wh-whoa, whoaaa!"
"Quit grunting and hide it!"
"Mizuki..." Yesterday's sailor too—she knew exactly what I'd do with these, right?
"Wh-what?"
"Past is past, washed away. These are my family heirlooms. If we get home, donating to the Louvre or something—world treasure. And from now on, we'll get along. Promise."
"Fine, just quit the creepy stare."
Light burn, zero sting.
"Oh, and this."
Tiny pouch, sewn shut—no peeking.
"What's this?"
"Good-luck charm. Might work, might not."
"The kinda thing girls give guys heading to war?"
"...Yeah." She nodded at my throwaway line.
"Whoa, why go this far? These are heirlooms too—no returns."
"Muu."
"Overkill. Didn't ask for this. But keeping 'em forever."
Mizuki looked down, hesitant.
Wanna bolt upstairs and enshrine the loot, but promised to get along—stuck it out.
"Beers died today."
"Who's that?"
"Wind's Blade warrior."
"Oh, the slave."
She nodded. Yeah, that name. Dead, huh.
"No clue the details, but that's this world. Don't dwell."
"Yeah."
Straightforward. But... booze on her breath.
"High schooler like you, boozing?"
"Guh, bad? Wasn't much, and here sixteen's legal."
She looked sheepish.
Panties and charm on a liquor high? Sober up, she'll want 'em back.
If booze-fueled gifts, better keep her dry.
"Wanna stop you, but go ahead. Your call. Just—no drowning sorrows. Fun times, I'll join. Get you smashed, carry you home."
"Pervert!"
She laughed weakly.
"Got it. Booze only for fun."