Episode 8: The Nouveau Riche Before the Storm
Upon arriving in the town, my first stop was the gathering place for guides. There happened to be a kid there, idly looking for some pocket money, so I called out to him.
“Hey, I need a guide. This is my first time in this town, and I don’t know anything about it.”
The kid tipped his hat back and wore a cheeky expression.
“Hmm? I don’t mind, but hey, old man, do you have any money?”
!?
“Honestly, you don’t look like you have much cash just by the way you’re dressed. If I can get something out of it, I’ll take you anywhere, though.”
Old man…
At that moment, being called “old man” hit me hard. I mean, I was barely twenty!
“Kid, I’ve got money.”
Who are you calling old man?! What a cocky brat! Fine! I’ll show you the power of an adult!
“Do you know what this is?”
I pulled out a Gold Coin from my Magic Bag and held it up between my fingers.
“G-Gold Coin… but, you know, one Gold Coin isn’t—”
“Who said I only have one Gold Coin?”
“N-No way…”
“That’s right. No way.”
I paused for dramatic effect, then grabbed as many Gold Coins as I could from my Magic Bag and brought them close to the kid’s face.
Seeing his eyes widen at the golden gleam, I felt a bit of satisfaction as I declared, “—I’m rich.”
I was being completely childish. But even if I was aware of it, I couldn’t help myself.
“Old man!”
“Hmm? ‘Old man’? Who exactly are you referring to with that term?”
“Uh…?”
“Listen up. I’m still twenty. You should be able to figure out how you ought to act by now!”
As I thought about how ‘money is power’ and how ‘money is everything in this world,’ like some villain from a gambling manga, the kid suddenly blurted out,
“Uh, I’m sorry! That was rude of me!”
She took off her hat and bowed her head. To my surprise, the kid was a girl.
“Just as long as you understand.”
As I praised myself for being so understanding, she tilted her head and asked, “So, does that mean… uncle?”
“Whoa! You’ve got some guts, don’t you?!”
This was definitely a teachable moment! I had no intention of letting her call me that. Your opinions about how I should just put up with it are not welcome here.
“Hey, big brother! Can’t you walk any faster?!”
The boyish girl, who had agreed to guide me for four Gold Coins (enough to live modestly for four months), urged me to hurry.
“Kid, slow down a bit. A guide is still a service job, you know?”
With an abundance of energy, she dashed ahead of me and said,
“Could you stop calling me ‘kid’? I have a proper name my parents gave me—Milan!”
A new fact emerged. The girl—Milan—was a tomboy. Without revealing my inner shock, I continued the conversation.
“Sorry about that, Milan. That’s a nice name. It’s elegant, refined, and above all, it sounds strong.”
“Right?! I like it too! Hehe!”
She genuinely beamed at the compliment, playfully resting her finger under her nose.
“Alright, here we are! This is the Central Market! It’s the place where you can find just about anything in town!”
As I stepped into the market, I was immediately struck by the vibrant atmosphere. Everyone was desperately trying to attract customers, and the shoppers were enjoying the lively energy while they browsed.
I found the bustling noise surprisingly pleasant. In fact, it reminded me of the festive atmosphere back in Japan, stirring up a sense of nostalgia.
Most of the shops were simply constructed, with some resembling tents, and as I moved further in, I noticed a few vendors had just laid out their goods on mats.
“I bought all the ground wheat they had, and now, what else—”
While I accompanied Milan, I continued to browse for more items.
“Does this seasoning look like cumin? Well, whatever! Hey, old man, I’ll take this, this, this, and this—everything you’ve got!”
“I’m glad you’re buying, but if I sell everything, the other customers will be in trouble.”
With a hefty stack of Gold Coins in hand, I silenced the muscular shopkeeper with the power of money and thoroughly enjoyed my shopping spree.
The spices I initially sought were surprisingly easy to find, thanks to the sheer number of shops and their variety. Each time, I displayed the kind of nouveau riche attitude that made me feel a bit shameless, indulging in bulk purchases.
By the way, the knowledge of spices and seasonings had long been exploited by the heroes summoned in the past.
I thought to myself how impressive it was, but considering they made it easier for me to acquire spices, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to them.
Continuing my shopping, I quickly found various dried fruits and crunchy nuts, which would serve as the base for the sweet treats I was looking for. I tossed them into my Magic Bag without hesitation.
The shopping spree continued. “Whoa! I’m like a shopping power plant!” I thought nonsensically, buying anything I deemed good without a second thought. After all, shopping is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Eventually, I found a fruit vendor I had been searching for to get something for Sena, but once again, I showed no restraint.
“Hey, shopkeeper! I’ll take all the fruits from here to here!”
The fruit vendor, who probably thought I was just browsing, looked at me with cold eyes as if to say, “Yeah, right, you’re just wasting my time.” I wondered how long he could keep that expression up.
I deliberately jingled a bag full of Gold Coins. Upon hearing the sound, the shopkeeper’s demeanor changed like a broken toy, and he began to move his hands up and down, showing his delight.
“Ha! The shopping isn’t over yet!” I muttered to myself, and Milan let out a groan of disbelief, but I pretended not to notice.