Chapter 8

Kimiko Pov

Kimiko just had some time to kill before she had to go fulfill her Quest. She went towards finding the Marketplace. Kimiko wanted to buy some herbs and spices for food as well as some normal clothes if she could. She asked the people around her for directions, which she got and lastly she arrived at the Marketplace. It seemed to be buzzing with activity.

"Get fresh meat for just 50 bronze per kg."

"Get these silk for just 1 silver per meter. It comes with various dyes as well."

Then she heard a familiar voice.

"Get the freshest herbs here and now. Every fresh herb has different pricing."

It was Geralt who she had saved before. He had helped her get into the city. She went towards him. Geralt seemed to remember her as well and waved at her. She got closer as Geralt smiled and asked.

"So have you come to buy the freshest herbs?"

Kimiko nodded. Geralt explained the herbs he had on his place.

"Well these are mints, some dried rosemary, cardamom, turmeric, I have some chives as well....."

Geralt kept on explaining more herbs. Kimiko made a choice and bought all kinds of herbs. Maybe she will have uses for it in the future. She spent 1 gold already on it as Geralt seemed to grin for selling so many things. But now Kimiko only had some silver coins left. She had some monetary issues yet again. Then an idea formed in her mind. As Geralt seemed to be quite a knowledgeable old man, she asked him.

"Is there any auction like places?"

Geralt seemed to ponder and said.

"Indeed, usually it's Merchant Guild that holds Auction every week. You are in luck because it is today. You can either sell or buy things from the auction. Also the Merchant Guild does it the best."

"How about my identity? Will I have to reveal it or not?"

Geralt seemed to think for a while before saying.

"Hmm you can choose in fact. To reveal or remain anonymous. The Merchant Guild prides itself for its services so no leakage of information is there. Unless some fools want to be in the Black-list, they usually keep away from doing it. The Merchant Guild may not be strong as the Adventurer Guild but it can severely affect the economics of a country very easily. That is why the Merchant Guild remains neutral in any armed conflicts as well as reminds other not to mess with them."

He continued his in-depth explanation.

"If you are the seller then the Merchant Guild will ask for 10% of the money sold in exchange for security as well as for protecting your Identity. Considering how many swindlers and back stabbers are there in the Black Market Auction, it is not that too steep of a price. You can go to the Guild straight from this road. There will be a simple signboard: The Merchant Guild. There you can do anything related to business work like buying, selling, trading, etc with the Guild. You can even apply to be travelling peddlers like me as well. Many big firms established in Vesperia have connections with the Merchant Guild so its resources are enormous. You can almost get anything, that is, if have money. "

Kimiko quirked an eye at that. He seemed to be more informed of such things.

"Thank you for the information."

Geralt just gave her a smile before resuming his advertisement. Kimiko headed towards the location provided by the him. She came to the Guild where many people were seen entering as well as leaving. It was even busier than at the Adventurer Guild. She entered the building and headed straight towards the counter with the least line of people. After 15 minutes her turn came. A young man with red hair and a black spectacle was seen behind the counter.

"This is the Merchant Guild. How may I be of service to you."

"I have some things that I would like to sell at the auction."

The man nodded.

"Do you have the Auction card?"

"The Auction card?"

The man just smiled politely before explaining,

"Yes you see, the Merchant Guild only auctions those whose value is 1,000 gold or higher. Those sellers are given the Auction card so that they may directly go to the designated area in any branch of the Guild than waste time in this line. After all, time is money. So if you have something to auction please let it be of 1,000 gold or higher because the Merchant Guild doesn't like to waste its time as we are busy as it is."

Kimiko nodded as she replied.

"Yes, I have something very valuable."

"Then proceed to the second floor. The guide will ask you for your intention. Tell him that you are here to Auction. He will send you to the [Antiquity Checker]. From there the rest will be explained to you. If your valuables are genuine then you will receive the Auction card. Then you can directly go to the second floor instead of waiting here."

Kimiko nodded and went proceeded towards the second floor. The man near to the stairs asked her.

"What is the purpose madam?"

"I am here to auction."

The man nodded before bringing her towards a door. Inside the room there was a man who wore black coat and pants. He had a long white beard that seemed to reach his stomach and a monocle. He looked like an old butler of some prestigious family but had a flair of arrogance from the way he only glanced at her.

