Chapter 72: Fundraising
Once again, I found myself in Naruadeid. I brought fox pelts to a large store that deals in furs, pretending to sell items I had bought from Adventurers. The reason Naruadeid is known as a commercial nation is largely because anyone can engage in trade here, not just its citizens.
In other places, you need residency qualifications to trade, and there are many regulations, such as only being able to deal with the Merchant Guild.
“This is beautiful. Both the Adventurer’s skill and the craftsmanship are impeccable. We’ll buy it at a high price.”
“Thank you very much.”
Thanks, but both of those are me.
While there are many Adventurers capable of hunting fox Demon Beasts, only a handful can do so without leaving unnecessary marks. Those few, unless on a specific request, would rather hunt stronger Demon Beasts to collect horns and other parts. It’s more efficient to bring back valuable items that don’t take up much space.
Even so, if the price for pelts is high enough, hunters will still go for them. However, the current trend seems to be the extermination of the mountain silkworm moth. Technically, they’re searching for cocoons, but unlike ordinary insects, these moths can live for years after they metamorphose, so when you go to where the cocoons are, you end up having to fight.
It’s said that the price is high before they make holes to emerge, but now those with holes are even pricier than pelts. Before the trend started, Adventurers would only come during the season when cocoons were available.
The pale green thread harvested from the cocoons is said to be the finest silk, and it seems the Hero desires it. It’s also quite popular among noblewomen… I can’t really say much about that since I also use high-quality fabric for my undergarments.
Even if I sell pelts in Kanum, the supply is relatively stable, so prices remain low. Naturally, selling them in places where they’re harder to find yields higher profits. I feel like I could sell them for more in colder cities, but this town is also at the forefront of fashion, and rare materials for clothing fetch high prices.
“Would you like your payment in gold coins or large gold coins?”
“I’ll take large gold coins, please.”
A large gold coin is worth twelve gold coins—more like a gold ingot.
Depending on the size and quality of the fur, a single fox pelt generally sells for around one hundred eighty gold coins. A noble’s fashionable gown—long enough to reach the knees or the floor—costs about fifty gold coins.
Considering the processing into clothing, I wonder how much the final price for the fox will be. Unlike ordinary foxes, this one is large enough to make a full outfit from just one pelt, but if I select the finest fur like I would with regular pelts, it could turn out to be something extraordinary.
I’ve sold wolf pelts as well, but the fox pelt was by far the most expensive. The price of houses here varies significantly based on whether the building materials can be sourced locally or not, but for common folk, a single fox pelt could potentially cover the cost of a house.
Books are priced similarly. Magic tomes and original texts are even more expensive. The initial funds I received from the Gods have mostly been spent on books, so I really need to earn some money seriously.
I had been getting carried away with the freedom to spend money and buy what I like since coming to this world. Time to reflect. But I’ll still buy things! Today’s transactions netted me about two hundred thirty-three large gold coins. By the way, I sold a couple of pelts at the first fur shop before coming here. The reason? The shop didn’t have enough funds to buy them!
Well, with this, I should be okay for the book expenses. Probably, at least enough for a down payment, right? I’m feeling a bit anxious since I have no idea what kind of book it is.
Now, I’m enjoying a meal on a terrace with a view of the sea. To add to that, it’s a more upscale establishment than last time. I’m using a table that the large store reserved for business negotiations!
Wine, ham, salami, and canapés topped with chicken liver paste. Wide flat noodles coated in cheese, topped with truffles. Beef steak.
The wine is clear, and the liver doesn’t smell. The pasta is simple, and the steak is just high-quality red meat seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled to perfection over charcoal.
The number of ingredients used is minimal, but they’ve clearly selected high-quality ones. The wheat for the noodles is delicious, and the beef, while different from the tender, fatty cuts back home, is still incredibly tasty. They must have specially raised this wheat and cattle.
The view from the terrace is stunning. The sea, nestled between the peninsula and the continent, is calm, and the ships passing by are, of course, wooden sailing vessels. From this height, the roofs of the island town vary in shades of orange, but they all have a soothing quality.
Houses here are generally built from locally sourced materials, so especially in parts like roofs and walls where the same materials are used extensively, the colors naturally harmonize. It’s a hassle to transport materials from far away.
Even the houses with lavish glass windows share a similar color palette, making the town look incredibly beautiful.
Near the port, the atmosphere is chaotic, with rough language flying around, and the hygiene isn’t great, but from a distance, it looks quite nice.
I searched for a sword similar to the one my Zanzenken has transformed into, but I couldn’t find one. If I had to compare, maybe a scimitar? I gave up and settled for a longer sword, so my everyday sword has become larger than the usual ones.
I learned that there are Spirit Weapons available at the weapon shop in Naruadeid. There are three types of Spirit Weapons: those that have a Spirit attached to them, those created by a Spirit, and those where the Spirit itself becomes the weapon.
Their strength varies depending on the Spirit’s power. Generally, they require no maintenance, but they should be placed in a location favored by the Spirit. Adventurers with Spirit Swords seem to leave them at places like the Spirit’s Branch or the Temple. The frequency of leaving them there depends on how they’re used and the environment.
My Zanzenken is one created by a Spirit. It seems I leave it in [Storage] when I’m not using it. Should I take it out sometimes…? I wasn’t given any specific instructions on how to handle it, though.