BLADE & BASTARD: Dungeon Chronicle Volume 4 [Parts 1 to 3] by Kumo Kagyu

Author:Kumo Kagyu
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter 2: Ring of Death

“We can pay about fifty gold for them, assuming they’ve been identified,” Orlaya said curtly. She tossed the leather sack back on the counter with disinterest.

“Even with all these jewels packed inside it?!” the adventurer protested, eyes wide with disbelief. He probably hadn’t been in Scale for very long.

“This is all stuff you can find in the outside world,” she informed him coldly.

There was a rattling noise as gemstones spilled out of the open mouth of the bag, ranging from rubies no bigger than a pinkie fingertip to fist-sized diamonds. They sparkled and gleamed, even in the dim light of Catlob’s Trading Post.

However, here in Scale, such stones were as valuable as children’s marbles. It was similar to how swords were judged: unless it had magic cast upon it, no sword, no matter how brilliant its craftsmanship, was anything but “a sword” in Scale. What the young man had was nothing but “a pouch” or “a sack of jewels.”

“Well, if you insist, I can identify each individual stone for you, but...” Orlaya rolled one of the smaller jewels around on the counter using her patchwork fingers, then looked at the customer and concluded, “I would need to charge you fifty gold for my time.”

The man made no effort to hide his inner turmoil. He let out a low groan before finally managing to force out the words, “What if I were to sell it unappraised?”

“Nobody’s going to buy a bunch of ordinary rocks off you.”

The man cursed her, saying that the shop was a rip-off.

Well, he’s right about that.

Orlaya didn’t deny it. If she weren’t an employee, she probably would’ve smiled and agreed with him. The shop was a real racket—they bought goods for the same amount it cost to appraise them. That said...after factoring in the cost of labor, the trading post wasn’t making any money either.

Clearly, Mr. Catlob didn’t want to profit off of appraisals.

This was something Orlaya had come to realize as she’d tended the shop for him—as training, or perhaps as a public service. She didn’t really know why she did it. He was interested in cursed arms and equipment, which was why he charged high prices to remove those curses.

He has terrible taste...

When she thought back to the many curses that had eaten away at her own body, Orlaya stiffened. A shudder ran through her. They had all been dispelled under Catlob’s care...but she would never forget. And...the items that had cursed her were inside the shop. In fact, only a single stone wall separated her from the area where they were now on display. That thought didn’t make her feel any better.

“You’re taking the piss!”

“Hm...?”

Orlaya’s mind had wandered. It wasn’t clear how the man had chosen to interpret her inaction, but he reached for his sword and started yelling.

A rookie, huh? I knew it.

He was the sort who had ventured into the dungeon once, maybe twice, and now he was starting to get the sense that he was rising to a higher level of ability.

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