"So the only people who come here usually want to Auction things. So girl, show me what you have then I will check if it is really worthy in hosting on our Auction."

Kimiko had the urge to roll her eyes at the pompous arrogance shown but took a coin from her box and gave it to the man. The man took the coin and checked it with squinting eyes. From the monocle, a light seemed to scan the coin. He checked and rechecked it again. Then he nodded in confirmation.

'At least they show professionalism.'

"It is indeed an Amrita gold coin. Market value is at least a million golden coins so as the deal states, the Merchant Guild will take 10% as a commission, is that ok?"

Kimiko nodded.

"So what will you take it in exchange for? Money or trade for a specific item?"

Kimiko replied.

"Money, not all in gold but also in silver and bronze coins."

The man nodded as he wrote it in a notepad he got from somewhere.

"Will you attend the Auction?"

"No, I have prior engagements."

The man nodded.

"So when will you take the money?"

"When I return."

The man's eye twitched but he was used to such eccentric fellows.

"Do you have anything stating your identity?"

"Is Adventurer card ok?"

"Yes."

"Why do you need identification?"

The man replied curtly, knowing that he was looking at a potential customer.

"Because, we will issue an Auction card this instant as the deal is over 500,000 gold coins after we cut our share. So we need to be sure of our client's identity. But be assured we do not divulge any of your secret."

Kimiko handed over the card to the man who swiped the card between his index and middle finger. Then took out another blank card and at the same spot and swiped it. Then he gave both the cards to her.

"This is the Auction card. Be careful as we will never issue another one as our policy dictates. Your information is collected to the Guild's database. We have issued a personal storage for you in the vault. When you arrive be sure to check the vault for your money. As the transaction is over, happy doing business with you."

"...Likewise."

Kimiko returned from the Guild still not believing how easy it was. Now that it was over she still had a few things left to do. That was gearing up. Because Exploration Quests such as these takes minimum of few hours to weeks to complete. She still had her tents and other things from her previous life which involved pretty much staying outdoors. Foods were checked off because she had bought in bulk just the other day. Fire and water, she used magic. Cleaning and sanitation was also done using magic. She had spades of clothes but old ones. Now what was left? Food, Shelter, Health were the primary things required besides strength.

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She looked up to see the sun at noon. She returned to the inn and again paid for extra 10 days just in case. Now she had to meet at the meeting place.

Theta Pov

It seemed as if she was cursed with bad luck. Just this morning she had gone to the place which had the disturbance only to find that it was full of Guild staff. She could not quite enter quietly because of the barrier would alert anyone who was not a Guild member. Another thing was that it was a ruin. Meaning it could take days for her to find the artifacts. Also it seemed that somehow she was in a trance when looking at the ruin. Almost as if it was calling out to her. She needed to hurry it up. Maybe she should take a gamble. Either all or nothing. She had been sick of the [Cult] anyway. She gritted her teeth and went to the Guild in normal clothing.

She looked like a cute small cat girl with a pair of cat ears on top of her head. She had waist length silky straight black hair with amber slitted cat eyes. When she entered those who noticed her was quite smitten with her cute looks, especially women. She wore leather armor to increase her mobility but it was enchanted by the Cult's blacksmith using some Ancient language meaning it was far stronger than normally enchanted armor. She was a dual wielder wielding two short swords. Both were Unique Tier weapons. She looked at the Exploration quest and saw it had already garnered almost everyone's attention just as it was posted.

She saw a girl with black hair and blue eyes talking with the lady in the counter. Theta did not know why but she felt something familiar about her. But now was not the time for that. Just as the lady went away she asked as she stretched on her toes. Yeah she was a small girl maybe 4 ft 10 but it did not matter. The Guild receptionist looked towards her and asked.

"How may I help you, young lady?"

"I'd like to enter the Exploration Quest."

The Guild Receptionist looked at her before nodding.

"Certainly! Would you show me your Guild card?"

Theta procured her Guild card. It was gained through legit way as well. After all, no one on the continent could quite copy the legendary way of making such cards by the genius Magic King Solomon after all. Not even the Cult.

"Hmm, a B-rank Adventurer Deena huh. Please wait a moment, Deena-chan."

Theta just nodded while her ears twitched in response (the receptionist squealed inside at the display) and after a while she received her card. The receptionist told her.

