Once we left the mayor's house, I decided to return to the market. I wasn't planning on working again for the day, but I figured I could sell some of my other stuff. I would also be happy if Alice, who was currently holding my hand, would return to her studies. I brought us back to my stand. I would have to sell more legitimate stuff in the presence of Sky, but profit was profit. Hopefully, they would be more willing to buy from me now that I have established some social credit in this town.
Sky asked, "I will watch over you for the rest of the day. I still have a lot to teach Alice here."
She took Alice by the hand with a nod from me. "Please, if you would, I would pay you if you want."
Sky gave an awkward smirk. "I want to do this. There is no need. Plus... you've convinced me of who you are already. What you did for the mayor is nothing short of saintly."
I shrugged. "I was just looking out for my own interests." I turned away, embarrassed. I never intended for the gesture to be thought of like that.
I opened up for the day and brought out some furs and some little decorations I had made. It would appear I was pretty popular among the people, perhaps due to the party I had attended. I guess word had spread around that I was also the one who made the cure, and I got my first sale right away.
Things were selling a bit too quickly. An old couple bowed as they bought some useless things I had thrown together a few days ago. Oh, I get it. This was their way of repaying me for the drug I had accidentally made. They really had a way of making you feel good in this town. When the mayor said the community was close, I had no idea it would be like this.
As the hours rolled by, I spotted a rather peculiar merchant in a corner of the market. I had almost missed him; he was in such a tight corner. Hell, I really should have set up there ideally yesterday.
He was selling what appeared to be jewelry. I really only noticed him because he was so loud, but he attracted attention for sure. He was a fat man with a poorly trimmed beard and a muscle shirt on, with a gold tooth. He also seemed to have a leg missing; it was replaced with a wooden one, and he carried himself in a hunched-over way. He had a bandana on his forehead, which made him look like a pirate who spent too much time drinking and not enough sailing. He was showing a couple of older folks a ring, his voice carrying to my stall.
He bellowed, "That is right, 24 karat gold. This isn't stuff you can find just anywhere. Most shops would make you pay more than 100 gold for just one of these rings, but me? I am practically giving these away. 10 gold is all I am asking today. Think about it—a steal, right? Hell, you don't want the ring? You can even sell it back for 10 times the price anywhere else."
The older man with his wife frowned. "What do you get selling it for such a cheap price?"
The fat man laughed. "I recently acquired a large shipment of these rings at a fraction of the cost due to an overstock error from a prestigious jeweler. I need to move them quickly to make space for new inventory. You are in luck, folks. Like I said, you buy this ring, you literally can't lose!"
My stomach turned. What a stupidly blatant scam. I had done similar things in the past to a lesser effect given my race; usually, the rings are just regular rings worth next to nothing, but they are gold-plated. Since I knew those rings were worthless—gold-plated silver at best—I had no interest in them, but the idea of scamming this con artist out of town was appealing. I noticed Sky had stopped teaching Alice; she clutched her blade. It seemed she had noticed what the snake was doing too.
I smiled. "Sky, please continue teaching Alice. I have some business to attend to. I just found a really good deal staring me in the eye." I began walking toward the fat man, not waiting for a response. I wasn't a fan of direct competition. I acted the part of someone curiously browsing the stall, making sure to seem the part.
The fat man noticed me and smiled. "Oh, discerning eyes you have there, boy. Are you looking to buy?"
I confirmed, "Yes, in bulk. Can we talk in private? I think I have an offer you won't refuse."
The fat man seemed taken aback at first and then gave a predatory grin, one I myself had given many times. He clapped his hands together, seemingly ignoring the couple, having come across a much better target. He pointed to the small tent of goods behind him. "Right this way, sir."
I followed him behind his stall. I had plans for him, and as we passed, I swiped a gold ring from his stall. I had brought some razor-sharp wool with me as part of my ploy to expose this amateur scammer. As we entered the small tent, the fat man gestured for me to take a seat. The air inside was stuffy, filled with the faint scent of old wood and musty fabric. He sat down across from me, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Alright, lad," he said, leaning forward, "let's hear your offer. How much are you willing to buy, and what's your price?"
