Clop Clop Clop
The sound of footsteps echoed in the air as the leaves rustled and rocks rolled down the mountains. The birds chirped, the rivers trickled, and a handful of animals roamed about, digging roots and grazing on grass. The forest was as peaceful as it could be.
"Waaah!" ［Marika］
"Ah! Marika, careful!" ［Yuna］
Well, it would have been peaceful if not for the three figures also going about their days, traversing the lush forest and jumping over the flowing river. Things were never quiet with such a lively bunch around.
And just now, as they crossed the bridge over the river, Marika slipped and almost fell towards the waters, a loud scream echoing ever so clearly. Thankfully, Yuna was following close behind her, catching her almost immediately.
"S-Sorry! A-Are you alright, Lady Yuna?" ［Grey］
"Marika, you know... I should be the one asking you that... Are you okay? Are your ankles not hurt?" ［Yuna］
"Don't worry! It takes a lot more than that to hurt me! I'm more than fine!" ［Marika］
Marika replied, a loud declaration resounding in the forest. Even then, Grey and Yuna couldn't help but worry even more. Especially with such a bright smile plastered on her face. It was one which screamed distrust.
It wasn't just once nor twice. Be it slipping, falling over, tripping, being chased by insects, and many more. Marika has been involved in far too many unfortunate accidents on their trip. It made them wonder whether she was just unlucky or very clumsy. Either way, it was worrying.
"Then, shall we continue?" ［Marika］
"Un... Okay..." ［Yuna］
Worry still weighing down on their shoulders, the three finally crossed the river, and not stopping a single second, they continued along the path, heading north to cross another mountain. The journey continued.
Where might they be going, one might ask? Simple. The three of them, as part of their tour, and also to participate in trade and purchase some items, are heading towards the nearby village which is also a part of the Chiefdom of Torogi.
As it stands, Torogi is composed of several villages coexisting in the archipelago, scattered across the few large islands. From a population of a hundred or two, all the way to several hundreds, the villages have been coexisting for centuries.
And of these villages, the five largest are ruled over by "Chiefs", with a central figure which they all submit to, the "Great Chief". As for the other, smaller villages, they are simply ruled by elders and the like, paying tribute to the five main villages. A fully-functioning state.
The village the Great Chief, Manelo, rules is the largest of them all, named Balud, while they are heading to is a village by the lakeshore named Lobo, one of the minor, but also busiest villages which is often considered the central point of the Chiefdom.
Rustle Rustle Rustle
A few more minutes elapsed, and after more than half an hour of walking, the lake was finally in sight. Well, not only the lake, but the ever so beautiful village thriving near it was also present, basking in the crystalline radiance reflected by the lake.
There was no time to waste. As soon as it was in sight, everyone quickly descended down the mountains, heading straight to Lobo village. A few more minutes later, their steps finally reached the wonderful lake village.
"Hey! Fresh fish! Fresh fish! Fresh fish for cheap!"
"Ma'am, these are fresh eels we just caught. Would you like to buy some?"
"Mister, how much is this corn here?"
What greeted them as soon as they arrived was a lively atmosphere like the one back in Lista, only less noisy and more rural. Even then, it was just as beautiful, people of all tribes bargaining and exchanging words with one another.
Though it may be smaller than many countries, Torogi also has a functioning and healthy economy, using both coins and bartering on a regular basis, with merchants and customers coming from all places, searching for what they desire.
Isolated they may be from the world, everyone uses the same currency as the people in the mainland does. This is because, no matter where one is in the world, currency is made by dungeons and the likes. Meaning, there is only one universal currency.
Unfortunately, due to Torogi's small size and suspiciously low level dungeons, the highest denomination everyone could get is a platinum coin. Even then, what is mostly used are copper and nickel coins. Crystals are nowhere to be found.
"Then, Lord Grey, Lady Yuna, what should we buy first?" ［Marika］
"Hm? Didn't Marika also want to buy something?" ［Yuna］
"Well, that can wait. My priority right now is to make sure that Lord Grey and Lady Yuna have the best experience!" ［Marika］
Declared Marika, ending her words with a sweet smile. There were no lies in her words, only sincerity as she expressed her wanting to be of use. A far cry from her previous, nervous and stuttering impression.
