- Shari -

The market district is as busy as it was yesterday.

Yet somehow it is not the same when you have no money to spend here.

Well, a little bit is still left, so I could...

No, you don't!

I am really bad with money, that much is sure.

I really hope that I can sell my herbs to Tamarah.

Otherwise, we will soon come into trouble regarding our expenses.

Okay! Right! We are in trouble.

Buying the amount of food we had yesterday might not every day be necessary.

But the shallow estimation I have is that I need around a direwolf’s worth of meat in a week to maintain this body.

And that two times since I still have Liqu.

That means I would need to buy as much meat as we had yesterday every second day which already came at a whole fifty copper.

This is under the assumption that we are not wasteful and practice a little dieting.

So we are in dire need to find a source of income.

I might get my money back from Jacob, but this won't solve the problem.

Which is that no one will hire us, because we have no connections and presumably burned our only possibility when Liqu challenged the sole dealer in this town.

To be honest, our prospects are bad.

At the moment I hope that maybe a partnership with Tamarah would be possible.

It might weigh on my mind to sell her "that".

Yet it is an income and why shouldn't it be possible to take requests for other things from her?

I also thought about another possibility.

However, now I’m asking myself how I could come up with something that can just be considered pure madness.

I actually had the idea that I could become an adventurer.

I'm not sure how exactly you're getting acknowledged as one, but I do know that the guild is training promising talents at their own expense.

Myra and Chris are such examples.

However, I have no idea what qualifies Myra.

But it's obvious that I couldn't manage the routine at the training camp without getting exposed.

Nonetheless, there are surely other ways to follow that occupation.

And yes, I'm aware that this is completely contradicting my previous plan of not getting involved with the guild and all the professional monster killers who work there.

But I think my disguise works pretty well now, as long as they don't force me to strip.

Also, I am now acquainted with some of them who could vouch for me.

At least Jacob owes me a favor... and money.

Registering should be somehow possible and at least asking is free as far as I know.

Or I'll just become an assassin since I already got an interview.

Or maybe not!

I won't become a killer!

So let's go first to Tamarah and see how things turn out.

The moment I enter, I am somehow glad that I lost my sense of smell, as my analysis tells me that the air contains a disturbing amount of contradicting elements.

There might be similarities between those sensations, but it's simply not the same as breathing through your nose, which right now might induce a severe coughing fit.

However, let's announce our presence.

"Hello, Tamarah! You've got 'monstrous' visit in your shop!" (Shari)

Maybe not the best joke, but who cares.

"Couldn't you simply announce your names? It's not like I'm unable to keep them in mind. And if that was ought to be funny, I don't get it!" (Tamarah)

Apparently, she cares.

"Yes, okay! Puns aren't my strong side, I get it! I'm here because I had something on my mind and yesterday was a little too hectic to bring it up." (Shari)

"You mean when you rushed out of my shop after I paid you?" (Tamarah)

"You know, I won't apologize for that. There might be special circumstances, but I have issues with selling my body for money." (Shari)

"For what else but money would you sell it?" (Tamarah)

"That’s not the point! If you want, you can ask Liqu today. She is full. I on my part just wanted to ask if you would also take herbs we've gathered and might be interested to hire us for other requests, regarding your ingredients!" (Shari)

"Then let me see." (Tamarah)

I take out my pouch that I initially used for transporting our clothes, but then got repurposed into herb storage and show her the contents.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Hmm, the plants are not in perfect, but in acceptable condition. Clearsprout is always in demand, so I would take it. The darkleaves are almost exclusive for cooking and like this of no real interest to me, yet I could maybe use them if only to improve the taste. Some clients are real babies in this regard. For the rest, we have here toramoss, umbragrass, purpleberries. All of these are quite common. You won't get all too much for this." (Tamarah)

"I'm happy if you would at least take them. And maybe tell me what you want." (Shari)

"Sly. But being cunning is a favorable trait. Especially since I'm looking forward to your ongoing survival. Would be a shame if my new supplier would die this soon. For the delivery of ingredients and because of our special deal, right?" (Tamarah)

As long as it’s not me!

"As I said, Liqu is full and totally willing!" (Shari)

"I guess I could excrete a bit." (Liqu)

God, Liqu!

Wording!

"Hmm, not my favorite, yet I need to admit that it’s of high quality. To be honest, this fresh I would get nowhere." (Tamarah)

"And it's not like we can sell to other alchemists, so it works out for both of us." (Shari)

"That is assuring to hear. Would you then please help me out, Liqu?" (Tamarah)

"Sure." (Liqu)

Tamarah and Liqu are vanishing behind the counter and surely she has to fill now the same tub I had to.

That’s not making me Liqu’s pimp, right?

Fortunately, I don’t have to think for long about this, since they soon return.

"You were right, she was very cooperative. And much faster than you." (Tamarah)

I ignore that last comment and turn back to my business talk.

"And what are you willing to give?" (Shari)

"It was a bit less than last time, so I think five silver should be fine." (Tamarah)

I don't believe she would swindle me.

