Chapter 201 Monopoly and purchase
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Kilk joined a group of five others and they went into the forest to hunt together. Harmon was the first person to approach Kilk, followed by Demar who was arguing with Harmon. Dominic joined them while they were still arguing, and Victor and Jott watched without getting involved.
At first, Kilk had doubts about their abilities because of their previous foolish behavior. However, once they started hunting, he realized that his concerns were unfounded. The coordination among the five of them was impressive. When they spotted the prey, they didn’t need to discuss in detail. Each member knew their role and acted accordingly. They quickly killed the prey, drained its blood to avoid attracting monsters, and efficiently prepared it for transport. They repeated this process four times, and even now, Harmon and Demar were efficiently preparing the hunted game that was hanging from trees with ropes.
In the middle of everything, Jott went to check the surroundings while Dominic and Victor stayed with Kirk, who continued to dismantle things and keep an eye out.
”Kirk, give me your ‘Inter-type’. Me and the Demar guy are already overwhelmed.”
”Okay.”
Kirk took the ‘Inter-type’ out of his pocket and gave it to Harmon after opening the lid.
”Thanks, but hey, you say you’ve always worked alone, but you’re pretty good at working together.”
”It’s nothing. I’m just trying not to get in the way of your hunting.”
”Well, you’re doing a great job. I’ve hunted with other people before, and many of them either got in my way or were too scared to do anything. It’s rare to find someone like you who doesn’t hinder us and fills in the gaps.”
”Well… it’s not like I’ve never worked with someone before. There were others who temporarily had the same job as me under the same boss.”
”Hmm, but can you move like that when you’re hurt? How long have you been doing this job?”
”This ‘job,’ huh? If you mean making a living by hunting monsters… well, I’ve been doing it for about fifteen years.”
”Fifteen years?! You look like you’re in your twenties. Have you been dealing with monsters since you were that young?”
”I had to if I wanted to survive.”
”Where are you from?”
”The northernmost part of the Republic, Dimash.”
”Wow, seriously?”
Dimash is a very cold place in the north, controlled by humans. Because it’s so cold and crops don’t grow well, many people there hunt for a living. When they’re about ten years old, they start hunting with their parents, and by the time they’re twelve or thirteen, they go out alone in heavy snowstorms. Dimash is a really tough place to live. Because it’s snowy all year round, people can’t leave Dimash, and outsiders can’t visit either.
In the land of Dimash, which is completely cut off from the outside world, there was a short period when the blizzard stopped and people were able to come and go.
”Wow, someone came all the way from a very special place. It’s not unusual for someone from another country to come to a settlement, but coming from Dimash is truly unique.”
”…Well, most people who are born there end up losing their minds. Only a few, like me, manage to regain their sanity along the way.”
The world in Dimash is deeply rooted in the belief that being isolated in a closed community, where one only knows what is within, is the best way to live. It is a twisted and harsh environment. That’s why Kilk left his hometown.
”It seems like you have your own problems. Don’t worry, I was just curious and don’t plan on prying too much. Well then, it’s almost time for Jott to come back.”
Harmon kept away the knife he used for taking apart things, and Jott, who had been looking around, came back at just the right time.
”Hey! Keluis is over there!”
Keluis is a gentle plant-eating creature that usually doesn’t attack humans. It’s a shy creature that runs away quickly when humans are around. It doesn’t have any special features and its skin and meat are not very valuable. So, unless there’s no other prey nearby, it’s not worth actively hunting in a place where there’s plenty of prey…
”Oh! Finally found it, okay let’s go, all of you!”
”Yeah!”
”Huh? Hunting Keluis? It won’t make much money.”
For some reason, in front of the five people who were excited to hunt Keluis, Kilk disagreed with a confused expression, but nobody wanted to listen to Kilk’s words.
”The goal isn’t money. Let’s go!”
”Hey, wait!”
For a moment, Kilk hesitated whether to follow, but being left alone in the monster-infested forest was a high risk. Moreover, he didn’t want the hassle of looking like he had deserted and run off with an unknown type later.
”Darn it, this is why I hate teaming up with others.”
Despite his frustration with the unpredictable factor of others, Kilk followed the five of them. When Kilk caught up with the five a little late, Keluis had already been taken down, and they were about to start dismantling him.
”Alright, now’s the time while the heart is still beating. Let’s finish draining the blood in one go.”
Usually, Jott would go look for the next prey, but this time he joined in, and the three of them proceeded with Keluis’s dismantling. With the addition of one person, the dismantling progressed smoothly, and in no time, Keluis’s presence disappeared, turning into a mass of flesh and skin. Quickly stuffing it into an ‘Inter-type’, Harmon and the others stood up, and Kilk expressed something unexpected.
”Alright, let’s head back to the settlement once!”
”Huh!?”
It’s been less than an hour since the hunt started, and even though it’s past noon, it’s too early to finish. There are still empty spots for unusual creatures. Kilk insists they should only go back when there are no more spots for unusual creatures.
”Wait, wait! There are still empty spaces in that box. Why turn back now? It would be more efficient to go back after filling it with prey, right?”
”If we do that, we won’t make it in time. Honestly, it’s already a bit tight. Come on, let’s go!”
Once again, Kilk’s suggestion is not accepted, and they quickly head towards the settlement.
(What’s going on… darn it!)
Kilk is frustrated with the irrational actions of the Harmons, but he can’t leave them behind. Despite his dissatisfaction, Kilk goes back to the settlement with them. Just when he thinks they’ll exchange it for money, the Harmons pass by it and go to the only cafeteria in the settlement.
