Serendipitous Bounty of a Page
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Harvestmoon 25th, Caelumoria, CaCa Hostel, 2:30 PM.
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As soon as I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the sight of two naked girls in the bed.
"Last night was wild," I muttered to myself.
I quickly headed to the shower to clean myself, then dressed in my old, tattered uniform, as I had no other clothes.
Before leaving, I jotted down a note for the girls, then made my way to the second floor to grab some free food.
I was taken aback when I saw that it was already 2 pm and I had missed breakfast.
"Oh well," I sighed, "I can still enjoy the free lunch and dinner, at least."
After finishing my lunch, I made my way outside the hostel to breathe in some fresh air, though it was polluted by the nearby industries.
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While walking, I stumbled upon a shop called 'Elves' Delight' with a banner of a bow and arrow.
Assuming it was a weaponry shop, I decided to check it out.
"Greetings, traveler. Feel free to look for anything you like," the shop owner said.
"I want armor for a friend of mine. She has a tiny waist and chest but large thighs," I replied.
"You have a gorgeous friend there. Here, I recommend this. It's called Faded Twilight." He pointed to the deep green and turquoise leather armor.
"Tell me what it's made of and its strengths," I asked.
"Introducing the Faded Twilight Leather Armor set, crafted for the elite elven warriors.
The armor features a unique blend of deep green and turquoise colors that shimmer like the ocean.
Made of enchanted elven leather and woven with Aereus spider silk imported from Aurelia, this armor provides excellent protection without sacrificing mobility.
The armor is a one-piece suit that fits snugly, with the pants only extending to 1/3 of the thighs.
The chest area includes a heart-shaped hole, which helps regulate body temperature while running and allows air to flow through.
To complete the set, a durable cape (cloak) is included that provides the same level of protection as a minotaur's shield but is as light as a leaf.
The cape is also made of enchanted leather, giving it added durability.
For added protection, the Faded Twilight set includes white stockings and brown mid-calf socks, as well as leather sandals.
With this armor set, elven warriors can move quickly and gracefully while remaining protected from any danger that comes their way." He explained.
"I see. Is there anything better?" I asked the shop owner.
"Sorry adventurer, but this is already the best armor we have. We are the best elf weaponry shop in Caelumoria," he replied.
"You're sure this is the best option?" I inquired.
"My apologies, adventurer, but according to your friend's body description, this is the only armor that will fit her," he explained.
"I see... How much is it?" I asked.
"It will cost you 4000 gold coins," he replied cheerfully.
"That's too much. Let me check with nearby shops first," I said as I headed toward the exit.
"W-wait, I was just joking. I can give it to you for 2500 gold coins," the owner replied.
"I'll offer you 1000 gold coins," I countered.
"You're pulling my leg, adventurer. How about 2250 gold coins?" he said.
"I saw the same armor without the leg accessories and cape for just 1500 gold coins at another shop," I explained.
"Alright, fine. You're a good bargainer. Let's call it a day at 2000 gold coins," he said, extending his hand to shake mine.
"Deal," I said as we shook hands.
"Alright, do you need anything else, perhaps a dagger or a bow?" asked the shop owner.
"Say, if the armor gets torn, can I fix it in any weaponry shop?" I asked.
"I'm not sure I understand your question, adventurer. Do you mean an enhancement stone?" he asked.
"Uhm, what is an enhancement stone?" I asked.
"I see, you're a new adventurer. I'm surprised you have that much gold," he said.
"Well, I've been at it for around 2 months now," I said.
"Let me show you," he said, picking up a rock and placing four small stones around it.
"You place the stones around the armor or weapon you want to fix like this, and it will be repaired after some time. There are six grades of enhancement stone: Legendary, Highest, High, Fair, Low, and Lowest. The lower the grade, the longer it takes to fix the item. With a legendary-grade enhancement stone, you only need one to repair the item instantly."
"I see, how much do they cost?" I asked.
"The price depends on your adventurer rank. For the highest-grade enhancement stone, F-ranked adventurers pay 100 gold coins, while A-ranked adventurers pay just 5 gold coins," he explained.
"How long do they last? Or can they be used infinitely?" I asked.
"The legendary grade can be used up to ten times, while the others can only be used up to five times," he said.
"Alright, I'm a B-ranked adventurer, and I would like to buy around 20 of the highest-grade enhancement stones," I said.
"I see, you're the kind of adventurer who stockpiles resources. Is there anything else you would like?" he asked.
