Chapter 12

This town is apparently called Iralin.

I had thought it was a large town, but upon closer inquiry, it turns out to be the secondary capital of the Essen Kingdom.

Even so, there are multiple places like this town. Each of them is governed by adult members of the royal family and their accompanying nobles.

Incidentally, the village where I grew up was also part of the Essen Kingdom. That nameless village was developed by the current residents fifteen years ago and has continued to this day.

There is a disparity even in this town, where people from the royal family to the common folk live. These differences are roughly divided by where they live. The First District is home to the administrators and major merchants. The Second District is where the relatively wealthy live. The Fifth District is where the craftsmen reside, and so on.

Roughly speaking, the town is divided into grid-like sections, numbered from one to twelve. The slums are an exception, perhaps akin to a thirteenth district.

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"So, what did you bring today?"

I've become quite familiar with this shop owner.

I offered him the chicken meat wrapped in leaves. At first, I used to bring fish and fruits for trade, but it was easier to catch a few extra chickens along with my usual meals. Besides, the price was much higher.

I also changed the way I prepared the chickens. I cut the carotid artery to drain the blood and properly disassembled the wings. This changed the price as well. When I first brought them, they were worth seven iron coins, but now one chicken is worth one copper coin.

The price changes depending on how you prepare and catch them. I don't know if it's fair, but it's nice to be appreciated.

I'm not sure if the old man makes the dried meat himself or outsources it, but sometimes this chicken is sold as dried meat from this shop.

When I tried to make dried meat, it rotted and went to waste. There must be some secret to it. Maybe I should sneak in and take a look next time.

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"And the exchange, too."

I laid out the copper and iron coins on the counter. Coins take up a lot of space as their quantity increases.

The currency starts with gold coins, followed by silver, copper, and iron coins, but their exchange rate is not decimal.

One gold coin is worth twenty-five silver coins, two hundred copper coins, and two thousand iron coins. There are also half-silver and half-copper coins.

At first, it was confusing, but now I can do the calculations fairly well.

"Eight copper coins and ten iron coins. One silver coin and one copper coin, is that okay?"

The shop owner counted each coin, "Hee, foo, mee," and looked at me with his usual blank expression.

"Please. The fee is one iron coin, right?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

I nodded, placed an iron coin on the counter, and turned to leave. As usual, there was no farewell.

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I walked through the rough streets.

It's been several months since I started living in this slum.

I've saved quite a bit of money. I haven't decided what to do with it, but the feeling of my efforts turning into value is quite satisfying.

I walked the familiar path, avoiding debris and garbage. Someone was standing in front of me. When I saw his face, it was the guy who has been bothering me a lot lately.

"Hey, bird boy!"

"Ah, it's Hyro... What's up, all of a sudden?"

It was Hyro. He wiped his dirty cheeks and glared at me with a sullen face.

"Are you hoarding money again? Let us catch some birds too!"

"I don't understand, but if you want to catch them, go ahead. No one is stopping you."

As always, his demands are unclear.

"Is there some secret method or something? Teach us quickly. It's unfair for you to hog everything."

I sighed, "Again?"

I'm not hoarding profits. This is something I've earned on my own.

He and Riko aren't exactly idle. They live by gathering fruits, catching fish, and stealing. Stealing can be quite profitable if you hit the right target. They could earn more that way. No matter what I say, he won't listen.

Besides, I've already answered about the "method" every time.

"I've told you many times, I catch them with magic."

"Magic? You can't use that."

It's always the same.

"Magic is something great people study and use! A bird boy like you can't use it!"

Hyro scratched his gray hair vigorously, and I could see dandruff flying around.

I'm getting tired of this repeated exchange. I kicked a stone on the ground to keep my patience. My rational side told me that threatening with magic would be going too far.

"Then, become a great person and study more."

I ended the conversation and changed my direction. I'll take a different route home today.

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I returned to the abandoned house where I live and ate my meal.

Occasionally, I buy apples or dried meat, but mostly I eat what I catch myself.

Even so, worries still arise.

To put it simply, I'm bored.

This is no different from living in the forest.

Just hunting and living off it, with the addition of saving money.

I want to do something new. I want to add a new element to my life.

I've been thinking this, but I haven't been able to take the step.

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"Sorry, but I won't be able to buy chicken from you for a while."

On that day, when I went to the stone house to sell the birds as usual, the shop owner said this with a blank expression.

"…Why?"

I don't understand. Food should always have a steady demand, especially since chicken is used in the preserved foods sold here.

Was there some issue? I asked, but the shop owner shook his head.

"It's not a big deal, but there's been a nasty rumor about the chicken you bring."