”Hey, you old folks are here. Did you bring more meat again at this strange time?”
”That’s right. Is the boss in the back, Miharu?”
”Yeah, he is. Manager! The Harmon guys brought more meat again!”
Calling to the back of the store, Miharu asks Narsht.
”Oh, what did you bring today?”
”Hehehe, I got Keluis today. Can you make that ‘thing’ with it?”
”That thing? But if we start now, it won’t be ready in time for dinner.”
”I’m counting on you to make it work! I really want to eat that ‘thing’ today!”
”Well… if it’s okay to be a bit later than usual, I think we can serve it around the time other stores close.”
”Really! You’re the best, boss! I owe you one! Oh, by the way, I got some rare meat too, and please use this guy’s meat while you’re at it.”
”Sorry as always… hmm? Is this Slagbear meat? Is it good? Receiving such a high-quality ingredient.”
”It’s fine, it’s fine. The boss always treats me to delicious food anyway.”
”Okay, then I’ll buy you food for today.”
As Kilk watched Narsht and Harmon. He quietly signaled Dominic and asked,
”Hey, isn’t it against the rules to trade things other than the Spear of Shouhyou?”
”It’s okay. The people in charge here are nobles, so even the Spear of Shouhyou can’t complain. Also, we only give them the parts they can use, and we sell the rest to the Spear of Shouhyou. It’s a win-win situation.”
As the conversation between Narsht and Harmon ended, the six of them left the cafeteria and headed to the Spear of Shouhyou to sell the remaining materials. When they arrived, Harmon bypassed the reception and opened the door to the back.
”Floyd!”
It looked like a warehouse with wooden boxes lined up, and a man turned around when Harmon called his name.
”Oh, it’s Harmon. I’ve told you before, if you want to sell materials, go to the reception.”
”In the end, if I tell the receptionist, the information will go straight to you, right? So it’s better to tell you directly. Also, I’m asking for an evaluation.”
When Harmon gives a signal, everyone takes out different-shaped items and lines them up. Floyd carefully checks each one.
”Hmm? This one with only the skin… The color and texture must be from Keluis. What about the meat?”
”The meat is with Narsht’s, right?”
”What do you mean ‘right’? Because of people like you, there are more and more who don’t follow the rules.”
”That’s what those who sell materials to other shops at high prices say, isn’t it? We only sell meat to the restaurant owner, and everything else is properly brought here, right?”
”It’s not just a matter of degree, you fool. I’m talking about the action itself. Geez… By the way, this Slag Bear seems to be missing belly meat and hind legs.”
”Oh, yeah…”
”You’re giving away the best part of the belly? Hey, put yourself in my shoes when customers ask, ‘Is there no belly meat?’ when we sell it wholesale.”
Floyd kept complaining and then went ahead with the evaluation.
”Is that all? So, it adds up to a total of 180 platinum coins.”
Kilk was surprised by the evaluation result. According to his own calculations, he had expected a maximum of 160 platinum coins, and even that was being optimistic. So, he thought that around 140 platinum coins would be a reasonable amount. But when he recalculated the materials in front of him multiple times, he couldn’t help but be shocked by the evaluation result that far exceeded his expectations.
”180 platinum coins, even if the most valuable part of the meat is missing, isn’t that too cheap?”
Is this cheap? Kilk was astonished by Harmon’s word. Clearly, the purchase price was higher than the market price. However, apart from Kilk, no one questioned Harmon’s statement. This meant that everyone, except Kilk, had a common understanding that this evaluation result was cheap, which further confused Kilk’s mind.
”You guys wanted to take it apart quickly, even though you didn’t know why, right? Some parts have blood that didn’t drain well, even if it’s just a little. And look here. It has holes like it was cut with a knife. You know that if the skin isn’t clean, the selling price drops a lot, right?”
”My bad. That skin is probably mine. When I was skinning near the spine, the tip of the knife accidentally touched the skin. It was a light touch, and I was in a hurry, so I didn’t check it properly.”
”I see… Well, can’t be helped then. Let’s make a deal for a 180 platinum coins.”
”Okay, here you go.”
Harmon and the others got a bag full of platinum coins from Floyd, and as they left the warehouse, Kilk asked a question.
”Hey, don’t you think the buying price was quite high compared to the market rate?”
”Hmm? Ah, the price to buy things here is higher than the normal price. You see, in the settlement, there is only one place that buys material. It was Spear of Shouhyou. Even if other companies say not to bring materials here, they can’t really make people listen. So, in order to be the only ones who can buy the materials, the nobles who control the land have to help. But if you make a deal with a noble, you have to pay more taxes than usual. Well, it’s almost the same because we are using the power of the nobles, but the oldest son of the Atmiras family, who controls the settlement, doesn’t do that and instead increases the buying price.”
”Why would he do that?”
”I don’t know. The oldest son of the Atmiras family is called the genius of Atmiras and is known as a generous and strange person even though he is a noble. Maybe he wants to help others? Even if there is a hidden reason, it’s a story that makes us more money, so we don’t really mind.”
As Harmon said, the reason why only the Spear of Shouhyou can buy materials in the settlement is because Neil, who controls the settlement, is helping them.
Neil’s reason for helping with the Spear of Shouhyou was mostly because he had more freedom with it. Instead of adding more taxes, he suggested raising the purchase price to make sure that skilled people would stay in the settlement in case of emergencies.
The common people didn’t know about Neil’s true intentions, so rumors started spreading that the talented person from Atmiras was a selfless individual, even though Neil himself didn’t realize it.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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