"I don't think I have enough gold to buy anything else," I said.
"Oh, I forgot to mention that our shop policy offers a 40% discount for new adventurers, and you, my good sir, have only been an adventurer for 2 months. Adventurers are considered new when they have been doing their job for less than 6 months. If you have definite proof to prove it, we can offer you the discount."
"Proof? Like an adventurer ID card? Here, I have them," I said as I took them out of my backpack.
"Hmm, I see that you are indeed a B-ranked adventurer who has only been exploring for less than 3 months," he said.
"So, I've been spending 1290 gold coins, and I have 1847 gold coins left. Do you have any recommendations?" I asked.
"Seeing your tattered leather armor, I suggest that you purchase a new one. Do you have any personal preference?" he asked.
"I don't think I need armor or clothes that provide protection. I just don't want to stand out. Maybe a cloak?" I said.
"If you're looking for a cloak that can make you practically invisible, I highly recommend the Phantom Mantle. It's made from a special kind of shadow silk that's imported all the way from Tenebris and imbued with powerful ancient magic. The cloak is extremely lightweight, so it won't slow you down if you need to move quickly and quietly. The mystical properties of the cloak make it almost impossible for anyone to detect you, and the large hood and quiet fastenings ensure complete anonymity. However, the cloak doesn't provide any physical protection, and the cost is 1200 gold coins," he said.
"I see it's 800 gold coins for the cloak, right?" I said.
"No, my dear customer, it's one thousand two hundred-"
"Eight hundred gold coins, right?" I interrupted.
The owner sighed. "I guess it is meant to be bargained. Would that be all, my dear adventurer?"
"Yes," I said.
"The total would be 2950 minus the 40% discount... It would be 1770 gold coins. And since this is your first time purchasing at Elves' Delight, we will also do a raffle, and you could win an item ranging from 100 to 100,000 gold coins in value," he said as he took out a book.
"Well, it's a scam anyway. I never win anything luck-based back in my world," I thought.
"You may put your adventurer ID card here, and it will automatically enter you into the raffle. Don't worry, your privacy will be safe. This is just to officially register you as a customer," he said.
"Alright," I said as I inserted my adventurer ID card into the book.
My ID card glowed with white light.
[System: Player registered as a customer at Elves' Delight]
"You may take your card back, adventurer," the owner said.
As soon as I retrieved my card, the book closed, then opened again, its pages fluttering before coming to rest on a particular page.
"Oh Lord Zoltar...," the owner of the shop said as he looked very amazed by the result.
The book landed on a page that looked like a fragment of something colored green.
The book closed and glowed very brightly, and the item that was on the page is now on top of it.
"What's that?" I asked.
"A fragment of Windweaver," he said, still amazed.
"How much does it cost?" I asked.
"Just for the fragment, it will be around 87,600 gold coins," he said.
Did I just get lucky for the first time? Is it because of yesterday?
"I see," I said as I tried to maintain my cool.
"How are you so calm about that? This is only the second time in my 28 years here that a customer has gotten an item worth over 50,000 gold coins," he said.
"It's a normal occurrence, I suppose," I said.
WAHHHHHOOOOOOOOO! I'M FINALLY RICH! I COULD BUY LAND, A HOUSE, OR EVEN A MANSION WITH THIS! WOOHOOOOOO! WOOHOOOOOOO! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO! HOHOHOHOHOHOHO!
The owner sighed and tried to maintain his professionalism as he said, "What a day. I'm going to prepare your item at the counter. "
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"One Faded Twilight leather armor set, twenty highest-grade enhancement stones, one Phantom Mantle, and last but not least, a fragment of Windweaver. The total will be 1800, including the packaging and service costs. I added an extra protective case for the fragment of Windweaver," he said.
"Okay, here you go. You can count them first," I said as I took out many pouches of 100 gold coins.
"Well, I don't need to do that, adventurer. I already know the inside without even looking or counting it. I suppose that's a unique pouch you have," he said.
"Well, my friend and I made them with dried tall grasses back when I was in the mountains," I said.
"What a unique story that is," he said as he handed me my item in a paper bag.
"Oh, right, one last thing. What's the Windweaver fragment used for?" I asked.
"Well, I myself don't even know, adventurer. Legend said that a true elf can awaken its power," he said.
Hmm, I guess I'm gonna ask Eiko about the fragment.
I only have around 1500 gold coins left.