Chapter 12: Selling the Loot
Akira left the building and headed toward the city. He walked steadily through the slums, his destination the lower districts—specifically, a shop he knew well.
The bell rang as he entered, and Lilia turned toward the new customer, smiling. "Welcome back to my shop. By the way, how's your injury?"
"Fine."
She looked at him suspiciously and said with a half-mocking tone, "Don't tell me you went out into the wastelands while still injured."
He nodded. "I've almost recovered. Besides, I can't afford the luxury of resting without money."
"..."
She continued, "So, how can I help you today?"
Akira took out several stones from his bag and placed them on the counter. "I want to sell these."
Lilia carefully examined the items before speaking. "First, you should know this… I don't have much experience evaluating dungeon materials or rare minerals. Even monster cores—I don't know much about them. This device does the analysis. I can't buy anything it can't evaluate."
She pointed to a small machine behind the counter. "I'll only purchase items whose value I can confirm."
"As you wish."
She took a monster core from the table and placed it into the device.
Moments later, a number appeared on the screen. "It's worth about twenty-seven thousand coins."
Akira's smile widened. This amount was noticeably higher than last time.
"Would you like to buy anything?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Not right now."
"Alright. Here's the payment." She handed him a bundle of coins.
"Thank you."
"And likewise. I hope you'll keep visiting."
Akira left the shop, muttering, "So she doesn't buy minerals or mana stones."
Alice's voice echoed in his mind. "That's normal. Without high-level appraisal skills, it's impossible to identify those materials."
"So what now?"
"We look for another buyer."
…
Akira continued wandering through the commercial district, asking around for a merchant who dealt in rare items. Eventually, someone directed him to a shop whose storefront was a massive armored personnel carrier, giving it a suspiciously military appearance.
It wasn't hard to find.
Inside, Akira saw the merchant sitting behind a reception desk built into the vehicle itself. The man was fat and heavily built, with a short beard and strange glasses that reflected faint green light. He was busy inspecting goods and hadn't noticed Akira.
Akira tapped the counter sharply.
The merchant slowly raised his head, frowning. "I don't have time for kids. Get lost."
Akira placed a pile of minerals and mana stones on the counter. "I want to sell these."
The merchant picked up one piece between his fingers, examined it closely, then asked, "Where did you get this?"
"None of your business."
The merchant tossed the item back carelessly. "One thousand coins."
Alice immediately interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "He's trying to rob you in broad daylight."
Akira replied calmly, "That's not a fair price. I know these are worth more."
The merchant laughed mockingly. "Hahaha! And how much do you think they're worth?"
"Maybe a hundred thousand."
The merchant burst into laughter. "There's no way they're worth that much!"
Akira spoke in a calm but firm tone. "Stop pretending. I know you're trying to cheat me."
The merchant's laughter froze. He realized his trick hadn't worked.
"Don't tell me… are you a carrier?"
Akira gave a faint, mysterious smile. "Use your imagination."
The merchant stared at him, trying to decide whether this boy was bluffing—or hiding something far more dangerous.
"So, you don't want to buy them?" Akira said, reaching to retrieve the materials.
"Wait," the merchant said quickly. "I'll buy them properly. Let me appraise them and give you a fair price."
He carefully examined the items, occasionally glancing at Akira as if testing him.
After a moment, he spoke confidently. "They're worth about twenty-one thousand."
Akira didn't respond. Instead, he turned to Alice. "Alice, is that a good price?"
After a brief pause, she replied, "I don't know the market prices exactly, but it seems fair… at least, it's not a scam."
Seeing Akira hesitate, the merchant added reassuringly, "Even if you take these to another trader, you'll get the same price. As for the Hunters' Office? They pay the lowest rates. I wouldn't recommend them."
"…Alright. I'll accept the offer."
The merchant smiled. "Smart choice. By the way, my name's Nigo. And you?"
Akira took the bundle of money and slipped it into his jacket. "Akira."
He turned and left without looking back.
Nigo watched him go, whispering to himself as he noticed a few children following Akira from afar. "Let's see how you deal with them…"