"What kind of…"

"The rumor is that the chicken you bring is of the lowest quality."

The shop owner sighed.

"Because of this, people are complaining about the meat I exchange. They say if I'm going to offer this meat, I should increase the quantity or offer something different."

"Ah…"

"Frankly, I can't make a deal that doesn't pay. I can buy it at a throwaway price, but I doubt you'd like that."

"True, that wouldn't be good."

It would be a waste to throw away the birds. I always enjoy eating them.

"Maybe other items…"

The shop owner hesitated. He blinked twice and continued.

"I can still buy them at a normal price for a while, so do that."

"Understood."

There was a sense of unease, but I nodded.

I can still get food without focusing on birds or meat. Fish or fruits.

But, I thought.

I could gather useful items from the wild. Minerals, herbs, branches… even if they are easy to get and have low value, there must be something else.

The shop owner stared at me in silence. He probably thought I would argue, but I had already answered. I said it was fine.

"Then, can you tell me about something valuable that can be obtained outside the city?"

The shop owner's eyes widened. It was the first time I had seen him surprised. He quickly returned to his usual blank expression and thought for a moment.

"…So, you want to buy information about nearby resources?"

He walked to the back shelf, where papers, documents, and books were stored.

He spread a white paper on the counter and started writing with an ink-dipped quill. The small circle he drew was probably this town.

"First, what can you do? What can you get your hands on?"

I put my finger to my lips and looked at the shop owner. I tried to smile, but I don't know how it looked.

"Are you asking for my personal information in exchange?"

"Ha ha…"

The shop owner smirked and then returned to his usual expression, but he seemed more expressive today.

"Right, right. Fair enough. In exchange for this information."

"Then… I can use simple magic."

I lit a small flame on my fingertip. The shop owner smiled.

"So, you've been using magic to hunt the usual ingredients. That makes sense…"

The shop owner looked around the paper, nodded, and started drawing the north direction.

"About three hundred li (150 kilometers) north of here, there's a mountain called Koz. At the foot of the mountain, there's a river with stones."

"Stones?"

"Yes. They're in the riverbed. Mainly jade, but occasionally gold ore as well. There's not a huge amount, but it's fairly plentiful."

"Bring them back, you mean?"

"Exactly. You'll make a fortune, and so will I."

The shop owner rolled up the paper and handed it to me. It contained a rough map to Koz Mountain and the characteristics of jade and gold ore.

"Are other people going there too?"

If it's that profitable, someone else must be going.

"No, almost no one goes."

The shop owner stated firmly.

"First, it's quite far from the city. You have to walk through the forest for several days, living outdoors."

"Living outdoors isn't a big deal for anyone."

"Well, explorers and pilgrims can do it easily. But that's not all."

"What else?"

I had a bad feeling.

"There are monsters in the river."

Ah, I see. I understood.

Of course, it's not that simple.

"Still, encounters are rare. Do you know about monsters?"

"Yes, I defeated one recently."

The shop owner was impressed. He smiled for a moment, looking pleased.

"Then, no need for an explanation. There's a giant snake in that river."

"A snake? What kind?"

"A yellow snake with fish-like fins. Some say it's a dragon's offspring, but that's unclear."

It must be big if it's called a giant snake. It would be nice if it were edible.

"How big is it?"

"Varies by story, but about three zhang (ten meters) long."

"Big."

The shop owner continued, ignoring my contemplation.

"It takes time, and there are monsters, so it's not worth it. That's why not many people go."

If you don't want to, you can stop, the shop owner implied. But I ignored it.

"Ah, but it's a good opportunity, so I'll go."

"…? A good opportunity?"

"It's a personal matter, don't worry about it."

I clapped my hands in front of my chest and smiled at the shop owner. He grinned back, showing his teeth.

"So, what do I need for the collection?"

Seeing my determination, the shop owner seemed to think something. I couldn't read his expression.

"Basically, you just need a bag to carry the stones. You don't need anything for outdoor living, right?"

"Yes, I'm used to it."

"Still, you'll need other things. I'll gather a few items for you."

In the end, I bought a cloth bag, sturdy clothes, a simple short sword, and basic food supplies. I still have savings, so it's fine.

"I've never worn such good clothes before."

I was so happy with the sturdy shoes that I started hopping. Dust flew in the small shop each time.

"Don't get too confident, they're not that great."

He scolded me quietly, showing his lower teeth. I responded with a "Yes, sir." The shop owner fell silent, thinking for a moment.

"Oh, one more thing."

"What?"

There's one more piece of information I want.

"Is there a place to sell the snake's body? Oh, and the edible parts."

The shop owner looked at me with a bewildered face.

The additional information cost two iron coins, as expected.

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