"Please pack everything you might need in outdoor stay like tents or so. These exploration quests might take a while so it is better to be prepared. As you are a B-ranked Adventurer meaning you know the drill but as a Guild staff I would like to say that 'do not be reckless'."

Theta nodded. She still had some time left. She had already prepared for anything. Bag full of essential things, some money, new identification letter to some random country, a random teleportation scroll to send her anywhere after she had gotten her hands on the artifact. Only some rich people could afford [Space ring] or pouches to store things in space but those were damn expensive but worth it. She could wait. She had waited long enough already, what more few hours could do?

Kimiko Pov

It was now time for the exploration. She had packed up her bag just for the show of it. She already had essential things inside her dimension storage. Inside the bag were some random things like extra clothes she shopped in the last hour or so. She looked at the time; it was still around half past one. She decided to meet up then. She left the inn and followed the road to the outside the city. The Guards asked for identification letter but she showed her card and was allowed to leave. She followed North of the city. Some Adventurers were also heading towards the destination.

She ran and reached the meeting place in 5 minutes. Some of the Adventurers were also there. Some 10 to 11 people had already reached the place. Most of the people were in groups, obviously a party, while lone Adventurers like herself were a rarity. She could only see a small cat girl who was closing her eyes but was obviously in ready state by judging the way her muscle twitched at the smallest sound. Frankly Kimiko was impressed by the girl who looked no older than 13-14 years.

The other one was pretty much a stereotype clumsy girl. She had frizzy long reddish brown hair while wearing something akin to no armor at all. Maybe because her bust was HUGE that was why she had no armor that could fit her body. She had large blue eyes and looked more like a small animal as she was fidgeting as well. Plus, she had Bow and Arrow which was frankly kind of understanding why no one wanted to party her.

Maybe except for the douche bag looking person who was surrounded by ladies. He was somewhat lanky with a decent face. He had shoulder length red hair and blue eyes as he was trying to flirt with the Bow girl. Kimiko kind of felt bad for her. After a while it was evident to everyone that it was getting more and more annoying. Both by the constant harassment as well as the inability to read the atmosphere.

"Hey why won't you party with us? It will be a perfect then. I had to kick out one of my member last night so I need one more."

"ummm.."

The girl was fidgeting but the man was too focused on her bust to even notice her discomfort. The cat girl seemed to have opened her eyes at the spectacle and narrowed her eyes.

"You can form a party with us and it will be perfect! So what do you say?"

"Ano..."

Kimiko could hear the murmuring of others. She somehow got the gist of it.

"Isn't that the younger son of Grand Marshal Stan?"

"Yeah, the useless son, Wallace, who always involved himself in debauchery? Last time I heard his Father had him flogged him for his behavior and exiled him. "

"Yeah wasn't it because he nearly got the 2nd princess to, you know."

"If it wasn't for the fact that Grand Marshal was his Highness's close friend then he would have been executed already. It was also because that the Grand Marshal equally loves both of his sons, otherwise he too would have personally killed his son."

"Sigh! How can the elder brother be so smart and accomplished while the younger brother be so disgusting? Weren't they twins?"

"Yeah of course. If the younger wasn't so involved in drugs, he would have been more handsome than this crazy look he has right now."

Kimiko was getting quite a bit of juicy gossips all around her. It seems the person in question also heard this because he was getting more annoyed. He glared at those gossipers but they just shrugged and flipped him the middle finger. He seemed to be seething in anger. He looked at the brown haired girl and raised his voice.

"HEY! Why won't you accept my offer!!"

He raised his hand as if to grab her. Kimiko's eyes narrowed down dangerously. He reminded so much of people that were truly irredeemable. But before she could unleash her [Killing intent] discreetly she was surprised by the cat girl who disappeared and reappeared behind the man and grabbed his hand. Despite being small she stopped his hand dead in the tracks. The man looked surprised before his anger flared again.

"WHO THE FUC- oh why hello there little girl. Would you like to join my party?"

His attitude did a total 360 degrees. However, the cat girl was unfazed. She applied more strength as he was surprised.

Before being lifted off and smashed on the ground, forming a crater. The man seemed to have been in daze while his party members decided to act,

"Why you little runt!"

"To have hit Wallace-sama."

"You will pay!"

Before all of them were incapacitated in an instant. Kimiko had seen what had happened. The little girl had hit in the pressure points of all those women in an instant making them temporarily paralyzed.

