After setting up shop in the form of a shabby wooden stall in the middle of the night, some drunkards are immediately attracted by the odd sight. A wooden stall with golden rolls filled with various colored herbs.
After a few minutes, nobody bought anything but, about 3 people tried stealing something. To which I cut their fingers off and displayed them to show where stealing gets you.
Seeing the sign that says 'Free Tries' finally, some people show up to see what's happening what they would be trying.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I know that you're curious about what these I have in my hand are. These are what I call 'Golden Coffin Nails'. Now, what these do is that they..."
Explaining what they do to you to the crowd, some are immediately intrigued by the effects of the cigarette while some are skeptical. Of course, I make sure to omit the bad side effects such as the dizziness and the stomachaches.
Handing a blend of Poltergeist's Joy and Hero Herb, the best blend for beginners. Not too strong but, not too weak either. The perfect balance of bliss and strength.
Handing all 10 of them a small Fyr crystal in a casing, they light it up and put it in their mouths, according to my instructions. Looking at me with confusion, I give out a friendly smile and some of the women blush a little.
"And now.... inhale through your mouth, hold the coffin nail by its sides in your fingers, take it out of your mouth and... blow the stress away"
Following my instructions again, they at first looked shocked then had a blissful expression with a relaxed body posture and fluttering eyes. It would be hot if my customers were slim and young women but alas, they are either too skinny or too obese for my tastes.
"Wh-wh-whaaa~~?"
"Woahhhhh~~"
"H-how much is the big one again?"
Hearing the fat man in the front question me, all of the other customers remember that I told them that they will feel much better with the big one, I let out a giant smile. Thank god that it's night time or they would have probably been freaked out. Answering them with a "hospitable" smile, I tell them in a customer friendly manner,
"It's only for the small price of 3 silver"
Ever for a regular human, they wouldn't pay 3 silver for a stupid roll of bliss but since these people aren't the brightest and they are probably in a dark place, their brains aren't functioning correctly right now. It's also due to the blend I just gave them. Yes, it is the best beginners in that it isn't too strong but, one side effect of the Barked Woof is that it lowers tour INT by 20% for 1 hour.
Lowering it by 20% might not seem like too much especially for me when my INT is at 165 even without my Phoenix Hybrid but considering that the regular human is at around 10-20, 20% is a lot. Also remember that these people are at the 6-10 INT mark without the debuff. Taking this into account, I give them a low number but, a high currency where all their brains process is that 3 is a low number, not that 3 silver is most likely about 50-60% of their monthly earnings.
"I-I'll take one!"
"G-give..."
That day, I sold 13 rolls and 11 lighters, making 40 silver and 50 copper that day from the customers. Satisfied with my haul, I get back to the room where Aya is sleeping. I left at around midnight, the moons moved and from my estimate, it's probably 1 a.m to 3 a.m. I made what regular people making in 5 months, in only a few hours. This is everyday, possibly every 12 hours for the real addicts.
Going back to sleep, I start thinking about other ways to grow more moss quicker. Well, it's proven that mana water will help the moss a lot and that 'More Green' is shown to work. The quickest and best solution for this would be to buy a person that could use 'More Green' and the slowest way would be growing Aya's skill.
Deciding what I'm about to do, I sleep until about 7 a.m and set off to the slums again to buy some 'equipment'. Of course, bringing about 5 rolls with me and more lighters since the lighter I gave were only one time uses. Passing through area in the slums that i sold to that night, some people are looking at me with curiosity and some with greed.
While walking, I get blocked by a woman wearing a dirty dress. She smells like the moss but, she isn't one of the people I sold to that night. She had a skinny figure but, had a baby face and flown hair, shiny blue eyes and red lips. 7/10. No, scratch that, 8/10 for being hot and having horns. Reminds me of a particular woman in love with a skeleton.
"H-h-hey... do-d-do you-u-u have m-more?"
"Hmm? More what?"
"M-my h-h-husb-band was h-happy that night an-and wanted m-me t-to try some and he gave m-me a-and I wa-want some..."
Seeing her like this, I give off a gentle smile, after which she blushes. Her husband must have been one of the few that bought 2 cigarettes and he gave one to his wife. What a loving husband.
