As we we’re walking around the bazaar with giant serpent in tow, we naturally attracted the gazes of passing onlookers. Most chose not to question it, probably thinking we we’re just helping my dad with his butchering work. Since it’s still not even noon, my parents probably think I’m off playing in the field with Ed like I always do. I don’t think they’ll come looking for us just yet.

In any case, we did get stopped once or twice by people who were just worried about us logging this dangerous beast, but after we explained that we “found it near the gates and wanted to ask someone to dispose of it” we were immediately cleared of all suspicions.

Nearing the bazaar, we had a few options laid out in front of us: either we sell it to a butcher, sell it to a leatherworker, or we sell it to a merchant.

If we sold it to a butcher, he’d offer a hefty deal for the meat, but will probably not care for the skin. Likewise, if we were to sell it to a leatherworker, the inverse would happen.

Only a merchant would make use of both, so we naturally went to him. This is another trick I learned from Schnell: make the most out of any situation you’re given so as to avoid regret.

“Hello there, young lads!” the merchant greeted us with the utmost respect. His intuition tells him that we are looking to sell the snair, so he cut to the chase almost immediately. What a smart man!

“I offer you 2 silver coins for that there snair.” He said as he pointed to the deceased serpent.

“2 silver?! I’ll have you know we killed this thing ourselves! You can’t scam us, raise the price!” We hissed back at his proposal.

Both of us refused the deal almost immediately, to which he replied with an intrigued expression:

“You fought this yourselves? Are you looking to become adventurers or something?” he asked with a grin on his face.

“Yes! Thank you for your understanding, so if you could raise the offe-”

“Then that means you’ll need gear! Plenty of gear! Listen, I’ve seen many adventurers just like you go about the world without any runic stones, and they don’t even live long enough to regret it!” He said as a matter of fact.

Runic… stones? What the hell is he talking about?

“Wait… Don’t tell me you two aspiring adventurers don’t know about runic stones?” He donned a worried expression, practically biting his nails from the worry.

“I’ve certainly never heard of them.” said Ed as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah”, I answered with the same tone, “neither have I.”

“Oh dear, this won’t do!” he broke out in a cold sweat.

“Runic stones allow you to fly, spew fire out of your hands, and be as fast as three horses!” the merchant continued, ”No adventurer can even compare to the world’s challenges without one!”

As he explained the runic stones power, we simply listened, mouths agape. Schnell never mentioned any of this I thought to myself, but chalked it up to Runic Stones probably not existing in his time. He was alive almost a thousand years ago, mind you, so it’s entirely possible.

“Listen, boys” the merchant stopped for a second, “I’ll cut you a deal. I’ll give you two each a runic stone for that snare. You deserve them, since you defeated it all by your selves, after all. Not even some adults can accomplish what you did, I certainly know I couldn’t.”

As he said that, he pulled out two rocks (presumably from the ground) and put them on the table. Well, I don’t see why he would keep such precious artifacts just lying there on the ground, but who knows.

“DEAL!” We hastily agreed to the trade.

And just like that, we got scammed.