NOBLEMAN ADVENTURER

Merchants Gather

After walking away from the stone carver's stall, a smile imperceptibly formed on my face.

The olivine stone here was not rare, but it took effort to gather from the mine nearby. I found this information from speaking with other members in the caravan.

The reasons why I bought the stone carvings were twofold. First, I wanted to help the stone carver. Second, I wanted to find interesting wares to sell back at home. From my spotty memory, I knew such stone carvings were rare, especially in the capital. Although, many people would not buy them, but the nobility and royals might find these items amusing.

I walked along the endless street, buying various items from different sellers. All these sellers had one thing in common and that was that they were all in need.

A widow raising five children sold plain flat bread. I figured I could use these flat bread to cushion my stomach or share them with others. When I walked away from her stall with all her flat bread, she cried out, "The goddess bless you from head to toe."

The five children around her raised their arms and following after their mother, shouted, "May the goddess bless you sir from head to toe."

By the end of the day, I had spent only a small sum of silver and copper coins. I had not touched my gold coins.

I now had a large amount of goods to sell back in my homeland. I also had plenty of cheap food, which could be shared with others on the road. I didn't have anything expensive, as I feared being robbed by those with vicious hearts.

Instead, I had wares the inhabitants here would want. I had plenty of wood, salvaged from the bandit camp.

The following day, I opened a stall out in the open, as I had nothing to cover overhead. Some of the richer stall owners would have an awning to block the scorching sun from burning their skin. Others might have a table and a stool to sit on.

I had only a woven reed mat, with a pile of lumber.

In the early morning sun, it was not so hot. Several people passed by my stall, glancing at the wooden planks with interest, but they would not make an offer now. They would wait until I had been out in the sun and desperate to sell before the day's end. Their thinking was normal, as others thought the same.

I was not in a hurry.

Near noon, the heat increased. An old woman kindly offered me a woven palm leaf hat.

I sat and chatted leisurely with the stall owners near me. I even pulled out some flat bread to share. My unworried attitude was opposite from what those who eyed my wares thought. Thus, not long after, a group of merchants appeared in front of my stall.