"Then... Would it be alright if we buy some freshwater fish first? I'm a little curious about what kind of seafood you can get in these parts." ［Yuna］
"Of course!" ［Marika］
There was no time to waste. As soon as Yuna voiced out her wants, Marika's eyes beamed, her head turning left and right as she searched for stalls which sold fish and seafood harvested from the nearby lake.
From giant crabs, black lobsters, freshwater eels, basses, trouts, and many more. A plethora of seafood could be displayed left to right, some still alive and splashing about. It was like the fish market in Lista all over again. Only that there isn't a salty smell of seawater.
"Oh? Lady Marika, welcome back. Are you here to buy something?"
"That's right. We're here to buy some fishes." ［Marika］
"Oh! Good for you! A fresh batch of rainbow trouts had just arrived!"
A large smile plastered on his face, the vendor reached out for a nearby crate. As soon as he did, the sound of splashes echoed in the air. Soon, water spilled towards the ground as the man displayed the rainbow trouts he just acquired.
"Ohh... They really are fresh..." ［Marika］
"Right...? And they're cheap as well! Just for you, I'll give you a handsome discount! 15 kiels will do!"
The man announced with a bright smile extending from ear to ear. Hearing his words, everyone froze, as if they heard something so absurd. But though they may be frozen, the expressions on Grey and Yuna's faces were very bright.
Well, why wouldn't they be? After all, such a large trout could already fetch about 50 kiels back on Lista, and even higher in Galderia. The price had just been cut by more than three times. They were so shocked, they couldn't even express their happiness.
"So cheー" ［Yuna］
"So expensive! That's a scam!" ［Marika］
But, oh well, it seems like Marika has a totally different opinion, slamming the stall's desk as she yelled at the man. It was then that the man started backing off, switching to the defensive as the bargain between the two began.
Grey was so surprised by the price that he didn't even realize using his eyes. But the moment he did, surely enough, the man was lying. He could only feel awe for Marika for finding out about it so quickly. The clumsy yet knowledgeable girl.
"Mister, don't try to cheat me! It was just 10 kiels not long ago!" ［Marika］
"Now, now, Lady Marika, that was long ago before the Evil Beast appeared. With the sea so dangerous right now, prices have gone up."
"Liar! I know that the prices haven't been affected that much!" ［Marika］
"That... Lady Marika, you must understand. I'm just trying to make a living here."
The man tried to reason out his way from the situation, but Marika didn't let him go so quickly. The clumsy and cheerful Marika was now gone. All that was left was a young lady who had the eyes burning fiercely like that of a housewife, expert in bargaining.
The bargain between the two continued and many prices were thrown left, right, front, and center. The man tried to be firm with his prices, but Marika's offensive was no joke. It didn't start long before the man's defense finally started breaking down.
"Alright! 12 kiels! Take it or leave it!"
"Hmph! You should have been honest since the beginning!" ［Marika］
In the end, Marika was the one who came out victorious, cutting down the initial price by a whopping 20%! To Grey and Yuna who barely bargains with prices, she was nothing short of a legendary shopper. A fearsome figure indeed.
"Lord Grey, Lady Yuna, he said he'll sell it for 12 kiels each!" ［Marika］
"Marika, you sure are amazing, aren't you?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah... You're both knowledgeable and firm. That's really admirable." ［Grey］
"Hehehe! This is nothing!" ［Marika］
Hearing Grey and Yuna's compliment, Marika couldn't help but blush a little, feeling a little embarrassed. She was back to her cheerful and carefree self, a beaming smile plastered on her face.
Soon enough, Grey and Yuna started buying a lot of things from the stall. And though the vendor was feeling upset about losing to Marika in bargaining, after seeing how much Grey and Yuna bought, his mood quickly improved by leaps and bounds. Oh, how fickle people can be.
Well, it wasn't only the prices which were interesting. Since there aren't any weights in Torogi, each item is sold whole. As for smaller, cheaper things, they are sold by a fixed number of items per kiel. Three oranges for 1 kiel, for an example. It was an interesting and unique experience.
"Then, Lord Grey, Lady Yuna, where do you want to go next?" ［Marika］
"Fufufu! You sure are excited, aren't you?" ［Yuna］
"Of course! It's my duty, after all! Tell me if there's anything you want to buy. I'll make sure to knock down their prices for you!" ［Marika］
Marika declared ever so confidently as she puffed her ample chest proud as one can be. And for the first time since they met, Grey and Yuna felt like they could finally put some trust in her words, feeling like they could rely on her.