Her mind already seems hooked but, I think I should give her a strong one to try frying her mind some more and using her to have another source income... prostitution. I mean, as father always said, diversify, diversify and diversify, right?
Choosing a blend of Hero Herb and Barked Woof, I hand her one of the rolls and tell her it's "only" 3 silver. Gathering what little she has left, she only has a few copper.
"A-ah... w-wait, I'll get more-e"
"Ah! That not needed, now is it?"
"W-what?"
Lighting up her cigarette and pushing it into her mouth, she lets out a moan of pleasure. Telling her my idea to get the cigarettes on a rotation, she immediately agrees and follows me.
Heading into the seller's tent, he welcomes me with a gentle smile. In this world, selling "equipment" is illegal, very much so. The minimum sentence for selling "equipment" is 30 years in hard labor for every piece of equipment you sell. It isn't hard to see famous seller who were caught with 1000+ years of hard labor, only being left alive to be used as a mana tank for massive machines like quarry mines or mana-powered ships.
"Wecome dear customer! Would you like to buy some equipment? We sell eeeeeeverythinggg~ here! We have swords, we have shields, we have shears and we have boars!"
Remembering the secret code for wanting some illegal equipment that I learned from the inn keeper of our hotel, I stare into the man with missing teeth, dull eyes and pursed lips and blink thrice. I then look up and then to the secret door behind him.
"I'd like some cursed swords, please"
Hearing and seeing the special code, his amicable smile turns into a cold stare for a second then back to the smile. Seeing he has another person to dump his equipment, he starts thinking about his wife that needs 2 gold for a senior mage to cure her illness, he feels warm thinking about them.
"Of course, dear customer! Please, this way"
Leadin me into the secret compartment, it's very different when compared to the outside. The outside of the store looked credible enough, with shelf's full of books, swords and shields but the dirty stuff is behind that. Looking around, it's lit with Fyr crystals and is paved with cobble with metal cages bolted to the ground.
Inside the cages are equipment. Separated by the categories: Labor, Sex and Magic. Labor being the cheapest by average and sex being the most expensive. Some of the most popular Sex category equipment can go for as much as 10 gold. Some even have some rights of freedom, though they are still equipment.
Going to the magic section, I see one boy; about 160 cm and very skinny. Covered in dirt, it seems like no one has bought him for a while. Checking his status, my eyes go wide in shock for a few milliseconds before returning back to normal.
'God's Eyes'
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Name: Karl Müller
Age: 15/ Race: Elf Male
Titles: Mana Mage
Infinity Affinity
Enslaved Elf
Skills: Mana Boost (Rare)
HP: 500/2000
Mana: 100000/??????
Disposition: Lawful Good
Well-Meaning Assistant
Scared, Hopeless
———————————————
STR: 6 RES: 14
SPD: 5 STAMI: 4
LUCK: 500 KAR: -20
INT:100
(Mana Mage)
- increase mana by 50%
- increase INT by 50%
- increase STR by 10%
- decrease RES by 10%
- when used until proficiency, can evolve into 'Mana Elder Mage'
(Infinity Affinity)
- increases mana by 25%
- increase STR by 10%
- increase affinity with all elements by 100%
- decrease RES by 5%
(Enslaved Elf)
- decrease all stats by 10%
- increase obedience to authority by 1000%
- increase mana by 20%
(Mana Boost) (Rare)
- increase mana by 300% for 20 seconds
- 1 day cooldown
- activated by holding mana crystal and chanting the word 'Give' 3 times
—————————————————————
Hahaha, as they say, wealth is 90% luck, 10% work and 100% being at the right place at the right time.
"For the boy?"
"Ah! 1 silver. I haven't had luck with selling him. Apparently, his mana is mostly non- existent making him only be able to cast a basic spell once, with negligible strength"
"...you're telling truth? Why?"
"I saw your little stunt last night. I'm sure you'll come back for more and that I just made a new customer. Since we are going to be doing business for a while, give me something to call you"
".....Michael, you?"
"They call me Toothless, as you can see. Hahaha"
"Oh. There is only more thing I need you to do"
"Oh?"
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(A.N) Sorry for the kinda late chapter. Had to rush a bit, hope you enjoyed! Peace ✌️!