She has too much pride to do that and is too invested in her research to care all too much about money.

"Alright, what kind of things we could deliver to you?" (Shari)

"I can make you a list. There are some things I'm running especially short right now, one thing in particular, but I don't know if you can gather those." (Tamarah)

"What would you have in mind?" (Shari)

"I would like you to bring me voidstone. If you don’t know, voidstone has the ability to draw and negate magical energy in close proximity. Like this, it can be used to get rid of unwanted magical effects in other ingredients or help in cases of direct influences, like magical poisonings. There was a mine where it was gathered from in the past. Yet, the distance, the abundance of monsters and the fact that the mine got less productive over time made them abandon that site." (Tamarah)

"So you want us to go there and find some of those stones for you? You know that my body is not really fit for swinging a pickaxe? And how shall I find this stuff the miners were unable to find?" (Shari)

"Should be possible." (Liqu)

"Huh?" (Shari)

"It is no problem to etch stone away and if I know what I am looking for, I can scan the concentration. Do you have a sample?" (Liqu)

"Sure, a bit is left. However, there might be another problem." (Tamarah)

"What else?" (Shari)

I become a bit irritated at such an incredibly bothersome request.

"You know, because of the unique characteristics of voidstone, sometimes it’s getting used as a coating for weapons. It is not really hard enough to get used in this way, but it can weaken monsters, which are of magical nature. And well, you are..." (Tamarah)

"I get it! No need to point it out. And how are we supposed to do this now?" (Shari)

"I would like to see how strong the effect is first. Here is your sample, Liqu!" (Tamarah)

She procures a dark stone that seems somehow to vibrate.

"Does this stuff always do this?" (Shari)

I mean the whole mountain should shake with this stuff inside.

"Do what?" (Tamarah)

"This vibrating thing. The stone looks as if it would any moment jump out of your hand." (Shari)

"Shari, the stone is perfectly still. Oh, wait! You can see something going on with it?" (Tamarah)

"Ehm, yes. It's dark and seems to vibrate with some energy. How could anyone build a mine to gather something like this?" (Shari)

"As I said, the stone doesn't move, but your vision can maybe detect magical energy or more how it gets lost at the stone. How intriguing!" (Tamarah)

Oh great, another point on my list of things humans don't do.

"Sigh! Then hand it to Liqu. She is far better at using her abilities." (Shari)

"Alright; here." (Tamarah)

Liqu takes the stone but starts to make a difficult face, if you can say it like this, considering what it is made of.

"I don't like this thing! It drains on me and devours my energy. This thing is bad! I will show you how devouring works!" (Liqu)

"Liqu! Wait!" (Shari)

Too late.

She already activated dissolving and in seconds the stone vanishes.

"So. Done. That thing was a meany." (Liqu)

"Liqu! You shouldn't destroy it!" (Shari)

"But it took my energy! Not much, but I really hate this. Good that I got some back from dissolving it." (Liqu)

"And? Do you think you can find the stones now?" (Tamarah)

"Sure! As if I could overlook something this unpleasant! I would recognize this feeling everywhere!" (Liqu)

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the means to pay for this right now." (Shari)

"It's alright. I can show you the location on the map then." (Tamarah)

It was good that my map depicts the whole country.

Like this, the location is still shown on it.

The downside is that there it doesn't go into too much detail so I will have to search for the mine.

The place is located in the east within the forest.

It should be around one day away from there if we don't take detours.

"Before we leave now, I would like to discuss the price." (Shari)

"I thought four silver the kilo if there are not too many impurities. Is that alright?" (Tamarah)

"Is there an upper limit?" (Shari)

"Thirty max. I really don't need more than this." (Tamarah)

The price is fine and would hold us in the ropes for quite a while, yet there are problems.

I already doubt we can transport this much.

And that is not even taking the fact that this stuff is sucking us dry into account.

Hey; I've got an idea!

I don't need to carry them myself and while I'm at it, I don't even have to dig them out myself.

I just need someone who would do so.

I am very confident that Liqu can find a vein of this stuff and then the hired person just needs to gather it.

And fortunately, I know someone in dire need to make money.

Especially as they owe it to me.

What a coincidence.

"Shari, is this kind of wide stretched smile a normal thing for you? It goes from ear to ear. This is of interest for my research." (Tamarah)

And now I am embarrassed.

Which makes this the best moment to end this meeting.

"I am sorry Tamarah, but if I want to keep up with your request I need to make some preparations and so I have to take my leave." (Shari)

"Alright, hope to see you soon." (Tamarah)

"Okay, but now I have to visit Jacob. He owes me money." (Shari)

"Pfft. How ridiculous that sounds. I pity him." (Tamarah)

"No comment from my side." (Shari)

"Then good luck squeezing it out of him." (Tamarah)

"Oh, he will pay, he will." (Shari)

"And there is this lovely smile again." (Tamarah)

"Yes, my Shari is lovely." (Liqu)

I really need to do something about this!

Sigh!