Thankfully Ayame doesn't seem to wish to linger on the topic of my dubious actions, but to be fair, I did specifically warn her that if she chose to come with me, we wouldn't be doing everything by the law.
She ponders the situation for a few seconds before replying, "Alright. First of all, we should check if the crates are still there. With our lack of funds, renting a vehicle and mule and not getting any profit out of it means we can't even enter the labyrinth to make money and will have to either rob people or work some menial jobs. I don't even know if we have enough money to rent in the first place. After we confirm the existence of the wares, we'll have to ask around for someone willing to rent them out. I would prefer to upgrade our equipment before we undertake this task, but that would take us a long time at our current pace of progression."
I nod. "Sounds like a plan!"
We exit the labyrinth and see that the sky is painted with a darker shade, letting us know that the day is nearing its end.
"It's late... We should head to a shop to sell these monster materials before it gets too dark." Ayame proposes after coming to the same conclusion as me regarding the current time.
"Good idea. Let's see what we can get for our haul." I reply.
Ayame adjusts the bag on her back, filled with the materials we collected, and we make our way through the winding streets of Aldoria. The streets are still fairly crowded with townsfolk finishing their business, and the occasional adventurer or merchant passing by.
Eventually, we arrive at a shop with a wooden sign swinging gently in the evening breeze. The sign reads, "Garen's Monster Materials and Curiosities," and a warm light spills out from the windows, casting a welcoming glow onto the street.
Ayame pushes the door open, and a bell jingles above us as we step inside. The shop is filled with shelves and tables laden with various items, from weapons and armor to potions and trinkets. Behind the counter stands a burly man with a thick beard, his sharp eyes scanning us as we approach.
"Evening, explorers," he greets us with a nod. "What can I do for you today?"
"We have some monster materials we'd like to sell," I say with a hint of tiredness in my voice. I didn't feel it in the labyrinth, but now that we are out of the danger zone exhaustion is beginning to crash down on me.
Ayame sets the bag on the counter and opens it, emptying the contents onto the desk. Various shells, essences, and thorns spill out.
Garen strokes his beard thoughtfully as he examines the items. He pulls out a few, turning them over in his hands and inspecting them closely.
"Hmm, nothing extraordinary… Steel Carapace Beetle shells, Shadow Wisp essences, Brambleback thorns… I see these a lot. The carapace is nearly worthless for armor, and the rest are common at best."
He picks up the larger carapace item from the boss beetle. "This, however, is a bit more interesting. Good for grinding into powder for alchemy."
Garen retrieves a ledger from beneath the counter and starts jotting down notes. After a few minutes, he looks up and gives us a nod.
"Alright, for everything here, I can offer you… 30 bronze coins. Fair enough?"
Ayame and I exchange a glance. Fuck. It's way less than we hoped. With 40 bronze to enter the labyrinth, about 40 more of general daily expenses means we simply can't clear the labyrinth to make a living at this point.
"60 bronze coins," I blurt out, shamelessly doubling his offer after equipping my Merchant class and using my [Lesser Barter] ability. I then realize that I didn't actually need to equip the class as I can use its spells even if it's set as a Secondary Class and not the Primary so I swap it back.
Garen raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. He looks over the materials again, his gaze lingering on the boss beetle's carapace before heartily laughing. "60, you say?! Boy, that's quite a jump from my initial offer. What makes you think these common materials are worth that much? Novice explorers bring these trashy items to me in bulk."
I maintain eye contact, projecting as much confidence as I can muster. "The boss beetle carapace is indeed more valuable than the rest, but consider the volume we've brought you. The shells and essences might be common, but they're in excellent condition. Plus, the powder from the carapace can be used in high-demand alchemical potions." I spout some bullshit that comes to mind. I have no idea what I'm saying at all.
Garen's laughter dies down as he scrutinizes the materials once more, this time with a more critical eye. "High-demand alchemical potions, you say? If nothing else, you've got guts, kid, I'll give you that. Or maybe I should just call you extremely shameless..."
Ayame steps closer. "Perhaps the market is flooded with these materials, but our consistent supply can ensure you always have stock. That reliability should count for something."
Would you look at this devious girl? I honestly didn't think she had it in her. Maybe she is going to adjust to my way of life sooner than expected. Supply? What supply? We are about to leave the town, and even if we do return, I will do a thorough market research when I have the time to find the best buyer for my items. I'm just too tired now, shops are also closing, and we need the money for tomorrow if we decide to go ahead with the plan.