'This little girl is good; she hit the pressure point with quite the deadly accuracy. Her job must be of Assassin. Not just any assassin but a [Grandmaster Assassin].'

The little girl harrumphed before going back to where she was. The other girl who was saved was awed at her skill and to the little girl's display followed her like a puppy.

Theta Pov

She had quite not understood herself why she had done what she did. The idiotic look on the face of the man seemed to have ticked her off. She always hated those arrogant nobles from the bottom of her heart. It was their fault as to why she was orphaned in the first place or that’s what she thought. She was not sure anyway in the first place as her memories were hazy with the suppression from the curse of the [Cult]. The meek girl also reminded how she was in the past. How she was easily fooled. How no one ever saw her more than a pet. She had received a helping hand in the camp but this meek girl had no one and she was alone. That is what she did. Give her a helping hand. Great, now she was following her like a puppy. She asked in a harsh tone.

"What's your name?"

"Eeekk......ummm....Hayley."

"Why didn't you fight back?"

"Because.....fighting back would lead to nothing?"

"Really? Fighting back would lead him to believe that you are not to be messed with."

"But....but....that is only if you win. I.....don't think I could win....."

Her response grew smaller and smaller to the end. Theta just sighed and knocked on Hayley's head. It was kind of funny to the on-looker how the little girl jumped and knocked on her head.

"So you would let anyone trample over you? What kind of sense is that?"

Hayley just crouched in fetal position with her hands over her head and tears at the corner of her eyes.

'Great. Just great. I feel like I have bullied a puppy. I am a cat but that means do I get along with a dog?'

"Hehehe"

Hayley seemed to chuckle stupidly. Theta just quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Hey what's so funny?"

"Hehehehe, it's been so long since I had someone worry over me."

'Great now we have someone over here with a very low self-esteem.'

Theta just sighed.

"Just....just follow me, God damn it."

After all she had her friends who backed her up but this Adventurer had no one and looked alone. Maybe she will lend a helping hand just this instance and she will disappear after she completes her work here.

Kimiko Pov

Kimiko looked blankly at the cat girl. It was really unexpected that a killer would have a soft spot for someone.

'I will keep an eye on them'

It seems that almost everyone had gathered up. Even Wallace and his party members were there even though they were giving a stink eye at the party of two. An Adventurer man who was with someone that was wearing a brown hood and robes that hid his entire body. The Adventurer man was telling something.

"Hello everyone! My name is Martin and I have been assigned as the Leader of this expedition by the Guild. I am also the leader of B-ranked party known as "The Thunder Spear". We will introduce ourselves with name, preferred weapons or magic and our rank. Please start from clock wise direction starting from me."

"Martin. Spear wielder. Rank B."

"Lucas. Thunder mage. Rank B"

.

.

"Wallace. Spear wielder. Rank E"

.

"Deena. Dual short swords. Rank B."

"Hayley. Bow. Rank E."

.

.

"Kimiko. Sword wielder. Rank F."

And it continued on until the last person spoke.

"Haku. Ice mage. Rank E."

Then Martin again spoke.

"Then it is settled. We have one objective. It is to get the Doctor Isaac of the Guild staff who is beside me to the Ruin to investigate it. Also anything you find will first go to the guild before being returned to you as ancient curses were found in these old things. Form a circle around the Doctor and guard him. It is a middle tier ruins. Be careful of the monsters. We have yet to confirm the type of monsters inside so keep your eyes peeled and except trouble from anywhere"

He gestured towards the Guild staff who was beside him as he took off the hood on him. A pretty blonde young man with spectacle and pointy long ears. An elf. It was pretty surprising because they were isolationist by nature. Did they somehow change their ways while she was gone from this world? No, by the surprised looks other were giving, it was pretty rare to see the Elf outside their forest.

"After we have completed that then you are free to do anything as well as search for treasures. Like I said, first it goes to the Guild for verification. But be warned, be at least within 1 km radius around the camp. Let's go, everyone."

They all nodded and proceeded to enter the ruin through the gate. Kimiko raised her vigilance when she felt something disturbing watching the entire party in secret. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint where it was which was kind of serious situation if SHE could not find it.

Only Kimiko had felt something and that something was an eye like thing that was watching the Adventurer party entering the Ruins before looking at Kimiko intently.