"Then... I guess fruits would be next?" ［Yuna］
"Fruits?! Alright, follow meー Ah! Sorry!" ［Marika］
Trust which was quickly broken by her clumsy nature. It hasn't even been a couple seconds since they decided to rely on her, and she already bumped into another person. Thankfully, she wasn't hurt and the person she bumped to was very nice. She was quickly forgiven.
"Umm... For now, how about we look at where we're going?" ［Grey］
"Y-Yes! Of courshe! Safety first!" ［Marika］
And alas, the old Marika is back, biting her tongue once again. Now, Grey and Yuna don't know whether they should worry or not. The young lady before them was simply too unpredictable and contradictory to herself. Another interesting character.
Shenanigans aside, everyone then headed from one stall to another, buying a lot of things. With how cheap the prices are, there is no way Grey and Yuna are going to miss out on it. It was yet another shopping spree!
It was fortunate that storage rings were also present in Torogi. Though they are called "Treasure Rings", they served the same purpose. Thanks to it, shopping has never been any easier.
Time passed some more, and after buying fish, fruits, vegetables, meat, ornaments, and all sorts of things, Grey and Yuna were finally done with all the shopping. Now, they are only waiting for Marika to finish buying the bracelet she has been meaning to buy for herself.
"Mister, come on! Lower it down a little!" ［Marika］
"I'm afraid I can't do that anymore, Lady Marika. It's 135 kiels, and that's final."
"Urgh... 135..." ［Marika］
But it seems like things are not going as smoothly as they usually did. Though Marika managed to bring down the price by a whole 15 kiels, she still couldn't afford it. To top it all off, the vendor wouldn't budge any further either.
Even though she was the Great Chief's daughter, she doesn't actually receive much of an allowance from the Great Chief. And though she could just force things with her status, she wasn't one to do such a thing. Things were turning grim for her.
"Mister, 135 kiels, was it?" ［Grey］
"That's right. I won't go any lower."
"Alright, then we'll buy two of them please." ［Grey］
Clink Clack Clink
A resounding clack echoed in the air as a number of coins were placed atop the stall's desk, glimmering with a wonderful sheen. A whole two bronze coins and seven nickel coins were offered without much hesitation.
Seeing such a sum, the vendor didn't think too much any longer and quickly pocketed it, then giving a pair of bracelets to Grey with a large smile on his face. But of course, they weren't for Grey nor Yuna to wear. They were for...
"Here, Marika, you can have these." ［Grey］
"Eh... Ehh?! For me?!" ［Marika］
"Of course. Is there anyone else named Marika out here?" ［Grey］
"Un! It's thanks for guiding us today. We really had a lot of fun." ［Yuna］
There was a bit of hesitation painted on Marika's face at first, but being pressured by such expectant eyes from Grey and Yuna, there was only so much she could do. She could only accept with a heart full of gratitude.
"S-Shank you very math! I'll make sure to treshure it!" ［Marika］
And in a very Marika-like manner, she gave her thanks, bowing her head repeatedly whilst biting her tongue from time to time. Grey and Yuna couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her actions, wondering where the fierce bargaining lady had gone.
"Then... Now that we're done here.... Where shall we head to, Marika? I suppose the tour's not over yet, is it?" ［Grey］
"Of course! There's still a lot more to see!" ［Marika］
There was no time to dawdle. As soon as they were done with their business in the market, they headed towards the horizon, led by the ever so cheerful Marika. The very same Marika who bumped into another person again and almost tripped over. That very Marika.
Their next destination was one of the establishments nearby. An open building which was filled to the brim with silk, fabrics, and fibers. There were no sewing machines, only looms and hands quickly moving with astounding intricacy.
The technology may not be so advanced in Torogi compared to the mainland, but their art and products wouldn't lose out to them. The fabrics woven from their looms were both vibrant and beautiful, showcasing both Torogi's culture and delicacy. True masterpieces.
"Waah... Grey, what's this thing..." ［Yuna］
"That's a loom. As you can see, it's used for weaving." ［Grey］
"A loom, huh... I wonder if we can make one like this in our house..." ［Yuna］
And as usual, Yuna's curiosity is springing up in her eyes. Her eyes wandered all around the place as she examined what kinds of things were present that she hadn't seen before. It was like they were having a school field trip.
