Chapter 19

This slum is surprisingly comfortable.

When I woke up in the morning, that was the first thing I thought. Was it because of yesterday's experience?

The soft morning sun hit my face, warm and pleasant.

The lack of stares is nice.

There are a few people on the streets, but the fact that no one shows interest when I go outside is good.

At least, I don't get mocked for my clothes or appearance.

I can live in this slum without any particular problems.

I reached that conclusion.

"So, can I have a job?"

I asked the owner of the stone shop with a smile. I'm going to work today and earn money.

The owner sighed and looked exasperated.

"What, are you already complaining after just one cold look?"

"Because there's nothing I can do about it, right?"

I pouted, hanging from the edge of the counter.

If changing something about me would stop the discrimination, I could try living outside.

I could buy food normally, and it was fun outside. But surely, I would face that kind of discrimination again over something trivial.

In reality, it's not discrimination. Since the residents of this slum are a nuisance, it's a necessary distinction from the perspective of those who live decently.

But something bothered me.

Honestly, I thought I didn't care about such things. I thought I could easily brush them off.

But it seems I take them more seriously than I thought.

That's why I can't go outside yet.

The human heart is a mysterious thing.

"Well, it doesn't really matter to me."

He said that, but the owner didn't look happy.

He raised his head as if to regain his composure and looked at me.

"Still, the best catch right now is the zengyo. Patients are starting to appear, so the demand is increasing. The price is going up again."

Fishing again. Should I go to the same place?

However, I have a question since there is demand.

"Um,"

"What is it?"

Raising an eyebrow, the owner stopped his hand, looking puzzled.

"Is zengyo not farmed?"

"It's not."

The owner answered casually.

Why isn't there a stable supply of a preventive medicine for a disease that recurs every year and is severe?

"Farming is something the rich with land do. Or they might lease the land to businesses."

"So farming is done?"

"Yeah, but the rich only farm high-end fish."

"But even zengyo seems pretty high-end, doesn't it?"

I get one silver coin for each one I catch. How much would it cost at retail?

"That's not the kind of high-end that's for daily use... it's more like a luxury item."

"Is it because it tastes good or something?"

"It's not just the taste, but also the appearance and characteristics. In short, it's a business for the royal family and nobility."

"But..."

Even for the royal family and nobility, it's a medicine.

"Don't the royals need the preventive medicine too?"

The owner closed one eye and muttered, "Hmm," as if surprised.

"Oh, right, you didn't know about the three-day fever. That disease mainly affects the commoners."

"Only commoners?"

"It's not so much about class as it is about where they live."

"Like, the 12th district where commoners live?"

"Right. Mainly the eastern part of the city. The slums, and the 6th, 11th, and 12th districts where commoners live, and the 5th district where craftsmen's workshops are concentrated. Of course, it also appears in the surrounding areas."

"Geographical factors...? Food...? The climate doesn't vary much, and it's hard to imagine different races in the same city...?"

The owner continued, staring at me as I pondered.

"That's why the bigwigs don't take the three-day fever seriously. It doesn't affect them much, and if they're worried, they can just buy a zengyo like now. If they were to farm it, they'd choose high-end fish."

"Then, why don't the commoners who suffer from the disease try to farm it?"

"Ah, they did, I think."

The owner looked up at a corner of the ceiling, recalling.

"I think it was over twenty years ago... Everyone pooled their land and money, hired a farmer, and tried to farm zengyo..."

"If that's the case, why isn't it being done now?"

I tilted my head. If that's the case, it should have continued.

"I think... the water quality didn't suit them, or the feed didn't, and the fish all died early..."

"Ah, it failed..."

"Unfortunately, yes. It cost a lot of capital, and it seems a lot of effort was needed for the equipment and pond maintenance. No one has tried since then."

"Still, it needs money and manpower."

It's needed by the commoners, but it requires large-scale equipment and research, and it's high-risk. Shouldn't the rulers be the ones to do this?

"Well, even if a washed-up old man like me or a kid like you think about it now, the disease won't be solved."

"Yeah, I guess so."

It's a sad reality.

I go to the clear stream to catch zengyo.

Those thin, carp-like fish swim in schools, and a few of them were swimming together.

I kill them while bleeding them, just like before.

It seemed easy to catch these fish even with fishing or traps.

Even an ordinary person could catch them if they wanted to. For an adult, it's not a far distance to walk. It's a hunt that can be completed in a day.

But it's not possible.

There are monsters. Just that alone prevents those without the means to fight from coming here.

While filling the bag with ice, I felt a chill in my head.

I exchange the fish I caught for money at the stone shop.

"Five of them. In excellent condition. That's good."

The owner checks the fish, stroking their bellies. It's always a tense moment.

"One silver coin and one half-silver coin per fish. That's seven silver coins and one half-silver coin in total."

The coins are stacked on the counter with a thud. The amount is starting to add up.

"Can I get some change?"

I stack more silver coins next to the ones on the counter. A total of 25. That makes one gold coin.

"Sure."

The owner counts them and puts them in the safe. Then he takes out one gold coin.

"The fee is one iron coin."

I hand over an iron coin and exchange it for the gold coin. It was a coin about 2 cm in diameter, but it felt heavy.

"Gold coins are conspicuous. Don't show them easily in front of people."

"I'll be careful."

It's dangerous for a kid like me to have one.

Lying on my bed, I gaze at the gold coin.

This shiny, unblemished gold coin is the crystallization of all my hard work.

I couldn't help but smile.

I quickly covered my mouth. No, I can't. Is this the power of gold? I can understand a little how those who are addicted to gold feel.

For now, I'll hide it at the bottom of the bag I always carry. I don't want to use it if I can help it. It's insurance.

Today, I only earned a few silver coins. That's all the increase in my assets.

But I exchanged it for a gold coin. I have insurance now. Just that alone made me incredibly happy.

Rolling around on the bed in high spirits, the sun has already set.

At that moment, an intruder came to dampen my joy.

It entered through the window into the room, now shrouded in twilight.

There are no lights in this room.

I could buy them, but since I can detect things with magic, it hasn't been a problem, so I've left it as it is.

Perhaps that's why this intruder has never come before.

There are no lights, and no water source nearby. There's no reason for it to come here.

But today, it came without any warning.

Making an unpleasant, weak buzzing sound, it came looking for food.

In this room, the only food is me.

It comes right next to me without trying to hide.

It comes through the darkness, looking for my blood.

It's a mosquito.

When I'm outdoors, I usually try to stay as far away as possible and crush it the moment it touches my skin.

But today, I'm in a good mood.

It's fine, isn't it?

I leave the mosquito that has attached itself to my arm alone.

After a while, the mosquito flies away again.

I can even tolerate mosquitoes.

The power of gold is scary.