Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken novel Chapter 53

We proceeded into Brumund's Royal Capital.

The city appears old but sturdy.

The pedestrians appeared bright and cheerful with no gloominess in sight.

Probably due to the fact that there is no visible damage from powerful monsters or other threats.

And as you'd expect from such a remote country, there were many people geared up.

Based on my appraisal ability, most armors and weapons used are of inferior quality. Similarly, they also seemed rather weak.

However, smelling the air of a downtown area after so long was pretty exciting.

Buying some roasted meat on a stick, we continued onward.

I have no idea what meat this is, but it's strangely delicious.

Actually, I can analyze the meat to find out where it came from, but I won't do that. I have something else that needs to be analyzed.

The sauce. This sauce could come in handy for research. Though it is unfair to the chef, eating something lets me learn its recipe.

So I made a mental note of the required ingredients for this meal.

I am advancing further in, guided by the trio, with a specific store in mind.

Magic Tool Store.

Normal tool stores and magic tool stores are very different than what people from my world would imagine.

When adventurers, for example, refer to "tool stores" they typically mean magic ones.

And it is one of these magic tool stores " I'll simply call it tool store from now on " that was our destination.

To learn current market prices.

I am planning to sell medium grade medicine today. However, even if I want to sell it at 15 silvers a piece, I need to first know the price of low grade medicine.

I also want to know if there is any product made from Illusion Flowers, or something related to them.

If we turn them in to the guild, we can make ten silvers per bouquet.

Though you'd think you could make a lot of money this way, but going into the forest to search for this elusive flower often proves pointless, so most people abstain.

So if you're planning on becoming a permanent harvesting adventurer, you shouldn't expect to become rich quick.

Thus, usually people find them while adventuring somewhere and come to sell them; the buyer then collects them and turns them over to whoever requests.

Which would mean that harvesting requests tend to stick around for years. It's a lengthy process.

And since I have lots of such medical plants and flowers, I'd want to know their current prices.

So, we entered the store.

A peculiar smell filled the room and the store itself gave off a queer aura.

A store you'd expect to be run by some elderly witch.

Actually, the owner looks just like that.

I looked around, quickly evaluating the goods. Sadly, I didn't see any rare items.

Low grade potions are in stock, and at a higher price.

Why? Simple: the neighboring Farmas Kingdom has stopped allowing goods to come from the Dwarf Kingdom.

Though I guess I over exaggerated; they are merely preventing any goods that could be used by the military to reach here.

And since high quality potions no longer arrive from the Dwarf Kingdom, they have no choice but to sell the inferior stuff made by the local pharmacists.

Besides, since they are making things by boiling medical herbs found in forests and caves, the medicine they produce is naturally inferior.

Hmm? Do I smell an opportunity...?

At the moment, low grade potion [Quality: Normal, Effect: 20%] is sold for 2 silver coin.

In comparison, abysmal potion [Quality: Low, Effect 15%] is sold for 1 silver coin.

So even a small change in effect can lead to such a drastic change in price. I guess considering that it could save your life, people are rarely stingy with medicine.

And with such shortage of material, adventurers who come across medical herbs will quickly find a buyer even if their guild doesn't accept it.

It's always in demand, it seems.

Next, Illusion Flowers.

From this flower you can make Hallucinogens and Bewitching Perfume.

The effects of these items are,

Hallucinogens: Used to amplifyˆHypnotism-type Magic‰. Taking it normally will induce hallucinations. Leads to addiction.

Bewitching Perfume: Amplifies the effects ofˆHypnotism-type Magic‰by up to 30%. Increases resistance toˆHypnotism-type Magic‰by up to 30%.

That would be for quality item, of course; normal one would increase the effects by only 20%.

What is amplified? The success rate of the skill, the extent of control, and the duration. It is an item coveted by most practitioners of this type of magic.

However, addiction is bad. It's probably similar to our world's hallucinogens. Though I doubt they sell it to just anybody.