"Lady Yuna, would like to try it?" ［Marika］
"Is that okay? I'm not particularly experienced with it..." ［Yuna］
"That's okay. There's always a first for everything." ［Marika］
Cheerful as one can be, Marika headed to the weavers and asked for permission to use the extra loom. It didn't take too long either. When she returned, there was a big smile on her face, her hand making a "thumbs up" sign.
"First, you use this... Then do this... And...." ［Marika］
Yuna's instructor was none other than Marika too. It was not only farming, fishing, and economics. She was knowledgeable in a lot of fields in Torogi, capable enough to reach Yuna weaving. It was no wonder the Great Chief is so confident in her.
Soon, Marika's little lecture with Yuna about the basics of weaving finished, and after repeating Marika's words in her mind over and over again, Yuna finally started to move her hands, imitating what Marika did before her.
"This... And this... And this, right... Then repeat..." ［Yuna］
At first, Yuna was moving slowly, but with each passing second, she picked up speed and moved quicker and quicker. Before long, Yuna's hands and pedals moved like a machine, weaving out a pattern like the ones the other weavers were making,
To her learning speed and skills, Marika could only open her mouth in agape. Not only her, the other weavers were also intrigued, stopping in the midst of their work. All eyes were on her, curious and astonished.
"A-Amazing! Is this really her first time?!"
"Isn't she even better than most of us!"
"The design is beautiful as well!"
Countless praises rained down upon Yuna as she continued moving her hands and feet. Even the more experienced weaver couldn't help but admire her skills, watching in silence as she continued her work, serious as one can be.
It was only natural. After all, Yuna's mind was like a sponge which could absorb all kinds of knowledge unlike any other. If it weren't for Grey's "Divine Mind", he could only hope to catch up to her. She was a bonafide prodigy.
"Ah! Marika, I'm done! Look! I maー" ［Yuna］
"Lady Yuna, you're super amazing! Are you sure it's really your first time weaving?! You were like whoosh and fwoosh! So amazing!" ［Marika］
"Y-Yes?" ［Yuna］
Yuna couldn't even gather her thoughts yet, when Marika grabbed and held her hands tightly, looking at her with eyes full of expectations. It wasn't only her. The other weavers also swarmed around her, just as curious and excited.
"G-Grey! Help meeee!" ［Yuna］
She cried out, but it was futile. Rather than help his girlfriend, Grey found it more interesting and enjoyable seeing her swarmed by a crowd of excited people. He only chuckled to himself, watching the scene unfold and wishing her good luck.
It was only after she answered all of the questions from the others that she was finally let go, now completely wasted and exhausted, her face void of life and colors. It was even more difficult than subjugating monsters, a true hell.
"Grey, you... You meanie, I promise I'll remember this..." ［Yuna］
"Oh? Did I do something wrong?" ［Grey］
"Uuu... You... Just you wait. I'll get you back for this." ［Yuna］
Yuna threatened Grey, pouting ever so cutely. But contrary to her expectations, there was no feeling of remorse on the latter's face, only a smiling face as he chuckled to himself. The idiot couple are flirting once again.
After the weaving workshop, everyone headed to the nearby establishments and watched the people work. There were handicrafts, smithing works, scultures, and many more. There was even a building where the people had their tattoos made. It was a place full of wonders.
"Grey, look, a smithy! Why don't you try it out?" ［Yuna］
"Hmm... I think I'll pass for now. I want to explore more anyway." ［Grey］
"I see... That's a shame..." ［Yuna］
Of course, having learnt from experience, Yuna didn't try things out anymore. Instead, Yuna tried to urge Grey into doing so, wanting him to experience the hell that she did. Unfortunately for her, Grey was not one to fall for such obvious traps.
The only thing her attempts did was make her pout even more. Topping it off with Grey's periodical chuckling, she only became more frustrated. She was just too obvious for her own good,
"Hmph! Hmph! Hmph!" ［Yuna］
The only way the young lady could do to vent out her frustrations was to pound Grey's back and shoulders with her closed fist, all the while still pouting and puffing her cheeks. At that point, Marika had gotten used to all their flirting.
Flirting aside, the tour continued and they headed out to more places. They went to the nearby meadows to see the herding of livestock, to the lake to see the fishermen fish, and to the fields to see the people farm. An all around adventure.
"Then, Lord Grey, Lady Yuna, let's get going, shall we? There's still a lot more to see!" ［Marika］
"Un!" ［Yuna］
CHAPTER 230 END