I leaned back, casually slipping the ring I had swiped into my pocket. "I'm interested in buying a substantial amount," I began, "but I need to be sure of the quality first. You understand, right?"
The fat man nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course. These rings are top-notch, pure 24 karat gold. You won't find a better deal anywhere else."
I smiled. That is just what I wanted to hear. I pulled out the piece of razor-sharp steel wool from my bag, holding it up for him to see. "Let's test one of these rings right here and now," I suggested. "Just to confirm their authenticity."
His eyes flickered with unease for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a confident grin. "No need for that, lad. I assure you, these are the real deal."
I chuckled. "Just a precaution. Relax. I have no doubts about the quality, but your customers might need some convincing." I pulled out the ring I swiped, and his face grew pale. I began using the wool on it, revealing the silver underneath, as I expected. I gave him a cheeky face. "Well, well, well. It is truly odd, isn't it? 24 karats? That is hard to believe."
The man stammered, "O-oh my, I must have been scammed. This is truly appalling. I assure you, I had no idea!"
I shook my head, playing with the now-exposed ring in my hands. "No mistake. These rings are gold-plated silver at best. You're scamming people, and that's not something I can let slide. You can claim not to have known, but honestly, I don't really give a shit." I threw the ring at his feet. "Here is the deal: you give me any profits you have made in town and all of these bullshit rings, and you leave town right away."
The man protested, "I can't just leave like that, you shitty half-" I cut him off before he continued. I pointed back to my tent. "See the woman over there? That is Sky, the head of the guard in town. One word from me, and you're screwed. I won't say it again: leave town quietly, and you won't end up with a one-way ticket to jail, or worse."
He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "And if you try to pull anything, I'll make sure you regret it. Now, get packing."
The fat man glowered at me, but he knew he was beaten. Without another word, he began to hurriedly gather his belongings, his face a mask of fury and humiliation. He spat out, "You will regret this, boy. I will make sure of it. The gold is on my stall table, goddammit."
I walked out of the tent and casually swiped the coin purse he had been storing the money in. It was a bit heavy; I would say about 10-20 gold pieces inside, quite the steal. I made my way back to Sky.
I threw the pouch at her. "He will be leaving town shortly. Do with that what you will; it is the money he has scammed out of people. I don't want anything to do with dirty money." That was a lie; I just knew I couldn't take it out in the open. Plus, I had grown somewhat attached to the people here.
Sky caught the pouch deftly, raising an eyebrow at me. "I see you've been busy," she said, glancing at the fat man hurriedly packing up his stall in the distance. "I'll make sure this gets back to those he scammed."
Alice looked up from her lessons, sensing the tension in the air. "Key was helpful?" she asked innocently.
I smiled at her, patting her on the head. "Just doing what needed to be done, Alice. Now, back to your studies with Sky."
Sky smiled herself. "I may have underestimated you. That was handled with care and without violence. You've become quite an asset to this town. Have you considered just settling down here?"
I smiled. "I appreciate the offer. I am glad I made a better impression on you, but I will have to decline. After tomorrow, I will leave. Not because I don't like it here, but because I like traveling. Nothing can beat the open sky and the freedom of open road." In reality, the biggest reason is because my business is shady. Staying in one place isn't exactly a good idea.
Sky smiled. "In that case, why don't you register with the merchants' guild? You are an excellent salesman, Key."
The merchants' guild? I had heard of it, but what is there to gain from going there?
Sky, seeing my dumbfounded face, explained, "For one, it could be good for a merchant to form connections. Plus, you can earn a rank in the guild, which has very real benefits. The higher you are ranked as a merchant, the better your profits and connections. They can provide you muscle so you don't get attacked by bandits, can make you more legit as a businessman, boost your reach and reputation, and can make it easier to form connections to other merchants. Plus, you can register as an official business."
The offer was attractive. Forming a real business, even as a half-breed, was appealing. I nodded. "I am about done with sales for today. Before the day is over, I will head over there. You two just focus on learning. I will be back in a few hours."
Sky held up her hand. "At this rate, I can add babysitter to my resume." I laughed, and Sky gave me directions to the merchants' guild. This could be the start of my official business, something I had never considered before today.