By the way, while I was analyzing the poison, I happened to have acquired some resistance to it. At this rate, I might get a new skill soon.

If I harvest and analyze some more poisonous plants, of course. Eating the plant would be a bad idea, but I wouldn't get poisoned if I absorbed it into my stomach.

So, I can't die from poison. And since I wouldn't get food poisoning either, I taste tested most dishes during the trip.

But I digress.

The effects of these items is easy to dispel, but surely they cost a lot?

ŒHaah? Hallucinogens and Bewitching Perfume? You can't get such amazing items here.

Rather than in a small country like ours, you should be looking elsewhere!

The store's granny told me.

Did she think that I was ridiculing her?

Chances are the fact that she has even heard of such medicines is impressive.

In fact, the medicine sold here is made by her. She's pretty learned, it seems.

ŒAh, my bad. The thing is, I happen to have gotten my hands on some of those, but aren't sure if it's actually the real deal.

I even borrowed a gold coin to buy it, so I'm curious!

I said, trying to deceive her.

ŒWhat did you say? Show me. I'll check if for you.

I won't charge you, so rest easy!

The granny replied.

Since she asked, I had no choice but to take out a small bag with a hallucinogen I made prior.

I have quite a few more bags like this. The hallucinogen is fine like sugar, but red in color.

The granny took it from my hands and usedˆIdentification Magic‰on it.

ŒOh my! It's real! Aren't you lucky.

With this much, you can easily make 2 golds coins.

But production and sales of this item is forbidden to amateurs.

It can only be sold by magicians with a special license, so beware!

If you want to pawn it, however, I'd be happy to buy it from you for two gold coins!

She said, surprised.

Turning a bouquet in to the guild would earn you 10 silvers. Whereas processing it would yield you 2 gold coins. That's 20 times higher.

Moreover, you can also make some Bewitching Perfume from it. All you need is to dilute the extract with water.

So this is another product that will sell well; I'm glad we picked it.

I mean, I knew magic items were expensive, but for them to be so expensive! Well, it's my profit, so I don't complain.

But now that she had evaluated it for me, I can't just leave without buying anything.

Doesn't she have any good items...?

Seeing a complete lack of rare items, I started searching for anything I might need.

And then I found it, ŽDummy's Guide! Easy to understand ˆElemental Magic‰theories!" a magic book titled thus.

Seems like its a part of a popular publication, but to think that it is even sold out here?

Well, I can read some, and even simply reading letters is practice. So let's buy the book.

ŒAha. So, little girl, you're aspiring to be a magician?

That's a beginner's book.

Kids who want to enroll in an academy study from this book.

But you know, you can't become a magician just from reading this book, are you sure you want to buy it?

A magic academy! How wonderful. I want to go check it out someday.

Someday, I'll useŽGreat Sageto get all the magic in the world...

ŒYeah, no problem. How much is it?

ŒChild, your face is pretty but you've got the tongue of a middle-aged man...

Ah, well. Unfortunately, it isn't cheap. Magic is a rich-man's hobby.

The masses, without connections or something, can never learn magic.

Just this book costs a single gold coin; too much, right?

I wonder... since I'm wearing the mask, is the granny guessing by my voice?

I don't really care, either way. Maybe I should change my voice to seem older...?

Well, it's too late now. And since it's a pain, I'll leave it as is for now.

Since I'm around 150 cm tall right now, should I claim to be a young boy?

It's been a year since I was born, but my soul is at least 38 years old; in other words, it's hard to figure out my age. In any case, I'm a child at heart.

So if I look young, that isn't a problem.

An enigmatic boy wearing a mask. Don't fret, there's plenty of delusional idiots calling themselves heroes and demon lords, so I'd fit right in.

So let's introduce myself thus from now on.

Magic is for the rich, huh. There's probably plenty among them that are incapable of learning magic, too.